2013 has been full of changes when it comes to the CSLB License Application. It used to be the experience the outline could make or break your application. Now, it’s only a minor player for eight of the 43 license classifications. Although the outline is a vital component for any trade classification, certain trade classifications require that you have an outline that exactly mirrors your actual trade experience.

Although, a properly formatted CSLB work experience form for all 43 classifications is important, preparing a proper experience outline for the eight critical classifications is just the first step.

As I outlined in a previous post, and what seems to be most confusing to applicants, you want to steer clear of including administrative work such as; specific project details, length of time in the trade, etc. The CSLB wants to see what you do on the jobsite on a daily basis. What trades are you performing? If you are applying for the C-10 Electrical license, are you pulling wire, installing 110/220v, installing panels, running conduit. If you’re applying for a C-53 Pool license, are you installing rebar, applying gunite, installing electrical; i.e. lighting, pool control systems, or plumbing? If you are applying for the C-33 Painting license, are you prepping the painting surface, repairing drywall, mixing paint, applying latex or water based paints or stains?

The CSLB experience form should not include what you do on the business side of things. For example, pull permits, sign contracts, deal with clients, manage projects, provide estimates, etc. The CSLB assumes that everyone in business is able to perform these administrative duties.

Back to those eight “critical classes” which include the A-General Engineering, B-General Building, C-10 Electrical, C-16 Fire Suppression, C-20 Heating/Ventilating/Air Conditioning, C-36 Plumbing, C-38 Refrigeration, and C-57 Well Drilling trades. The CSLB work experience form is only the first step because they will be asking you to provide the additional proof of experience. So, in this case, your outline should be as detailed and as close to your actual experience as possible. If they contact your employer or certifier and ask if you have actually run 220v wire and they say you haven’t, chances are you’re going to have a hard time getting your application to the testing phase.

If you are wondering how to fill out the CSLB work experience form, I’d be happy to help. I offer complete application preparation or application review.

In today society the majority of families are dual income earners. Someone that wants to switch their children from public school or home school may shy away from the idea simply because they currently work at full-time job.

Although it may be a difficult task it is certainly one that can be accomplished with some creative planning. You would first want to consider the amount of time that most children are actually home school during the week. The typical home school schedule is much different from the traditional public school schedule which is generally around eight hours per day Monday through Friday. Most home school programs can be accomplished with just a few hours each day.

Next you will want to consider the individual student. Are they old enough to stay home by themselves while you're working during the day? Can the student be given a lesson plan for the day and be expected to have this work completed for you to review when you return home? Does your child work well independently? If the answers are yes and then this will be an easy decision for you. If your child is not of an age where they can be left home alone then you will have to be a little more creative.

Since your average student does not follow the traditional 8 AM to 4 PM school schedule, you may find that home schooling early in the morning or late in the evening would work best for your family. You may also consider doubling up your work on your days off or over the weekend. It is not uncommon for students to be homeschooled on Saturdays and Sundays. Remember that you are in charge of the individual schedule and it can be made into anything that best suits your family.

There are many online curriculums that are available for you to choose from that allow you to work at your own pace not following a set schedule. This not only allows your child the educational freedom to work at their level but also provide you with the ability to educate your child at a time that works best for you. Another option would be a library-based curriculum. There are lots of free resources online that can be utilized for this type of curriculum. Although this choice would require a little more planning and effort from you it still would allow you to set your schedule to what works best for you and your student.

The decision to home school is often compared to a giant leap of faith. Trust yourself and your instincts to know what is best for your child's education. Homeschooling while working a full-time job can be difficult at times but it can definitely be a rewarding accomplishment.

Introduction

In this article, I will be discuss simple steps to take action on each day at work to accomplish more in less time. By following these steps, you will learn how to be productive at work on a daily basis.

Benefits of Increasing Productivity

Learning how to be more productive, especially at work, typically results in you increasing the efficiency with which you complete your tasks. Completing more work in less time has many benefits from the obvious benefit of freeing up more of your time for non-work related tasks, increasing your motivation to continue to be productive, increasing your sense of accomplishment and reducing your overall stress levels.

