In today’s busy world, many people have difficulty managing their time and getting everything done. Some people are very busy, but they never manage to achieve the things they really want. Others never get anything done.

Some people are late for everything in their lives and don’t know why. Have you ever noticed that people who are late are always late – there is a pattern. The same is true for punctual people – they are nearly always punctual – they too have a pattern

There are some basic steps that people can take to improve their chances of getting done what they want and need to get done. Here are 10 steps.

1. Stop talking time - talk priorities. Time is finite – everyone has the same amount so there is no point in saying you don’t have time – you do. What differs from one person to the next, is their priorities and how they allocate their time.

2. Make sure that you know the top 3 things you must get done today - work on them first! If nothing else gets done, make sure these top 3 do get done. Work on them first.

3. Stop procrastinating. Adopt this mantra - Just do it - and do it now! Procrastination is defined as putting off what needs to be done. There is only one way to stop procrastinating – just stop!

4. Make sure you work to live, not live to work! Get a life! Make sure that your life and well-being comes before your work. A cast iron guarantee is that at your funeral, no-one will thank you for spending more time at work. Be balanced!

5. Studies have shown that many workaholics die early! Don’t be one of them. If you are working 7 days a week or if you are working 55 – 60 hours or more each week then you are a high risk workaholic. If you work seven days and more than 60 hours then you better have a good insurance policy and have told your family about the funeral you want! The most common reason which causes workaholics to stop working is their first heart attack. Sadly only 50% wake up from it to have the chance to make a decision to change. Having made the change, without exception people say “I should have done this years ago!”

6. Remove the clutter from your life. Get rid of everything – stuff, responsibilities, even people – that do not contribute positively or enrich your life. Start by clearing your workspace.

7. Work on effectiveness first, then worry about efficiency. Effectiveness is doing the right things. Efficiency is doing things right. It doesn’t matter how efficient you are if you are working on the wrong thing! Be effective first, then worry about efficiency and you’ll find that it will fall into place. Remember just because you are busy, doesn’t make you effective or successful.

8. Be prepared to change. The one thing that is certain is that change will only increase, not decrease. If you are going to be more productive, then remember the definition of insanity – doing the same thing in the same way and expecting a different result! Take an honest look at your attitude to change and if you rate yourself lower than 5 out of 10 then work hard at – wait for it – changing your attitude about change. No-one does things the same today as they did 5 or 10 years ago. Use change to your advantage – don’t fight it - you’ll lose!

9. Become a list writer. Keep a list of everything you need to do and then constantly prioritise and re-prioritise it. Use technology to your advantage. If you are using Microsoft Outlook (different from Outlook Express), then learn and use the “Task” tools. Outlook will increase your effectiveness more than you can imagine – if you use it seriously!

10. Be willing to say “no”. Put yourself, family and friendships/relationships as the highest priority. Make sure you re-charge your batteries regularly, not run them to empty. Say “yes” to the people who really matter, and spread yourself sensibly among everyone and everything else. In spite of what you may think – you are not indispensable!

David Julian Price is an experienced speaker, trainer, business coach and mentor. He trains, coaches and consults with people from all walks of life on how to get more out of their day and increase their productivity. David’s no-nonsense approach makes him a sought after speaker, trainer and facilitator. He is an accomplished international speaker. David can be contacted at http://www.davidprice.com or email at david@davidprice.com.

I want to share with you why I will never ever create another natural bodybuilding course and why you will never ever need to purchase another natural bodybuilding course again.

First I want to say Thanks for the kudos’ I received from all the guys around the world… I really appreciate them and I feel honored to be a part of such a great group of individuals and I am humbled to be able be part of your lives.

Thank you so much, and more importantly I want to honor you for taking action in your lives to seek out the best information you can for training and nutrition the all-natural way. Heck, I know how easy it is to get caught in the rationalizations too take drugs.

The fact is thousands of bodybuilders around the world have sold themselves out to drugs with dire consequences. We all know how the drug game has caught up with itself and now bodybuilders are getting sick, ending their careers in their 20’s and now dying left, right and center just to have a 20 inch arm.

