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What Factors Do You Need To Consider When Choosing A Career?

November 26, 2021 by

There will come a point in most people’s lives when they have to choose a career path. This might happen at a very young age; it might happen much later in life – perhaps when you’ve been working in one area for decades, only to realize that it’s not what you want to do. Really, it makes no difference when you need to make this decision; the fact is, you will need to make it, and it’s crucial you make a good one. Even if you change your mind later on, as we’ve mentioned, if you chose well at the beginning, then you won’t have wasted any of your working years. 

Yet choosing the right career is not something you can do without plenty of thought and research. You’ll need to take your time and consider a number of different factors before you make a final decision. After all, if you need to gain a qualification, this will take time and money, and you’ll need to know you’ve made the right choice. Equally, if it’s an experience you need, then you won’t want to work to get this and then change your mind because you weren’t fully prepared to do what you need to do. 

So what are the factors you will need to consider before making a choice and starting the work required to do well in your profession? Read on to find out. 

What Is The Job Availability?

Something that is very important when it comes to choosing a career is how many jobs are actually available in that sector. Many people won’t think about this, and they will start studying or make plans revolving around getting a particular type of job, only to find that when they start applying for work, there are very few options open to them. This can mean having to start all over again and choose something else, or it could be that you remain unemployed for some time while you wait for a position to become available. Remember also that when there are few jobs, competition for those jobs will be fierce, and unless you are truly at the very top of your field, getting a job that will suit you is going to be even harder. 

This is why it’s important to ascertain just what level of job availability there is before you make any final choices. You can then decide whether you still want to continue with your plans or if there might be something else you could do that would offer better job prospects. The choice is yours, but you can’t make that choice until you have all the facts. 

Interest And Passion

When planning your career, whether it’s your first or you’re switching careers after having worked in another field for a while, you need to consider what your interests and passions are. What is it you really enjoy doing? This doesn’t have to be something specific; it can be more of a vague idea. For example, some people might know they enjoy spending time with children, so they’ll want a career that allows them to do that. Others might know they want to help people or that they want to work outside or with animals or in healthcare. What drives you? What are your passions? Figuring the answers to these questions out is crucial because they will at least point you in the right direction when it comes to researching and narrowing down your ideas for the right career path for you. 

Job satisfaction is so important, and it matters. If you’re not happy with your work, you’ll find that it becomes very hard to muster any motivation to do anything. Once this happens, you’ll become stressed, anxious, unproductive, and this will manifest in other areas of your life as well. You don’t have to love every second of every day at work, and most don’t, but it is important to enjoy as much of it as possible. By thinking carefully about your passions and interests and following them, you’ll find a career path that makes you happy and keeps you satisfied. 

What Are Your Skills?

Having the right skills means that you can do your job in the right way. You’ll find it relatively easy, and even if there are things to learn – which there will undoubtedly be – you will enjoy learning them because they are things you are innately good at. It makes sense, then, to understand your skills, know just what they are, and work out which careers will allow you to utilize them in the best way or ways. 

In an interview, it’s likely that a potential employer will actually ask you what your skills are, so imagine this is the case and answer carefully as you would answer them. Be honest with yourself. Don’t pretend to be good at something just because it fits neatly with your idea of what is needed for a job. If your skills and talents don’t fit, then this is a sign that this is not the job for you, or rather, it’s not currently the job for you. You can always learn skills to help you do better, but if they are skills you’re not going to enjoy learning or that you know you wouldn’t be able to pick up, then move on to a different career because you could be about to make a big mistake. 

Level Of Education

This consideration is an easy one to start and a more challenging one to complete. First, think about the kind of career you are hoping to get started in. What level of education do you need? Do you need to have finished high school? Do you need education in terms of on-the-job training from a previous position? Perhaps it’s a degree, or even a master’s or Ph.D., that is required before you can get started. 

Once you know what you need, you can work out the right path to achieve these goals. However, there will potentially be many different routes to get to the same outcome, and this is a positive thing. In essence, if you know the end goal, you can take the path that suits you best to get there. So if you want to work as a counselor, you might opt for a specific degree in counseling, or you could do something more general (and potentially more useful because of its broader range of learning) such as a BSHS, for example. 

You can also work in the opposite direction. If you know that you don’t want to attend college, or you already have a degree and don’t want to train anymore, you can look at the careers available to you with the education you already have. In either case, this will stop you from applying for jobs for which you are either over or under-qualified. 

You can also work out whether, even if the level of education you have at the moment is exactly what is required to get the job you are looking for, there will be more training needed at a later date. It could be that if you want to achieve a higher position in your career, you will need to continue to train or achieve additional qualifications. Consider acquiring skills online, like healthcare workers getting an online certification in ACLS (Advanced Cardiac Life Support).Is this something you are happy to do? It’s a big consideration to think about, but it’s an important one depending on your ambitions and what you truly want to achieve in life and in your profession. 

