Reduce Operating Costs in Recession
Although cost-rationalization and bringing efficiencies into spending is a constant endeavor for businesses, during times of expansions many overheads tend to get ignored. A recession is the time for a stock-taking of your operational costs, and it is almost always possible to ring-in more cost efficiencies in an organization on the operations side.
Purchasing procedures, for example, can be examined for possible areas for reducing costs. Authorization processes can be checked to ensure adherence to authorization limits. Adequate controls on spending limits can be enforced and the number of people authorized to make purchases can be limited to make accountability easier.
Analyzing how your existing base of suppliers is structured can also give you clues to reducing purchase costs. Consolidating purchases can grant additional buying and bargaining power. Consolidation of suppliers will also produce a reduction of administrative expenses due to processing fewer purchase orders, invoices and payments.
Also, try negotiating with current suppliers for better pricing and consider proposals from alternative suppliers to lower costs in all operating expenses areas including the smaller expenses.
Assigning a team of employees to analyze an expense category can identify areas of expense reduction. Employees can often identify items with less expensive alternatives that will meet the needs of the organization. Sometimes, items are identified that can be eliminated entirely without affecting the organization.
Rewards for participation in the effort to reduce expenses can include financial and other incentives but recognition of their achievement should also be motivational.
Don't take social isolation or loneliness lightly, as brain scans have shown it can be as harmful as smoking.
The research, pioneered by the University of Chicago (U-C), is the first to combine FMRI scans with such data to study links between perceived loneliness and brain activity.
Researchers found that the ventral stria tum - a region of the brain associated with rewards - is much more activated in non-lonely people than in the lonely when they view pictures of people in pleasant settings.
Ventral striatum, which is critical to learning, is a key portion of the brain and is activated by primary rewards such as food and secondary rewards such as money. Social rewards and feelings of love also may activate the region..... (read full story)
Focus on your Goal setting part-2
Recap "The elephant analogy is still the best one I know of to illustrate good goal setting. You probably know it. "How do you eat an elephant? One spoonful at a time" So it is with goals. Make spoon size goals and accomplished them easily. One you've mastered this, get a bigger spoon!" Full article of part-1
You may have too many people in your life who consciously or subconsciously are unwilling or unable to support you to reach your goals. On my tape, Creating Your Life: You are the Master Mind of Your Masterpiece, I talk about your personal "tribes". If you have created agreement among your tribe members that you are a certain way, or you do certain things.
They are comfortable with you as long as you are and do those things. They may even be enthusiastic about your desire to change something or accomplish something new. Just know that, as you change and accomplish, they may not like it. They may even go so far as to put you down in small ways or make light of your accomplishments. Do you know why? It is usually because your changes and accomplishments remind them, on some levels that they could be doing it, too...and they aren't! So surround yourself with people who want you to have what you want for yourself. Be mutually supportive and you'll all achieve your highest goals. This is called master minding.
You may have filled your schedule with so many things that there is little room for your goals to grow. We must be careful not to confuse busyness with progress. Be selective about how you use your time and what you focus on. Success often comes when you know what to leave out, rather than what to include in your life. Notice, too, how much time you spend on trivia. It has a nasty way of taking your attention from what you say you want to focus on, doesn't it? Have you ever just "had" to clean your office before you could begin your project? Then you know how this works!
Goal setting is like the pig and chicken that were out for a walk in town early one morning. The chicken became really excited when she saw a sign that said "Ham & Eggs, $2.99". She said to the pig, "Look, we've got double billing again." The pig grunted and said, "That's all right for you to say. For you, it's all in a day's work. For me, it's total commitment." Goal setting is all in a day's work. Goal achievement is total commitment.
Wish you best of Luck
Focus on your Goal setting part-1
Goal setting seems to be a perennially hot topic!
Easy to know about and difficult to practice ?
It would be very surprising to find an adult in the work force who has not heard about goal setting. A Harvard study of their graduates over thirty years found that there was only a small percentage (3%) of them who actually wrote down their goals--and these were the most successful! You can be certain that every one of those students had repeatedly heard the value of goal setting. Yet only 3% actually wrote down their goals consistently. Imagine what you can do if you both write down your goals and, then, focus on them consistently every day, every week, until they are accomplished!
What is it that causes what I call the "New Year's Resolution Syndrome"? You probably know the one I'm thinking of. People make resolutions, work hard at them for a few weeks, maybe even a few months, and then forget them. Next year, they make the same New Year's Resolutions. That is the syndrome. It is self- defeating and self-sabotaging. So why so many people do does it?
