Exercise: Rev up your routine to reduce stress

by John Muller
Reprinted from MayoClinic.com

Physical activity — whether it's a relaxing walk, bicycle racing or meditative tai chi — helps relieve stress.

By now, you know that exercise does your body good. But did you also know that virtually any form of exercise can decrease the production of stress hormones and counteract your body's natural stress response? It's true. The same regular exercise routine that helps prevent disease and builds muscle can also help you better manage stress.

How does exercise reduce stress?
Exercise increases your overall health and your sense of well-being, which puts more pep in your steps every day. But exercise also has some direct stress-busting benefits.

• It pumps up your endorphins. Physical activity helps to bump up the production of your brain's feel-good neurotransmitters, called endorphins. Although this function is often referred to as a runner's high, a rousing game of tennis or a nature hike can also contribute to this cause.
• It helps you deal with your stressors. Exercise helps alleviate daily tensions and might also help you learn to better cope with your stressors.
• It's meditation in movement. After a fast-paced game of racquetball or several laps in the pool, you'll often find that you've forgotten the day's dilemmas and irritations and concentrated only on your body's movements. As you begin to regularly shed your daily tensions through movement and physical activity, you may find that this focus on a single task and the resulting energy and optimism can help you remain calm and clear in everything that you do.
• It improves your mood. Regular exercise can increase self-confidence and lower the symptoms associated with mild depression and anxiety. This can ease your stress levels and give you a sense of command over your body and your life.

How to get started
Every successful exercise program begins with a few simple steps.

• Consult with your doctor. Begin any new fitness program by consulting with your health care provider, especially if you have a history of heart disease or other risk factors.
• Walk before you run. Build up your fitness level gradually. Excitement about a new program can lead to overdoing it and even injury. If you begin your program slowly, chances are you'll stick with it.
• Do what you love. Don't train for a marathon if you dislike running. All forms of movement — from horseback riding to swimming — can increase your fitness level while decreasing your stress. The most important thing is to pick an activity that you enjoy.
• Pick a time and stick to it. Although your schedule may necessitate morning workouts some days and evening activities the next, carving out some time to move every day helps you make your exercise program an ongoing priority.

Motivation to keep moving
Starting an exercise program is just the first step. Here are some tips for sticking with a new routine or reinvigorating a tired workout:

• Set some goals. It's always a good idea to begin or modify a workout program with a goal in mind. If your primary goal is to reduce stress in your life and recharge your batteries, your specific goals might include committing to walking during your lunch hour three times a week or finding a baby sitter to watch your children so that you can slip away to a spinning class.
• Find a friend. Knowing that someone is waiting for you to show up at the gym or the park can be a powerful incentive. Working out with a friend, co-worker or family member often brings a new level of motivation to your workouts.
• Change up your routine. If you've always been a competitive runner, take a look at other less competitive options that may help with stress reduction, like Pilates classes or yoga. As an added bonus, these kinder, gentler workouts may enhance your running while also decreasing your stress

Whatever you do, don't think of exercise as one more thing on your to-do list. Find an activity you enjoy — whether it's an active tennis match or a meditative meander down to a local park and back — and make it part of your regular routine. Any form of physical activity can help you unwind and become an important part of your approach to easing stress.

Make Customers into Fans

by Kim Majick

Excerpt from: Seven steps to remarkable customer service
By Joel Spolsky
Monday, February 19, 2007

Every time we need to buy logo gear here at Fog Creek, I get it from Lands’ End.
Why?
Let me tell you a story. We needed some shirts for a trade show. I called up Lands’ End and ordered two dozen, using the same logo design we had used for some knapsacks we bought earlier.
When the shirts arrived, to our dismay, you couldn’t read the logo.
It turns out that the knapsacks were brighter than the polo shirts. The thread color that looked good on the knapsacks was too dark to read on the shirts. I called up Lands’ End. As usual, a human answered the phone even before it started ringing. I’m pretty sure that they have a system where the next agent in the queue is told to standby, so customers don’t even have to wait one ringy-dingy before they’re talking to a human. I explained that I screwed up. They said, “Don’t worry. You can return those for a full credit, and we’ll redo the shirts with a different color thread.” I said, “The trade show is in two days.”
They said they would FedEx me a new box of shirts and I’d have it tomorrow. I could return the old shirts at my convenience.
They paid shipping both ways. I wasn’t out a cent. Even though they had no possible use for a bunch of Fog Creek logo shirts with an illegible logo, they ate the cost. And now I tell this story to everyone who needs swag. In fact I tell this story every time we’re talking about telephone menu systems or customer service. By providing remarkable customer service, they’ve gotten me to remark about it.
When customers have a problem and you fix it, they’re actually going to be even more satisfied than if they never had a problem in the first place.

