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HOW TO MOTIVATE YOURSELF IN 8 SIMPLE WAYS

I look at   motivation as excitement. Overcoming the emotional hurdle to get stuff done when you’d rather sit on the sofa isn’t always easy. The best way to motivate yourself is to organize your life so you don’t have to.

Here are 8 simple ways to motivate yourself

1. Take a break–you deserve it.
The only way we can perform at an optimal level is create time for rest. The moment you know you can’t take any time off is usually when you need it most. So take that long delayed vacation, and return to your business with renewed enthusiasm.
2. . Celebrate the little wins, no matter how small.
Little wins may seem like just that–little.Celebrating these wins can help to create positive habits.
3. Be gentle with yourself.
Stop comparing the accomplishments in your life with those of your neighbor. The story you create in your head will never be as good, and the reality will never be as bad.
There are many people who are smarter than you. The moment you can embrace this notion, you’re free. Free to explore. Free to follow what excites you. Free to ignore what they do, or how they do it, and focus on you.

4. Deconstruct your fears
I’m sure you don’t have a phobia about getting stuff done. But at the same time, hidden fears or anxieties can keep you from getting real work completed. Isolate the unknowns and make yourself confident, you can handle the worst case scenario.
5. Read books
Read not just self-help or motivational books but any book that has new ideas. New ideas get your mental gears turning and can build motivation. Here’re more reasons to read every day.
Learning new ideas puts your brain in motion so it requires less time to speed up to your tasks.
6. Be careful with the small problems
The worst killer of motivation is facing a seemingly small problem that creates endless frustration.
Reframe little problems that must be fixed as bigger ones or they will kill any drive you have.

7.  Focus.
There is a an anecdote I’ve heard about Warren Buffett, Bill Gates, and Gates’s father at a dinner party. A guest asked them what the most important quality for success was today and all three responded “Focus” at the same exact time. They all smiled and laughed to each other because they hadn’t really prepared the answer.
We are all inundated with texts and emails.
So turn off your iPhone, stop trolling your ex-lover’s Facebook page, and get to work.

8. Build on Success
Success creates success. When you’ve just won, it is easy to feel motivated about almost anything. Emotions tend not to be situation specific, so a small win, whether it is a compliment from a colleague or finishing two thirds of your tasks before noon can turn you into a juggernaut.
There are many ways you can place small successes earlier on to spur motivation later. Structuring your to-do lists, placing straightforward tasks such as exercising early in the day or giving yourself an affirmation can do the trick.
With all these tips I’ve shared with you, now you know what to do when you’re feeling unmotivated. Find your passion and develop a positive mantra so when the next time negativity hits you again, you know how to stay positive and motivated!

Pic credit: Nandi Madida via Go0gle

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APPLE SIGNS DEAL WITH OPRAH TO MAKE NEW SHOWS

Apple has announced a deal with media mogul Oprah Winfrey that’ll see the two produce new shows together.
The shows created with Oprah will be part of an original lineup of content from Apple, the company said in their statement.
The deal has been described as a “multiyear” one, although the exact number of years is unknown.
Apple had previously signed deals with Reese Witherspoon and Steven Spielberg.

 

Source: Bellanaija

 

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I DECIDED TO QUIT BANKING AT THE AGE OF 40 AND START MY OWN BUSINESS – OLUWATOYIN EDUN

Oluwatoyin Edun is the Group Managing Director of Fusion Group Limited. She graduated from University of Ibadan with a B.sc degree in Political Science and holds a Masters of Business Administration degree from Business School Netherlands.
She started her career at Eko International bank in 1999 then proeeded to FSB International bank and joined FCMB in 2005
In 2012 her portfolio was enlarged with the inclusion of commercial and retail activities covering 10 branches of the bank in Ikeja and its environs where she was designated the zonal head. Based on her initial goal to quit at the age of forty she decided to take a bow from the banking sector in 2014 to pursue her dream. She later became the Director of finance for the Akiwunmi Ambode Campaign Organization for Lagos State.
She shares her  grass to grace journey  in this inspiring  interview.