Bodybuilding in it’s current state has gotten completely out of hand and has stayed away from it’s roots of building a healthy body, full of strength and vigor. Bodybuilding is about not just looking good, but feeling good, and most of all experiencing the joy of super conditioned, healthy, athletic physique that makes all of life’s experiences more enjoyable for as long as your are on the planet.

You see I can only take people so far down the road because at the highest levels of training, eating, and supplementation the individual needs to develop the ability to listen to their own body. Only then can you really become a master.

This takes time, it takes information, and it requires a proven system of techniques built on all of the innovations of the greatest minds in bodybuilding over the last century. The Muscle Mastery course is way beyond a training system; it’s a system that teaches you how to build a truly complete physique and finally how to be your own coach.

Once you have completed the Muscle Mastery System you will have the tools you need to become completely self directed without having to rely on any outside authority to develop your body.

It’s really a big leap of faith and it’s not always an easy jump. I made the final leap and never looked back 3 years ago and it was the best move I ever made.

Let me explain.

My Journey Into the Wild, Whacky, and Contradictory

Realm Of Natural Bodybuilding

My first ten years of bodybuilding I read all of the books, I listened to the tapes, I went to the shows, I talked to every “big guy” in the gym. I devoured every book, tape, and course I could find.

I read and tried almost everything. Here’s a small list!

Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Bodybuilding Encyclopedia

Bill Pearl’s Keys’ to the Inner Universe

Joe Weider’s Mr. Olympia Encyclopedia, the Weider Principles, and about 250 magazines or so of his.

Vince Gironda’s the Wild Physique

Larry Scott’s collected works

Lou Ferrigno’s works

Frank Zane’s works

Bob Kennedy’s entire works

Mike Mentzer’s Heavy Duty

Arthur Jones Nautilus Principles

Ellington Darden’s entire collection

POF training advertised in Ironman

Power Factor Training by Cisco and Little

Dorian Yates Blood and Guts

Serious Growth and the Bulgarian Systems by Leo Costa

Dr. Mauro Dipasquale’s work

Dr. Fred Hatfield’s work

And at least a dozen more guys that I have forgotten… plus every article, periodical, textbook etc I could get my hands on until I finally learned enough to realize that I didn’t know that much.

Believe me that is the biggest realization a person can make as it sets the stage for the master to come!!!

They say when the student is ready the teacher presents himself. That’s exactly what

Happened to me, after I won my first provincial championships.

Wade McNutt is a Natural National Bodybuilding Champion and an IFBB Mr. Universe World Champion. He combined the secrets of Eastern Yoga Masters with, scientific, muscle building to produce a revolutionary new health system, called Freaky Big Naturally, find out more at http://www.freakybignatural.com

The butterflies started as you turned off the alarm this morning. Your appetite gone, you managed to swallow half a piece of toast and a gulp of coffee before leaving for work. The commute seemed abnormally quick as you find yourself walking in to the office. The cold sweat begins as your butterflies intensify. A co-worker notices your color and comments, “You don’t look so good. Are you feeling okay?” You glance at your watch. The presentation will begin in ten minutes.

Of course you’re not okay!
Standing up and speaking in front of an audience is one of the most unnatural and truly frightening experiences anyone will ever have. And now it is your turn.

The fear and discomfort that so many people associate with public speaking is directly rooted in a lack of confidence and experience. As odd as it may seem, the only tried-and-true method for overcoming this fear and truly excelling at public speaking is to force yourself to do it repeatedly. Given the proper guidance and quality tips, your abilities will begin to improve. Increased ability coupled with increased experience will build confidence, which will automatically increase the quality even more. From that point on, a snowball effect is inevitable.

Very few people have any interest at all in making their careers out of public speaking; however, even fewer people can expect to make it through their careers without some public speaking being required. Therefore, the basic concepts governing high-quality public speaking (and the “insider secrets” of people who have been there) should be of vital interest to everyone.