They may be making goals that are too global, too extensive, and too unrealistic for the time frame, body type or current finances. That is not to say that they are not worthy goals. They need to be broken apart into smaller, more specific, attainable pieces. The elephant analogy is still the best one I know of to illustrate good goal setting. You probably know it. "How do you eat an elephant? One spoonful at a time" So it is with goals. Make spoon size goals and accomplished them easily. One you've mastered this, get a bigger spoon!
Continue……..
FIVE STEPS TO BETTER PATIENT-DOC RELATIONS
Monday's patient-doctor clash at civic-run KEM Hospital underlines the need for legislation to protect doctors. Health activists and doctors say even hospitals need to take certain steps to prevent such ugly situations
REDRESSAL SYSTEMS
It's not always a death that precipitates a situation, it may simply be a harried patient or relative who is confounded by hospital procedures. Often, such assaults on hospital staffers occur due to a total breakdown of communication. "There is a perception of negligence among patients and relatives, which should be addressed before the situation flares up,'' says Anant Phadke of Jan Swasthya Abhiyan. He suggests that hospitals introduce an independent committee of people from consumer organisations, which can be used as troubleshooters/ombudsmen.
GRIEF COUNSELLING
The death of a family member is hard to accept and there is a need for hospitals to introduce social workers or grief counsellors to gently break the news and lend a willing ear to grieving relatives. Hospital administrators also need to sensitise doctors and medical staffers on "how to deal with death''. "Medical staffers see death every day and may be desensitised to it. It's time we have counsellors or psychiatry departments to train medical staffers to deal with such issues with sensitivity,'' says Dr Lalit Kapoor, who heads the medico-legal cell of the Association of Medical Consultants.
PATIENT EDUCATION
Patients and relatives often fail to grasp hospital procedures or medico-legal requirements. In the KEM case, too, relatives were reluctant to allow a post-mortem. "There is a need for patient education so that everyone understands the legal requirement of post-mortems. This will also help dispel notions that post-mortems are against religious tenets,'' says Dr Kapoor. Another doctor suggests that pamphlets, pictorial if need be, on patient rights, disease information etc should be circulated among waiting relatives.
RESTRICTIONS ON VISITORS
In many of the recent cases of hospital violence, it's not been patients' relatives resorting to violence as much as political and "social" activists who egg them on. Relatives in Monday's KEM Hospital attack too said they were "incited'' by someone. "There were talks of restricting the number of visitors to public hospitals to increase safety, but that hasn't happened in reality,'' says Dr Suhas Pingle of IMA. While private hospitals have fixed visiting hours and issue passes for visitors, public hospitals are lax in this matter.
IMPROVEMENTS IN HOSPITAL SERVICES
Public hospitals need better services—less waiting time, better technology and improved infrastructure—to regain the trust of patients/relatives. Dr Pingle suggests that the civic body can work out a system whereby patients with minor ailments are treated at smaller hospitals, rather than crowding superspeciality hospitals such as KEM, which currently receive 15 lakh out-patients annually. This will allow doctors to give every patient the time and attention he/she deserves. Private hospitals should clearly display costs of tests, rooms, procedures and doctor's fees to avoid any confusion, say experts.
How to deal with a Teen's Anger Issues
Although teenagers are considered young adults, they are still children. Dealing with a teen's anger issues is much the same as dealing with a small child when they become angry. When a teenager experiences anger, they don't always know how to express that anger in a positive way, and may resort to violent behavior. Talk with your teen and let him know that while it is okay to experience anger, it is not okay to express it inappropriately. Here are some ways to deal with a teen's anger issues:
* More than ever, teens find themselves faced with adult problems such as love, sex, money, rejection, failure, and relationships. Since teens are not adults, they are not ready to face these adult stressors. Listen to your teen and encourage him to talk with you or another trusted adult about his feelings regarding any subject.
* Let your teen know that it is okay to feel anger and other emotions, and that he is not alone in his feelings. Tell him about the last time that you were very angry and how you dealt with your anger and frustration.
* Teach your teen problem-solving skills, and do not do everything for him. When a child grows up in an environment where they are expected to solve problems with a positive outcome, they are better able to deal with stress as a teen.
* Tell your teen that consequences come of choices—good or bad. Help him to realize that if he made a bad decision, the consequence will be negative, and that it is all a learning process.
* Look at yourself as a role model. Do you handle anger in a positive way? Your child learns by watching and imitating you. Perhaps the way you deal with stress and anger has negatively impacted your teen, and you may both benefit from counseling.
Make sure that you provide assurance and comfort to your teen when they are angry, making him feel loved even though you might not like his behavior. Show support and reward and praise good behavior. Be patient, kind, and understanding. Never betray a confidence, even if your teen opens up and talks with you about drug use or sexual activity. You do not have to condone drug use or sexual activity, but you do need to be understanding and find help for him if he develops a problem.
