Tag: tips

Free Road Safety Training Offered To Young Drivers In County Durham

By on 18th January 2016in In & Around

Young drivers in County Durham and Darlington can benefit from extra road safety training thanks to a free voucher scheme…

 

The Excelerate programme is designed to target the three main types of crashes young people are involved in by providing training at five key stages.

Durham County Council co-ordinates and delivers the training on behalf of the County Durham and Darlington Road Safety Partnership.

A new scheme has now been launched giving young people aged up to 25 the opportunity to download free vouchers to use for the training after they pass their driving test.

The vouchers, which have no expiry date, will also be available during 2016 from a number of outlets throughout County Durham and Darlington.

Paul Watson, road safety manager, said: “We would urge any young drivers who have recently passed their test to take advantage of the free safety training on offer. It’s free and can reduce the risk of accidents. We would also encourage any family members and friends of young drivers to let them know about the scheme.

“Nine per cent of all driving licences are held by young drivers, but according to research they are involved in 40 per cent of fatal road crashes on our roads.

“The Excelerate young driver course looks at the three main kinds of crashes involving young drivers, and works with them to help them protect themselves and others while they’re behind the wheel.”

Durham Police and Crime Commissioner Ron Hogg funds the Excelerate programme, and has lent his support to the voucher scheme.

He said: “Improving road safety is one of the key areas I am focusing on in my Police and Crime Plan.

“This is an excellent course for young people as it will help them to forge a sensible attitude to their driving, and prepare them for a safer future on our roads. This is also an ideal opportunity which parents can take advantage of and enrol new drivers in their family on to the free training course.”

For more information, and to download a voucher, visit www.exceleratedurham.com or www.durham.gov.uk/roadsafety.

Council Provides Essential Winter Weather Tips

By on 29th December 2015in In & Around

Following the continued wintry weather, people in County Durham are being urged to stay warm, well and safe…

 

Durham County Council is reminding everyone that online resources are available at www.durham.gov.uk/warmandwell to ensure that no one is left out in the cold this winter.

As well as advice on staying healthy and looking after elderly or vulnerable neighbours, there’s also information on coping with the snow and ice. This includes everything from finding out the location of your nearest salt bin, to tips for driving in wintry conditions.

There’s also guidance on how to make sure your home is warm and energy efficient, including information about the Government’s Warm Homes Discount Scheme, whereby energy companies must offer extra help to their most vulnerable customers, with a possible one-off rebate of £140 on energy bills to those who qualify.

Cllr Eddie Tomlinson, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for assets, strategic housing and rural issues said: “With the winter weather well and truly underway, we’d like to remind everyone that a range of advice and information is available on our website to keep people warm, well and safe.”

7 Big Mistakes Businesses Make Online

By on 29th December 2015in Local Biz

Chester-le-Street based Design & Marketing Agency Jak Inc share their insight into making the most of your online presence…

 

As veteran website designers and experts in mobile optimisation, we often get to see behind the scenes of some of the best and worst web presences.

In doing so, we’ve identified five of the biggest mistakes that businesses are making online. Read on to find out what they are…

1. Websites aren’t mobile-friendly.

Let’s start with a biggie. On average in the UK, we each spend nearly two hours per day browsing the internet on our mobile devices, and in the last few years, mobile shopping has surpassed desktop shopping.

The trouble is, users are still being turned away by sites that aren’t optimised for mobile screens. If a site isn’t intuitive to use on the devices that are now becoming the standard, potential customers are inclined to go elsewhere.

Mobile-optimisation isn’t an option or a recommendation anymore. It’s a necessity.

Plus, Google has recently begun penalising non-mobile-friendly websites by moving them further down in search results. It’s a big price to pay for failing to keep up with digital trends.

2. Web and social media is rarely updated.

The internet is a fast-paced environment, and users are always hungry for new content.

The really successful web presences are the ones that are never short of an update or two, and the ones that are well-practiced in delivering fresh, exciting, entertaining, and original content. As you’d expect, it keeps audiences coming back for more.

