It’s not uncommon for an intern-hopeful to feel shocked after realizing that they need to create a resume in order to apply for a position. Because many on-campus jobs are obtainable without a resume, some students never assume they will need it to apply for an internship. They’re wrong.

The truth is many large companies require that their internship candidates submit resumes and cover letters just as job candidates are required to do. This can feel intimidating to the student who has no experiences to list. If you fall into this category, take a look at three ways that you can bring what experience you do have to life so that you can snag that great internship.

Tip #1: Think from the Employer’s Perspective

The first tip to consider when writing your internship resume is thinking from the employer’s perspective. This means considering what the employer would want to know about a person they want to hire. Doing this requires that you study the internship description so that you can determine what the employer is really looking for, as well as looking at the overall goals of the company. Afterward, you can take a look at what you have to offer and how – from the employer’s perspective – what you know and want to accomplish can truly aid its mission.

Tip #2: Consider all of Your Experiences

Next, after you’ve looked at what the employer is likely looking for in an intern, you can round up your experiences to see how well they mesh with their goals. What is it that you have to offer? If you haven’t held a job, what experiences have you had that have helped you build essential skills for the role? How organized are you? Do you work well with people? It’s good to think about everything you’ve done that has required responsibility to show how great an intern you’re going to be.

Tip #3: Educate Yourself on Resume-Writing Rules

Just because you’re a newbie resume writer doesn’t mean you’re off the hook when it comes to creating a flawless resume. It’s your job to learn the information you don’t already know. For instance, you’ll need to make sure to include the essential sections: objective, education, relevant coursework (good for students), experience, activities (include this section if you have relevant extracurricular activities), and special skills. But these are not all the rules you’ll need to consider. Here are a few more.

First, you’ll want your resume to be brief – one page is usually long enough to highlight your essentials. Second, the resume should be error-free. No typos or grammatical errors allowed. Third, it’s recommended that you write your accomplishments as actions rather than duties. In other words, instead of explaining that you were responsible for something, it’s good to say you “implemented …” or “managed …” something. And finally, if possible, try to stay away from “cutesy” fonts, flower-print backgrounds, and anything else that stops your resume from looking professional.

It’s not always easy to write a resume, especially when there may not be much to list. But don’t let that deter you from writing a great one. The more time you spend on creating an employer-specific, action-oriented, error-free resume, the greater your chances will be of snagging the internship you want most.

Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and is passionate about providing working professionals with current, reliable and effective job search tools and information. Need resume writers? Compare the top ones in the industry at http://www.resumelines.com.

You’ve probably heard of the show “Pimp My Ride,” where a lucky person has a chance to turn an otherwise crappy vehicle into the beautiful car of their dreams. Well, as beautiful as a 1978 Ford Pinto can get, that is.

The point is that there are ways to turn something not-so-beautiful into something spectacular. The same can be done with your resume. So if you want to turn your bland document into a job-getter, take a moment to review some tips that will help you “pimp” your resume.

Tip #1: Focus on the Employer

One way to make sure that your resume is impressive in the employer’s eyes is to make sure you correlate your qualifications with their needs. In other words, as you review the job posting, you want to zero in on what they’re looking for then note the qualifications that you bring to the table that match their desires. This way, they won’t have to play the match game on their own to determine how qualified you are for the position.

Tip #2: Try an Executive Summary

An executive summary is similar to an objective; however, it is a little bit longer (about 60 words, or 3 typed lines), and describes your both your objective and key selling points. So instead of simply noting that you’re looking for a specific position, you might mention that you’re a Yale Law School graduate with experiences as a law director who now seeks to showcase law talents in an executive position at ABC Corporation.

Try #3: Narrow Down the Positions You Mention

It may bit tempting to take the approach of jotting down every job you’ve held in recent years. But if you were laid off three years ago and took a four-month part-time job to make ends meet, you don’t have to mention it unless it is relevant to the position you’re applying for.