How Do You Handle Stress?

Your ability – or otherwise – to handle stress at work and in general is another thing you’ll need to take into account when you are picking a potential career path to go down. Some people are much more suited to working in more stressful environments because they have happy to be challenged, and this becomes even more true if they also really do love what they do for a living. Others prefer not to have to do this and would like to work in a calmer environment because they find stress to be far too uncomfortable, and perhaps they even have a health condition (physical or mental) that means they should be avoiding stress as much as possible. 

Every job will have its own set of stressors within it. There is unlikely to be any job that is not going to have any stressful moments, and if there were, this in itself could, ironically, become stressful over time as it wouldn’t be challenging enough for anyone, even those who prefer not to have to deal with issues of this nature. 

In other words, you need to determine how much stress you are happy to handle and consider jobs that offer you the challenges or otherwise that you’re looking for. For someone who tries to avoid stress, taking on a role in a busy hospital or as a teacher may not be suitable. For someone who loves challenges, a role in a quiet store or office won’t work out. Think about how you handle stress and find a job that matches your needs. 

Salary Structure

How much you make and how you make that money should not be the main focus of why you are choosing a job. Although it might seem as though it’s a good idea to pick a career with the best payment package, the reality is that if you don’t have the skills, education, and passion for it, you’ll come to resent it no matter what the salary is. The problem is that when it’s a high salary, it will be even harder to walk away and do what you should have been doing in the first place; we all live up to – and sometimes beyond – our means. So taking a pay cut to follow your dreams may not be something you feel is possible, especially if you also feel that you should have made the right choice to begin with. 

Although mistakes happen, and although you may still change your mind about your career years after being sure that you made the right choice, it’s still important to think carefully right at the start and to know what kind of salary you need to live on. Try to choose a job that fulfills all the other criteria you can think of before you look into the salary. If everything else is right, then the salary – although important – won’t be the be-all and end-all of any career decision. 

Job Experience

The experience you have in life and in your studies and any jobs you might have had – even part-time ones taken while you studied or considered your options – will also need to be taken into consideration if you want to use it to find a career that suits you. This won’t always be necessary; if you have decided to start from scratch in a new career, for example, then you might not have any experience, but since you are working towards new qualifications, this is less important, least at the beginning. 

However, if you’re having trouble finding a new career and you’re just not sure what is going to suit you, looking at your experience could help to decide. For example, what did you enjoy the most? What suited you best? What were you good at? What skills do you have that other people don’t have? These are questions to ask yourself regarding your experience; it may be that you have picked up a lot more information and knowledge that you realized through your experience, and you can put that to good use in an entirely new area of work, or, if this is your first job, in an area that you had never considered before. 

Perhaps your experience will even help you find the job of your dreams when nothing else was helpful at all. It’s amazing just how much you can learn over your life through hobbies or interests that can then be used to great effect in your career. 




What Are the Different Types of Electric Scooters That Exist Today?

November 25, 2021 by

As of 2020, the global electric scooter market stood at $18.5 billion, projected to reach $33.5 billion by 2030.

Are you considering buying an electric scooter, but you’re confused with all the varieties in the market? Buying an electric scooter without a proper understanding of the different types in the market can be mentally draining. To clear the confusion, this is the article for you.

Read along to get the different types of electric scooters that exist today.

Foldable Electric Scooters

This is the most convenient scooter to use when commuting to school or work. Its foldable property makes it convenient since you can fold and tuck it under a table. Besides the fact that it’s foldable, it’s easy to maintain the scooter as it’s not demanding in terms of service.

In a few seconds, the scooter rider can kick and fold it after use, making it even more convenient when in a hurry to enter a building. As for storage, it requires minimal space.

Off-Road Electric Kick Scooter

Do you like to go on nature trails on the weekend, and your current electric scooter is only restricted to smooth city roads? An off-road electric kick scooter is the solution to your troubles since it’s designed for adventures in the woods and nature trails.

They’re designed with bigger tires, a durable battery, and a more powerful motor. They also come with a strong protective shield that protects the motor and battery against hard rocks. More so, it has powerful suspensions for navigating uneven roads.

Fat Tires Electric Kick Scooter

The distinct feature of this scooter is that they have wide tires, which can be similar to those of a car. It has the provision for fitting a seat to make it comfortable to ride for a long time.

Electric Kick Scooter

An electric kick scooter has two wheels, a standing deck, and handles to hold while riding it. The beauty about it is that it can be folded when not in use. Unlike other electric scooters, this one is easy to learn, and within a short time frame, someone can learn how to ride on it comfortably.