I grew up prepared to fly in the world
My childhood was full of optimism about the future. I grew up wanting to be a lawyer but
later on I met a Professor of Political Science who influenced my decision to study Political Science, however that is totally different from what I do today. This has taught me that it doesn’t matter where we start from, eventually with our aspirations and as we go along, meet people, interact and deal with issues of life, we will end up at the destination that God has prepared for us. But in terms of academic background and upbringing, I will say that I had enough preparation for the role I am playing now because I was academically inclined as a student and also attended good schools; I was focused very on education with a determination to excel at everything I ever did. I believe I was adequately prepared to fly in the world.

Toyin Edun
I am the first of five children (4 girls and 1 boy). I grew up in Ibadan where I attended Bodija International School, Queens School Ibadan, International School Ibadan and i graduated from the University of Ibadan with a Second Class Upper division in Political Science. I fell in love with the Banking Industry during my University days and this led me to choose a career in banking. I started my banking career at Eko International Bank from the Human Resources department, proceeded to FSB International Bank and thereafter, Metropolitan Bank Limited. I later joined FCMB in 2005. While at FCMB I started as an Assistant Manager and rose to the position of Assistant General Manager having worked in different departments of the Bank. I retired from Banking at the age of 40 to start my own Real Estate and Hospitality business. I bought into a family business in 2015 where I became a Director and subsequently took over the operations in Real Estate and Facilities management, and also expanded our focus into co- working space with the setting up our Virtual Hub. I also have a keen interest in Tourism and hospitality and I have done quite a lot of work in hotel management, short letting as well as consultancy for the hospitality and tourism sector. Currently, I run a group called the Fusion Group with subsidiaries in South Africa and United Kingdom.

Inspiration behind Fusion Group
While in the banking sector, I realized that I had a flair for Real Estate and got inspired by my own personal experiences especially when I was buying my own home for the first time. I realized that I was very much interested in every detail that went into the home. I got really interested in Construction and at that point, I decided to make what was just a hobby into a profession and business. By the time I decided to quit banking at the age of 40, I started to plan my exit and the first thing that came to mind was for me to pursue business in the Real estate sector which got me buying into a family business that was already into facilities management and to expand the scope to do everything else around the real estate business. I am very passionate about space; I love spaces whether it is your home space, your office space, your hotel space etc! I believe a space tells a lot about the personality of the person so I always like to add a personal touch from designing of partitioning, structuring of space, colour scheme, the furnishings and the management of space. Spaces in general fascinates me and I believe that is what has kept me in the business till now coupled with being a passionate person that does whatever I have to do extremely well.

Biggest risk ever taken as an Entrepreneur
The biggest risk I have taken as an individual is to leave the known for the unknown i.e. to leave the banking industry, where I had everything going for me and to launch out to try to do business and I’ve not had a day’s regret since I took that bold step. In the real estate space and in hospitality.

Challenges
We started the business at the time when Nigeria was just going into the recession and this really affected a lot of our projections, our business started off on a very slow note, we did not have the kind of clientele that could afford our services so the sluggish start was sort of troubling but we found our way around it and we were able to understand what the market could absorb and packaged our services to attract international organizations who could understand and afford our value proposition and also wanted to come into Lagos, Nigeria to do business. The other challenge was the power issue ,The third challenge is People. We have had our fair share of human resource challenges with staff turnover.

Balancing the business and the home front
I will say this is the popular problem of every working woman and therefore not peculiar to running a business. It is the same challenge I faced when I was still in paid employment. Once you are a working woman, you have to balance the home front with your career. I understood where I was going and I developed a working template, thus I have structured my home in the most efficient manner. I have always had highly professional carers to support me with raising my kids and happy to pay the premium in order for me to focus on my career. I also structured my timing to accommodate quality family time which is the most important thing to me but also ensuring that it does not affect work.
I also made sure that I took out time to attend every important event in their lives, every important school event, every important exam and all of that. Yes, it meant me staying up longer hours and keeping awake trying to juggle all the balls but I believe that once one is organized and you are committed to something, you will always find a way to make it work. Life is all about planning