Tip #4: Emphasize Accomplishments AND Education

You probably hear quite often how important it is to emphasize your accomplishments. In other words, it’s important to discuss in action phrases what you completed, not simply what you were responsible for. This shows that you were not just given a task, but you got it done. Well, the same goes for education. It’s customary to mention the school you attended, year you graduated, and degree you earned. However, there’s nothing wrong with mentioning academic projects, advanced coursework, and activities that are relevant to the position you’re applying for. Also, noting honors isn’t a bad idea.

Tip #5: Don’t Forget Your White Space

A great way to “pimp” your resume, or make it more attractive to read, is making sure there is plenty of white space in the document. There’s nothing worse than trying to dig through a resume for relevant information. By creating bullet-point lists and utilizing other ways to “open it up” with white space, you can make it easier to read – definitely a plus.

Creating the right resume can make or break your chances of snagging the job you want. So if you’re dusting off an old one, consider these tips on “pimping” your resume that can help make it a winner.

Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and is passionate about providing working professionals with current, reliable and effective job search tools and information. Need a resume writing services? Compare the top ones in the industry at http://www.resumelines.com.

If you’ve been laid off from your job because the industry is drying up – or think you’re in jeopardy of this happening – and want to find a solution to your problem, you’re not alone. There are a lot of people who started out in the industry of their choice only to realize that it is dying out pretty fast.

Being in this predicament doesn’t mean that you’re traveling down a dead-end road, however. In fact, it could mean the beginning of a fantastic new direction to your career, especially if you’re open to considering a safer industry to explore.

What Are Considered “Safe Industries”?

If you work for industries such as auto or financial services then you know how hard-hit they’ve been in the past months. Some of these industries have shed tens of thousands of jobs per month, making job stabilization an afterthought. For many, if they can just hang on to their jobs for another year, they’re happy. Of course, this is no way to live, which is why it’s good to begin moving your thoughts toward industries that still need their employees. Some of the more popular, safe industries include engineering, health care, information technology, government, and education.

Engineers are in need because of the big shift to renewable energy. Because Baby Boomers are aging, health care associates are in greater need. Of course, the Internet age is moving at full speed, which means IT experts will always be in need. Our government isn’t going anywhere and needs a wide variety of employees at all times. And college instructors are now in high demand as unemployed individuals head back to school to get a fresh start.

How Can You Make the Switch?

If you’ve found an industry that you feel will mesh well with the career you already have chosen then your next step is to figure out how to make the switch. Whether you’ve already been laid off, or know it’s coming, there may be some steps you’ll need to take to help you more easily make the switch.

Depending on the industry you’re switching to, you may need to take a couple of classes – or you may just need to go back to school completely. For example, it’s pretty hard to bypass the necessary schooling if you want to become a nurse. However, there may be instances where you can just slide right in. For instance, if you’re a car salesperson, but want to become a pharmaceutical salesperson, you know the art of selling items. If you can market yourself as a person who can learn quickly and get the job done, a pharmaceutical company just may hire you based on the sales experience you have.

If you’re currently laid off, it may not be a bad idea to take a few extra classes to help repackage your skills on your resume and boost your self-esteem – anything you can do to make sure you make the transition to your next job as smooth as possible. It’s definitely not easy to be faced with a tough decision like losing your job. But by pondering the idea of switching to a safer industry, you might find you’re able to watch your job prospects and stability strengthen yet again.

Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and is passionate about providing working professionals with current, reliable and effective job search tools and information. Need a resume writing service? Compare the top ones in the industry at http://www.resumelines.com.

Ah, the resume. Your chance to proudly boast of all your accomplishments and credentials. It is hard to imagine that this little piece of paper could actually hurt your chances of getting hired. You may not even realize it, but your resume could be a ticking time bomb, ready to go off at any moment.

When you slide that piece of paper across the desk to the interviewer, you are saying to them, “I stand behind every word on this paper. I can backup any claim and provide examples to support every statement.” If you aren’t ready or able to do this, then you either need a new resume or more interview practice.

