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Monday 30 June 2014

Davido wins Best International Act Africa at the 2014 BET Awards!


Posted on Sunday, June 29th, 2014 at 9:22 PM By BellaNaija.com
Davido BET Awards 2014 BellaNaija
He has done it again!
Weeks after “ruling” the 2014 MTV Africa Music Awards with multiple award wins, Nigerian music star Davido won the Best International Act – Africa award at the 2014 BET Awards.
Davido with Pharrell at the BET Awards presentation
Davido with Pharrell at the BET Awards presentation
Davido beat Mafikizolo, Tiwa Savage, Sarkodie, Toofan and Diamond Platnumz for the win!
Congrats.

A Practical Solution to (Almost) All Your Money Problems


“Go out in the world and work like money doesn’t matter, sing as if no one is listening, love as if you have never been hurt, and dance as if no one is watching.” – Victor Hugo.

Our Financial Discontent.

For most of my life, I have had money problems. In fact, I have always lived with a deep sense of personal discontent concerning my use of money. This discontent (or unease) concerning my finances came from two areas:
First, I have always been discontent with the amount of money I was spending. Ever since graduating college in 1996, I have lived paycheck-to-paycheck… never able to get ahead. Despite ever-increasing paychecks, I was never able to build up any substantial savings. My credit card bill seemed to mimic my pay stub. The money came in. The money went out. And as I entered my 30′s, this inability to build savings could no longer be blamed on an entry-level income, it had to be blamed on me.
Second, I have always been discontent with where my money was being spent. I consider myself spiritual… one who cares about the invisible qualities of life more than the visible. Unfortunately, my bank account never aligned with my stated beliefs. Nearly every spiritual leader of every major religion preaches generosity, contentment, and care for the disadvantaged in society. Yet, my financial gifts to those in need were few and far between. I had a desire to help the poor, care for the orphan, and comfort the widow, but I could never get behind those intentions with my finances. It concerned me on a deep, spiritual level.
And in both regards, a solution was seemingly unavailable. That was, until Memorial Day 2008, when my neighbor introduced me to minimalism and intentionally living with less. As a result of our short conversation, the solution to my financial discontent became surprisingly clear. It was simple and practical. It was “Buy Less.”

Our Solution: Buy Less.

Just to be clear, the resolution of buying less was not a new solution to me. I was not naive enough to have never thought of it before. But the solution had never sounded attractive to me. Buying less sounded like I was taking a step backwards in life… admitting defeat… unable to earn the income necessary to live the American dream. It sounded boring… unfashionable… and destined for ridicule.
But I was wrong. In fact, deciding to intentionally live with less is among the best decisions I have made in my life. As a result of paring down most of our possessions and determining to only buy things that are needed, we have found life greatly improved. We have more time, energy, and money available to us than ever before… we have more opportunity to pursue the greatest passions in life… we spend less time cleaning, organizing, and repairing the “stuff” in our lives… we have been forced to intentionally redefine our values… and rather than chasing every new product or fashion line sold at the department store, we are finally able to invest into the things that make our lives worthwhile and significant.
In this simple solution of buying less, both avenues of financial discontent in our lives have been resolved. Every month, we have money left over for savings. And every month, we have more to give away.
For our financial discontent, the practical solution of buying less was perfect. Today, my only regret is that I hadn’t started sooner.

Other Financial Problems.

