Archive | September, 2021

Finding time to invest in self-care can be challenging, especially when you live an extra busy life. When your days are spent bouncing between work, family and social commitments, there can be little time left to catch your breath let alone take time to care for your physical, mental and emotional health. If you are struggling to find time left for self-care, try these four tips to incorporate good self-care habits in your routine.

1. Establish a morning routine
   Starting the day right is a good way to ensure your mental and physical health is maintained. This might include a healthy breakfast, daily exercise or meditation; figure out what works for you and implement it daily. Over time this will become a habit, helping you to take some time for self-care every day.
2. Schedule time off
   It can be easy to find yourself in a cycle of continuous activity, moving from one activity to the next until it seems you are just going through the motions. Make sure you don’t get lost in the chaos by scheduling some time off. It might be an afternoon away from your normal routine, or something more extravagant like a weekend away or vacation. Whatever you choose, taking a break will allow you to relax and rejuvenate.
3. Get enough sleep
   It can be easy to prioritise other commitments over sleep, but the importance of sleep should not be underrated. Getting good quality sleep allows your body to heal and re-energise, helping you to perform in all areas of your life. It can also be hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle without proper sleep as we tend to make bad diet choices and avoid exercise when we are sleep deprived. Sleep is critical for physical and mental health, which is why it should be made a priority regardless of how busy you are.
4. Set realistic goals
   Manage your mental health by setting realistic goals. There’s no point committing to something that is unachievable or will put so much pressure on you that you feel like a failure. Spend some time considering your aspirations and make goals that are challenging, but possible for you to reach. You also need to set realistic goals when it comes to your self-care commitments. Add things to your routine that will work long term with your lifestyle.
   

With limited hours in the day, it can be nearly impossible to make time for self-care. These tips should help you incorporate self-care into your schedule so that you can live life to the fullest.

Ronald Aqui – https://ronaldaqui-homebusiness.com

Self-care is often brushed aside for things seen as more important; business meetings, social commitments, family obligations. While these things are important (and can in some cases contribute to self-care), it is important that we take time to ourselves when we need it. This personal investment will not be for nothing; in fact, self-care is important if we want to optimise our performance in any area of our lives. Taking the time to maintain our physical, emotional and mental health can lead to success in many ways.

Helps us to maintain perspective

Self-care, regardless of the form, allows us the time to reflect and therefore better understand ourselves as individuals. We are better able to identify our triggers and put things in to perspective, rearranging our priorities to understand what is important and what isn’t. This perspective contributes to a healthier life as we understand where stress is justified and where we should be more relaxed.

Helps us to keep positive

Self-care is great for our mental and emotional wellbeing. People who invest time in taking care of themselves are more likely to be more optimistic and see the silver linings in bad situations. It is an effective way for maintaining positive moods, rather than succumbing to darker emotions.

Improves our relationships

By investing time in ourselves, we are better placed to interact with and support others. Self-care allows us to maintain our own health and therefore put us in a good place to be able to engage with others and maintain strong relationships.

Improves our work performance

While self-care is sometimes seen as indulgent, it often has a much broader impact that goes beyond our own lives. People who invest in self-care are more likely to be healthier, both physically and mentally, and are therefore better prepared to perform at work. They are likely to be more focused, more emotionally stable and form stronger, more positive relationships. All of these things are highly beneficial in the workplace and will lead to greater performance.
It does take time to invest in self-care, although the benefits far outweigh the price. Take the time to establish a good routine that includes self-care practices, whatever this looks like to you, and you will be sure to reap the rewards.

Self-care is an important component of maintaining good health and should not be overlooked or disregarded.

Ronald Aqui – https://ronaldaqui-homebusiness.com

One of the easiest ways to get people to know, like and trust you is through the power of forum marketing.

Online forums exist in nearly every niche market imaginable, and are often quite heavily trafficked. People are looking for answers, and forums can be a great place to find them, in a free, non-threatening manner.

The easiest way to find relevant online forums is going to Google and typing the type of niche you are interested in + discussion forum.

For example, if you search:

home business + discussion forum

You’ll find many discussion forums about home business. You could repeat this search query for any industry or topic.

The basic idea here is to become someone who makes a useful contribution on the forums, and eventually you’ll be viewed as a person of some authority. This can happen faster than you might think.

Make some useful comment, direct people to valuable resources, and you’ll quickly gain a few fans.

Make sure you set up your forum signature to reflect your site or squeeze page. People can and do click these, particularly if you’ve been a valuable asset on the forum.

Some of these forums have many thousands of members, and are growing as more and more online marketers come onto the scene.

Forum marketing is an easy way to grab some highly-targeted, fast and free traffic to your pages. Don’t discount this one!