I recommend that everyone have a 30-second statement to accompany each line on their resume. Be prepared to at least answer the question “tell me a little more about ” These responses should appear natural and off the cuff. You don’t need to memorize them verbatim. However, you should know what you are going to say and avoid stumbling over your words.

View the resume as your roadmap to guide the interview. The claims on your resume should all lead naturally and comfortable to expanded discussions about your experience. There should never be anything on there that you hope the interviewer doesn’t ask you about. A perfect example of this is listing a foreign language skillset. If you list, “conversational in French” you should be able to carry on a conversation in French. For all you know, your interviewer might be fluent in the language and begin the interview with “dites-moi au sujet de vous-même.”

So, take another look at your resume. Play devil’s advocate with yourself and be honest about things that you should leave off. Getting called out on one overstatement in your resume is enough to totally discredit the whole thing. Best of luck.

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A job interview is a screening tool. For you, it’s an opportunity to assess whether or not you want to work for a company. For the employer, it’s an opportunity to decide whether or not they want to hire you. Both sides are looking for a match.

You can ace an interview and win the job you want even in this economy; even with the competition that wants the same job as you. You will have to work hard, but it can be done. Know that the work you do upfront and afterwards will make the “during” (while you are interviewing) much easier for you.

Here’s a checklist to help you:

I. PREPARE BEFOREHAND

- Do your homework and find out who you will be interviewing with. You are looking for job title, responsibilities, accomplishments, as well as anything else that impresses you about this person.
- Know as much about the company as possible. Get on their web site and memorize their products and services. Look at their press release section for news. Talk to a few people about what they know. Look online for comments, discussions, blogs, forums, and additional insights. Don’t just look for good news. Look for challenges that the company is facing, and think about how you might contribute to their success.
- Write out the top 3 points you want to make sure you get across.
- Write down what makes you different or unique.
- Have a story/example for each bullet on the job description and each bullet in you resume. Include the challenges you were up against, the action you took to solve these challenges, and the results you achieved.
- Write down answers to questions such as your strengths, weaknesses, where you want to be in the future, etc. The questions that employers don’t always feel comfortable asking. The same questions you don’t always feel comfortable answering. Nevertheless, expect to be asked these questions anyway.
Write down the answers to the questions you don’t want to be asked. If you have a gap in your resume, have a good response for when you are asked about it. If you were fired, be prepared to tell the employer why with a positive spin. Don’t shy away from these questions and hope they won’t be asked. Expect them to be posed to you and have your answers mapped out and ready to go.
- Write down questions to ask the interviewer; three to five should do. Questions like, “What are you looking for in a candidate?” “What keeps you up at night?” “What’s the biggest challenge you are facing right now?” These questions may be answered during the interview, and other questions may come up as the discussion progresses, but these questions will give you a place to start.
- Write down an introduction; an opener that says who you are and what you do. Include your past title, the type of work you have been doing, why you are excited to be interviewing with this company.

II. DURING THE INTERVIEW.

- Be upbeat, passionate, and excited to be there.
- Use your prepared introduction and introduce yourself.
- Right after your introduction; say something flattering to the interviewer. Reveal what you like about the person or the company. Include what impresses you the most. Sincere flattery starts the interview off in a positive way.
- Answer questions and ask them. Remember, it’s a two way conversation, and an opportunity for both parties to see if there is a match. Don’t forget to listen and let the interviewer talk.
- Make sure you cover anything that was not discussed in the interview before you leave. For example, did you cover your 3 points? Did you tell the interviewer what makes you different? Did you handle all objections properly? Did you ask the questions you wanted to ask? Cover this now; afterwards may be too late.
- Tell the interviewer again why you want the job.
- Ask what the hiring process is, and when you can follow up with them again.

