5 Places to Find Friends as an Adult

When did everything get so hard? 

 

Somewhere along the way, we grew up. Life started getting bogged down with responsibilities and plans for the future. While much of this is exciting, what happens all too often as we start laying aside our childhood, is we unintentionally put aside our innate ability to make friends easily.

 

Don’t believe me? Think back to when a trip to the playground ended in a ‘new best friend’ after about 20 minutes of sharing the swings with a stranger. Now ask yourself, when is the last time you connected that quickly with someone new?

 

The problem is, adult friendships are crucial, not just to our mental well-being, but to our physical health as well. It’s been proven that having friends leads to less stress, less chance of heart disease, and longer life.

 

But where do we find these new friends? 

 

Try an App

 

Hey!VINA works much like a dating app, but with one very significant difference. Here the goal is to find someone with like interests you may want to befriend. A quick swipe of your finger starts a conversation, leading to a connection and eventually, friendship.

 

Try a Meetup

 

Looking for some fun group activities in your area? Meetup.com is easy to use on your computer, tablet, or phone. Here you search for events of interest to you. You’re then presented with a variety of groups who like to engage in those activities, giving yourself a chance to meet several interesting people at once.

 

Learn Something

 

Signing up for a class allows you to indulge in a new interest at the same time as meeting someone new. Always wanted to cook gourmet dinners? Been thinking about taking flying lessons? Whatever interests you, this is a surefire way to meet new people.

 

Grab a Book

 

Your local library or independent bookstore is a great place to indulge a love of reading while at the same time, getting to know someone new. Book clubs stimulate you intellectually and introduce you to people in the community who share a love for the written word.

 

Take a Walk with a Furry Friend

 

If you have a dog, why not explore more than your own backyard? By taking Fido to your local dog park, you’ll have an opportunity to meet other dog lovers, while at the same time, giving your faithful friend a chance for a little puppy socialization. This is a win all around!

 

Meeting people doesn’t have to be complicated. Opportunities truly are everywhere. So be bold and try something new. You’ll be glad you did!

 

To Do List Success Tips

The humble to do list is a powerful organization tool. It doesn't matter whether you create and keep a digital list using an app such as Todoist or use a pen and paper. What matters is that you create and use your lists every day to help you get and stay organized. The following tips will ensure that your to do lists are a successful tool in your organizational tool box.

 

Keep it Short

 

The ideal length of a to do list is 10 items or less. You've probably created lists in the past that have seemed endless. Instead of helping you feel organized and successful, you probably ended the day with most of the items still unchecked and feeling a failure.

 

By keeping your list purposely short you are more likely to cross off every item and end the day feeling successful.

 

Separate Lists for Home and Work

 

Don't add your work tasks to your personal to do list. Maintain separate lists.

 

Prioritize

 

Once you've listed everything you need to accomplish then number the items in order of priority. Do the most important items first and you'll feel the biggest sense of achievement.

 

If there are any items on your list that aren't important then mark them as such. That way you won't need to feel guilty if you don't cross them off.

 

Assign a Time Limit

 

Wherever possible set a time limit for every item on the list. Not just how long it will take but when it needs to be done. That way you can identify tasks that need to be completed before lunch or before picking up the kids from school.

 

Re-visit and Re-work

 

A to do list should be a working document. Once written it should be revisited throughout the day. You can check off those items you've completed and reprioritize or schedule those that remain.

 

You can also cross items off that are no longer important or unnecessary. It will also give you the opportunity to add any additional tasks that crop up during the day.

 

Keep it with You

 

How often have you made a to do list at the beginning of the day and then totally ignored it? Probably because you left the house without it at the beginning of the day!

 

To make sure that your list is where you need it you could use an app such as Todoist or Jamie's To Do. Better still you could keep your daily to do list in your daily or weekly spread in your bullet journal. That way it will be with you wherever you go and you'll get the satisfaction of marking off the items as you complete them. You'll also have a visual record of your achievement.

 

Your to do list can be a powerful tool for helping you to live an organised life. Using these tips will help you to ensure that it is used successfully.