Unfortunately, however, keeping content moving is a time-consuming process, and is difficult to keep consistent. If you haven’t already lost your audience thanks to your non-mobile-friendly site, chances are your lack of updates will do it, so make sure you set aside some amount of time every day to update your presence.

3. Imagery isn’t utilised where necessary.

They say a picture can say a thousand words, and the phrase has never been truer than in the context of the internet and social media.

These days, users have neither the time nor inclination to read more than they have to. The web is endlessly scrollable, and nothing can make a viewer click the ‘next’ button faster than a wall of text. Images, however, are far more effective at grabbing attention and communicating a message.

Don’t take your audience’s attention for granted.

A great place to utilise imagery is Twitter. Thanks to the platform’s 140 character limit, a well-chosen photograph or graphic can help get across a message that wouldn’t otherwise have fit!

4. Websites aren’t user-friendly.

When somebody visits your website, there are usually only a handful of things they’re really looking for. In most cases, they want to know who you are, what you do, and how they can obtain your services.

This is the information that should be immediately available to your visitors, and not buried behind a slew of pages and hyperlinks. If it takes more than five to ten seconds to have their questions answered, you may have lost their interest for good.

Assess exactly what your own visitor’s objectives will be, and ensure you meet them. Check out our guide to a great homepage for more tips.

5. Call-to-actions are vague or non-existent.

Let’s assume that you’ve successfully lured visitors to your website or social media pages. Now what? What exactly do you want them to do?

Your call-to-action will depend on your business, but it could be that you want visitors to book an appointment, buy a product, or download something. Too often, visitors have no immediate indication of how to do any of that.

Let’s say you want visitors to fill in an appointment form. That form needs to take centre-stage on your website homepage, right next to a brief explanation of who you are, and why anyone should fill in this form.

6. Download speeds are unnecessarily slow.

This one is a classic.

Designing your first/new website can be exciting, and there’s often the urge to fill it with as many fancy images, videos, and widgets as possible. All of those things are great, but are they really worth slowing your website down?

Simplicity is often key with website design. Implement what you need to implement. Slow loading times caused by extra content can very quickly put a visitor off returning.

7. Stuck in the past.

If you’ve made it this far into this article, chances are that this one doesn’t apply to you, or that it doesn’t apply to you anymore. By now, you’re already considering whether or not your own website is ticking the right boxes, and wondering how you can use our advice to improve it.

But despite the now considerable age of the internet, there are still a lot of business owners out there who write it off as a luxury. The truth is, however, that an online presence is now critical to success, and ignoring that fact can be a big mistake.

If you aren’t already doing so, keep on top of the ever-changing digital landscape. It’s a business owner’s best friend.

Not sure how to avoid these mistakes? Want to find out exactly how to best utilise your digital presence?

At Jak Inc, we’re putting the #DigitalRevolution into motion. Book a consultation to find out how you can become a part of it, and how we can reinvigorate your online marketing.

5 DIY Christmas Gifts That Won’t Break The Bank

By on 9th December 2015in Lifestyle

Sophie Appleton shares five DIY creations to keep Christmas crafty…

 

 

I’m a big fan of Christmas, but like most of us, I’m no stranger to opening up my purse and having a few festive moths fly out of it. The familiar “Yikes, only one more pay day before Christmas” feeling is something we can all relate to, but it can be beaten!

DIY gifts are a dangerous game to play with less than a month before the big day, but if you do it right, you can come up with something that will be as well-received as it is cheap.

So if you’re struggling with the pre-Christmas panic, check out my top five DIY Christmas gifts…

1. DIY Scrabble Art

 

Now that our smartphones have replaced most of our board games, it’s time to fish out your old Scrabble box and put those letters to good use. You can even buy sets of assorted letter tiles on eBay or Amazon for very cheap, and if you’re clever about it, you can get two or three gifts out of just one set of letters!

Combine the letters to make names and words, then glue them down in a frame along with photos or trinkets. Use scraps of wrapping paper, wall paper or magazine cuttings for a background to make the gift that extra bit special.

