How to create a positive workplace

You have all probably heard of the saying "You can choose your friends but you can't choose your family...." Well, the same could be said of your colleagues. We don't all have the luxury of working from home or inheriting exuberant wealth, and generally we have little say in with whom we work. Being able to have fun at the office or at least have a healthy working relationship with your colleagues is in your best interests- office life can be pretty tough if you don't get along with your colleagues.

So how can you create a positive workplace? Well, the keyword here is INVEST- invest in diplomacy, invest in people skills, invest in office etiquette and invest in your health. How? I'll tell you.

It might just be that you share the office building with some of the most boring colleagues to ever walk the earth. And let's be honest- you can't just quit in these times, not when there a jobs being cut all around the world. Your option therefore is to instigate good will, invest in relationships and your work environment will become somewhat more of a breeze.

There are a couple of ways of doing this. Have fun with your colleagues is one. Don't by shy and join in on the jokes and the laugh. This creates a friendly atmosphere which gives way to ready cooperation. A good way to start.

Whatever you do, stay out of personal issues. You can get along fine with colleagues without having to talk about sensitive or personal matters. Stick to professional work related topics and avoid discussing topics such as religion, politics and your personal relationships. Many people consider these topics very personal and prefer to leave them out of the workplace.

In an office place you'll usually encounter two types of gossip. The first one is the office grapevine which consists of the informal channels through which news about a company travels. Pay attention to that gossip, as there might be something useful in it- but leave it at that. The other kind of gossip has a more personal note to it. It usually has got to do with spreading untrue or true information about other peoples' lives. You don't want to get tangled up in that one.

Make sure to be diplomatic and democratic towards all your colleagues. I know, it's hard to mingle if you're the only smart person in the office, but you have got to be very tactful when you're for example discussing work-things as a team. Ask for colleagues' opinions and show that you accept different views. Respect your colleagues for who they are and respect their input.

When lunch time is finally there, be sure to take a walk, get out of the office and away from it all for half an hour. The purpose of lunch breaks are -apart from filling your stomach- to give you a break from your colleagues. You already spend at least 7 hours together- that 30 minutes break is a must.

The office water coolers are a great little escape as well that will break the monotony of the work, but also give you the chance of socialising with your colleagues on the way there or back. So next time you go, take your time. Allow your brain to reboot, stop and smell the roses and chat with someone along the way before heading back to your desk.

Of all the trends that come and go, the Feng Shui trend should stick around. Your colleagues might not be in to it, but you can control your immediate desk area with a few calming Feng Shui remedies. A plant on your desk does wonders as well, as does some photo's of family or friends.

According to Daniell Morissey, a well known career writer, in theory everyone is able to get along 100% with colleagues, even the ones they don't like. But he also admits that it's "not for everyone." It would be perfect if you did get along with everyone you work with, but in reality, that’s not going to happen. There will always be colleagues with whom you just don't click. And that's fine, as long as you keep the working relationship professional and clean. For all your other colleagues: try, put in the effort and you'll see that they are only human too- just like you.

USANA celebrates World Heart Day!

Ever wondered why there isn't a World Spleen Day or a World Small Intestine Day or World Big Toe Day. Simply because important as these body organs are, they just don't compare in importance to our heart.

The heart is the toughest, most hard-working muscle in the human body. It works incessantly from the moment we are born right up till the lights go out. With blood constantly pumping in and out of auricles and ventricles through a labyrinth of arteries and veins, the heart is indeed the engine of our existence.

Before you read any further, here's a little exercise.
Stop what you're doing, close your eyes, cover your ears with your palms, and... listen to your heart.
Thump... thump... thump... thump...
Now, put your hand on your heart and feel...
Thump... thump... thump... thump...
Take a moment to stop and think about looking after your heart.

That is the essence of World Heart Day.

World Heart Day 2009 is to be held on Sunday, 27 September

World Heart Day was created by to inform people around the globe that heart disease and stroke are the world's leading cause of death, claiming 17.2 million lives each year.

According to the World Heart Federation, 80% of premature deaths from heart disease and stroke could be avoided if the main risk factors (tobacco, unhealthy diet and physical inactivity) are controlled.

The theme for World Heart Day 2009 is to inspire people to "Work with Heart"

A workplace that encourages healthy habits can reduce heart disease and stroke.

That is why the World Heart Federation is calling on everyone to 'Work with Heart' - encouraging people to make small lifestyle changes which could lead to better health as well as greater productivity at work. World Heart Day 2009 has been dedicated to this theme as part of its commitment to the World Economic Forum's "Working towards Wellness" initiative.

Businesses around the world, as well as leading organizations such as the World Health Organization and the World Economic Forum have recognized the importance of employee health to achieve core business objectives. Many have committed to include health promotion on their corporate agenda.

