Manage Stress - 10 Powerful Tips

It may come as a surprise that biological stress was just discovered a few decades ago. In the late 1950s, Hans Selye- an endocrinologist- for the first time identified and documented stress. Even though the symptoms of stress long existed before Selye, his discoveries ushered a new chapter in research on stress, and this research has helped millions of people cope with stress. In this article, we will take a look at 10 tips that you can use in managing stress:

Breathe easy. While shallow breathing will make a stressful situation worse, deep breathing will oxygenate your blood, clear your mind, and calm your down.

Sleep. Lack of enough sleep has been identified as one of the causes of stress. Make sure you get at least 7 to 8 hours of sleep each day.

Exercise. Getting your blood moving through exercises even for a few minutes can help in improving your mood.

Write. Try writing out your feelings in a journal or notebook when you are feeling stressed.

Green tea. It has healthy antioxidants and theanine, which has a calming effect on your nervous system.

Laughter. Laughter releases endorphins, which will improve your mood and reduce the levels of cortisol (the stress-causing hormone) in the body.

Proper diet. Consuming vegetables and fruits have been shown to reduce the symptoms of stress.

Talk yourself through it. This may seem crazy, but it actually works.

Call a friend. Sharing your feelings with your friend can help in reducing your levels of stress and give you a new perspective.

Listen to music. Listening to calming music will have a positive effect on your body and brain, and it will also lower the levels of cortisol in your body.

10 Ways To Close A Business Deal In 2021

Perhaps it can be said that all business people know the stress associated with trying to close a business deal. While it can be said that you can’t guarantee that every deal can be closed, it also can be said that with a little insight, preparation and time you may be able to reap the rich reward of closing more deals.

We have provided a 10 step process that may assist you in reaching your desired business goals in 2021.

Research Prospect

If someone responds to a business Ad. and reaches out to possibly work with you the first thing you should do before you respond back it to do your research on the company. Find out as much information you can about the prospect client before your respond back. This may include company profits, losses, goals, online traffic, social media reach, publicity status etc. The more you know the better.

Research Competition

Find out what your prospect clients competition looks like. Find out what they are doing better than your prospect client and find out what they are doing worse. The purpose is not to imitate the competition but to bring something to the table that the competition is not doing and bring that to the table. Also, this will give you time to find a way to do what the competition is doing, only, 10 times better.

Confidence

When you finally make the initial call to your prospect client, the research that you have done will help you speak with clarity and confidence because now you know fully what you can bring to the table. Your confidence will earn you trust on the initial contact.

Commend Prospect

Look for opportunities to genuinely commend your prospect client. It is true that they need your service but there are many things that they have done right. The will appreciate you noticing. Your warm commendation will make your option more appealing than others who may also be submitting proposals.

Identify Prospect Client Needs

The only way to identify the client needs fully is to be a good listener. While doing your research you may have found areas about their company that you don't fully understand. Don’t be afraid to ask questions. The more you know the more prepared you will be to provide real solutions for their needs.

Provide Multiple Solutions

After you have asked the client probing questions to better ascertain their needs and you’ve listened respectfully and quietly, set up another meeting with the prospect so that you can put together multiple solution options. You want to have multiple options on the table. This will increase your likelihood of closing a business deal.

Honesty

Be honest about what you can do and be honest in the amount of time it will take to accomplish it. Of Course you can’t predict everything perfectly but if you are unsure of how long it will take to achieve certain results, communicate that. You don’t want to stress yourself out trying to meet a deadline that is impossible to meet. Not only will it stress you out but it will also make the client feel that you are not fully prepared.

Prompt Contract Execution

Once you have had your second meeting be sure to draft a contract that reflects the needs of your prospect client. The contract should be drafted within 24-48 hours after the second meeting. The time and legality wording should also be specified in the contract. Keep in mind that the prospect client may not like the draft and you may have to go back to it a few more times so be sure to save your work.

Negotiate

Sometimes prospect clients are very particular about giving away how much they are willing to invest on a project. It is important that your fee honestly reflect what you reasonably deserve to make on the project. Be open to negotiation but communicate to the client you’re willingness to negotiate because you really think you can do great things with them. If you made it this far and you’ve done your research, this should be your honest feelings on the client. If you don't’ feel that way about the client then we recommend that don’t be negotiate. You may end up regretting the decision. Know your worth, have a bottom line the price you would be willing to negotiate down to and follow through.

Follow Through

Once you and the prospect have negotiated the final terms of the contract, have it reviewed by your legal team if possible, and discuss the terms of the new contract with the prospect client. If both parties are happily on the same page then finalize the agreement and get the contracts signed!

10 Reasons To Buy From Small Businesses

We are slowly seeing the cracks in our consumerism culture and going back to old practices. This involves shopping locally and from small businesses to create a sustainable economy. Here are 10 reasons why you should also buy from small businesses.

1. Promote Local Economy

Small businesses are local. They are part of the community. You should shop from them so that you can enhance your economy and community. After all, small businesses are the backbone of your local community and economy.

2. Personalized Experience

Ever walk into Walmart and the employees know your name? This is because such big chains don't provide a personalized experience. On the other hand, your local shop will know you by your first name and greet you every time you enter.

This is because small businesses see their customers as more than just profits and provide an amazing experience to everyone who shops from them. They can even offer you additional services.

3. Builds Connection In Community

You can talk to the small businesses every time you shop and build connections with the workers and owners. This kind of interaction builds and strengthens a community for the better.

4. More Job Opportunities

Small businesses are the biggest employers of residents. Encourage job opportunities in your local area by shopping from small businesses. This is a small step towards supporting your local economy so that residents can live better.

5. Support The Environment

Small businesses are more environmentally responsible than large corporations. They take the time to make sure their products are sustainable. Apart from that, they don’t contribute to problems such as pollution, habitat loss, and congestion.

7. Keeps Your Community Unique

Communities are mostly defined by the businesses that are in that area. Small businesses add character and a touch of uniqueness to communities. They can also add value to properties and homes in an area. So, support small businesses to encourage unique communities.

8. More Choices

If many of us start supporting small businesses then the competition between them will increase. This will lead to more choices in the future as small businesses will work to innovate and invent new products and services. This leads to more variety and competitive prices.

9. Encourage Investment In Community

Small businesses will invest back into the community. So, if you want your community to prosper and grow then the best way to do that is by shopping from small businesses.

10. Benefits The Public

Small businesses don't require a lot of infrastructure or other public services. It puts less strain on resources because they utilize whatever is available to them in an efficient manner. This is why it is better to shop from small businesses as the public benefits of it are extremely high.

Final Words

Support your community by shopping from one small business at a time. They offer an amazing experience and you will be helping your community become more sustainable and prosperous. If you want your economy and community to become stronger then shop local.