Don’t be confused when you hear someone calling a three-wheeled scooter an electric kick scooter. The three-wheeled scooter has two wheels on the rear corners of the scooter. In terms of navigation, it’s easier to use dual motor electric scooters, especially in crowded places.

Kids Electric Scooter

The distinct feature between the adult’s and kid’s versions is the electric scooter weight. It’s advisable to buy a three-wheel electric scooter to offer more support to your kids. The stability enhances the scooter’s safety, making it easy for kids to balance.

Know the Different Types of Electric Scooters to Make an Informed Buying Decision

I hope this article has cleared the confusion you had regarding different types of electric scooters. When buying an electric scooter, it’s important to consider the intended purpose and the weight of the rider.

Found this article informative? Check out our other blogs on Marketing, Business, and Technology.

 




Elevations RTC: Why recreation provides therapy teens need.

November 24, 2021 by

Introduction

If your teenager is struggling, you might be wondering whether getting out and doing things can help or whether recreation therapy is just a buzzword that people like throwing around. Many teens seem to be struggling with issues that are too big for them to work effectively. 

Elevations RTC offers a whole range of recreational activities. They are aimed at helping teens work through their issues and come out the other side with life skills and the self-confidence to deal with the obstacles they face. Their programs, along with their Residential Treatment Centers and Family Therapy offerings, have helped teens everywhere.

What Is Elevations RTC?

Elevations is a company that provides struggling teens (ages 13-18) with outlets for their stress and frustration. The company offers many different kinds of recreational activities and treatment programs. All of which are geared at teaching your practical teen skills, helping them feel empowered and more confident in their ability to problem-solve.

The RTC works with families and with teenagers in group classes. This provides experiential learning to get teenagers out of the classroom and give them a fresh approach to education.

What Does Elevations RTC Offer In Terms Of Recreation?

This company provides an extensive range of recreational activities to help students out. Your teenager might do:

● Rock climbing

● Biking

● Snowboarding

● Kayaking

● Gym workouts

● Weight lifting

● Dodgeball

● Capture the flag

● Soccer

● Other group activities

It doesn’t matter whether or not your child is a pro at sport – they can still join in, and they will learn a lot from experience. Even if your child has never been interested in any physical activities before, they may benefit enormously from doing so now, getting out of their comfort zone and discovering untapped skills within themselves.

How Do Recreational Activities Help?

It may be challenging to understand the connection between the above activities and your child’s mental health. However, there are many benefits, which we will explore below.

Physical Activity Provides A Mental Boost

Many studies show a correlation between physical exercise and mental well-being. With more children getting stuck behind screens and spending less time outside, this is important to consider.

Exercise leads to the release of endorphins that can make a teenager feel better physically, even if they are still struggling with mental issues. Improving physical fitness can also improve their confidence and may help to combat body issues.

It Is Something Different

It is also important to note that sometimes, just doing something different is of value to a teenager who feels trapped and uninspired by life. Through this treatment program Elevation offers, they might unlock a hidden passion, make new friends, or enjoy a breather in which life changes and takes on a new shape.

In some ways, teenagers who have never been engaged in physical activities before may get even more from the program. It is tailored to ensure that it is suitable for anyone, regardless of their abilities.

Additionally, because Elevations RTC provides such a different environment, your teenager has more space to think and feel without the pressures contributing to their issues. They can start to look at and address the things they need to deal with away from everyday life.

It Provides An Achievable Challenge

Perhaps even more importantly, however, these activities will allow your teen to test themselves in a very different way from how school challenges them. The activities are fun, often involve a group, and do not have as much pressure as school presents, but they still get a sense of achievement when they do well.

A teenager struggling at school is often experiencing significant stress associated with all the big challenges in their life. Being presented with a different kind of challenge, where it does not matter if they “fail,” can help restore their confidence and make them more willing to try.

It Improves Their Problem-Solving Skills

Recreational activities all require focus and problem-solving, although different activities will require different levels. Even something like snowboarding or kayaking means your teenager has to pause, study the challenge, and think about how to overcome it. Have a look at best snowboard gloves.

The group activities may prove particularly valuable for problem-solving. When your teenagers practice working in a team, they will build their social skills and feel pleased with their ability to contribute to something bigger than themselves.

Games like capture the flag and soccer can be a great way to bring teenagers together and make them feel proud of their contributions.

A Better Understanding Of Themselves

Exercise is an opportunity to get more in touch with your body and learn about your limits and resilience. The recreational activities offered by Elevations RTC’s treatment programs all do this for your teenager, helping them realize what they love, what they find challenging, and what they are good at.