But what about other money problems? Would the mindful practice of intentionally buying less solve them too? In most cases, it would. Consider some of these all-too-common money problems and how their solution is found in simply buying less:
  • I am deep in debt. According to CNN, the average American household carries nearly $10,700 in credit-card debt. Buying less provides the opportunity to slowly begin repaying that debt. It takes time. But patience, persistence, and discipline will absolutely free you from that crippling burden. And if buying too much is the cause of the problem (in most cases), buying less is most certainly the solution.
  • I don’t make enough money. While there are some legitimate cases where income does not provide for basic needs, more often than not, this money problem springs from an internal desire to purchase luxuries that we believe will add joy to our life. Because our income does not match our desires, we believe that we aren’t making enough money. But joy from luxury is short-lived, fleeting, and can never satisfy. Your heart will always desire more and your income will never match your thirst. Instead, an intentional decision to purposefully live with less will provide the inner space to find contentment in your life and begin making the most of it today.
  • I feel trapped in my job. Too many people that I know feel trapped in their present employment. Their internal groaning is often heard in statements like, “I can’t wait to retire” or “I can’t believe I have to go to work today.” And while some feel trapped because of their need for health care, others feel trapped because of their need to keep up a completely avoidable lifestyle: their mortgage, their car payment, or their credit card bills. If you feel trapped, know that the invitation to “buy less” remains open. There is an escape. The decision to live with less will open the door to surviving on a tighter budget and soon open the door to finding work you love.
  • I fear retirement. As nearly every financial outlet worth reading reminds us, the most important key to building retirement savings is to start saving today and contribute consistently. Whether you are 20, 30, or 50, your retirement account will not grow substantially without your contributions. So get started today with this simple formula: Buy less. Save more.
  • My marriage is falling apart due to financial stress. It is true that one of the leading causes of divorce in our world today is financial stress. This stress stems from any number of factors: disagreements on spending, loss of employment, stress from existing debt, and/or financial secrets. Depending on your specific circumstance, intentionally buying less may not solve all of them (or any of them). But it certainly can’t hurt. And maybe… just maybe… the extra financial space that is created from even one partner deciding to buy less will provide the space necessary to address the underlying factors that are leading to the inability to resolve your differences.
To be true, your specific money problem may not have been addressed in the list above. Unfortunately, there is just not opportunity to address every financial condition in this limited post. If you need to read practical advice from a different angle, consider any of these blogs dedicated to the subject of personal finance: Get Rich Slowly, The Simple Dollar, Wise Bread, Frugal Dad, or Man vs Debt.
But my goal was not to specifically address every possible avenue of financial discontent. Instead, my hope was to raise your personal awareness towards the same simple, practical solution that resolved the financial discontent in my life… buying less.
Whatever financial stress you may be feeling today, know that buying less is probably the most practical solution. And the road to relief may in fact be far more appealing than you think…

The Ten Commandments of Great Customer Service




 

Customer service is an integral part of our job and should not be seen as an extension of it. A company’s most vital asset is its customers. Without them, we would not and could not exist in business. When you satisfy our customers, they not only help us grow by continuing to do business with you, but recommend you to friends and associates.
The practice of customer service should be as present on the show floor as it is in any other sales environment.
The Ten Commandments of Customer Service
  1. Know who is boss. You are in business to service customer needs, and you can only do that if you know what it is your customers want. When you truly listen to your customers, they let you know what they want and how you can provide good service. Never forget that the customer pays our salary and makes your job possible.
  2. Be a good listener. Take the time to identify customer needs by asking questions and concentrating on what the customer is really saying. Listen to their words, tone of voice, body language, and most importantly, how they feel. Beware of making assumptions - thinking you intuitively know what the customer wants. Do you know what three things are most important to your customer?
Effective listening and undivided attention are particularly important on the show floor where there is a great danger of preoccupation - looking around to see to whom else we could be selling to.
  1. Identify and anticipate needs. Customers don't buy products or services. They buy good feelings and solutions to problems. Most customer needs are emotional rather than logical. The more you know your customers, the better you become at anticipating their needs. Communicate regularly so that you are aware of problems or upcoming needs.
  2. Make customers feel important and appreciated. Treat them as individuals. Always use their name and find ways to compliment them, but be sincere. People value sincerity. It creates good feeling and trust. Think about ways to generate good feelings about doing business with you. Customers are very sensitive and know whether or not you really care about them. Thank them every time you get a chance.
On the show floor be sure that your body language conveys sincerity. Your words and actions should be congruent.
  1. Help customers understand your systems. Your organization may have the world's best systems for getting things done, but if customers don't understand them, they can get confused, impatient and angry. Take time to explain how your systems work and how they simplify transactions. Be careful that your systems don't reduce the human element of your organization.
  2. Appreciate the power of "Yes". Always look for ways to help your customers. When they have a request (as long as it is reasonable) tell them that you can do it. Figure out how afterwards. Look for ways to make doing business with you easy. Always do what you say you are going to do.
  3. Know how to apologize. When something goes wrong, apologize. It's easy and customers like it. The customer may not always be right, but the customer must always win. Deal with problems immediately and let customers know what you have done. Make it simple for customers to complain. Value their complaints. As much as we dislike it, it gives us an opportunity to improve. Even if customers are having a bad day, go out of your way to make them feel comfortable.
  4. Give more than expected. Since the future of all companies lies in keeping customers happy, think of ways to elevate yourself above the competition. Consider the following:
    • What can you give customers that they cannot get elsewhere?
    • What can you do to follow-up and thank people even when they don't buy?
    • What can you give customers that is totally unexpected?
  5. Get regular feedback. Encourage and welcome suggestions about how you could improve. There are several ways in which you can find out what customers think and feel about your services.
    • Listen carefully to what they say.
    • Check back regularly to see how things are going.
    • Provide a method that invites constructive criticism, comments and suggestions.
  6. Treat employees well. Employees are your internal customers and need a regular dose of appreciation. Thank them and find ways to let them know how important they are. Treat your employees with respect and chances are they will have a higher regard for customers. Appreciation stems from the top. Treating customers and employees well is equally important.

