Checklists can be real life-savers.

While a to-do list can help you remember everything that you need to do, using checklists for repetitive tasks can help you be more productive as well. The more complex the task, the more useful a checklist becomes.

It may seem silly to spend time making a list of how to complete a task you do frequently, but such checklists can save you time and ensure that you complete the task fully and with consistent quality. That, in turn, gives you more time to tackle the things you don’t do every day.

There’s a reason why airline pilots use checklists to help them through complex processes like landing and takeoffs. Otherwise, they would have to rely on their memory to determine if they’ve taken all the necessary steps and human error, fatigue, and distraction would become serious problems.

For example, if a pilot forgot to bring down the landing gears before landing, it could result in the death of everyone on board. Checklists help pilots perform complex tasks consistently and with high quality while avoiding mistakes and errors.

This example is a bit extreme, but it shows why checklists are so helpful.

In addition to helping you remember things that could cause problems if forgotten, a checklist can save you time by keeping you from having to fix mistakes or redo a task multiple times.

In the case of tasks that you perform often but not every day, a checklist can serve as basic instructions. For example, if you use a certain computer program on occasion to run a specific type of report, you could make a checklist detailing how to do so. That way you wouldn’t waste precious time trying to figure it out each time you have to do it.

Checklists also come in handy if someone else has to do your job in your absence. Instead of having to ask around or guess how to do things, they would have step-by-step instructions to follow. While they might not breeze through the task like you do, a good checklist would be a big help.

While repetitive tasks may seem to come naturally, it certainly can’t hurt to have a checklist to go by when completing them. That way you can double check to make sure you did everything. It also gives you a reference to go by should you need it.

One example of a checklist that I use regularly is a list of all the steps that I need to take to make a release of Achieve Planner. The checklists helps me make sure that I don’t forget any of the important steps and ensures a standard level of consistency and quality.

Another example of a checklist that I use even more frequently is my weekly goal review checklist that I use as part of my weekly review.

Achieve Planner makes it very easy to create and use checklists with “project templates.”

You can learn more about project templates in the Achieve Planner user manual (Help -> User Manual) or in the following tutorial video:

http://www.effexis.com/achieve/training/GettingStarted/tm-tutorial-5.htm

With all of the distractions we face today, it can be difficult to get any work done. Sometimes the phone just won’t stop ringing, co-workers or visitors keep popping in, and the Internet keeps taunting you with its endless offerings. But all is not lost!

There are simple things you can do to tune out or completely avoid distractions and improve your focus. Here are a few of them:

1. Tame the phone

If the phone is a problem, use technology to avoid all but the really important calls. Let the voicemail pick up if you’re busy. If the call is important, the caller will leave a message.

If working in your home office, utilize Caller ID to determine whether you need to answer or not. Let the answering machine get any calls you don’t think are important, and listen to messages when you have more time.

2. Close the door

If walk-in distractions are becoming too frequent, shut the door. Inform everyone that when the door is shut, your office is off-limits. If they don’t listen, lock it.

3. Eliminate clutter

A cluttered desk and office can be a distraction in and of itself. Get rid of unnecessary papers and other items you do not need, especially those that are near your main work surface. Not having all of that junk to look at will help you concentrate more on your work.

4. Play music or work in silence

Some people concentrate better with soft music playing in the background because it drowns out other noises and distractions. Others prefer more up-tempo music because it helps keep them alert. And some people work much better with total peace and quiet.

Experiment and see which one works best for you. If you’re in an environment where music is frowned upon, ask if you can wear earphones.

5. Get plenty of sleep

Lack of sleep makes you tired during the day. And being tired results in an inability to concentrate. The average adult needs 7 to 8 hours of sleep per night. If you’re not getting that much, it could be adversely affecting your productivity.

6. Use a to-do list to help you keep track of what you need to do

Using a to-do list to capture what you need to do instead of relying on your memory can help you focus and concentrate on the task at hand because you avoid all those distracting thoughts floating around in your head.

You don’t have to keep reminding yourself to do this or that because you’ve already captured it.

You can use a software tool like Achieve Planner to help you keep track of everything that you need to do, or use a paper based planner instead. Whatever works best for you.

7. Take a break when needed

When your brain is on overload, take a break if possible. If you’re in a work environment where your breaks are scheduled, try to switch to a less demanding task for a few minutes. Anything that gets your mind off of the task you’re having trouble with for a short time will help. Then you can get back to it in a more refreshed state.

Staying focused is vital if you want to be productive. Many distractions can be avoided, and you can improve your focus with some simple adjustments. Once your mind is able to concentrate on the work at hand, you can get it done much more quickly.

Achieve Planner has several keyboard shortcuts that can come in very handy when you are entering data or when you perform certain tasks repetitively.