Then of course, there are the positive work benefits that come from increasing your productivity–especially on a daily basis. By being able to complete more work in less time with the high level of quality that you typically complete your work-related tasks, you are literally achieving more at work. Achieving more at work usually earns you benefits that will likely impact your life, and your work life balance, positively.

How to be Productive at Work Daily

There is no one set of strategies or steps to becoming “productive,” and what leads to success for one person may be a disastrous strategy for another person to try to follow. As a result, I encourage you to test out each of the steps below, and decide for yourself which of the steps will be effective at increasing your productivity at work, and that are therefore worth the effort to put into action, and continue using, until you see positive results. These positive results likely will not happen after just one attempt, rather try each step out for at least a week before making a final decision on whether that particular strategy is personally beneficial for you to pursue.

Step 1: Tie Rewarding Tasks for Finishing Work Tasks: To increase your productivity daily at work, you can tie enjoying a rewarding task with accomplishing a less rewarding and/or necessary work-related task.

For example, you can delay enjoying a rewarding task, such as having your first cup of coffee or tea, until after you complete one work-related task. Or, you can delay checking any social media until you’ve completed three work-related tasks.

Step 2: Shift Your “Productivity” Schedule: Everyone experiences a natural lull in energy at some throughout the day. If you are working outside of the home, in a 9-5 or similar job, that lull in energy typically (but not always) comes during the late afternoon.

Shift your work schedule by one hour so that you are leaving work, or at least not attempting to be highly productive, by 4:00 p.m. or whenever your energy lull happens to be. This will ensure that you have more energy to be productive during work hours that you decide will be productive, and reduces your stress levels by not creating unrealistic expectations of what you should accomplish right before the 5:00 p.m. end of day hits.

Step 3: Snacking to Keep Your Energy and Productivity Up: Continuing with the idea that people naturally have more energy to be highly productive at certain times of day, you should also be aware of how the food you eat can positively increase the energy you have and can help you to be more productive.

Foods, typically fruit such as apples, oranges, and bananas, or other foods like honey and agave, are high in both fructose and sucrose. These are two sugars that serve different energy purposes in your body, one giving you a short term energy boost while the other gives you energy over a longer period of time. In either case, by snacking puposefully, you can help make sure that you have the stamina to finish your work day strong and with the high level of productivity you started your day with.

Step 4: Start and End Your Day With Special Tasks: For most people, the most challenging part of experiencing consistently high levels of productivity is finding the motivation to just start working. To help with this problem, try giving yourself select tasks to work on to start and end your day.

To begin your day successfully and to quickly achieve productivity in your day, the first task you should try to accomplish is something fairly short, simple and/or enjoyable to complete. This will ensure that you finish your first task of the day, and that you are left with positive feelings of motivation and accomplishment from doing so.

To end your day, and prepare for the next day, leave work when you are only halfway done with a particular task that can be completed the next day without having a negative impact on your work. Most people feel uncomfortable with “unfinished” work, and this sense of not finishing your work and the discomfort that comes with it will provide a reliable source of motivation to start your work immediately the next day to be able to get to and complete your previous day’s unfinished task.

What is it and do I need one?

A cryo cuff knee system (also known as a knee ice machine or passive cold compression therapy unit) consists of three basic components:

* The cooler – which you fill with ice and water

* The cuff – a sack which you wrap around your knee

* The tube – provides the water flow between the cooler and the cuff

Usually, a doctor will ask you to buy one of these units prior to upcoming knee surgery because immediately after the operation you will most likely experience pain and swelling which can be relieved by cold compression therapy. They are also recommended for patients going through physiotherapy for other (non-surgical) knee-related issues because intense physiotherapy sessions can sometimes leave you feeling as if you had just undergone surgery. The main purpose of this system is to provide compression and ice therapy, which will relieve some of the pain and swelling.