Sunday 29 June 2014

How to pan and deal with unexpected money drains


Filed under: Personal Finance |
man once told me that nothing should be unexpected because we can always expect that something unexpected will happen.  Right now, I’m too upset to figure out whether I agree with this or not because the unexpected occurred to me – I received a bill from my doctor for N100,000!
“Your health insurance will cover this,” is what I hoped for.  “Your insurance didn’t cover Hepatitis A Vaccine. Please pay the balance due,” is what I have to deal with. There’s so much to complain about this bill but instead of the long rant post, here’s how I managed to not let this expensive wreak my budget and my mood(it is close to the holiday season after all).
 The emergency fund
The only reason why we keep coming back to this is because it is truly a life saver.  I know many of you don’t have one, so start contributing to one right away.  If you haven’t set one up yet and feel that you don’t have the means to do so, try starting small because even N5,000 a month can add up over time.
 Stop stretching the budget
In other words, do not live paycheque to paycheque anymore.  We are extremely good at expanding our spending habits, so many of us gobble up as much of the paycheque as we can.  Consider keeping your spending the same when you get a raise, or try the many ways to cut spending.
 Dispute it
If it’s an overdraft fee, try calling your bank to see if there’s a way to get it waived.  As for my bill, my doctor did offer to let me pay, with four instalments of N25,000 instead of N100,000 if that helped.  Try to be calm and find a solution instead of being frustrated because the person on the other side of the phone can really help.
Unexpected or not, expenses need to be paid sooner or later.  While it’s easy to feel upset about these charges, some preventive maintenance can keep it from ruining our mood (or in my case, a great start to the holiday season).