If your teen continues to exhibit anger issues, seek professional help and make an appointment for him to speak with a counselor as soon as possible.
The biggest part of applying for a scholarship is, in fact, research. Researching each "type" of scholarship will answer the "how to" of applying. Be sure that you are diligent in your research and you will be OK. Just remember that when it comes to scholarships that the sky and your imagination are literally the limit.
Because college is so expensive in today's society, it is important that all possible financing avenues are explored when contemplating whether or not you can afford to go to school. So, in order to actually be able to maximize your options for financial aid, you just need to keep in mind the following list and you will find that this once overwhelming task is now completely easy.
1. Research the schools for which you are applying. Since almost all schools have individualized academic or athletic scholarships available for prospective students, the individual schools will have a list of available athletic, academic, and student scholarships and awards listed on their Web sites and in their admissions office. Different schools have different types of scholarships and awards available, so this could also affect which school you end up deciding to go to.
2. Research private organizational scholarship opportunities. There are literally thousands of private organizations that offer scholarships to worthy individuals. Such organizations include corporations, churches, religious organizations, and unions. Each organization has their own application and awards process for their scholarships, so you will need to contact each specific organization in which you are interested for information as to their own process.
3. Research available local, state, and federal scholarship programs. These can include such "public" organizations as local, state, and federal chambers of commerce, military ROTC programs, PELL grants, Stafford loans, and work study programs.
4. Scholarships are not limited to just those entering school for the first time. There are scholarships for every level of education. Newly enrolled, undergraduate, and graduate school students can all find scholarship assistance.
5. Scholarship databases and search engines can be helpful. Typically they are free and easy to use. You can find the most popular by searching the Internet—in your favorite search engine—for "scholarships" or "college scholarships." Just be sure that you use your common sense when giving out any personal information over the Internet.
How to Get a Great Job Part-4/4
· Dress professionally! Men should wear a suit and tie with dress shoes or, at the very least, a dress shirt and slacks and be clean-shaven. Women should wear a dress, blouse and skirt, or pants suit. Dresses and skirts should fall below the knees. Wear mild colors (black, gray, brown, white). Keep the amount of make-up worn and jewelry to minimum and don't wear perfume or cologne.
· Shake hands with the interviewer and introduce yourself and why you are there.
· Maintain eye contact at all times when the interviewer is speaking, but only occasionally when you are speaking.
· Sit up straight with hands folded on your lap and try to keep fidgeting to a minimum.
· Come prepared with 3-4 questions to ask of the interviewer (e.g., what methods are in place for measuring job performance, what might my first project be).
· Be honest and take your time answering.
· If you don't understand what is being asked, ask for clarification.
· State your willingness to learn, your interest in the position, and the skills you can bring to the job (list your accomplishments).
· Thank the interviewer for the interview, shake hands, and ask when you can expect to get an answer.
How to Get a Great Job Part-3/4
· Enclose a cover letter with each resume.
· Your name, addresses, and phone number; the employer's name, address, and phone number; and the current date should be on it. Never address cover letters, "to whom it may concern". If you don't know the addressee's name, phone and find out or don't address it to anyone. Use the term, "dear" when addressing the employer (e.g., Dear Mr. Maulik,).
· In the opening paragraph, state where you found out about the job opening, the job title, and your eagerness to secure the position.
· List 3-4 of your accomplishments in point form beginning with an asterisk. Double space between accomplishments.
· In the final paragraph, restate your interest in the position, your confidence that you can do the job and your availability for an interview along with your phone number.
How to Get a Great Job Part-2/4
· Always use high quality white 8.5 x 11 paper with typed black 12-point lettering. Avoid using colored paper or type and pictures or drawings. Type on one side only and no longer than 3 pages.
· Place your name, address, phone number, and email address at the top of the first page. Make you name several fonts larger and bold so it stands out.
· Use headers in bold to separate resume sections (e.g., education, accomplishments, works history, etc.).
· If you have more education than experience, list your education first and vice versa.
· Given your lack of work experience, list your accomplishments. Accomplishments can be personal, educational, physical, or occupational. State such accomplishments in terms of the skill used (developed, wrote, created), the audience (students, agency, clients), and the result (improved learning, increased sales, enhanced team performance). For example, "wrote and edited articles for high school newsletter which informed students of upcoming events." "Counseled adolescents which improved their emotional health." "Promoted to captain on community basketball team and enhanced team cohesion."
· List any awards, certificates, trophies, and medals received in a separate section (e.g., award for English excellence, trophy for best player, certificate for highest grade in gr. 11).