This article will focus on the Aircast Cryo Cuff Knee System because it is one of the most popular brands out there, which makes it easier to find replacement parts and information on them.

Different types of AirCast Cryo Cuff Knee Systems?

There are two main types:

* The gravity-based system – This is the lower cost version where water flows through the cuff by raising and lowering the cooler. Movement of the cooler also affects the compression of the cuff. The higher you raise the cuff, the more pressure (compression) you will feel.

* The IC pump system (or “AutoChill” system) – This system is a little bit more expensive than the gravity system because it comes with a small electric pump which provides automatic continuous cold water flow and also provides intermittent pulsating pressure. Some say that these two additional features allow for less swelling and faster recovery times.

Both systems are available in three adult sizes. To determine what size you need, measure the circumference of your thigh approx. 6 inches above the center of the knee cap, then refer to the following:

Small – 10 to 19 inches (or 25 to 48 centimeters)

Medium – 18 to 23 inches (46 to 58 centimeters)

Large – 20 to 31 inches (51 to 79 centimeters)

How do we use an AirCast Cryo Cuff Knee System?

The system is simple to use. Here are step-by-step instructions on how to set it up and use it:

1. Start by getting the cooler ready.

a. Attach the blue tube to the cooler.

b. Fill the cooler with cold water up to the indication line.

c. Add ice.

d. Place the insulation disk on top of the water/ice.

e. Place the lid on top and secure it. Make sure it’s tight to ensure no water leakage.

f. Wait five to ten minutes to make sure the water is cold enough.

2. Wrap the cuff around the affected knee. (Make sure the cuff is empty beforehand.). The top strap should be snug while the bottom strap should be a bit loser. Then adjust the front strap.

3. Connect the other end of the blue tube to the cuff and open the cooler air vent.

4. Raise the cooler 15 to 20 inches above the cuff and leave it there until the cuff is filled with water, then close the cooler air vent.

5. Place the cooler at the same level as the cuff, preferably on a stable surface (desk, coffee table, etc.)

6. If you have the motorized version, at this point you will plug it in and it will automatically start circulating the cold water.

7. Sit there and enjoy the ride.

Other tips

* With the regular (non-motorized) version of the cryo cuff, your body heat will eventually warm up the water before you are done using it. If this happens, just lower the cooler below the cuff to remove the warm water, and then repeat steps 4 and 5 above.

* If you find that there is too much pressure, or you feel tingling or numbness, lower the cooler a little bit at a time until the cuff feels more comfortable.

* If you have a bandage or dressing of some sort around your knee, make sure it isn’t too tight before securing the cuff to your knee.

Important – This is an overview on how to use it. You should always refer to the owner’s manual for specific instructions.

Are they worth it?

Some people will say that using ice packs (or even a frozen bag of peas) is all you need to reduce the swelling and pain. In some circumstances, they are correct and simple cold therapy may be enough. However other situations may require more that just simple icing. The added benefit of compression may be required depending on your situation. To determine what you need, it is crucial that you consult a doctor.

Disclaimer – I am not a doctor and I am not qualified to provide medical advice. This article was posted for informational purposes only and should not be interpreted as medical advice.

For the normal American, it’s consistently the equivalent. On the off chance that you need to get ridiculously wealthy, concoct a thought, something that is really one of a kind and never been idea of, at that point start a business. In any case, it’s fascinating to find that with the measure of thoughts everybody has concocted up until this point, a huge number of work at home organizations keep on falling flat. It’s not for absence of really one of a kind thoughts. Or maybe, it is basically because of the way that individuals are inexperienced with the fundamentals engaged with maintaining a work at home business.

The principal thing you ought to consider when choosing to begin a work at home business is the authoritative document, that substantial part of the business that you’ll be working under. In case you’re simply beginning, you are normally confronted with four decisions: sole ownership, organization, constrained association, as well as enterprise.

