Category: Life

Over half of all out of wedlock births can be attributed to teen mothers, suggesting that reducing the amount of children born out of wedlock should be addressed during the teenage years. Compared to women in their 20s, teen mothers cost taxpayers a lot of money each year. Conservatively estimated, teen moms run taxpayers $7 billion per year, or $3200 per each teen birth.

Single Parenting In Idaho

Being a single parent isn’t easy at any age, but teenage mothers have it particularly hard. Women who become mothers in their 20s are more likely to have been able to graduate high school or even college, which is an opportunity teen mothers typically don’t have. Due to lack of education, teens are less likely to be able to support themselves financially. Only 20 percent of teen moms receive child support from the baby’s father, with 80 percent ending up on welfare at some point. Currently, around half of welfare recipients had their first child as a teenager.

However, there is an argument that all of the problems that are attributed to teen moms can’t be blamed on the fact that they are teen parents. Some researchers suggest that many of the issues can be blamed on a disadvantaged background, not teen parenthood. In any case, teen motherhood doesn’t make it any easier and would especially have a negative impact on those from a disadvantaged group or background.

Future Boise Children

The children of teen mothers are also more likely to face more issues growing up than their counterparts with mothers of an older childbearing age. Children of these mothers are likely to be born prematurely or have a lower birth weight than other infants. Abuse and neglect are more prevalent among children born to teen moms, as well as poor school performance. They’re also the most likely to end up in foster care.

Idaho Teen Pregnancy Laws

The current welfare laws address different aspects of teen pregnancy prevention, including $50 million annually for abstinence education programs in high schools, paternity establishment initiatives, child support payment programs, requirements for teen moms to complete high school, $20 million bonuses to the top 5 states that reduce teen pregnancy rates, and requiring states to set goals to reduce teen pregnancy and welfare dependence.

Falling Pregnancy Rates

Most of these policies have failed, with child support enforcement being the only exception. Teen pregnancy has been on the decline since the 1990s, more than likely caused by social and other societal factors. Currently, teenagers are having less sex than they did in the 1970s through 1990s. Better and long lasting contraceptives like the IUD and the hormonal implant are also available, but it can still be difficult to convince teenagers to use these methods.

In the 1990s, there was also an increased fear of contracting HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases, which may have also contributed. The fear, whether based in reality or not, made teenage boys more cautious in particular. Certain public health and education initiatives like a greater emphasis on sex education in high schools may have also played a role.

Boise Pregnancy Prevention Programs

It’s clear that only certain teen pregnancy prevention programs work. Increased access to reproductive health services and career counseling has been shown to prevent teen pregnancy, in addition to programs that encourage teens to use contraceptives and delay sexual intercourse until they are adults. Abstinence only programs have not been shown to be very effective in the prevention of teen pregnancy. A lot of it can be blamed on teacher beliefs, as well as how blurred the line is between abstinence only and comprehensive sex education with a brief focus on abstinence.

Some media campaigns have also proven to be effective, with ones that focus on the risks of sexually transmitted diseases like HIV/AIDS as the most effective. It remains an inexpensive way to reach a large group of teens. Overall, it’s important to keep sex education both cost effective and accurate to get the best results and lower teen pregnancy.

What Is Pediatrics?

Pediatrics is a field of medicine that focuses on treating and preventing illnesses and injuries in children. Pediatricians typically provide care in patients up to the age of 18. Pediatrics has been around since the 19th century, so it is one of the newest medical specialties. Idaho offers pediatrics through many of its hospitals, clinics and primary care doctors.

The Job of a Pediatrician

Pediatricians treat children, but they also provide preventative care. Their goal is to help children stay in the best physical, emotional and mental health possible.

The Purpose of Pediatrics

Pediatrics is focused on promoting healthy lifestyles and helping stopping the spread of disease in children. This field is also focused on treating chronic conditions in children. The field of pediatrics has helped reduce child and infant death rates. Pediatricians can treat the following conditions.

• Infections
• Genetic conditions
• Congenital conditions
• Organ diseases
• Cancer

Pediatrics isn’t just about treating illnesses in children. It also helps improve a child’s quality of life by helping them live with a disability or illness. A pediatrician can also address the following issues.

• Behavior issues
• Development disorders
• Social stresses
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Function disabilities

Teaming Up With Other Medical Specialists

Pediatricians throughout Idaho often collaborate with other healthcare providers in order to give a child the best care possible. If a child has complex physical or mental needs, then they may have to be referred to a specialist.

