Preparing For a Phone Call

Although most people make phone calls on a regular basis, practicing or making the necessary preparation will facilitate for a smooth communication between you and the person on the other line. During your preparation, you have to specifically focus on what you need to say to avoid missing out on any information. This is specially true when making business phone calls.

Starting the Conversation Right

The start of your phone conversation is often a good indicator of how the entire phone call will turn out to be. Thus, starting right is of utmost essential. You can use variety of polite greetings and introduction that will impress the person you are speaking to. But most importantly, you have to do this genuinely, such that the other person does not feel like listening to a voice prompt.

Establishing Rapport

In business calls in particular, rapport is very essential and it is a great way to influence the other person on the line, whether you are speaking to a fellow business personnel, an elderly woman, or a young woman. The more they feel comfortable speaking to you, the more interested they’d be with what you have to say.

How To Correctly Keep Them On-Hold?

There are cases wherein you are interrupted while talking to someone on the phone. The person you are talking to would not mind being kept on hold for a few seconds or a minute provided that you use an effective technique. By using polite words and explaining to them thoroughly the reason for keeping the conversation on-hold is the best way to do it.

Efficient Call-Transfer

Call transfer is quite common in businesses since you have to direct callers to another line on the business phone system, based on their specific inquiries or needs. With the use of effective call-transfer techniques, you can give the caller more light on who else is waiting for them on the other line, such that they won’t be caught off guard with the phone conversation they are about to participate in.

Speaking Clearly

This bit of advice is true not just for phone calls, but in conversations in general. Your ability to speak clearly and get your message across is important to ensure a successful communication system, regardless of the medium used. Despite the advancements in communication technology, your ability to speak clearly is the most focal point in being fully understood.

Achieving the Proper Tone

Voice toning is a nonverbal factor that reflects your personality to the person you are speaking with on the phone, as well as affect your ability to communicate effectively. Thus, it is important to evaluate your own voice tone to avoid being misinterpreted or emit the wrong impression.

Speak Positive

Your ability to showcase a positive attitude during a phone call is first and foremost evident in your choice of language to use. Thus, choose those words correctly and avoid speaking without thinking about what you are about to say.

Listen Attentively

One of the most unethical practices one could exhibit during a phone call is failure to listen to what the other is saying on the phone line. After all, you would not want it for them to not listen to you while you are speaking.

Observe the Golden Rule

For all of the practical tips listed above concerning the proper etiquette when speaking on the telephone, it all boils down to the golden rule. Hence, try to treat others via phone the way you would want them to treat you. Putting forth the need to establish respect and dignity is even more important if you are making phone calls for business reasons.

The exponential growth of the internet messaging system has sadly led several users to abuse its use. The sense of immediacy has created this illusion of casual communication such that one completely neglects all forms of ethical concern when communicating via IM. If you are one of those who frequently use internet messaging devices such as Yahoo! Messenger, AOL, or Skype, here are some basic guidelines to proper etiquette when using IM for communication purposes.

Understand IM Limits

Again, the immediacy and the casual sense of communication that the IM environment creates establish this idea amongst IM users that everyone is willing to chat with anyone. However, this is a common myth that one must realize isn’t true. If you have free time and would be willing to spend 30 minutes each day chatting with your online friends, then you need to understand that not everyone has that luxury. When you start a conversation with someone and they do not respond quickly, avoid “buzzing” them. They could be busy doing other works, or they might not even be in front of the computer!

Therefore, try to be more sensitive with your IM sessions. Learn to understand what others’ priorities are. And even when you are free to chat online, you have to understand that these friends of yours probably aren’t. You have to be specially sensitive when chatting with someone who is at the office as it could have serious repercussions at work.

Crosstalk is a Major No-No

During to the casual nature of instant messaging, it is a common practice for IM users to respond or engage in more than one conversations at the same time. During this conversation, you have ideas that you want to share to your ‘friend’ but your fingers are not as quick to type them in as these thoughts arise. Hence, a common practice among online users would be to chop up their sentences such that they appear on your chat box as phrases.

A tendency for most users would be to readily assume or conclude what they see appear on the box without being aware of what the rest of the statement is about. Hence, several friends end up arguing due to miscommunication during online chat. Hence, you must avoid sending out potentially offending statements, especially if you are unsure about how the other person would respond.

