Exercise Plan For The Office

Think you can’t make time to exercise at work? Well, think again. Turns out the average American will spend over 90,000 hours working in their lifetime! So, spend those hours wisely and implement this fool-proof exercise plan for the office:

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  1. Healthy begins as a mindset. Write a list of your fitness and nutrition goals and pin it up in a visible spot at your desk or office space. Try to remind yourself of these objectives by reading through them at the start and end of each day.
  2. Get moving! Organize daily walking trips around the office grounds with your co-workers during lunch and break times. If you have a park or walking track nearby, even better! As you progress, incorporate ankle or hand weights for an added challenge and maximum calorie burn.
  3. Snack smart. Bringing healthy food from home is easier on your wallet and can boost concentration and energy levels. Here are some quick and easy snack ideas: hardboiled eggs or cheese with whole wheat crackers, apples and peanut butter, veggies and hummus or low-fat dressing and trail-mix/dried fruit with plain, low-fat yogurt.
  4. Stay hydrated. Did you know that people often mistake dehydration for hunger? Before reaching for that bag of chips, drink at least 8oz. of water. You’ll feel better and more satisfied after a few minutes, guaranteed!
  5. Stairs are not just for fire-drills anymore! If you work in a multi-story building, challenge yourself by walking to your destination whenever possible instead of using the elevator. Climbing just a few flights each day can build endurance and promote stress-relief.

Changing little habits can produce big results when done consistently. While these tips alone don’t guarantee you a six-pack, this simple but effective exercise plan for the office might just kick-start a lifestyle transformation for you and your co-workers!

How to Market Your Business with Christmas Cards

Over the last few years, due to a somewhat stagnant economy, many businesses have cut expenses and decided to forego sending Christmas cards to their customers and clients. This is a case of being penny wise and pound foolish. While eliminating Christmas cards from your company budget may save you a bit of money in the short term, the importance and long term financial benefits of sending company cards should easily surpass the anticipated benefit of any short term corporate belt tightening.

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Part of the power of the Christmas card as a strong marketing tool lies in all of the positive feelings and good will associated with the holiday. When your customers or clients are in this festive mood, there is no better time to send them a token which reminds them of your business relationship. Sending these cards will also remind customers that haven’t thought of you in a while that your company is still around and going strong and that they may soon need to purchase whatever product or service that you offer.

When sending company Christmas cards, there are some important guidelines to follow to ensure that you make the most positive and effective impression. In order to not offend any of your customers, it is best to choose cards with a general theme. Since you don’t know the religious beliefs of most of the recipients, sending a card that reflects your own religion may irk some and instead of generating the intended feelings of warmth and loyalty, your gesture could end up having the opposite effect.

Make sure that you do not purchase low-quality cards. Doing so will send a very wrong message. It will signal to your customers that they are not important enough for you to go to any real expense on their behalf. If, for budgeting reasons, you absolutely have no choice between sending cheap-looking cards and not sending cards at all, it is best to opt for the latter choice. Cards printed on a thick sturdy paper stock with quality craftsmanship and foil embossing are the best choice.

The inside message should be simple, sincere, and to the point. Basically just thank them for their past business and wish them a happy holiday season and coming year. When possible, a handwritten signature adds an excellent personal touch. If you are sending a very large quantity of cards, you can order them with your name professionally printed inside. Perhaps you can reserve a few dozen for your biggest clients where you can add a brief handwritten greeting or signature.

Also, remember that timing is important. You should mail your business holiday cards sooner rather than later. Since your goal is to boost sales, you want to remind people of your organization before they do their holiday shopping. Immediately after Thanksgiving (or even 1-2 days before it) is the optimal time for mailing.

You should send these Christmas cards not only to generate extra business, but to sincerely thank your customers for their past patronage. If you follow these simple steps, you should be able to take advantage of all of the benefits that sending company holiday cards can bring.

Choosing Christmas Cards for Business or Pleasure

Whether choosing Christmas cards for business or pleasure the process usually takes a lot of time. Should we choose what we like or choose what we consider to be safe? It can’t have a Santa, or a tree or a bell. It can’t say Merry Christmas. Do we always have to be politically correct?

Christmas Tree Radiance Card

It seems that we spend so much time making sure that we don’t offend anybody, that we forget the reason why we send Christmas cards in the first place. I have friends and business acquaintances from all different religions and backgrounds. I have received Christmas cards from many of them. Some say Merry Christmas, others says Season’s Greetings. I’ve have also received cards that say Happy Hanukah and Happy Kwanza. I can honestly say that I have never felt offended by any of them. If you want to send me holiday greetings, I will accept them graciously. I will be grateful that you took the time to think of me.

I choose my holiday cards by what speaks to me. Something that makes me smile and often brings me back to a place of my childhood. So if you receive a Christmas card from me that depicts a tree covered in lights and says Merry Christmas, please do not take offense. I mean no harm. What I am really saying is enjoy your holidays, no matter how you celebrate them. I send you love, laughter, peace and joy!

Gallery Collection Scholarship Contest – Fourth Round Winners

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Congratulations to the winners from the fourth round of voting in the Gallery Collection Scholarship Contest!

10 Designs moved on to the finalist round as a result of them finishing in the top 10 in voting, plus, our scholarship team also used our 1 save available to us on the design submitted by Jennifer Soriano. A beautiful design featuring three cupcakes. Who doesn’t love cupcakes?

Check out the top 10 vote getters and the saved design that are moving onto the finalist round in the gallery below.

What to Bring to an Office Thanksgiving Party

What a cool idea! Having an Office Thanksgiving Party!

I am fortunate in that I work in a very culturally diverse workplace. So, whenever we have any sort of food event at work, it’s an amazing display of something from every corner of the world. But, I have to say, for Thanksgiving, I think I’d want to lean more toward a traditional menu.