Whether your audience fills a stadium, an auditorium or a boardroom, your goal should always be to knock ‘em dead! Make sure no one ever leaves your speech or presentation with a question mark floating over their head. Grab their attention at the first word, and never let it go. Leave them wanting more.

All of this is not only possible, but also necessary if you wish to be effective when you open your mouth in front of two or more people. With your reputation on the line in front of an audience who may or may not care about your future, the need for quality is evident.

“An audience will only remember one thing from a forgettable speech,” stated professional speech writer, Justin Lambert, “and that is the speaker.” The importance of mastering this skill cannot be stressed enough.

Do your speeches knock ‘em dead?

Justin Lambert is the owner (and toughest critic) of CopyGhost, a copywriting and ghostwriting firm serving businesses of all sizes, nationwide. Speech writing, one of CopyGhost’s specialties, truly gets to the heart of powerful self-improvement and professional advancement, not to mention the effective promotion of business interests. Visit http://www.copyghost.com to subscribe to the FREE Connexion e-newsletter, your source for tips and tricks to improve your business communications, both written and verbal. Subscribe today, and download the Special Report: 10 Ways to Spruce Up Your Copy - Even If It Doesn’t Need It!

If you have children, one of the best ways to enjoy your pool — and ensure that this year’s birthday will
be one to remember — is to plan a birthday pool party. With minimal planning, a swimming pool can turn any party into a splashing good time. Add some personal touches and your party just might go down in
neighborhood history.

Here’s how:

Using construction paper or craft foam, make your own pool-themed invitations. Cut out fish shapes, boats, flip-flops or palm trees. Plan activities to match your child’s age group. Classics like Splash Tag or Marco Polo are both sure to get the party started. Try a silly diving or cannonball contest. (Cannonball contests are particularly fun if you can get the adults to play along. Kids love to see adults acting silly, and cannonball or belly flop contests are sure to make a big splash.) Buy some water-guns or soft foam water balls and let the battle begin. Provide water- or tropical-themed snacks like sliced fruit, Goldfish Crackers and boxed fruit drinks.

Instead of a birthday cake, which can be especially messy around the pool, trying giving your guests
cupcakes. Top each one with blue icing and Gummy Fish or paper umbrella to stick with your theme.

For older children, or adept younger swimmers try these games:

Sharks is easy for older or younger kids to play, but its better if you can swim away. The rules are simple.
Two players are designated a sharks and the others are the swimmers trying not to get tagged (or eaten).
If your pool is too shallow for a diving contest, try diving for objects. Weighted rings are good, if you have them. If not, try pennies, keys, or some other small items that won’t float. Just make sure there are no sharp edges to cut little swimmers fingers or toes.

So, what are you waiting for? Dive in!

A swimming pool is a big investment, and finding a swimming pool installer can be scary. Make sure you don’t get soaked by using an accredited contractor with a history of good work. A qualified pool builder will help you decide what size and shape of pool would be best for your property and won’t leave you feeling soaked before the party begins.

Plant Origin: Australia, Spain

Extraction Method: Steam distilled from the crushed seeds

Fennel therapeutic-grade essential oil has a strong, licorice-like aroma that people seem to either love or hate. A somewhat sweet smell, but if you like the scent you will find it invigorating and stimulating.

Fennel therapeutic-grade essential oil is generally thought of as safe for all people over the age of two, but it should not be used by pregnant women, even though the herb fennel can be taken internally to help stimulate milk production.

Self healing remedies and general uses include:

• Fennel has long been used to flavor liqueurs that are used as aperitifs, so it makes sense the therapeutic-grade essential oil of fennel would be useful for digestive problems.

• Fennel therapeutic-grade essential oil has anti-parasitic, anti-spasmodic, and anti-inflammatory properties. It is also considered a digestive aid and increases one’s metabolism.

• It has been used for digestive complaints such as flatulence, constipation, nausea and vomiting.

• It is thought to be helpful in diminishing hiccups and it is said to promote a feeling of fullness that may benefit overweight people.

