WAYS TO SAVE MONEY ON FOOD STUFF.

Tough times are ahead for households under pressure from price hikes in electricity, fuel and food, but there are ways to nip your expenses in the bud. Guidelines to follow ; 1. Buy fruits and vegetables in season, when they are cheaper. Buy from the local greengrocer, farmers’ market, where you get much more for your money as you don’t have to pay for food washing, peeling or packaging. Look for specials. 2. Buy in bulk. For instance, buy half a lamb, divide it and share the cost, Buy boxes of fruits and vegetables and split them – and the cost – with family or friends. 3. Freeze your bulk purchases if you don’t share them. Grate that hunk of cheese and freeze in portions. The same goes for citrus fruits, which are in season now. Lemons and oranges can be squeezed into juices and frozen in portions in your ice-trays or in freezer bags. 4. Freeze food; don’t waste it. Cook fruit or vegetables that are just about to turn and freeze them. Frozen tomato pulp can be used later in sauces and stews; frozen fruit pulp can be used in desserts. You would be amazed at what can be frozen. 5. Cook more than you need , and freeze portions for later. It’s your own convenience food. Make large pots of pasta, stew and soup and freeze into several containers and only take out the amount you need. Angela Day says cooking in large quantities and freeze in small portions works out cheaper and is healthier than ready-made frozen meals. 6. Be frugal with leftovers. Instead of binning them, use as a base for another meal. Leftovers potatoes, for example, can be used to make hashbrown or omolletes. Even save meat , chicken and fish bones and put them in a plastic bag in the freezer and make a rich stock when you have enough. 7. When cooking dinner, cook enough for packed lunches for the family the next day. Taking a packed lunch to work or school can save hundreds of rands (money) a month. Alternatively, during breakfast, make sandwiches or snacks for the family. 8. Grow your own vegetables. Find a corner of the of the garden and plant a variety of salad leaves or tomatoes, which grow well. You can also sow herbs like mint, basil, rosemary and parsley in pots. Freeze excess herbs in ice-trays, as some stores are doing , and freeze any surplus vegetables after cooking them. Alternatively, use the surplus in preserves. 9. Make shopping list for the meals you have planned for the week and stick to it. That way you won’t be tempted to buy unnecessary items. Don’t buy groceries when you are hungry. Be conscious that the area around the tills is packed with items to tempt you to buy what you don’t need. If it’s possible, leave the kids at home so they can’t pester into unnecessary purchases. 10. Buy the supermarket’s in-house brand. They’re few rands cheaper and often there is no difference in quality. 11. Give up your daily caffeine fix from the coffee shops. Take your own in a flask to work, have instant coffee at the office or give up caffeine altogether. You can save up to R15 a day. Take care.

SUCCESS IS A SHORT HOP AWAY.

Use the frog principle; get those major tasks out of the way

first.



Imagine earning more money and garnering greater respect from your superior. Imagine getting things done faster and having more hours in a day to relax and do those things you never seem to fined time for.

By managing your time more effecdtively, you can increase your productivity dramatically- have all of the above , and mnore.

Sounds like is too good to be true? Well it isn't. Not if you follow the principle outlined by Brain Tracy in 'Eat that frog! Get more of the important things done - today!



FIRST THINGS FIRST.

The overriding of Tracy's book is simple;stop procastinating by tackling your most important tasks -the "Frog" - first thing in the morning.This will energise you to such and extent that you will find it easier to move rapidly and effectively through the rest of your work.

"There's an old saying that if the first thing you do in the morning is to eat a live frog, you will have satisfaction- of knowing that it's probably the worst thing you will do all day'.Tracy wrote.

He takes this saying further by comparing it to the task s you do during a day at the office. If you do the most challenging task - the one your are most likely to put off - first , it will have the greatest posative effect on your life, he said.

"Successful effective people are those who launch directory into their major tasks and then discipline themselves to work steadily and singflee-mindedly until those tasks are completed".



TOO MUCH TO DO, TOO LITTLE TIME,

The most important tasks are those that will have the greatest consequences- either positive or negative - on your life and work.Tracy made a point that most of us have too much on our plate and simply don't have time to do everything we suppose to do. For this reason, it is not only crucial to ensure that the most important things get done, but that we do them well by doping them first- when we still have the ewnergy.

"You can get control of your tasks and activities only to the degree that you stop doing somethings and start spending more time on the few activities that you can really make a difference in your life".he wrote.