Every 90 minutes, a New Zealander dies from coronary heart disease - that's 16 deaths a day!

That's what USANA Health Sciences hopes to change.

At USANA NZ, we understand that sound health is a result of balanced nutrition and an active lifestyle. This state of well-being implies optimal performance of all body systems, including the heart.

Virtually chronic degenerative diseases that plague today's world are caused or exacerbated by the deterioration of the modern diet. Good heart health in particular, is directly linked to diet & nutrition.

Apart from staying physically health-focused at work, you need to support your cardiovascular health with essential nutrients like fish oil, coenzyme Q10, vitamin E and grape seed extract.

USANA® Foods are developed to provide great-tasting, high-quality essential nutrients - which your body needs to complete your healthy diet. Here are two Optimizers that do just that.

BiOmega™ III

Every capsule of re-formulated BiOmega™ III (now fortified with vitamin D) contains 1,000mg of fish oil, supplying the important Omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA – essential nutrients for optimal health and wellness – which help support normal, healthy heart function, nerve and myelin function and helps maintain good joint health.

• Contains cold-water fish oil rich in the important omega-3 fatty acids
• Comes in a natural form that is more easily absorbed by the body
• Provides a convenient gel capsule formulation for easy use and storage

CoQuinone™

CoQuinone™ contains advanced levels of CoQ10. Cells with the highest energy demands, such as in the heart, contain the highest levels of CoQ10. CoQ10 has been studied for years in the U.S., Europe, and Japan for its role in producing cellular energy and re-energising the heart and other muscles.

• Helps promote normal, healthy heart function
• Helps maintain normal, healthy energy metabolism & metabolic rate and in maintaining peak effort
• Highly bio-available, proprietary formula

Be sure to ask your friends, family and of course, colleagues at work to visit www.worldheartday.org/

For more information, download the Poster & Leaflet here.

Starting the first conversation...What do you do?

Let's face it: if you want to move forward in this world with a bit of fun, you'll need to have a set of good social skills. Yes, you need to be able to converse effortlessly with those you encounter in both your private life and business life. If you want to ooze confidence and intelligence and therefore be an appealing persona in both work and social life- you'll need to know how to strike up a conversation.

Don't panic if this sounds nothing like you at all. You simply need to tune the appropriate skills and I'll give you a couple of tips here how to get started.

Ok, here are the tricks of the trade:

Number one. If you don't know the person at all you're about to talk to, introduce yourself, look the other in the eye and shake hands. If you do know the other, skip the handshaking and introduction because you'd look a bit silly.

Number two. You need to be a very interesting person to others. This means that you'll have to keep yourself informed on what's happening out there in the big wide world. So, watch some TV, listen to radio shows and read newspapers, magazines, and books. Build your own little library of topics in your head of which you think are intriguing, funny or interesting. Memorise them carefully and you can dish them out during the conversation. A great subject that a lot of people can relate to these days is healthy living, healthy eating and taking care of yourself.

Number three. Offer a sincere compliment. Don't lie and say you love someone's hair when you think it's revolting, but if you like his or her shoes, or a handbag, say so. There is nothing like a sincere compliment- it will make the other warm up to you instantly. There is however a fine line between a sincere compliment and being a bit creepy. Being creepy means that you're too personal which will make the other feel uncomfortable- and probably run for the hills.

Number four. Us people love to talk about ourselves. Therefore never underestimate the power of questions. A simple, friendly question can go a long way. Don't ask the 'no' 'yes' questions but ask open ended questions that will get them talking. Again, keep the questions light and not invasive (as in don't be creepy). Do not ask too many questions if he or she is not responsive to them. Some people just need to learn how to fine tune their social skills.

Number five. Once you've got people talking about themselves, make an effort to be a good listener even if the topic is painfully boring. If you listen carefully you'll often find an invitation to continue the conversation. The trick here is to alternate and find the balance between talking and listening.

Number six. This can be a bit scary at first, but casually try to look the other in the eye during the conversation. Don't stare, but just make eye contact. This is the sign of self confidence which really boils down to a learned skill. You'll find that by acting confidently you'll gain new self confidence which will make it easier to start conversations with others.

Number seven. A great way to impress others is to remember small details about them. Asking about a holiday, relative, pet or whatever else not to personal is a great way to start a conversation. It shows your genuinely interested in others and they will think of you as attentive and interesting.

So by practising these skills over and over again they will become second nature. You'll develop a self confidence and it will become increasingly easy to start a conversation with others- even if you don't really have anything to say!

The Many Benefits of Direct Selling

Direct Selling is a great business to be in. People that are in the business will agree with me when I say- Direct Selling Rocks! But for those that don't know what Direct Selling is, allow me to explain what you've been missing.