II. AFTER THE INTERVIEW.

- Send a thank-you note. Email one version and also send a handwritten version. Thank you cards work well here.
- Include in your email anything you left out during the interview. Add credibility to your email by mentioning something specific the interviewer said that impressed you.
- If you promised to follow up on a specific day and time, keep that promise.
- Continue interviewing. No matter how great an interview went, no matter how many people told you that you are “the one,” you do not have the job until you have formally been given a job offer in writing. Don’t let everything ride on one job. Keep going until you are officially employed.

Exercise - Is It A Pain In Your Head
by Sherri L. Dodd

School has ended and already schedules are clashing. What this means to most moms is that she will finagle and work the daily agenda around her children’s various activities and destinations, but it will take some time to find the niche where she will be able to accomplish her own vested pursuits. For me, it means my regular workout time has become severely compromised. My first attempt at spontaneous workout came a couple days ago. I decided that there was adequate time for a quick workout in the morning on my sunny, warm deck looking into the valley of redwoods. However, half way through my routine, I began to get a headache. After a few sporadic sips from my water bottle, I cancelled the remaining fifteen minutes and headed for the shower. While it was only 10:00am and the sun was not very high, the conditions were enough to create a reaction to the exertion. Looks like my kids’ different schedules are a pain in the behind, but my chosen routine for that morning mixed with sun, heat and hunger caused a real pain in the head.

While exercise is crucial for quality of life, when performed in inauspicious conditions it can have unpleasant side effects. Headaches are not so uncommon to some fitness enthusiasts. It does not matter whether you are in impeccable shape or just starting out, the results of not calculating the physiological and environmental factors on any particular given day can leave the most muscle-toned body wishing for quick pain relief.

In general, there are three types of headaches that can be associated with exercise - the migraine, the exertional vascular headache and tension-type headaches. The migraine being the most notorious of the group is usually triggered by factors such as skipping meals, poor sleep, foods or food additives and even Mother Nature’s daily choice of the weather. Mix this formula with a sudden bout of intense exercise and those with a propensity for migraines will be heading for the darkest cave.

Exertional vascular headaches may have similar effects of a migraine but happen most always when the person exercises. In the event of a frequency of these headaches, it is advised to seek medical advice in case there is a more serious underlying cause. However, with a clean bill of health, the doctor may decide to prescribe some form of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory medication.

Finally, the tension-type headache has got to be the staple of moms everywhere. Only topped by the seasonal sinus headaches of those is lushly green and floral areas, the tension-type headache is the most common occurring in 90% of the population. Stress combined with an incorrect progression of exercise is known to cause this particular headache.

In most situations following a set of precautionary guidelines will not only stave off potential headaches but will also lower the risk of overall injury. Begin with an adequate warm-up, slowly warming the muscles and preparing the cardiovascular system for activity. Then, let the session sufficiently progress from a lower intensity initial phase on toward the higher levels. Before exercising, be aware of environmental factors such as pollution (i.e., exhaust from passing cars, secondhand smoking, etc.) and temperature (i.e., hydrate, wear layered clothing, etc.) if exercising outdoors.

A tactical approach is needed to execute a safe and effective workout plan. It will not only keep the pain away, it will insure that you complete a session of one of the most crucial elements for superior health.

About the author: Sherri Dodd is the creator and author of the newly-released book, Mom Looks Great - The Fitness Program for Moms. She is an ACE-certified Personal Trainer and Lifestyle & Weight Management Consultant with over fifteen years of exercise experience. She has lectured to groups on her fitness plan and is a freelance writer on the topics of fitness and general nutrition as well as the humorous side of motherhood.

Physical Fitness And You
by Ayuba A. Sodeke

Total fitness has been described in a lot of ways. Most aptly, perhaps, its entails looking your best, feeling your best, and performing to the best of your ability.

Physical fitness may be termed or described differently by different people. The level of fitness that a person can achieve varies with his or her physical or medical history. The level also depends on the person?s height, weight, age, musculature, body type, and other characteristics. Thus, physical fitness for any individual is the highest level of fitness to which that person can go, given the limitations imposed by the various factors.