• Therapeutic-grade essential fennel oil also has a diuretic effect and has been said to be able to disperse cellulite (accumulated toxins).

• In addition, it is also thought to be healing for the spleen and liver and to be able to heal the body after excessive use of food and drink.

• Fennel Oil has a cleansing effect on the skin and is said to help clear up oily skin, reduce the risk of wrinkles and promote healing of bruises.

• It may also be beneficial for relieving symptoms of PMS and easing menstrual problems.

• People with epilepsy should consult with their doctor before using it.

• The oil is quite gentle and is suitable for all but the most sensitive of skin without diluting.

• It is best used in baths, massage oils or lotions, or it can simply be sniffed to enjoy the benefits.

• Just smelling the oil can give you a feeling of strength and courage when you are going through tough times.

• Fennel Oil is a wonderful pick-me-up just when you need it most.

• Massaging therapeutic-grade fennel essential oil into the skin can help with digestive problems and break down cellulite.

• Also when inhaled, fennel oil is actually thought to stimulate the appetite of those with eating disorders.

Always wash and rise your hands thoroughly before and after working with fennel oil and other therapeutic-grade essential oils, and be careful not to get them in your eyes. Keep all therapeutic-grade essential oils out of the reach of children.

–

This entire article is available for reprint electronically or in print, for free, as long as it is done in its entirety, and the bylines are included. A courtesy copy of your publication would be appreciated. E-mail to: ghgs@youngliving.org.

Emma Sanford is a Registered Professional Nurse, Founder and Wellness Consultant of Good Health - Good Scents, a distributoship of chemical free edible wellness products, located in Atlatna Ga.

Ms. Sanford writes and publishes a FREE weekly ezine ” Good Health -Good Scents Wellness Tools.” Safe subscribe for a FREE copy. Visit, http://www.goodhealth-goodscents.com and http://www.ultimatewellness.blogspot.com

For most of us who manage daily any level of compromised vision, our world is one where eyeglasses, contact lenses, pricey prescriptions, and frequent visits to the eye doctor are standard. But as Lasik surgery technology has continued to evolve and its popularity has risen exponentially, more and more people are choosing refractive eye surgery as an alternative to glasses and contacts.

Lasik surgery involves the reshaping of the cornea – the thin, transparent tissue covering the iris – or colored section – of your eye. The lens of the eye – which sits right behind the iris refracts – or bends – light rays so that they are seen by the retina – located in the back of the eye. The retina’s job is to then take these light rays and covert them to messages that can be understood by our brain’s optic nerve.

If you understand this process then you can understand that if our eyes suffer refractive difficulties, the light is not bent properly to the retina and the image that our brain receives is blurry. When we wear eyeglasses or contact lenses, the light is brought closer to the lens or sent directly to the retina. Lasik surgery uses laser technology to reshape the cornea so that light is refracted clearly.

During a Lasik surgery procedure, the patient is normally first given anesthetic eye drops to help numb the eye and minimize discomfort after which a speculum is placed on the upper and lower eyelids to prevent blinking. The eye is then immobilized using a corneal suction ring. After the eye is immobilized, a thin incision is made in the top layer of the corneal tissue, making a very thin flap in the tissue. When the flap is folded over, the second layer of the cornea – the stroma – is revealed.

Laser power is then used to resurface this part of the cornea. Such resurfacing is done based on what specific issues are apparent in your particular eye; information that is normally gathered during pre-surgical visits. After the reshaping, the flap is repositioned over the eye; healing takes place naturally and often very quickly.

Lasik surgery is a relatively quick procedure – usually completed in less than 20 minutes for both eyes – and most patients report that it is virtually painless; while it can be mildly uncomfortable at times. While vision may be blurry for up to a day following surgery, most people report clear vision after this time.

Lasik surgery, while popular, is not for everyone. In fact, a pre-surgical examination is imperative to determine if you are a good candidate for Lasik. Surgeons who perform Lasik normally look for at least six months of prescription stability in patients – meaning that your eyeglass or contact lenses prescription has remained the same.