How Is The Field of Pediatrics Different From The Field of Adult Medicine?

There are several ways that adult medicine is different from pediatrics. Children have smaller bodies than adults. That is why they have to be treated differently. It is important to note that children are not just mini-adults.

Not just in Idaho but throughout the United States, children are more affected by developmental problems, genetic problems and congenital problems than adults are. There are also legal issues that have to be addressed when treating children. In most places, children are not able to make their own medical decisions. Legal responsibility, privacy and guardianship are just a few of the many issues that have to be addressed when treating children.

What Type of Training Does an Idaho Pediatrician Receive?

Pediatricians have to start their career off by graduating from medical school. After that, they will have to treat a pediatric residency. A residency will typically last about three years. The focus of the residency is treating children, infants and adolescents.

People who successfully complete their residency will be able to pass an exam that is given by the American Board of Pediatrics. The pediatrician will then be board-certified. A certification will last seven years.

Types of Pediatrics Subspecialties

A subspecialty is a more narrow focus of a broader field. The following is a list of subspecialties.

• Critical care medicine
• Hematology
• Pediatric oncology
• Nephrology
• Neonatal medicine
• Gastroenterology
• Endocrinology

When to Take Your Child to the Pediatrician

All children need to see the pediatrician periodically for regular exams. Your child may also get vaccinations during these visits. It is estimated that 16 percent of children who are between the ages of three and 17 have at least one behavior or developmental problem. It is a lot easier to treat a problem if it is identified early.

A pediatrician will evaluate your child’s mental and physical health. They will also make sure that your child is meeting all of the milestones that they should be hitting. Additionally, they will ask questions about your child’s social, sleeping and eating habits.

There are also many health issues that need to be addressed by a pediatrician immediately. If your child is over the age of two and has had a fever for more than three days, then you should take them to the pediatrician. You should also take your child to the pediatrician if they have diarrhea, sore throat, headaches or have been vomiting for more than 24 hours.

If you’re planning a visit to the capital of Idaho, make sure that you include a trip to the Train Depot. This historic monument was built in 1925 for use by the Union Pacific during the heyday of train travel in the northwest. The structure is designed and built in the Spanish style, featuring exposed trusses that show off a rail car design.

The Early Boise Train Depot

In the early days, this Depot was an extremely busy building. It’s situated at the south end of Capitol Boulevard and includes a 96-foot tall bell tower that can be seen from nearly anywhere in the city. The attached Howard Platt Gardens were dedicated in 1927. As of 1948, there were six different passenger trains rolling through this Depot each day, including the City of Portland, the Idahoan and the Portland Rose.

Decline and Repurpose

As train travel waned and the mail began to be transported by air, the last Portland Rose passenger train passed through the Depot in 1971. The Depot was taken over for use by Amtrak for a time in 1977, but this eventually waned as well.

 

 

A Boise Community Center

In 1990, the Morrison Knudsen Corporation bought the Depot from the Union Pacific Railroad. The facility underwent a three-year refurbishment, creating a community center with attached gardens that serves the city and state as a hosting place for many events, both public and private. The gardens are popular spots for weddings and photo sessions.

Guided tours of the entire facility, including the chance to see the bells inside the tower, can be arranged by contacting the parks and rec department of the City of Boise. If you want to reserve the facility for a special event, you can book up to a year in advance.

Study Idaho History from Inside the Building

This facility is located at 2603 West Eastover Terrace. Once inside the Depot, you can get a look at the original 1925 Barkalow Brothers Newsstand and test out one of the ten original benches offered to early travelers. Initially, there was room for 165 people to sit in this busy train station.

 

 

Boise’s Train Depot Historic Gardens as Well

The Platt Gardens, built as an amenity to be enjoyed by the travelers taking the Union Pacific, include a long winding walkway, a pond for koi, many places to sit and relax, a volcanic rock monument and beds loaded with seasonal flowers. In keeping with the style of the building, these gardens were designed by Ricardo Espino, a well-known Spanish architect.

The Train Depot and gardens are situated on a hill overlooking the Capitol Boulevard. This placement makes the gardens an ideal setting for special events and photo shoots. The roses are particularly enjoyable, so if you’re planning a trip here, try to time things so you can enjoy the garden as well as the Depot!

Visit Big Mike

Big Mike, one of the Mikado locomotives that traveled through the Boise Depot is on display in Julia Davis Park. Consider starting in the Depot for a full tour and a sense of the history of the locomotive age, then stop for a close-up look at this remarkable locomotive.