When entering dates in the grids, you can just type the letter t as a shortcut for today’s date. Achieve Planner should automatically convert it to today’s date when you move out of the cell.

You can also use t+x or t-x to represent dates that are x number of days ahead or before today’s date…

  t+1 is tomorrow

  t-1 is yesterday

  t+7 is same day next week

and so on.

Achieve Planner also supports keyboard shortcuts associated with menu items and toolbar buttons.

There are two types of shortcuts:

Regular shortcuts consist of a single key press combination. For example, the Edit -> Delete command has the shortcut of Ctrl+D. This means you have to press the Ctrl key and, while holding it down, press the D key.

Another example is Ctrl+Alt+O for the Tools -> Options command, where you need to press and hold the Ctrl and Alt keys and then press the O key.

To give you even more flexibility, Achieve Planner also supports “chord shortcuts” consist of two consecutive set of key press combinations. For example, the Go -> Outline command has the shortcut (Ctrl+G, L).

This means you have to press the Ctrl key and, while holding it down, press the G key. This is the first part of the chord.

You will see in the status bar the following “(Ctrl+G) was pressed. Waiting for second part of the chord…”

This means that Achieve Planner is waiting for you to enter the second part of the chord. In this case, you need to press the L key (without holding down the Ctrl or any other key) to complete the shortcut.

Some chord shortcuts may require you to press a modified key (Ctrl, Alt, or Shift) on each of the two key press combinations.

Each menu item displays the shortcut key combination that you need to use to invoke that command using the keyboard.

You can also customize the keyboard shortcut combinations for each command using the Tools->Customize Keyboard… menu item.

To get a quick reference of the most common keyboard shortcuts in Achieve Planner, use the Help->Keyboard Reference (PDF) menu item.

By Rodger Constandse & John Fike

Are you setting out on a new venture or career path? Are you trying to reach a goal that is new or unfamiliar to you?

One of the best ways to ensure success and see that success happens sooner rather than later is to model someone that has already done what you are setting out to do.

Almost anything you want to do or achieve has already been done by someone else. Rather than forge your own path, making mistakes and delaying success along the way, why not study what those other people have done?

They’ve already made their mistakes and they’ve already found the road to success. It only makes sense to follow the same road.

This strategy is called “modeling” because you are modeling what someone else has done in order to achieve the kind of success he or she achieved.

By studying the activities and methods that have brought success to other people and doing the very same things yourself, you shortcut the learning process and speed up your success.

Modeling is Like Having a Recipe for Success

If you want to bake a chocolate cake like you remember grandma baking, wouldn’t you try to get your hands on the same recipe she used?

So follow the same tactic when trying to accomplish any other goal as well. If you want to start a business of some sort, find someone who has already built a successful enterprise of a similar sort. Find out what made them successful and model it in your own actions and behavior.
It’s true that you may not be able to find someone who has done exactly what you want to do, but you can certainly find someone who has done something very similar. You may even have to model two or three individuals in order to gain all the skill sets necessary for what you want to do.

There are two ways to employ modeling: you can ask someone to mentor you and walk you through the steps to success, or you can study a successful person’s habits, methods and beliefs by finding information on them.

Modeling through a Mentor

A mentor relationship is the best way to avoid pitfalls, because your mentor can show you what he would do differently if he were to start over again. A mentor also allows you to ask questions and get direct answers, and a mentor will often help you make tough decisions along the way.

However, mentoring may not be practical for you due to distance between you and your mentor, conflicting schedules or some other reason.

Modeling through Research

In this case, we turn to studying the individual or individuals through information sources. Success leaves clues for others to follow. Successful people often have articles or books published about them. Some write their own articles and books.

If you can’t find the information you need on your ideal model, see if you can schedule an interview with the person. This may sound unusual, but it’s not. It’s done all the time by people who need answers to questions.

Even if you have to pay for the individual’s time, you’ll make your money back by avoiding mistakes or learning more efficient ways to do what you want to do. I’ve heard of people paying anywhere from $100 to $1,000 for an hour of someone’s time.

An interview allows you to ask specific and pointed questions that you may have trouble finding answers to. Don’t be shy about asking for an interview; most people are flattered that someone thinks highly enough of them to ask for one.

Another way to gain information on a person you are modeling, especially if the person is a competitor, is to buy their product or service and see what makes if different from similar products or services provided by others.

If your model has a store front, web site or business office, go and see how they do things. How do they arrange their store? How does work flow in their office? How do they present their web site? How do they build their customer list?

Actually, you should do this whether you are modeling through research or mentoring, because they will give you an incredible amount of information about why your model was successful.

Tips for Effective Modeling

Here are some things to look for when modeling:

1) Habits & Behaviors

What does your model do every day or every week?

Figure out how those habits are related to his or her success and how you can implement them yourself.

Observation is the best way to learn this, because many times people don’t consciously connect their habits to their success.