For most work at home organizations, sole ownership is the most clear decision. All things considered, all things considered, the individuals who need to take part in a work at home business need opportunity and autonomy not managed in their past occupations.

Instructions to Succeed in a Work at Home Business

In case you will be fruitful in business, one of the fundamental characteristics you should create is a tight hang on your consumptions. Try not to squander your beginning up capital on ruffles, for example, an amazing customer facing facade office, costly goods, and corporate legitimate expenses. An a word of wisdom is to not buy whatever doesn’t profit for you or ensure your venture.

The beneficial thing about work at home organizations on sole ownership is that you can contribute all that you have without the requirement for an enterprise to secure your speculation. You’ll have all the security you need from the property arrangement of the Federal Bankruptcy Act. By this demonstration, your family unit assets, individual effects, for the most part your vehicle, and even a bit of the value of your home can’t be detracted from you.

In any case, as a sole owner or accomplice of a work at home business, you’ll be liable to tax reductions, much equivalent to when you despite everything held down a salaried or hourly paid activity. The thing with an organization is that, as it is regularly publicized, you can control your pay so as to save money on charge dollars. This is especially genuine with enterprise laws despite the fact that the IRS for the most part dislikes this training.

At the point when you choose to join your work at home business, you’ll be dependent upon various downsides also. These by and large incorporate higher state charges, stricter laws concerning the activity of your business, progressively expand bookkeeping techniques, and lawful papers that are required each time you make a significant move with your work at home business.

Stress is part of everyone's life and work. Whether you work for someone else, run your own small business, or are a solopreneur, the better you manage your work stress, the happier and more productive you'll be in all facets of your life. So, while stress may be here to stay, it doesn't have to be in the driver's seat!

Work Stress and How to Relieve It

First, it's important to identify the source of your stress. Work stress usually falls into any one of four categories:

• Work overload and overwhelm,
• Difficult co-workers,
• Overly demanding or unreasonable bosses, and
• Anxiety stemming from uncertain economic times

The list may seem overwhelming in and of itself, but the good news is that there really are things that you can do to relieve these stressors. And many of them are things that you can put into action right away for yourself.

Let's start by looking at work overload.

If you're feeling overwhelmed start by scanning your schedule. Can you change your routine or rearrange something to find more time to get the job done? Are there tasks you can eliminate temporarily? Or could someone else pick them up for you? Being proactive and making even small changes eases things considerably.

If you continue to feel swamped and have a boss, speak to him or her. Communication is key, both for working things out and as another stress reliever. Simply sharing your feeling may open you to new possibilities.

What about the stress of co-workers who don't see eye-to-eye?

There are difficult people in all walks of life, and this is something you're likely to face no matter where you work. But, you don't have to let it stress you out.

One excellent stress management technique is to confront the issue directly. If the problem continues and you can't ignore it, another possible solution would be to ask to be moved to a different department or area. Another option to consider is to not respond or engage around the behavior that is bothersome, but try to connect in some other way. Either the person will respond by leaving you alone or, maybe better yet, he or she may befriend you. Either way, you are reducing your stress. This is the most helpful and growthful solution.

How about the overly demanding boss?

First of all, remember, your boss is your boss. It is usually unwise to approach this person in a confrontational manner. However, that does not mean you can't try talking.

To do this successfully, you'll want to schedule a meeting ahead of time. Then, before it happens, spend some time writing out your thoughts. This in itself relieves your stress because you feel clear and prepared. It will also help you state your case and stay on topic. Don't come across as blaming or condescending. Remember that your power lies in how you respond; But your boss does have power over your employment. So, if speaking your mind doesn't have the impact you'd hoped for, you'll need to let it go. Work to find the positive learning embedded in this experience. Let yourself be guided by your steadiness and discipline.

Anxiety about the future fuels stress.

Probably the biggest cause of stress in the workplace these days is fear and uncertainty about these tough economic times. There are no guarantees in this economy. That's hard to live with, so, how do you relieve some of the stress and fear?