Rails to Trails and Other Sites

While rail travel has waned, the rails to trails trend means that there’s great walking and cycling in and around Boise. While in the area, be ready to stretch your legs and check out the beautiful botanical gardens, the Old Idaho Penitentiary and the Boise River Greenbelt.

The city of Boise has done a wonderful job of preserving the history of the region. The Train Depot and Gardens, Big Mike in Julia Davis Park, and the bell tower are all terrific bits of history that we can enjoy today. Call ahead to find out the hours of the Train Depot and the tour options available on your travels in Idaho.

Before OG Yoga hit Boise, hot yoga classes were not gaining the same traction in Idaho as they were other states. With OG quickly filling their new yoga studio the hot yoga experience is picking up steam in the Treasure Valley. For those who have not experienced hot yoga in Boise yet, it is a form of yoga that is done in a room where the temperature ranges from 80 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. Some may be too shy for the heat but those who have tried a hot yoga experience boast of the health benefits that typical yoga does not provide.

Heat For Improve Your Flexibility

There is a reason that you are told to stretch before you workout. It is safer for you to exercise when your muscles are warm and the practice of hot yoga can make it easier for you to stretch and improve your flexibility. There was a recent 2020 study done where people were asked to do hot yoga for eight weeks straight. The results of the study showed that the subjects noticed increased flexibility in their hamstrings, shoulders and back. Far more flexible than than the study group practicing yoga at room temperature. With long work days, stress or life and the amount of time the average person is seated throughout the day, turning up the thermostat can quickly unleash tension in tight muscles.

Hot Yoga For Burning More Calories

The number of calories that you burn during hot yoga classes will depend on your weight. However, a person who weighs 160 pounds can burn as much as 460 calories during a 90-minute hot yoga session. This is a lot more calories than you would burn during a standard yoga class. Strength, body control and Bikram yoga poses combined with heat will make you sweat.

Increase Your Bone Density With Hot Yoga

You can increase your bone density by supporting your own body weight. You do this every time that you do a yoga pose. A 2019 study showed that women who did yoga regularly were able to increase bone density in their lower back, hips and neck. The researchers believed that yoga can potentially reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Heat and Yoga Reduce Stress

Many people do yoga because they want to alleviate their stress. There was a 2018 study done where the subjects were asked to do yoga regularly for 16 weeks. The results were shocking with lower hear rates, reduced stress and an over-all level of relaxation. Yoga can also improve your quality of life, which can make it easier for you to deal with the stresses of daily life.

Yoga to Relax and Ease Depression

Yoga can help boost your mood. The American Psychology Association has stated that yoga can be an effective way to manage depression. Yoga helps you relax. If this isn’t enough to make you signup for a hot yoga class than keep reading. It  only gets better.

Improve Your Heart Health

Any type of yoga that you do can help you improve your heart health. However, hot yoga will give your heart even more of a workout. It challenges your entire body. A 2014 study showed that doing hot yoga is the equivalent of walking at a speed of 3.5 miles per hour. Additionally, it can boost your metabolism so that your body burns more calories at rest.

Yoga Lowers Your Blood Sugar

Any type of exercise that you do can lower your blood sugar. However, hot yoga has been shown to be especially effective for helping people who are at an increased risk for becoming type 2 diabetics. A 2013 study showed that yoga can improve blood sugar control in people who are obese.

Protect Your Skin

Yoga is not only good for your body, but it is also good for your skin. Doing yoga in a warm environment causes your body to sweat profusely. This helps your body release toxins. It also increases circulation, which can increase the flow of oxygen and nutrients.

How to Stay Safe While Doing Hot Yoga

It is safe for you to do yoga in a heated environment if you are healthy. However, you will still need to take the following steps to keep yourself safe.

• You will need to drink plenty of water. You are more likely to be dehydrated if you exercise in heat.
• Talk to your doctor if you have preexisting health conditions.
• You should also consult with your doctor if you are pregnant.
• If you have a problem with heat, then you should do yoga at regular room temperature.
• Listen to your body. You should stop if you start to feel dizzy or lightheaded.

Getting Started With Hot Yoga

• Wear breathable, lightweight clothing.
• Bring a towel with you because you will sweat.
• Bring a large water bottle with you.
• Use special socks and gloves so that you can have extra grip.
• Hot yoga is also great for athletes of other sports, anything from tennis to skiing.