Physicians and fitness experts agree that movement of some kind is compulsory for anyone who intents to achieve physical fitness. Movement in the form of a planned, timed, repetitive program of exercise brings the human body to the goal of fitness in the shortest possible time.

Physical fitness has various aspects. It calls for adequate rest, relaxation and it requires proper nutrition. The physically fit person has to follow sound health practices and have good dental and health care. Otherwise, fitness may be difficult or impossible to achieve.

In broader terms, fitness brings many advantages and benefits to various aspects of human life. Fitness enhances an individual?s ability to work with endurance and vigor and to enjoy work and leisure activities. A person who attains total physical fitness can usually avoid undue fatigue, so that he or she has energy left for recreation, hobbies and for meeting unforeseen emergencies.

Starting your fitness program may call for resolution of some final questions. Got a place to work out? Know what you are going to put on? Need any special equipment? Think of a few other things.

Good physical conditioning is as important as weight control during teen?s years. Everybody cannot be a champion, but almost anyone can improve his heart, lungs and muscles so that he/she can cope more effectively with the stresses of young adult life. Physical fitness can be accomplished with little or no exercise equipment. It can be programmed.

Some of the goals of physical fitness is muscle development. When muscles are not used they atrophy, or shrink in size. A muscle that has been immobilized because of an injury may shrivel to one fourth of its normal size. Some of the muscles fibres are replaced by non-elastic fibrous tissue. On the other hand, muscles that are exercised regularly and vigorously will grow in size and strength. Exercise causes an increase in the number of muscles fibres as well as increase in the number of blood capillaries supplying the muscle tissue.

In addition to muscle development which every exercise program should provide, physical fitness should include optimum cardiopulmonary development. This means increased heart activity and greater oxygen consumption which is the basis for the popular aerobics workouts.

During aerobics workouts, the breathing is heavier than normal. In the steady state, the heart, lungs and muscles work together as an efficient machine at an activity level that is more demanding of the body than the resting state. Jogging, running and rapid walking are examples of aerobic exercises. They can be practiced with no special equipment.

The individual goals for physical fitness should be kept within sensible limits to avoid injury or impaired health. The maximum level of performances can be determined by the appearance of the panting and puffing that occurs when exercise exceeds the normal ability of the lungs to supply oxygen to the muscles. An individual that is not good in good physical condition may huff and puff after walking up a flight stairs whereas a mate could run a mile without showing signs of excessive breathing.

About the author: Ayuba Sodeke is a marketer who is interested in keeping fit and maintaining a perfect body shape. For more content about keeping fit, join me at http://fitness-program.blogspot.com/

Symptoms of a Yeast Infection
by Anonymous Author

Question : I have been suffering from several health problems for the past three years. There’s a white coating under my tongue. I have joint pains, suffer from a digestive disorder and have problems with urination. I have seen many doctors but after medication, my problems seem to worsen. Please help!

Answer : Some of the symptoms mentioned by you may be due to a yeast infection. The common culprit here is Candida albicans. Yeast is present in everyone and lives in harmony along with many other microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract. However, when there’s candida overgrowth, it may cause problems such as oral thrush (white coating under the tongue), bloating, indigestion, lethargy, rectal itching, yeast infection of the skin and frequent bladder infections.

Avoid foods that may promote Candida overgrowth. Cut down on refined carbohydrates including sugar and white flour products (biscuits, cakes and noodles). Even natural sweeteners such as molasses, honey and maple syrup will have to be eliminated. Foods with a high yeast or mould content (i.e. alcohol, cheeses, dried fruits, and peanuts) should also be taken out. Eat a wholesome and well-balanced meal. Eighty per cent of the diet should comprise alkaline-forming foods (fresh fruits and vegetables). Fermented dairy products such as yoghurt are also beneficial.

