Business Marketing

The Drums | Activision Blizzard’s Head Of Business Marketing’s Top 5 Predictions For 2023

As marketers wake up to the fact gaming isn’t to be ignored, Jonathan Stringfield outlines how the space will evolve this year and where attention needs to be directed.

Whereas 2022 signaled a partial return to social normalcy given waning concerns around the pandemic, we enter 2023 with economic abnormality looming. Soaring inflation, crashes in the technology industry and the threat of a more durable recession have caused the broader consumer, marketing and technology landscape to adopt a less optimistic outlook.

And yet, as was the case during the depths of the pandemic, an otherwise negative set of circumstances allows us to look at sectors such as gaming in a new light. The immense levels of attention directed towards gaming in recent years was a much-needed wake-up call for marketers who realized that gaming could not be ignored, the subsequent evolution over the coming year will demonstrate that it is not going anywhere.

1. Return to growth

Technology research firm NPD has continuously forecasted a decline in consumer spending around gaming hardware and accessories, which has been construed as an end to a pandemic-gaming boom. While it is certainly true that consumers spent more on gaming during the height of the pandemic, reductions in spend may stem from a number of factors: broader macroeconomic pressure from a potential recession, mixed availability of the latest generation of consoles and premium computers GPUsand a number of high-profile game releases facing delays due to development issues related to the pandemic.

Regardless of the cause, this slowdown is largely being viewed as a temporary correction and the gaming audience on the whole continues to grow. A number of highly anticipated titles and more general availability of gaming devices in 2023 will mark a turning point for the industry, putting it back on a consistent growth trajectory even while consumer spending may be otherwise strained. While gaming is not recession-proof, the deep levels of fandom within gaming allow the industry to be extremely recession-resilient.

2. Gaming goes Hollywood

The quantity and quality of TV or film adaptations have been increasing in recent years, with some 25 feature-length films and almost 30 TV adaptations announced or in some form of production. We may be on the cusp of a break-out year for video game adaptations, with two of the most anticipated projects scheduled for release in 2023: The Last of Us TV series on HBO Max (based on the game series of the same name) and The Super Mario Bros Movie in theaters April 2023. While such adaptations are becoming increasingly common, what has changed in recent years is the extent to which these projects now stay true to the source material, given that past reinterpretations for TV and movie audiences have led to some infamous flops (including the last time Super Mario Bros was on the silver screen).

With traditional media providers increasingly leveraging gaming IP or shoring up capabilities to make games themselves, such as Netflix establishing new gaming studios, the potential for transmedia (where a story is told across multiple forms of media) across gaming and traditional video becomes that much greater. Marketers who are intimately familiar with advertising on TV or movies may find themselves becoming acquainted with gaming whether they like it or not.

3. VR unready

Every year we’re made to feel like we’re on the precipice of VR becoming mainstream, and every year it simply… doesn’t.

The 2021 Holiday season featured great deals on VR headsets, stocking expectations for a breakout year in 2022, and yet the 2022 holiday season only has the same hardware to offer… but this time with some games packaged in. In many respects, packaging games with headsets is a much better way to drive consumer adoption than a temporary sale.

More powerful hardware and attractive price points will help, but all the metaverse hype in the world will not propel VR to critical mass with consumers. The potential for VR and the metaverse face the same roadblock: Without compelling content, even the best technology in the world will fail to attract meaningful attention.

Moreover, in both the case of VR and metaverse, gaming represents the best and most viable experiences within these respective technologies. The most meaningful advancements in emerging technologies such as VR or metaverse won’t come from those specific technology sectors, so much as the games industry.

4. Decrypt esports

The crypto world had a very, very bad 2022: The year began with historic scams in the NFT/web3 space and will be ending with a broader crash in cryptocurrencies due to a number of crypto exchanges failing. While more direct efforts such as blockchain-powered games will continue to soldier on in search of a hit, propped up by a massive influx of VC dollars amid broader industry turmoil, the more tangible effects of the long crypto winter in gaming will be more subtle .