You have been eying the guitar in the store window for weeks now. Your friend asks why you have yet to purchase it. Is it because you have never learned to play?

There are as many reasons to learn to play the guitar as there are excuses for not learning. Here are eight reasons to join the ranks of the guitar-playing population.

Therapeutic

Organizations like schools, charities, and health facilities use music and learning an instrument in their formal therapy sessions. You do not have to be a member of the therapy community to reap the benefits of learning to play the guitar.

It relieves stress. You lose yourself in the music, and the world disappears, if only for a short time. As little as 15 minutes can give a tremendous boost to your mood.

Good for Heart

The inherent stress relief of playing the guitar is good for the health of your heart. As playing relieves stress, it can help to lower your blood pressure. Your heart rate slows as you relax. Both of these effects are positive in terms of overall heart health. Daily practice is a way to work toward keeping those rates down. And picture playing your small acoustic guitar outside around a campfire for instance and you can get an idea at just how pleasant and soul-warming it can be.

Gives a Sense of Accomplishment

Learning to play the guitar can give you a feeling of accomplishment. You may not feel accomplished as you begin to learn. You might even feel frustrated with the process.

As you continue to practice, you will learn new chords and new songs. With each practice, you will improve. As you improve, you will begin to feel that you have accomplished something. This sense of accomplishment will play a role in the confidence-boosting benefits of playing.

Playing Guitar Improves Memory

You may expect to start forgetting things as you get older. You may even feel like you have difficulty remembering things now. Learning to play the guitar can help improve your memory now and help you keep it later.

As you learn to play, you memorize chords and progressions. You have to remember which finger goes in what position on the strings and fretboard. This act of memorization helps to strengthen connections within the brain. These stronger connections help you to exercise your memory now and maintain it as you age.

Boosts Confidence and Social Skills

Perhaps you are a shy person. Social situations spawn fear into the depths of your being. Learning to play an instrument such as a guitar can help you break out of your shell.

Playing guitar provides you with a new topic of conversation. Not only that, but practicing will help you improve your skills, which will naturally boost your confidence. As your confidence increases, you could find that presentations at work are no longer as daunting. You might even find that public situations do not seem as fearful.

Playing Guitar Improves Concentration

Do you sometimes have difficulty maintaining focus? You could be in the middle of a task, and suddenly, you find something else more interesting. If you find it hard to pay attention, there is good news for you. Learning to play the guitar can help you improve your concentration.

As you learn to concentrate while practicing, you will be training your mind to focus. This focus will become a new habit, and you could find that this skill translates to other areas of your life. Regular household chores or work tasks could become less frustrating as your concentration improves.

Helps with Eye Hand Coordination

If you have ever played a sport, you know that they take eye-hand coordination. Did you know that eye-hand coordination helps you mentally process things? It can help you with skills such as reading. Eye-hand coordination is an important part of playing guitar.

As you learn to play, you will learn to read chord charts and tabs. Simply knowing how to read the music does not make you a guitar player. You have to translate what you see into how your hands move. The more you practice guitar the better your eye-hand coordination will be.

Increases Arm Strength

When you begin learning to play guitar your hands will hurt. Your fingers will hurt. Your arms will hurt. It will feel awkward to hold the guitar.

Your instructor will likely teach you exercises to make chording easier. These will probably feel strange in the beginning. As you learn, the movements will become easier. Your fingers and hands will become stronger and more flexible. Your wrists and shoulders will also become stronger.

Be careful not to attempt too many exercises in a short period of time. This could cause injury. The strengthening process is not an overnight achievement. It will happen gradually over a period of time.

Remember when online dating was met with whispers and sideways glances? There used to be a taboo feeling when it came to meeting someone from Boise on a dating website. It almost felt desperate and wrong. However, the rules for online dating have changed dramatically, especially with the invention of popular dating apps you can download to your smartphone. Boise Tinder, anyone? Today, online dating can be easy and worthwhile if you follow a few simple rules!

Boise Dating Tip #1: Always tell the truth

While it is tempting to use a profile picture from ten years ago because you look thinner, don’t. No one wants to meet up with someone who looks nothing like their pictures. Don’t say you love the Boise foothills or hiking in Idaho if you can’t stand the sun, always be upfront about the number of kids you have, and don’t go on about the television shows that you love when you’ve never watched them. Being honest on your profile will get you much further. It’s just easier to maintain a relationship when it starts with the truth.

