Mood Boost

We are all occasionally prone to feeling a bit blue.  The combination of stress, frustration, and fatigue affects everyone in negative ways, but how we cope with these unfavorable influences determines the duration and intensity of a gloomy mood.

An excellent tool to combat melancholy is service.  Giving your time and energy to help others is an effective technique to remind ourselves of that which is genuine and valuable. 

 

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give"  

Winston Churchill

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Love Your Paycheck

Isn't it curious that how ever large or small an individual's paycheck is, it is never enough.  Wants always seem to outpace our means, and the wallet persistently empty.  

Not long ago I was speaking with a friend whose household income far exceeded my own.  As this person lamented their lack of funds and limited opportunities, I was aghast.  I could not understand how this person enjoying a much larger income than my own could have the same budgetary frustrations as me.  This situation highlights the universal tendency to be unhappy with our current paycheck size, regardless of its amount.

The ticket to paycheck satisfaction is: acceptance and perspective.  Comparing our income to others is a guaranteed path to dissatisfaction. 

I recently read an article about a woman who received an enormous sum of money, yet still felt deprived. "The reason was simple – she was comparing herself to the super rich. While she had $10 million dollars, she was wondering why she couldn’t buy that $45 million dollar loft overlooking Central Park in Manhattan. She wanted everything, so it made sense that she was disappointed".

Focusing on what we have rather than what we lack will result in gratitude and contentment. 

Ultimately, you work hard for your money--appreciate it!

This article, "5 Surefire Ways to Stop Thinking Your Paycheck is Never Enough" is outstanding.

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Be Sharp as a Tack!

An exit from the work force can be voluntary or involuntary.  However, whatever the reason for being between jobs, it is critical to keep yourself and your skills in demand.  Whilst prowling for jobs, one must focus on keeping up to date with your industry, and maintaining a current and sharp skill set. 



Skill preserving tips:
-Volunteer.  By using your office and communication skills you keep them fresh; plus, you will have an excellent answer to the interview question of, "What have you done since your last job?" 
-Keep your finger on the pulse of your industry.  Be current on all events and news.
-Learn a new skill or freshen up old ones through free classes at the local library, or take inexpensive courses at a community college. 
-Be eagerly engaged in honing your craft.  Push aside any impulses of apathy. 

For additional skill keeper ideas, find them here. 


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Living Prudently

With budgets and spending habits taking center stage, Girl Friday Agency offers some simple tips to moderate financial expenditures.  Using a critical eye to examine our budget is tough; sometimes we have grown accustom to a certain lifestyle, and modifying that lifestyle can difficult for us and our families.  However, thoroughly combing over our budgets, identifying the true necessities and eliminating or reducing all other expenditures will ultimately reduce stress and bring peace as we work toward paying off debts and living within our means.   

Tips:
-Cancel satellite or dish TV.  If there are shows you can't live without, watch them for free on the station website or on websites like hulu.com 
-Cancel phone data plan.  You can live without your smart phone--billions of people do it everyday.
-Clip coupons. 
-Check with utility companies to see if you qualify for reduced payment based on your income.
-Don't eat out.  Eat at home and pack a lunch.  Dining out is an colossal waste of money. 
-Stop purchasing bottled water.  Drinking filtered tap water costs less and does not create needless plastic water bottle litter. 

Doing a budget overhaul is formidable task. However, the benefits of prudent and temperate spending habits will ease the pinch of bill payments, and give you confidence in understanding and controlling where your money is going.

Here is an article for additional budgeting help and tips. 

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Seeking an Inspired Business Idea?

Variety is the spice of life.  The same is true of your business.  In order to keep consumers and customers lining up for your product or service you must be ever aware of your customers' interests.  

Found an outstanding article instructing business owners about the art of keeping things fresh and interesting for their clients. 












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Clock Control

Girl Friday's time maximizer tip: time management.  We have all felt the press of having too much to accomplish and not enough time to fulfill all our obligations.  Whilst researching effective time management strategies I found an informative article regarding time tracking and prioritizing.  "If you wake up every day wishing you had more time or go to bed wishing the same, it is an indication that you are not making the most of your time awake. Everyone is entitled to 24 hours in a day but the difference is what each person gets up to in those 24 hours".

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We Welcome a New Employee

Girl Friday Agency is pleased to welcome Nick Boncich.  Nick will lead our marketing efforts in San Luis Obispo. 

Nick Boncich is currently enrolled at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo as a Business Major student concentrating in Industrial Technology. In addition to his college courses, he is active with the Industrial Technology Society, PolyPack Club, Business Council, and intramural sports. His high school experiences included captain of the soccer team, multiple honors and accelerated courses culminating in his achieving valedictorian. During his free time he enjoys hiking, the beach, reading and exercising. Known for his attention to detail, love of learning, and drive to succeed, he is an ideal candidate for assisting anyone to achieve their personal and professional goals.

How Special is July 4th? Ask Mr. Adams

The 4th of July celebrates an extraordinary day in our country's history.  Regarding the day America declared our independence, John Adams wrote, "...[It] will be the most memorable epoch in the history of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated by succeeding generations as the great anniversary festival. It ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance, by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with pomp and parade, with shows, games, sports, guns, bells, bonfires, and illuminations, from one end of this continent to the other, from this time forward forever more".

Many thanks to those who have defended our America and those who do so now.

Wishing you a splendid 4th of July.


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Summer's Repose

Rest is not idleness, and to lie sometimes on the grass on a summer day listening to the murmur of water, or watching the clouds float across the sky, is hardly a waste of time.  ~John Lubbock


Summer is the ideal time to pause a moment, refresh, reflect--then reinvigorate our efforts to accomplish goals, meet deadlines, and hone skills.  After an interlude of peace we are more able to find the purpose and value in our life's work.  

Wishing you a lovely summer respite.  

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