A number of esports stakeholders have relied on sponsorship money from the cryptocurrencies industry, who were interested in esports for the same reason as any other marketer: The audience is largely young, technologically savvy men who are difficult to reach through more traditional media. Lacking the same revenue levers as traditional sports, esports has become particularly reliable on sponsorship dollars and the pullback of a major industry will continue to challenge monetization.

This short-term pain may develop into long-term strength in 2023, as the esports the industry is challenged with pushing innovation towards more revenue models, lacking funding from potentially unstable partnerships.

5. A new era

If 2022 began as a year where attention towards the gaming industry reached new heights, 2023 begins as a year where the biggest trends in gaming represent inflection points: new trajectories for industry growth, a potential diversification of revenue models in competitive gaming, and increasing visibility for gaming across a wide variety of media.

While the trends identified above are those which are most likely to have a more immediate impact on the industry in 2023, they are far from exhaustive. Longer-term shifts in gaming will continue throughout the year: the inevitability of cloud-based gaming where gaming content can be accessed on any device, multi-platform and mobile-exclusive releases of formerly PC or console-based IP, and the increased utility of gaming engines for world-building beyond making games.

Although marketers are largely in the early stages of engaging with gaming in a serious way, drawn by the potential to connect brands with a broad and deeply engaged audience, the savviest marketers will realize that understanding gaming provides a unique perspective on technological and business innovation.

Jonathan Stringfield is the vice-president of global business research and marketing at Activision Blizzard.

Trendlend: NC State students’ booming new clothing-rental business | culture

The new year brings new occasions that leave many people wondering what to wear. Some students spend their limited time and money searching for the perfect outfit for an event, often leaving the clothes hanging in a closet after its first wear. To offer an alternative, NC State students Amelia Zahn and Emmy Weiland launched their own small business, Trenlendwhere girls can find and rent the perfect dress.

Trendlend differs from other online rental businesses in that it provides a way to try on prospective outfits before purchasing.

Weiland, a third-year studying business marketing, met Zahn last year through mutual friends. Zahn, also a third-year studying marketing, said the two created Trendlend to address a need they saw in their own lives.

“We realized that we hated paying for dresses,” Zahn said. “We had events every week or every other week, and it was just getting so expensive. And so we were like, ‘what if we start renting out the dresses we already own?’”

After announcing their launch in February 2022, the two originally rented dresses out of the NC State sorority houses. With inventory gathered from other girls on campus, Zahn said the work she and Weiland did together continued to grow as their business took off.

“We’d handle try-ons, cleaning, getting the dresses to and from people and would only take 15% of the rental fee,” Zahn said. “We grew to almost 500 dresses in about six to seven months, so it became a lot for us to handle. We realized that the business was growing, and we just weren’t making enough money off of taking 15% profit from other people’s rentals.”

Considering their growing responsibilities, the two entrepreneurs redid their business model to better accommodate the growth of their company. Now, with almost 2,000 followers on Instagram, Zahn and Weiland own their entire inventory and are working out of a warehouse.

With such unexpected growth, social media engagement is one of the many important factors for monitoring and advancing their online business. That, coupled with a growing confidence in their ability to start a business, is what Weiland credits to Trendlend’s increasing success.

“We’re definitely rapidly increasing our engagement,” Weiland said. “I would also say the technological advancements we’re making [have helped Trenlend to grow]. We just announced our website. … Also internal growth, we’re becoming more confident in ourselves. And knowing we can do this, that we can make this happen is also a huge thing.”

For any student, juggling a social life with academics alone can seem overwhelming. Weiland describes how they manage their business alongside the other responsibilities of college life.

“It’s definitely very difficult,” Weiland said. “But I am a huge planner. I cannot have chaos in my life. And so I always have a very set [schedule]. This is what I’m going to do for school, this is what I’m going to dedicate to Trenlend. We’re also in the same classes together, so we’re helping each other out constantly.”