2) Beliefs & Attitudes

Often the difference between success and failure lies in what a person believes about themselves, about others and about their industry.

You may be able to infer what your model believes by observing their actions and attitudes. Ask yourself, what would I have to believe in order to do what my model does?

3) Techniques & Strategies

What techniques and strategies does your model use that less successful people in the same field don’t use?

How can you develop or improve your own techniques and strategies based on what you learn about your model?

As you learn about the habits, behaviors, beliefs, attitudes, techniques and strategies of your model, try imitating them as precisely as you can, even if it’s just for practice.

Writers often write out by hand articles, copy or literature by other writers in order to get a feel for how they write and discover what the other writer may be thinking when they are writing.

Many professional athletes started out in their chosen sport by mimicking the movements and techniques of professional athletes that they looked up to.

You can do the same, whether you’re modeling a sport, a hobby, a business or a career.

Look for Differences that Make a Difference

One of the most difficult things about modeling is learning to look for the things that make a difference.

Most people, even successful people, have habits, beliefs or strategies that don’t really make them successful but are just the way they choose to do things. Imitating those things will not increase your chances of success.

Discovering which things make a difference may take some digging.

For example, if your model takes time every morning to eat a doughnut and drink a cup of coffee every morning while reading the newspaper, it may be that he just happens to like doughnuts and coffee and reads the paper at the same time in order to save time.

Or, it may be that the sugar and caffeine give him the spark of energy he needs to launch his day and reading the newspaper is essential to decisions he makes each day. You won’t know which is the case until you do some research.

Who Can You Model?

Who can you model to improve your skills, habits and strategies in whatever venture or goal you are pursuing?

Don’t wait another day to start collecting information on that person and see what they do differently.

One of the most common issues people face is the need to be assertive, not aggressive. This is a very hard thing for some people, but especially for women who are often raised to see themselves as the “weaker” gender. Regardless of gender, though, you can learn to be assertive about your thoughts and feelings without becoming harsh or aggressive toward others.

What is Assertive Behavior?

You can easily find many different definitions of assertive behavior, but they all have one thing in common. They describe assertiveness as the ability to clearly communicate your own wants and needs while still being respectful of the needs of others.

This may sound simple, but it is true. Being assertive is nothing more than insisting politely but firmly that you are treated with respect, dignity, and courtesy. There is no room for whining, complaining, bullying or pouting when it comes to assertive behavior.

Some examples of assertive behavior include:

• Asking for help rather than pretending you are not confused
• Expressing dissatisfaction in a healthy manner
• Speaking up for yourself in groups of all sizes
• Making good eye contact with others while you are speaking
• Declining or saying “no” when appropriate

What is Aggressive Behavior?

Aggressive behavior, on the other hand, is characterized by demanding and often hostile behavior. Even words that just “slip out” or behind the scenes gossiping are considered to be aggressive since the intent of these behaviors is to be negative and/or undermine someone else.

In other words, when you do or say something that violates the rights of someone else, you are engaging in aggressive behavior.

Some examples of aggressive behavior include:

• Punishing others for transgressions, real or imagined
• Hostility toward others
• Demanding and pushy
• Complaining about conditions, other people, etc.
• Sarcasm
• Mean-spirited gossip

How to Become More Assertive

Your ability to be appropriately assertive is a prime driving force behind your life success, from business relationships to personal relationships and beyond. When you can express what you want and need to others in a way that is honest and firm, you are well on your way to becoming more assertive.

There are four main steps to becoming more assertive:

1) Get started - This may seem obvious, but you would be surprised just how many people procrastinate, avoid, or simply put off working on their assertiveness skills. Just as with any long term project or activity, though, getting started is an important first step in the process.

2) Learn new skills - Assertiveness skills are all about expressing yourself and standing up for yourself in all kinds of situation. These skills may appear as simply saying “I want” and “I need” or they may extend all the way to standing up for yourself strongly in the face of opposition or confrontation.

3) Communication is key - When you have good communication skills you also have good assertiveness skills. Being more assertive means using your words, expressions, and body language to communicate your messages to others. Make eye contact, stand up straight, and force yourself to match your words and your behaviors to each other.

4) Practice makes perfect – OK, you probably will never become “perfect” at being assertive, but with practice, practice, and more practice, you can make assertiveness an ingrained part of your personality and behavior. Start small and work your way up to more complex or difficult situations along the way.

Assertiveness Tips for Everyday Life

Learning to be assertive is hard work, especially if it is a very new behavior for you. Perhaps your old pattern was to bury your anger and let others put their expectations first. Or maybe you worry that being assertive will make other people angry or upset with you. Here are some tips for dealing with these and other parts of everyday life.

Enlist the support of others - Let a few close friends or relatives know that you are working on assertiveness and ask for support and feedback. In other words, ask for help and let others help you carry the load of learning a new and unfamiliar skill.