All of these are valuable lessons that will help your child build up their confidence and sense of who they are. Recreation is a fantastic way to learn about yourself.

Conclusion

The recreational activities at the RTC will help your child start processing their issues and focus on what they need to do to move forward. Unlike doing therapy at home, they will have the space to explore and experiment without the pressures they handle every day blocking them in and preventing them from learning.

 




How to Keep Your Baby’s Pacifier Safe and Sterilized

November 23, 2021 by

We’re all concerned with how to keep ourselves healthy, even with our busy lifestyles. And the health of our little ones is an even greater treasure.

But there’s one aspect that is easy to overlook: your infant’s pacifier.

It’s such an omnipresent part of your day-to-day life that you may give it little more thought than your car keys or your smartphone. But bacteria, mold spores, and other pathogens can easily contaminate an unattended binky. Knowing to clean, sanitize, and how to store pacifiers safely can mean the difference between a happy child and an ill one. For instance, we found dummy clips particularly useful, preventing the pacifier from falling on the floor and picking up dirt in the first place.

So to help keep your little ones healthy and happy, be sure to always follow these key points.

How to Clean and Sterilize Pacifiers

Knowing how to clean pacifiers will often depend on what materials they’re made of. If, for example, you can be certain that your pacifiers don’t contain heavy metals or carcinogens that could leech out of them, boiling them for a minute or two is a quick and easy way to ensure that they’re completely cleaned and sterilized every time. By the same token, running them through the dishwasher is another popular method if that material permits it.

Barring that, washing them with hot water and simple dish soap is considered adequate for most situations.

How to Store Pacifiers

Having cleaned and sanitized them, the final step is finding the best way to store pacifiers. After all, leaving them lying out in the open air invites all manner of ambient contaminants to make them their new home.

You want them in a place with easy access where you’re unlikely to forget about them. Hence, many parents will opt to keep spare pacifiers in their diaper bags with the rest of their daily supplies.

It’s convenient, but keeping loose pacifiers in a diaper bag is less-than-ideal. They could be exposed to baby wipes or other cleaning materials that, at best, will make for an unpleasant surprise the next time you hand it to a fussy child. And at worst, they may contain harmful ingredients that were never intended for consumption.

So whether you need to store pacifiers at home or on the go, keeping a dedicated container like a multicolor pacifier case is a good move. Aside from keeping clean pacifiers clean until they’re needed, color-coding can help you keep track of which ones are fresh and which ones need to be cleaned before their next use.

Health and Safety for the Whole Family

A pacifier is an essential item for any parent with a fussy child. But knowing how to store pacifiers as well as clean and sterilize them is essential to ensuring that they are kept safe for daily use.

But naturally, pacifiers are just one tool that you and your infant rely on almost every day. To help make sure that you and your baby are always healthy, happy, and safe, be sure to keep up with all our latest health and home guides.

 




Making Sure Your Cat Gets the Right Nutrition

November 18, 2021 by

We all know the importance of getting the proper nutrition when it comes to our health and wellbeing. Your diet can have a significant impact on other aspects of your life, which is why many people try to ensure they eat the right foods and get a balanced diet. However, it is not just us humans that have to get the proper nutrition in order to thrive in life – it is also our pets. As the owner of a pet, you need to ensure that they receive the right food and the proper nutrients for a healthier, happier life, and when it comes to your cat, there are plenty of great options to choose from.

One thing to remember when it comes to cat nutrition is that certain nutrients are necessary for your feline’s diet to aid their health. If you constantly go for the cheapest foods without any regard for quality and ingredients, you could end up starving your pet of these valuable nutrients. This is why it is so important to choose the right food, and there are several critical benefits that come with doing this. You can even save money on high-quality food by using promos such as Chewy shopping discount codes, and this can help to cut costs without cutting quality.

What Are the Benefits of Proper Feline Nutrition?

There are many benefits that come with ensuring your cat gets the right food and nutrition as part of its staple diet. Some of the benefits you can look forward to being:

A Healthier and Happier Pet

One of the significant benefits of ensuring your cat gets the proper nutrition is that your cat will be far healthier and happier. As we mentioned earlier, diet and nutrition can have a substantial positive impact on all aspects of life, and this includes overall health and wellbeing as well as appearance, energy levels, and more. By making sure your cat gets the proper nutrition, you can aid their health and wellness.

Support as They Age

Just like humans, as pets get older various aspects of their health can start to suffer. This includes everything from the joints and muscles to their vision and hearing. By feeding your cat the right food, you can provide valuable support as they get older such as joint and bone support that can keep them more mobile and comfortable as they reach their senior years.

