Have you read this?

LordIsaac:
Can't be better captured. Nice write-up!

thank you!

Saviourk:
Interesting read.

For me 3 and 5 is the worst.

Thanks for your comment.

Let's have some plantain pudding after work. Are you in?

Have you tried this out?

McStoic:


Number 5 is .y favourite here. The benefits of a quality and spacious refrigerator cannot be overemphasized

Exactly! Thanks for your comment.

You're welcome. �

HRHQueenPhil:
Thanks for sharing
First tell your stomach u are on a diet or budget so u won't eat in your dream

HOW TO EAT HEALTHY ON A BUDGET

Have you ever gasped at the price of meat, fruits and vegetables when you go to the market? Eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive.

Even though the prices of fruits, vegetables, and meat could frighten you a little, there is always a way around it. You could eat nutritious and delicious foods without having a tear in your pockets.

We all want to live healthily and having a good diet is all part of that. The benefits of healthy eating are many. It is good for our physical and mental wellbeing. The food you eat supplies your body with nutrients, which gives your body the energy it needs. What’s important is that you eat a balanced diet and with proper planning, you can eat a range of healthy foods without having to break the bank.

When it comes to healthy eating, there is this question people ask, and it’s how to eat healthily on a budget. It probably applies to everyone, whether you’re single or married. The truth is eating wholesome, delicious foods doesn’t have to be expensive. The key to eating healthy is having a budget that makes you get stocked up on the right food and also minimises food wastage.

Are you ready to eat healthy on your budget? Then let’s get to it.

1. SHOP AND EAT IN SEASON

The best way to eat healthily is to eat in season. Foods in season are always fresher, and tastier and the abundance of the crop usually drives down the price, making it affordable.

Seasonal produce varies from region to region. That’s why you need to do a bit of research to know what’s in season In your area and plan out your meals. If you try to get fruits when they are not In season, then be ready to have a tear in your pockets.

2. PLAN AHEAD

Everyone needs to have a plan when they shop for food. Make a list of the things you would need and do not go to the supermarket without eating.

When you go to the supermarket without a list of things you would need, there is a tendency you will give in to impulsive buying.

Make a list of the important things and stick to it.

3. REPLACE SOME MEAT WITH OTHER PROTEINS

When it comes to buying the healthiest meat, we want organic, pastured and grass-fed options. This is not only good for you, but for everyone. However, stocking up your fridge with the highest-quality proteins could cost you so much.

You could supplement your protein intake with plant-based sources of protein. Plant-based sources of protein come from plants and are both healthy and cost-effective. Examples are pulses, which include beans, lentils, peas, etc.

4. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FROZEN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

Both organic and non-organic frozen fruits and vegetables are less expensive than fresh, yet they are nutritious. There is a misconception that everything needs to be fresh for it to be healthy. Well, that’s not true. Frozen fruits and vegetables contain the same amount of nutrients as fresh foods. Frozen vegetables like green beans and peas make a great addition to curries and stir-fry, while frozen fruits like mango and bananas are perfect for smoothies.

5. MINIMIZE FOOD WASTE WITH A FREEZER

Have you been in a situation where you stock up your store with fresh produce and only have half of it spoil before you get to use it?

Food wastage is a huge drain on your bank account and no one would be happy to see their fresh food get spoilt. That’s why you have to make use of your freezer. If you have bananas going brown, just slice them up, place them in a plastic bag, and store them in the freezer for smoothies or banana bread.

The freezer is your friend when it comes to food wastage.

Do you find this article helpful? You could leave a comment in the comment section below.

AndroidAI:
This article is baseless. If you have these bad habits, you wouldn't smell success in the first place. So, there's nothing to destroy.

Thanks for your comment. You should read to understand.

Snitch24:
Procrastination should be top on the list

yeah. Thank you.

Samuelnze:
Nice article dear..
added something from here to what i know...
Blaming others is the worst mistake anyone can make in his pursuit for success...
we all are responsible for our lives,. The only time you can blame anyone for failure is when you sought guildance from him because you are not informed in that area you are seeking advice.. Anything aside this, that person is solely responsible for his failure.

you've said it all. Thanks for sharing

5 HABITS THAT DESTROY YOUR SUCCESS

“ In essence, if we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions. It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.” - Tony Robbins.

Do you know what habits are? In high school, our teachers taught us that habits are what we do for 21 days (3 weeks).

What are habits?

Stephen R. Covey’s definition of habits

Habit is the intersection of knowledge (what to do), skill (how to do), and desire (want to do). They are unintentional behaviour everyone performs in their life. Habits are important parts of our identity, we may not recognize them but they are there.

Types of Habits

1. Good habits

2. Bad habits

Good habits enable us to develop a positive character. Bad habits destroy/damage the character.

Bad habits could be a stumbling block to our success and limit our potential to be successful. If not corrected bad habits could destroy all our efforts to be successful.

Ride along with me as we unveil those bad habits that you need to get rid of.

5 Bad Habits That Destroy Your Success.

1. Unproductive work

“Don’t mistake activity for achievement.”—John Wooden.

Are you one of those people that would love to have 48 hours in a day? Unfortunately, you also have 24 hours like everyone.

What’s the difference between a busy person and a productive person? A busy person is someone who packs their day with time-consuming work and is never productive. On the other hand, a productive person maximizes the efficiency of their time. So, we can say productive people aren’t always busy.
If you want to be successful take a look at your schedule. You don’t need to execute all the projects at once. Focus on the areas that would have a large impact. Don’t confuse being busy with making progress. You may be the busiest person but that doesn’t make you the most productive.

A successful person may work fifty per cent less while accomplishing fifty per cent more. This is because a successful person knows that work isn’t always productive. Just like having fun when you should, isn’t wasting your time. To have a productive day learn how to manage your time.

2. Assuming Incompetence

Do you know your strength and weaknesses? Do you think you can’t do things that you’ve never tried? One of the most common bad habits that we all share is not being optimistic and not believing in ourselves. This is a habit that we unknowingly hold. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one will. This thought of being incompetent is triggered by the pessimistic mindset toward ourselves.

You assume every arduous task is out of your league, but that may not be the case. What might be the problem is that you run away from skills that don’t naturally come to you. If something isn’t your second nature, you assume you’re incapable. Many people believe they are not good with words because they cannot write an interesting story. You see the mind-blowing write-ups of people and you say “I could never write like this!”. Have you ever tried it? The people you see as being skilled and talented spent their time learning and practising new skills. At first, they made mistakes but kept on learning that’s why they could put down that amazing story.
You must learn, practice, be consistent and be thirsty for growth. Otherwise, you would keep wishing and your wish would remain as a wish.

3. Running from challenges

Do you run away from challenges? You don’t have to. Just face it.

As sweet as success is, it’s never easy to attain it. The road to success is filled with traps and obstacles which send people running. But those obstacles contribute to your long-term growth. You need to have the courage to overcome those obstacles so you could understand what it means to be successful. Every trial on your path toward success makes your achievements more meaningful.

Note; if you run away from challenges, you may never find the success you’re looking for.

4. Envy

When we come in contact with a successful person, it is tempting for envy to creep in. Why is that? This is because they’re achieving the things which we want for ourselves.

Envy is a bad habit that emerges without our consent and is hard to control. However, you must learn how to control your envy so it doesn’t eat you up and blocks your paths to success.

We feel envious of other people’s wealth, relationships, talents, and appearance. But, the feeling of envy has no positive contribution to our lives. Instead of feeling envious of those who are successful, feel motivated by their efforts and let their success inspire you to work harder.

5. Blaming others

People tend to blame others/circumstances when things are not happening according to their plans. Blaming others only brings temporary relief, but in the end, it does more harm than good. It could destroy our relationships and result in discomfort.

There are people out there who are making it amid the circumstances and environment you keep blaming for your bad performance. Even though they don’t have total control over everything, they are adapting in the right direction to make progress in their lives.
0Blaming others is a bad habit you have to get rid of if you want to be successful.