Be Careful When Chatting with Strangers on IM

IM accounts are often public, thus giving strangers the opportunity to send you messages on the spot. Just as you would when handing out e-mail addresses, you need to be extra careful when responding to complete strangers. However, do not readily assume that they have bad intentions or trying to spam you. If a stranger starts a conversation, politely ask them what their intent is. And if they do respond politely, carry on with the conversation in a polite manner.

But if they start to flood you with messages and begin sending out offensive comments, there is a “Report Spam” or “Block” option in most IM windows that you can use to prevent them from sending future IM messages to your account.

Read and Respect IM Status

This is the most basic IM etiquette that most users fail to practice. When another user indicated “Busy” or “DND” on their IM profiles, you need to respect that. It simply indicates that they do not want to be disturbed with impromptu IM chat sessions. In some cases, others would post a custom status message, saying “Busy but you can leave a message”, then you can certainly drop them a quick message. However, do this only when you have something really important to say.

Sadly though, most people are unaware of the right ethical practices in chatting. Here is how you can avoid those unethical chatting practices and build a healthier communication pattern online.

Choosing Your IM Avatar

Avatar serves as the visual representation of yourself, such that the person you are chatting with online will have an idea of how you look like. For casual chatting, you can opt for funky and creative avatars. But if you are chatting in a business environment wherein other business associates or your superiors will be able to see your avatar, then you must opt for something more professional. This will earn you more respect from the person you are chatting with on the other end.

If possible, you can use a different instant messenger account for your friends or casual chatting. While another instant messenger account must be alloted specifically for business or professional purposes.

Proper Introduction

Figuring out how to start of an IM conversation with a client online is really challenging, especially when their status indicate they are busy online. If they don’t have your IM screen name yet, make sure to provide a brief but concise introduction about yourself. Always attach it with polite greetings. A good introductory line would be “Hello there” then insert your full name and other vital information next to it. Avoid opening up your message with “Hi there!”, unless if you are chatting with a long-time friend.

Willingness to Chat

Be sensitive. Personally, it can be irritating if you are busy doing something on your computer and an IM window pops up. Then, the person begins to send all these messages without even bothering to know whether you are busy or not. Moreover, there are even those who “buzz” their IM contacts in case of a late response. This could be an indicator of only two things: either the person is too busy or they are uninterested in chatting. Be polite in your approach such that the person will take the time to respond politely about whether or not they’d be willing to chat. But NEVER force them to chat with you unless they want to.

Choosing Topic of Discussion

When you are chatting for business matters, chatting is done with a definite purpose. And most business personnel are too busy for you to keep them waiting. Thus, you must have figured out already what to discuss prior to interrupting them to chat. When sending messages to the client or business associate on the other end, be brief and concise with your point. After all, the chat box only allows limited space and characters, so you have to maximize that.

More importantly, avoid sending chat messages in all UPPERCASE. This is considered rude in instant messaging ethical practices.

Ending A Conversation

Once you have finished chatting with either your friend or a business associate, do not just leave the conversation and assume that the chat is over. The other person might be awaiting for a response still, so you have to let them know if you want to already end the virtual conversation with them. If you are discussing something, politely ask them if they have any more clarifications or questions.

Then, explain to them properly why you have to leave and always leave a greeting.

Initial Actions

If you are already expecting the person, make sure you do your research. Find out more about the person and get information such as his full name, the place of origin, occupation, reason for visiting and other connections. This will help pave the way for a smoother conversation. Use this information to ask the person and start new discussions. It will make him more comfortable, as well as give the impression that you really were anticipating his arrival.

If you are casually introduced to someone, look the person in the eye, smile, then offer your hand. As you are shaking hands, introduce yourself and get the other person’s name. Repeating the name will help you remember better. Do not forget the person’s name. If you still do, ask a common friend quietly to get you back on track.

When Visiting

If you’re the one coming over a new person’s place, try to bring a little something to show respect, such as flowers, a bottle of wine or a pie. Greet the person warmly as he opens the door. Do not enter the house until you are invited in. Once you are inside, establish your space and wait until you are invited to sit. Do not touch items and other decorations inside the house. Stick to the people you came in with and wait for the perfect time to mingle.

When dining, always practice good table manners. Do not eat until the new person or host has started to eat or insisted that you begin first. You can share jokes and tell stories at the table, as long as you consider these appropriate and decent. Avoid green jokes and other offensive remarks when meeting someone for the first time. Keep some of your opinions to yourself. You should think and review your possible comment before blurting it out.