Maximise your God-given abilities —Bliss K


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Blessing Kemi Ogundiran, popularly known as Bliss K, is a poet, songwriter, singer, novelist and playwright. The Kwara State-born lady spoke with TOYIN KOMOLAFE on the challenges writers face in Nigeria, her plans for the future and sundry issues. Excerpts:
DO you have a routine for writing poetry?I write anytime I am inspired. I do not have a routine for my writings. I get into the act anytime I am inspired and/or motivated. Writings come naturally to me.
Who are the poets that have influence on you?William Shakespeare, Wole Soyinka, Niyi Osundare and lots more.
What are your plans for the future?There are strategic plans being acted upon for my works to be published in the nearest future to positively impact the minds of people for better living. A major move now is the approval and adoption of my values-centered poems, plays and songs into the textbook, film and musical versions of project national values (for schools, colleges, organisations, homes, etc). Other plans are to write for newspapers, magazines, as well as to publish my books and produce my plays on stage or as movies. Another plan I have is to release a pictorial publication on ABS exercises for flat tummy, weight loss and physical fitness. I will soon release a Do-It-Yourself Manual on the production and packaging of liquid soap, toilet cleaners and disinfectants
What challenges are Nigerian writers facing?I do believe that poor reading culture and lack of freedom to express your personal perspectives, beliefs and opinions are foremost challenges that Nigerian writers face. Our poor reading culture as a nation has consciously and unconsciously demoralised most Nigerian writers to see and take writing as a non-lucrative venture or career. And with no freedom of information, Nigerian writers feel insecured to write off their treasured and personal opinions. Another major challenge is the lack of facilities to help discover, develop and effectively deploy your literary abilities. There is also the greatest enemy and challenge of low self-esteem which waters down one’s writing talent and makes non-relevant, the intellectual contributions that would have made this world a better place.
Where do you source your inspiration from?I am fully inspired by God. I also get motivated by circumstances happening around me and my personal experiences. It is also noteworthy that personal study into literary works has helped me a lot. You read a line of great work, and unimaginable inspiration flow to you from another dimension; your artistic mind is simply ignited and juiced up and your hand spurred into creative writing.
Challenges?Isn’t it odd to be a “writing” engineer? One of my greatest challenges was the failure to discover my writing talent early in order to develop and deploy it. I believe I would have been better off as an art student in high school rather than being a science student. Like most Nigerian youths, I lacked  effective career guidance and counselling. Another great challenge was when my laptop containing many years of literary works was stolen. I felt empty; it was as if I was robbed of my life. Thanks to God and loved ones; who encouraged me to bounce back.
Role models?William Shakespeare, Chinua Achebe, Nelson Mandela, Niyi Osundare, Joyce Meyers, Taffi L Dollar, Gloria Copeland, Mark Twain, Wole Soyinka, Chimanda Adozie, Don Moen, Celine Dion, Westlife, Whitney Houston, and ultimately, my parents and my sister, Tosin.
Have you ever felt like quitting?Yes, I did! I felt like quitting when I lost all my works in the robbery incident that got my laptop stolen. And there were times that I felt my writings were useless and wouldn’t make it to limelight; but thank God all that are things of the past now.
What advice do you have for those just starting out?Develop good self-esteem and appreciate what you have. Work on your skills and write with definite sense of purpose and vision. And please, never be intimidated, be the best that you can be and always know you can always get better. You won’t go far as a lone-ranger; always be open to criticisms, comments and counsels.
Advice for Nigerian youths?Let your career choice be based on your God-given gift and fascinations and never be influenced by parental or peer pressure. Believe in yourself and your God-given gifts and passions. And don’t be scared or intimidated to develop and display your talents. Always know that you and your gifts are solution to someone’s problem; you are a missing piece in someone’s puzzle. Ultimately, never rest on your oars and always give all the glory to God alone.

Aliko Dangote Endorses D'banj's 'Koko Garri'


Kokomaster, D'banj is sure determined to take his food product, 'Koko Garri' to the next level.

D'banj was with industrialist, Aliko Dangote and guess what; the singer got his 'Koko Garri' endorsed!

Nice one!

Phones, Tablets and Phablets – Phunny Phenomenon!


Phone, Tablet, Phablet
Phablets! It’s not exactly a new word as of today; trademarkia.com says that LG applied to trademark the phablet name in 2011. But what is a phablet?

There was a time when the telephone was the world’s greatest communication wonder; so many other items came in between, and then we had something called a ‘tablet’ in recent years of communication technologies. In fact, today the word tablet strikes as a mobile device first before most youngsters remember that it also applies to medicine as in drugs or pills for our health use.