While Zahn and Weiland both have customer service experience from working in boutiques in the past, the two hope to commit to their business full time post-graduation. Their five-year plan consisted of eventually opening a storefront and franchising to other college campuses in larger cities.

For now, their warehouse not only stores their inventory, but also acts as their site for try-ons. Zahn said this process has evolved over the past year.

“We’re doing 11-6 on Tuesdays [for try-on times],” Zahn said. “We used to run it out of our house, when we had all 500 dresses… and we used to not even have appointments. You could just come anytime between 11 and six, and you could pick out any dresses you wanted to try on and try them on.”

Now with a larger inventory, free try-ons are being conducted via 30-minute appointments at the warehouse. People can rent as soon as they’re aware of the dates they need it and keep it for up to four days. This process is essential to Zahn and Weiland’s brand.

“80% of our customers that we had in the fall said they would not have rented from us if they were not able to try on the dress first,” Zahn said. “I think that was just such an important number for us so that we realized that people really do want to be confident about their purchases before they actually commit financially to that rental.”

This type of reflection has allowed the two to consider other ways they hope to expand their business, including growing their consumer base and expanding the inclusivity of the dress sizes they offer.

As a new and growing business started on NC State’s campus, Zahn and Weiland credit a large amount of their success and support to the community of their peers. Beyond the recent creative team consisting of volunteers who hope to support their company, the two have had positive feedback and experiences from students and professors alike.

“One thing I’ve been so amazed by is [how supportive] the NC State community has been for us,” Zahn said. “We’ve had students from all over the place who have come to us and supported us, giving us ideas. And even professors reaching out with financial advice, accounting advice, marketing advice, anything of that sort. They have just been so positive … so supportive of everything we do.”

Considering their journey, Zahn and Weiland both encourage others who are interested in starting a business to do so, especially with the resources at NC State that they describe as essential to their success.

“Honestly, I don’t know if we would have been as successful if we hadn’t started this with having the NC State community as our backbone and making those connections,” Zahn said. “If [other students] have that idea of having a small business, [they should] start it now because I do think that this is the time in our lives where we’ll have the most resources available to us. That’s the one thing I don’t think we realized getting into it — what was going to be available to us. And so that’s been the best, the most pleasant surprise for us.”

Beyond their company website, Trendend can also be found on Instagram.

How To Lose The Extra Kilos In A Week

The biggest mistake we make when we make the decision to finally start this diet that can make our lives a little harder, is that we lean on things that end up bringing us the opposite results. What are we trying to say? A smart tip if you want to lose excess weight in a few days is not to frantically avoid sweets and carbohydrates, but to drop small “bad” habits. The idea is not to overdo it, which can also be a strong psychological burden for us, but to follow advice that will actually bring radical changes over time. In particular, if they are combined with regular exercise of 20-30 minutes, which increases your muscle mass, you will lose the extra kilos and the result will justify you.

Avoid excessive consumption of bread

Sure, the simple solution for those days when we don’t have the stamina to cook or maybe are not even in the mood to order something is to end up eating, mostly toast or various sandwiches, with what we have in the fridge. It would be good to try their abstinence, because too much bread has always not been our best friend, and to try to replace it with a tortilla, for example. Of course, we should pay a little more attention to our ingredients, including vegetables, but without high-fat foods or sauces, such as mayonnaise. It would be even more ideal if you could reduce carbohydrates, by allowing them in at least 2 out of 3 meals and try new simple protein-based recipes.

Satisfying breakfast

Mornings seem like torture to get up and go to the kitchen even more. That’s why we usually neglect meals that don’t fill us up, just to avoid this inconvenience. You must know that in order to achieve your goals, you must give special “care” to each of your meals, not to mention breakfast, which is the most important. A suggestion, that will provide you with few calories, but at the same time will make you feel full for the rest of the day, so you will not digress, and also is an excellent source of protein, is undoubtedly eggs. Put an egg together with 1-2 egg whites in the non-stick pan and you will see that it is not as difficult as you think.