If you can’t get your hands on Scrabble tiles, a great alternative is to create a Word Cloud. Visit wordle.net, enter a list of words (or names), then click create. Now you have a personalised piece of art to put in a frame and wrap up!

2. The Lazy Man’s Cookbook

 

Cook books are always a great gift, and at Christmas time there are plenty to be found on shop shelves… at a premium price. But what if your loved ones just don’t cook? What if no matter how quick Jamie Oliver makes his meals, it’s still not quick enough?

If that’s the case, give them a cook book they’ll really appreciate… The Student/Bachelor Cookbook!

Buy a ring binder and decorate the front cover with their name and a funny message, then have a walk around the town to collect heaps of takeaway menus (or if you’re extra lazy and you don’t fancy tackling the busy streets and freezing weather, get them posted through the letterbox). Put them all in the ring binder and – depending on how many you have – add a contents page and dividers for different types of food.

3. DIY Kid’s Cushions

 

There’s nothing kids love more than making a mess, and with time off school they’re bound to do it at some point. So… you might as well get a gift out of it!

Find an old cushion (or pick one up for cheap online) and create a fun design using their paint-covered hands and feet. Accessorise using scraps of material from old clothing tied into bows, or stitch on some sequins and googly eyes to give it extra character. Don’t forget to sign and date it so you can embarrass the kids later in their teens!

4. Personalised Candles

 

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of a present for her is a candle. Nobody can have enough candles, and especially not in the winter months. Yankee jars are the obvious choice, but why burn a hole in your pocket when you can make them yourself?

That afternoon tea set you’ve been saving for a raining day for the last fifteen years is finally going to come in handy here, or alternatively you can nip to the local charity shop for a nice, pretty cup and saucer.

Place wax beads (or even just some old, half-burnt candles of your own) in a bowl over a pan of hot water, or in a slow cooker (with a non-stick insert). For colour, use a vegetable peeler to shave bits of crayon into the wax, and stir to blend. Add more shavings for darker colour. Place a wick into the centre of the cup, and pour the wax into it. Leave it over night to harden, trim the wick, and simply wrap with cellophane and tie with a ribbon. Lovely!

 

5. Bespoke Chocolate Slabs

 

On a rainy December Saturday, this is a great one to keep the kids busy… and it’s great value for money. Chocolate slabs are worth upwards of £7 in fancy chocolate shops, but can be made at home for next to nothing.

Grab a silicone cake or loaf tin (pound shops recommended), then melt two or three bars of supermarket chocolate. You can find a good selection of milk, dark, and white chocolate for around 40p each, but anything more expensive is a bit of a non-starter, cost-wise. Fill the melted chocolate with jellies, popping candy, nuts or marshmallows. Decorate it however you like – perhaps with their name or favourite treats? Pop it in the fridge to set, and then wrap it in a clear bag of cellophane and some ribbon. Yummy!

Newcastle United FC Physios Offer Advice To North East Students

By on 8th December 2015in Local Biz

Cryogenic treatments, blood tests and GPS performance analysis…

 

Ever wondered what a day in the life of Newcastle United FC’s team doctor involves, or the physiology behind becoming a top athlete?

Top consultants and physiologists from Nuffield Health Newcastle Hospital delivered a mini-series of lectures for students at Newcastle School for Boys this week with the dual purpose of promoting health and wellbeing in teenagers, while also presenting different aspects of medicine as potential career opportunities post A Level.

With the Government’s increased focus on developing home-grown medical practitioners across all disciplines, Nuffield’s team of experts delivered aspirational presentations to highlight the different range of careers available within medicine.

Nuffield is the UK’s largest healthcare charity, and kick-started its series of talks at the school with Health and Wellbeing Physiologist, Aidan Innes. Aidan’s talk, ‘Health and Wellbeing Conditioning in Young Athletes’ focused on how pupils can implement behavioural change in their sports training regimes to both decrease risk of developing lifestyle-related diseases and achieve optimal health.

