We live in a universe stuffed with tension and deadlines. It seems that the more we grow technology and paths to evolve things more speedily, the more anxiety panic attacks increase. This is a conundrum. You might take for granted that advancement in technology would contribute to alleviating stress. Yet, anxiety and depressive disorder seem much worse now than when compared to the past. Chances are that in past times, it was not mannerly to discuss these topics. These days are different, we now discuss it openly. Fact is, if you are a TV watcher, chances are that you have encountered an ad for a medicinal drug, which offers anxiety treatment.

folk are admitting to their problems in this modern world of solutions. It might be only public place aversion or a problem sleeping, researchers continue to make advances with new solutions. Anxiety and depressive disorder are certainly at the top of this long list. When I consider depression, I think of an individual who has of late lost a loved one or someone who is disabled in such a way that precludes them from living a regular life. This is not necessarily correct. Many folk are weighed down by the burden of anxiety and depressive disorder for other reasons. We normally do not know the reasons. The food we consume could easily be a reason. Curiously, contentment with life is elusive to most people.

We need to some degree to pay attention to teenagers’ plight. Anxiety and depression seems to be affecting them more than anyone these days. Acknowledged, being a teenager is rough in some aspects, and unbelievably delightful in others. Some teens may claim that it is all bad. I was a teen myself not long ago. We have not forgotten our experiences. Nevertheless, panic attacks were not part of my teen experience. This makes me wonder what has changed lately. Panic attacks should not be a childhood experience. In fact, anxiety attacks and depression should be much less prevalent than it is altogether.

Walmart was the first business to require all its employees to wear nametags. (There’s a surprise!) Sam Walton created this initiative because he wanted his customers to “get to know the people they bought from.”

But the value of employee nametags spans far beyond getting to know people, it’s all about being approachable. So whether you work in retail, hospitality, food service or sales, to wear a nametag is to be on stage. To be on stage is to be ready to serve your customers. And to be ready to serve your customers is to do your job effectively.

Here are several ways nametags will help your employees maintain an accessible, comfortable business environment.

Accessibility
I have a bad habit of putting too much hot sauce on, well…everything. Recently, after I wolfed down a Tobasco covered bite of my cheeseburger, I realized that I desperately needed a refill of ice water to regain feeling in my lips. My server walked right by, but unfortunately I failed to get his attention because I didn’t know his name. Why? You guessed it: he wasn’t wearing a nametag! No water for me! Fortunately I chugged down my date’s ice tea.

Tip # 1: A nametag makes it easier for customers to gain the attention of an employee from whom they need service. Without it, the customers will either find someone else to help them, or won’t get what they need.

Comfort
Imagine you walk into a store. You browse the aisles for a few minutes and decide that you’d like to speak with a sales associate. You look around, see a few people, but nobody appears to be an employee. After wrongfully asking and embarrassing a few strangers who don’t actually work there, you get frustrated and leave the store. As you walk out the door, you complain, “Darn it! Doesn’t anybody work here?!

Tip # 2: The most important rule in retail is to “make a friend in thirty seconds.” The quickest and surest way to do this is to inform and remind customers of your employees’ names. This promotes self-disclosure and creates comfort in the conversation. And when you put your customers at ease, the sales process will be more personable.

Synergy
Have you ever started a new job and didn’t know everyone’s name until the third month? Or what about the organization for whom you’ve contributed ten years and still don’t know the name of that curly haired girl from the second floor? Let’s face it: people are terrible with names. It’s the single context of human memory most apt to be forgotten.

Tip # 3: Especially for organizations with hundreds of employees, nametags for your teammates will only ease their pain and contribute to a synergized workplace.

Ambassadors
Another invaluable benefit of nametags is that they will transform your employees into ambassadors. It will make them walk their talk. Ask people who work in real estate, they wear nametags every day! Some agents even wear two nametags: one on their shirt and another magnetized to the side of their car! Now, silly as that looks, remember this: everyone will know that Shirley is a representative for Gundaker.

Tip #4: A nametag immediately identifies an employee as an ambassador of the company. As such, it keeps her accountable for her behavior while she wears it and promotes good word of mouth for the business.