Keep a journal - There will inevitably be times when you look back at your day and think of something you wish you had (or hadn’t) said in a specific situation. Keep a journal every day, including your observations and “should have” moments so that you can be more likely to recognize them and change them in the future.

One step at a time - To use a very old cliché, you have to eat the elephant just one bite at a time. The sane holds true for assertiveness – start small with just one focus goal and then add on new goals as you become better and better at assertiveness skills.

Always remember that you are entitled to be assertive, not aggressive, in all aspects of your life. Set small achievable goals for yourself, and celebrate your successes along the way. As assertiveness becomes more and more of an ingrained habit, you will start to wonder how you could ever have behaved in any other way!

By John Fike

Americans will try just about anything to lose weight quickly.

Here are some of the more popular myths that have been invented and believed over the years… some of them may even lead to more weight gain than weight loss.

1. You can lose weight without diet or exercise by using magic weight-loss pills/formulas

Weight loss is the result of burning more calories than you take in through your food. How can you make that happen without changing either your diet or how much you exercise?

There are a few ways to increase your metabolism, but they only do so by a few calories a day. Considering you have to burn 3,500 calories more than you eat in order to lose a pound of fat, you only lose a pound a year if you increase your metabolism by 10 calories a day.

But this works both ways… it just takes 10 extra calories a day to gain a pound of weight per year. Keep doing this year after year for 20 or 30 years and you can see how easily you can end up overweight without even realizing it.

2. You can get rid of fat in certain areas of your body using special exercises

This myth is seen in the idea that doing sit-ups or trunk twists shrinks fat around the midsection, or that doing triceps extensions will get rid of flab under the arms.

Unfortunately, science has found that you can’t choose where the fat will come off.

When you exercise aerobically, or burn more calories than you eat, the bloodstream collects fat from deposits all over the body. There does seem to be some credence to the ‘first on-last off’ theory of weight loss, which states that wherever you first started storing fat, will be the last place from which you lose fat.

3. Eating low-fat foods automatically helps you lose weight

For some people, the types of foods that you eat can make a difference in the results that you get, but for most of us it’s really all about calories.

You must burn more calories than you eat. Low fat foods can have the same number of calories as regular food and some studies suggest that all the garbage put in low-fat foods (referring to packaged and processed foods) is more likely to help you retain fat than lose it.

4. Eating at night makes you store fat

Late night binges can lead to eating more calories than you burn in a day, but it’s not because of the time of day. As long as you are burning more calories than you eat and consume mostly healthy foods, it doesn’t really matter what time of day you eat.

5. Skipping breakfast is a good way to lose weight

Skipping any meal is a bad idea because your blood-sugar levels fluctuate wildly. That can lead to binge eating, which makes skipping a meal pointless. Skipping a meal also leaves your body low on energy. While the energy shortage may prompt metabolism of stored fat, it is a slow process and can leave you feeling lethargic.

The best approach is to have 5-6 moderately-sized meals throughout the day to keep your blood-sugar level steady and become more active throughout the day. Make sure your 5-6 meals contain roughly the same amount of calories and don’t exceed your total target calorie intake.

A study of a large group of people who successfully lost weight and kept it off for at least 5 years reveals that the vast majority eat a healthy breakfast every day.

Another study showed that people who eat a healthy breakfast consisting of foods with a low glycemic index (GI) actually ate less calories throughout the day than those who skipped breakfast or ate foods with a high GI for breakfast. So have a healthy breakfast every day, but skip the muffin or bagel!

6. Crash diets are a good way to lose weight

Your body can only metabolize 1-2 percent of your bodyweight in fat per week. That’s about 2 pounds for most people.

If you’re losing more weight than that, it is mostly water (which comes back quickly) or muscle.

Neither of these is good to lose. Also, it’s been pretty well documented that the faster you lose weight, the faster you will put it back on. Slow and steady wins the race when it comes to fat loss.

7. Overweight people have a slow metabolism

Some people may be overweight due to a true medical condition that causes a slow metabolism, but those people are very rare and the condition needs to be diagnosed by a doctor. Most overweight people actually have a higher metabolism because more energy is required to move around that excess weight.

8. You need to starve yourself to lose weight

Again, losing weight too fast results in dehydration and muscle loss. This leaves you weak, lethargic and sickly looking. We want to lose weight to be healthy, not to reach the grave sooner.

9. Don’t weigh yourself frequently

Studies show that people who weigh themselves regularly (even daily) are able to lose more weight and keep it off.

The feedback from the scale lets them know when they are getting back into old habits and motivates them to return to good habits. However, your weight can vary by as much as 3 pounds within a day. For best results, weigh yourself at the same time every day and under relatively similar circumstances.

