Most wellness practitioners – like chiropractors, naturopathic doctors, acupuncturists, and massage therapists – generate clients through referrals from existing clients. Regardless of the modality, people want skilled practitioners that can be trusted, and nothing creates a perception of trust more than a referral from a family member or friend.
You may have found your ideal massage therapist from a recommendation, but what if you need a chiropractor and nobody you know uses chiropractic care? If you’re like most people, you’ll probably use the internet.
The internet is flooded with business listings, so here are three tips to help you find your next wellness practitioner without missing the hidden gems, or being fooled by fake reviews:
1. Don’t judge a business by its website
Judging a business by its website may not be the best approach to making decisions, but it’s difficult not to. You would think that businesses would invest the time and money required to produce a professional and easy to navigate website, but that’s not always the case. For some wellness practitioners, their website is the last thing on their mind and some haven’t upgraded in the last ten years.
Wellness practitioners don’t always have the time or knowledge to market themselves professionally, and since many of them operate on a referral basis, they don’t always see the need. Keep this in mind while searching online for your next practitioner.
2. Search directories that allow only verified reviews
It’s no secret that Yelp is filled with fake reviews, and a quick search for writing gigs on Craigslist will prove this. Many businesses post ads offering to pay people for fake reviews, often providing the script of a glowing review.
Competitors may also pay people to post bad reviews for other businesses. They get away with it because Yelp doesn’t verify that a user has interacted with the business or made a purchase before allowing a review to be submitted.
The best way around this is to use local directories that only post reliable reviews from verified purchases or client interactions – like Yocale, for example.
Yocale is reliable because it’s not just a directory listing or a review website. It’s actually a complete software suite for appointment based businesses to manage their schedules and market themselves. They also list participating businesses in a searchable, local directory. The only people who can post reviews are verified clients who have completed their appointments. This way, competitors can’t pay people to post fake reviews.
3. Extract authentic reviews from a sea of potential fakes
Since Yocale only lists businesses that subscribe to their services, you need a plan to verify reviews of businesses you might find elsewhere. You need to know how to spot fake reviews. Although some businesses have a mix of authentic and fake reviews, if you can spot a pattern of positive fake reviews, you probably don’t want to do business with them.
To spot fake reviews:
- Read as many reviews as you can, starting with five star reviews. Look for patterns in the words used to convey experiences. Look for patterns in the experiences shared. It’s easy to spot scripted reviews because they will follow a general pattern, use the same adjectives, and often lack the element of personal experience. For example, fake reviews often say things like, “great business, would highly recommend, great job.” Or, “I’m highly satisfied with my (product name here). Well worth the money, would make a great gift.”
- Single out the one and two star reviews to look for company behavior patterns. If there’s something shady with the way the company does business, it will be made known in the one and two star reviews.
- In every review, look for a description of an actual experience rather than an emotional expression. Reviews that discuss minor inconveniences are a good sign because they’re likely genuine. People get frustrated when things don’t go perfectly, and a review expressing that is a sign that a real interaction took place.
- Scan reviews on Fakespot. This is a handy tool that grades the potentiality of fake reviews by checking multiple factors including language usage, the number of positive reviews that show up in a single day, and user profiles.
The best approach to finding your next wellness practitioner is to do your homework, research as much as you can, and don’t hesitate to call up the office and ask for a brief consultation. Most practitioners are open to a quick conversation to answer questions and address concerns if it means gaining a new client.
When it comes to staying healthy and accomplishing fitness goals, there’s a lot of discussion surrounding which foods to eat and which to avoid. It’s also easy to find advice on different workout regimens. Yet, we don’t seem to talk nearly enough about hydration.
Hydration and Fitness: Examining the Impact
Did you know that 75 percent of your body is made up of water at birth? For perspective, the water content of an apple is 80 percent, while bananas are 74 percent water. Pretty interesting, right?
By the time we reach maturity, water levels stabilize to 65 percent for adult males and 55 percent for adult females. In other words, it still accounts for more than half of our body mass. So, for all of the attention we put on building muscle and losing fat, shouldn’t we also be thinking about maintaining proper hydration?
Water plays an important role in the functioning of the human body. It helps you maintain a normal temperature, lubricates your joints, protects your spinal cord, and assists in eliminating waste through bowel movements, urination, and perspiration.