Probiotics, a concentrated form of friendly bacteria, can control the overgrowth of the candida fungus and alleviate symptoms related to this infection. It may also help those with the ‘leaky gut’ syndrome. Vitamins and minerals are important in priming the immune system. Vitamin C and the mineral zinc strengthen the immune system to cope with other infections during the candida infestation. Other nutrients that are needed include vitamin A, the B group vitamins, folic acid, selenium and iron.

Start a regular exercise programme. It will be helpful if you are able to identify known or suspected allergens and take steps to avoid them. Allergies can weaken the immune system and provide a more hospitable environment for the yeast to multiply. The use of antibiotics, steroids, immune-suppressing drugs and birth control pills can also suppress the body’s defences.

For more information: www.medical-explorer.com

Sinusitis Discomfort
by Anonymous Author

Question : WHAT is the cure for sinusitis? I have been taking cod liver oil, vitamin C, horseradish and garlic supplements for the past four months. Will it cure my sinusitis or only lessen the virus?

Answer : SINUSITIS is referred to as an inflammation of the mucous membrane that lines the sinus of the skull. The sinus is a cavity that is usually filled with air or blood. The sinus is located close to the nasal cavities and also near the ears. Therefore, an infection of sinusitis travels from the mouth, nose and throat along the mucous membrane lining.

A person who is suffering from sinusitis may experience severe headaches over the affected sinus area and the nose may be blocked on the affected side. Other typical symptoms are bad breath, upper jaw pain and fatigue. Thick and coloured mucous may drain from the nostril and the patient may also have fever, chills, cough and a sore throat.

Good immunity is the basic way to fight against this ailment and lessen the allergy and virus that contributes to the presence of sinusitis. Consider taking a zinc supplement containing vitamin C as these are useful in boosting or strengthening the immune system.

I suggest you supplement your diet with vitamin A, C and E together with selenium.

Echinacea is known to enhance the body’s immune system by stimulating the body’s natural defence mechanisms. It stimulates the production of macrophages, the white blood cells that eat foreign particles. It also has anti-viral and natural antibiotic properties. Horseradish and garlic are also recommended for those having chronic sinusitis. It is effective in treating throat and upper respiratory tract infections.

Horseradish produces a volatile oil that works as nasal and bronchial dilator. Simultaneously, it helps to clear stuffy nose or sinuses.

Turmeric is also a strong anti- inflammatory agent that is useful for treating nasal congestion problems.

Finally, you should avoid common food allergens such as milk, eggs, corn, peanut butter, caffeinated and sugared drinks. Also, ensure a dust- free and clean environment.

An optimal immune function requires a well-balanced diet, regular exercise, intake of eight glasses of water daily and adequate rest.

Do remember to include lots of fresh fruits and vegetables in your daily diet for good health and vitality.

For more information, visit http://www.medical-explorer.com/

Ten Ways to Overcome Stress at Work
by Stuart E. Nelson

Stress in the workplace has taken off as a main complaint around the world. There are many different reasons for this. Because of its importance in the context of stress generally, I have decided to write this article to help you deal with stress at work. I have a particular interest in it anyway, because of my work in coaching business people.

Let me say from the outset that it is impossible to teach people to overcome stress completely in a single article. However, it is helpful in itself for people to be aware of the dangers of stress and to take minor steps to reduce its impact. On the other hand, it will not help you at all if you fail to take it on board and make the advice it contains part of your life. I urge you to take this article seriously.

1.Clarify your role: This may sound obvious, but a great deal of unnecessary stress is caused to people at work because they have not taken the time to find out how best to do their jobs.

Make sure you know the purpose of what you do, in relation to other processes in your place of work. Know where you fit in the grand scheme of things. Then check with your boss or line manager that your thinking is right. Note if he or she says something different. Use the opportunity to ask what your priority tasks should be in cases where you have too little time to deal with every outstanding matter.