Also, write down your weight each day and use the average for the week to determine your weight-loss progress.

10. Lifting weights burns fat

Only aerobic activity burns fat directly. Weightlifting is anaerobic and burns only carbohydrates directly. High-intensity weightlifting can create enough of a calorie deficit that your body will eventually metabolize fat into carbohydrates to fill that deficit, but it takes a lot of exercise.

Increasing the quantity of muscle in your body will increase your metabolism, but only enough to burn a pound every three months or so, and that’s only if you really build a lot of muscle.

Fifty years ago, people entering the work force did not have to think much about their career development. All they had to was land a job and do the work adequately in order to stay with the company for their entire career.

Those days are long gone, though, so you must take a more active role in your career development. It is up to you to keep your career on track and keep yourself up to date and valuable to your employer. There are many ways to do this, so we have put together three key things you should keep in mind.

Key # 1 - You Interview For Your Job Every Day

It is easy to become complacent in a job, especially if you have been doing it for a while.

Day after day, you do your work, fulfill your responsibilities, and collect your paycheck. Before too long it becomes routine, comfortable, and something you can do almost without thinking about it.

Now compare that to a new employee who comes to work every day with interest, energy, and seeking to learn something new. He or she asks questions, shows enthusiasm, and pays attention to the details of the job.

Like it or not, the way you do your job right now influences how you are viewed when it comes time to be considered for promotion or a new position. The people around you and those who might choose to promote or hire you take many things into consideration along the way, so you can enhance your career by continually performing in a way that makes others want you on their team.

This does not mean you “schmooze” your manager or “suck up” to the division vice president. It does mean that you perform your job with honesty, integrity, and to the best of your ability.

Show up to work on time every day, and do not make a habit of leaving just a few minutes early. Dress neatly and appropriately, avoiding trendy fashions or clothing that is too casual or too revealing for the culture of the company. Treat others with respect and behave professionally at all times.

Look for opportunities to mentor others, learn new things, and be a valuable part of every team on which you serve.

Key #2 - Leadership, Leadership, Leadership

The most important trend in career development over the last ten to fifteen years is the focus on leadership. It is not enough to simply perform your job responsibilities; you must develop and demonstrate the leadership qualities that companies so desperately need in an increasingly competitive marketplace.

Look for opportunities to develop these skills, both in and out of the work environment. Volunteer to chair an employee committee, and carefully observe people in your organization who are already considered good leaders.

Watch what they do, talk to them; even ask them to be a mentor if you like. Also, take advantage of opportunities elsewhere in your life, such as at your church, a local school, or a community service organization.

Regularly read books, articles and publications that focus on leadership. If you are not sure which ones are the most beneficial, ask your mentor or another leader you respect for some recommendations. Seek out seminars, workshops, and coaching activities where you can learn more about leadership and have opportunities to practice leadership techniques.

Key #3 - Learning Never Stops

In some professions, continuing education is “built in” to the job performance. For instance, medical professionals stay up to date on the latest treatments and techniques, and most states require teachers to earn continuing education credits on a regular basis. Engineers, architects and similar technical disciplines also have a tradition of continuing education.

Most other professions, though, do not have this same tradition firmly in place so it is up to you to proactively seek out educational opportunities that improve or broaden your knowledge. The most productive way to show your employer you are eager, inquisitive, and professional is to continually look for ways to further your education.

This might mean going to school to complete your college degree, or to earn an advanced degree such as a master’s or an MBA. It might also mean attending a workshop to learn a new process, or taking a class on improving customer service.

It does not matter what you do for a living - doctor, waitress, engineer, bus driver, teacher, web designer - there are ways to improve your skills and increase your knowledge so that you become even more valuable to your employer.

Many employers offer tuition assistance for career-related education or flexible work hours to accommodate classes and seminars. If your employer does not have an established program to support continuing education, talk with your supervisor, manager, or human resources representative about it. Find out if there is any way you can be supported in your efforts, and also if you can help the company look at and establish a program for the long term.

Even if you have to pay for continuing education yourself, it is money well spent. When you invest in yourself and your abilities, you prepare yourself to grow your career and reach for any achievement that interests you.

by John Fike

1. You can’t exercise too much

Actually, it’s called overtraining and it can be very detrimental to your health and fitness.

Overtraining occurs when the volume and intensity of your training exceeds your body’s ability to recover. Overtraining drains the body’s energy reserves and when a big enough energy debt is accumulated, it hampers the immune system and other regulatory functions in your body.

If you literally have to ‘drag’ yourself to the gym, you are probably overtrained and need to take extra time off. Sufficient sleep (which is when most recovery occurs) and a week off every six to eight weeks is essential for avoiding overtraining.

2. Stress is a normal part of life and doesn’t affect health

Stress can kill. Physically speaking, stress has an impact on the body that is similar to exercise. Without opportunity to recover from stress and grow, you essentially enter a state of overtraining.