Not only is dehydration unhealthy, but it actually directly impairs performance. “A drop of body weight by as little as 2% due to dehydration is enough to affect performance by slowing down the entire process through which the body metabolizes glycogen (fuel) and gets rid of byproducts,” DAREBEE explains. “It also contributes to muscle fatigue long before the body’s fuel reserves run out.”
There are many fitness-related benefits of staying hydrated: higher pain tolerance, reduced cravings for empty calories, increased energy levels, better performance, mental clarity, and fewer cramps.
How to Maintain Healthy Hydration Levels
If you’re not a very big water drinker, then going from just a couple of glasses of water per day to the recommended 11-15 cups can be daunting. Here are some tips to ensure you get the right amount of water – and do it in the healthiest way possible.
- Drink safe water. You need to be absolutely sure that the water you’re putting into your body is safe. You may want to test the water in your home. If the results are less than satisfactory, a good water filter can be purchased relatively inexpensively.
- Carry a water bottle. You aren’t going to get enough water by making random stops at the water fountain or drinking a couple of glasses of water at dinner. You have to be proactive and carry a water bottle with you wherever you go.
- Track your water intake. As you attempt to increase the amount of water you drink, keep a log. Track how many cups/ounces/bottles you drink per day. As you increase the amount, make note of how you feel. You’ll likely find that increased water intake is directly correlated to an overall sense of better health.
If you’re like most people, you’re awake for 16 to 18 hours every day. Drinking just one glass of water per hour would get you right where you need to be. It doesn’t get much easier than that.
Stay Hydrated This Summer
There’s no time of year where hydration is more necessary than in the heat of summer.
“Staying hydrated is fundamentally important to a successful summer exercise regimen, in fact, for any activity,” says Adrian Cohen, MD, the medical advisor for reality TV shows like Survivor. “Whilst we tend to focus on hard, sweaty workouts and long jogging sessions, even a brisk walk or a scratch basketball game in the hotter weather puts demands on the human body, and without the ‘fuel’ (water) the engine runs dry.”
Whether you’re looking to accomplish very specific fitness objectives this summer – or simply want to stay healthy – paying attention to your water intake and hydration levels will benefit your body tremendously.
We’re grateful for modern medicine and life-saving technology, but doctors are not infallible. Surgeons and medical professionals commit errors every year, many of which cost their patients time, money, and even a way of life. If that should happen to you, you may be entitled to compensation through a medical malpractice suit.
How often do doctors make mistakes?
Mistakes in the medical field are more common than the profession likes to admit. A new study published in the journal Surgery revealed that U.S. surgeons are responsible for more than 4,000 errors each year.
They can be anything from sewing a forgotten sponge into an open wound to operating on the wrong limb. These accidents are termed “never-events” because they would never have occurred if the doctors and nurses had followed protocol.
These thousands of never-events do not include the many other complications that may result from a poorly performed procedure or other errors on the part of the hospital. Some mistakes end in unnecessary death from surgery, medication errors, infections, and the adverse effects of poorly prescribed surgery.
Because those mistakes are harder to track, it’s not clear how many are committed in each category.
How many lead to malpractice suits?
The total malpractice suits filed each year far outnumbers the actual never-events that take place. About 85,000 medical malpractice suits are filed annually in the U.S. to combat some of the negative effects of poorly performed medicine.
Not all cases land payouts, however. Sometimes an error by the patient resulted in the injury, or the downturn was not something the doctor could handle.
How much are people paid for medical malpractice victories?
Payouts vary substantially in malpractice suits. On average, medical providers in the U.S. will disburse more than $3 billion to redress mistakes they’ve made.
The payout is determined on a case-by-case basis, but it can reach the millions. One young man injured in a Lake County, Illinois accident was awarded $33.2 million because he received inadequate care at a nearby hospital.
Are you eligible for a medical malpractice suit?
You shouldn’t file a suit if you’re not sure you can win. It’s just a waste of time and money otherwise.
First, you have to discern whether you’ve really been the victim of medical negligence. Just because you had a negative outcome after surgery or a hospital stay doesn’t mean it was the facility’s fault.
Sometimes, your injuries may be beyond repair, or research regarding your condition is insufficient to heal you. Doctors don’t have the answers to everything, and you can’t sue them for that.