Tell us about your other project and activities?
Our other projects include our interest in tourism and hospitality. We have started doing some work with the Nigerian Tourism Development Corporation (NTDC). We are also doing some work in short-letting across the continent and the UK. Also, preliminary work is going on in setting up our hospitality school which is a passion for me and I believe has to be done quickly. This is a cause I am committed to in order to boost the quality of services in the hospitality and tourism sector and we are working towards achieving it. It is also my way of giving back to an industry I love so much as unfortunately many Nigerians do not seem to understand the true value of customer service. The focus is to train future employers and employees for the Nigerian Hospitality Industry. This will help the industry grow, reduce the unemployment in Nigeria as well as help to grow the Nigerian economy as a whole.
We also have interest in Infrastructure maintenance under facilities management and we are currently doing some work on some transport infrastructure deployment and management. At the same time, we are looking to expand our co working space, the Virtual Hub by setting up another branch in Lagos and opening one in Abuja. These are the projects we have on the front burner right now.

Fusion group in five years
I see Fusion Group growing in leaps and bounds. Our five year road map is to consolidate our efforts and investment in real estate, in hospitality and tourism as well. We would be developing our own estates and also operating our hospitality school within that period. I see Fusion Group becoming about a $100M dollar franchise within the next five years.

Giving up is not an option
My personal mantra in life is to learn to focus on winning so much that I forget how to fail. Therefore giving up was never an option. I am naturally resilient and tenacious. Challenges bring out the best in me. Like I said, I left banking in 2014 and I knew there was no going back so I always knew I had to keep forging ahead no matter what life threw at me. I must confess that I have had my fair share of daunting challenges and there were times when i felt really overwhelmed but my trust in God sustained me.

Who and What Inspire me to be better
The things that have inspired me to be better at what I do are within me. The desire to excel, the passion for service and the willingness to learn from every experience. I believe that how you do anything is how you do everything.
The person who inspired me to be my best was always my Sister , Dr Adenike Aiyedun , she was also my very first business partner. She gave me a lot of push and support as well. She always saw it in me that I could thrive and excel at business and she was the first to give me her support when I decided to leave the banking industry. She always nudged, assisted, coached and prayed for me. She always reminded me that I have everything that I need to succeed and encouraged me to follow my dream.

Being a woman of Rubies

First, I want to say a shout out to every woman out there who is trying to make a difference in the world, to her society and her family. I believe that I am one of those women. I did not mention at the beginning but I was raised by a single parent and my Mother taught us the value of hard work and why it was necessary for me to able to fend for myself and people around me. Hard work, Dedication, Commitment, Loyalty and Passion were all those words I heard from my mum right from when I was little and those values have positioned me for who I am today. As a person, I believe I mentored a lot of people whilst I worked in the banking sector, I raised a lot of other women because
I believe as women, we must hold and raise ourselves up, we must be able to keep each sister going and I believe this I have done so much of and will continue to do. I also believe that I collaborate very effectively with men in such a way that we all achieve results together.
I believe that as a mother, I have done a whole lot to raise children to understand values, morals and important ethics of life. So in terms of what qualifies me to be a Woman of Rubies, I believe in my personal life, I have been able to showcase that. In my business life, I have conducted myself as a woman of rubies. somewhere. In terms of achievements, to God be the glory; I have been able to record my moderate achievements across board. I believe all this qualify me as a woman of rubies.

Final word for female entrepreneurs in Nigeria and women in general
You need to be very confident, you need to first identify your dream and goal and be committed to it and remain very confident in what you do.
I will tell you for free that you will be intimidated by situations, by people and by the opposite sex as well. You are going to feel like you are at your dead end at different times and feel like you are being taken advantage of. You also have to be upright, integrity is everything in business and you should be known for what you do and be known for what you say.
As a woman, you should never give up and never feel we are second rate to anyone.

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SCOTLAND BECOMES FIRST COUNTRY TO GIVE FREE SANITARY PRODUCTS TO LOW-INCOME WOMEN

The Government scheme, which aims to tackle “period poverty”, is considered a world first and will be made available to residents with little money, including girls in “school, college or university”.

Menstrual protection (Photo: BSIP/UIG via Getty Images)

According to the BBC, the scheme was first launched in July last year and, since being renewed for another six-month pilot in March, has distributed free products to more than 1,000 women.