In addition, refractive difficulties should fall under the appropriate guidelines for Lasik correction for the best chance of success. The doctor will also want to ensure that you are in good overall health.

http://www.TheLasikZone.com brings you the latest on Lasik. Lasik is very popular, and we want to bring you the most up to date information online! Be sure to check out our latest information page on Lasik surgery.

Companion planting is used to help control pests and diseases the natural way. There are various plants that grow well together, some however, do not do so well together.

Maintaining healthy plants is the best way to avoid Pests & Disease. Soil Rich in Organic Matter is a great starting point. Companion planting is a great way of keeping the nitrogen level up in the soil. In the vegetable garden you can mix Legume crops such as peas and beans with root crops such as carrots. Alternate planting’s between rows of carrots and rows of Peas or Beans.

The Legumes contain Nitrogen sacks on the roots, which will aid in the feeding of the carrots and other root vegetables as they grow.

Plants that do well together to fight Pests & Disease are:

GARLIC:
Garlic planted near roses will help control aphids. Garlic is also valuable for repelling snails, and carrot root fly. Garlic in concentrated sprays have been seen to repel and kill whiteflies, aphids and fungus gnats among others with as little as a 10% concentration level! I have also used Garlic Sprays on Orchids without any problems.

LAVENDER:
Lavender can aid in repelling fleas and moths. Lavender also attracts bees which are feeding and beneficial insects. Dried lavender can repel moths. This is a great alternative to traditional methods and smells better too.

MARIGOLD:
Marigold has long been used as a companion plant for its natural insect repelling qualities. It will help eliminate Nematodes from the soil & will also repel ants.

MINT
Mint is useful planted amongst Brassica’s as it is known to repel Cabbage Moth.

CHIVE
Chive planted around the base of fruit trees will help prevent insects from crawling up the trunk.

This is just a small sample of an almost endless list of potential companion plants. The above plants are very common and would be found in almost every garden. The next time your planting out a new Vegetable garden bed, consider using companion planting methods to help control pests & disease in your garden.

Eric J. Smith is an Organic Gardener and passionate Environmentalist. He is dedicated to promoting the need for an Organic, Natural World. Find out more on Organic Personal Care Products here

There’s no doubt about it, more than elections or the economy or even terrorism, people’s interests are rarely piqued higher than when discussing a topic of supreme personal importance. Hair.

From the shaved heads of medieval monks to the long-haired hippies of the ’60s to the weave in the hair of today’s rappers, hair has always been on our minds as much as it’s been on our heads.

“It’s one of the leading ways people can establish their individuality and express their style,” says Jerome Shupack, M.D., professor of clinical dermatology at New York University Medical Center. “Hair has had sociological importance throughout the ages.”

Because of its importance, anything that happens to our hair that we can’t control– falling out or turning gray, for instance –can be the source of much anxiety and fear, notes the FDA.

Normal fear can propel a person to do constructive things, like running away from a psychotic Cambodian handyman or single-handedly lifting a Hummer off a barefoot wrangler from the Sundance Institute, or thinking that plenty of checks in your checkbook means plenty of money in the bank.

But when it comes to hair, well, that’s another story.

Young women learn how to toss their long hair when flirting, and practicing The Hair Toss is no mean feat. It requires three things: a target, a will of steel, and a neck.

Women rush to their salons to get their hair cut like Jennifer Anniston’s or CSI’s Marg Helenberger’s with stiff tendrils bristling out like wind socks in a hurricane. What do they do, dip them in Viagra? There was a time your mother wouldn’t let you out of the house with erect hair; now we pay a fortune for that look.

Rapper Inga Marchand, better known as Foxy Brown, has a thing for salons. Last October, she was sentenced to three years probation and anger management classes for assaulting two salon stylists after a dispute. Evidently, the anger management classes failed her because on February 16th 2007, she was again arrested after a disturbance broke out in a South Florida beauty supply store when Brown threw hair glue at an employee and then spit on him. Glue holds better than spit.