The Direct Selling Association (DSA) explains Direct Selling as follows: "Direct Selling is the sale of a consumer product or service, person-to-person, away from a fixed retail location. This means that you don't have to go to a shop to get the products sold via Direct Selling. The products or services are marketed to customers by independent salespeople which have a different role description depending on the company they represent. So they can be called distributors, representatives, consultants or various other titles."

DSA is the national trade association of the leading firms that manufacture and distribute goods and services sold directly to consumers. Approximately 200 companies are members of the association, including many well-known brand names such as USANA.

Data from recent surveys conducted by DSA indicate that Direct Selling is a vibrant marketing method that engenders considerable loyalty among its representatives and customers. Were products initially sold through in-home product demonstrations, parties and one-on-one selling, these days marketing innovations such as the internet and mall kiosks are gradually used more and more as methods of sale. And quite successful I might add.

The great thing about Direct Selling is that anyone can do it. You don't have to have an education or have years of experience; you don't need financial resources or physical condition either. Literally people from all walks of life, of all ages, are successful in direct sales.

Research conducted by DSA shows that people choose Direct Selling because it's a good way to meet and socialise with people while you're working. Direct Selling is all about flexible work schedules because you're your own boss. You can work either part-time, full-time or anything in between. A lot of people actually start out part-time and once they're up and running they leave their other careers because their business is booming!

Because you are an independent contractor you'll earn in proportion to your own efforts. This basically means that you determine the level of your success; you set your own goals and determine yourself how to reach these. Direct Selling is a great way to earn extra income if you're doing it on the side of your regular job. If you're looking to own a business- Direct Selling is a great easy way to own a business because you don't need a huge capital to get started.

Assuming that you'll join an established company registered with DSA such as USANA, you'll receive training, support and back up, and invitations to events from that company. With this support, the sky is really the limit. Don't forget, people like to shop through Direct Selling. It's convenient, prompt and with that personal touch that so many retail outlets lack these days.

Direct Selling is a continuously growing industry. In the last decade sales in the U.S. alone have more than doubled to more than $30 billion! There is nothing stopping you to be a hit in Direct Selling! Many people have gone before you with USANA as you can see here. USANA has got great opportunities, be sure to check them out.

Are there healthy energy drinks?

Since the 1990's energy drinks have become more and more a regular drink on the scene. A lot of people drink them during the day at work, to stay alert, after work for sustained energy to work out. Or before they go out in the evening, or while they're out at a party.

You either really like these energy drinks or you don't. They're quite sweetish flavoured, and it feels like you're drinking liquid Hubba Bubba chewing gum. Not everybody likes that taste and it does become a little bit overwhelming after a while. Energy drinks usually contain all sorts of seemingly exotic ingredients, originating from a country you can't even find on the map, and the label on the can or bottle usually promises that you'll be boostin' with energy in no time.

But really, what are energy drinks? Officially an energy drink is a beverage that contains some form of legal stimulant and/or added vitamins which are meant to give the consumer a short term boost of energy. Do they contain any 'magic' ingredients? No, not really. What they do all contain is a whole lot of sugar and –most of the times- an awful lot of caffeine. These are the 'active ingredients' if you like and kind of make you feel hangover the next day.

What kept you 'going' all night long?'- a combined caffeine / sugar rush most likely. You see, the 'thing' with energy drinks is that they are marketed as being all-natural energy boosters, loaded with lots of natural ingredients. As soon as we as consumer see the word 'natural', we behave as a flock of sheep and assume it's healthy. And let's admit it; those energy drinks have the cool logos and fonts, the hip and trendy colour schemes, modern bottle shapes and a really cool 'feel' to it.

One of the problems with these energy drinks is however, that you crash-and-burn after a few hours. The sugar / caffeine rush wears off and you will feel like a bag of potatoes. So what do you do? You have another one!

Here in New Zealand, Red Bull still leads the way, V is a close second. All over the world energy drinks are usually marketed towards younger crowds, but these crowds seem to be getting younger by the day if you ask me. Why do 14 year old kids go to the dairy on the corner to get a V...because they need a pick me up? And that's concerning because the long-term effects of the energy drink ingredients, if any, are still not known up to this day.

Is there a healthier and more weight friendly alternative to these 'pick me ups'? Well actually - yes there is. You can energize with something that is good for you and is a great alternative to crash-and-burn energy drinks. There is an energy drink that doesn't contain artificial flavours, sweeteners, preservatives or colours. This drink contains more than just sugar and caffeine, and provides vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants to support energy metabolism at the cellular level. What is this drink I'm talking about I hear you say?


Well, USANA's Rev3 Energy Surge Pack will keep you going in a healthy responsible and weight- management-friendly way and come on, be honest- isn't the logo, font, colour scheme and 'feel' as cool as the other drinks? I say yes.

Rev3 Energy is cleaner, smarter, and stronger. Now, I have to tell it to the teenagers heading to the dairy.