If you want to move around the house or check out the space, always ask permission. If you need to go to the bathroom, ask for directions. Remember to keep the bathroom clean at all times. Feel free to ask about photos and other items that can be a good topic for conversation. If you land upon a sensitive topic, such as the death of a friend, give your sincerest apologies then move on.

The Way to Behave

If you meet someone for the first time, it is a good idea to keep topics light and open-ended. This way, you can gauge if the person may react positively or otherwise towards certain topics. Do not gossip with the person or you might get the impression of being someone not to be trusted. When it is time to leave, give you warmest thanks and say that it has been a pleasure getting to know him. Shake hands and look the person in the eye again as you bid farewell.

First of all it is important to note that the best stomach exercises are those that a person is willing to do. No matter how effective the exercise is, if a person isn’t going to do them consistently the exercise will not benefit that particular individual. It is also important to note that the best stomach exercises do not necessarily require equipment to perform them, although some machines and equipment may work quite well for some people.

When a person decides on a fitness program that includes stomach exercises, it is best to include stomach exercises that work the different parts of the stomach. If a person simply concentrates on one area of their stomach, there workout will not be as effective. The best stomach exercises, combine working the oblique, which are the side muscles, the lower abdominals, the mid section and also the upper section.

Some of the most popular stomach exercises are crunches. These are a very effective exercise and very convenient since they can be performed anywhere without any equipment. The next stomach exercise that is also very popular and goes along with the basic crunch is the side crunch, which works out the oblique.

Some people consider the best stomach exercises to be included in a Pilate’s workout. The reason for this is because in Pilates, the whole focus is on the core of the body which is the abdominal, or stomach muscles. Every movement in a Pilate’s workout will work the stomach muscles either directly or indirectly. These exercises can be found on the internet, either the exercise itself or video’s that can be purchased.

Another good exercise that some fitness experts considers to be one of the best stomach exercises involves laying flat on your stomach, leg straight and then raising your body up using your arms as your hands are clasped together and keeping your body straight as if doing a pushup. Hold this position as long as you can stand. This is an excellent movement to strengthen the whole stomach.

Remember again though that just because one person may consider a specific exercise to be the best stomach exercise that does not necessarily mean it is the best for everyone. Each person’s body is different and will respond differently to certain movements. Any one serious about working on the abdominal muscles will find it most helpful to try several different stomach exercises and then determine which one they can both feel and see results with. If one exercise is simply too hard to do correctly, or does not feel like it has done anything for the muscle group worked, that exercise is clearly not the best and the person should find what works best for them.

Making Reservations

When making reservations, make sure you stick to the schedule. Inform the host if you are going to be 15 minutes early or 15 minutes late. You should cancel as early as possible if your plans have changed and you really cannot make it to the venue. A number of restaurants might ask for your credit card number to hold reservations. If you cancel or do not show up, expect an amount to be deducted.

About Napkins

As soon as you are seated in the restaurant, take out the napkin from your place setting. Unfold this and place it on your lap. Do not shake the napkin open. The waiter at times may do the unfolding for you. It is not proper to put your own napkin in your lap. The napkin should stay on the lap until the meal ends. Avoid cleaning the cutlery and never wipe your face with it.

If you need to stand up and leave the table, fold the napkin loosely then position it at either side of the plate. Do not refold the napkin or wad it on the table. Do not place the napkin on the chair. When the meal ends, leave the napkin semi-folded at the left side of the setting. It should not be twisted or crumpled. It should not be left on the chair as well or folded neatly back together.

When Eating

In a restaurant, you have to wait until all people at the table are served before you start to eat. At dinner parties, wait for the host to pick up their forks to eat, then follow. Avoid starting before, unless the host insists that you should begin first. When using silverware, use the one farthest from the plate first, then move inwards per course. Eat to your left and drink to your right. Any food dish served at your left is yours, while all beverages served at your right is yours.

The salad fork is located at the outermost left. The dinner fork is next. The soup spoon is found at the outermost right, followed by the beverage spoon, then salad knife and dinner knife. For dessert, use the fork and spoon above the plate. Some desserts may already have a fork brought out with it. Always work from the outside in.