A 12-year-old English boy, James Marshall, suffered from fear of hair cuts, and refused to go to a barber for ten years. His hair grew to a whopping 26.8 inches. Eventually, he agreed to have it cut and sold on the internet with the proceeds going to charity. He ended up with a David Beckham-style cut — skyward spikey.

Hair’s terribly important. Britney Spears rebellion was not complete until she shaved hers all off. The rest of us dye it, cut it, grow it, shape it, brush it, supplement it, and mourn its loss. If we have straight hair, we curl it; if it’s curly, we straighten it. If it’s long, we cut it, if it’s short, we grow it. We supplement our tendrils with false hair and extensions in an effort to look like Tina Turner. Sexy. Hairy.

Yet, when a few errant follicles are found in the bathroom drains, we get hysterical. “Arrgghhh, hair!!!” We get on our knees to scrub the tub and check the drain for slimy and knotty used hairs.

Then there’s the Hair in Your Food Syndrome. Grown women have been known to faint at the sight of a hair on their cottage cheese, which must be delicately picked off, not blown off like you would a fallen eyelash on a child’s cheek. Or worse yet, a lone hair might show up in your lunch at the Jewish deli begging the question: If there’s a hair on your kreplach, does that mean it’s not Kosher?. It’s even more traumatic when a hair shows up on your tongue and you can’t remember how it got there.

You can have hair of the dog that bit you, a hairy experience which makes your hair stand on end, even get grabbed by the short hairs, but one thing’s for certain: gray hair isn’t a sign of wisdom, it’s a sign of age.

As women get older, we start by coloring the roots until we’re forced to color all of it. We also learn to wear bangs to hide forehead wrinkles necessitating an effort to stay indoors on windy days. According to the biddy section at the salon, one day we’ll have to color our eyebrows, too. Eyebrows grow longer and lashes shorter as people age. Look at Golda Meir whose heavy, black brows gave new meaning to the definition of “elongated.” Look at Jack Nicholson whose arched brows give a devilish expression to an angel of an actor. Look at Andy Rooney whose hairy brows enter a room five minutes before he does. How old do you think the Mona Lisa was? We’ll never know. She shaved her brows off in the cab on her way to Da Vinci’s studio.

Take heart, not all women are afraid of losing hair. There’s Signourney Weaver, who was beautifully bald in “Alien,” Persis Khambatta from “Star Trek,” voted 2003 Bald Woman of the Year, and Demi Moore, who’s equally fetching whether hairless or hairful.

Despite these facts, when it comes to hair, women aren’t nearly as radical as men.

Some men think it’s still the sixties and allow their long hair to flow behind them into a matted mass as they enjoy vibrational frontal wedgies from a Harley. Occasionally, hot-blooded women have caught and lost their acrylic fingernails in a man’s tangles, resulting in today’s trend of merely running barefoot through his head.

We’ve come full circle, from the shaved heads of monks, to the shaved heads of celebrities like Michael Jordan, Damon Wayans and Jesse Ventura. Formerly hairy Michael Chiklis, star of FX’s “The Shield,” shaved it all off and won an Emmy, while Andre Agassi appears to have torn his out in a fit of masculine pique. Ving Rhames, Vin Diesel, and Samuel L. Jackson have all achieved hairless success, leading one to conclude that their movies could technically be considered skin flicks. Not to mention Jack Nicholson, who was handsomely bald at the 2007 Academy Awards.

Above all, hair is nothing to fear, for, if it really mattered, John Kerry would be president.

http://www.maggievanostrand.com

Maggie Van Ostrand’s award-winning humor column appears in local hard copy newspapers and online publications in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Her articles appear regularly in the Chicago Tribune, and have appeared in the Boston Globe, Newsday, the Philadelpha Inquirer, Amarillo Globe-News, Sun-Sentinel, and many other national newspapers, as well as national and niche magazines.

A prolific writer, Maggie churns out three humor and one human interest columns weekly, plus a monthly humor column.

