Bad Habits Every Remote Work Employee Should Avoid

Since before the pandemic, companies have been wary of an anticipated drop in productivity when switching to remote work. However, the data gathered by multiple organizations has shown that remote work has the potential to either boost or hinder productivity based on employees’ specific habits. Due to its newfound popularity in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, many first-time remote workers are learning the ins and outs of working at home, such as habits to cultivate and avoid.

Lucy Lyle, who founded the company Perch, commented, “Employees with traits such as self-motivation, discipline, cleanliness, and focus usually do best in remote work scenarios. These traits help them create the ideal work environment for productivity at home.” Lucy Lyle continued, “The opposite is also true. Those with bad habits such as procrastination, being easily distracted, and disorganization will find that their work at home suffers.”

Bad habits such as these can ruin the otherwise rewarding experience of working from home. Since time is money, you’ll want to eliminate these habits from your life by setting a schedule with clear boundaries. When you’ve set a time for work, make sure your environment is clean and free of clutter and distractions. Set up a quiet space where you can focus intently on your work for a set amount of time.

Lucy Lyle explained, “You have to be intentional to get the most out of working from home. Remote work is not a paid vacation. Taking pride in your work will enable you to set yourself up for success, and eliminate everything that keeps you from achieving your goals. Don’t forget to take breaks while you’re at it.”

Meditation can be Combined with Yoga to Improve the Mind and Body

Create Abundance by Zhang Xinyue is a wonderful book that inspires with wise teachings demonstrating how we can create abundance in our lives through mind-body-spirit cultivation.

Meditation and yoga complement each other perfectly for improving mind and body well-being. Yoga keeps the body in optimal physical shape and meditation does the same for the mind. They work simultaneously with a yoga session followed by meditation which is a peaceful and healthy way to begin or end the day.

When looking to reduce and eliminate stress and manage anxiety then both yoga and meditation will be good choices. You can use both yoga and meditation together or separately. Yoga brings movement and physical activity and meditation calms the mind it is a personal preference if you want to do both or one or the other.

In her book, Zhang Xinyue suggests that it is a decision that you make whether you will be able to change for the better. When you do decide to change for the better your life will open up. Meditation and yoga help you to embrace and accept the decisions and improve your mind-body well-being.

An excerpt from her book Create Abundance “Now I decide: The more good news there is about changing for the better, the more strongly I will feel happy, tranquil, and satisfactory. So I can create an unfailing force for myself to fulfill my dream. This is the rhythm of a God-embracing life which deserves wellbeing!”

Zhang Xinyue author of Create Abundance wrote this book of wise inspirations in 2012. It has been translated from Chinese into several languages and has become an international bestseller. Create Abundance by Zhang Xinyue shares innovative and positive ways to navigate and manage the philosophical issues of life. For more information visit Create Abundance

Working for Free as a New Startup Business Owner

Working-for-Free-as-a-New-Startup-Business-OwnerStartup companies are usually drawn out with only a basic idea. When that idea blossoms and plans begin to slowly roll into place, exponential growth and revenue start playing a role. Customers flock by the thousands and leads become somewhat of a bore. You’ve finally made it.

This may all seem like a dream and with the best of the best out there competing against you; the odds don’t work in your favor. But every startup company has to begin somewhere. You need your first customer and that first paycheck. You need the “free” investments where you essentially give away your product for case studies. You need to experience all of these things to be able to make a splash as an entrepreneur.

Javier Loya CEO of OTC Global Holdings says: “Consider working for free as an investment. If you are barely starting as a company, you need to spread word about what your company is about and why you’re qualified to do what you claim you do. Skepticism often occurs when people think about services offered mainly because they don’t really know what to expect. This is where you shine.”

One small “yes” can create the exposure that your company needs to be able to attract the public. While it may be tempting to increase your prices tenfold after getting your first customers, you have to remember that you are still swimming in the shallow end of the pool. “Hard work does pay off, and committing yourself to the nuances of free work in the beginning of your career could potentially be the best decision that you ever made,’ adds Javier Loya  of OTC Global Holdings.