Branding
Your nametag is just like your company’s billboard. Except it’s free and people will actually look at it for more than four seconds. So, when customers or clients work with your employees, they will be exposed to your logo, colors and brand identity. As a result your nametag turns into an effective medium for free advertising.

Tip #5: A well designed nametag will constantly keep your company’s brand, logo and corporate culture in the minds of your customers and prospects. Because it’s not who you know, it’s who knows you.

Fun
Nametags are fun. Kids like them. Adults like them. They promote friendliness in the workplace and foster a sense of community. And people want to spend their money in places, on items and with people that are welcoming and approachable. Next time you walk into Borders, take a closer look at one of the employees’ nametags. Often times their lanyards will have stickers or pictures of their favorite books on them.

Tip #6: Employees who wear fun, memorable nametags will also show the customers that their business is fun and memorable.

Tag, you’re it!

Will free promotion, both personal and graphical help promote your business?

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, well done! You’re on the right track. The next step is to make sure all your employees wear nametags. Because if they don’t, you’d better get used to hearing the phrase, “Doesn’t anybody work here?!”

© 2005 All Rights Reserved.

Scott Ginsberg is a professional speaker, “The World’s Foremost Expert on Nametags” and the author of HELLO my name is Scott and The Power of Approachability. He helps people MAXIMIZE their approachability and become UNFORGETTABLE communicators - one conversation at a time. For more information contact Front Porch Productions at http://www.hellomynameisscott.com.

Comments Off

It is considered that women suffer from depression much more often, than men, and it’s more difficult for them to overcome this condition. Experts pick out 8 most popular kinds of female depression.

1. Post-natal

It is observed during several months right after childbirth. This kind of depression is caused by sharp changes in life style, constant dependence from other person and sense of increased responsibility. Often it’s very difficult for a young mother to blend with her new role quickly and correctly.

Way of struggle: don’t try to subdue yourself or play a role of a loving mother. This is quite normal, if you don’t sense any feelings towards your baby at first. There is time for everything. Now you have to get used to new changes and enter a new rhythm of life. And you will learn to cope with a role of mother with time, and you will do this very well. Don’t refuse from your relatives’ help. You need time to come to your senses after returning from maternity hospital.

2. Age-dependent

As a rule, women of climacteric age suffer from it. During this period, a hormonal background of organism changes, and quite often depressive condition is observed. Coming of menopause also brings a strong psychological pressure, and this may unsettle a woman.

Way of struggle: coming of climacteric does not mean the approaching of old age at all. Nobody knows about changes happened in you, except yourself. Cessation of menstruation is an absolutely natural process for a female organism, and you should not make a tragedy out of it. So, try not to change your previous way of life. Don’t also forget about hormonal therapy’s possibilities. You just should consult your doctor for sure.

3. Monthly

This kind of depression is also called premenstrual. Depressive condition can be observed as shortly before menstruation, as during or right after it, everything depends on a certain organism’s peculiarities.

Way of struggle: you will have no place to hide from monthly depression. Most likely, you have already noticed long ago, in which days of your cycle you can hardly control yourself. Try to relieve these days a little beforehand, don’t plan anything important and stay at home, if you can. It is not out of place to consult a gynaecologist: you may need a hormone replacement therapy or vitamin course.

4. Exhaustion

It is also called a depression of chronic tiredness. It is observed, when a woman overestimates her strengths and has increased responsibility for the duties she assumes. If you don’t alternate work with rest, then a moment comes, when you already cannot carry out previous volume of work and suffer because of this.

Way of struggle: you need a full rest, and you will not do with one day off. You need to get away from your work not only physically, but also mentally. And try to observe daily regimen after vacation, and don’t start working in intensive rhythm. You need to learn planning your powers, to be able to function constantly.

5. Reactive

Or, as it is also called, a depression of loss. It is caused by death of our close people. Many people think that they quarreled with their close ones shortly before their death or harmed their close people and did not manage to win forgiveness. Most serious cases are those when a person blames himself directly or marginally in his close person’s death.