Ronald Aqui – https://ronaldaqui-homebusiness.com

One of the biggest things about trying to find a real work-from-home job or business opportunity that turns a lot of people away is the prevalence of many different scams.

Here are some ways to tell whether an opportunity is real, or if it’s too good to be true:

• • No Legitimate Contact Information – If the business opportunity is real, they will have a real business website with a real business email address at the minimum, not a Yahoo, Hotmail or Gmail address. You should easily be able to look up the people and the name of the business to find out more information. Ideally, the business will also provide a physical address and telephone number that you can verify.
  • Promises of Riches Overnight – Any plan that claims you’ll become rich overnight is a scam. It’s just not going to happen. Working from home at a job, or running your own business, requires patience, skill development and plenty of work to make money. The idea that you can setup a website or join a business opportunity, do nothing and get paid is simply false.
  • Upfront Investments (Beware) – Many legitimate MLMs (Multi-Level Marketing) companies and affiliate programs do ask for money up front, which is a business investment. Even if you do not like MLMs, some of them are legitimate companies that offer a great opportunity. However, some jobs or opportunities only want your money. You should have plenty of time to do research before opening up your wallet and pulling out your credit card. Never pay for a job, although an investment in a business opportunity is considered normal.
  • You Feel Pressured to Act Now – If you’ve been contacted by someone making a lot of promises to you about making tons of money and insisting that you must act right now or you’ll lose out forever, your red flags should go up. It’s true that there are time-sensitive offers and opportunities, but just keep in mind that a real business opportunity is going to be there tomorrow and for many years to come. Make decisions based on the long-term expectations you have for the company you are working with and an honest self-evaluation of your own commitment to work hard and do what it takes to succeed.
  • Western Union and Money Orders – Sorry call out a legitimate company like this, but it’s often true; if you need to use Western Union to send money to anyone for joining a business, be very skeptical!
  • It Sounds Too Good to Be True – Trust yourself first. You know it in your gut that it’s just too good to be true, but you are tempted. Stop. Take some time to research the company and not just the people and places they give you to research. Do your due diligence and walk away if you can’t prove they’re legitimate.
  • Random Email Job Offers for Opportunities You’ve Never Heard Of – This happens sometimes when you apply for or fill out an application for different job opportunities online. Your contact details may be shared or sold as someone who is interested in a work-at-home job or online business, and you could receive unsolicited job and business opportunity offers by email. If you didn’t request information about a particularly company or opportunity directly, delete the email and make sure you unsubscribe if there is a link available in the mail to do so.
  • Outlandish Pay for Low Wage Positions – This is a common sign of a scam. You’ll see the advertisement on a seemingly legitimate website that promises a lot of money for many different positions that normally don’t pay that kind of money. Be realistic. You won’t make $45 dollars an hour as a receptionist.

Above all, trust yourself and be diligent in your research. Have confidence knowing there truly are many very good online home business opportunities and jobs you can do from home which will allow you to earn a reliable income. While skepticism is healthy and encouraged, you must also remain optimistic and determined to find the right income opportunity for you. It exists and I trust that you will discover it soon. 🙂

Ronald Aqui – https://ronaldaqui-homebusiness.com

When we think of leadership, we sometimes think of epic moments like George Washington crossing the Delaware, or Martin Luther King Jr. speaking on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial. But what makes a leader great in a less epic venue, like work?

1. Communication

A good leader at work is a good communicator and clearly spells out expectations. Not only that, they foster good communication between their team. A great leader goes above and beyond leveraging chats, emails, and texting groups to bring their team together around workplace issues. They don’t just offer tools for networking—they help develop a sense of how to communicate effectively.

2. Empathy

A good leader in the workplace cares about their employees and shows it. Remembering the details of their lives and asking follow up questions (in a non-invasive way) about spouses, children, parents, and life events shows that they care about their employees and view them as more than just human chattel.

3. Approachability

A good leader is someone who people are not afraid to approach with a question or concern. Sometimes the office door needs to be closed. But when it doesn’t, leave it open, and maybe even have a bowl of candy or some coffee for visiting employees. They shouldn’t dread your office like they did the principal’s; they should know it’s a safe haven they can turn to for help.

4. Generosity

Everybody loves a boss who does nice things for the team, whether it’s renting a food cart for lunch or taking everyone to a movie. Bosses and managers who use rewards to motivate their team rather than threats and punishments will find they have a much more effective workforce under their employ.

5. Passion

As the captain of the team, you’ll find that leading with example is the best way to go. If you’re plugged into the mission of your company or care about what your business does, that enthusiasm will be contagious and spread to your workers. Read up regularly on your field, network at events and attend conferences to be a cutting edge player in your line of work.