5 Successful Business Leaders that Meditate

Article written by Zhang Xinyue.

Here are some well-known CEOs who use meditation on a regular basis. Many agree that meditation can help you become a better leader and achieve even higher levels of success:

Ariana Huffington
The CEO of the Huffington Post has been practicing meditation since she was a teenager. She is a very vocal advocate of meditation, even saying that it is has played a massive role in her success.

One of the best quotes about mindfulness comes from the CEO herself: “Meditation is not about stopping thoughts, but recognizing that we are more than our thoughts and our feelings.”

Joe Rogan
Despite his tough sports persona as a UFC host and the host of the Joe Rogan Show podcast, Joe Rogan is a very vocal meditation advocate. His platform has allowed him to influence and encourage thousands of people to try meditation. Rogan stated that meditation has had a huge impact on his career, his health, and his success. Rogan says it improves his ability to focus on various projects with a clear-headed approach.

Ray Dalio
Ray Dalio, a billionaire hedge fund manager, said some similar things to how meditation impacts his work productivity, which he believes is crucial to making right investment decisions in financial markets.

Pat Flynn
Pat Flynn, an online entrepreneur, who makes six figures net profit every month. At first, he explained how he was first skeptical of meditation. But he decided to try it out and learned how much it was able to help him manage an overwhelming amount of tasks and responsibilities.

Russell Simmons
Not the most typical CEO, but the co-founder of Def Jam records believes that meditation has been the most critical part of his career. In a recent interview, Simmons spoke up about meditation, “You have to learn to love yourself enough to take care of yourself. Sometimes if you’re lucky, you get a chance to change your life.”

The great Teacher Zhang Xinyue, a well known spiritual leader, was born in China. Her development of the Create Abundance 创造丰盛 system aims to promote a helpful and healthy approach to life’s philosophical problems. By building a unique and highly effective plan for body-mind-spirit cultivation, she has succeeded in helping tens of thousands. Visit Facebook page of Zhang Xinyue.

How to Get Your Small Business Up and Running

Summary: If you want to be a small business owner but are feeling a little lost, continue reading for some tips on what to consider before you get started.

If you have ever considered turning that passion of yours into a small business there are many things you would need to do before taking the leap. Continue reading for some tips on how to get the business ready for launch.

Research the Market

Before investing in a business operation it may be wise to first research the market to get a better understanding of the existing business landscape. Learn about the different businesses and potentially do SWOT analyses to determine what they have in common, what makes some of them unique, and which market segments have room for potential growth and profits. Once you have figured out what kind of business you want to run, the next step is to figure out what steps you will need to provide the product or service, and ultimately open up a merchant processing account for transactions.

It is worth keeping in mind that you should be careful about how much time you spend in the preparation and planning phase. It is true that it is important to research a little and start with some loose plan, but once you start the business plans can easily change. You must be flexible and open-minded to adapt as new challenges arise, because you can run into trouble if you try to stick to your original plan too closely. There is value in trying different things and learning from your setbacks.

Lay Out Business Operations

Once you have gotten a better grasp of what kind of business you would like to run, you will next need to figure out where you should run your operations. Will you want to have a physical store, an online shop, or both? Services like Charge.com can help you handle both in-person and online card transactions. It would make sense for a spa to have a physical location, but if you are only selling spa products, then you may not need one. Consider what kind of layout would make the most sense for your business.

Invest in Hire Car Services When Visiting Jordan

Summary: Driving in a different country, like Jordan, can be daunting if you don’t know the laws or conditions of the roads. Consider car hire services if you are weary of driving yourself while on vacation.

If you are thinking about visiting Jordan and wanting to rent a car to get around, there are a few laws and common dangers you should know about before you get there. Make sure you are well aware of all driving laws and road conditions before you decide to drive in a new place, and remember that there are always alternatives.