Well, one thing is to be proactive and start preparing for the future. This might mean learning a new skill or trade. Maybe it could involve starting an on-line business or exploring saleable talents you might have. A little research and planning can relieve stress about the future, as well as opening up doors you might not have imagined!

And one bonus tip about stress …

No matter what is causing your stress, working out regularly is an excellent way to release energy and relieve overwhelm, frustration, and anxiety. You don't have to belong to a gym. You can find ways to work out anywhere – and the benefits are palpable. It's well worth the investment of time that it takes!

Desks are needed everywhere, be it home, office, schools or even a hospital. There are a huge number of people who opt for work-from-home as working hours are flexible. They also benefit people who do not have a regular job, as they use it for performing their daily home duties, working on budgets and much more. Finding the right desk for your needs is very important. Here are some of the few types of desks.

WRITING DESK

The writing desk is the simplest one available in the market. It is a flat surface that permits you to sit at the desk, on the chair of your choice. You get maximum working space as there are no drawers or other details which the other types of desks have. Be it working on your bills or writing a novel, this desk will provide you the comfort to do your job. These come in different styles and designs, and you can choose the one which suits your needs.

FLOATING DESK

A floating desk is fixed or built into a wall of the room which allows the floor space to be open. This means that, the floor will be unoccupied by the bulky legs of the desk or other details which can cram the room. This is the best one for a small home office and will look great if the room has a window with a beautiful view. This is for someone who loves simplicity, and the look of clean lines. This also provides great space for you to move your legs around while you work.

COMPUTER DESK

A computer desk is also a desk, which shouts simplicity just like a writing desk, but, it provides a large space for you to keep all the devices which you require. There will be ample amount of space to house your monitor, CPU, and other cables and connectors. Most of the computer desks come with a keyboard tray which can be slid out when they keyboard is in use and slid in when it is not required. Some also come with small drawers and a shelving unit to keep all your office supplies.

CORNER DESK

A corner desk is well suited for a home office, which does not have much foot space. The desk sits perfectly in one of the four corners of a room which allows the main part of the room to be unoccupied for other activities. There are many variations of the corner desk, from small, simple setups, to large, spacious desk tops with shelving units.

STANDING DESK

A standing desk is suitable if the kind of work you do from home does not take a lot of time or if you like to stand and work. A standing desk is taller than the other types which helps the monitor's screen to be at your standing level. Height adjustment is available in most of the standing desks. The look and design is simple and can completely change the way you work.

Studies have shown that over 85% of the root causes of organizational performance problems are in the structures, systems, and culture within which work-groups are embedded – put good people in bad systems, you get bad performance. Structures and systems are either consciously defined with purpose and intent around a strategic direction as an Intended Culture, or they emerge naturally from the patterns-of-interaction of the personalities of managers and staff within departments and functional units as an Unintended Culture. Unintentionally designed structures and systems that create contention between managers are the single largest cause of destructive conflict in departments. So focusing on conflict in a "work-group" without understanding the structures, systems, and culture within which it is embedded almost guarantees that change will not be sustainable, because the managers and staff within the work-group are less than 15% of the real problem. Identifying the root causes of conflict in work-groups should always begin by asking four key questions:

· How much of the conflict within the department is being created by the organizational structures, systems, and culture that are outside?

· How much of the conflict within the work-group is in response to dynamic forces and pressures that originate from elsewhere in the organization, or from the external environment; eg, changing levels of revenue, competitors, customer demands, the efficiency of enterprise-wide business processes or functional units that support the department, etc?

· How much of the conflict within the department is being created by interacting with other organizational units (or groups outside the organization) that operate from different disciplinary paradigms?

How much control can the work-group exert over these factors?