Equalities Secretary Angela Constance has now announced plans to provide charity FareShare with more than £500,000 to extend the project to reach an estimated 18,800 more people.

As the Scotsman reports, free sanitary products will also be available to those “at school, college or university from August.”

 

The campaign to provide free feminine hygiene products was led by Community Food Initiatives North East (CFINE) – and had been welcomed by anti-poverty groups, including The Trussell Trust.

It follows growing calls demanding “dignity” for women whose budgets do not quite stretch to sanitary protection.

The scheme was – in part – inspired by Ken Loach’s 2016 film “I, Daniel Blake” which includes a scene where an impoverished female character shoplifts a packet of tampons.

Scriptwriter Paul Laverty reportedly penned the scene after meeting with women who struggled to afford essential hygiene products.

“It is unacceptable that anyone in Scotland should be unable to access sanitary products,” Constance said.

Gillian Kynoch, head of FareShare in Scotland, said: “We are excited to be working with the Scottish government to use our network to make sanitary products available to people across Scotland.”

Labour MSP Monica Lennon welcomed the extension plans, but called for a statutory requirement to ensure free provision in schools, colleges and universities as well as “placing a duty on the Scottish government to deliver a free universal system of access”.

She said: “Scotland can be a world leader in tackling period poverty if we are bold enough to take these radical steps.”

Source: konbini.com
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MEET THE WOMAN MAKING SOUNDS WITH HER MOUTH TO HEAL AND COMFORT PEOPLE WITH INSOMNIA, ANXIETY AND DEPRESSION

Popularly called the pickle lady, Spirit Payton munches on lettuce, pickles, candy, and other foods directly into a microphone to create soothing sounds that trigger ASMR.

Autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR) is a term used for an experience characterized by a static-like or tingling sensation on the skin that begins on the scalp and moves down the back of the neck and upper spine.

Payton was having a bad pain anxiety on a particular day in 2012, so much that her daughter laid on top of her and her son put pressure on her feet, holding her down.

Later, her daughter put headphones on her ears and she was hearing some light tapping and some crinkling sounds. Surprisingly, it calmed her as she slept for two days.

When her daughter showed her what she listened to, it was a lady tapping on the camera, crinkling paper, and just making sounds. The more she listened to ASMR, the better she became and that was how she learnt about ASMR.

In 2015, she started making videos when she lost her growing florist business, her home and had to live with her children in her car, and then, she got diagnosed with a rapidly degenerating bone disease.

Payton’s diagnosis read that she was going to die within five years. The only place she found succor was with ASMR as it became the only way to relieve pain, find peace, and fall asleep.

When Payton started watching ASMR videos, she realized they were all the same. With the belief that there are sounds that has to be ‘eaten,’ Payton started to munch on edibles.

For her, the sounds of someone eating are some of the most beautiful in the world. She believes that a person naturally eating is making water sounds, crushing sounds, sounds like one is walking in the snow, like one is in a cave or like water is dripping.

One of her most popular clips is of her loudly crunching on a pickle, with comments like, “I never understood why it was so relaxing but it is.”

 

Credit: woman.ng

 

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NIGERIAN AUTHOR CHIMAMANDA ADICHIE WINS 10TH PEN PINTER PRIZE

Nigerian author, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has been awarded the PEN Pinter Prize, a prize in honour of late Nobel laureate Harold Pinter.

The prize is awarded to a writer from Britain, the Republic of Ireland or the Commonwealth, who casts an “unflinching, unswerving” gaze upon the world, and shows a “fierce intellectual determination … to define the real truth of our lives and our societies.”

The judges of the prize described Adichie’s understanding of gender, race and global inequality as “sophisticated beyond measure.”

“In this age of the privatised, marketised self, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is the exception who defies the rule,” they said.

Adichie, speaking on the prize, said:

`I admired Harold Pinter’s talent, his courage, his lucid dedication to telling his truth, and I am honoured to be given an award in his name.’’

She will be presented with the prize on October 9.

She will also, on that date, announced her co-winner, the winner of the “International Writer of Courage,” a prize given to a writer “who is active in defence of freedom of expression, often at great risk to their own safety and liberty.”