Boise Dating Tip #2: Don’t take things personally

You may look good together online, but things can change when you actually meet up for the first time. Don’t take bad or boring dates personally. In fact, it’s a good idea to look at these types of dates like practice. Sure, it didn’t work out, but you probably had fun and got to practice socializing with someone else. Just remember, you aren’t going to have chemistry with every date you have, so don’t let a few bad dates ruin your self-esteem.

Boise Dating Tip #3: Try out different websites

Nowadays, you’ll find various dating websites online as well as dating apps you can install on your phone. Don’t limit yourself to just one website or app when you could experiment with a few instead. Some dating websites are more for casual encounters while others are geared toward serious relationships. We have all seen the adverts for the “Farmers Only” dating site and maybe chuckled a little but spend some time to see if there is a dating site catered to your specific lifestyle, religious beliefs, hobbies, or location. Try out a few to find one that fits your needs.

Boise Dating Tip #4: Take a chance

Sure, you want to get to know a person before you actually meet them. But with so many apps and websites and so little time, who has the energy to keep a conversation going for long? It’s fine to keep up a short conversation for a little while, but consider asking the person to meet up for coffee or lunch after a few shorter messages. This way, you aren’t investing your time and energy into someone you won’t have chemistry with face-to-face. Once you have established some type of interest in each other, don’t drag things out.

Boise Dating Tip #5: Online dating can take time

You may get lucky and take a chance with your happily-ever-after the first time you meet up with someone from a dating service. But in most cases, online dating takes time and patience. Prepare yourself for a number of first dates, and even some dating disasters, before you find the one who makes it all worth it.

Boise Dating Tip #6: Always be safe when online dating

Never give out your home address when you are talking to someone online. If you do plan to meet up for a date, arrange for a meeting in a very public place. Use your own transportation to get there and make sure you have a way home. Make sure a friend or family member knows when you are out with someone new. You could also ask them to text you an hour or so into the date to make sure things are going well (and safely) on your end.

Boise Dating Tip #7: Be open and flexible

While it’s advisable to have a series of ground rules for your dates, it’s also okay to be flexible about them. For example, you may have a “no kissing” rule concerning first dates, but don’t be scared to break this rule if your gut tells you that it’s okay. Trust your innermost feelings to do what you think is right. Following your heart may lead you straight to the love of your life!

Visiting Boise? Add These Ski Resorts To Your Idaho Activity List

If you live in or are visiting Boise, Idaho, you have access to several different and sensational ski resorts. Some are larger, others smaller but all of them offer you unique skiing options. You may be interested in a larger ski lodge offering lodging, a wider variety of restaurants, more activities, shopping, family-friendly options or the opening date of the resort. Although all of these resorts are a fairly close drive from Boise, some are closer than others.

Idaho Offers Some of the Top Ski Slopes in the USA

The descriptions below provide you with the details for driving times, actual mileage, the best local restaurants both on and off-site, available lodgings, the cost of a single-day visit, season passes, family passes and the alternate activities available. This year, Ski Free Idaho day is on January 4th of 2020. Make certain your state park or ski resort is registered before proceeding. This is a good opportunity to have some fun at no cost.

Tamarack Resort in Donnelly, Idaho

When you dream about the ideal ski resort, there is an excellent chance you are imagining the Tamarack Resort. This large ski resort is fairly new, extremely comfortable and located close to McCall, Idaho. The Tamarack Resort offers the best skiing in Idaho with a complete ski village including inviting lodges, sensational shopping and a lot more. Unfortunately, many of the residents of Boise miss out on the Tamarack Resort due to the closeness of so many other ski resorts. Instead, many out of state visitors come for skiing, relaxation, enjoyment of the outdoors and the crisp refreshing air.

In addition to skiing, the resort offers numerous activities including concerts and breathtaking firework displays. The Tamarack Resort is just 94.6 miles from Boise. You can drive there in roughly two hours and twenty minutes depending on road conditions and traffic. Your choices for lodging are the Lodge at Osprey Meadows, purchasing a vacation home of your own, booking a condo or chalet and off-site vacation rentals situated nearby. Your pricing for Ski Resort day include:

• Ski Resort Day Visit: $25 to $75
• Ski Resort Season Pass: $139 to $489
• Family Pass: $1,549

Your dining options at the Tamarack Resort are exceptional including Fern & Feather, Mile High Cantina, Seven Devils Pub and Canoe Grill.