Next up was Gavin Watt, one of the leading health and wellbeing physiologists in the country who focused on ‘Mental Health and Wellbeing in 14 to 18 year olds’, taking a wider view on the general health issues associated with teenagers. His presentation focused on the impacts of exercise and nutrition on cognitive function and emotional wellbeing, whilst also covering topics such as sleep physiology and developing good revision techniques.

The lecture series culminated in a talk by Dr Paul Catterson, Newcastle United FC team doctor and host of Nuffield Health Hospital Newcastle’s weekly sports injury clinic. Dr Catterson presented his talk ‘A dose of sporting medicine: The role of medicine in elite sport’ giving an insight into the role of a doctor at a leading sporting institution.

Each specialist also shared advice with their audience including career top tips and health guidance.

Newcastle School for Boys headmaster, David Tickner, said of the events: “It’s invaluable for our students to hear first-hand of the opportunities within medicine from leading experts in their field who are based right here in Newcastle. There is a lot of hard work involved but, as demonstrated by our guest speakers, the results are incredibly rewarding, and we’re here to provide our students with the support and framework to achieve greatness in their chosen careers.

“What’s equally important is the ongoing health and wellbeing of our students. As teenagers, their bodies are in continuous development, so it’s important they learn processes now which will prepare their bodies, both physically and mentally, for the future. Thanks to the Nuffield team, they now have the basis for that preparation.”

Chris Land, sales and services manager at Nuffield Health Hospital Newcastle, was central to the arranging of the lecture series. He said: “The students of today are our doctors and physiologists of the future, so it’s vital we nurture them now at the start of their career path development.”

Nuffield is the UK’s largest healthcare charity and has two sites in Newcastle – the Nuffield Health Hospital in Jesmond and Nuffield Gym in Gosforth. Nuffield delivers a wide variety of inpatient and outpatient private healthcare treatments and services using the best possible technological facilities.

For more information, visit www.nuffieldhealth.com/hospitals/newcastle-upon-tyne.

Top Festive Tips For Looking After Your Teeth This Christmas

By on 5th December 2015in Lifestyle

A top North East dentist is giving out timely advice for the festive season to ensure that the New Year doesn’t herald problems with teeth…

The inevitable celebrations at this time of year also bring in their wake late nights, too much alcohol and too many caffeine-rich fizzy drinks to help stay awake the following day – which can be hugely detrimental to teeth, according to one of the UK’s leading cosmetic dentists.

Dr Ken Harris, who runs Riveredge Cosmetic Dentistry in Sunderland and Newcastle, believes the round-the-clock party lifestyle that many people indulge in at this time of year can really take its toll on teeth.

And now he is highlighting some useful advice to help people in the run-up to Christmas.

“It’s that time of year when people are constantly out celebrating, with late nights and more alcohol that usual,” said Dr Harris, who has almost 35 years’ experience working in general dental practice.

“This can lead to dehydration and reduce the flow of saliva, which helps protect teeth, putting people at real risk of acid damage.

“Many people then compound the problem by drinking energy drinks to stay awake.  Carbonated drinks like these, even sugar-free versions, contain significant acid in the fizz which soften the enamel on your teeth, and if you then brush softened teeth, they wear down really fast.”

Dr Harris has the following tips for anyone who is planning to party in the next few weeks:-

  • Don’t brush your teeth straight after having carbonated drinks or fruit juice. This could actually damage teeth because tooth enamel would be softened by the acid.
  • Wait four hours after having fizzy drinks before brushing your teeth – giving the enamel time to harden up again.
  • Drink plenty of water, especially if you exercise a lot.
  • If you vomit, do not brush your teeth immediately, but rinse your mouth with water.

“It’s really important not to forget to look after your teeth at this time of year,” said Dr Harris.

“And also if you have any problems with your teeth, ensure you get them looked at before the festive season rather than wait until a time of year when there may only be emergency treatment available.

“Nobody wants Christmas and New Year spoiled by toothache or any other issues which could be avoided.”

For further information visit www.riveredge.co.uk.