The award is given by English PEN, and is supported by the Blavatnik Family Foundation, Ruth Maxted, and the Thompson Family Charitable Trust.

The award was named after the late Harold Pinter, the master playwright (1930-2008), who was a vice-president of English PEN and a tireless crusader for human rights and, particularly, for an end to torture.

 

 

Source: The Punch

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LINDA IKEJI LAUNCHES LINDA IKEJI TV CHANNEL

The platform which is home to several reality shows, Nollywood and Kannywood movies, launched on Saturday, June 9, 2018.

There are seven categories on LITV: Continue Watching, Trending, Reality Shows, TV Series, TV Shows, Movies and Recently Added.

Just like video services like Netflix and IrokoTV, LITV subscribers are expected to pay a certain amount of money to have access to the wide array of content on the platform.

LITV will be available to subscribers at the cost of 1000 naira for a month, 3000 naira for three months, 5500 naira for six months and 10000 for a year.

Currently, there are episodes of reality series such as “King Tonto,” “Toyin Abraham: True & Bare,” “Ice Prince: Rise & Grind,” “Oyinbo Wives of Lagos,” “Gidi, Magodo Mums and their single friends”  “Annabel: My life as a former stripper,” “Highway Girls of Eko,” “Ajegunle With Love” and “Real Naija Ladies of Dallas ” are currently available.

There are also other TV shows such as“Verified,” “Double Trouble,” “Life Lessons with Betty Irabor,” “Crime Story,” “Black Room” and “I Survived.”

According to Ikeji, there are plans to add foreign movies and series from countries such as Ghana, Kenya, South Africa and USA, and Kannywood movies and series to the already existing content on the platform.

Also, there are plans to live stream some of the reality shows in the future.

Linda Ikeji announced her venture into the reality TV business on December 14, 2017, with the announcement of “Oyinbo Wives of Lagos,” a show which focuses on Nigerian women married to white men.

The LITV android app is currently available on Playstore, while the ios app is expected to be available later this week.

Credit: Pulse News

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FELIAM OCHIGBO: 10 THINGS DRINKING WATER CAN DO FOR YOU

Water is a fundamental human need. Each person on Earth requires at least 20 to 50 litres of clean, safe water a day for drinking, cooking and simply keeping clean. Like the popular Naija saying by our own famous Fela “water e no get enemy”.
Our focus here will be on the life-changing reasons to drink more water. Do you know that any point in time you feel thirsty or experience the sensation of thirst, you are already dehydrated? That thirst is your body calling for re-hydration.

So why must we drink more water?
1. IF YOU DON’T DRINK WATER, YOU WILL DIE. It is that important. It depends on our environment, we can survive only a few days without water, probably a week. We can live much longer without food. It is mandatory that we prioritise the consumption of water far more than we currently do.

2. HELPS LOSE WEIGHT: Most times when we think we are hungry, we are actually thirsty. Our body just starts turning on all the alarms and gives us signals when we ignore it. For those of you trying to drop some pounds, staying hydrated can serve as an appetite suppressant and help with weight loss.

3. BE LESS IRRITABLE: Research says dehydration can affect your mood and make you grumpy and confused. To stay happier and think clearer, drink more water.

4. PREVENTS CANCER: Yes, that’s totally right – various research says staying hydrated can reduce the risk of colon cancer by 45%, bladder cancer by 50%, and possibly reduce breast cancer risk as well.

5. FOR BETTER PERFORMANCE: Proper intake of water increases the performance of an athlete. Water composes 75% of our muscle tissue. Dehydration can lead to weakness, fatigue, and dizziness. These conditions can reduce our efficiencies and output.

6. HAVE LESS JOINT PAIN: Drinking water can reduce pain in your joints by keeping the cartilage soft and hydrated. This is how glucosamine helps reduce joint pain, by aiding in cartilage’s absorption of water.

7. FLUSHES OUT WASTE AND BACTERIA: Our digestive system needs water to function properly. Waste is flushed out in the form of urine and sweat. If we don’t drink water, we don’t flush out waste and it collects in our body causing a countless number of problems. Also combined with fiber, water can cure constipation.