 

6 Essential Tools to Keep Your Life Organized

Creating an organized life, and maintaining it, isn't as hard as you might think. Of course, it will require planning and some time to set it up but once you've got the following six key tools in place you will feel more focused and in control of your life and time.

 

Paper Planner

 

Yes, even in the age of digital organization a paper planner does still have a place in your organizational tool chest. It doesn't have to be big and bulky or expensive. In fact, you might find that the latest trend for a bespoke bullet journal might suit you best. Your paper planner can include tasks and items that you want to keep a close eye on, as well as for making notes and lists.

 

On-line Calendar

 

In addition to the paper planner, an online calendar or app for your smartphone, is another essential. This handy tool will be with you everywhere that your phone goes and has the added benefit of being able to give you alerts for meetings and scheduled tasks.

 

Evernote

 

This handy tool is free but does have a paid option that provides more functionality. However, for most people the free version will be sufficient. You can clip whole webpages, URLs, create notebooks, share information, create draft documents and add pdf files. It is an online tool but has apps for smart devices that will allow you to sync your notebooks across all of your devices so you'll always be able to access your information.

 

Financial Planner

 

If you're using a bullet journal, then you may decide to create a financial planner within it. If not then you really need to create a dedicated financial planner in which to record your income, expenses and savings. You can keep a track of bills due with a monthly bill payment calendar to ensure that you never miss making a payment again. If you don't want to have a paper planner for your finances, then there are lots of financial planning and management apps available online. One such tool is Good Budget which is a free app for iPhone and Android.

 

To Do List

 

Your to do list is going to be an essential tool to keep your life on track, running smoothly and perfectly organized. Paper lists are great as you can carry them with you or display them where you can't miss them. There are also plenty of to do list apps that can help you create, monitor and organize your lists. Suggested apps are Todoist and Jamie's To Do which are both free.

 

My Fitness Pal

 

A health and fitness tracker can help you monitor your exercise as well as your diet. My Fitness Pal is a popular free online tool with Android and iPhone apps. It contains a huge food database for tracking what you eat and you can create a personalized diet profile.

 

These six tools can really help you stay on top of organization. There are obviously other tools that you may find useful and necessary in organizing your life.

 

Pros and Cons of Buying Time Management Software

Do you work as an internet marketer? If so, your ability to manage time is important to your success. Not only that, it will directly impact the income you generate. For that reason, make sure you have a good sense of time management.

 

Unfortunately, good time management is not a skill that we all have. If you are known for getting distracted easily, procrastinating, or falling behind schedule, you may be looking for help. For some, that help comes in the form of time management software, but is it right for you?

 

The Pros of Time Management Software

 

Time management software can promote organization. It comes in a number of different formats. Regardless of that format, organization is promoted. You should receive specific lists and categories to choose from. For example, you may have the option of creating a daily to-do list, the option of outlining weekly projects, and more.

 

Time management software is installed right on your computer. Since time management software is installed on your computer and since you work from your computer, it is easy for you to access. In fact, you can always leave the program running in the background for quick access and easy loading.

 

The number of choices you have. As previously stated, time management software comes in a number of different formats. Different programs have different features. Look for those you can benefit from. Do you work as an internet marketer for hire? If so, you can benefit from a program that stores the contact information of your clients, as well as links that information to projects. When buying a software program, only spend money on features you will use.

 

The Cons of Time Management Software

 

Time management software costs money. In fact, it can be expensive. On average, a time management software program costs between $50 and $100. You may find programs for sale for more and less. If you are shopping on a budget, compare prices, but don’t forget value. A cheap software program is nice, but not if it is loaded with features you do not want or cannot use.

 

Time management software isn’t always a good value for the money. As previously stated, time management software is expensive and it may come loaded with features you will never use. The perfect solution to this problem is programs you can customize for an affordable fee; however, they are hard to come across. As a cheaper alternative, create your own spreadsheet. In fact, many software programs use spreadsheets. The only thing missing is the countdown clock that most include to alert you to an impending deadline.

 

Time management software can be difficult to use. When buying time management software, you should receive a detailed user’s manual. This guide will show you how to use the program, but you may still have questions. Not only that, if a learning curve is hard, you waste time.