Financial Benefits for You

There are even financial benefits for you when you invest in food that is of excellent quality. When you feed your cat cheaper food with lower nutrition levels, they will feel hungry more quickly and will end up eating more food. With higher-quality, nutritious food, your cat will feel full for longer, and this means that they eat less food. This then means that you do not have to go and purchase food as often.

These are some of the significant benefits of ensuring you give your cat high-quality, nutritious food. 

 




Want To Buy Health Insurance? 7 Factors to Keep in Mind before Investing

November 18, 2021 by

If you have to buy health insurance, then you are in the right place. We want to highlight a few factors to consider before taking the giant leap. If you are still debating about it, then you are in the right place. These valid points would aid you in making the right decision. There is much to consider when you are buying medical insurance, and you have to have the correct information so that you can make a decision that matters the most. When you choose health insurance or medical insurance, you need to consider who you are buying for and what the pre-existing conditions are, too. The more you think about it, the more you’ll need to know!

Medical insurance is crucial for everyone as it provides much-needed financial support during a health scare. Everyone wants to be healthy and happy. However, we do experience our share of ailments throughout our lives. The type of illness would determine the course of action and cost. It could be cold that disappears with mom’s magic chai or lifestyle diseases that require lifelong treatment. 

Either way, the treatment cost is significantly high owing to the inflation in the health care industry. Most people do not have the backup funds to handle sudden and emergent situations. When this situation arises, they tend to panic and struggle. Though we cannot predict the twists and turns, we can be prepared. 

When you buy health insurance, you secure the future of your loved ones. This small premium could be a lifesaver in terms of emergencies. However, it is vital to choose the best-customised plan that would achieve its purpose. It would be prudent to consider all the relevant factors before purchasing the first or cheapest option. Here are some factors to consider before signing the dotted line. 

The Age

The age of the person has a direct correlation with the premium amount and the coverage plan. This is also the reason why specialists urge people to buy health insurance before 40. 

The Premium

The expectations from the policy would determine the premium. When people opt for a family floater plan, they should identify the best option for everyone in the group. Most companies do have EMI options to ease the burden when you buy health insurance. 

Waiting Period

All policies do require time to mature. For example, some people tend to purchase only when they have an emergency. However, the regulations are straightforward and segmented based on the treatment type. 

Cashless Transaction

One of the primary benefits of owning medical insurance is the lack of financial burden. However, it is essential to note that there are two distinctive types of policies. The first type is when the patient pays and later reimburses the bill. The second is the cashless treatment option, where the insurance company directly makes the payment. Check for the list of empanelled hospitals to avail the benefits of the latter. 

Coverage Plan

Always look for a policy that would provide maximum coverage. The hospitals and insurance firms have a unique way of addressing the stay. Familiarise yourself with these specifications to identify a comprehensive coverage plan. Some companies also offer master health check-up coverage as a part of the policy. 

No Claim Bonus

A no claim bonus is an incentive the company provides if the policy holder does not make any claim during the policy period. This can be used for renewal or increasing the coverage amount. It would be prudent to check for these options. 

Claim Procedure

When you buy health insurance, always check the claim procedure to ensure hassle-free transactions. 

Insurance is a competitive market with various unique policies. When people buy health insurance, they should always read the fine print. It is reasonable for people to feel a little overwhelmed by the complex jargon and concepts. Fortunately, credible insurance companies such as Care Health Insurance have skilled representatives who help consumers adapt to the system. 

The goal of these professionals is not to increase sales. Instead, they concentrate on providing customised and affordable solutions to their consumers. Always window shop when you decide to buy health insurance as it would help to get a perception about the industry. Finally, make a list of your expectation and find the policy with the closest match. 

 




Why Portfolio Recovery Services is Calling You

November 15, 2021 by

Portfolio Recovery Services is a debt collection agency headquartered in Norfolk, Virginia. It specializes in buying defaulted accounts receivable from banks, credit unions, department stores, and telecommunications companies for pennies on the dollar, which often leads to consumers being hounded by several different collection agencies.

If you’re getting calls from Portfolio Recovery Services, there’s a chance you have a debt with one of their clients. This is among the leading reasons why Portfolio Recovery Services is calling you.

You owe a debt

Portfolio Recovery Services represents the creditor in charge of collecting your debts, whether they were charged off or not. If you owe money to their client, Portfolio Recovery Services may contact you because you haven’t paid back the full amount for whatever reason. 

Your payment has been late or missed

Another possible reason Portfolio Recovery Services are calling you is that your payments were either late previously or missed altogether. It was likely unprofitable for Portfolio Recovery Services to even take you to court and sue you, but Portfolio Recovery Services will do that in order to get your money.

The statute of limitations is about to expire

 The statute of limitations on collecting this debt legally lasts so long as Portfolio Recovery Services can get you to admit responsibility for the debt. If they call you, it might be because they’re trying to restart the clock on an old debt. According to portfolio recovery associates reviews, this tends to happen quite frequently. 