Dr Harris is one of the UK’s foremost cosmetic dentists and a multi-award winner. With almost 35 years of experience, he has an MSc in Restorative & Aesthetic Dentistry, and is a Fellow of the British Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry.

He is a member of the AACD (American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry) and acts as UK clinical director for California Center for Advanced Dental Studies in San Francisco along with lecturing around the globe.

Alex Nelson’s Places To Go: Darlington

By on 18th November 2015in Have Your Say, In & Around, Lifestyle, Places To Go, What's New?

Stationmaster Alex Nelson has been suggesting places to go by train every month for ten years. This month, he’s headed to Darlington…

 

 

Over the past few decades, County Durham has been getting smaller. First of all, the county lost Gateshead, South Tyneside, Sunderland, Stockton and Hartlepool in 1974, followed by Darlington when it became a unitary authority in 1997.

With its population of over 100,000, Darlington is a town famous for many reasons, not least for the world’s first locomotive hauled railway service (from Stockton to Darlington) founded by Edward Pease and his business associates.

The company initially provided only the track, which was hired out to whoever wished to run a train, hauled either by horses or by steam. The transition to standard railway management was a gradual one, spurred on by frequent disputes between drivers over right of way, and by the dangers of the higher speeds of steam locomotives.

The town does have its own railway museum, but it’s been several years since I’ve visited, as opening hours are much reduced. This isn’t at the main Darlington station, sometimes known as Bank Top, but at the original station at North Road, a 20 minute walk north of the town. It’s the first stop on the branch to Bishop Auckland, which runs infrequently, but stops alongside the museum and the shed where the iconic new steam locomotive 60163 Tornado was built in 2008.

North Road Station Museum is known as the Head of Steam, and is open Wednesday to Sunday, 11am-3.30pm. There is an admission charge of £4.95, with reductions for concessions and children. The big problem it faces, however, is that despite being a very interesting museum and incorporating the fascinating Ken Hoole Study Centre, it is dwarfed by the National Railway Museum off-shoot at Shildon, just up the line, which is much larger and benefits from free admission.

The Shildon museum is where people tend to gravitate, but on a day trip to Darlington, it’s well worth a visit to the original.

 

The town centre contains many interesting alleyways (or vennels), particularly between the High Street and Skinnergate, which runs parallel to the west, away from the railway station. There are many independent shops and specialist cafes on these vennels.

My wife and I enjoy many of the shows at the Darlington Civic Theatre, which is a more intimate performance space than the likes of the Sunderland Empire or Theatre Royal in Newcastle. The theatre is also close to the railway station for a ride home afterwards, but requires careful planning of train times if you’re to avoid a long wait after the show.

Darlington is also an excellent place to change trains, having a flat floor plan with no bridges or subways between platforms. Watch the indicators, though! Whilst southbound trains routinely leave from Platform 1, northbound from Platform 4, and locals to Middlesbrough/Saltburn from Platform 2/3, these are prone to swap around from time to time.

I learned this the hard way when I foolishly directed a lady on her way to Whitby (via Middlesbrough) to wait with me on Platform 1 whilst her train gently slid out of Platform 4… and it was her last connection. I wrote an apology in the Whitby Gazette and it won Letter of the Week, but the memory still fills me with dread.

On the railway, I’m supposed to know what I’m doing…

Alex Nelson

[cwa id=’test’]

15 Ways To Stay Positive At Work

By on 13th November 2015in Have Your Say, Lifestyle, What's New?

Andy Knowles, MD of Jak Inc, shares his top tips for keeping smiling…

 

I’ve had an interesting journey over the last ten years.

Starting a family business wasn’t part of my career plan, and things were going nicely for me at Coca-Cola enterprises. I had a great boss, loved the brand, and there was bags of opportunity for career progression.

But somehow, here I am with a portfolio brand business, sporting an annual turnover of £1m plus.

Interestingly, one of the challenges many entrepreneurs face is burnout or fatigue. I’ve attended many personal development seminars over the years, including a three-day trip to Kentucky, where I met a handful of truly inspirational mentors. I even found myself finishing their sentences, as I’ve read their books repetitively!