What is a Phone?
We used to call them telephones when we were kids.
For definition, WikiPedia says a telephone, or phone, is a telecommunications device that permits two or more users to conduct a conversation when they are not in the same vicinity of each other to be heard directly.
And did you know that the word telephone was derived from two Greek words that meant “far” and “voice”- like saying a voice in the distance? = Tele & Phone. But seriously, without even defining, you know what a phone is, duh!
Its technology was first patented in 1876 by Alexander Graham Bell and has continually been further developed by many others till date and onwards.
Phones started off as stationary devices but now they are as mobile and as handy as they can possibly get with countless smart capabilities.

What is a Tablet?
*It’s a prescription drug your doctor gives when you’re ill...
Many youngsters see tablets in close relation to their phones. But in actual fact, tablets are mobile computers- as they were originally conceptualized.
A tablet computer aka ‘tablet’ is your mobile computing device with a display, battery and all its circuits in a single item of hardware.
Tablets are multifunctional having a touch-screen, cameras, microphones, wireless connectivity and sensors in-built to enable vast functionality and they also offer possibility of being extended with peripherals like a stylus (pen device), a keyboard and other features like USB and other ports.



ENTER THE PHABLET!
(This bit’s title was inspired by Bruce Lee’s “Enter The Dragon”.)
So, the Phablet phenomenon… what is it?
Think PHone and tABLET… by this you would guess that a phablet is a phone-tablet hybrid- like a half-smartphone and half-tablet or a smart phone with a really large screen. Yeah!
The screen sizes of phablets these days are becoming large enough to be mistaken for tablets- then it becomes confusing; what exactly is the difference?
The idea is- phablets are what come in between the phone and the tablet.

And to be able to tell what the ranges are….
- Phones are of varied screen sizes- on the small side mostly of no more than 4.5 inches.
- Phablets have screen sizes that are at least 5 inches and max at about 8 inches.
- A tablet measures from 8.9 inches to 10 inches.

Note: the screen sizes of digital devices are measured diagonally.

The size and handiness of a tablet clearly comes in between; larger than the smart phone but thinner and smaller than the tablet.
The functions you get on your phablet incorporate both those of your phone and your tablet.
A smart phone makes your phone calls, runs sms and chat services, browses the internet and provides entertainment amongst others.
Your tablet provides convenience that enables you to do your more demanding tasks like emailing, documents and file management, presentations and so on.
The phablet enables you enjoy all features of your phone on a larger screen while giving you the effectiveness of your tablet on a handier device.

Though phablets are a recent development that even came off as being weird to many, they are proving that they are here to stay as new models are being designed by various brands in a bid to meet the increasing sales numbers every year.


-By Olatunji Makanjuola

Friday 27 June 2014

Too much television is bad for grown-ups!