In some cases, the medical professionals may also inform you they made a mistake and take action to make amends. If they catch it in time and correct it without you being any worse for wear, you won’t have much of a case unless they bill you for the extra care.
When you’re the victim of medical negligence, that means a medical professional has breached the standard of care, and you’ll need proof of that to make your case. Proof may include:
- Medical receipts
- Test results
- Pictures of injuries before and after care
- Personal log entries recorded during treatment
- Letters from your hospital or health care provider that inform you of a mistake
- Image or video evidence of a misdeed
Such documents can help you determine whether you’re entitled to some form of compensation. You can also discuss your situation and options with a qualified attorney who has experience in handling medical negligence matters and can help you file suit.
When should you file a medical malpractice suit?
As mentioned earlier, you mustn’t file a medical malpractice lawsuit on a whim. Sometimes, you’d just be wasting time and money to go after a health care facility that did its best to treat you.
However, if you’ve been injured at the hands of a medical professional, you need to seek justice. This isn’t about getting revenge or proving a point, but about getting the care you need to recover. Money may not restore you to perfect health, but it can pay for your accrued medical bills and assist you in getting future treatment for your resulting injury.
If you have reason to believe you’ve been the victim of medical negligence, it’s vital for your physical and mental health to pursue redress. Talk to a lawyer in your state about your options and whether a medical malpractice suit might be a suitable course of action.
Until you’re involved in a major car accident, it’s impossible to know how it may affect you, emotionally as well as physically. Long after the physiological injuries heal, you could be pretty to anxiety and depression.
How you deal with this rarely discussed facet of injury accidents will have a substantial impact on your healing process.
Four Tips for Beating Anxiety After a Car Accident
A car accident can have a major effect on your life. It can affect your health and emotions, as well as your finances. It’s imperative that you surround yourself with people who can help you obtain the physical and psychiatric care you need.
Start by finding friends and family members who can support you emotionally, and then look for an auto accident lawyer. Once you have those two squared away, the following four tips should help you tackle your anxiety.
1. Take Things Slowly
One of the biggest mistakes car accident victims make is rushing back into activity. You need to be realistic about your situation and avoid returning to a vehicle prematurely (especially the driver’s seat).
You might be startled by the range of emotions you’ll experience, including shock, anger, fear, and potentially even guilt. By easing into things slowly, you can take the time to identify all your emotions and unpack them before they grow into something much bigger.
2. Avoid Triggers
You may be totally fine, emotionally, to start driving again soon after a collision. You can crank up the car, turn out of your driveway, get on the interstate, and everything will seem okay.
But if you happen to pass the crash site, everything could suddenly change. You get that pit in your stomach, a hot flash comes over you, and it’s just too much to bear.
This is a totally common and understandable response. It’s the reason experts recommend that victims avoid the crash site, as well as other triggers, for a period of time.
In many instances, time is the only thing that can heal your psychic wounds.
3. Be Open About Your Emotions
Car crash victims often feel like a burden to their friends and family members, especially if they’ve been in the hospital or required ongoing care. In response, many bottle up their emotions with the idea that they’ll become less of a bother.
Nobody needs a psychologist to tell you this is dangerous. The deeper you bury emotions, the greater the chance you’ll experience scarring. It’s much better to let your emotions out so you can deal with them appropriately and have a better shot at returning to normal.
4. Take a Defensive Driving Course
Something interesting may happen when you’ve been in a major wreck. Even if you’ve maintained a perfect driving record for years, you might suddenly lose faith in your skills.
You start to wonder whether you’ve lost your ability to drive well. Simple tasks that used to come naturally now feel forced. One way to reclaim some of the comfort and assurance you once took for granted is to take a defensive driving class.
“The causes of these crashes, emotional impact and cost in dollars spent on car crashes are typically covered in defensive driving courses,” SafeMotorist.com explains. “The goal of good defensive driving is to reduce the risk of these accidents by properly educating students to exercise caution and good judgment while driving.”
Set Yourself Up for Success
Everyone responds differently to a vehicle collision. Some people can be involved in a serious crash and return to driving with no ill effects. Others may undergo a minor fender bender and suffer serious emotional trauma.