Soldier Mountain Ski Area – Fairfield, ID

This ski resort is not well known but is located near the little town of Fairfield, Idaho. Soldier Mountain is small, generally opening later since there is less snow. This is a good option for backcountry skiing. This resort does not currently offer the additional activities available with the other resorts such as the Tamarack Resort. You will not find any lodging available on-site. Your best option is a vacation rental such as Killdeer Kottage.

The resort is a two-hour drive from Boise depending on road conditions and traffic or 112 miles. Your dining options are the Fox Den Pub and the Lodge. Your pricing for Ski Resort day include:

• Ski Resort Day Visit: $15 to $45
• Ski Resort Season Pass: $170 to $400

Bogus Basin – Boise, Idaho

Although popular with the locals, Bogus Basin is one of the last ski resorts to open. The resort is 18.4 miles from Boise or a drive of 30 to 45 minutes depending on traffic and road conditions. The resort offers numerous activities including Alpine skiing, winter tubing, snowshoeing, the mountains coaster and Nordic skiing. If you do not live in Boise, you can reserve a condominium. Your dining options include Bogus Creek Plaza, Pioneer Lodge and Double R Ranch BBQ Smokehouse. Your pricing for Ski Resort day include:

• Ski Resort Half or Full Day Ticket: $10 to $67
• Ski Resort Season Pass: $29 to $549

Note: The more expensive season passes include ski days at a maximum of 18 other resorts.

Little Ski Hill – McCall, ID

Most people are unaware of Little Ski Hill. You will find this little resort in McCall, Idaho, although many prefer the larger resorts. The resort is a two hour and twenty-minute drive from Boise, Idaho depending on the road conditions or 110 miles. This is the only ski resort in McCall offering night skiing but the hours are extremely limited due to the small size. The resort is closed Mondays, open during the week after school but remains open all day on both Saturday and Sunday. The activities include a terrain park, and terrain and Nordic skiing. The only lodging or dining available is in McCall. Your pricing for Ski Resort day include:

• Ski Resort Day: Starting at $20 per day for adults and $15 for youths with children under four free

• Ski Resort Season Pass: $65 to $275 if you need a family pass with children under four free

Brundage Mountain – McCall, Idaho

Brundage Mountain is close to McCall, Idaho, with an earlier opening due to the higher elevation. The resort is a two and one-half hour drive from Boise, Idaho depending on road conditions and traffic or 117 miles. The activities include skiing, snowmobiling, cross country, horse-drawn sleigh rides, snow tubing, snowshoe, fat bike trail and seasonal events. Your lodging options are hotels located in McCall or local vacation rentals. Your dining options are The Upper Lot Pub, The Bear’s Den, Smoky’s Bar & Grill and Main Street Market & Espresso. This is a good option for long runs and fresh powder but not recommended for families. Your pricing for Ski Resort day include:

• Ski Resort Day: $27 to $73 with the family fun pack including The Bear Chair mid-mountain lift pass and rental gear for four

• Ski Resort Season Pass: $119 to $629

• Family Pass: $1,449

 

Every business employee who has anything to do with a company’s marketing outreach needs to know the basics of search engine optimization. This marketing strategy, called SEO for short, is responsible for the vast majority of online retail transactions that take place. SEO is the bridge the consumer uses to get from their boring desktop screen to the exciting website offered by companies that promise to fulfill their needs. Consumers simply type a few words into a search bar to get transported to a list of websites that offer products and services that meet their needs, or the consumer might be looking for help with a problem that leads them to the solution provided written by a unique brand.

No matter how the consumer finds the company through their internet search, landing on a webpage through clicking is an organic experience to the user. The consumer feels like they found their answers through their own actions, and the answer they were looking for happens to come from a webpage written by your company. This example illustrates why it’s important to rank high on Google searches. Ranking high on Google searches is one of the most successful marketing strategies. Many modern marketers agree that ranking high in search results on Google is worth the investment, and the way to do this is by unlocking some of the most guarded SEO secrets.

What Determines How High Your Company Ranks

If the goal is to rank high on Google searches, the first thing that needs to be done is to figure out what criteria determines how high a company will rank. The criteria that Google’s algorithms relies upon includes how easily their automated system is able to crawl through websites. Google takes the quality of the user’s experience into account, so the site must also have content that is relevant, engaging, and information to the user. Lastly, in order to rank high in Google searches, companies need to display that their business is an authority on the content that they are promoting.