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Maybe you have lined up your favourite movies for watching all through the weekend; but you may need to change your plan, as evidence has emerged that effects of sitting for too long in front of the television may be as deadly as that of smoking.
Scientists say too much TV time does not only affect your eyesight or vision, but it may double your risk of dying prematurely from obesity, lack of exercise, diabetes, hypertension and heart diseases.
According to the physicians, every hour spent watching television shortens the viewer’s life by 22 minutes.
Researchers say adults who watch TV three hours or more a day may double their risk of premature death from any cause, compared to those who watch less or do not watch at all.
Consultant cardiologist, Dr. Segun Akinsanya, says though the dangers have nothing to do with the TV, the fact that watching TV for long hours encourages sedentary living, bad posture and increases one’s risk of adding excess calories, which all have negative consequences on life expectancy.
He says, “We must get it right, the warning has nothing to do with the effects of the TV because that is what most people think. We are discouraging it because it is easy to make watching TV a habit and when it becomes one, it is hard to quit.
“Watching TV is a sedentary habit that you gain nothing much from. It discourages you from exercising and increases your chances of being obese in dangerous areas, like the belly and the thighs.
“Every hour you spend fiddling with your remote control and switching channels decreases your cardiovascular health, which is as important as breathing. Many metabolic functions are on hold while you are sitting in a spot for long. One of them is efficient blood circulation.”
Also, some thought-provoking studies by scientists at the University of Navarra, Pamplona, Spain, strongly suggest that it is high time one stopped being a couch potato watching marathon Mexican soaps or television series, which may cut one’s life expectancy by a quarter.
The team of researchers assessed 13,284 young and healthy Spanish university graduates between age 37 and 50 who were mostly women, to determine the relationship between three types of sedentary behaviours such as television viewing time, sitting at the computer and time spent driving and its risks to death.
Interestingly, it was revealed that television viewing is the worst sedentary habit an individual can adopt. The Spanish scientists reported 97 deaths, with 19 deaths from cardiovascular causes, 46 from cancer and 32 from other causes in those that were studied during the period.
Most importantly, they discovered that the risk of death was two-fold higher for participants who reportedly watched three or more hours of TV a day, compared to those watching one or less hours.
This two-fold higher risk was also apparent after accounting for a wide array of other variables related to a higher risk of death.
The study’s lead author and a professor at the Department of Public Health at the university, Dr. Miguel Martinez-Gonzalez, says that television watching is gradually reducing life expectancy of many, especially women, in the 21st century.
Martinez-Gonzalez says, “The world is becoming more sedentary. With a touch and not having to move, you get entertained for hours. Television viewing is a major sedentary behaviour that is threatening the lives of many, but it is adults that must be more be careful.
“As the population ages, sedentary behaviours will become more prevalent, especially watching television; and this poses an additional burden on the increased health problems related to ageing.
“Our findings suggest that adults may consider increasing their physical activity, avoid long sedentary periods, and reduce television watching to no longer than one hour each day.”
Physicians say watching too much TV is as dangerous as smoking or being overweight, and that sedentary lifestyle whose effects include obesity and heart diseases should now be seen as a public health problem.
Staying glued to the TV on weekends especially, is addictive .It’s addiction has surpassed that of tobacco in many surveys. It will take much effort on ones part to break the habit.
Akinsanya advises that one should not just cut TV hours to one hour per day but also use at least 30 minutes of it for brisk walking or running around in the environment to exercise the various muscles of the body, which he says is good for blood circulation.
To help you cope better on this journey of being more active, here are some other entertaining activities you can add to your weekend schedule to ensure that you have maximum fun.
Pursue a hobby: Day in and day out — weekdays are a drag. Routines can start to wear on even the most fortuitous minds. Having some sort of hobby, no matter how obscure, can be a great way for you to shake off the dust of monotony that settles on your brain five days a week. Hobbies, whether they’re based in logic or creativity, allow your brain to wander leisurely down curious avenues of thought while flexing your ability to think critically and perceive patterns.
Playing Sudoku, the piano, or volleyball are some pretty good options. Hobbies are like yoga for your brain; they help create more “flexible” thought patterns than can be used to solve complex problems in the future. Plus they’re an excellent outlet for stress.
Disconnect: The most successful people avoid e-mail for a period of time, Vanderkam says. “I’m not saying the whole weekend, but even just a walk without the phone can feel liberating. I advocate taking a ‘tech Sabbath.’ If you don’t have a specific religious obligation of no-work time, taking Saturday night to mid-day Sunday off is a nice, ecumenical time that works for many people.”
Volunteer: Participate in fundraising events in your church, association or community. This is a great way to network and to meet others with similar interests. The visibility also helps in branding you as a philanthropist.
Socialise: Humans are social creatures, and studies of people’s experienced happiness through the day finds that socialising ranks right up there, not too far down below sex. Go out with friends and family, or get involved in the local community.