What’s essential is how you respond and care for yourself. Be honest about how you feel and prepare to return to the life you knew before the incident by taking it easy and making healthy choices.
Health and fitness fads come and go, but some stick around longer than others. Some fads become common knowledge, and end up as “common sense” that might turn out not to be so sensible after all.
If you’re engaging in the following 3 practices, you could be doing more harm to your body than good. Just because something looks healthy doesn’t mean it’s actually beneficial.
1. Overtraining at the gym
There is a long-standing sentiment that more is always better. While that might be true when it comes to time and money, it’s not true when it comes to fitness training.
The period of time your body requires to rest between your workouts is just as important (or more) than your actual workout. Your muscles need time to recover. Your biceps aren’t just sore from doing all of those curls, your muscle fibers have been torn and need time to repair themselves. Your muscles don’t grow bigger during your workout, they grow bigger during the time you rest, which allows the muscle fibers to regrow thicker and stronger.
Here are eight signs that you’re overtraining, including losing your leanness despite increased exercise. Overtraining can affect your hormone levels and when that goes out of balance, it’s possible for you to burn through your muscle mass and leave the fat untouched.
Stop working harder to burn off that dessert you ate
Additionally, how and what you eat is going to determine the majority of the results you get. The old notion of eating a slice of pie and heading to the gym to burn it off is a misnomer.
Not only are you not burning off that specific slice of pie later that evening (you probably haven’t even processed it yet), but when you get your diet under control, there’s no need for this behavior.
With a proper diet, it’s unnecessary to burn off massive amounts of dessert calories because you aren’t eating them in the first place.
2. Brushing your teeth really hard
This is another area where the “more is better” mindset pops up. Many people think they need to brush their teeth really hard to get them clean, but this is not true. Most people would be surprised to learn they could clean the plaque off their teeth just by wiping them with a cloth. Unfortunately, a cloth won’t get inside the cracks, so that’s why we use a toothbrush.
People brush their teeth too hard because they don’t understand the difference between plaque and tartar. Plaque is soft and consists of saliva, bacteria, and food particles that collect on the teeth, tongue, and gums. Tartar is a build up of plaque that hardens on the teeth. Tartar is what dentists remove with a scaler, and because it requires scraping, people mistakenly think they need to use the same intensity when they brush.
Overbrushing wears down your enamel, creates hyper sensitivity, and pushes back the gumline. When your gumline recedes, it doesn’t grow back. Damage done by overbrushing can cause the need for invasive and expensive treatments.
3. Washing your hair daily
It seems like the best thing to do if you want to stay clean, but washing your hair every day can damage your scalp, and keep your hair dull and dry.
Washing your hair daily strips your hair of its natural oils that are required to keep your scalp hydrated. The more you wash your hair, the drier both your hair and your scalp will get. You’ll experience a lot of broken strands, too.
You can’t trust the shampoo commercials that tell you their shampoo will make your hair shiny, and eliminate dry scalp and split ends. The overuse of shampoo is what causes all of that.
Don’t be afraid to skip a wash once in a while. Your scalp will thank you for it.
There could be a connection between making healthy food choices and being under the age of 30. Studies have shown that the younger generations, in particular millennials, are more health-conscious about the food they eat. Many millennials will make healthy choices when they go to the vending machines, assuming those healthy choices are there in the first place.
The Nielsen Global Health and Wellness Survey released a report featuring some very surprising information about how millennials are eating. It showed that they were far more health-conscious in their food choices than other generations. Over 30,000 consumers were surveyed around the world and many of them expressed their concern over the quality of food ingredients, along with genetically modified food. Millennials were more interested in purchasing organic produce and food, even if it had a higher price tag.
The study looked at more than just millennials. Many of the consumers surveyed came from what is known as “Generation Z”, the generation after millennials; people under the age of 20. Over 40% of the Generation Z participants said they would be willing to eat healthier and buy better food, even if it cost them more; they weren’t willing to compromise their health for the sake of a few dollars. They are more conscious about what is really going into their food as well. They don’t want to consume hormones or pesticides as part of their diet, so they choose to eat organic. Organic fruits and vegetables are grown without pesticides, while organic meat is reared on natural food. This makes organic foods safer for consumption and healthier as well.
