Tips » Supladita™

Inspirational tips to help get you off your butt.

✔ Reward Yourself

Set minigoals, such as making it to the gym three times a week, and then reward yourself with something special: a pedicure or even a piece of gourmet chocolate.

✔ Make It Enticing

Save things you enjoy-listening to tunes, reading your fave mag-for the gym so you’ll have something pleasant to look forward to while working up a sweat.

✔ Follow The Stars

Want to stay fit like Gretchen Barretto and makeup artist Barbi Chan? Try boxing! Tip: Tell your trainer how intense a workout you want-he’ll follow suit.

✔ Don’t Overdo It

Pick only one goal — e.g., putting in ten (10) extra minutes a week at your cardio session. If you add a strict diet and no booze as well, you’ll be more likely to blow it all off.

Next time life leaves you in a foul, everything-sucks mood, employ these strategies to get an insta-lift.

✔ Take an iPod timeout. Put on your earphones, and lose yourself in your favorite tunes. A slower tempo will relax you, but music that’s heavy and throbbing will let you work through anger and annoyance, so you can get rid of these negative emotions out of your system quickly.

✔ Slick on red lipgloss. Red lips exude confidence and sex appeal. The reaction you get from others will help replace your bad mood with sexy self-assuredness.

✔ Crack up in front of your computer. It’s impossible to feel bad when you’re laughing, so watch funny Youtube clips or download a video from Funnyordie.com or Collegehumor.com.

✔ Switch on your desk lamp. Harsh overhead lighting can amplify stress and irritation, while a softer glow can help soothe you.

✔ Surround yourself with yellow and orange. Studies show that people become more joyful in these warm, bright colors, possibly because they remind us of the sun. If you don’t have a yellow or orange garment to wear, pick up flowers on these hues.

✔ The Split Personality. Sometimes she’ll kick off her stilettos and gab with you about haircuts and boyfriends. But when she gets angry, her screams can be heard from across the office.

Management strategy: Sit beside her when she’s involved in a passive activity, like scanning the newspapers. Put your hand on her arm, and as you feel her muscles relax a bit, say “It seems like something’s on your mind. Can I get you something?” If she won’t open up, don’t pry, but keep the physical connection. If she does spill, just listen so she knows how much it means for her to share it with you.

✔ The Cult Leader. Her dazzling charisma and passion for your project motivate you to work extremely hard — commuting to the office on weekends, answering text messages at one (1) a.m. Then one morning, the alarm clock rings and you can’t do anything except pull the covers over your head.

Management strategy: Set boundaries. No more answering emails on a Saturday night, or keeping your cellphone strapped to your waist. Talk to her about getting help with your workload — if she’s as worthy of your worship as you think, she’ll listen.

How To Negotiate Your Salary: Be Flexible

First, find out how much your peers (in the same field) are making to give you an idea of the salary range for someone in your position. Factor in experience; if you already have a lot of experience, you can negotiate for a higher salary. Finally, be flexible. We seldom get our asking price, that’s just the reality of it. Be prepared to make compromises, but make sure you’re clear on how much you’re willing to compromise… and what you’re going to do if you don’t nego your way to higher pay.

Don’t flash your credit card at the slightest provocation. Remember that charging purchases only adds to your debt, so charge only what you can afford to pay — and on time at that. Know the interest rate for deferred payments, so you can budget ahead. And, always keep your card perks in mind. Maximize rewards points, check out zero percent (0%) installment packages, and be aware of special discounts in selected stores.

Motivate Yourself Now!

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