Go sugar free

A large percentage of people drink at least 2 to 3 coffees per day, so consider also adding white sugar, which is equivalent to 20 calories. For example, if you start drinking your beverage moderately and less sweetly, you will automatically save 60-180 calories per day by cutting out the sugar. If you do not like this abstinence at all, you can also use the brown variety, but again, watch the amount. And if you add milk, ask for low-fat milk and not whole milk, as this is also responsible for the extra calories.

Eat your veggies

Losing excess weight, is associated with eating greens, which are anything cut from trees and plants. Fill the fridge with different products, even those you don’t know, and lots of salads and experiment with recipes that you can execute. In this way you will be able to acquire a healthy routine and give a real foundation to these foods. In this way you will be able to cheat here and there and have a balance between. Also, drink plenty of water; this will help you feel full.

Lemons – Nutritional Value And Benefits

Yellow and juicy, with sometimes sour and sometimes bitter-sweet taste, fresh aroma and amazing properties. Lemon, the fruit of the citrus family, is associated with many different uses in our everyday life, because it is not only used for cooking and desserts, but also as a disinfectant-cleanser, as an aromatic ingredient in beauty products and perfumes, and also as a therapeutic medicine. But are they really as beneficial as they are touted? The answer is yes and a lot of them.

The widespread use of lemons has led to confusion about their nutritional value, with many wellness techniques circulating around them, often without proper claims or recommendations. Below are the four most frequently asked questions about lemons with the best possible answer, according to nutritionists.

Four frequently asked questions about lemons

1. Is lemon water any good after all?

Adding lemon to water is a healthy way to flavor it without adding calories. It’s also a good reason to get a small amount of vitamin C and calcium when you drink lemon water.

2. Can consumption of lemon reduce belly fat?

Just like other fruits, lemons are a very good source of nutrients with very few calories. However, there is no solid evidence that lemons can help you lose weight or reduce belly fat.

3. Do lemons lower blood pressure?

Although it is not clear whether eating lemons directly lowers high blood pressure, previous research has found that people who regularly eat lemons and take daily walks have lower systolic blood pressure.

4. How long does it take to detoxify the body with lemon water?

Lemon has a reputation as a super detox ingredient, but studies do not exactly support that conclusion. It’s important to remember that plain water – without lemon – is enough to naturally flush toxins from the body while promoting better digestion, hydration and kidney function.

5. What is the nutritional value of lemons?

According to the USDA, one lemon contains:

Calories: 18.8
Protein: 0.72 grams
Fats: 0.2 grams
Carbohydrates: 0.5 grams
Dietary fiber: 1.8 grams
Sugar: 1.6 grams
Calcium: 16.9 grams
Iron: 0.39 milligrams
Potassium: 89.7 milligrams
Sodium: 1.3 milligrams
Lemons are also rich in vitamin C, folic acid and magnesium, which provide the body with sufficient amounts of these minerals needed daily.

6. What are the main benefits they offer the body?

They contribute to better immune function

As one clinical report explains, the vitamin C that is abundant in lemons can boost immune function, reduce inflammation and possibly help fight infections.

They protect against the onset of chronic diseases

According to the National Institutes of Health, getting enough vitamin C by eating plenty of fruits and vegetables can reduce your risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and heart disease. The vitamin C in foods like lemons is thought to reduce oxidative damage throughout the body.

They prevent the occurrence of kidney stones

Kidney stones are made up of calcium, uric acid and oxalate, according to the Mayo Clinic . These start as fragments and then can grow into painful stones. Lemons could potentially prevent kidney stones because they contain citric acid, which binds calcium. According to Harvard Health, 80 to 85 percent of kidney stones are made up of calcium.

How Our Body Reacts To A Long-Haul Flight

In a few years, direct flights lasting 20 hours will possibly be a reality. On such occasions, we wonder how we could keep ourselves as healthy and fit as possible on a very long air journey.