You have assets or income the company can seize

If Portfolio Recovery Services is calling you, it might be because there are assets it can levy to collect on this debt for their client. It usually starts with the easiest step first- taking away your assets and/or income – before moving on to more drastic measures like litigation and court orders.

They’re just making sure you know about this debt

 Portfolio Recovery Services has a job to do: collect all debts owed by you or your estate. The representative calling you is the company’s way of fulfilling the obligation to ensure you know about the debt.

 Spendthrift habits

 If you’ve ever had a credit card, there’s a good chance Portfolio Recovery Services has your contact information and can send you to notice of an outstanding balance. Credit cards are great when used properly and responsibly, but they can quickly spiral out of control if not monitored closely.  

 Why should you care?

 Debt collectors try to intimidate people into paying old debts. If you’re spending profligately, running up balances, and not paying the bills, there’s a chance you know you’re in trouble but don’t know when it happened. The company can exploit this.

 Medical bills

 Did you know that one of the fastest-growing segments of indebtedness is medical? All around the country, emergency rooms are overwhelmed with people who cannot pay their medical bills. While some doctors will work out affordable payment plans with patients, others will turn to collections agencies to try to get what is owed.

 Why should you care?

 Just because the firm received authorization from your doctor or hospital to contact you doesn’t mean they can start collecting immediately. The law dictates how much time a collection agency has before they must make contact with you. This means it’s important to get all your ducks in a row and act quickly when contacted about debts incurred while under your insurance plan.

 If you are receiving calls from Portfolio Recovery Associates, don’t panic. They may be the company your financial institution has hired to collect debts, and they want to help you keep your credit rating healthy by reaching an agreement for repayment on old debt. Yes, it’s aggravating, but ignoring the calls will only make the situation worse.




How Your Home Might Be Making You Sick

November 9, 2021 by

You might think of your home as the safest place in the world. But it could, in all reality, be a very dangerous place to live. We spend so much time building safe and aesthetically pleasing places for ourselves and our families that we ignore all the hidden hazards we have all around the house. Some of these things are simple, ordinary, seemingly benign household items and/or conditions like air conditioning units, damp walls, or even scented candles. Even hard water can be harmful, which is why products like the Whirlpool water softener are so instrumental towards healthy living. Here’s just a few items that might be making you dangerously sick in your home sweet home.

Mold

If your home is poorly ventilated, it could cause dampness which is not only bad for the house’s structural support, but it can create mold spores that, for some, could prove fatal. Poor ventilation will cause walls to crack and wood to rot. It can spread throughout the house and create mold in all sorts of places you can’t see, like under wallpaper, behind kitchen appliances, all-around bathroom fixtures, on basement walls, and more.

Mold can lead to numerous respiratory problems like allergies and even an immune system that’s so weakened you could die. Says the World Health Organization, damp living conditions are responsible for more than 300 million asthma cases worldwide. If your home is full of mold, don’t try to mitigate the problem on your own. Instead, look into hiring professional mold removal contractors ASAP.

Soiled Bedding

According to MSN.com, you spend nearly a third of your life sleeping. While you sleep, your bedding is exposed to everything from sweat, to dirt, to dust, to lotions, to make-up. The problem is, some people fail to wash their bedding sheets, blankets, and comforters regularly. This can lead to skin irritations and conditions like eczema, allergies, lung infections, and more. It can also attract dust mites which love to consume dead, dry skin. Therefore, it’s recommended that you wash your bedding once every two weeks at a minimum.    

Asbestos Contamination

Asbestos was once utilized as a common construction material. Up until the late 1970s, it was used in everyday home finishes like tile flooring, wallboard, ceiling tiles, and insulation. However, in the 1960s, it was found that prolonged exposure to asbestos fibers was one of the leading causes of deadly cancer, mesothelioma. Therefore, if you live in an older home constructed between the years 1920 and 1979, it’s a good idea to have it tested for asbestos presence. Once your home has tested positive, you need to hire a professional asbestos removal contractor to do away with it.     

Home Tech

Your home would not be complete without all the modern tech and gadgetry that keeps you entertained and informed. For instance, how often does your entire family touch the TV remotes on any given day? Dozens of times to be sure. Yet rarely do you ever think of cleaning them. Experts state that gadgets like TV remotes, computer keyboards, phones, and more can be tainted with staphylococcus, E.coli, and even COVID-19. Therefore, it’s recommended you clean your household gadgets on a regular basis in order to avoid sickness.   