Learning How to Crawl

Before your company runs with the best companies in your industry, you must learn how to crawl through the website. Learning about how Google crawls through your company’s website will help the site rank higher when you make it easier for Google to discover more information on your company’s website. Linchpin SEO explains this concept: “For the most effective crawling, it’s imperative that the information architecture is constructed in a way that mirrors their thought processes.” Think like the user to help Google have a better time crawling through the pages of your website.

The User Experience is Vital

Not enough can be said about how important the user’s experience is to each website’s rank on Google’s search results. The value of this secret comes from the fact that user experience encompasses all other ways to rank high on Google. Try to think of ways to bring value to the people that visit your website by coming up with interesting content. Unique content on your site will increase its value to the user. Instead of selling a product, website content should be focused on solving actual problems for real people.

Google Listens to Authority

Google wants its users to be satisfied with the pages that it suggests, so it lists sites with high authority in their industry at a higher ranking than those companies without authority. The way to become more authoritative doesn’t involve gaining another degree in your field. In fact, websites gain authority that Google favors by being referenced by other sites on the web. In academia, the same could be said about scholars who are referenced by other scholars in their chosen field. Bring authority to your company’s website to rank higher by making great content that other people want to reference.

Don’t underestimate the Power of Local Marketing

A business Google My Business profile builds the entity of a business. Dan ODonnell of Crevand SEO, a Boise SEO agency, suggests that the future of both national and local marketing is branding through local citations, brand mentions and acquiring reviews. “Businesses should look closely online for high quality resources where they can share their company information and build their brand entity”, says Dan. “A few places I really like are Upcity, Inc.com, Yelp, and local chambers. Also look for industry specific directories that rate companies (ie. Best Firms or Brand Yourself)”.

My wife and I attended a marriage retreat a few years ago. We like to do this from time to time as a commitment to each other and as a sign that the health of our marriage is important to us both. It is often easy to get carried away with work, personal hobbies or the basic survival necessities; $300 trips to Costco, daycare drop-offs, the 8 loads of laundry that need to be completed each weekend and an endless pile of bills. A weekend marriage-minded get-away can be good for the soul.

Through social media we see images posted of what appears to be the perfect family. The Mitchells took a great trip to Florida last week and all of their kids are smiling at Disneyland while the Palmers just ran a family half marathon and joyously went out for ice cream after. It is easy for people looking at those photos to think that a perfect life exists or that their own family is dysfunction by contrast. In the real-world, my Facebook posts would contain images of my son having a meltdown in the backseat of the car or maybe pictures of my over-grown lawn that desperately needs care. Despite what jaded world Facebook may show us, in reality, there’s no such thing as a “perfect” family.

Generally, people only show the good aspects of their family on the Internet. Sure, there’s always that one friend who airs their dirty laundry all over social media, but they are the exception, not the rule. People post images of who they want to be rather than who they really are. This faux reality is unhealthy to both the poster and the viewers.

Naturally, people only want others to see good things. While they’re not aiming to deceive others into believing that, in their world, everything is perfect and their families don’t have any negative issues. It’s completely normal to avoid throwing yourself and children under the bus by avoiding posts with negative or embarrassing images . Who wants to be Debbie-Downer? Instead, we are being selective about what we share and selective in a way to frame the perception of happiness.

Family dynamics are always changing. Nobody on this Earth is perfect, so no family can be perfect, either. Judgement of other families and comparison through social media can be detrimental to overall family health.  I have often thought the Facebook “Like” button should go a little deeper with the level of response it reflects. It could easily be replaced with a short anonymous button entitled, “Nice photo but your family isn’t perfect. I saw your son punch Billy on the playground last week and don’t forget your daughter was the one that shared lice with her entire 3^rd grade class”. Just something short and sweet that functions more as a reality check than a sharp jab in the side. Just kidding, of course, but I have had this kind of thought run through my mind once or twice. The structure of Facebook with Likes and comments naturally puts viewers in a position that suggests comparison and competition.

Happy Families Don’t Need to Be Perfect

Never think that anyone else’s family is perfect or even better than your own. At the end of the day, all families have issues. Strive to celebrate the joys of other families as, at some point, your family will also have exciting news, great accomplishments or successes that you will want to share. Never let social media images of “perfection” fool you. All families have flaws and it is all part of being human. Focusing on your own family and happiness is the best way to strengthen the bonds in your family.