8. ‎ HELP PREVENT HEADACHE: Sometimes headaches can be caused by dehydration, so drinking water can prevent or alleviate that nasty head pain. Next time your head hurts, try drinking water.

9. MAKES YOUR SKIN GLOW: The skin is the largest organ in the body. Regular and plentiful intake of water‎ can improve the colour and texture of your skin by keeping it building new cells properly. Drinking water also helps the skin do it’s job of regulating the body’s temperature through sweating.

10. NOURISHES THE BODY: Water is essential for the proper circulation of nutrients in the body. Water serves as the body’s transportation system and when we are dehydrated it makes it difficult for things to go around the body

Pic credit ; Bing

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“I SUFFERED FROM CLINICAL DEPRESSION FOR 4 YEARS” -MOCHEDDAH

Fashion Designer and singer, Mo Cheddah has opened up on her struggle with clinical depression and how after dealing with it for years, she decided to get help.

According to her, mental disorders, including depression, are still not regarded as serious health problems in the country.

“Depression is a medical illness contributed to by an interplay of both biological factors, that is, genetic predisposition, hormones and neurotransmitters and environmental factors such as adverse life events.

“Due to lack of awareness, many people do not know that they or someone they know have depression and try to cope with it sometimes for years without the necessary help.

“Although, knowledge of existence of mental health problems is improving with education, information dissemination through the media and NGOs, the level of this awareness is still quite low. In general, psychological illnesses are not regarded as `serious’ problems.

“There is also a lot of stigma and discrimination attached to people who have psychological disorders. People usually seek help when symptoms become severe, incapacitating or embarrassing,” she said.

The consultant psychiatrist also urged the governments and relevant stakeholders to put more attention and resources, including trained staff, into developing and equipping the Primary Health Care (PHC) system.

She said that most of the detection and initial management of depressive disorders need to be at the primary healthcare centres in the rural and semi-urban communities.

See her posts below

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FEDERAL GOVERNMENT INCREASES MATERNITY LEAVE AND WORK BENEFITS FOR NIGERIAN WOMEN

The Federal Government of Nigeria has increased maternity leave for women from three to four months and this was disclosed by Minister of Labour and Employment,Senator Chris Ngige at the ongoing International Labour Conference (ILC), in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday, 5th of June.

Senator Ngige also told delegates that employers of labour in the public and private sectors in the country have been barred from sacking women from work either due to their marital or maternity status, Vanguard reports.

 

Employers of labour (in Nigeria) are, by regulation, requested to provide workplace crèches for nursing mothers for ease at work place.

In the public service, government recently increased the period for maternity leave from 12 to 16 weeks; to allow enough recuperation for both baby and mother, especially in the area of breast feeding.

In addition, all disciplinary proceedings against any female staff, which might have been taken during the period of her maternity leave shall be put in abeyance till the expiration of the leave.

Employers of labour are also barred from removal of women from work due to their marital or maternity status, illegal labour migration, contract staffing and labour casualisation which affects most women, are being reformed through policies and regulations at national, bilateral and multilateral levels.”

The ratification, domestication and implementation of the Maternity Protection Convention No. 186 are conscious efforts to ensure that more women enjoy maternity protection in the country.”

However, the minister informed that a lot needed to “be done in terms of putting in place appropriate legislation, policies and practices to deal with the gender gaps that inhibit the greater participation of women in the labour force.”

He added that the most effective method of eliminating gender inequality from the workplace lies in vigorous opposition to employers’ discriminatory conducts, policies and harassment in all forms wherever and whenever they occur.

“Women who fall victim to these abuses are encouraged to oppose such through legal actions and reporting to Labour Inspectors. The infusion into Labour Inspection Guides Laws and Code of Practice, with severe sanctions and serious punitive measures are prescribed as future deterrents.

In this respect, we will need the Technical Assistance of the ILO in the area of gender audits, considering the good news that the ILO has in her pool, over 80 certified Audit facilitators. We can adopt the Train the Trainers (TOT) approach in this regard.”

 

To address gender inequality and youth unemployment in Nigeria, Mr Ngige told delegates that the federal government drew up and has been implementing an Economic Recovery and Growth Plan (ERGP).

 

Source: fabwoman.ng

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