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That being said, it’s probably not going to be easy to roast a 15 pound turkey in our lunchroom. But not to worry, we have a couple of options. We could cook the turkey at home and reheat in the microwaves. In fact, there probably isn’t any thing you can not heat up in a microwave. Mashed potatoes, stuffing, gravy, veggies – wow! We could carve the turkey and place on serving platters and then set out all the fixins’ as a buffet. I’m sure lots of people would want to bring in part of this feast to share.

Or, for a “no mess, no fuss” option, I saw an ad from a local deli for “Thanksgiving on a Bun”. We could either order a bunch of those or simply ask for volunteers to make up sandwiches at home with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy and cranberry sauce and pop the whole thing in the microwave and then place all the sandwiches on platters and people could help themselves.

We can not forget dessert. I’d go with an assortment of pies, already cut up on plates and allow folks to choose their favorites. I’m sure getting volunteers to bring in dessert would be easy – even if it wasn’t homemade!

Of course, there is a challenge – and I can only speak for myself here – but how are we going to accommodate the naps that always follow Thanksgiving dinner!

Greeting Cards Highlight – Merry Christmas Cards

I am not a fan of the over-commercialization of modern day Christmas with its emphasis on shopping and gifts. However my search for Merry Christmas cards to send to family and friends has brought back fond memories of simpler times. I have narrowed my choices to these five designs due to the warm fuzzy feelings they have evoked from years gone by…

Christmas Cookies Holiday Card

Holy Infant Christmas Card reminds me of the true meaning of the holiday- the birth of Jesus Christ. As a 3rd grader in Sunday school, I was chosen to be the narrator in the church Christmas play. Dressed as the Star of Bethlehem, I recited the story of Jesus’ birth from verses memorized from the Bible.

Candlelit Merry Christmas Tree is an enchanting fir tree decorated with glowing candles, glimmering silvery ornaments, pine cones and red berries set against a beautiful star- filled night sky. Its peaceful feeling makes me feel the beauty of this captivating season.

Christmas Cookies Holiday Card  brings back the delicious sugary smells emanating from Mom’s kitchen when she was baking the holiday cookies. She would let me stir the batter, spread the frosting, and add the red and green sprinkles once the cookies were cooled.

Country Bridge Christmas Card recalls many trips to ski country growing up in New England over Christmas school vacations. The snow was pristine, the distant landscape mountainous and the ride through the New Hampshire wooden bridge was bumpy and loud.

Cupcake Christmas Card is the ultimate best present ever! A tree that grows cupcakes surrounded by swirling snowflakes and peppermint candies. What more could my sweet tooth ask for- yum!

9/11 – Thirteen Years On and Still In Our Hearts and Minds

The Gallery Collection remembers the 9/11 terrorist attacks. From the victims of the attacks, to the first responders and every day citizens who rushed in to selflessly help others. From the World Trade Center, to the Pentagon, to Flight 93. Thirteen years later, and they are all still in our hearts and in our minds.

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How to Increase Sales with Christmas Cards

Owning a small business means that I have to make sure that all my choice make sense. Every purchase I make has to be carefully thought out. Is the purchase necessary? Do I need the item? Does the benefit of this purchase outweigh the cost? What about advertising? Do I advertise and if so, how do I get the most bang for my buck? Should I send out holiday cards this year? I really enjoy sending out cards during the holiday season. Ugh!

Gold Star Christmas Card

 

So I got to thinking! I really want to advertise my business and wondered how to increase my sales with Christmas cards. After careful consideration, I determined that I could do both. After all, I display all of the holiday cards I receive. I look forward to hanging them on the wall and am always grateful that someone took the time to add me to their list of recipients. With this in mind, I started an online search. One of the first sites that came up was The Gallery Collection. After checking out all the beautiful Christmas cards that they offered, I settled on a calendar card. It depicts wonderful, seasonal images. To this, I added a heartfelt thank you, as well as my company information. I can’t think of a more cost affective way to advertise my business all year long. Money well spent for sure!

Greeting Cards Highlight – Calendar Cards

This holiday season I am sending calendar cards to all my correspondents. As a small business owner, I think this will be a great advertising tool. With my name business info printed at the bottom of the card my name, address, phone number and web address will be front and center throughout the year. My only problem is which card to choose since I find so many attractive. I have narrowed it down to my five favorites.

Four Seasons Calendar Card

The Leaves and Berries Calendar Card emits a peaceful feeling with all those soft colors of light teal, yellow and grey will make people want to look at this all year. They most likely would hang in a prominent place at their home or office.

On the other hand, the Four Seasons Calendar Card is equally attractive. The highlighting of the trees as they change from winter to spring then on to summer and fall are each set against a background of a vibrant color that also draws your eye.

My third card is the Sunny Day Calendar Card. It is just plain cheerful with its blue and yellow buildings, the sun shining over the entire scene. With the flag flying it almost feels like a Fair. The calendar section has a background of blue which I really like.

Small Town Calendar Card looks like a picture of Americana. You can almost feel yourself walking to Main Street to shop in every season. Colorful rolling hills give off a feeling of peaceful serenity.

My final choice would be the Sweet Seasons Calendar Card. Who doesn’t love a cupcake? These cupcakes have a character all their own. The winter one is decorated as a snowman sparkling with golden snow. Spring is decorated as a flower with April showers. The summer sparkles with red white & blue icing and sparkler candles. Autumn is all dressed up as a pumpkin amidst an avalanche of leaves.

Can you guess which I choose? Going with the sweets to sweeten the year for everyone. Here’s hoping it gets a prominent place close to the snack drawer!