She is a member of National Society of Newspaper Columnists, the Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop, and the Society of Women Writers and Journalists in the U.K.

Maggie was also a judge of the worldwide Erma Bombeck Writers’ Contest in 2004, 2005 and 2006, and judge of 2007 Arizona Press Club Award for journalism.

The average office is a veritable paper jungle, with literally tons of correspondence vying for the attention of one and all. The sad truth is, there simply is not enough time in the day to read and assimilate all of the information that crosses your desk, and still be able to apply it to the work you need to accomplish. Therefore, many of the memos we receive are either tossed immediately, or “filed” for later perusal, (meaning thrown on the desk, forgotten about, and finally tossed due to being out-of-date.)

However, there is a marked exception to this rule. There are memos that weather the storm, rise to the top of the In Bin tornado, and get read. Why is that? The answer is very simple:

They Are Interesting!

Imagine that! An interesting memo? An attention-grabbing sticky note? A motivating email? It is possible, and you may have seen a few in your own workplace. But they are very rare. The reason?
Most individuals who are forced to author these Mediocre Memos are doing so under pressure, or are unwilling or unable to give the appropriate time and thought to their creation. They may feel “Nobody’s going to read it anyway.” Well, with that attitude, they’re right.

However, the authors of the exceptional memos have taken a slightly different stance: They are determined to take the information they have to share, and mold it in to a format they would be excited to read themselves. They are convinced that, presented in the right way, their information will be of interest to everyone on their mailing list. On this solid positive foundation, the exceptional memo writer can then build his or her masterpiece.

Perhaps describing a lowly office memorandum as a potential masterpiece is a touch melodramatic, but consider: If the information contained in the memo were not of importance, why waste the time, effort and paper producing it? If the information is important enough to go through the authoring process, is it not important enough to make extraordinary? Of course it is, and it is the extraordinary memo that gets read.

So, what exactly goes in to the production of an extraordinary memo?

As already stated, the extraordinary memo must begin with a positive attitude about the memo’s worth and the value of making it extraordinary.

The next step involves gathering all the necessary information that may be included in the memo being written, and then eliminating at least half of it. Yes, eliminating at least half of it. Why? A memo very quickly overstays its welcome if it is too lengthy for its own good. Most vital messages can be relayed in several sentences rather than several pages. Eliminate all the “fluff” such as background data, unnecessary statistics, obvious explanations, repetitive charts and graphs, etc. If your audience truly requires all of the above information to understand and appreciate your topic, a memo is not the best format for your presentation. (You may want to consider scheduling a meeting or series of meetings wherein you are able to present the information with visual aids and data sheets included.)

Now that you are left with a list of vital information to be included in your memo, you must ask yourself the same all-important question every marketing master and advertising ace has been asking for decades: “What’s in it for them?” In other words, what does my reader want and need to get out of this message? After all, just like a marketing master, your bottom line goal is to sell! You need to sell your reader on your message, and make them buy in to it. You need to convince them that it is to their benefit to read and apply your message.

Therefore, you need to ask and answer the “What’s in it for them?” question, then apply the answer to the way you write your message.

This simple question will turn a drab request in to an emotional appeal. A boring list of details becomes an encouraging outline of benefits. A dead thank you becomes a sincere gesture of appreciation and respect. A potentially boring collection of thoughts has received the attention it deserves because in the end, a mediocre memo has been deftly transformed in to an extraordinary one!

Justin Lambert is the owner (and toughest critic) of CopyGhost, a copywriting and ghostwriting firm serving businesses of all sizes, nationwide. Visit http://www.copyghost.com to subscribe to the FREE Connexion e-newsletter, your source for tips and tricks to improve your business communications, both written and verbal. Subscribe today, and download the Special Report: 10 Ways to Spruce Up Your Copy - Even If It Doesn’t Need It!

Memory loss attributed to electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) may to a large extent be associated with how the treatment is administered, according to a study of patients referred to one of seven hospitals in the New York metropolitan area for ECT.