According to Tracy, the "eat -that-frog" principle is something one gets better at, the more you practice and implementit in it your everyday life, through repetition and practice, to overcome procastination and get your most important tasks completed quickly, you will move yourself onto the fast track in your life and career."



A SET OF RULES.

To make it more practicalk, this principle is embbeded in a set of "rules"- things you need to do and skills you need to aquire to make the frog principle work for you.

One of the most important rules is to write your goals and objectives down before you begin. Tracy said,be clear in what you would like to achieve in short, medium and long term. Know your self and know exactly where you are heading. Begin with the end in your mind.

Another important rule, accordding to Tracy, is to plan ahead. Take a few minutes at the end of the day to plan your next work day.. Make a list of tasks that need to be done, and prioritise them. Then make sure that you start with your top priority when you get to work the next day.

It's also important to know where your talents lie. what your weakness are and at what time of the day you are likely to be most productive. Tasks should be handled accordingly.

IUf a task seems overwhelming, simply "cut it up" into smaller cuncks and take it one step at a atime . Begin with a smaller part of the task to kick off the project and take things from there.Before you know it , the task will be completed.

Tracy said, Make a decision to practice these principles until they become second nature to you. With these habiuts of personal management as a permanent part of your pesonality, your future will be unlimited".

Wild West History: Women in the Old West--Women's History Month

Wild West History: Women in the Old West--Women's History Month

GOOD STRESS, BAD STRESS.

Too little of it will leave you bored, too much can result in health and emotional problems Everyone needs a certain amount of stress to live well. It’s what gets you out of bed and gives you the vitality to do all sorts of things, such as sport and presentations. Stress becomes a problem when there’s too much or too little. Not enough means your body is under-stimulated, leaving you bored and isolated. To find stimulation, some people do things that are harmful to themselves (such as taking drugs) or society (committing crime). Too much stress, on the other hand , can result in headaches, stomach upsets, high blood pressure and even stroke or heart disease. It can also cause feelings of distrust, anger, anxiety and fear, which can destroy relationships. People often feel over-stressed because of some event or trigger. It doesn’t have to be negative (death of a loved one, redundancy or divorce); it can be positive (a new partner , new job or going on holiday). Such feelings can also be acute (death or loss of a job) or chronic (coping with long-term unemployment or a bad relationship). Stress-busters; To cope with stress, many people look to things that are not only ineffective, but also unhealthy. Negative stress-management technique include; • Drinking alcohol; • Denying the problem; • Taking drugs; • Over-eating; • Smoking; You are better off trying; A nap-30 to 40 minutes; A massage –at a professional massage therapist or ask a friend or partner; A hobby- divert your energies into something creative such as acting, playing an instrument, writing poetry or singing; Laughing- it will make you feel and look better; Be gentle to yourself- we talk to ourselves all the time, even though we’re not aware of it. Self talk determines our attitudes and self-image, so change both with positive chart. Time management; Ask any woman what makes her stressed and she’ll tell you it is not having enough hours in the day. We juggle choices, anxious to please family, workmates and friends. But what about your priorities? What goals do you want to achieve- and what’s most important to you? Try these tips; Set aside time to think and write about your life and goals . Writing a “mission statement” can help you work out what’s important to you; what you ‘d like to be and to accomplish. Understand where you spend your time – think about how to prioritise and itemize pressures. Categorise your life in neat important, quite important and unimportant boxes or would a more complex chart suit you; urgent and important, important, but not urgent, urgent, but not important and neither urgent nor important? Review roles- This will help create order and balance. Identify goals- work out a goal in each role for a week. They don’t have to be activities, but can be being more patient with your kids. Organise your week- use a week-at-glance diary or drawing up your own chart. If something prevents you from completing an activity, just fit it in elsewhere or make it the first thing you plan for next week. Evaluate your week- at the end of the first week, take a realistic look at how it went. Enjoy success- no schedule guarantees instant , but remember you’re in control.