Which of these habits do you think is the worst?

Feel free to share with us in the comment section.

Let go of that guilt!

Let go of that guilt before it does more harm.

5 HABITS THAT DESTROY YOUR SUCCESS

“ In essence, if we want to direct our lives, we must take control of our consistent actions. It’s not what we do once in a while that shapes our lives, but what we do consistently.” - Tony Robbins.

Do you know what habits are? In high school, our teachers taught us that habits are what we do for 21 days (3 weeks).

What are habits?

Stephen R. Covey’s definition of habits

Habit is the intersection of knowledge (what to do), skill (how to do), and desire (want to do). They are unintentional behaviour everyone performs in their life. Habits are important parts of our identity, we may not recognize them but they are there.

Types of Habits

1. Good habits

2. Bad habits

Good habits enable us to develop a positive character. Bad habits destroy/damage the character.

Bad habits could be a stumbling block to our success and limit our potential to be successful. If not corrected bad habits could destroy all our efforts to be successful.

Ride along with me as we unveil those bad habits that you need to get rid of.

5 Bad Habits That Destroy Your Success.

1. Unproductive work

“Don’t mistake activity for achievement.”—John Wooden.

Are you one of those people that would love to have 48 hours in a day? Unfortunately, you also have 24 hours like everyone.

What’s the difference between a busy person and a productive person? A busy person is someone who packs their day with time-consuming work and is never productive. On the other hand, a productive person maximizes the efficiency of their time. So, we can say productive people aren’t always busy.
If you want to be successful take a look at your schedule. You don’t need to execute all the projects at once. Focus on the areas that would have a large impact. Don’t confuse being busy with making progress. You may be the busiest person but that doesn’t make you the most productive.

A successful person may work fifty per cent less while accomplishing fifty per cent more. This is because a successful person knows that work isn’t always productive. Just like having fun when you should, isn’t wasting your time. To have a productive day learn how to manage your time.

2. Assuming Incompetence

Do you know your strength and weaknesses? Do you think you can’t do things that you’ve never tried? One of the most common bad habits that we all share is not being optimistic and not believing in ourselves. This is a habit that we unknowingly hold. If you don’t believe in yourself, no one will. This thought of being incompetent is triggered by the pessimistic mindset toward ourselves.

You assume every arduous task is out of your league, but that may not be the case. What might be the problem is that you run away from skills that don’t naturally come to you. If something isn’t your second nature, you assume you’re incapable. Many people believe they are not good with words because they cannot write an interesting story. You see the mind-blowing write-ups of people and you say “I could never write like this!”. Have you ever tried it? The people you see as being skilled and talented spent their time learning and practising new skills. At first, they made mistakes but kept on learning that’s why they could put down that amazing story.
You must learn, practice, be consistent and be thirsty for growth. Otherwise, you would keep wishing and your wish would remain as a wish.

3. Running from challenges

Do you run away from challenges? You don’t have to. Just face it.

As sweet as success is, it’s never easy to attain it. The road to success is filled with traps and obstacles which send people running. But those obstacles contribute to your long-term growth. You need to have the courage to overcome those obstacles so you could understand what it means to be successful. Every trial on your path toward success makes your achievements more meaningful.

Note; if you run away from challenges, you may never find the success you’re looking for.

4. Envy

When we come in contact with a successful person, it is tempting for envy to creep in. Why is that? This is because they’re achieving the things which we want for ourselves.

Envy is a bad habit that emerges without our consent and is hard to control. However, you must learn how to control your envy so it doesn’t eat you up and blocks your paths to success.

We feel envious of other people’s wealth, relationships, talents, and appearance. But, the feeling of envy has no positive contribution to our lives. Instead of feeling envious of those who are successful, feel motivated by their efforts and let their success inspire you to work harder.

5. Blaming others

People tend to blame others/circumstances when things are not happening according to their plans. Blaming others only brings temporary relief, but in the end, it does more harm than good. It could destroy our relationships and result in discomfort.

There are people out there who are making it amid the circumstances and environment you keep blaming for your bad performance. Even though they don’t have total control over everything, they are adapting in the right direction to make progress in their lives.
0Blaming others is a bad habit you have to get rid of if you want to be successful.

Which of these habits do you think is the worst?

Feel free to share with us in the comment section.

5 ALARMING SIGNS THAT YOUR BLOOD SUGAR IS TOO HIGH

How can you tell your blood sugar level is high? What signs should you look out for? Don’t rack your head thinking of the answer. We’ve got you covered.

High blood sugar, also known as Hypoglycemia is a common issue for people with diabetes. However, people who are not diabetic can suffer from blood sugar spikes caused by glucose building up in the bloodstream. The warning signs can be so mild that you won’t notice.
Many people don’t realize they have high blood sugar. If you are one of those people, you certainly aren’t alone.

Blood sugar (also called blood glucose) is measured in milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL). The average blood sugar level is up to 140 mg/dL after 2 hours of eating. If the value ranges above 200 mg/dL after a glucose tolerance test, that person is considered diabetic.

In this article, I give you 5 signs of high blood sugar, although there are more. Before we move on, let’s understand the process involved.

We get glucose from the food we eat. Our body needs glucose to enter our cells and turn it into energy so that our organs can function properly.
This is where insulin comes in. The pancreas produces a hormone called insulin. This hormone allows glucose to enter our cells, and it also prevents glucose from building up in our bloodstream, which can lead to diabetes.

5 signs of high blood sugar you shouldn’t ignore.

1. Increased Thirst

This is often the symptom you will notice. High blood sugar levels can lead to excessive and persistent thirst. In an attempt to flush excess sugar from the bladder, the body diverts water into the urine. The reason is that the body tries to get rid of excess sugar from the kidney, whose function is to keep waste from the body. The kidney works overtime trying to get rid of that excess glucose in the bloodstream. Therefore, the kidney would need more water to produce more urine and help your body remove the sugar. You will feel very thirsty as you drink more water, which leads to frequent urination.

The body is eager to get rid of the excess sugar so it could pull water even from your tissues, leading to dehydration. If a person is unaware that they have high blood sugar levels and try to quench their thirst with soda, juice or other sugary beverages, they may worsen their condition. The sugar in these drinks increases the blood sugar level, resulting in more urination without hydration to replace the lost fluids.

2. Excessive Urination

Excessive urination is known as “Polyuria”. Our kidneys can’t keep up and adjust blood sugar levels so that it returns to a normal level, the excess sugar is flushed out of your body through urine.

The average person usually has to pee between 4-7 times in 24 hours, but people with high blood sugar levels may go a lot more. So, if you go to the bathroom all the time if you’re losing a lot of fluid that way, then this could be a sign of high blood sugar because people with high blood sugar levels can develop urinary tract infections which may trigger excessive urination. Urinary infections can also cause pain or a burning sensation when urinating and an urge to urinate despite having an empty bladder.

During the day, you might not notice this symptom, but if your sleep is ruined by frequent trips to the bathroom, it should ring an alarm.

3. Feeling tired even when rested

Fatigue and extreme tiredness are the symptoms of high blood sugar. The problem is people might attribute this to working too much. However, when your blood glucose goes above 250mg/dL your body fights hard to get rid of it. Your pancreas can not produce enough insulin to turn glucose into energy. You will feel tired all day long. Tiredness is a pretty non-specific symptom and could also be a sign of low blood sugar. But, if you notice fatigue creeping in right after you eat, especially a meal high in carbs, it may have to do with rising blood sugar. Nothing is wrong with you eating sweet foods. If you notice this symptom after eating meals, you should visit a doctor.

4. Blurred vision

You may notice your vision isn’t as clear as it used to be, or you are struggling hard to focus your eyes. That’s when you get blurred vision. High blood sugar levels can lead to swollen lenses in your eyes. This changes the shape of the lens, which makes it unable to focus, causing blurred vision.