The answers to these and other questions will allow you to begin evaluating the root causes of performance issues and destructive conflict that come from outside the work-group in a more systematic and rigorous way. They will enable you to better: a) understand how individual group members with specific personalities are likely to respond when subjected to these external forces and pressures, b) anticipate the kinds of conflict-processing strategies that group members are likely to propose in response to organizational forces and pressures, c) utilize both-and-thinking to decrease the probability of destructive conflict and create better business solutions in day-to-day operations, and d) manage the levels of destructive and constructive conflict between team members to ensure that the climate within the work-group is positive and motivating, rather than negative and counter-productive.

For example, Stephen was the manager of a department in a company where he was held strictly accountable for the milestones, deliverables, and the overall performance of his organization. But Stephen constantly struggled with destructive conflict between two individuals (Sal and Christy) who had radically different approaches to problem-solving on key projects that had high corporate visibility – the basis of Stephen's compensation. He had tried almost everything to minimize the amount of destructive conflict within his team and improve its performance. He has had off-site retreats, done personality testing, and held myriad team building exercises to try to transform the conflict from destructive to constructive. When destructive conflict erupted in meetings, Stephen tried to intervene using the problem-solving tools the group had learned and he tried to discourage this inappropriate behavior by giving Sal and Christy marginal performance ratings and decreased compensation. Stephen had even tried to transfer Sal (the most problematic person) to another department. But each time he tried to take positive steps to correct the situation, Sal and / or Christy went around him to Stephen's boss Jane who intervened and then reversed some or all of Stephen's corrective actions. Subsequently, Jane attended one of Stephen's staff meetings to "set things straight" while Stephen was expected to sit there quietly and say nothing. Jane's boss does the same thing to her. The Board of Directors does the same thing to the company CEO.

As seen in the case of Stephen and Jane, a frequent cause of conflict in work-groups is a lack of well-defined accountability and authority for managers. In the absence of such structure, departments will establish their own ways of operating based on individual differences in personality, disciplinary paradigm, intellectual horsepower, political connections, etc. When work-groups, departments, and functional units throughout an organization are informally structured around these criteria, destructive conflict often prevails and aligning or changing the organization's direction becomes difficult or impossible. As noted by Elliot Jaques, the manager who leads a work-group should be held accountable for a minimum of four things:

The outputs of those who report to them

· Creating and sustaining a work-group that is capable of producing the desired results

Providing leadership for direct reports so they collaborate with the manager and each other to achieve the work-group's goals

· Adding value to the work of their direct reports

The issue of destructive conflict that results from differences in personality is most related to the third element in the above list. But even a complete understanding of the work-group's personality differences will never eliminate destructive conflict without the implementation of the other elements of both accountability and authority. In Stephen's case, he had accountability without some of the authorities listed below. Jaques argues that in order for a manager to be successful, they must have at least four basic authorities. This includes the ability to:

Veto the appointment of new people to the work-group

· Decide on the task assignments of direct reports

· Conduct performance appraisals of direct reports and reward desired performance and discourage poor or inappropriate performance

Initiate the removal of a direct report from their role in the work-group

No amount of teambuilding or personality profiling will ever transforms Stephen's situation into constructive conflict without accountability and authority. To the degree that these accountabilities and authorities are missing, to that same degree work-groups like Stephen's are forced to establish their own ways of operating based on individual differences in personality, disciplinary paradigm, intellectual horsepower, and political connections. One of the main reasons that traditional approaches to using individual personality typologies in the workplace have often produced marginal (or failed) results in terms of long-term sustainable change, is because they have focused on the local causes of personality in individuals, without addressing the common causes of organizational structures, systems, and culture. In other words, traditional approaches to using personality type in the workplace fail to view Personality in Context®.

Once the root causes of destructive conflict are distinguished and then identified as either common or local causes, it's important to understand the four ways in which the patterns, structure, and dynamics of conflict actually work in organizations. This includes:

Level 1 (Organizational Conflict): Two or more work-groups, departments, or functional units experience destructive conflict caused by: a) the structures, systems, or culture, b) differences in disciplinary paradigms and sub-cultures, or c) the personalities of the managers (Border Guards) who lead these organizational units and this negatively impacts the climate and performance of the interacting units and the larger organization. Often this kind of destructive conflict optimizes the power position and performance of one organizational unit, and sub-optimizes the overall performance and effectiveness of the entire organization.