Many consumers across the board are beginning to demand healthier food choices and they are willing to hand over more cash in return for their choices. The study showed that 26% of Gen-Xers, 23% of Baby Boomers, and 15% of the Silent Generation were also willing to pay a little more money for their food if it was healthier.
This demand for healthier food, according to HealthyYOU Vending, has also been reflected in sales figures. Sales of natural and organic products have risen 28% across the past year. This is a solid indication that consumers mean what they say about spending more money on healthier products. More stores are offering a wider range of organic produce and organic restaurants are popping up in more areas. The demand for healthy products is clearly evident.
A large chunk of the health food industry is healthy vending. The healthy vending industry is worth around $42 billion and it’s only becoming more valuable. Healthy vending machines offer the convenience of regular vending machines, but with healthy and organic choices rather than soda and chips.
HealthyYOU Vending is one of the current leaders of the healthy vending industry. The company works hard to cater to this rising generation of health-food consumers. HealthyYOU Vending has vending machines in schools, businesses and recreational facilities all across the nation, increasing their exposure and making it easier for people to eat the healthy food they want.
Thanks to companies such as HealthyYOU Vending, it’s never been faster or easier for a person to make healthy snack and drink choices in a hurry.
People love to talk about the freedom and flexibility that comes with being a small business owner. You get to set your own schedule and don’t have to answer to anyone. But the people who dwell on these things don’t know much about what it’s actually like to be a business owner. The title comes with lots of stress – and most small business owners do a poor job of managing it. For all intents and purposes, this has created a health crisis in the business world.
The Stress Problem
According to a research study of 153 small business owners across a variety of industries, stress and burnout are quite common. The findings revealed that 38.2 percent of business owners experience high levels of stress, 38.8 percent encounter moderate levels, and 23 percent report low levels of stress.
Not only does constant stress lead to burnout, but it also negatively impacts the physical and mental health of most small business owners. If something isn’t done soon, then it’s likely that the problem will only get worse.
Healthy Stress Management Tips
If you’re a small business owner, it’s absolutely imperative that you get your stress under control. Here are a few healthy stress management tips that should help.
1. Have a Talk With Your Spouse
“A major potential stressor is the interface between work and home, often referred to as the work-life balance,” explains Kanchan Aaron, one of the leading researchers involved with the aforementioned study. “Lack of support and understanding from a spouse can lead to conflict between roles with regard to responsibility over others.”
If you feel friction between yourself and your spouse, it’s important that you have a conversation. Leaving things unsaid or failing to broach a topic for fear of conflict ultimately leads to bigger problems.
2. Get Some Help
Small business owners are constricted by tight budgets and limited staff, which means they have to take on a lot of responsibilities that they really shouldn’t be involved with on a daily basis. Sound familiar?
One way to relieve some of the stress you face is to hire consultants and freelancers to take care of tasks like accounting, marketing, web design, recruiting, etc. This frees you up to focus on core business tasks.
3. Take a Vacation
As a small business owner, you probably feel like you can’t take a vacation. After all, wouldn’t the business fall apart if you were gone? Well, you need to look at it another way. If you don’t take vacations, you’re ultimately going to burn out. As a result, the business will fall apart.
Take at least one full week of vacation per year. Go to the beach, be lazy around the house, or venture out of the country. Do something that relaxes you and takes your mind off work. You’ll return feeling surprisingly refreshed.
4. Get Some Exercise
If you’re sitting at a desk all day, you need to infuse some physical exercise into your daily routine. Not only will it keep you in shape, but it will also cause much of the stress you face to melt away.
You probably assume you don’t have time to workout during the day, but you’d be surprised by how much you can fit into just 20 or 30 minutes. Try one of these six brutally tough workouts for yourself and you’ll begin to see just how practical it really is.
Get Your Stress Under Control
As you’re well aware, stress has both physical and mental side effects. It has a way of holding you back and slowly deteriorates your mind and body. In order to be the best version of yourself that you can possibly be, it’s important to get your stress under control.
Superfoods are one of the quickest (and tastiest if you ask me) ways to get a serious nutrition boost, whether that’s every day because you’re a busy mom or when you’re on vacation and eating out is taking a serious toll on you.
But which superfoods are the ones to add? You know, the ones that are both super good nutritionally and flavor-wise?