Credit Cards – Tool or Torture?

by David Eppers

Personally I rarely go anywhere without a credit card.  To me it is a purchasing tool.  I usually use it for large purchases and travel.  For smaller purchases I use my bank card and occasionally cash.

Why use a credit card?

• Convenience – It’s small, quick to use, less bulky than cash, and can be used for on-line purchases.
• I can track my purchases.  ( I like to go on-line and review statements.)
• If I may have an issue with the product or service I can use the credit card company to dispute the charge. 
• I get a little “float”, interest free.  (Float is the period between the time of purchase and the actual cash payment).
• You can get cool “rewards”.  The card companies charge a fee to the seller.  A portion of that fee comes back to the card holder in the form of rewards to motivate you to use the card more.  Don’t let the rewards influence your buying. 

My rules:

• Never get a credit card with an annual fee.  (I know some justify paying an annual fee because they receive better rewards.  That is up to you, but these are my rules.)
• Pay off the card each month.  Credit card companies are very good about hitting you with finance charges and interest if you are late with your payment.  Never be late.
• Make sure I can afford to pay cash for anything purchased on the credit card.  Credit cards are the most convenient and most expensive way to borrow money.  Don’t borrow with a credit card.  The only exception would be an emergency.  (Buying a flat screen is not an emergency.)

Do not use a credit card if:

• You can’t stick to “my rules”.
• You don’t want to pass along a 1.5% to 3% charge to the merchant.  I have some friends who own businesses.  They give me a great deal, so I’ll pay them in cash or check to save them the credit card fee.
• It’s too complicated.  If it becomes too complicated to make sure you can follow the rules, then keep it simple.  Use cash.

Shrimp, Broccoli and Sun-Dried Tomatoes with Pasta

by Jim Gehler

½ cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil
½ cup boiling water
3 cups uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)
1 ½ cups chopped broccoli
Cooking spray
1 garlic clove, minced
1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
½ cup fat-free, less sodium chicken broth
½ cup (4 ounces) 1/3 less-fat cream cheese
½ teaspoon dried basil
¼ cup (1 ounce) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Placed tomatoes and boiling water in a bowl. Cover and let stand 30 minutes or until tender; drain and chop.

While tomatoes steep, cook past according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain

Steam broccoli, covered, 4 minutes or until crisp-tender. Set aside

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add garlic to pain; sauté 30 seconds. Add shrimp; cook 4 minutes. Add broth and cream cheese, stirring to combine; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 2 minutes. Add tomatoes, broccoli, and basil; stir well. Cook 2 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring frequently. Remove from heat. Stir in past, Parmesan cheese, and juice. Serve immediately.

Position and Size of Windows
by Craig Ray

To move a window:
Click and hold the left mouse button on a blank spot on the Title Bar, drag the window to wherever you want it to be and then release the mouse button to leave it there.

The buttons at the top right-hand side of the Title Bar are:_ Minimize (_) (the underline button (the left button)) This will shrink the window (but not close it) to your taskbar.  All you have to do, then is click on the icon on the taskbar to bring the window back up.

Maximize (the button with a square (the middle button))
This will make the window stretch and fit the entire screen.  You can also accomplish the same thing by double-clicking on a blank spot in the Title Bar.  If the window
is already maximized, clicking this buttno will return it to the previous size.

Close (X) (the button with an X (the right button))
This will close the window/program.  This is the same thing as clicking File, then Exit.

Resizing a Window
If you position the mouse pointer on the very corner of a window, it will change to appear as a set of diagonal arrows.  When this happens, you can click and drag and the window will change size and shape as you move the mouse.  Just release the mouse button to keep it at the desired size.

Hot Weather Thirst Quenchers

by Beth Lind, R.D., L.D.

It is important to stay hydrated especially during the hot summer months.  About 318 Americans die every year of heat-related illnesses, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and most of these deaths are preventable.  The best time to consume fluids is before you are thirsty.  By the time you are thirsty, your body is already dehydration.  It’s best to drink on a schedule when it is hot outside.  Avoid drinks containing caffeine or alcohol while in the sun or heat.  The best drink is water, but below are some other thirst quenchers to enjoy this summer.

• To add a subtle citrus flavor to ice water, drop in slices of lemon, lime or orange or add fruit-filled ice cubes.
• Combine a six-ounce can of grapefruit juice or cranberry-mango cocktail concentrate with two 12 ounce bottles of chilled club soda.  This makes enough to enjoy with some friends. 
• In a blender, puree berries, sliced kiwi, mango or pineapple chunks with frozen limeade concentrate for a fruit smoothie.