The announcement by various airlines that from 2025 they will be able to offer direct flights from Australia to the US and Europe has opened a new debate about how much the human body can withstand in the air – mentally and physically.

In particular, the non-stop flights will last 20 hours and will concern the trips from Sydney to New York and London. The Sydney-London route will be the longest direct passenger flight in the world.

Even if we never have to make such a trip, it is very likely that we will have to make a trip of a few hours, but still a long one. And the feeling of being on a plane for 13 or 15 hours might not be much different.

How long-haul flights can increase stress levels

If someone has a fear of flying, the so-called aerophobia, then being on a plane (especially if it is for many hours) can be a painful experience. First, let’s say that there are two categories of people who are afraid of flying:

The first category is those who suffer from panic disorders or agoraphobia, namely the fear of being with a lot of people in one place.
The second category concerns people who are afraid that the plane will crash.

As a Harvard University psychology professor explains, those who belong to the first group usually have a history of panicking in places where escaping is uncomfortable or difficult, such as on the subway, on airplanes or in crowded stores. And those in the second group have a lot of misconceptions about how common crashes are.

Whatever anxiety people who are afraid of flying may have, it will probably be reduced, as the events they fear will not materialize. Even panic attacks themselves are not dangerous and resolve on their own.

Our bodies on a long-haul flight

An important and well-known side effect of flying, either on long or very long flights, is jet lag.

Jet lag occurs when the normal sleep pattern is disrupted after a long flight as a person crosses two or more time zones. Usually, it improves within a few days as the body adjusts to the new time zone. Jet lag can throw off our internal or biological clock, scientifically called the circadian rhythm, and cause difficulty sleeping and problems with memory and concentration. The worst is when a person crosses several time zones in a short period of time, as happens for example on a round trip.

What to do

To reduce the effects of jet lag, the UK’s National Health Service (NHS) recommends:

Drink plenty of water during the flight.
Walk around the cabin often.
Try to sleep if it’s night at your destination.
After you arrive, try to change the sleep schedule to the new time zone as soon as possible.
Go outside during the day because natural light will help your body clock adjust.

What happens to our oxygen inside the plane

Another issue that can affect the body and accordingly our mental health is the oxygen on the plane. The amount of oxygen in an airplane is the same as on the ground. The difference is that when we fly at high altitude, the air pressure in the cabin affects the way oxygen is absorbed by the blood.

That is, while the oxygen level in the blood should be between 95-100%, when we are in the air this can decrease. For most healthy people it is not a problem. But if someone has a medical condition, such as asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), then they may start the flight with a lower level of oxygen in their blood and during the flight it may drop even further. So, symptoms such as headaches, shortness of breath, cough or fast heartbeats can be caused.

How to feel well on board

The solution to managing to keep your well-being at high levels during a long-haul flight is movement. Physical activity on the plane, ie walking at regular intervals along the aisles, helps maintain blood flow and therefore reduces the chance of blood clots (which increases especially in older ages).

Some experts even recommend stretching or exercises to keep your posture straight in the seat, or even seated yoga.

Zeon Corporation Acquires Edge Precision Manufacturing Inc (“Edge”), a leading manufacturer of micro featured thermoplastic devices for diagnostic, clinical,

Innovative Materials meets High Precision Micro-Manufacturing, Accelerating the Development of Healthcare and Life Sciences Business

TOKYO, Jan. 9, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — Zeon Corporation (Zeon; head office: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President and CEO: Kimiaki Tanaka), through its subsidiary Zeon Specialty Materials Inc. (California, USA; representatives: Hirokazu Matsumoto), has purchased 100% of the shares of Edge Precision Manufacturing, Inc. (Massachusetts, USA; representatives: Andrew Kamholz), a manufacturer of micro featured thermoplastic devices, from shareholders including venture capital funds managed by US investment company Anzu Partners, LLC, on December 28, 2022.