Because of this, I’ve learned an awful lot over the years about how to fight the fatigue. Below are my top 15 tips to help you stay focused, and be more positive at work…

1. Utilise Your Commute
Don’t write off your time in the car as ‘wasted time’. Listen to audio books, podcasts or inspirational music on your commute, and use that time to learn something new, or get fired up.

2. Get Places Early
Arrive early and focus on the tasks ahead. Even if you’re only ten minutes ahead of schedule, use that ten minutes to wake up and get your head straight. You’ll be grateful for it later in the day.

3. Your Emails Aren’t Always A Priority
Avoid checking emails first thing. Instead, focus on the tasks that can’t be put off. Check your emails periodically throughout the day, which will stop you from getting bogged down in them.

4. Stop Procrastinating
Are you making the most of your time? It’s easy to put things off until later, but those things will pile up, and when you finally have to face them, you’ll wish they were done earlier. Schedule your day in advance, and stick to it.

5. Take A Break
Plan breaks into your day to allow for recovery. Trying to do too much all at once will wear you out, and you’ll lose sight of the end. Take a moment to re-focus on your tasks, and come back to them shortly.

6. Take Something From Your Meetings
Take notes from your meetings, and leave them with clear and achievable objectives. Write down your action points, and share them with the involved parties.

7. Don’t Neglect Your Health
Exercise is proven to reduce stress, and the resulting feel-good factor can boost your productivity.

8. Pace Yourself
Rushing tasks will only create more errors, which you’ll inevitably have to fix. Take your time, and get it right.

9. Support Your Colleagues
Share your achievements with the people around you, but don’t forget to support them too. Be there for your colleagues when they need a little positivity boost, and they’ll be there for you when you need one yourself.

10. Stay Compassionate
Negative colleagues can get you down, but try to remain compassionate towards them. People are usually negative for a reason, but don’t let it affect you too.

11. Collaborate
Never be afraid to ask for help. Collaborate with others to achieve mutual goals, and be aware that sharing the load of some of your tasks can help you get through them.

12. Accept That Some Things Are Boring
Unfortunately, not everything at work is fun, but those things still need to be done. Bite the bullet and face the mind-numbing tasks head on. The sooner they’re tackled, the sooner they’re done and out of the way.

13. Accept Criticism
Don’t be offended by negativity, and instead try to understand any criticism aimed at you. Take that feedback constructively, use it to improve yourself and your work.

14. Relish Your Days Off
Sometimes it’s okay to spend your days off in bed, but try a few different activities too. Variety is the spice of life, and leaves you in a more positive mood.

15. Adapt
Businesses have to change to survive. Make sure that you’re open and adaptable when it’s important, and do your best not to resist it.

Looking for more great business tips? Visit the Jak Inc Blog.

Jak Inc are the North East’s finest print, design, and marketing agency. Keen to reinvent your brand? Visit www.jakinc.uk and find out exactly how to do it.

[cwa id=’test’]

Save The DLI Museum: What Action Can You Take Yourself?

By on 6th November 2015in Have Your Say, What's New?

On 21st October, it was announced by Durham County Council that the DLI Museum, honouring the memory of the Durham Light Infantry, would be closed. Political lobbyist for the campaign challenging this decision, Liam Bewick, explains how we can actively support the cause…

My name is Liam J. Bewick, and I am the political lobbyist for the Save The DLI Museum campaign. My role is to deal with the politics and government communications on behalf of the group.

As many of you may already be aware, the DLI Museum and Art Gallery is signed for closure by Durham County Council in April 2016, and we want answers from the Council regarding the future storage of artefacts. The DLI is a huge part of our local heritage, and we don’t want the artefacts stored on a temporary basis while the remainder is archived for scholarly use.

The agreement with Durham University will only allow the collection to be stored for a period of five years. What will the fate of the collection be after that?