In a short term, the problem is not dangerous and your vision will improve once the sugar level is normalised. But you should be careful because, as the condition worsens, the damage to the lens will become permanent, causing diabetic retinopathy.

5. Numbness and tingling feet

High blood sugar levels can cause nerve damage, also known as diabetic neuropathy, and the symptoms you would notice are numbness and tingling in your hand and feet. Some people experience pain in the hand and feet as well. Neuropathy is common in people who have had diabetes for a long time.

If you have one or more of these symptoms, go see a doctor and have a test done.

Did you find this helpful?

Don’t be shy about leaving a comment.

Akposkiz:
Nice!

Thank you,!

Did you have a productive day?

HOW TO EAT HEALTHY ON A BUDGET

Have you ever gasped at the price of meat, fruits and vegetables when you go to the market? Eating healthy doesn’t have to be expensive.

Even though the prices of fruits, vegetables, and meat could frighten you a little, there is always a way around it. You could eat nutritious and delicious foods without having a tear in your pockets.

We all want to live healthily and having a good diet is all part of that. The benefits of healthy eating are many. It is good for our physical and mental wellbeing. The food you eat supplies your body with nutrients, which gives your body the energy it needs. What’s important is that you eat a balanced diet and with proper planning, you can eat a range of healthy foods without having to break the bank.

When it comes to healthy eating, there is this question people ask, and it’s how to eat healthily on a budget. It probably applies to everyone, whether you’re single or married. The truth is eating wholesome, delicious foods doesn’t have to be expensive. The key to eating healthy is having a budget that makes you get stocked up on the right food and also minimises food wastage.

Are you ready to eat healthy on your budget? Then let’s get to it.

1. SHOP AND EAT IN SEASON

The best way to eat healthily is to eat in season. Foods in season are always fresher, and tastier and the abundance of the crop usually drives down the price, making it affordable.

Seasonal produce varies from region to region. That’s why you need to do a bit of research to know what’s in season In your area and plan out your meals. If you try to get fruits when they are not In season, then be ready to have a tear in your pockets.

2. PLAN AHEAD

Everyone needs to have a plan when they shop for food. Make a list of the things you would need and do not go to the supermarket without eating.

When you go to the supermarket without a list of things you would need, there is a tendency you will give in to impulsive buying.

Make a list of the important things and stick to it.

3. REPLACE SOME MEAT WITH OTHER PROTEINS

When it comes to buying the healthiest meat, we want organic, pastured and grass-fed options. This is not only good for you, but for everyone. However, stocking up your fridge with the highest-quality proteins could cost you so much.

You could supplement your protein intake with plant-based sources of protein. Plant-based sources of protein come from plants and are both healthy and cost-effective. Examples are pulses, which include beans, lentils, peas, etc.

4. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF FROZEN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES.

Both organic and non-organic frozen fruits and vegetables are less expensive than fresh, yet they are nutritious. There is a misconception that everything needs to be fresh for it to be healthy. Well, that’s not true. Frozen fruits and vegetables contain the same amount of nutrients as fresh foods. Frozen vegetables like green beans and peas make a great addition to curries and stir-fry, while frozen fruits like mango and bananas are perfect for smoothies.

5. MINIMIZE FOOD WASTE WITH A FREEZER

Have you been in a situation where you stock up your store with fresh produce and only have half of it spoil before you get to use it?

Food wastage is a huge drain on your bank account and no one would be happy to see their fresh food get spoilt. That’s why you have to make use of your freezer. If you have bananas going brown, just slice them up, place them in a plastic bag, and store them in the freezer for smoothies or banana bread.

The freezer is your friend when it comes to food wastage.

Do you find this article helpful? You could leave a comment in the comment section below.

Make the best out of the weekend
Live your life to the fullest
Relax too

Yawa no dey end oh!

It's the weekend.
Remember to rest well.

AT LAST, YOU CAN NOW BE FREE.

“You’re such an ugly duckling, I never liked you,” Julius yelled at Juliet, his stepsister angrily, and walked back to his room. After a while, he felt guilty about the actions and kept blaming himself for saying such hurtful words to his sister. Julius is confused and doesn’t know what to do to stop feeling guilty.

Should he own up to his actions and apologise or should he feed his pride and not apologise cause it was her fault for making him angry?

Well, you would get to know the right answer if you keep reading.

First let's define what guilt is.

WHAT IS GUILT?

"Guilt is rooted in actions of the past, perpetuated in the lack of action in present, and delivered in the future as pain and suffering". David Roppo

Guilt is a powerful emotion. It is nothing more than keeping you in the past. It’s unbearable, you just can’t stop feeling unhappy. You try to push it out but it won’t leave, it just keeps eating you up. Guilt can set in when you hurt someone, fail, lost a loved one, etc.

There is nothing wrong with feeling guilty. It’s ok to recognize what you’ve done is wrong. There’s nothing wrong with evaluating yourself. Guilt helps us acknowledge our actions and pushes us to improve on our behaviours. Guilt is a tool used to identify a problem.

If you’ve never felt able to own up to your actions, your guilt might increase to the extent you won’t be able to bear it.

HOW TO SET YOURSELF FREE FROM GUILT.

1. OWN UP TO YOUR ACTIONS

Take responsibility because you did or said something hurtful. Once you own up to your actions, you will see how your behaviour affected someone you love and care about.

What you need to do is to say to that person, “I’m human. I did something wrong. I said something I shouldn’t have or did something I shouldn’t have and I take full responsibility for my action. I’m so sorry”. Apologise and let go of that guilt.

The reason people get stuck in guilt it’s because they don’t own up to their actions. For example, If someone cheats on someone else and instead of acknowledging they are wrong, they blame the other person for their actions.

2. FORGIVE YOURSELF

Learn how to forgive yourself for the mistakes you make because your human and humans are fallible. We make mistakes frequently. When you make a mistake, you don’t have to spend your life repenting of it. Have compassion for yourself (Self-compassion) which entails being warm and understanding towards ourselves when we make mistakes. Forgiveness is powerful and is needed to overcome guilt.

3. START SOMETHING NEW

You can start doing something new that is exciting so that you can stop focusing on the feeling of guilt. You could try learning a new skill, writing a book, going out to network, working toward achieving your goals, etc. Just do something that isn’t boring.

4. DON’T BE HARD ON YOURSELF

Don’t give yourself the trouble of dwelling on the feeling of guilt. You shouldn’t hate or blame yourself for what has happened. This could be detrimental to your physical and mental health. Surround yourself with those who love you, and seek their perspective. They will probably not say bad things about you. They will shower you with the love and care you need.

5. LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES

One thing you should learn how to do is to find lessons from your mistakes. You should not dwell in the past saying, ‘I shouldn’t have said this, I should have done this. " This is not a healthy thing to do. Instead, learn from your mistakes and never let them happen again.

Self-guilt is like placing a dog in a cage. It could go nowhere, only if you set it free. Don’t put yourself in that guilt cage. Take the steps to be free. The feelings of guilt could speedily drive you into depression, which might lead to suicide.

Set yourself free because you have the keys to your freedom.

Don’t forget to share with anyone that you feel needs it. You could be a lifesaver.

I would appreciate a comment.

AT LAST, YOU CAN NOW BE FREE.

“You’re such an ugly duckling, I never liked you,” Julius yelled at Juliet, his stepsister angrily, and walked back to his room. After a while, he felt guilty about the actions and kept blaming himself for saying such hurtful words to his sister. Julius is confused and doesn’t know what to do to stop feeling guilty.

Should he own up to his actions and apologise or should he feed his pride and not apologise cause it was her fault for making him angry?

Well, you would get to know the right answer if you keep reading.

First let's define what guilt is.

WHAT IS GUILT?