More Dining Rules

Aim to arrive at the venue 10 minutes early, unless specified otherwise. Pass food from the left to the right. If you need to ask for something, always say please. Respond with thank you every time a waiter removes used items. If someone asks you for salt or pepper, always serve both. Even if only one is asked, provide both. When passing anything, set it on the table, instead of passing hand to hand. Never blow your nose or burp at the table.

Tone Your Torso
Begin this stomach exercise on all fours, knees and hands on the floor. Keep your stomach pulled in and extend your left arm out in front of you (football fans, imagine a referee signaling first down). Keep this arm outstretched as you extend your right leg out behind you. Switch arms and legs, and repeat for an entire set. Take particular care not to let your pelvis sway out of position.

Butt Burner
You will need to lie on your back for this exercise. Use a mat or towel to cushion your spine. Bend your knees so your feet are flat on the floor, and position your arms at your sides. Squeeze your buttocks as you lift your pelvis off the floor. Keep the rest of your body in line. Raise your pelvis to about forty-five degrees, so your upper body from your head to your knees makes a straight, flat ramp. Hold this for three to five seconds before slowly lowering your pelvis back to the floor. Repeat for an entire set.

Crunchless Crunch
This stomach exercise is fairly simple in theory but can be fairly difficult to perform. Essentially, it involves trying to pull the belly button in towards the spine. This can be tricky, as it involves using muscles which you may not be used to activating. To start, either lie or on your stomach or kneel. You might want to try both ways and see which helps you feel the exercise better. Relax your body as much as possible, then try to use only the lower abdominals to move your belly button toward your spine. Hold for ten seconds. If this feels easy, hold for a longer period. The goal is to hold the contraction until you either cannot feel it, or you feel other muscles working harder than the transverse abdominus. When you feel this, let the contraction out.

Scissor Kicks
This stomach exercise also requires lying on the floor. Position your hands under your butt, keeping your back pressed against the floor. Slowly raise one leg to a height of about ten inches, then slowly lower it back to the floor. As your lower one leg, raise the other. Repeat this motion for an entire set. Maintaining control throughout is important, not allowing momentum to get the better of you. Your upper body should remain on the floor through the entire move.

These are just a few of all the strength building stomach exercises out there. If you are looking to build strength in your midsection, look for any exercise that works your core, especially the transverse abdominal muscles. Many components of Pilates are good for this also.

Classifying an adventure travel however pose a little difficulty in defining what exactly it means. Adventure travel depends on the level of strenuousness of activities involved. Adventure may involve leisure biking and hiking for some travelers or it may entail base jumping into an underground cave in Mexico.

Nevertheless, a travel involves some fundamental aspects to be classified as adventure. Adventure travel typically includes going to far-flung areas, intermingling with various cultures, and doing a physical activity.

Two categories of adventure travel are hard and soft adventures. Hard adventures fall under extreme and mostly dangerous sporting activity. Examples of hard adventures are rock climbing, surfing, paragliding, and scuba diving in remote locations. Soft adventures, on the other hand, are leisure activities that are often educational. It does not involve strenuous activity unlike hard adventures. Bird watching, religious pilgrimages and architectural tours fall under soft adventures.

But you might wonder who usually embark on an adventure travel? Travel Industry Association of America’s (TIA) study indicated an estimated 20 percent of adult travelers are adventure tourists. It is also parallel to The Wall Street Journal reporting in 2003 that revenues from adventure tourism has skyrocketed topping the adventure market with $245 million dollars.

While many studies say college-educated males in their 20s typically embark on hard adventures, it is harder to categorize people who go for soft adventures. They say baby boomers and seniors significantly affect the rise of number of soft travelers. However, adventure-seeking women have also substantially caused the continuous growing of the industry. For example, divorcees ages 40 and 60 usually turn to adventure travel as a shift into new lives.

In addition, adventure travels are physically and psychologically beneficial both men and women. Physical challenges like mountain climbing require both physical fitness and focus. It develops muscles as well as serves as an excellent mental workout. Achieving difficult tasks also help build self-esteem especially for people in midlife crisis.

There are several options to what kind of adventure travel fits a specific type of person. But you should determine first how adventurous you would like to be. A travel agency may actually help steer you through the multitude choices that you will face.

Sports-themed vacations are well-liked for athletes. Examples of these are baseball fantasy camps and NASCAR driving schools. Safari is one example of soft adventures popular to many of varying ages. This may involve driving and walking through the African plains and come into close contact with lion, leopard, elephant, rhino and buffalo.