Laws For Tourist Drivers

Any tourists who plan to drive while in Jordan must have a valid foreign license and an International Driving Permit. You should get this before you arrive. Visitors may only use their valid foreign licenses to rent cars with green license plates, to make them easier to differentiate.

Note that car seats for children are not required by law, so be careful if you bring your children along for the ride.

Accidents Can Be Costly

Certain tourist destinations in Amman get heavy traffic and have narrow roads. Drivers also need to be careful not to hit any livestock, whether in the urban or rural areas, as collisions between vehicles and livestock are common.

Driving accidents are frequent in Jordan and are the leading cause of injury and death.

Avoid Financial Liability

Thankfully, no one has to drive when they visit Jordan if they do not want to. Though public transportation is not recommended, taxis and other private car hire services are widely available all around. Make sure to arrange pick ups with your hotel and ask the driver not to take any more passengers on the route. If you are not comfortable driving in a new area, these are good alternatives.

Blog submitted by Monte Carlo Rent A Car, LLC: If you’re looking for services from a car hire in the Amman airport, visit Monte Carlo Rent A Car, LLC and they will get you to your destination!

Understanding What a “High-Risk” Merchant Means to a Processor

Summary: A high-risk client means taking on an assortment of different penalties and fees when applying for a new account. Here are some factors you should look at if you’re within this category.

If you’re labeled as a high-risk client for credit card processing, it might sound like it’s the end of the world, but for many cases, it isn’t. Rather, the situation is quite complex and in some cases, the cost of being a high-risk merchant might come a variety of pros and cons.

First off, in order to accept any payment made via credit card, a business must obtain a merchant account with a specified bank. Now, the cost of this service varies drastically and is dependent on a variety of factors – most notably the type of business.

Normally, high-risk candidates face higher fees and a specialized payment processor will likely be required. Processors like to look over these merchants because of perceived risks that could end up costing them money.

Chargebacks and the Effects

One of the various factors that make high-risk merchants a threat in the eyes of a processor is the increased possibility of chargebacks. Now, there are various elements like the type of service of product sold, the average amount of money made for monthly sales, and the countries the merchant sells to which can essentially increase the risk of chargebacks, leaving processors in the heat of millions of potential losses.

Processors work on the fact that high-risk clients will produce more chargebacks, so they create charges right from the get-go. High-risk merchants are liable to an increased initial setup and higher monthly fees – and even double the normal processing fees. For the merchant, this could mean a significant financial hill he or she must face when utilizing this service.

High-risk processors tend to force their clients to have a reserve, which is essentially a non-interest savings account that is utilized by the bank as a sort of insurance. For instance, if a chargeback is filed against the business and the merchant is not able to reimburse the bank from the merchant’s account, the reserve will be utilized to cover the financial loss. This gives the processor more room to work with when dealing with these types of clients.

Now, these reserves will typically hold anywhere from 5 to 10% of their monthly sales for half a year. The money in the reserve account will still belong to the merchant but it cannot be accessed until 180 days have passed – or other circumstances are address. This restricted access obviously poses a threat to the merchant and has the potential to cause massive cash flow issues for the merchant.

Blog submitted by Charge.com: For high risk credit card processing and other credit card services, visit the pros at Charge.com for all your merchant account needs. Give them a call today for more information.

Business Turnaround Services Can Help Your Project and Lower Costs

Summary: When you are struggling to avoid high expenses and make a profit with your business it may be wise to consider looking into a business turnaround service to help get your business back on track.

A good deal of work goes into operating a business. Rough economic times may make it difficult to operate profitably. Companies may have periods that are more profitable than others, but there are other signs that hint  that it is time for the business to undergo a turnaround. Looking at such factors as cash flow, business growth, the state of the industry in which your business operates, and employee turnover rates can provide you with a good understanding of how healthy your business is.