"Guilt is rooted in actions of the past, perpetuated in the lack of action in present, and delivered in the future as pain and suffering". David Roppo

Guilt is a powerful emotion. It is nothing more than keeping you in the past. It’s unbearable, you just can’t stop feeling unhappy. You try to push it out but it won’t leave, it just keeps eating you up. Guilt can set in when you hurt someone, fail, lost a loved one, etc.

There is nothing wrong with feeling guilty. It’s ok to recognize what you’ve done is wrong. There’s nothing wrong with evaluating yourself. Guilt helps us acknowledge our actions and pushes us to improve on our behaviours. Guilt is a tool used to identify a problem.

If you’ve never felt able to own up to your actions, your guilt might increase to the extent you won’t be able to bear it.

HOW TO SET YOURSELF FREE FROM GUILT.

1. OWN UP TO YOUR ACTIONS

Take responsibility because you did or said something hurtful. Once you own up to your actions, you will see how your behaviour affected someone you love and care about.

What you need to do is to say to that person, “I’m human. I did something wrong. I said something I shouldn’t have or did something I shouldn’t have and I take full responsibility for my action. I’m so sorry”. Apologise and let go of that guilt.

The reason people get stuck in guilt it’s because they don’t own up to their actions. For example, If someone cheats on someone else and instead of acknowledging they are wrong, they blame the other person for their actions.

2. FORGIVE YOURSELF

Learn how to forgive yourself for the mistakes you make because your human and humans are fallible. We make mistakes frequently. When you make a mistake, you don’t have to spend your life repenting of it. Have compassion for yourself (Self-compassion) which entails being warm and understanding towards ourselves when we make mistakes. Forgiveness is powerful and is needed to overcome guilt.

3. START SOMETHING NEW

You can start doing something new that is exciting so that you can stop focusing on the feeling of guilt. You could try learning a new skill, writing a book, going out to network, working toward achieving your goals, etc. Just do something that isn’t boring.

4. DON’T BE HARD ON YOURSELF

Don’t give yourself the trouble of dwelling on the feeling of guilt. You shouldn’t hate or blame yourself for what has happened. This could be detrimental to your physical and mental health. Surround yourself with those who love you, and seek their perspective. They will probably not say bad things about you. They will shower you with the love and care you need.

5. LEARN FROM YOUR MISTAKES

One thing you should learn how to do is to find lessons from your mistakes. You should not dwell in the past saying, ‘I shouldn’t have said this, I should have done this. " This is not a healthy thing to do. Instead, learn from your mistakes and never let them happen again.

Self-guilt is like placing a dog in a cage. It could go nowhere, only if you set it free. Don’t put yourself in that guilt cage. Take the steps to be free. The feelings of guilt could speedily drive you into depression, which might lead to suicide.

Set yourself free because you have the keys to your freedom.

Don’t forget to share with anyone that you feel needs it. You could be a lifesaver.

I would appreciate a comment.

Wow!
This is understandable.
You should create a budget before going out and try to stick to it.

EXPOSED! 6 WAYS TO ACHIEVE FINANCIAL FREEDOM.

If you can design your life and plan anything in it, what would it look like? Some people would love to own and live in that dream house, some people would love to tour the world and others may love to have anything in the world that money could buy. The list could be endless and we could see that money is needed to make all this come true. I’m not trying to say money is everything, but money is important.

Imagine a life where the decisions you make won’t be based on what you have in your bank account. You won’t have to struggle to get a bus when you can just order a ride. This sounds sweet, right? But you need to know all this won’t happen overnight if you don’t put in the efforts to attain financial independence.

In this article, you would get to know 7 (seven) ways you could take control of your finances, but before I do that, let’s get to know what financial freedom is.

WHAT IS FINANCIAL FREEDOM?

Financial freedom is when you have enough savings and financial investments to afford the life you want. It also means taking control of your finances and not allowing your finances to control the decisions you make.

Don’t think being financially independent means you must be rich, no it’s not. It’s just having enough money to meet your basic needs.

WAYS TO ACHIEVE FINANCIAL FREEDOM

1. SET LIFE GOALS

The very first step to take for you to be financially independent is to create a list of life goals. Don’t just put down anything on a piece of paper, take out time to think deeply and identify the important things you want out of life and once you’re done set deadlines for your goals. Your goals should be specific, accurate, measurable, relevant and time-bound, I.e. your life goals must be SMART. Your goals should be realistic.

2. TRACK YOUR SPENDING AND CREATE A BUDGET.

It’s important to know what you spend money on every day. This is the only you can keep track of your spending. Many people avoid tracking their spending because they might feel overwhelmed or guilty about their spending.

Tracking your spending will allow you to be in control of your spending so that you can create a budget that works with your lifestyle. Writing a budget and strictly sticking to it will save you a lot of money. This will help you save, spend and give how you want to.



3. CREATE AUTOMATED SAVINGS

One of the best things you could do to your finances is to set up automated withdrawals. Once you have an outlined budget, determine how much you’ll be putting into your savings every month and make this an automatic deposit into your bank account. The money should be pulled out once you receive your salary to avoid temptations. Think of it as saving for the future. Talk to your bank and find out how you have automated deductions from your monthly paycheck.

4. FIND WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR INCOME

The best way to increase your saving is to increase your income. There are several ways to do that. I would give you a few tips.

(A) Start a side hustle; starting a side hustle that earns you extra money is an enormous asset. You could learn a skill, master it and monetize that skill. There are tons of side hustles you could try, such as writing, affiliate marketing, digital marketing, selling clothes, perfumes, etc. Find a side hustle that is flexible with your work and your lifestyle.

(B) Find a higher paying job; think of a career you’ll be happy in and keep doing your best at it, then you could negotiate for a higher salary.

5. START INVESTING

Investing is one way you can multiply your money. Once you’ve created a structure on how your income would be spent, then you can create an investment plan. However, you have to be patient once you invest, as results would only be seen after some time. How do you start? Don’t just opt for any investment plan. Make sure you do your research first, ask for help from experts, and then create weekly on monthly deposits.

6. INVEST IN YOUR FINANCIAL EDUCATION

The best way to stay on track with being financially independent is to educate yourself on finances. Like they say, knowledge is power, you should be financially literate. Go to YouTube and choose a couple of channels that talk about finance, a blog or a money podcast, and read financial books. Do anything that keeps your knowledge of finance up to date. With time, you’ll grow your financial knowledge and be able to make decisions that would favour your financial growth.

One last thing I would love to tell you is to hire a financial advisor. Once you’ve followed all the steps for your financial freedom, you’ll have a lot of money and might not know how to manage it. This is where the role of a financial advisor is needed. The financial advisor would educate you and help you through your decision-making process so you don’t go back to where you started.

I’m you learnt a lot, thanks for reading.

What's your take on this?

Let us know in the comment section.

EXPOSED! 6 WAYS TO ACHIEVE FINANCIAL FREEDOM.

If you can design your life and plan anything in it, what would it look like? Some people would love to own and live in that dream house, some people would love to tour the world and others may love to have anything in the world that money could buy. The list could be endless and we could see that money is needed to make all this come true. I’m not trying to say money is everything, but money is important.

Imagine a life where the decisions you make won’t be based on what you have in your bank account. You won’t have to struggle to get a bus when you can just order a ride. This sounds sweet, right? But you need to know all this won’t happen overnight if you don’t put in the efforts to attain financial independence.

In this article, you would get to know 7 (seven) ways you could take control of your finances, but before I do that, let’s get to know what financial freedom is.

WHAT IS FINANCIAL FREEDOM?

Financial freedom is when you have enough savings and financial investments to afford the life you want. It also means taking control of your finances and not allowing your finances to control the decisions you make.

Don’t think being financially independent means you must be rich, no it’s not. It’s just having enough money to meet your basic needs.