COMMON SENSE AT INTERVIEW ROOM

When we refer to something as being "common sense," we usually mean that it is something we think everyone should know. Often, though, it turns out that what may seem like common sense to one person isn't always so to someone else. For example: Veterinarians spend their days around animals, so they might consider it common knowledge that cats sleep about 18 hours per day; hence the reason your vet seems so amused when you bring Muffin in for a checkup, concerned about her inability to stay awake. Similarly, because human-resources professionals constantly screen and interview candidates, what may seem like a common-sense interview tip to them might not have crossed a job seeker's mind. Following are "common-sense" interview tips straight from the experts' mouths. 1. Be presentable Wear a suit that fits, and don't cut corners when it comes to ironing or dry-cleaning, says Monique Honaman, CEO of leadership development company ISHR Group. "I knew one guy who was in such a rush the day of his interview that he only ironed the front of his shirt. Later, during the course of his interview day, it was hot and he was encouraged to remove his jacket and get more comfortable and it was clear that he had cut corners and only ironed the front! He was very embarrassed," Honaman says. Also, while you should always wear deodorant, try to avoid perfumes and colognes. You never know who will be allergic or just downright averse to your scent. "A hiring manager once told me a story of how he didn't select an incredibly well-qualified candidate for a role because she wore the same perfume as his ex-wife," says Danielle Beauparlant Moser, a career coach with Blended Learning Team. "He said she walked in the room and his only thought was how to get her out of his office as quickly as possible." 2. Don't be too early While you should always arrive at your interview a few minutes early, try not get there more than 15 minutes before your scheduled interview time, advises Ben Yeargin, a manager at Spherion Staffing. "[Arriving early] will lead to anxiety on the candidate's part because they have to sit and wait for an extended period of time, and it will lead to frustration on the hiring manager's part because they will feel rushed with the project that they are trying to accomplish prior to the interview," he says. If you find yourself getting to the building earlier than you thought, wait in your car or take a walk around the block until it's closer to your interview time. 3. Know whom you're meeting with "Know the name of the interviewer so that you can ask for that person at the receptionist's desk," advises Cheryl Palmer, president of Call to Career, an executive coaching firm. "It's embarrassing when the receptionist asks, 'Who are you here to see?' and you can't remember. Have this information either in your head or write yourself a note that you refer to prior to arriving in the waiting area," Palmer says. 4. Remember: You are being interviewed as soon as you walk in the door "Most people would never think of the receptionist as being an interviewer, but it's true," Palmer says. "It's fairly common that the receptionist will report back to the hiring manager how candidates behaved in the waiting area. Don't be remembered as the one who ate all the candy out of the candy dish or spoke disrespectfully to the receptionist." 5. Make proper eye contact "One of the most obvious mistakes interviewees make is with eye contact, and it costs a lot of people a lot of jobs," says Barry Maher, who owns a California-based career coaching firm. "Eye contact is simple," he says. "Any given eye contact should last about five seconds at a time. And if there's one interviewer, make eye contact with him or her about 40 to 60 percent of the time. More than 60 percent is intimidating. Less than 40 percent comes off as shifty and perhaps insincere, even dishonest." 6. Eat before the interview, not during it Duh? Not according to Yeargin, who has experienced interview-snacking firsthand. "I was in an interview, no more than 10 minutes into it, and I got called out for two minutes to answer a question," he says. "When I returned, the applicant was eating some sort of granola or other snack bar. Needless to say that individual did not get a job with my company." No matter what the candy bar ads have to say, your hunger can wait. 7. Make sure that what you do eat beforehand does not involve onion or garlic You want to be remembered for your professionalism and outstanding skills, not for what you ate for lunch. Advises Palmer, "Don't eat anything that has a strong odor before the interview." 8. Don't look at your watch Block at least two hours of time for the interview, says Cindy Loftus, co-owner of Loftus O'Meara Staffing. Loftus also advises keeping your schedule relatively clear on the day of the interview, to avoid feeling the need to rush. "Don't create distractions to your interview," she says. 9. Tell the interviewer you are interested Don't forget to tell the recruiter you want the job. "If you truly feel the position is a fit, let them know and tell them you would like to get to the next round of interviews, and be prepared to tell them why," Loftus says. 10. Get business cards from your interviewers -- and use them "Ask for the business cards of all of the interviewers that you have met and make sure you take a second or two to read their card," Loftus says. This will not only be helpful in remembering each person you met with, but will make it easier to send proper thank-you notes and follow up e-mails, which should always be done within 24 hours of leaving the interview.

HOW TO PASS EXAMS – THE SECRETS OF SUCCESSFUL REVISION.

If you’re about to start revising for examinations, you’ll want to remember everything you need to get top marks. Here’s what to do ;

- Obtain the course syllabus from your tutor, and study it. Fact; the majority of students sitting for examinations never read whole syllabus. Results; they cannot revise properly. Tip; internal examinations set and marked by the technikon , universities or colleges do not have formal syllabus. Wise; use topic and sub-topic headings from lectures notes and handouts to build up the full picture.