Ronald Aqui – https://ronaldaqui-homebusiness.com

It’s easy to be a leader when things are hunky-dory. In fact, it can be downright awesome—especially if you get your own castle or palace (this may not apply to the typical shift manager).

But when your team is in the trenches under fire, you need some serious leadership skills to hold it all together.

1. Grit. Grit is defined as courage, resolve, and strength of character, but the final blend of those characteristics yield a quality that’s perhaps best summarized by one word: toughness. Good leaders hold the team together in tough times by staying committed to the battle.
2. Optimism. While grit mainly relates to the present, optimism is a component of leadership that looks to the future. A leader who has a positive view of the outcome is creating a mental framework for the team to pull through, because they foster the belief that something great is on the other side.
3. Pragmatism. While a leader needs to be gritty and optimistic, they also need to be practical, using intelligence and common sense to navigate their way through the given situation. Having rose colored glasses for the future is great, but having them on as you look at the present can lead to costly mistakes.
4. Selflessness. A bad leader will try to save their own skin, but a good captain goes down with the ship—because he makes sure crewmembers get off first (that said, he doesn’t necessarily have to go down with the ship).
5. Resolution. Tough times are ripe for dissension and mutiny, but a good leader holds command. Sometimes you have to show tough love and put the proverbial boot down when members of the team start talking smack. They’ll thank you later.
6. Encouragement. A good leader encourages the team during a tough time to help them find the drive to make it through. Sometimes encouragement can be as simple as wandering around the group, patting some backs, and giving smiles or friendly words.
7. Preparedness. A good leader never finds their team unexpectedly thrust into bad times without some prior preparation. A good leader has a plan to cover all the possibilities, and knows what to do if things don’t go exactly the way they were hoping.
8. Bravery. Fear can undermine the entire mission, whether the war is on a battlefield, a sporting field, or the sales floor. A good leader is brave and inspires his team with that bravery.

Ronald Aqui – https://ronaldaqui-homebusiness.com

There have been hundreds of thousands of leaders throughout history—and probably millions today, leading in various government and workforce capacities. What are some of the traits that are common to good and effective leaders?

1. Integrity. If a leader isn’t honest and doesn’t adhere to a moral code, how can they willingly expect other people to follow them? When people see that a person walks the walk in addition to talking the talk, they have more respect for that person, and more natural desire to follow them.
2. Confidence. A good leader is confident in their ability to lead. If they’re timid and afraid, nobody is going to feel confident following them. A leader who speaks with assertion will find their orders followed effectively, while a leader who hems and haws will frequently open themselves up to negotiation.
3. Commitment. A good leader needs to have resolute commitment to their goals if they want their team to unflaggingly follow them uphill. When a leader shows passion, drive, and a willingness to get their hands dirty, the team will rally to the cause.
4. Communication. It’s incredibly frustrating to work with someone who doesn’t clearly spell out what they want. While miscommunication has literally lost battles and felled empires, good communication can help a leader and their team carry out a mission effectively.
5. Accountability. Nobody wants to work for someone who points fingers and passes the buck. It’s whiny, childish, and almost pitiful to see someone in power try and lay the blame on others, especially when those others are the proverbial little people beneath them. By contrast, people appreciate the humility that comes with a sense of accountability—they find it endearing and bonding.
6. Empathy. The best of leaders not only commands a team—they know their team. A leader who knows names, faces, and stories is someone with a team that feels appreciated, which in turn translates into success.
7. Empowerment. You may think that people have a natural tendency to avoid work, but that’s not entirely true. People actually want to feel useful, and appreciate a leader who can empower them to make the right choices without micromanaging.
8. Intelligence. You don’t have to be the brightest crayon in the box about everything, but you better know what you’re talking about if you’re a leader—and if you don’t, at least surround yourself with people who do.

Ronald Aqui – https://ronaldaqui-homebusiness.com

So you got motivated recently. Maybe you saw an awesome speaker or got a stinging dose of honesty from a friend or family member. But initial motivation often fades…so here are a few ways to keep it going strong.