WAYS TO ACHIEVE FINANCIAL FREEDOM

1. SET LIFE GOALS

The very first step to take for you to be financially independent is to create a list of life goals. Don’t just put down anything on a piece of paper, take out time to think deeply and identify the important things you want out of life and once you’re done set deadlines for your goals. Your goals should be specific, accurate, measurable, relevant and time-bound, I.e. your life goals must be SMART. Your goals should be realistic.

2. TRACK YOUR SPENDING AND CREATE A BUDGET.

It’s important to know what you spend money on every day. This is the only you can keep track of your spending. Many people avoid tracking their spending because they might feel overwhelmed or guilty about their spending.

Tracking your spending will allow you to be in control of your spending so that you can create a budget that works with your lifestyle. Writing a budget and strictly sticking to it will save you a lot of money. This will help you save, spend and give how you want to.



3. CREATE AUTOMATED SAVINGS

One of the best things you could do to your finances is to set up automated withdrawals. Once you have an outlined budget, determine how much you’ll be putting into your savings every month and make this an automatic deposit into your bank account. The money should be pulled out once you receive your salary to avoid temptations. Think of it as saving for the future. Talk to your bank and find out how you have automated deductions from your monthly paycheck.

4. FIND WAYS TO INCREASE YOUR INCOME

The best way to increase your saving is to increase your income. There are several ways to do that. I would give you a few tips.

(A) Start a side hustle; starting a side hustle that earns you extra money is an enormous asset. You could learn a skill, master it and monetize that skill. There are tons of side hustles you could try, such as writing, affiliate marketing, digital marketing, selling clothes, perfumes, etc. Find a side hustle that is flexible with your work and your lifestyle.

(B) Find a higher paying job; think of a career you’ll be happy in and keep doing your best at it, then you could negotiate for a higher salary.

5. START INVESTING

Investing is one way you can multiply your money. Once you’ve created a structure on how your income would be spent, then you can create an investment plan. However, you have to be patient once you invest, as results would only be seen after some time. How do you start? Don’t just opt for any investment plan. Make sure you do your research first, ask for help from experts, and then create weekly on monthly deposits.

6. INVEST IN YOUR FINANCIAL EDUCATION

The best way to stay on track with being financially independent is to educate yourself on finances. Like they say, knowledge is power, you should be financially literate. Go to YouTube and choose a couple of channels that talk about finance, a blog or a money podcast, and read financial books. Do anything that keeps your knowledge of finance up to date. With time, you’ll grow your financial knowledge and be able to make decisions that would favour your financial growth.

One last thing I would love to tell you is to hire a financial advisor. Once you’ve followed all the steps for your financial freedom, you’ll have a lot of money and might not know how to manage it. This is where the role of a financial advisor is needed. The financial advisor would educate you and help you through your decision-making process so you don’t go back to where you started.

I’m you learnt a lot, thanks for reading.

What's your take on this?

Let us know in the comment section.

HOW TO PREPARE A DELICIOUS CHICKEN CURRY SAUCE

Hello, my wonderful readers, it’s the last weekend of April and I want to say a big thank you to you all. Without you guys, I won’t be here.

Let’s talk about how you can make your loved ones happy with our amazing recipe for the chicken curry sauce.

Chicken has always been the favourite of most people. You can have your chicken in whatever way you want without losing that delicious taste it gives to your mouth. That is why we would take you on a journey on how to prepare the best chicken curry sauce that would leave your guest asking for more. This recipe could melt the heart of anyone and they will give you whatever you ask for.

So, are you ready to go on this journey with me? If you can I get a “yes”? Sure, you are ready.

Let’s get right to it...

INGREDIENTS

1. Chicken

2. Green, red and yellow bell pepper (chopped)

3. Sliced onions

4. Garlic

5. Ginger

6. Frozen carrots(you could use fresh carrots)

7. Curry powder

8. Chicken seasoning

9. Thyme

10. Vegetable oil

11. Salt to taste

12. Nutmeg

13. Scotch bonnet

14. Green beans

COOKING STEPS

1. Start by cooking the chicken

INGREDIENTS

A. Garlic

B. Thyme

C. Ginger

D. Curry powder

E. Chicken seasoning powder

F. Nutmeg

Put the chicken into a pot and add the grated garlic and ginger, chicken seasoning powder, nutmeg, thyme and curry powder. Stir and allow to cook for about 10-12 minutes.

When the chicken is cooked, remove it from the stock.

To another pot of medium heat, add 2 tbsp of vegetable oil and fry the chicken.

2. Add the vegetable oil to a pot on medium heat, allow to heat and add the sliced onions and scotch bonnet. Saute for about 5 minutes.

3. Drain the stock from the chaffs of the grated ginger and garlic into the pot. Add 3-4 cups of water. Add chicken seasoning powder, nutmeg, and curry powder and allow to boil.

4. When the content in step 3 has boiled, add your vegetables (carrots, green beans, red, yellow and green bell peppers)

Note; if you’re using fresh carrots, add the carrots first and simmer for 2 minutes before adding the rest of the vegetables. Add the chicken to the content in the pot and add salt to taste.

5. Dissolve the cornstarch in cold water. This will help thicken the sauce. Pour the cornstarch into the pot and allow to simmer for 1-2 minutes.

CONGRATULATIONS, THE CHICKEN CURRY SAUCE IS READY.

Serve with any food of your choice.

Have an enjoyable weekend. Tell us if you enjoyed it in the comment section.

10 PROVEN STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY AT WORK

Do you know what Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates have in common? The same 24 hours you have that you either waste or well use it. What makes the difference is what you choose to do with your time.

Imagine you’re at work and have a lot of tasks to do, but you’re not able to finish them before the deadline. Then you get a mail from your boss asking why you’re not done with the task and at the end of the mail he says “I’m tired of you making excuses you’re not being very productive”. You sigh and start wondering how you can be highly productive at work.

Save yourself from the stress of worrying cause these strategies are what you need.

1. SET SMART GOALS.

The SMART acronyms stand for

S-Specific, M-Measurable, A-Attainable, R-Realistic, T-Time-bound what this means is that when setting your goals you have to define them specifically, and set a way to measure the progress on them, make sure it’s realistic and attainable then lastly set a time a deadline for it.

2. FOCUS ON RESULT-ORIENTED ACTIVITIES.

Many of the activities we focus on throughout the day are not important and don’t have a visible impact on our lives. There’s this principle called the ‘PARETO PRINCIPLE’. The Pareto principle is a theory that states that 80% of our results come from 20% of our efforts/actions. What you need to do is find the 20% of activities that bring the 80% results and place your focus on it.

3. SHIELD YOURSELF FROM NEGATIVITY

Our workplace is filled with many people of different natures and different perspectives, which is why workplaces can breed grounds for gossip, negativity and some sort of interpersonal difference. If you find yourself in a workplace that’s filled with negativity, shield yourself from it.

How to shield yourself from negativity.

•Do not take what people say to you to heart.

•Do not indulge in gossip.

Make your work your highest priority, give it your 100% attention and you’ll be productive in your work.

4. AVOID DISTRACTIONS

Distractions could be a hindrance to being productive. To focus on one task at a time, you need to avoid distractions like a plaque. Turn off that notification, and stop going through your social media every 10 mins. You could turn on the ‘Do not disturb mode’ while you’re working. You’d be surprised how much work you can get done when you’re fully focused.

5. LEARN TO PRIORITIZE

You must have heard this so many times. You need to have a priority list. If you’re a person who does a lot of things at the same time or tries to complete your tasks and it’s always a race against time, what you need to do is to make a to-do list and prioritize your task according to their importance and stick to them. Do not digress. When you’re done with a task, take it off your to-do list as this will encourage you to work faster.

6. ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR EFFORT

If you work in an organisation, it’s normal if you want to be acknowledged by your colleagues, boss or people around you. If you want to be highly productive, learn how to acknowledge yourself each time you do something fantastic at work. Do not keep looking for appreciation from other people because if you don’t get it, you’ll end up feeling demotivated. To avoid this, appreciate yourself and your work, and celebrate your small wins.