As with exercise-induced overtraining, stress-based overtraining weakens the immune system, impacts mental faculties and decreases all areas of performance. Allowed to go on too long, it results in injury in the form of heart attacks, strokes and other systemic malfunctions.

3. Stretch before you exercise

Before exercising vigorously, your muscles and joints should be warm and limber. However, light exercise (warming up) does this more efficiently than deep stretching and is less likely to result in injury. Stretching before exercise may actually increase the risk of injury.

4. You need to burn before you can tan

Burning does not trigger tanning. Extended exposure to sun triggers tanning, which is the rising of melanin pigment to the surface of the skin to protect against absorption of too much solar radiation.

However, if you expose your skin to too much sun before the melatonin comes out, the result is damage to your skin. Saying that you have to burn in order to tan is like saying you have to be contaminated with radioactive isotopes before you can put on protective gear.

Sun burns and over-exposure to the sun have been linked to skin cancer, which can be fatal, and other skin problems.

5. No pain, no gain

This is a trite saying developed by bodybuilders and performance athletes that reflects the need to push comfort levels during training in order to improve performance.

In other words, if you stop while you’re still comfortable, you’re not going to improve much.

However, to take this saying literally and push your exercise to the point of injury is foolishness. Fatigue and exhaustion are one thing, but pain associated with an injury (often marked by sharp or persistent pain) will inhibit the progress of your training.

6. Don’t drink water while exercising

This is old-fashioned training methodology. You need to replace water that is lost during training. There are too many benefits to being well hydrated to list here; just drink your water. But don’t drink so much that it impedes your workout performance or causes you to vomit.

7. All “natural” supplements & health products are safe and effective

These products are not regulated and most do not have clinical studies to back up their various claims of health and longevity. Some may even be toxic under certain conditions.

Ephedra, for example was marketed as a safe fat-loss supplement for years before the number of ephedra-induced heart attacks prompted the U.S. government to ban it.

Most supplements are a waste of money. If you’re involved in a competitive sport, some supplements like protein, glutamine and, creatine may be useful, but for recreational exercise they will have little benefit.

When it comes to health and longevity, there are more conclusive studies about the benefits of happiness, regular exercise, and an enjoyable life than there are about herbal and natural supplements.

8. You can tell if you have high blood pressure

It’s called the ‘silent killer’. There is no way to detect high blood pressure without medical instruments.

Of course, you may suspect high blood pressure if you experience a heart attack or stroke, but you still can’t confirm it without medical equipment.

9. High blood pressure is not that bad

According to the American Heart Association, uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to stroke, heart attack, heart failure or kidney failure. People with this condition are three times more likely to develop heart disease and six times more likely to develop congestive heart failure, and high blood pressure is the number one risk factor for stroke that can be modified through lifestyle changes and medical intervention, says the AHA.

10. You have to drink 8 glasses of water each day

Doctors and scientists are now saying that the required water intake is obtained partially from food (about 20% most sources say) and that beverages other than plain water count toward your daily water intake.

Even caffeinated beverages no longer have the bad reputation that they used to. Caffeine is a diuretic, meaning it draws water out of your body, but some sources are saying its not a very strong diuretic and others say the body adjusts to caffeine over time if you’re a chronic consumer.

Bottom line, the best way to tell if you’re getting enough water is to note the color of your urine. If it’s clear, or has very little color, you’re probably hydrated enough. But if your urine is dark or straw-colored, then pop open an Evian.

11. You have to wait 30-minutes after eating before going swimming or you can drown

Undigested food in your stomach will not suck water into your lungs and cause you to drown. However, vigorous exercise, including playing in water as most kids do in a pool, does draw blood away from the stomach to fuel muscular activity.

In extreme cases, this can cause cramping and may make swimming or treading water more difficult when it is essential.

12. Sweating a lot means you are out of shape

Sweating is a natural response to exercise; it is one way your body regulates temperature. Different people sweat more than others under similar levels of exercise and people who sweat less are at higher risk for heat exhaustion and heat stroke and, therefore, less physically fit. If you’re not prone to sweating, use a damp towel to cool off during exercise. In any case, drink plenty of water.

13. I’m too old to start exercising

That’s like saying you’re too old to be healthy; it’s nonsense.

Exercise increases strength, strengthens bones, and stimulates the nervous system and immune system. Moderate cardiovascular exercise and strength training has shown to have numerous health benefits for senior citizens.

You may be too old to compete in powerlifting (though there are many seniors that do), but you can definitely benefit from exercise.

In fact, no matter what age you are, you’re probably too old to NOT exercise

14. Gaining weight is a natural part of getting older

Gaining weight is always a result of eating more calories than you burn through activity. As we get older that doesn’t change. What does change is that we are more prone to sedentary activity, which means we burn fewer calories.