Scented Candles

Scented candles might be nice to look at and smell, but they can be toxic in a word. The petroleum and coal-based ingredient paraffin wax is contained in many scented candles. As you burn them, you are releasing toxic chemicals into your living environment. To make matters worse, the toxic compounds also include crude-oil-derived acetone, a key component of paint stripper. If you still wish to have scented candles around the house, you should look for products made with beeswax or soy. You might pay a little more, but your and your family’s health is worth it.

Bad Air

Polluted air is not something relegated only to major cities like New York and Los Angeles. Air impurities can often pollute your own home and, at the same time, have an adverse effect on your overall health. Tobacco smoke is one obvious pollutant. But others can come from gas-burning appliances that leak gas fumes and air conditioners that contain dirty filters. If your home is suffering from bad air, you might want to invest in an air purifier that can help circulate good air around your home while ridding it of toxic air.

There’s no safer place to be than your home. Or so you might have assumed. But the hidden dangers that surround you in your own house are plentiful and, in some cases, very dangerous to life and limb. It’s a good idea to thoroughly check your home to eliminate as many of these dangers as possible. When it comes to things like mold contamination, asbestos pollution, and gas leaks, you’ll want to hire certified professionals to safely correct them.

 




Five Characteristics of Every Great Charitable Website

November 9, 2021 by

Online websites are not just an advertisement for organizations. Websites are an excellent platform for raising brand awareness and acquiring customers. Similarly, non-profit organizations use low-cost options such as websites to increase social awareness, raise funds and find volunteers. According to Non-profit Hub, every charity should treat its website as an investment. Spending an amount on the website helps in finding more volunteers and donors. 

Social media platforms are playing a massive role in raising awareness these days in an effort to help many disadvantaged people globally. Having a website and getting people to share on social media platforms like Facebook can help increase the potential of reaching out to the targeted audience base. Sharing charitable information with a verified website and a verified social media handle plays a crucial role in raising funds and spreading awareness.

For a charitable organization, these are five must-have website features: 

Social media buttons

Every website must have social media buttons. It is a great marketing tool if the charity happens to be active on other social media platforms. The social buttons on the website will allow visitors to share valuable content on social media. Integrating other social media platforms enables organizations to raise funds, create awareness and pick up volunteers. It is free advertising that every non-profit organization can take advantage of. 

The social media posts can update the latest volunteer schedules or share the funds raised in any campaign. Vice versa, it can leave the backlink to the website donation page for the audience to contribute.

Charities like the Make-A-Wish foundation or WE Charity use the YouTube platform to share their activities in video form. This Non-profit has been honoring children’s wishes since 1980. Children’s videos where they are seen receiving gifts are shared on the channel and the foundation’s website. By sharing the videos on various social media platforms and its website, the foundation increased its interaction with the audience. Its fundraising increased substantially to $ 400 million in 2020.

“Donate” Buttons

A non-profit organization’s website should have a donation button. Usually, one can see the donate button on the homepage. However, it is useful to have the “donate” button featured on every web page, as research by Microsoft has proven that any message repeated between six to twenty times is most likely to be remembered by the viewer. By repeating the donate button on each web page, visitors will be more likely to remember the cause. 

Mobile optimized website

Many non-profit organizations have a well-designed website but poor mobile landing page SEO. As more people access the internet through smartphones, the website must be mobile optimized with easy navigation and webpages fitting to the mobile screen size. It will allow users to donate to the cause if they can access the donate button on the webpage while on the move. While designing a mobile website, it is crucial to put the services page upfront, including the charity organization’s mission statement, where to volunteer, and how to donate. 

Events Calendar

For a charitable organization, it is essential to have a calendar of events. However, the calendar needs to be updated from time to time on its website. It may not be possible to organize events all the time on social media. However, one can have an interactive calendar on the webpage with an attendance feature so that visitors can click if they are attending or not. Upcoming events can be highlighted on the webpage and also shared on other social media platforms. 

Volunteer Registration

All non-profit websites should have online forms which are interactive and allow submission of user experience. Online forms for event registration, member registration, submission of blogs, donations, and contact forms make it simple for volunteers. It seems that there is more active participation from visitors and volunteers through online registrations.

The above five steps are no rocket science, and its simple implementation will ensure higher donations and more volunteers over time. 

Conclusion

The digital platform is the best resource for tapping an unlimited audience for charities of all types and sizes. The website and social media reach are tremendous as they are direct and eliminate the need for intermediaries. 

For example, a non-profit organization like Project C.U.R.E. is the largest supplier of medical supplies and equipment to developing countries globally. It ranks fourth in the top-notch charities list, and one knows exactly why. Their website has a clear Call-to-action button placed just below its mission statement. A visitor will know what the charity does and how to support it as soon as one lands on its home page. The website also highlights the countries where it operates, and one can navigate over the countries on the map to see the value of supplies donated. It is another example of showing the scale of the charity efforts and the impact resulting from it. 