How to balance work with family life




How to balance work with family life
The stressful nature of some jobs often has negative impact on the family. IFE ADEDAPO writes on ways to balance your work and family life
Business operations have changed over the years, and to catch up with emerging trends and innovations, and compete favourably with others in the industry, more input in form of time is often required from business managers.
While trying to build a successful career, experts have noted that working adults find it difficult to combine work with family life; hence, they abandon the home front.
Marriage counselors have discovered that their children, friends and other family members suffer the brunt of the neglect. They say when a member of the family immerses himself or herself in work with no fun time with other members, it often leads to break-ups
Experts have pointed out that both work and family are the cornerstones of life, neither of which one can ignore. A full-time employment requires dedication and hard work to be successful; also, to have a happy family, they say commitment and utmost attention are required.
According to them, it is important to recognise the need to be flexible to avoid stress associated with the two sides of life. Balancing both aspects of life means those affected have to commit themselves equally, so that one will not suffer at the expense of the other. They say in the long range, the joy, happiness and fulfillment derived from both are worth the effort.
Experts have explained the means by which a balance can be created between work life and family life, using the following methods:
Manage your time well
Experts say time is a precious asset that is neither perishable nor replaceable. It is valuable and should be managed appropriately. As adults, time is not always enough when there are a lot of things to be accomplished. They say time management may necessitate a change in attitude towards life and work and the things they aspire to achieve.
Brian Tracey in his book on the ‘Principles of Success’ explains that time can only be reallocated from activities of lower value to activities of higher value. He says all work requires an adequate planning of time. The very act of taking a moment to ponder on how to spend it, according to him, will begin to improve personal time management immediately.
To achieve this feat of having a balanced work and family lives, experts says personal time management has to be practised.
Experts say for people to identify the important things in their life they need to ask questions like, “What is really important to me?” They say whenever there are a lot of activities with too little time to accomplish them, stop and ask, “What is it that is really important for me to do in this situation?”
The next line of action, according to them, is to establish boundaries. This will set limits on what people are willing to do and express the extent of responsibilities.
Prioritise your goals
Career counselors have identified the importance of career and family life. However, they often create conflicts which can be managed by setting priorities. Understand that the most important factor to consider in setting priorities is your ability to make wise choices and being able to identify high-value and low-value activities.
According to them, people having this challenge set goals for each area of their life: for career and family. The family goals can then be divided into tangible and intangible goals.
Experts say tangible goals are those goals that involve spending money on, like buying a house or a car while intangible goals are related to commitments and time spent with the family for recreation or vacation.
Career goals that should be set should improve productivity and competence in order that the reward will cater for the family goals, experts say.
According to them, consider ways by which you can achieve the level of income that will enable you to fulfil your family goals. Set goals to improve your competence and get you promoted with corresponding increase in income.
Therefore, once you have achieved your goal-setting, they say proceed to organise them in order of priority. Make decisions on the most important thing you want to achieve in your family and the most important career goals that will support essential family goals.
Communicate with your partner
Experts say the quality of the relationship you have with your partner is central to the happiness of your whole family. Without adding to the pressures on you both, it is important to have at least a little focus on building and enriching the relationship.
The Managing Director of Stevens Associates, Mrs. Chioma Okeke, says identify ways you and your partner can use these ideas to optimise how effective you are at work and to increase your happiness levels and build rather than put strain on your relationship. Determine how both of you support each other and get your needs met.
She says the key to a happy family life is communication. Both the quality of time and the quantity of time you spend with your family count. Quality moments are precious and important.
Avoid time-wasting tasks
Experts say there are some activities people engage in which seem exciting but actually time-wasting. They say people should avoid activities like surfing the Internet, playing video games or watching television and concentrate on making your family happy.
Okeke says taking home office work creates tension within the family and portrays a form of neglect. It also shows that you have concern for your job only. She says the best thing is to ensure that all the tasks associated with work are completed in the office before getting home.
Make up for lost time
Sometimes, spending extra time at work is inevitable, but you can make up for time spent away from your family by making emergency or surprise plans. Such plans should be exciting enough to compensate for the moments you were not around.
Okeke says because of the nature of her job, which involves travelling, her family feels her absence often. She says, “Whenever I promise to be at home at a particular time and am unable to, I just surprise my husband and children with a well-planned outing that makes them forget that I have been absent from home for a while.”