Even a small number of excess calories each day can lead to some serious weight gain over 10, 15, or 20 years. Continuing to gain weight can lead to numerous health problems, including heart disease and organ failure.

15. Resistance training makes women “too muscular”

So, you think it’s easy to build big, bulky muscles?

Is that why professional bodybuilders rely extreme training routines, and some on anabolic steroids, to put on a half-inch of muscle per year?

If becoming “too muscular” were easy, every guy in America would look like Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Resistance training develops muscle tone first, which is a nervous system response. High-intensity training to failure (to the point where your muscle can’t do another repetition) is what enlarges muscles.

Want to be toned and strong without bulky muscles? Use lighter resistances for more repetitions and never train to failure.

In the modern world where we are constantly pushed to do more with less - less time, less money, less of nearly everything - maintaining high levels of productivity is critical to your success.

That’s why becoming aware of and actively eliminating time leaks that reduce your productivity and distract you from your most important work can give you a winning edge.

Here is a list of five common productivity killers, with suggestions of how you can avoid falling under their spell. As you read through this list, be honest with yourself - how many of these productivity killers creep into your work life?

If you do identify with one or more of these productivity killers, don’t despair. You can change your work habits and plug the leaks.

Productivity Killer #1 - Wasting Time

We all do this one occasionally; sometimes deliberately and other times inadvertently. Wasting time can include actions such as:

• Making unnecessary phone calls
• Visiting or talking with others in the office
• Spending more time getting organized than actually doing work
• Delaying or avoiding the start of a project
• Scheduling or attending unnecessary meetings
• Playing computer games
• Browsing the Internet
• Reading a magazine or book
• Taking an extra long break or lunch

Some of these things are obvious time wasters, but others can easily give the illusion that you are busy and productive.

Talking on the phone, getting organized, participating in meetings - all are activities that can be either useful or unnecessary, depending on why you are doing them.

Productivity Killer #2 - Over-Committing Your Time

It is hard to say no when a co-worker or supervisor asks you to contribute to a project or participate on a company committee. You want to appear willing and able to be productive, but if you say yes too often you actually become less productive because you become over-committed.

Over-committing yourself is usually caused by two things - attempting to do too many different projects at the same time and/or underestimating the amount of time it will take you to complete the work required.

These two causes are often linked together, so if you address them together you will very likely increase your productivity.

Start by being realistic about the number of projects you can effectively work on at any one time.

Realistically, most people can’t just work on one project and shut everything else down, but if you try to do too many things at once, you only spread yourself too thin. The key is balance between these two competing goals.

When determining how many projects you can take on, also be realistic about the amount of time each one will require. Map out a regular schedule of work and milestones so that you will make steady progress, and ask for help right away if it looks like you do not have enough time to do the work.

Productivity Killer #3 - An Open Door

Most modern office environments encourage an “open door” culture that creates an atmosphere of collaboration and communication. For the most part, it is a very effective strategy that allows colleagues to interact freely and work in a friendly, enjoyable environment.

There are times, however, when the open door culture lowers your productivity dramatically. For example, you may need to focus on something important but the general noise level in the office is particularly high on that day, or you may find yourself frequently interrupted by co-workers coming in to speak with you.

You can keep the open door from affecting your productivity by adopting a “modified open door” practice. In this strategy, you keep your door open as much as possible, but when you really need to focus on something and do not want extra distractions you close it part way or even all the way.

You can hang a small white board just outside the door with a note to let everyone know you are not being rude, just focusing.

A brief statement of “Working on project deadline, please come in if you need something important” lets everyone know that you are focused on something important but remain available if they really need you. It also lets everyone know that this is not a good time for others to drop by for a visit or a casual chat.

Another strategy is to borrow an idea from college professors and have regular “office hours” where you are available for handling all non-emergency requests from your staff.

Productivity Killer #4 - Avoiding The Hard Things

It is human nature to be anxious about (or even dread) difficult or challenging tasks that need to be done. This can lead you to procrastinate getting started, avoid working on the task, or otherwise find ways not to do the work you know you should do.

Then when the deadline approaches you find yourself under a lot of pressure to get it done, often putting your other projects and tasks behind schedule as well.

As difficult as it may be, face your difficult tasks earlier rather than later. Getting started is often the hardest part, so do not delay – schedule an hour or two right away to get familiar with the task at hand and plan out your approach.

Try breaking your work sessions up into several smaller chunks of time instead of fewer longer chunks of time. This will help keep you motivated because you do not get overwhelmed with tough tasks and can refresh with breaks or easier tasks.

Productivity Killer #5 – Lack Of Sleep

We all find ourselves working long hours sometimes, even well into the night at times. If this occurs occasionally, you can usually get through it just fine, but if it occurs regularly, you will quickly find yourself less productive and less effective.