Zeon Corporation Acquires Edge Precision Manufacturing Inc (“Edge”), a leading manufacturer of micro featured thermoplastic devices for diagnostic, clinical,

“The combination of Edge and ZEON offers our customers unprecedented security with a simplified supply chain underpinned by the parent company’s long-term track record of growth and success”

“The combination of Edge and ZEON offers our customers unprecedented security with a simplified supply chain underpinned by the parent company’s long-term track record of growth and success,” said Edge’s CEO Andrew KamholzPh.D., “Edge can now further optimize both its proprietary thermal compression tooling and scale manufacturing technologies, offering the only product-quality process that requires no bridge tooling between prototyping and large-volume production.”

ZEON’s COPs (product names ZEONEX® and ZEONOR®), well known for their unique properties such as low autofluorescence, high light transmittance, low biomolecules adsorption, low impurities, and low melt viscosity, have been the leading material used for microscale and microfluidic and biochemical analysis applications

Through the acquisition of Edge, which uses many of ZEON’s materials, ZEON will strengthen COP’s use for microfluidic analytical devices while leveraging EDGE’s customer network, including that of Aurora Microplates for microplates, acquired in February 2022. This latest move by ZEON aims at developing new businesses for cyclo olefin polymers (COPs) while expanding their commitment to explore new businesses in healthcare and life sciences

Outline of Edge
Company Name: Edge Precision Manufacturing, Inc
Business: Manufacturer of custom micro-featured thermoplastic disposables for diagnostic, clinical, optical, and research applications featuring high definition and high aspect ratio based on proprietary compression molding technology
Representative: Andrew Kamholz-CEO
Address: 12 Dunham Rd Billerica Suite 4, Massachusetts 01821, USA
URL: www.edgeprecision.com

Outline of Anzu Partners
Company Name: Anzu Partners, LLC
Business: Investment firm specializing in investing in technologies with the potential to transform industries
Representative: David Seldin-Managing Partner
Address: 12610 Race Track Road, Tampa, FL 33626, USA
URL: www.anzupartners.com

Outline of Zeon Specialty Materials
Company Name: Zeon Specialty Materials Inc.
Business: Marketing and sales base for specialty materials established to provide a swift response to customer needs in North America
Representatives: Hirokazu Matsumoto-President
Address: 25 Metro Drive, Suite 238, San Jose, California 95110, USA
URL: www.zeonsmi.com

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/zeon-corporation-acquires-edge-precision-manufacturing-inc-edge-a-leading-manufacturer-of-micro-featured-thermoplastic -devices-for-diagnostic-clinical-optics-and-research-applications-301717149.html

SOURCE ZEON

Can Essential Oils Give You The Energy You Need?

Peppermint for the morning, lavender for the evening, myrrh for all hours, but sparingly. If you have low energy levels and feel lethargic, try adding essential oils to your daily routine. They have a beneficial effect on the mood, act as anxiolytics and stimulate you, even for a short period of time.

Do you feel the fatigue that overwhelms you during the day and prevents you from meeting your daily obligations? Are your energy levels down? Do you drink coffee and other tonic drinks, but they only give you energy for a short time? After you have had a checkup, which is necessary regularly anyway, to make sure there are no medical issues, try making some changes in your daily life.

Pay a little more attention to how you sleep. If your sleep is poor in duration or poor in quality, try to improve it. In general, make sure that you rest more and use your free time with activities that fill you with joy and satisfaction.

Some find relief from fatigue and lack of concentration in essential oils. So, we will explain how you can raise your energy levels in a natural way, that is, with the power of essential oils, which have a beneficial psychosomatic effect. If, of course, the fatigue persists, you may need to have a more detailed medical examination.

What are essential oils?

These are concentrated substances extracted from flowers and plants by the method of distillation or cold pressing. Their contact with the body is through smelling or absorbing them from the skin (after dissolving in some vegetable oil). Essential oils are the main ingredient of aromatherapy, an alternative method that has been used for thousands of years by many ancient peoples to heal the mind, soul and body.