Way of struggle: Try to understand that death is a natural and irreversible process. You need to accept it as inevitability as soon as possible. Don’t suppress your emotions, cry and scream, if you want. Believers find support in confession or just visit a church. Atheists can find help visiting psychotherapist. And the main thing is to remember that there’re still many close people who need you.

6. Dissatisfaction

At that, dissatisfaction can be both of sexual character and psychological one. When one suppresses any of his wishes too violently, then dissatisfaction is saved inside and leads to depression.

Way of struggle: of course, it’s better to satisfy all needs of your organism in time. But sometimes it’s impossible. If you suffer from sexual dissatisfaction, try to understand that love and sex are 2 different things. And you should not refuse from one, if you don’t have other. You also should not forget about a possibility of self-fulfillment. If you suffer from psychological dissatisfaction, it’s useful to keep a diary, where you will write all your unvoiced thoughts and feelings. By the way, paper is a very good interlocutor. It will not ever interrupt you and tell your secrets to anybody.

7. Medical

It is caused by excessive, not controlled by a doctor, taking of some medical preparations. In general, these are soporifics and especially demulcents, affecting central nervous system.

Way of struggle: firstly, you need to quit self-treatment and take any, even most harmless, preparations only under your doctor’s control. Secondly, if you were prescribed antidepressants, you need to keep to a diet closely. Many antidepressants lose their effect interacting with some foodstuff. Alcohol is categorically contra-indicated during treatment. Any alcoholic drinks, when combined with antidepressants, can cause sharp defects of cardiovascular system work. It’s almost impossible to cure medical depression without assistance. So, if you have found some depressive symptoms in you, consult a doctor immediately.

8. Circumstances

As a rule, it appears under most insignificant irritating factors in seared and psychically unstable people. Anything can serve as a reason of depressive condition: bad weather, good weather, discomfort conditions of life, TV news and any sounds.

Way of struggle: in this case, you will hardly cope with depressive condition by yourself. Most likely, as soon as you liquidate one irritating factor, another one will appear at once. And you will keep on going this way endlessly. So, it’s preferable to consult professionals for help. A professional will not only save you from a momentary depressive condition, but also will find a real reason of your psychological disorder.

Yana Mikheeva is the creator of All about women site, it is an on-line resource for women and about women. Here you can find articles on various subjects, such as: diets, receipts, health, cellulite, figure, aromatherapy, wholesome food, psychology of relationships, pregnancy, parenting, fashion and many others.
She also has Blog for women

There are instances in one’s life which are strange, inexplicable and bordering on the supernatural. Such experiences do not lend themselves to the logic of questions and answers nor to deductive reasoning.
I go back to the time when I had just lost my mother. I was an emotional wreck. It was my first brush with this kind of parting. The loss of a dear one is always deeply felt and leaves one hurting and sore. The realization that she was gone and the finality of her permanent absence from my life was something which was like a manic fever. Where is she? What now? Why me? Some streak in me kept hoping that I would somehow catch a glimpse of her somewhere. I flew to answer the doorbell, made a dash to take a telephone call all the time quelling that insane wish that it could be her. I knew I was living on edge.

Then one night while I tossed and turned, my thoughts in turmoil, I was overcome by a strange awareness. I whispered to myself ..she is standing by the bed and I am lying with my back to her..that’s not right…. Fear mixed with some sort of compulsion gripped me. I turned slowly, heart pounding, eyes peering into the dark. I saw nothing, no one. Then,suddenly, a sort of calm descended over me. I gathered whatever wits I had at the time,and ,wordlessly ,pleaded…Mother..is it you ? and if it is you can just once, just this once let me know that you are around? That you came when I called out to you?… The ticking of seconds hammered in my ears. Time stood still for what seemed centuries. Then, all of a sudden, as if in reply , the calendar on the facing wall suddenly fluttered and was quiet. I hugged myself and shut my eyes tight, treasuring that single moment in time and I guess,must have fallen asleep.

I credit myself with a degree of rationality but no amount of self analysis succeeded in explaining that this incident was the imagination of a distraught mind. It happened eighteen years ago, but it is as vivid today as it was then.