2.Make lists: Help yourself to do a better job by preparing a list of things to do in the course of each day. Make preparing it your first job, or the last of the previous day. Then make a note of the priority of each task on the list. A good plan is to find the most important and put a figure “1″ by it. Then look for the next most important and mark it “2″, and so on.

If you run out of time and have some items left on your list at the end of the day, simply carry them forward to the next day’s list.
3.Take a break: When I worked as a lawyer, I recall abandoning the time that was taken by everyone in the office for a mid-morning break. It was a very bad move on my part. Just as we need time to recover physically from physical work, so we need time to recover from mental work.

4.Eat away from your desk or work bench: Make a point of taking your lunch away from where you work. A change of scenery (however uninspiring it may be) will enhance the benefit of the break that lunch involves. Whatever happens, never eat while you are still working.

5.Resist offers of tea or coffee: Tea, coffee and Coke drinks contain caffeine, and should be avoided at work, unless you so enjoy your work that stress is not an issue. (In that case, why are you reading this article?) Avoid drinking soft drinks containing sugar or artificial sweeteners too. Plain water, preferably warmed, is best for you if you suffer from stress.

6.Turn off the music: Provided you are not going to cause a riot from other workers, turn off any music occasionally. Restful music can be relaxing, but a good deal of music is far from relaxing. Moreover, small loudspeakers and low quality reproduction equipment can distort sound so much that it becomes stressful. Learn to appreciate the peace that relative silence brings when music is turned off.

7.Communicate: It is good to talk to others when you are feeling under pressure, but try not to speak in negative terms to them. Make a joke of things and keep the conversation light.

8.Achieve Balance: Learn to say no to offers of overtime, if it will interfere with quality time with your family. For the same reason, resist the temptation to work at weekends if you can. Balance your priorities. Earning enough to pay the bills is important, but not as important as investing time in your family.

9.Meditate: When things get too much for you, try to take yourself to somewhere quiet and do some meditation. This may save you a migraine headache later. In any case, it is good proactive practice to aim to do some meditation (5 to 20 minutes) each day, probably at home. This will provide you with a kind of protective cushion during the next 24 hours.

There are many ways to meditate, but here is a very easy way to do it, and this one is just like worrying, but without the worry. You know how, when you worry, you tend to keep saying or thinking the same thing to yourself over and over again? Well that is exactly what you do in this meditation.

Practise it once or twice a day. Good times are before breakfast and before dinner.

a.Sit quietly in a comfortable position. It is best to put your feet flat on the floor and have your hands resting on your lap, palms upwards.

b.Shut your eyes.

c.Relax your muscles progressively starting with your head and face and moving down to your feet, finally tensing the whole of your body and then relaxing everything at once.

d.Ensure that you are breathing slowly and evenly.

e.Begin saying the word, “one” to yourself silently every time you breathe out.

f.Consciously exclude all thoughts. If an idea begins to intrude into your mind, chase if off gently and dismiss it. Concentrate on your breathing and on the word, “one”.

g.Do this for up to 20 minutes. Time will seem to pass quickly once you are meditating properly so it is best to set an alarm to warn you when time is up.

h.When the time is up, continue sitting, eyes closed, for a minute or two, allowing your thoughts to return in their own time. Then open your eyes and remain seated for another minute before rising.

10. Keep a Stress Diary: It is both useful for future prevention of stress, and therapeutic in itself, to maintain a diary of stressful events at work. You should aim to make an entry every hour or so, and whenever something happens to stress you seriously. Record how you feel at the time of the entry, the time of the entry, what has happened to upset you and how you dealt with it.

Although this article has copyright, you are more than welcome to put it in a newsletter or ezine, or to post in on a website, provided you include the resource box below and make no change to the text.

Copyright: StressKill 2005

About the author: Stuart E. Nelson (http://www.LifeCoaching4You.com) specialises in teaching business owners and their staff how to make more money yet have more time, and in helping people to find balance in their lives. He does this by concentrating on the elimination of stress, and the building of supportive environments.