 

Time management software can become a distraction. As previously stated, some programs have a difficult learning curve. As opposed to being simple, learning to use a program can now become a huge distraction. It is ironic, as time management software is designed to improve your productivity. That is only if you know how to use it. For that reason, read reviews online. If users state a product is hard to use, examine other options.

The Best Apps For Productivity

Our lives are marked with lots of work. Rarely will you find enough time, especially during the day to complete your work. Well, this can be attributed to the fact that during the day, people have meetings to attend and a lot of issues to address. But, what about the projects that keeps on accumulating in the office? Undeniably, you need an app that will get your stuff done in the office. Here are some apps that will be of great help to you. With these apps, there will be absolutely no need to work overtime and even on weekends.

 

1. Mailtracker

 

Sometimes, people are reluctant to read mails. And when this happens, mailtracker becomes a handy tool. This iOS app will notify you when people read your mail, and the best part? It will give you detailed notifications of where they read it from. When it comes to memo, you can easily ascertain if a person is telling the truth or not.

 

2. Pushbullet

 

So, you want not to forget anything? Well, this app will be your ultimate solution. It synchronizes with your computer and thus will display notifications from your phone to the screen. Not to forget, it lets you exchange files between different devices, which you can instantly download.

 

3. Focus lock

 

Admittedly, our phones are the greatest form of distractions. As a matter of fact, if you are not keen, you may miss important information just because your concentration is on your phone. This app allows you to choose apps that you want to be locked out of. That done, you will still reads your mails and receive phone calls, but you will be locked out of frequent updates such as sports and weather.

 

4. ETA

 

If you want to be punctual whenever you have meetings, then ETA is your ultimate app. If you will need to drive to your next destination, this app will tell you how long you will take. Amazing! It also facilitates the process of locating where you need to go.

 

5. Evernote

 

This is a multipurpose app that allows you to write to-do lists, notes and other tasks. This app is ideal for making notes during meetings, and the best part? It has a scanning feature that lets you get business cards.

 

In this world full of ups and downs, there is the need to simplify work. Productivity apps will certainly see how achieve this. So, if you have undone work at the office, you have a reason to smile. Gone are the days where a manager had to forego meetings so as to do work at the office. With these apps, you can rest assured that your work will be greatly simplified.

 

The Top 5 Time Management Apps for Entrepreneurs

Your time, as an entrepreneur, is valuable. Every minute you waste looking for your to-do list is a minute that you’re not earning money and building your business. Rather than hiring an assistant to help you keep track of your time, why not try one of these five time management apps for entrepreneurs. 

 

Todoist

 

Todoist is an app that recognizes that not every task on your to-do list is equally important. You can create multiple products for different aspects of your life and business. As you add items to your agenda, you can set priority levels and due dates. Todoist will then show you the essential tasks with the nearest due date first.

 

Toggl

 

Toggl is an app that shows you how much time different tasks take to complete. This is the perfect time tracking app for entrepreneurs. Toggl allows you to track various activities with the touch of a button, then adds up how much time you are spending on that activity each day, week, and month. This can allow entrepreneurs to know their average hourly profitability for each client and task.

 

RescueTime

 

RescueTime can help you stop distractions once and for all. It runs securely in the background of all your devices and tracks how much time you spend on different websites and applications throughout the day. It will give you an accurate picture of how long you are spending on Facebook, email, and other distractions. It will provide you with detailed reports on your productivity so that you can see where you need to improve.

 

Letterspace

 

Letterspace is a notetaking app that is perfect for the disorganized mind. The app allows you to use #hashtags and @mentions within your notes and then organizes your thoughts in the sidebar next to those tags. If you forget to tag your notes, the app also has full-text search capabilities so that you can find what you're looking for easily.

 

Instapaper

 

If you ever get distracted by an interesting video or article, Instapaper can help you stay on track. Whenever you come across something while browsing the Internet, Instapaper will send it to the app. This way you can read it later on any device. It also allows you to comment on and highlight text in an article so that you can save and retrieve information as well as share it on social media.