When you do not get enough sleep at night, your brain does not get the rest it needs to rejuvenate and be ready to work the next day. And when you are tired, you do not work as effectively or productively. Things just seem to take longer, and you will often find it difficult to concentrate and focus.

Instead of staying up late and sacrificing sleep, make a point of going to bed at a regular time each night so your brain and body are well rested. This will improve your productivity and allow you to get more accomplished in the end.

by John Fike

Most everyone knows that your body - muscles, bones, ligaments, heart, lungs and the like - requires physical activity to avoid getting fat, weak and lazy. If your body doesn’t get exercise, all sorts of things go wrong with it.

Besides the obvious addition to the waistline, a lack of exercise can also contribute to back problems, lowered resistance to illness and disease, and even heart attack and organ failure.

What many people do not realize is that the brain and central nervous system (CNS) also require exercise in order to stay fit and to function properly. Of course, pushups aren’t going to keep your brain fit. Physical activity will employ the CNS to a degree as you’ll read below, but mostly the brain and CNS need to be engaged in mental activity.

Studies have shown that mental activity, even something as simple as playing Bingo regularly, minimizes memory loss and increases hand-eye coordination in elderly people. Keep in mind, however, that just as the body adjusts to regular exercise and the exercise has to increase to see continued gains in strength and endurance, the brain also adapts and requires more and more stimulation to maintain or increase cognitive strength.

Here are 17 tips to keep your brain healthy and sharp long into retirement:

1. Play Strategy Games

Chess, Checkers, Go, Stratego, Risk and the like require you to evaluate, plan and think several moves ahead and subsequently fully engage your brain. Modern war games are available for the computer or for tabletop play and challenge your brain even further.

2. Engage Your Brain with Word and Number Puzzles

Sudoku, crossword puzzles, word searches and similar puzzles engage your brain in analysis and abstract thinking. Crossword puzzles particularly call on you to engage your full memory and abstract conceptualization ability.

3. Get Out Your High School or College Math Books

Go through the problem sets and practice your numerical skills.

4. Play Scrabble and Boggle

These games require you to conceptualize and see solutions that are not obvious.

5. Learn a New Skill

Learning a skill, whether it’s a computer skill or physical skill like throwing darts, fully engages the brain and gives you a new tool to work with. If the new skill relates to your job or business, you may even be able to get your employer to pay for classes or write them off on your taxes.

6. Read Non-Fiction Books

Non-fiction books cause you to analyze and evaluate and give you more information to remember.

7. Discover a New Hobby

Knitting, crochet, painting, drawing, rebuilding automobiles, collecting (anything), cabinet making . . . Any hobby engages the brain creatively and analytically. It’s also a great way to relax and get away from stress, so hobbies serve a dual purpose.

8. Build Something

It could be a plastic model from the store, a piece of furniture or a house. Numerous mental skills, including creativity, are employed when building something.

9. Get Plenty of Sleep

Just as muscles need rest to grow and repair damage from exercise, so does your brain and CNS. Without sleep, your mind gets befuddled and your nerves get frazzled.

10. Schedule Downtime from Stress

Too much exercise is called overtraining. Physical overtraining results in injuries. Continual stress is a kind of mental overtraining and also results in injuries that usually manifest emotionally. Just like your body, your brain needs a chance to relax and recover.

11. Day Dream

Pure creativity. Just let your mind wander and see where it takes you.

12. Get Physical Exercise

Physical activity builds up neurotransmitter receptors in muscles and stimulates the CNS to improve hand-eye coordination and physical skills. Actually, strength is as much about getting the CNS to signal muscle fibers to contract as much as it is about having large muscles, so even weight lifting stimulates the CNS and brain.

13. Use Your Off Hand for Common Tasks

The brain and CNS get used to doing things a certain way and most tasks get done using one hand or the other and the brain and CNS are so used to it that they go on automatic. By using your off hand (left hand if you’re right-handed or right hand if you’re left-handed) causes your brain to actively engage and teaches your CNS a new skill. Do it enough and you may even develop some level of ambidexterity.

14. Practice Observing

Whenever you find yourself waiting or with nothing to do, spend time looking around and noticing details about the things and people around you. There is much that we miss in the world around us and practicing observation trains us to be more perceptive.

15. Do Things with Your Eyes Closed

Most of us take sight for granted. Closing your eyes trains the CNS to rely on other senses and requires the brain to analyze information in a new context.

16. Memorize Something

When it comes to the amazing computer called the brain, most of us have 250 GB hard drives but only use about 2 GB. Just like your garage or basement, the less you’re in there storing and retrieving, the more your memory gathers cob webs.

17. Change Your Routine

Drive to work a different way or read a book instead of watching television. Balance your checkbook on Monday instead of Saturday. Do something out of the ordinary to wake up your mind.