· List any volunteer experience as well as work experience in terms of position held, agency name, and time period you were there.
· Ensure there are no spelling or grammatical errors.
How to Get a Great Job Part-1/4
Recent statistics suggest an employment rate of over 60% for high school students and this number is increasing. With way too many things that need to be bought and fun things to do, the weekly parental allowance just doesn't cut it anymore. So, in order to keep up with the yearly changing fashions, musical genre, and movie tickets, teens have to get a job. Unfortunately, because of work inexperience and lack of self-marketing knowledge, most teens end up working at any number of retail outlets or fast food restaurants. Some even have paper routes or baby-sit. A rare few students get a decent job working in Mom's or Dad's company, but the majority of teens work hard for minimum wages and often on weekends or evenings. This really sucks for dating.
How to Record an Excel Macro
A macro automates a complex task. Excel macros can perform complicated series of actions or simply record commonly used commands. These instructions apply to Excel 97.
Instructions
Step1 Open the Tools menu and select Macro, and then select Record a Macro.
Step2 Fill in the blanks - the macro name, description, shortcut-key combination and worksheet where the macro will be available - in the Record Macro box that appears. The macro can be available from only one worksheet or from any worksheet.
Step3 Click on OK
Step4 Notice that the word "recording" appears in the lower left of the Excel screen while recording is in progress.
Step5 Perform a series of keystrokes or mouse actions. The macro will record them. You can record any normal Excel action.
Step6 Open the Tools menu and choose Stop Recording to complete the macro.
Step7 Activate the macro by pressing the shortcut keys you have selected or by selecting the macro from a list on the Tools menu. The macro will then reproduce the series of keystrokes you recorded.
15 Ways to Cut Wedding Costs
A wedding in the family can drain finances faster than reckless bidding in the Options market. So what do you do if money is tight, prices are hitting a new high and the big day is looming forebodingly close? Here's how to have a fabulous wedding by cutting corners, but without sacrificing style.
1. When you are selecting the flowers for the decor, remember that seasonal blooms are much more cost effective than those that are imported or not in season.
2. If you want to have a toast at the reception, it is not necessary to serve champagne. There are many sparkling wines on the market that offer both good quality and good value. However, be sure to serve sparkling wine as chilled as possible. This dulls the flavour and makes it harder to tell apart from champagne. Remember, hardly any of your guests are going to be wine experts.
3. If you are hosting the wedding ceremony and are a vegetarian, you can get away by having a vegetarian menu.
4. Nothing saves costs like cutting down on the number of functions. Many couples opt to have the wedding earlier in the evening, followed by the reception, so they needn't have a separate function. Similarly, you could combine the mehendi with the sangeet.
5. If you still want to host two functions, keep the wedding small and intimate and follow it up by a grand reception.
6. Make use of the talents of your friends. If someone is knowledgeable about music, let him be the disc jockey at your sangeet, so you don't have to hire a professional.
7. Consider alternate wedding venues. Many couples opt to get married in a temple. Similarly, farmhouses can be more reasonable than five star hotels. Speak to friends and relatives who have large gardens and find out if you can have the functions there.
8. Find out if it is possible to use flowers from a friend's garden, so you don't have to buy them.
9. Get married out of town, in a nearby, quaint destination. For example, if you are in Bombay, consider holding your wedding ceremony in Lonavala. Book rooms in a comfortable hotel and have a blast, surrounded by your closest friends and relatives.
10. Unless you plan to be wearing a heavy-duty designer outfit, the general rule of thumb is the more material used, the more expensive the outfit. Straight, fitted lehengas are very much the rage these days, and a much more elegant option (not to mention economical!).
11. Get a second, light chunni made to match your wedding lehenga, so it isn't a one-time-wear outfit.
12. Instead of having flowers as centerpieces, place a bunch of grapes, a pear and an apple in a bowl and spray it with gold paint. After they have served their purpose of decoration, simply dunk them in a tub of water, and munch away!
13. Get married off-season; it's great value for money. Venue prices will be slashed, caterers won't be serving a mish-mash of leftovers from the last wedding and guests won't go, "Oh no! Another one bites the dust!" when they receive your card.
14. Stick to one type of menu. It's a lot classier than having Chinese, Moghlai, Thai and Continental all together and expecting guests to fill up their plates with noodles one side, and daal on the other. Instead, have a different menu every function.
15. Finally, do your bookings well in advance. Get several quotations while making arrangements and use them as a basis for negotiation.
Remember, if you want everyone to have a great time at your wedding without overextending yourself, you have to make a budget and stick to it. It's very easy to go overboard and there's no limit to the amount you can spend. Know when to draw the line - and draw it.