What Michael Jackson Would Have Looked Like (Without Plastic Surgery) At 50 [PHOTOS]

Could this have been the face of Michael Jackson at 50?
Capture
There is no denying that Michael Jackson was one of the greatest talents to ever have lived. From winning 13 Grammys (eight of which he received in one night), to being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame not once but twice, and of course holding the record for the biggest selling album of all time for his EP Thriller, his career remains unrivalled.
But despite his success his life he was dogged by controversy regarding his appearance, including rumours of skin lightening (something he attributed to suffering from the skin condition vitiligo) and his increasing addiction to plastic surgery.
Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson death, Michael Jackson surgery, Michael Jackson no surgery
Few people know that Michael’s first foray into the world of plastic surgery was actually for medical rather than cosmetic reasons, when he broke his nose in 1979 after falling during a complex dance routine.
Still, by the time of his tragic death in 2009 at the age of just 50, it was clear that his addiction to plastic surgery was out of control, and his face bore little resemblance to the bright-eyed boy who’d sung his way into the world’s hearts over forty years earlier.
Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson death, Michael Jackson surgery, Michael Jackson no surgery
So, what would Michael have looked like at the time of his death without surgery?
Well we believe it would have been something like the image above.
What about you? Let us know what you think in the comment section.
Source: Metro

Woman gives birth after 14-year pregnancy in Lagos [PHOTO]




woman pregnant for 14 years
After 14 years of being pregnant, Mercy James delivered a baby girl on Saturday, June 7, 2014.
She christened the child “my miracle.”
The midwife at the Celestial Church of Christ, Kadoso Parish, Ajegunle where Mercy gave birth confirmed the development, especially the role she played.
The woman who simply gave her name as Mrs Ajetima told Vanguard that the woman was pregnant for 14 years and was unable to give birth during the period. She said, “then on Saturday, around 6:30am I saw two persons carrying her to this place. When she came inside, I laid her down and asked one of my daughters to examine her, after the examination, I found out that it was a baby that was about coming out and not worms. I asked her to push and she refused. My daughter gave her a hard slap on her laps since she refused to push. Behold a baby with placenta came out! I started shouting, calling on people to come and see for themselves that Mercy was truly pregnant, because if not, people will start to say that the Celestial woman has given Mercy a baby. Within a twinkle of an eye, the whole place was filled with people. God is wonderful”.
Also speaking with Vanguard, Mercy, a single parent, narrated her 14 years experience thus:
“When I first took in, I knew that I was pregnant with signs and test that confirmed that I was. Four months later, I went to the hospital for another test, the result showed that I wasn’t pregnant, but had fibroid.
“Subsequently, I began to experience bleeding, at least once a day. Sometimes, my tummy would protrude in the semblance of pregnancy. I went to different hospitals, and I kept on receiving the same result that nothing was wrong with me. But deep down inside, I knew that all was not well with me.
“So I was taken aback when a midwife told me I was pregnant. But considering the test which showed I had fibroid, I was angry with the midwife for giving me what I felt was a false prophecy of hope. Thereafter, I started going from one church to another and from one native doctor to the other. The results that I got from them all remained the same. I became more feeble and confused that I prayed for death to come.
“I went again to the midwife two years after and complained to her about the pains that I was going through, she told me again that it was not fibroid but pregnancy; she advised me to be more prayerful so that God will deliver me from the hands of the devil. I kept on praying and at the same time asking myself that if truly I’m pregnant, why is it that the baby was not kicking?I bought many concoctions that they said could cure fibroid and drank them. I even drank 12 bottles of a local cleanser but to no avail.
This went on for years. Then God took pity on me and decided to wipe my tears.On the day I gave birth to my baby girl, I initially thought that worms were trying to come out of my body not knowing that it was a baby. This was what I told the midwife when we came to her. But after examining me, she told me to push. I ignored her. I became unconscious for about 15 minutes and when I regained consciousness, I heard the cry of a baby. I was surprised and confused seeing my baby. I couldn’t believe my eyes. Hmm,I thank God for my life and that of my baby, Miracle. I named her Miracle because she is truly a miraculous child”.

Wednesday 25 June 2014

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