1. Blueberries
Really, all berries are good because they’re great sources of vitamins and antioxidants. But blueberries take the healthy cake so to speak since they have a low amount of calories per serving and the highest cellular antioxidant activity level of commonly consumed fruits. Science has also found that regular blueberry consumption improves insulin sensitivity in those who are at a high risk for type 2 diabetes.
2. Chia Seeds
Although tiny in size, chia seeds are powerfully armed with fiber, protein and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Why do these things matter? Well, fiber is a good appetite controller, and it also helps with weight loss and keeps you healthy as it feeds friendly gut bacteria that play a role in controlling weight and immunity. Protein likewise can help reduce appetite and weight because smaller amounts of protein keep you feeling fuller longer than higher amounts of other food so you don’t eat as often. As for the fatty acids, your body can’t produce them on its own but needs them to help your body and brain properly grow and develop.
Chia seeds are also great thickening agents if you prefer your smoothies to be that consistency.
3. Hemp Seeds
Another seed to add, hemp seeds are rich in omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. But that’s not all. They contain gamma-linolenic acid and stearidonic acid, which many consider to be “super” acids. Gamma-linolenic acid has also been linked to reduced inflammation that can reduce ones risk of heart disease. This mildly nutty flavored seed is also a complete protein and high in fiber, benefitting digestive health and lowering the risk for diabetes.
4. Cacao
This raw form of everyone’s favorite food, chocolate, is a good antioxidant, thanks to its flavonoid content, and anti-inflammatory food. Studies have even found that consuming dark chocolate, like cacao, daily lowers blood pressure and cholesterol levels, making it an efficient cardiovascular preventative tactic, especially those who are at a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. Cacao is also a good source of calcium, magnesium and iron.
And while chocolate is known for being sweet, don’t expect cacao to be. For the best health results, you want it in raw form, and raw cacao tastes a little bitter.
5. Superfood Powder
Whether you’re always on the go or your family prefers French fries over fruits and veggies, superfood powder is how you can get everyone in your family to eat their needed nutrition without them even knowing. Superfood powder is simply a powder made from nutrient-packed foods, such as kale, Acai berries, spirulina and more. Simply add a scoop or two (depending on the powder you buy) into your smoothie to not only meet your recommended values of fruits and vegetables, but also increase your energy level and protect your immune system
Does every workday feel like another mundane day spent trapped in the four corners of your office cubicle? Aside from the fact that it’s true, there’s a scientific reason for feeling this way.
This feeling is fondly referred to by health experts as “nature deficit disorder”, an anxiety or depression that results from trapping oneself indoors and spending not enough time outdoors. This commonly happens to people who work in offices and in front of monitors the entire day every day.
Although the office is designed to encourage productivity, connecting to nature can also do amazing things to the way you work. There are studies that show that work satisfaction and productivity are not just limited to an air-conditioned room and a couple of vacation leaves. There has to be a dose of nature to break the stagnancy of the office environment.
Here are three reasons why:
1. It relieves stress.
According to Harvard physician and co-author of the book, Your Brain on Nature, think of nature as a drop of morphine to one’s brain. Being outdoors can lower one’s cortisol levels, the hormones in the body that puts an individual into stress, and lower one’s blood pressure and heart rate. This results to an overall improvement of one’s immune system.
No one needs their stress response turned off than office workers. Doing so allows the individual to access one’s higher brain centers, thereby increasing concentration and enhancing creativity. It also reduces mental fatigue and improves one’s memory.
2. It reduces your risk of heart disease.
An office equipment as innocent as an office chair can be a risk to your health, especially if your work involves sitting all day. People with desk jobs should monitor their blood pressure as they are more likely to experience a heart attack than those whose jobs are more physical.
Bringing your work in nature may not necessarily rid you of the deadly office chair, but it will disrupt the sedentary atmosphere of an office environment and encourage you to move around as you should.
3. It is a good distraction.
Of course, your main objective is to get serious work done, but focusing too much on work without stopping to rest can put you in more stress instead. Just like in working out, you need to cool down to relax and recharge, and working in nature brings this kind of balance in your job.
Working outdoors helps prevent eyestrain from staring too much at the computer and brain fatigue from thinking too much. It’s always a good idea to take a break by gazing at the sky, watching leaves sway, and just feeling the summer breeze. Even walking in the woods has shown to improve cognitive function.