7. STOP MULTITASKING

Sometimes people feel being able to multitask is a skill that is needed to be successful, but it isn’t. Multitasking is a productivity killer.

Multitasking is your brain trying to do different things, which results in a decrease of 40% of your productivity. Stop multitasking, and focus on one task at a time.

8. EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY

Make use of every app needed to help you improve your productivity. Create schedules and reminders and track the time spent on each task.

9. DEVELOP THE HABIT OF SAYING “ NO”

You could be someone who finds it hard to say ‘no’ to your colleagues whenever they ask for your help, even when you’re busy. This is understandable if you helping them doesn’t affect your work. But if it affects your work, learn how to say ‘no’ because they interfere with your working habits and this kills productivity. This doesn’t mean you should help no one, but make sure you do it after you’re done with your work.

When someone comes asking for a favour, you don’t have time to just turn them down politely or schedule for a time when you’re less busy.

10. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

You may think productivity is all about having a to-do list and sticking to it to be efficient in your work, but there’s more to it than that. You must invest in your health to be productive. Only a healthy person can be productive. Be mindful of what you eat, exercise, practice personal hygiene and get enough sleep so you’ll feel energised and motivated to work towards your goals.

Being productive at work means staying healthy, taking breaks when needed, surrounding yourself with people of value and also having a positive attitude towards your work.

Don’t forget to leave a comment.

10 PROVEN STRATEGIES FOR IMPROVING PRODUCTIVITY AT WORK

Do you know what Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates have in common? The same 24 hours you have that you either waste or well use it. What makes the difference is what you choose to do with your time.

Imagine you’re at work and have a lot of tasks to do, but you’re not able to finish them before the deadline. Then you get a mail from your boss asking why you’re not done with the task and at the end of the mail he says “I’m tired of you making excuses you’re not being very productive”. You sigh and start wondering how you can be highly productive at work.

Save yourself from the stress of worrying cause these strategies are what you need.

1. SET SMART GOALS.

The SMART acronyms stand for

S-Specific, M-Measurable, A-Attainable, R-Realistic, T-Time-bound what this means is that when setting your goals you have to define them specifically, and set a way to measure the progress on them, make sure it’s realistic and attainable then lastly set a time a deadline for it.

2. FOCUS ON RESULT-ORIENTED ACTIVITIES.

Many of the activities we focus on throughout the day are not important and don’t have a visible impact on our lives. There’s this principle called the ‘PARETO PRINCIPLE’. The Pareto principle is a theory that states that 80% of our results come from 20% of our efforts/actions. What you need to do is find the 20% of activities that bring the 80% results and place your focus on it.

3. SHIELD YOURSELF FROM NEGATIVITY

Our workplace is filled with many people of different natures and different perspectives, which is why workplaces can breed grounds for gossip, negativity and some sort of interpersonal difference. If you find yourself in a workplace that’s filled with negativity, shield yourself from it.

How to shield yourself from negativity.

•Do not take what people say to you to heart.

•Do not indulge in gossip.

Make your work your highest priority, give it your 100% attention and you’ll be productive in your work.

4. AVOID DISTRACTIONS

Distractions could be a hindrance to being productive. To focus on one task at a time, you need to avoid distractions like a plaque. Turn off that notification, and stop going through your social media every 10 mins. You could turn on the ‘Do not disturb mode’ while you’re working. You’d be surprised how much work you can get done when you’re fully focused.

5. LEARN TO PRIORITIZE

You must have heard this so many times. You need to have a priority list. If you’re a person who does a lot of things at the same time or tries to complete your tasks and it’s always a race against time, what you need to do is to make a to-do list and prioritize your task according to their importance and stick to them. Do not digress. When you’re done with a task, take it off your to-do list as this will encourage you to work faster.

6. ACKNOWLEDGE YOUR EFFORT

If you work in an organisation, it’s normal if you want to be acknowledged by your colleagues, boss or people around you. If you want to be highly productive, learn how to acknowledge yourself each time you do something fantastic at work. Do not keep looking for appreciation from other people because if you don’t get it, you’ll end up feeling demotivated. To avoid this, appreciate yourself and your work, and celebrate your small wins.

7. STOP MULTITASKING

Sometimes people feel being able to multitask is a skill that is needed to be successful, but it isn’t. Multitasking is a productivity killer.

Multitasking is your brain trying to do different things, which results in a decrease of 40% of your productivity. Stop multitasking, and focus on one task at a time.

8. EMBRACE TECHNOLOGY

Make use of every app needed to help you improve your productivity. Create schedules and reminders and track the time spent on each task.

9. DEVELOP THE HABIT OF SAYING “ NO”

You could be someone who finds it hard to say ‘no’ to your colleagues whenever they ask for your help, even when you’re busy. This is understandable if you helping them doesn’t affect your work. But if it affects your work, learn how to say ‘no’ because they interfere with your working habits and this kills productivity. This doesn’t mean you should help no one, but make sure you do it after you’re done with your work.

When someone comes asking for a favour, you don’t have time to just turn them down politely or schedule for a time when you’re less busy.

10. TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF

You may think productivity is all about having a to-do list and sticking to it to be efficient in your work, but there’s more to it than that. You must invest in your health to be productive. Only a healthy person can be productive. Be mindful of what you eat, exercise, practice personal hygiene and get enough sleep so you’ll feel energised and motivated to work towards your goals.

Being productive at work means staying healthy, taking breaks when needed, surrounding yourself with people of value and also having a positive attitude towards your work.

Don’t forget to leave a comment.

At one point or the other, we’ve experienced burnout, which has negative effects on just about everything in our lives, including our performance, attitude and motivation.

I would want you to meet Sandra. Sandra has been under pressure and working extra hours at work and she’s feeling overwhelmed. She does all the work and does not get help from her colleagues or her boss. Argh! Sandra mutters, ‘I’m feeling extremely stressed. This has made Sandra develop a negative attitude toward her work.

Sandra is experiencing ‘burnout’.

WHAT IS BURNOUT?

Burnout is a negative state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion caused by excessive stress. It can also be defined as a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. When your burnout, you run out of energy to do anything and may feel demotivated.

The American psychologist Herbert Freudenberger who used it to describe the consequences of severe stress that leads to physical, mental and emotional exhaustion, coined the term ‘burnout’ in the 1970s.

TYPES OF BURNOUT

The journal of occupational and Toxicology medicine list three different burnout

1. FRENETIC BURNOUT

This involves spending high energy for a long time and doing a lot of work until your body can’t keep up with it.

2. UNCHALLENGED BURNOUT

This is when your work is not challenging. It’s boring and unfulfilling.

3. WORN-OUT BURNOUT

This is defined as being under intense stress for so long and you’ve got nothing left to give.

3 KEY SYMPTOMS OF BURNOUT

•Exhaustion.

•Cynicism and detachment.

•Lack of accomplishment.

EXHAUSTION

Do you drag yourself out of bed to get to class or work in the morning? Or do you feel so tired after work that you cannot do anything?

If ‘yes’ is your answer to the questions, then you might be emotionally and physically exhausted.

Exhaustion is when you’re extremely tired because you’ve got prolonged levels of stress for a long period.

Some physical symptoms could show exhaustion.

1. When you feel drained.

2. Experiencing body aches.

3. Having difficulty concentrating.

4. Irritability.

CYNICISM AND DETACHMENT

This is when you show a lack of empathy and detachment towards others. E.g. if you're a health care professional you might begin to see your patients as objects.

Signs to watch out for;

1. Increased conflict with others (you keep having quarrels with your colleagues, friends and loved ones).

2. Show a negative attitude towards your work and everyone around you.

3. Isolation from colleagues and coursemates.

4. You feel disconnected from everyone around you and your environment.

LACK OF ACCOMPLISHMENT

People suffering from burnout often feel that performance is suffering or feel they can never catch up on their to-do list and maybe show signs of not being serious with their work.