- Take a sheet of paper for each subject and list the principal topics and sub-topics in columns down the page. Next; use your own symbol system to indicate the amount of ‘interest’ ‘knowledge /understanding’ ‘ease / difficulty of learning’ and ‘importance’ of each. Example; ‘iii’ very interested, ‘ii’ quite interested, ‘I’ not interested.

- Establish your priorities. Beginning; topics with positive symbols for both ‘interest’ and ‘knowledge/understanding’ are a good starting point, as learning these will be the easiest; thus boosting your confidence. Have a trial period of one week to make sure your schedule feels right for you. Then; mix in more topics with negative symbols as your confidence grows. Important; vary subjects and topics to keep your interest going – it’s your enthusiasm that will carry you through.

- Spot the likely examination questions. Internal; pay attention to topics that have been emphasized by the tutor and set during the course. External; in many papers , a core of topics will appear with some variation from year to year. Typical; one topic will be included three or four times in a five-year period.

- Tackle various questions on the same topic- you’ll improve your flexibility and readiness. How; list past exams questions, grouping them by type and emphasis. Add ; any related question raised during the course; plus others you can think of. Tip; check to see which questions occur most frequently on past papers. Try to identify that ‘banker’ question.

- Streamline your course notes. Original; class and book notes, handouts, assignments essays. Cut; to ‘key word revision cards’- brief outline notes written onto postcards. Aim; to use the minimum numbers of words necessary to highlight the key points of a subject. And; ‘spider diagrams’- a visually creative way of remembering important points. How; draw a circle (the spider’s body) in the middle of a page with the topic name written inside it. Add lines (the spider’s legs) highlighting one key points per line. Useful; these can be reproduced quickly at the start of an examination.

- Set clear and specific revision targets and timescale. Bad; ‘I must do it.’ Good; ‘I must do it by the last day of this month.’ Revise tasks that are sufficiently demanding. Verify your success in learning a topic by testing yourself. Example; write an essay under examination conditions- then mark it. Useful; many examinations boards sell past papers and marking schemes. Generate a feeling of accomplishment after learning a topic. It raises your interest and enthusiasm. Personal example; record your revision tasks in pencil on a large sheet of white card and rub them out as and when completed.

TAKE METICULOUS CARE WHEN DEALING WITH POOR PERFORMANCE

How does an employer deal with poor performance on an employee?

The first step is to hold a meeting or counseling session (an informal affair) with the employee. You explain where the employee is falling short and what standard is not being met, and discuss the matter fully to see if the reason for the poor performance can be established.

You may uncover a domestic crisis, such as a pending divorce, or a work-related problem, such as a colleague victimizing the employee. The most important is to establish the cause – if you don’t know the cause, you cannot treat the problem. The problem will not go away unless you treat the cause.
Try to find mutual acceptable way of dealing with it – training may be required or you may have to refer the employee to good divorce lawyer.

All proceedings must be recorded in details. These records will be required if you eventually have to be dismiss the employee and the matter is taken up with the Commission for Conciliation., Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA).
You will have to prove that correct and fair procedures were followed, and you need written records to do this. Remember that in a case of unfair dismissals, the employee only has to prove that a dismissal took place. The employer must prove the fairness of the dismissal.

At the end of counseling session, the employee must be warned of the consequences of failure to improve where such warning is appropriate. Bear in mind that the aim of the counseling session is not to punish employees, but to assist them to recognize and overcome the problem.
There is no rule of thumb regarding how many counseling session are required before dismissal, or how many much assistance or training must be given before dismissal, or demotion to a lower position. This will depend on how many factors such as length of service and extend of employee’s willingness to co-operate.

In the counseling session, you must be specific. It is not acceptable to state that the employee is “not making the grade” or “is not doing the job properly”. The specific problem area must be defined and discussed in details. Be specific about what improvement is needed, what standard are required, in what area and by when.

The counseling process is termed” evaluation, instruction, training or guidance”. If the matter comes to dismissal, then the Code of Good Practice; Dismissal must be applied, as well as your own procedures, if any.
You are obliged to consider whether the employee did in fact fail to meet a performance standard, if he or she could reasonably be expected to have been aware of the required standard and whether fair opportunity was given to the employee to meet the required standard. Most importantly , you must assess whether dismissal is an appropriate (and perhaps the only available) sanction under the circumstances of the case.

Generally speaking, you should spend as much time as is reasonably expected all reasonable opportunity to rectify the matter.
Obviously, if the poor performance is causing major operational problems, you will have to inform the employee that he has only limited amount of time to rectify the matter before further action been taken against him / her..