Level 2 (Work-Group Conflict): The work-group experiences destructive conflict with the structures, systems, culture, or with an individual manager or staff member outside the work-group which negatively impacts the group's climate and performance.

Level 3 (Interpersonal Conflict): People in small-groups of 2s, 3s, and 4s experience destructive conflict with each other which negatively impacts the climate and performance of the work-group.

Level 4 (Intrapersonal Conflict): An individual experiences destructive conflict within themselves that may, or may not, be created by work-group or organizational activities, but this conflict negatively impacts the climate and performance of the work-group and the organization.

The first two levels of conflict are most often catalyzed by the organizational structures, systems, and culture. The second two levels are most often caused by the personality and level of psychological health of the individuals involved. It's important to remember that in many situations, all four levels of conflict are happening together at the same time, which is what makes dealing with destructive conflict in the workplace so difficult. When destructive conflict at all four levels persists over time, it can go on autopilot and become habitual patterns-of-interaction that frustrate and undermine organizational and individual performance. As a general rule, in the absence of well-defined structures and systems, patterns-of-interaction driven by personality will rule and dominate the day-to-day realities of organizational life.

Work is big deal, it is very serious for most people. As important as work is many people are unhappy at work. Entrepreneurship or as they call it “side hustle” is a better yet not seemingly easily attainable solution for most people.

I can count 200 reasons why happiness at work is important but for now let me give you just three reasons

Reason (I) you spend most of your life at work. Most people are at work for at least 10 hours a week – for many that might mean getting up at 6 am, getting ready for work, leaving home at 7am and getting stuck in traffic before you get to work at 8am.

So, if you spend 8 hours at work or 9 hours you probably spend more time with your colleagues than you do with your family. Just think about it, 8 hours every day with your supervisor every single day of the week translates to 40 hours a week with your supervisor and co-workers as opposed to the 16 hours you spend with family on weekends

Reason (II) Work brings in the cash, who said money was not important? Money is very important… we can’t easily live without it. We need to cloth ourselves, we need food, we need shelter, we need or even want a good holiday every once in a while. More money is needed if you have children and a family to take care of. Money is so important the absence of it can raise havoc to our happiness and wellbeing. I am not saying we should worship money but I am saying that it is important

Reason (III) Work is important for your happiness, if you are not happy at work and constantly have work problems it is easy for those problems to creep into other areas in your life including your relationship with your family, husband or wife and everything else.

So, work is a big deal!!

You might be asking yourself, where am I going with this?

Research shows that as important as work is, most people are not happy at work. According to Forbes, 70% of people in the workplace are disengaged.

Why are people sometimes not happy at work? In general, there are three common work problems that most people have, maybe you are facing one of them, either (I) you don’t like the work (II) you don’t like the boss or people that you work with or (III) you are not growing or are not recognised enough (not enough pay, no promotion etc.).

I have learnt in my life from working and coaching many people that most work problems can get solved by just doing three things right. Just three things.

(I) Being strong

Back in the days I used to work for a company where there was a staff kitchen cleaner. Most staff members would arrive at work in the morning and go on with their routine, make a cup of tea, eat some breakfast cereals… make another cup of tea later on and so on.

Not many staff members ever said thank you for the great job that the kitchen lady did. But whenever she happened to take time off or was off sick everybody moaned about how dirty the kitchen looked as they couldn’t find clean cups and things got scattered all over the place. So the work that the helper in the kitchen was very important but nobody ever noticed until she was not there. How many people are like that in our lives that we take for granted. Your work is important trust me just know that even if you feel unappreciated.

Some of us live in complexes, we have security control at the gates, and they open the gate each day with us going on in with our business and ensure that we are protected. We may not always say thank you for their effort but when the gate is not opened get upset about the situation.