Signs to watch out for;

1. Feeling useless.

2. Show poor performance.

3. Loss of productivity.

Other symptoms of burnout include;

1. Blurry visions.

2. Not eating properly.

3. Not taking care of one’s self

4. You find it difficult to control your emotions.

5. Fatigue.

7. Getting sick frequently.

8. Lack of sex drive.

9. Insomnia

10. Waking up tired. Etc.



COPING AND PREVENTIVE STRATEGIES

1. IDENTIFY THE ROOT CAUSE

If you’re feeling extremely stressed and want to fix the issue, you need to figure out the root cause. It’s impossible to solve a problem unless you identify what caused the problem. So the first step to take is to find and address the root cause.

2. TRY CHANGING YOUR WORK PATTERNS.

You can’t outrun burnout, so things won’t get better unless you make a change. Figure out a way to make your work less stressful. Recent studies have shown that the cause of burnout is due to long hours of work.

What you should do?

1. Taking breaks when it’s needed.

2. Avoid working overtime.

3. LEARN HOW TO ASK FOR HELP.

There is a saying that goes like this “Don’t bite more than you can chew”. So don’t bite more than you can chew. Learn how to ask for help from your colleagues or a trusted friend at work to take some work off your plate. This is a smart method to get tasks done on your to-do list faster and easy.

4. DEVELOP RELAXATION STRATEGIES.

Relaxation is the process that decreases the effect of stress on your mind and body. Examples of relaxation practices you could do are; yoga, breathing exercise, meditation and also music and art therapy.

Benefits of relaxation.

1. It helps to improve your level of concentration and mood.

2. It helps to improve digestion

3. It reduces the activity of stress hormones

4. Relaxation reduces muscle tension and chronic pain.

5. Relaxation helps to lower blood pressure.

5. LEARN TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR BOSS WHEN YOUR WORKLOAD IS PLENTY.

When your workload seems too much and you cannot meet deadlines, respectfully approach your boss and layout your concerns. You could suggest an alternate option like ‘Sir/Ma I’m not sure I can get this job done before next week Monday, I could tell John to help me with it if you don’t mind ‘. Doing this will make your boss happy with you because of your honesty and commitment to your work.

6. PRIORITIZE YOUR HEALTH AND FITNESS

We cannot overemphasise the benefits of exercise and healthy eating. Exercising regularly and also eating healthy is crucial for your overall health. As your physical fitness is important for your well-being, so is your mental health. Working on your mental health may include finding a new hobby that brings you joy, making more time for your personal life and sleeping for at least 7 hours each night to prevent exhaustion.

As you’ve read in this article, to avoid burnout you need to relax, ask for help, try changing your work pattern, make time for yourself and create a social circle.

Remember, health is wealth.

At one point or the other, we’ve experienced burnout, which has negative effects on just about everything in our lives, including our performance, attitude and motivation.

I would want you to meet Sandra. Sandra has been under pressure and working extra hours at work and she’s feeling overwhelmed. She does all the work and does not get help from her colleagues or her boss. Argh! Sandra mutters, ‘I’m feeling extremely stressed. This has made Sandra develop a negative attitude toward her work.

Sandra is experiencing ‘burnout’.

WHAT IS BURNOUT?

Burnout is a negative state of physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion caused by excessive stress. It can also be defined as a syndrome resulting from chronic workplace stress that has not been successfully managed. When your burnout, you run out of energy to do anything and may feel demotivated.

The American psychologist Herbert Freudenberger who used it to describe the consequences of severe stress that leads to physical, mental and emotional exhaustion, coined the term ‘burnout’ in the 1970s.

TYPES OF BURNOUT

The journal of occupational and Toxicology medicine list three different burnout

1. FRENETIC BURNOUT

This involves spending high energy for a long time and doing a lot of work until your body can’t keep up with it.

2. UNCHALLENGED BURNOUT

This is when your work is not challenging. It’s boring and unfulfilling.

3. WORN-OUT BURNOUT

This is defined as being under intense stress for so long and you’ve got nothing left to give.

3 KEY SYMPTOMS OF BURNOUT

•Exhaustion.

•Cynicism and detachment.

•Lack of accomplishment.

EXHAUSTION

Do you drag yourself out of bed to get to class or work in the morning? Or do you feel so tired after work that you cannot do anything?

If ‘yes’ is your answer to the questions, then you might be emotionally and physically exhausted.

Exhaustion is when you’re extremely tired because you’ve got prolonged levels of stress for a long period.

Some physical symptoms could show exhaustion.

1. When you feel drained.

2. Experiencing body aches.

3. Having difficulty concentrating.

4. Irritability.

CYNICISM AND DETACHMENT

This is when you show a lack of empathy and detachment towards others. E.g. if you're a health care professional you might begin to see your patients as objects.

Signs to watch out for;

1. Increased conflict with others (you keep having quarrels with your colleagues, friends and loved ones).

2. Show a negative attitude towards your work and everyone around you.

3. Isolation from colleagues and coursemates.

4. You feel disconnected from everyone around you and your environment.

LACK OF ACCOMPLISHMENT

People suffering from burnout often feel that performance is suffering or feel they can never catch up on their to-do list and maybe show signs of not being serious with their work.

Signs to watch out for;

1. Feeling useless.

2. Show poor performance.

3. Loss of productivity.

Other symptoms of burnout include;

1. Blurry visions.

2. Not eating properly.

3. Not taking care of one’s self

4. You find it difficult to control your emotions.

5. Fatigue.

7. Getting sick frequently.

8. Lack of sex drive.

9. Insomnia

10. Waking up tired. Etc.



COPING AND PREVENTIVE STRATEGIES

1. IDENTIFY THE ROOT CAUSE

If you’re feeling extremely stressed and want to fix the issue, you need to figure out the root cause. It’s impossible to solve a problem unless you identify what caused the problem. So the first step to take is to find and address the root cause.

2. TRY CHANGING YOUR WORK PATTERNS.

You can’t outrun burnout, so things won’t get better unless you make a change. Figure out a way to make your work less stressful. Recent studies have shown that the cause of burnout is due to long hours of work.

What you should do?

1. Taking breaks when it’s needed.

2. Avoid working overtime.

3. LEARN HOW TO ASK FOR HELP.

There is a saying that goes like this “Don’t bite more than you can chew”. So don’t bite more than you can chew. Learn how to ask for help from your colleagues or a trusted friend at work to take some work off your plate. This is a smart method to get tasks done on your to-do list faster and easy.

4. DEVELOP RELAXATION STRATEGIES.

Relaxation is the process that decreases the effect of stress on your mind and body. Examples of relaxation practices you could do are; yoga, breathing exercise, meditation and also music and art therapy.

Benefits of relaxation.

1. It helps to improve your level of concentration and mood.

2. It helps to improve digestion

3. It reduces the activity of stress hormones

4. Relaxation reduces muscle tension and chronic pain.

5. Relaxation helps to lower blood pressure.

5. LEARN TO COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR BOSS WHEN YOUR WORKLOAD IS PLENTY.

When your workload seems too much and you cannot meet deadlines, respectfully approach your boss and layout your concerns. You could suggest an alternate option like ‘Sir/Ma I’m not sure I can get this job done before next week Monday, I could tell John to help me with it if you don’t mind ‘. Doing this will make your boss happy with you because of your honesty and commitment to your work.

6. PRIORITIZE YOUR HEALTH AND FITNESS

We cannot overemphasise the benefits of exercise and healthy eating. Exercising regularly and also eating healthy is crucial for your overall health. As your physical fitness is important for your well-being, so is your mental health. Working on your mental health may include finding a new hobby that brings you joy, making more time for your personal life and sleeping for at least 7 hours each night to prevent exhaustion.

As you’ve read in this article, to avoid burnout you need to relax, ask for help, try changing your work pattern, make time for yourself and create a social circle.