 

These five-time management apps will help you stay focused on what matters most so that you can quickly grow your business. Incorporate your favorite apps into your daily routine and see how much you can accomplish.

VoIP: It’s Part in Web Conferencing

Web conferencing is causing big waves in the last few years. By web conferencing, meetings, interviews, collaborations, demonstrations, orientations and additional business issues may now be done even if the participants are geographically scattered.

 

VoIP means Voice over Internet Protocol. This is the technique of transmitting analog audio signals through the Net. Analog signals are changed over into digital data so it may be transmitted by Net connection. VoIP may turn a standard Net connection into a way to place free of charge calls. 

 

VoIP enables the user to make calls from anyplace with broadband connectivity. Adding VoIP into web conferencing is like blending data and audio in a handier system. However, there are some skeptics on the affectivity of VoIP in web conferencing.

 

There are benefits and disadvantages for utilizing VoIP. VoIP dramatically cuts the costs dispensed for voice minute charges. Adding audio and voice in web conferences heightens the effectiveness of the meetings. Necessities for VoIP set-up is likewise minimal, like a PC, broadband connection and a communications headset or additional audio data input device.

 

Prior to VoIP web conferencing, companies and businesses paid much money for international calls utilizing landline connections. However, with VoIP, companies may save 100s of 1000s of dollars yearly. By utilizing a phone adaptor (ATA), the VoIP technology may travel anyplace. The user just has to connect their phone adaptor to a broadband connection to utilize it. 

 

More than Two persons can talk on the phone line. With VoIP, affecting a conference for the whole team at once is possible. More calls may be handled at the same time. VoIP likewise has many features like Caller ID, Contact Lists, Voicemail, and so forth. 

 

Meanwhile there are individuals who doubt the VoIP use in web conferences. The voice quality is among the greatest questions over the use of VoIP. The greatest issue is echo, particularly if the participants are utilizing speakers and microphone rather than headsets. 

 

A different condition is that VoIP is contingent on electricity. For normal phones, if power goes down, the phone is still functioning. With VoIP, no power stands for no phone. Since VoIP likewise uses computer and Net, it's susceptible to worms, viruses and even hacking. To resolve this problem, VoIP developers and suppliers are already working on VoIP encryption. 

 

For sorriest case scenarios, a computer crashing in the midst of the call will likewise mean no phone. VoIP phone system is wholly dependent on PCs and the broadband connection. 

 

VoIP and web conferencing are still really young and evolving technology. There is still room for betterment to further improve the efficiency of VoIP. Similar to other rising technology, the beginning is always the edgy part. VoIP service suppliers are still facing many challenges to better improve the services they're offering. 

If You Are Sick Of Spam

Analyses show unsought or “junk” e-mail, called spam, accounts for about half of all e-mail messages gotten. Although once thought of as little more than a pain, the preponderance of spam has expanded to the point where a lot of users have started to express a universal lack of confidence in the effectiveness of e-mail transmissions, and expanded concern over the spread of viruses via unsought messages.

 

So what do you do about spam? 

 

Do what you are able to ward off having your e-mail address out on the internet. 

There are products named “spam spiders” that browse the Internet for e-mail addresses to send e-mail to. If you're interested, do a search on “spam spider” and you'll be amazed at what you return. Interestingly, there's a site, WebPoison.org, which is an open-source project geared to battle net "spambots" and "spam spiders", by presenting them bogus HTML web pages, which hold bogus e-mail addresses.

 

You can utilize form e-mails, which may hide addresses or likewise utilize addresses like sales@company.com instead of your full address to help fight the issue. There are likewise programs that encrypt your e-mail, like jsGuard, which encrypts your e-mail address on web pages so that while junk e-mail spiders find it hard or impossible to read your e-mail address.

Acquire spam blocking software. There are a lot of programs out there for this. There are free versions or you might also buy a pro version. Get some sort of software. It will save you time. The software isn't foolproof, but they truly do help. You commonly have to do some manual set up to block particular sorts of e-mail.

 

Utilize the multiple e-mail address approach. There are a lot of gratis e-mail addresses to be had. If you must subscribe to e-zines, then have a “fill-in” e-mail address. It would be like presenting your cell number to your best friends and the business number to everybody else.