A Clear Roadmap

A business turnaround service is a formal and professional process that can provide some clarity on how to improve the state of your business. Rather than trying to diagnose the problems yourself, it can be beneficial to reach out for the input of an external party. A business turnaround consultant could help outline how to improve operations in three simple steps:

  1. Stabilize the company’s cash flow to help calm the situation down.
  2. Go through a series of inspections and tests to determine the roots of the problems. Next steps will be tailored to fit the specific underlying issues. This typically includes laying out a financial forecast and a roadmap on how to improve the business.
  3. Help the company actually implement the steps they must take to turn the business around.

Experts Know What’s Best

A benefit to using a business turnaround service is that the consultants who will assist you in handling your company’s issues have experience with investigating businesses and diagnosing their problems, accordingly. No two businesses are run the exact same way, but a specialist may be able to use their knowledge on what has worked for other companies, either in the same or a different industry, to make yours profitable again.

Blog submitted by Lyle Charles: Lyle Charles is a construction industry expert that provides construction & turnaround services. Visit him online for more information.

Why More Merchants are Offering Split Payments

Customers who shop online will expect to pay with almost any tender they choose, and that includes split payments. Split payments allow customers to pay from more than one source, such as a digital wallet and credit card. With split payments, you allow customers to pay how they want.

Speed

In order to make split payments as fast and efficient as possible, it may be helpful to let customers save their payment information to your website via an account. This way, at the checkout, customers will be able to select which credit cards and digital wallets they want to use to pay their bill and complete the transaction.

If their account is secured by a password, and you follow proper security protocols, you can substantially reduce the risks that come with hacking.

More Business

Customers might be really motivated to buy something, but their credit card or bank account limit might be standing in their way. Allowing split payments is an alternative to get past this problem. Customers can apply tender using cash they do have on hand. Using more than one card also allows someone to help pay for something they plan to give to someone else (such as parents buying an expensive toy for a child).

Saving Cash

Depending on the payment processor you work with, you’ll end up saving money over time allowing for split payments. This is all thanks to variable rates, which allow for some cards to cost less to process than others. Accepting digital wallets is another method to reduce fees you pay to send and receive money online.

Submitted by Charge.com. Charge.com offers a low cost guarantee and no contract to help businesses acquire payment processing online and in store.

A brief look at billionaire Len Blavatnik businesses

Written by Access Industries

Len Blavatnik is one of the richest people on earth, with a net worth of $16.7 Billion to his name. Blavatnik who is known as a self-made billionaire has investments in chemicals, real estate, and entertainment.

Blavatnik started his journey in Moscow and attended the University of Railway Engineering until his family immigrated to the US in 1978. He then went on to earn his master’s degree in Computer Science from Columbia University and an MBA from Harvard Business School. Here is a brief look at the billionaire’s businesses.

Access Industries – Founded in 1986, this privately owned company is involved in Russian investments, natural resources, chemicals and recently moved into Blavatnik media, telecommunications, technology, e-commerce, and real estate.

Tory Burch – Blavatnik’s company branched out into fashion by investing in the upscale fashion accessory brand: Tory Burch.

Warner Music – The billionaire worked his way into Hollywood by purchasing Warner Music Group for $3.3 billion. He also acquired Atlantic, Warner Bros. Records, Rhino, and Warner Music Nashville.

Access Entertainment – Blavatnik recently teamed with Hollywood talent manager Sarah Stennett to create a company that focuses on talent, brand development, representation of recording artists and songwriters.

Although Blavatnik is a billionaire, he is also known as a global philanthropist. The Blavatnik Family Foundation supports the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the National Gallery of Art, the Royal Academy of Arts, and Colel Chabad. Apart from these charities, Blavatnik family foundation is also known for the Blavanik awards that help key graduates in science and technology.

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Len Blavatnik needs no introduction. The Balavatnik billionaire is the man at the top of Access Industries and is a world-renowned philanthropist.