1. Remember the pain points. In sales lingo, pain points are problems that come about when the solution being offered is not taken. Try to keep in mind all the things that could or will happen if you don’t stay the course. For example, if you were once motivated to go running three times a week, think about what will happen if you don’t give your heart the exercise it needs.
2. Don’t play leapfrog. Feelings of motivation can sometimes slip into the category of finding the next high. Instead of bouncing from goal to goal, make sure you finish what you start before getting motivated about something else. For example, if you really like language and made a goal for yourself to learn French, learn it before you switch to learning German, and then Italian, or whatever else.
3. Know Thyself. When you try to accomplish goals that other people set for you, your motivation can wane. Take a look at your goals and make sure they’re goals you have for yourself…not goals that other people want you to achieve. If they’re not, you may want to set them aside and reassess where you’re going.
4. Visualize. Picturing the end result of your goal can go a long way towards continuing your motivation to succeed, and it has some seriously awesome side effects. The positive energy you build around that imagery will affect you at a subconscious level, while the mental affirmation that you can achieve it will do loads for your self confidence, which will also help you stay the course.
5. Let go of stuff beyond your control. When it comes to motivation, it can be easy to give up because things don’t’ go according to plan. Learn to let go of things beyond your control, otherwise they’ll reduce your motivation to succeed.
6. Get organized. If you want to stay motivated, you need to work a little bit to keep the motivation alive, otherwise it will just slip into the traffic stream of life’s feelings that inevitably comes over everyone—just like happiness, sadness, or anger, motivation will just be another feeling unless you concretize it. Put your goals on the calendar and make an action plan.

Ronald Aqui – https://ronaldaqui-homebusiness.com

Motivation can seem to be a mysterious entity—sometimes it’s there, and sometimes it isn’t. That said, most people do have the motivation to get up out of bed every morning and live life.

But what exactly causes them to act?

Here are a few theories behind the force that carries us toward our goals.

1. Instinct. Although this theory has somewhat fallen out of vogue, the idea here is that people are programmed to behave a certain way to due to evolution. One of the prime examples of this theory at work is animal migration. But when it comes to people, this theory may not be able to explain more complex motivations around non-biological goals.
2. Incentive. This idea promulgates that people do things to receive a reward. For example, you may be motivated to dress nicely at work because you think you’ll be more likely to receive the reward of a promotion. The greater the reward, the more motivated you will be to pursue the path to it.
3. Drive. The theory of drive-based motivation suggests that people to things to meet internal forces that impel them towards a particular course of action. For example, if you’re body needs more salts, you might develop a craving for salty food.
4. Arousal. This doesn’t refer just to sex, but to all types of excitement and energy. When you’re feeling low on the spectrum, you might be motivated to add some excitement to your life with something like an action movie, a jog, or even an argument. When you need to balance out your day with relaxation, you could be more motivated to read a book or drink soothing tea.
5. Humanism. We are not robots, but rather complex creatures with layers of thought, desire, and feeling. Humanistic drives relate to a hierarchy of needs proposed by psychologist John Maslow. While things like food, water, and shelter are basic needs that must be met, people also have more intangible needs to fulfill like self actualization, creative expression, and loving relationships.
6. Expectancy. This theory circulates around the idea that people—in a way—can build their own future just by what they think about themselves and the world around them, and be motivated to act accordingly. For example, a person who feels good about themselves and confident about what they can achieve will be more motivated to pursue their goals, while someone who feels down and out will be less motivated.

Ronald Aqui – https://ronaldaqui-homebusiness.com

If you own your own business or are an entrepreneur, you can often be faced with challenges that strike down your motivation to go on. But here are a few ways you can reign in the troops and find the gumption to keep going.

1. Define your core values. Core values encapsulated in a mission statement will guide your company through times good and bad by helping you find direction and bringing you through turbulent times. “Making money” is not a goal that’s sure to keep you motivated when clients aren’t coming, but “delivering sustainable sources of energy” or something similarly specific will help you stay motivated towards a goal that forms the bigger picture.
2. Take a look at the checkpoints. There may be a gap between your desired results and the actual results of what’s happened so far because your goal is monolithic and too far into the future. Take a look at smaller components to get a more accurate picture of how things are progressing, which will also bolster your motivation to continue carrying the torch.
3. Surround yourself with friends. The people around you play a big role in your success. When it comes to running your own business, there are a lot of naysayers out there who will throw in their two cents, but take it all with a grain of salt. Instead, seek out like-minded visionaries and entrepreneurs, both at networking events and in casual contexts. Get inspiration and motivation from those in a similar station who also have an imaginative vision for the future.
4. Remember that the grass isn’t always greener. If you’re one of those business owners who have previous experience in the nine-to-five economy, remember what it was like to sign away your schedule and practically your soul to a corporate overlord. While running your business is tough, it sure beats being underpaid, underappreciated, and overworked by someone who can just flick you away at the drop of the hat. Do you really want to return to that kind of environment?
5. Figure out what you want. Desire is the motivating force behind almost anything, and business is no different. If you’ve pegged your desires as shallow goals like making more cash, it can be easy to get discouraged. But if you dig a little deeper and get to some core reasons for being inspired, it’s easier to stay the course—for example, a better home, providing for your family, or enjoying life to the fullest.

Ronald Aqui – https://ronaldaqui-homebusiness.com