 

Attachments from individuals you don’t recognize are risky. A common issue with spam is that they've attachments and attachments may have viruses. General guideline: if you don't know who's sending you something, don't open up the attachment. Second, seek services that offer filtering. Firewall vendors provide this sort of service likewise.

 

E-mail services now hold “bulk-mail” baskets. If what you utilize currently doesn't support this, consider moving to a new vender. The construct is simple. If you know somebody, they may send you e-mails. If you don’t know them, put them in the bulk e-mail pile then “Pick” to allow them into your circle. 

 

Spam Blocking software has this construct likewise, but having extra layers seems vital these days, so it's worth checking into.

How To Prevent Spyware

There are a few things you are able to do to preclude spyware from infecting your PC. First of all, invest in a dependable commercial anti-spyware platform. There are many currently on the market including stand-alone packages like Lavasoft’s Ad-Aware or Windows Antispyware. Additional choices provide the anti-spyware software system as part of an anti-virus package. This sort of choice is offered up by companies such as Sophos, Symantec, and McAfee. Anti-spyware platforms may fight off spyware by allowing for real-time protection, scanning, and the removal of any discovered spyware software systems. As with a lot of programs, update your antivirus software often. 

 

As you might or might not know, the Internet Explorer (IE) is a great deal of the time a contributor to the adware/malware issue because spyware programs like to bind themselves to its functionality. Spyware loves penetrating the IE’s failings. Because of this, a lot of users have changed over to non-IE browsers. All the same, if you would like to stick with Internet Explorer, make certain to update the protection patches on a regular basis, and only download computer programs from reputable sources. This will help cut down your chances of a spyware infiltration. 

 

And, if all else gives out?

 

In conclusion, if your PC has been contaminated with a great number of spyware programs, the only answer you might have is backing up your information, and executing a complete reinstall of the operating system.

All About Trojans

We have all heard the phrase Trojan, but what precisely is it? A Trojan is a destructive computer program that masks itself as an innocuous application. Unlike computer viruses Trojans don't replicate themselves, but they may be even as destructive. Among the gravest examples of a Trojan horse is a computer program that promises to free your PC from viruses but alternatively introduces computer viruses into your PC.

 

The Trojan horse may be dodgy. Who hasn’t been online and had an ad crop up stating to be able to free your PC of some awful virus? Or, even more terrible, you get an e-mail that claims to be alerting you to a fresh computer virus that may jeopardize your PC. The sender promises to rapidly annihilate, or protect, your PC from viruses if you merely download their “free of charge”, attached software into your PC. You might be skeptical but the software looks licit and the company appears reputable. You continue to take them up on their offer and download the software. In doing so, you've just possibly exposed yourself to a monolithic headache and your PC to a laundry list of ailments. 

 

Once a Trojan horse is touched off, many things may occur. Some Trojans are more bothersome than malicious. A few of the less annoying Trojans might choose to alter your desktop settings or add cockamamie desktop icons. The graver Trojans may wipe out data on your PC, taint files, spread other malware like viruses, spy on the user and secretly report information like browsing habits to others, log keystrokes to steal data like passwords and charge card numbers, phish for bank account details and even establish a backdoor into your PC so that they may come and go as they please.

 

To increase your likelihood of not coming across a Trojan, abide by these rules of thumb.

Trojan horses may infect your PC through rogue sites, instant messaging, and e-mails with attachments. Don't download anything into your computer unless you're 100 % sure of its sender or beginning.

Guarantee that your OS is always cutting-edge. If you're running a Microsoft Windows OS, this is crucial.

Set up reliable anti-virus software. It's also crucial that you download any updates often to catch all new Trojans, viruses, and worms. Make certain that the anti-virus program that you select can likewise scan e-mails and files downloaded through the net.

Think about installing a firewall. A firewall is a system of rules that prevents unauthorized utilization and access to your computer. A firewall isn't going to wipe out your virus problems, but when utilized in co-occurrence with regular OS updates and reliable anti-virus software, it may provide additional security and shelter for your computer.