Now, here are tips on how you can bring nature’s therapy into your work environment:
Hold meetings out of the office.
Meetings are where brainstorming happens, and what better way to stimulate creativity than to bask in nature’s goodness. Holding meetings outdoors is one simple way to get your daily nature dose without actually neglecting your job. It’s literally a breath of fresh air and a refreshing way to get employees out from being glued to their computer screens all day.
Take your laptop out.
If seeing your desk reminds you of a nerve-racking workday ahead, leave it. Take a laptop and work at the park or in your nearest outdoor cafe. This will stimulate your brain to get you through the day productive and less stressful. An online inventory software company in California has since encouraged its employees to take work to the company’s rooftop to catch some scenery -- and the CEO claims that doing so has generated more creative solutions from the team.
Don’t eat from your desk.
Lunchtime is a great opportunity to take a break and grab some fresh air, so don’t waste it by eating from your desk. Better yet, organize an outdoor lunch with the team at least once a week. Not only will nature refresh your mind from the day’s work, a social bonding with the team is also an excellent cool down hack from a mundane workday.
Bring nature to your office.
If getting outdoors is still impossible for you, bring a dose of nature into your work environment. Simply placing potted plants in your office or picking a spot with a view of nature outside can greatly help enhance productivity and stimulate mental function. Some studies show that even just looking at photographs of nature can result to the same cognitive effects as being outdoors physically.
Our work brings food to the table, but neglecting one’s health in the process can result badly in the long run. Take a break with nature more often. Your health will thank you for it.
There are various ways to create a new space in the fitness industry, but if you’re looking to invest right now, your best option may be to buy a franchise in an existing chain.
Why franchise? Currently, group fitness options are thriving, and a lot of popular chains control the bulk of the market share. If you hope to draw customers and recoup initial costs, franchises offer solid advantages.
In particular, companies such as SoulCycle, Orangetheory, and CrossFit, which all focus on group training, are at the heart of the trend, and most of these companies have been gaining momentum for years. They aren’t just a flash in the pan, which should inspire the aspiring fitness entrepreneur to pay attention.
If you think you have the next big idea in fitness, or you’re just not sold on the franchise model, below are three central factors you need to consider. An entrepreneur is only as good as her idea, but an idea can only stay afloat with funds … and franchises are ideal for bringing the two together.
Hewing to the Establishment
As stated above, opening a franchise means you start out of the gate associated with an established name in fitness, and that can surely give your company a competitive edge. It also means your firm launches with a plan, operating procedures, and marketing support.
Inexperienced business owners often struggle in the planning phases, so they understandably flounder in the opening months as they juggle new procedures and test different practices. If you have a franchise, you just check in with headquarters.
The Money Matters
Opening a franchise also has financial benefits, both long-term and from the outset. Typically, when someone opens a company, it’s hard to estimate initial expenditures or how long it might take to make back what you’ve invested. It’s financially risky and can sink you deep in debt before you know it.
With a franchise, however, the parent company can supply general estimates for all these items, and allows you to choose an optimal business loan. Many franchise owners opt for a short-term loan because they know their ties to an established business should empower them to cover their costs fairly swiftly.
The only serious financial downside to opening a franchise is that you’ll need to pay an annual franchise fee and any contracted royalties. If your franchise isn’t very successful, it can be hard to shell out for the rights to the name.
But if your branch takes off, then these costs are just a drop in the bucket compared to your profits.
Tried-and-true Trends
Finally, franchises hinge on a set of trends that may not actually be trends at all. For example, late 2015 fitness predictions suggested that spin classes would stay popular and yoga would regain some territory through niche branding.
It’s almost mid 2017 and these predictions continue to hold. Spinning in particular has maintained its ascendance in the fitness industry. Is a trend still a trend if it hasn’t faded in more than a year or two?
If you’re interested in opening a franchise, you’ve got a lot of options, and there’s something for everyone. Small-name franchises like FIT4MOM have opening fees as low as $5,500 while big brands obviously demand considerably greater opening capital.
Even if you don’t want to be a franchisee forever, they’re a great way to build business acumen and learn your way around the industry. Don’t dismiss the potential of franchising.