There’s an unfortunate myth out there that you either are or aren’t a “morning person.” You may feel like it’s your destiny to hit the snooze button four times, begrudgingly roll out of bed and rush through everything before barely making it to work or school on time.

The good news is that anyone can be a morning person. It’s all a matter of knowing how to build the right morning routine, putting in the effort and staying disciplined.

A Morning Routine

How can you set up the right morning routine? Your best option is to reverse engineer it. Start by making a list of all the activities you’ll need to do every morning, and that does mean everything. Include an estimate of how long each activity normally takes you.

For example, your morning routine may include getting up and brushing your teeth, putting on sweats, going for a three-mile jog, taking a shower, getting dressed for work, and finally driving to your job while eating a small meal on the way there. Separate all these activities and put a time estimate next to them.

The Clock Is Ticking

Then, subtract that time estimate from when you need to arrive at work or school, and you’ll have the latest time you can wake up every morning. If you need to be at work by 9 a.m. and your routine takes you two hours, then you can’t get up any later than 7 a.m. By giving yourself enough time, you’ll avoid stressful mornings where you’re rushing to get ready.

Sleep Is Critical

To be ready for that morning routine, you need enough sleep, and the optimal amount for most people is around seven to eight hours. Subtract this amount from your wake-up time to figure out when you need to be in bed every night. Using the example above where you need to wake up at 7 a.m., you should make sure you’re in bed by 11 p.m. or midnight every night to avoid feeling groggy when your alarm goes off.

Reverse engineering your morning routine this way can make a huge difference in the quality of your mornings, but there are still a couple other improvements you can make. One is getting a quality breakfast. When you eat a breakfast full of nutrients, you’ll feel better throughout the day and have more consistent energy levels. Aim for a healthy meal with a nice balance of protein, carbohydrates and fat.

TV and Radio Can Make Or Break Your Day

Last but not least, pay attention to what you’re watching or listening to as you start your day. Avoid anything that gets you emotional or stressed, because that will carry into the rest of your day. Comedic podcasts or music you enjoy are good choices to start your day with the right mindset.

Don’t buy into the myth that you’re not a morning person. If you set up your morning routine properly, eat a good meal and find the right content to start your day, you’ll improve your productivity and be in a better mood.

From the 1950s onward, media pundits have predicted the death of radio. Broadcast television soon followed as a medium about to enter obsolescence. The hard copy book was supposed to be extinct by now. What the future may hold is open for debate but these forms of communication are still hanging on. The business world is likewise confronted with new modes of sales and marketing. Will they supplant current methods or simply complement them? In no area of exchange is this question more significant than it is with the practice of cold calling. Is it still an effective tool of salesmanship?

Neither Loved Nor Mourned

The truth is that few sales professionals would weep over the passing of cold calling. Even the most extroverted and successful would rather gather prospects by other means. It is what many managers would consider a necessary evil, a talent for which they look when assembling a sales and marketing team. Should this tried-and-true practice give way to the technological superiority of e-commerce, the profile of a sales force could change substantially.

That forecast may indeed come to fruition. For years, cold calling was the only game in town, the single best way to find new customers. In a sense, the advent of the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system renders cold calling superfluous. In the CRM model, the company has multiple ways in which to familiarize a prospective consumer with the product or service offered. By integrating individual prospect data with that of current customers, along with analytics and business forecasts, CRM systems convey optimal strategies for attracting and retaining new clients. Much of the interaction is online.

Almost Dead

CRM systems get prospects comfortable with a business before any personal contact is initiated. By contrast, a cold call is often the first impression a prospect will have about a given enterprise. While the best callers can put their subjects at ease, even they understand that the sales pressure is at its most naked over the phone. At the same time, a large number of prospective purchasers appreciate talking to a live person about their product as opposed to emailing questions or filling out contact forms. These facts beg the question: should cold calling continue with certain modifications?

Under a CRM regime, cold calling can conceivably find a place. In prior decades, the wide-net strategy was employed with some success, e.g. call 100 people to get to the one who says yes. This is no longer profitable: it consumes valuable time and that yes is not inevitable anymore. Futhermore, caller ID filters out unwanted (or, at least, unanticipated) incoming calls. Adopting CRM information to target only the most likely customers provides greater efficiency and less discouragement to sales callers.

The great length information technology professionals will go to eliminate “bots” from their contact lists demonstrates the desire for authentic human interaction. This indicates the long-term viability of cold calling as a sales and marketing channel. That said, those utilizing this measure do well to adapt to new technologies and cultural expectations.