Nothing may guarantee the protection of your computer 100 %. But you can go forward to better your computer's security and lessen the possibility of infection by consistently following these rules of thumb.

About Phishing

Who hasn’t gotten an e-mail leading them to visit a familiar site where they're being required to update their personal info? The site needs you to affirm or update your passwords, charge card numbers, social security number, or even your bank account. You realize the business name as one that you’ve done business with previously. So, you click on the handy “take me there” link and go on to provide all the info they've called for. Regrettably, you discover much later that the site is bogus. It was produced with the sole aim of stealing your personal data. You've just been “phished”.

 

Phishing (sounded out as “fishing”) is specified as the act of sending out an e-mail to a recipient falsely claiming to have a founded, legitimate business. The aim of the phisher is to con the recipient into delivering their private data, and finally steal your identity.

It isn’t' at simple as you think to spot an e-mail phishing for data. At first sight, the e-mail might look like it's from a licit company. The "From" field of the e-mail might have the .com address of the company noted in the e-mail. The clickable link even appears to take you to the company's site, when as a matter of fact, it's a fake site assembled to replicate the licit site.

 

A lot of these individuals are pro criminals. They've spent much time in producing e-mails that look bona fide. Users need to go over all e-mails requesting personal info cautiously. When reviewing your e-mail remember that the "From Field" may be easily altered by the sender. While it might look like it's coming from a .com you do business with, looks may be deluding. Likewise hold in mind that the phisher will go all out in attempting to make their e-mail look as legitimate as conceivable. They'll even re-create logos or pictures from the official web site to utilize in their e-mails. Lastly, they like to include a clickable link that the receiver may follow to handily update their data. 

 

A good way to check the authenticity of the link is to point at the link with your mouse. Then, have a look in the bottom left screen of your computer. The actual site address to which you're being directed will display for you to view. It's a very quick and simple way to check if you're being led to a legitimate site.

 

Lastly, abide by the golden rule. Never, ever, click the links inside the text of the e-mail, and always erase the e-mail at once. Once you've deleted the e-mail, empty the trash box in your e-mail accounts likewise. If you're truly concerned that you're missing a crucial notice regarding one of your accounts, then type the full web address of the site into your browser. At least then you are able to be confident that you're, really, being directed to the true and legitimate site.

Three Apps that Help Stressed Out People Sleep Like a Baby

 

Stress has a way of making itself known when we want to go to sleep. Somehow, we can shove our stressful thoughts aside most of the day but the moment we try to clear our minds and go to sleep, BAM- stressful thoughts overwhelm us. There are times when it’s really hard to clear our head and go to sleep. Thankfully, there are ways to help. 

 

Our smartphones are never very far away. They can be useful when it comes to reducing stress and helping us sleep. iPhone and Android have apps that help us better understand our sleep cycle and help us clear our minds and sleep better. Here are three apps worth trying. 

 

Headspace - The Headspace app’s tag line is Be Kind to your Mind. This mantra is perfect when stress tries to rob you of your sleep. This app has a variety of benefits including help to assess why you may not be sleeping, functions for power napping, and being mindful. The app is free for basics and charges a monthly fee for advanced features. 

 

Calm - The Calm app is one of the highest rated apps for relief from anxiety and stress. This app has a wide variety of meditations ranging from beginner to advanced and subscribers can choose how long and what type of meditation they prefer. This app also has an option for nature sounds which can be great as white noise for stress relief. This app is free and does offer some in-app purchases. 

 

Dare - The Dare app is unique because its focus is helping you face your anxiety and stressors rather than distract you from them. This unique app helps you move through anxiety using guided imagery you can focus on while the audio portion helps you sit comfortably with your stress. This can help you overcome and move on from stress which can lead to better sleep and less recurring anxiety. This app is free with in-app purchases available.   

 

Using your smart phone to help manage stress and sleep better makes sense. Having resources available that guide you through relaxing and letting go of worries is an asset at bedtime. Try various apps to see which ones meet your needs. Be willing to switch it up and try new apps when one feels too familiar, the variety will help. Be willing to invest in the small fees to upgrade and unlock the bigger and better features too.