How essential oils work

Remember when you found yourself in a blooming garden on a spring day. What was your first reaction? Sure enough, the wonderful scents immediately overwhelmed you with a feeling of euphoria and joy that stayed with you for several hours afterward. Science explains that essential oils are transported to five different parts of the brain through the olfactory system, which is activated every time we smell something.

One of these parts is the amygdala, which is connected to our emotions, memories, fears. This is where the neurochemicals of the essential oils are released, which have healing properties. Depending on their chemical composition, which differs from oil to oil, they act as sedatives, antidepressants, anxiolytics, stimulants, or create euphoria. According to research, in fact, some fragrances have the same effect on the human brain as meditation.

8 essential oils for an elevated mood

– Lavender, eucalyptus and geranium

Lavender, eucalyptus and geranium relieve anxiety and depression, while they are therapeutic for headaches and insomnia.

Lavender increases the enjoyment of a warm bubble bath. With a few drops of lavender essential oil in the bath, an aroma is released that relaxes the nervous system and sends you straight to sleep. Lavender oil is also believed to have antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties, which can help heal minor burns and bug bites.

Today, oil from the eucalyptus tree appears in many over-the-counter cough and cold products to relieve congestion. Eucalyptus oil is also used in creams and ointments to relieve muscle and joint pain, and in some mouthwashes.

Geranium essential oil has been used to treat health conditions for centuries. It’s thought to have antibacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties.

– Lemons and limes

The two related citrus species share common characteristics. In addition to bringing freshness to the space, they are tonic and act against fatigue and negative thoughts.

– Basil

Basil can clear the mind and thinking, improve concentration and increase your productivity. Especially in the afternoon, when you feel exhausted from a hard day at work, it will give you a beneficial boost of energy. In aromatherapy, sweet basil essential oil is reputed to stimulate, clarify, calm, fortify, energize and uplift the mind.

– Peppermint

The fresh and refreshing smell of mint awakens the senses and helps you start your day with more energy and a good mood. Its smell is so strong that it can keep you awake even when you want to go to sleep. Therefore, use it only in the morning hours. Peppermint oil is promoted for topical use (applied to the skin) for problems such as headache, muscle aches, joint pain and itching.

– Myrrh

Myrrh has a unique, stimulating and rejuvenating effect on the psyche. It can activate you if you feel sluggish and tired. Myrrh is a very strong essential oil, so it’s best to use it sparingly. In addition to its pleasant, warm and earthy scent, myrrh oil may also have several health benefits. Studies suggest that it may help kill harmful bacteria, parasites and other microbes. It may also support oral health, help heal skin sores, and ease pain and swelling.

4 ways to use essential oils

– Inhalations

Before bed or as often as you feel the need during the day, take a few deep breaths from a bottle containing essential oils for several minutes.

– Topical use

Apply the essential oil topically to the temples, forehead or wrists after first diluting it in a carrier oil such as almond oil and jojoba oil. The dosage is 1-3 drops in a teaspoon of vegetable oil.

– Air fresheners

Fill the essential oil dispenser with water and then a few drops of one or more essential oils. Turn on the stove and place it on the base of the device. In a few minutes the essential oils will begin to diffuse into the space.

– Aromatic spray for the home

Put rose water and a few drops of your favorite essential oil in a spray bottle. With this you can spray every hour all the rooms to renew, cool and freshen the atmosphere of the house. Spray the pillowcases and bed sheets with lavender essential oil for a more peaceful and restful sleep.

Free Coaching Lesson You Can Use Instantly To Stand Out From The Crowd

You will notice a change of status in minutes!

I was stunned by how fast people walked when I first visited the City of London. It was a world apart from how I grew up in the furthest of south Europe, where we would take our time to enjoy the scenery and chat with people on the street almost every time we went somewhere on foot.

A fast walk is a sign of determination and is a habit of go-getters. These are people who know what they want, and they go for it without hesitation. This article will tell the most critical differences between slow and fast walkers and offer a hint on changing your walking habits, if you want to be more successful.