Finally, numbers do not mislead. The statistics of charities have shown that while the overall charitable donations have increased by 4.1 % in the last few years, online donations increased by 12.1%, clearly showing the power of the digital medium. 

 




Autumn Trend Alerts for Cool Moms

November 4, 2021 by

Autumn is the season when we get to dress in comfy sweaters and experiment with different colors and styles to look cool yet cozy. Moms usually wear oversized jeans and knitwear since they are the epitome of autumn and are extremely comfortable. 

But what if you wanted to change this season and try out some fresh new trends? A cool new look for a cool new season!

Below are some trendy ideas that might inspire cool moms this fall season.

Accessorize

When you start exploring the idea of a trendy change in your closet, you should always think of some cool new accessory trends that will elevate your style. Being cool means wearing cool things like trendy jewelry and clothes, but well combined. 

We recommend you choose timeless jewelry pieces like beautiful and sophisticated pearls that go well with any type of outfit. Pearl jewelry sets tend to make a great impact on whatever you’re wearing, and they will bring elegance and trendiness to any event.

Combining necklaces, earrings, bracelets, and rings is always easy if it’s about pearls. Beautiful gemstones that have been around for years and have always been seen as something moms would wear. Pairing them with diamonds or any other type of jewelry will only elevate your look. This will make you feel chic and confident and will make your favorite season even better.

Casual outfit combinations

Casual outfits have always been a great go-to outfit choice for moms, and autumn is the perfect season to experiment with your look. Try out some cool new t-shirts with bold graphics. 

If you’re religious, you can look cool by adding a statement t-shirt to your collection. Then, when you need a cup of coffee and a dose of Jesus in the morning, just slip on your Jesus and coffee t shirt, and you’ll be ready to conquer the day. Fuel your mornings with something cool while uplifting your spirits, too.

For a leisure look, you can also add graphic sweatshirts and pair them with some nice twill joggers and color block sneakers. Put on sunglasses, and you’ll be the coolest mom on the block. 

Another great comfy combo includes jeans, a black tee, and a cardigan or a sweater vest. Add a little crossbody bag to this look, and you’re ready for a playdate in the park or a nice brunch to catch up with your friends.

Fashion diva

If you want to up your game, the options are endless, from maxi to turtleneck dresses and long boots while also pairing them with a cool leather jacket. A neutral, oversized shirt dress with knee-high boots would be the ultimate cool look. Since not only moms but everyone loves wearing knitwear during the autumn season, you can add sweater dresses to your collection.

Comfy, sexy, and ultra-trendy. Whether fitter, long-sleeved, turtleneck or simply a comfy one, the choice would be yours, depending on your confidence. These sweater dresses go well with not only knee-high boots but also ankle boots and even sneakers. If you’re opting for a casual look for a stroll in the park or coffee with friends, don’t hesitate to put on your favorite sneakers and a sweater dress.

Suit up

Suits have recently become very popular, with more and more women wearing them for any occasion, whether a formal event, date night, or an outing with friends during the day. Wide pants are a trend for every season since they look casual yet elegant. Nowadays, trousers can be paired with cool sneakers like Nike Air Jordans, white, black, or any other type of sneakers. It’s a great way to look confident and cool.

Another great choice would be to pair them with ankle boots or high heels. Depending on what’s on your schedule, and if you want to look like you’re at a fashion show, you can pair your suit with classic pumps and a small bag. Often seen as work pants, trousers tend to be quite versatile, and as the times change, the trend for wearing trousers at any event has drastically changed.

Knitwear

If there’s one item that’s a must in autumn, it’s knitwear. From sweaters to dresses and shawls, whatever you can think of, it will look and feel great. Oversized sleeveless knits, ponchos, and many other iconic items have been around for centuries but never go out of style. The beauty of knitwear lies in its versatility, in the way you can wear anything you like, from pants to hats, and it can be combined with any other clothing piece you like.

If you want to feel comfortable in what you wear, knit maxi dresses would be a perfect choice. For casual or formal evenings, with sneakers, ankle boots, or knee-high boots, they can be paired with anything. The designs can create a sophisticated silhouette, and you can wear whatever color you like, from neutral tones to darker hues.

 

Final thoughts

Tall boots, cardigans, puffers, floral prints are some of the few staples every woman should have in her closet once autumn arrives. For some, it’s the perfect season to snuggle up with a blanket at home and watch their favorite TV shows, but for others, it’s time to show off those trendy pieces hanging in the closet, waiting to be worn once summer it’s over. So make way, cool mom outfit designs are trending, and everyone should give them a shot, at least once.        

 




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