Longtime popular destinations are the Seven Wonders of World that include biking and hiking to these locales. Some of the world wonders include pyramids of Egypt, expedition to Antarctica, cultural tour in Japan and Ethiopia, the Great Wall of China, and Taj Mahal in India.

If you opt to have an adventure travel however, be sure to be safe as much as possible. Take note that adventure travel has inherent danger involved.

Answering the Telephone

The right way to answer the telephone is by saying “Hello” or “Good morning, followed by the place of residence or company name”. Do not just say “Yes”, “What?” or “Speak”, even if you already know who is calling. The person on the other line can immediately draw a conclusion that you are an aloof person who does not want to communicate. You will have a hard time getting left messages if you do not answer appropriately.

When someone asks for a person through the telephone, you should also respond in the most respectful manner. If someone asks for Mr. Smith, you should respond either “One moment please, I’ll get Mr. Smith for you.” or “I’m sorry, Mr. Smith is not here right now, but I can take a message if you want to.” This shows that you have good manners. Do not just say, “Yes”, “No” or “Wait”. Always try to communicate and evoke the feelings that you care.

Making the Calls

If you are the one making the telephone call, make sure you check the time first. Calling during meal time, napping periods or very late at night are not recommended. Try to aim for hours when you know the person answering is wide awake and will not most likely be disturbed. Try to call houses not sooner than 7:00 am and not later than 9:30 pm. Once the phone is answered, greet the other person on the line, provide your name then ask for the person you want to talk to.

If you called once without anyone answering, wait about 30 to 60 minutes before making the next call. If the number is busy, you can try again after a few minutes. If the other line has an answering machine, leave your name, contact number and message. If you happen to dial the wrong number, do not abruptly hang up. Instead, apologize to the other person and indicate that you have dialled the wrong number. Dial the next number carefully to avoid making the same mistake.

More Manners

Always have a light and pleasant tone when answering the phone or calling, since the other person cannot see your facial expression. When calling, allow the phone to ring a certain length of time, since it can be a bother to go all the way to the telephone and only hearing the dial tone once you answer. Stop making pranks, especially if you are calling an office telephone. Do not inconvenience businesses by taking too much of their time for unimportant chats. If you’re talking to someone who is working, keep the call informative and brief.

Crunchless Crunch

Regular crunches are great for working the rectus abdominus (the muscles at the front of your stomach), but they do very little for the transverse abdominal muscles deeper in the midsection, plus they tend to put strain on your back and neck. This first exercise corrects that, working the transverse muscles with no back or neck strain. Essentially, it involves trying to pull the belly button in towards the spine. This can be tricky, as it involves using muscles which you may not be used to activating. To start, either lie or on your stomach or kneel. You might want to try both ways and see which helps you feel the exercise better. Relax your body as much as possible, then try to use only the lower abdominals to move your belly button toward your spine. Hold for ten seconds. If holding for ten seconds feels easy, hold for a longer period. The goal is to hold the contraction until you either cannot feel it, or you feel other muscles working harder than the transverse abdominus. When you feel this, let the contraction out.

Hip Lift

Remain on your back for this stomach exercise. Put your arms at your sides with palms facing up to the ceiling. Put your legs straight up in the air so that the soles of your feet are facing the ceiling and your legs make about a ninety degree angle with your torso. Keep your knees unbent and as straight as possible. Now, contract your ab muscles so that it feels like your belly button is being pulled toward your spine, while at the same time gently lifting your hips off the floor. Raise your hips to height of a few inches, keeping your legs extended straight upward. Hold this position, then slowly lower your hips back to the floor. Repeat for an entire set.

Long Arm Crunch

For this stomach exercise, remain on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat. Lie back and extend your arms straight back on the floor as though you are reaching above your head. Contract your abs and slowly lift your arms, head and shoulders off the floor to about a thirty degree angle. Hold it, then slowly lower your shoulders back to the floor. Repeat for an entire set. Be careful not to lead with your arms, keeping them straight and alongside your head.

Some other honorable mentions include the vertical leg crunch, torso twists, and any Pilates routine that emphasizes the core. Feel free to research some of these exercises more once you have mastered the three above. Now that you are armed with some of the better stomach exercises, you are on your way to a trimmer tummy!