Slow walkers typically take their time to enjoy the surroundings or take a break to grab a coffee or snack. Time is not that much of an issue – punctuality, neither. They seem to walk only because they have to.

In contrast, fast walkers rush through the world with a sense that they know what they want and are determined to make it theirs. A quick walker has an intent, purposeful gait. He will be paying attention to where he is going and looking in front of him. Slow walkers are often running late for something.

While staying in London, I made it a habit to attend to people on the street to identify patterns of walkers based on their general posture and other tell-tales from body language.

I was doing this because I wanted to understand better how people stand, move and walk and and use that knowledge in my coaching practice and training program.

I am a long-time student of the relationship between the body — a kind of transient entity moving through space, and the mind that “commands” intention and purpose. The human body is constantly in flux, but these transitions are subtle and not always obvious. Over time, looking more closely, I noticed some exciting kinds of patterns. I could quickly tell, for example, that better-dressed individuals, regardless of other traits, walked at a significantly faster pace than others. Is this just a habit? I wondered. Does it happen randomly, or is it evidence of a distinction between the successful and the not-so-successful?

The former, the successful ones, were perceived by the world to be better dressed and took up a larger space than others. They wore blazers and black shoes and had a certain elegance about them.

The latter, the not-so-obsessed with success individuals, walked more slowly, usually, wearing brighter or mixed colors, usually with their heads down.

Their shoes looked muddy and scuffed from walking on wet ground.

The more successful persons did not have “time” to greet anyone or look up – even if someone greeted them.

These are just personal observations, of course.

Yet, one thing stood out when I waited outside the enormous glass buildings, sipping an espresso and catching up with my associate.

There is a fork before the exit of Liverpool Streetwhere one wing leads to the vast flea market and the other to a corporate tower that belongs to a Bank.

While I was not holding a tachymeter, one thing was apparent: Bankers — either entering or leaving the building, were super-fast, giving the impression that something was going on, while casual shoppers, through that same part of the road, were slow , as if they were scared (metaphorically speaking), to enter the open market area.

See where we are getting with this?

As a general rule: You can verify this at work and in any professional environment. The more senior people seem to walk faster, even down corridors in the office — where space is limited. In outdoor spaces, they look active and energetic, but what makes them really stand out is their rhythmic walking pace as if there is a lot of stake where they are headed.

On the other hand, more junior or lower-grade workers tend to walk slowly and cautiously and lack the aura of confidence.

If you want to look — and feel — more influential, take home this bit of advice

Start with your walking pace first. Adopt a faster, brisker style. Make the streets your playing stage to rehearse.

Straighten your stance, and make your steps fast but not too fast. Wherever you are headed, get familiar with the notion you are out walking the crowds. practice makes perfect.

Remember what the famous singer is Sting said:

“A gentleman will walk but never run.”

Thank you for reading and following; my articles are packed with practical advice for aspiring leaders.

Thomas Piperis

www.datadrivenstoryteller.com

A sought-after private consultant and C-level advisor, Thomas Piperis has claimed many successes in sectors such as automotive, built environment, B2B Services, Technology Startups, recruitment, and Venture Capital. He has lived and worked in 7 countries and knows like few the do’s and don’ts of corporate life from the inside, owing to his 25 years with large corporates. Thomas studied Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, with major in Biomedical Engineering, NTUA), Business Management in London, UK (MBA, Hons), and Innovation & Entrepreneurship at the IGD Fraunhofer, Germany.
He trained intensively to become a certified Coach (AC), Uni of Athens and he is AI Data Scientist (pending) University of Virginia Darden Business School. He is a co-founder of startups and frequently published on Medium, France 24, Linkedin, Naftemporiki, and the National of Abu Dhabi. His consistent thought leadership earned him a career Advisor Status on LinkedIn, where he has some 16,000 followers and advises young professionals on career strategy, foresight and growth.