Remember, health is wealth.

PERSONAL HYGIENE TIPS ONE MUST FOLLOW

Have you ever wondered what personal hygiene is? it’s something our teachers sing into our ears during our younger days in school. Our teachers tell us to wash our hands properly, trim our nails, brush and bathe twice daily. The funny part of it is that we kind of stopped realizing why this is important as we grew older.

We’re burdened with a lot of responsibilities that we forget how important personal hygiene is. You might wear nice shoes, shirts, trousers, skirts, makeup, etc. But if you don’t take care of your hygiene, everything won’t make sense.

WHAT IS PERSONAL HYGIENE?

We can define hygiene as the science and practice of maintaining good health and preventing diseases through cleanliness.

Personal hygiene refers to self-hygiene practices to protect our health.

Examples of personal hygiene are;

1. Proper and daily washing of our underwear.

2. Hold a handkerchief in front of your mouth and mouth when you sneeze or cough.

3. Taking part in physical exercise. Physical exercise improves blood circulation.

4. Cleaning the ears frequently. Do not use any sharp objects to clean the ears it could damage the eardrums.

5. Rest properly. This is very necessary cause our body needs rest and could break down if it’s not given adequate rest.

6. Daily cleaning of bowels.

7. Do not smoke.

8. Proper cleaning of the house: we should ventilate the house for fresh air, sunlight and oxygen.

9. Do not go to bed immediately after eating. Go to bed early.

10. Making use of deodorants/perfumes. And many more of which we would look at later in this article.

WHAT ARE THE TYPES OF PERSONAL HYGIENE?

1. Oral hygiene

2. Hair hygiene

3. Skin hygiene

4. Nails hygiene

5. Hand hygiene

ORAL HYGIENE

Healthy teeth and mouth are very important. You need to take good care of your mouth to avoid mouth odour. The whiter your teeth, the better people are going to think your hygiene is.

To good care of your oral health do these;

(a) Use a soft-bristled brush and replace it after 2-3 months.

(b) Brush your teeth twice daily for 2-4 minutes to get rid of plaque that gets collected on the teeth.

(c) After eating a meal, use mouthwash and gargle.

(d) Remove food particles trapped between your meal using a toothpick after every meal.

HAIR HYGIENE

Our hair is an important part of our body, so you need to know how to take good care of your hair. You won’t have your hair looking ugly and unkempt. To have healthy hair, you need to follow these;

(a) Wash your combs and brushes regularly. Don’t share your combs or brushes.

(b) Wash your hair with shampoo and conditioner at least twice a week.

(c) Don’t rub or scrub your hair too hard. This could damage your hair or injure your scalp.

(d) Scrub your scalp well to remove dirt.

SKIN HYGIENE

Skin is one important organ of our body we need to pay attention to. No one wants dull or ugly looking skin. These could help.

(a) Bathe twice a day, using shower gels or soaps. Bathing twice daily is important to our hygiene. Every day of our lives we are exposed to all kinds of harmful bacteria and are prone to suffer from their effects if we don’t shower or bathe every day.

(b) Make use of good branded products on your skin. Avoid bleaching products.

(c) Use Deodrants, perfumes or Antiperspirant to avoid body odour.

(d) Apply sunscreen/sunblock to prevent your skin from the harmful rays of the sun.

NAILS HYGIENE

Our nails could serve as shelter to germs if we don’t cut them regularly. Neatly trimmed nails are very important to our hygiene. Therefore, you must cut your nails regularly so that there won’t be any room for germs.

HAND HYGIENE

We expose our hands to different activities every day, activities which get our hands filled with harmful bacteria. That’s why we need to wash our hands thoroughly with soap and water. Hand washing is one way to prevent illnesses such as cough, cold, diarrhoea and so on because we contract all these through dirty hands.

When should you wash your hands?

(a) After using the toilet.

(b) After coughing/sneezing

(c) Before and after eating a meal.

(d) Before touching your eyes, nose and mouth.

(e) After touching pets.

(f) After touching a sick person.

(g) After touching dirty surfaces or objects.

(h) After throwing out the garbage.

HOW TO WASH YOUR HANDS

(a) Place your hands under clean running water.

(b) Apply soap to cover the surfaces of your hands and wrists.

(c) Rub your hands together thoroughly, scrub all the surfaces of your hands, fingernails, wrist

and fingertips.

(d) Scrub your hands for at least 20-30 seconds.

(e) Rinse your hands and wrist under clean running water.

(f) Dry your hands with a clean towel. Turn off the tap with a towel.

PERSONAL HYGIENE FOR MEN AND WOMEN

MEN

• Clean your butthole. Most men forget to wash their buttholes when taking their baths. Out of 10 men, just 3 wash their buttholes daily.

• Swap your towel at least once a week.

• Check your balls when taking a shower for any irregularities. This can be done easily when you’re washing that region lookout for bumps, redness, sores, blisters or even warts.

• Wash and dry your groin properly. After taking a shower, dry your groin properly. If you don’t dry it properly, the moisture left could lead to the creation of bacteria and funguses.

• Brush your teeth twice daily to get rid of bad breath. Also, sanitize your toothbrush with hydrogen peroxide.

• Shave your armpits and pubic region regularly. Rinse your razor thoroughly with warm water to get rid of any leftover residue. Replace your razors frequently.

• Invest in Cologne.

• Change and wash your underwear daily. Do not pile your dirty underwear or wear them for more than a day.

• Get a haircut every two weeks. Maintain a fresh look, also shampoo and condition your hair.

• Get rid of the excess nose and ear hair.

WOMEN

• Avoid using gloves or sponges to wash your intimate areas.

• Trim your body hair.

• Wash the outside of your vagina every day.

• Change your towels every 2 to 3 days. Do not share your towels. Use a soft towel to dry your body after every shower.

• Do not douche.

• Wear cotton underwear. Cotton allows any excess moisture from sweat or discharge to evaporate, instead of becoming a breeding ground for bacteria.

• Shampoo and condition your hair 2-3 times a week.

• Make use of deodorants, perfumes and perfume oil.

• Wear clean and comfortable clothes.

• Be careful when you use a public restroom. Get a pee sanitizer and spray it on the mouth of the water closet before sitting.

• Eat right. Remember, you’re what you eat.

• Wipe correctly. After bathing and urination, you must clean your vagina area from your anal region towards your vagina.

• Wear clean and comfortable clothes.

• Wash and change your underwear daily.

EFFECTS OF POOR PERSONAL HYGIENE

Poor personal hygiene can lead to various health problems. You may fall sick often and could spread the disease.

Some health problems because of having poor personal hygiene include

•Tooth decay

•Diarrhoea

•Skin Infections

•Eye infections like trachoma and conjunctivitis are caused by dust and contamination.

HOW TO FOLLOW A HEALTHY PERSONAL HYGIENE ROUTINE

•Use signs; signs can jog your memory. If you forget to wash your hand anytime you come back from work, you can set a small sign in a place you’ll see it reminding you to wash your hands.

•Set a reminder; if you often forget to brush your teeth before bed, wash your hair, clip your nail, etc. You could set a reminder. This will ensure you remember to do these things even though you’re busy.

WHY YOU SHOULD MAINTAIN A PERSONAL HYGIENE?

1. Maintaining good personal hygiene prevents you from spreading infections to everyone around you.

2. It helps prevents you from infections and diseases that could weaken your immune system.

3. It saves you from shame, by preventing you from situations where people feel irritated due to foul smell oozing out of your body.

4. It enhances your appearance and makes you attractive.

5. It helps you maintain your skin pH levels, making it healthy and glowing.

As you’ve read in this article, your hygiene is important. Take your hygiene serious to avoid getting sick and also spreading the diseases to your loved ones.

Thanks for reading.

Please leave a comment and also don’t forget to visit www.suntwist.com.ng to subscribe to any of our offers.