“The team found that electrical waveform and electrode placement had marked cognitive effects. Sine wave stimulation resulted in pronounced slowing of reaction time, immediately and 6 months following ECT. Bilateral ECT resulted in more severe and persisting retrograde amnesia than right unilateral ECT.”
The above paragraph is not easy to understand. The message is that if you are contemplating ECT for your depression, it is critical that the ECT clinician be highly skilled, experienced and up-to-date on the latest ECT techniques.

Dr. Harold Sackeim of New York State Psychiatric Institute commented that ECT is currently”the most effective short-term antidepressant and its adverse cognitive effects can be substantially reduced, if not eliminated, by adoption of advances in technique.”
The results were reported in the February 2007 issue of Neuropsychiatry.

ECT Effectiveness

In February of 2007, Harvard Medical School published a special report investigating the effectiveness of ECT and explaining its dangers. Here is a quick summary:

• ECT does not cause any damage visible on brain scans
• The most common complaint is short-term memory loss
• Memory retrograde( events that occurred before treatment) declined with each treatment
• Memory anterograde(ability to absorb new knowledge) declined with each treatment
• Memory usually returns to normal within a few weeks, but not for all patients and all respects
• Researchers have agreed that most patients suffer some permanent memory loss

In controlled studies, ECT had a response rate of about 70%, even though it usually isn’t attempted until other treatments fail.

“Like other treatments for depression, ECT is no cure. About half of the patients relapse within a year and require maintenance ECT treatments. The high relapse rates are not surprising given that most people who undergo ECT have particularly severe symptoms”

What are the dangers?

Here is a quick summary:

• ECT does not cause any damage visible on brain scans
• The most common complaint is short-term memory loss
• Memory retrograde( events that occurred before treatment) declined with each treatment
• Memory anterograde(ability to absorb new knowledge) declined with each treatment
• Memory usually returns to normal within a few weeks, but not for all patients and all respects
• Researchers have agreed that most patients suffer some permanent memory loss.

According to the special 2007 Harvard Medical School report, the placement of the electrodes and the type of electric current make a big difference in improving patient outcomes and memory loss. Originally, electrodes were placed at the templates on opposite sides of the head( bilateral placement).

Two new innovations:

• Placement of both electrodes on the same side( unilateral placement), usually the right
• A new ECT machine that produces brief intermittent pulses instead of continual electrical stimulation. This allows for an electrical dose that can be adjusted so that it just is strong enough to cause a seizure.

Researchers determined that these newer procedures greatly reduced the memory loss. There is still more extensive research required about these new ECT procedures.

If you are considering ECT, I think that three things are critical:

1. Your psychiatrist should clearly identify you as a good candidate for ECT
2. The clinician that administers the ECT must be highly skilled with extensive experience in ECT
3. The anesthesiologist should be up-to-date on the latest strategies when administering the muscle relaxant and the anesthesiology

It should be noted that there is no relationship between the potential effectiveness of vagus nerve stimulation and lack of effectiveness with ECT. I had a series of fifteen unsuccessful ECT treatments in 1998. Thankfully, in April of 2001, I was implanted with the vagus nerve stimulator. The therapy completely changed my life, I still have the implant, I don’t feel the stimulation, the remarkable response has been sustained (i.e. “Prozac poop out”) and there was no absolutely no cognitive impairment.

Charles Donovan was a patient in the FDA investigational trial of vagus nerve stimulation as a treatment for chronic or recurrent treatment-resistant depression. He was implanted with the vagus nerve stimulator in April of 2001. He chronicles his journey from the grips of depression thanks to vagus nerve stimulation therapy in his book:

Out of the Black Hole: The Patient’s Guide to Vagus Nerve Stimulation and Depression

His all inclusive book prepares depression sufferers to make an informed decision about this ninety-minute out-patient procedure. It is a “must read” before you discuss this treatment with your psychiatrist. A prescription for the procedure is required from an M.D. and it is covered by most insurance plans.

He is the founder of the http://www.VagusNerveStimulation.com Web Site and Bulletin. His blog is http://www.MyDepressionSpace.com