We also want to know why Durham County Council invested £3m into Wharton Park, situated directly opposite the DLI Museum, while no such investment was made to the museum itself. Part of the restoration project for Wharton Park is to build a heritage centre within the park. If it’s concerning local heritage, why isn’t the DLI involved in this project?

These are questions that need answering, but we can only achieve the answers by banding together as a single committed, strong entity.

So, what can you do to help?

It is crucial that we put pressure on the Council, and you can do this by getting in contact with your local councillor by letter, email and/or telephone. You can use one method or all three. If we shout loudly enough, County Hall will hear us.

Furthermore, we need to put pressure on our national representatives too, so I strongly urge all of you to write to your local MP’s (regardless of party politics). We want the Department of Culture, Media and Sport on board, contacting our Ministers, John Whittingdale (Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport), Ed Vaizey (Minister of State for Culture and the Digital Economy) and Tracey Crouch (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Sport, Tourism and Heritage).

There are a select number of councillors who are already on board with the campaign, and give it their full support. Please don’t harass them! They are:

  • Mark Wilkes
  • Amanda Hopgood
  • Owen Temple
  • Richard Ormerod
  • Richard Bell
  • Audrey Willis
  • Watts Stelling
  • Alan Shield

It is with devastation that we must fight this battle less than a week before Remembrance Day, a day to honour the men who fought so that we could feel the warmth of opportunity, but I thank you for support.

Everyone who visits the North East has the right to see for themselves the contribution that the Durham Light Infantry made to Great Britain, and we won’t allow that contribution to be forgotten without a fight.

Liam J. Bewick

 

Click here to visit the Save The DLI Museum website.

Click here to join the Save The DLI Museum Facebook group.

Click here to contact your local councillor.

National Stress Awareness Day: 6 Tips For Handling Stress

By on 4th November 2015in Lifestyle, Local Biz, What's New?

It’s #NationalStressAwarenessDay. Feel like it’s all piling up?

We all get stressed. No matter what line of work we’re in, it’s easy to let it all pile up on top of us, which – as we all know – can lead to severe feelings of anxiety.

Stress doesn’t just affect us mentally, either. It attacks the body physically, leaving us vulnerable to sickness.

Today is National Stress Awareness Day, and we’re keen to do our bit to help out. When stress creeps up, bare these tips in mind…

1. Take A Deep Breath

Getting worked up causes you to take rapid shallow breaths, which causes the heart to beat faster and the muscles to tense up. When you’re already feeling stressed, that’s the last thing you want to happen.

Breathing deeply oxygenates the blood, allowing you to relax much more easily. Inhale slowly through your nose, hold the breath for a few seconds, and let it out slowly.

2. Don’t Be The Victim

When bad things happen, a first instinct is to feel sorry for ourselves. We huff and puff, and wallow in self-pity, but all this does is give in to the stress.

Instead, try taking a more pro-active approach to your problems. When something bad happens, don’t focus on the problem. Focus on the solution.

3. Cut Out The Coffee

Even before the stress kicks in, the coffee can make us jittery. Maybe it’s time to consider decaf?

Avoid caffeine-withdrawal headaches by reducing your caffeine intake slowly. Instead of your afternoon cup of coffee, try a glass of water.

4. Be Realistic About What You Can Do

Particularly in the workplace, it can be difficult to say ‘no’. We agree to things that aren’t necessarily achievable, the work piles up, and before we know it, we’re buried underneath it all.

Don’t kid yourself, and don’t be a pushover. If there’s something you simply cannot do, don’t agree to it.

 

5. Go For A Walk

A relaxing stroll hold countless benefits. Not only will the fresh air do you good, but getting up and moving is key to working the stress out of your body. Even pacing back and forth can do you good.

A decent outdoor walk can give you some alone time to really think about your problems and clear your head.

6. Talk About It

Keeping your worries bottled up is one of the biggest mistakes you can make. Letting these things out, vocalising them, and confronting them is a great way to exorcise the demons. Speak with a friend, or write things down in a letter.

You never know, maybe your friend has the same stresses you do.

For more tips and advice, visit the Jak Inc Blog.

ADVERTISERS