I am trying to remind you that your work is important, every work is important, from the floor cleaner right up to the CEO. So in whatever it is that you do understand that your work is important because that is fundamental for you taking an interest in it which will allow you to be strong about the circumstance that you face and give you better ability to remain strong and positive.

(II) Knowing more

Secondly, know more about the business that you work for. Even if you are a floor worker at Pick n Pay or Shoprite or Woolworths or furniture shop it would help to know what your company does, how it makes money and what is important to the business. Can you imagine a floor worker at Pick N Pay that knows all the company board members names, how much profit the company made, how many stores it has in South Africa. Do you think this person can remain a floor worker for long with that much knowledge and awareness? I would live you to answer that question.

Knowing more about the business you are involved in helps you become relevant and become useful in ways that you can’t even imagine. Before you know it you would become a valuable asset to your organisation and progress better in your company. What is excellent about knowing more is that even if you do not grow within your company you would always impress looking for work elsewhere because you will go to interviews informed and with the right level of thinking and self-confidence.

It is easy when you are not happy at work to get disengaged get passive. The problem with that is that nothing changes for you from your work environment because you are doing nothing. Instead of doing nothing I would like to advise you to know more. Whatever you do as a job, whatever business you are involved in, just know more about it. Knowing more leads to powerful change that is why some people who have worked for security companies or restaurants started their own firms doing the same thing. When you know more suddenly the boss has no unreasonable power over you. You get better positioned to change things, to reason and to influence things.

(II) Be initiative

Knowing more does not help if you do not take initiative and do more. What do I mean by doing more? I mean understand the needs of the business people around you, you supervisor, your company and proactively work hard towards meeting them. Do not just go about your daily routine, try to understand what your boss and your company values. Ask questions to your boss, what are the two important things that I can help you with right now? Then go ahead and help with that, then ask after you do whatever it is that is required, “is there anything more that I can do to help?” Being of service is important and it will help you become valuable. You will outperform many other people on your job. Your value will increase and your bank account will show that.

Being initiative is not just about working your job. When you implement the second advice that I gave i.e. knowing more about your business, being initiative can move you to a place where you are not just a restaurant worker and become a restaurant owner. You can get to a place where you are not jus a security worker but a security company owner.

Over my 35 years in chiropractic practice I have noted that people work hard! Whether it is a physical construction or factory job, working in healthcare as a nurse, hygienist, technician or health aide or sitting long hours at a desk, these activities can have a harmful effect on the body. Many people who work long hours who have musculoskeletal pain can be helped with chiropractic care. With a little foresight and prudence many painful musculoskeletal conditions can be avoided. Prevention is the key!

Just today, I happen to be speaking to a 74-year-old retired plumber who was not my patient. He told me he had already had back surgery, open-heart surgery, diabetes causing neuropathy of his feet and had a severely arthritic knee. He said he had worked from age 16 until the age of 60 when he retired. I asked him if he had ever gone to a chiropractor and he said he had not. It made me speculate how much better his health would've been had he been under chiropractic care from the time he started his vocation.

I have many patients who have worked for decades at extremely physical jobs and patients who also work for decades at sedentary jobs who have very few health problems. There are several key factors that they note have helped them maintain good health when others in their professions have declining health. These factors include getting adequate sleep, eating food to fuel their body, not feed their emotions, and getting regular chiropractic care. Many of these patients have come to me at least monthly for decades. They are not coming to me for pain or symptoms, they are coming to keep their spine in good alignment and moving properly. This helps keep their backs strong and be less susceptible to stress and injury.

Chiropractic care is certainly great at relieving neck, mid back and back pain. However, many people choose to utilize chiropractic care beyond the initial pain relief phase and go on to periodic maintenance care and perform simple stretching and strengthening exercises at home to sustain their good health. This is a lot like going to a dentist regularly to keep one's teeth healthy or going for a yearly blood test to catch possible health problems in the early stages. It is wise for those who work long hours to have chiropractic care to minimize musculoskeletal pain that occurs over a lifetime of work.