Christ of Linde Business Blog

Global financial crisis has hit our shores must harder and faster than most people could have anticipated. Given that this financial crisis is the worst since the Great Depression of the 1930s and the aftershocks are only beginning to filter down to the broader global economy, what should we do to protect our livelihood and ourselves in these highly volatile and uncertain economic times?

Here are some tips I have:

1.Pay down all unsecured debt as quickly as possible. Unsecured debt like credit card debt attract exorbitant interest rates and will leave you high and dry in the unfortunate event that you suffer a pay cut, or worse, lose your job.

2Avoid taking out large mortgage or car loan debt. Prepare for the worst by avoiding over leveraging yourself. If anything should happen to your earning capability, you might well have to sell your assets at a huge loss.

3Avoid starting businesses with high overheads. An economic slowdown will hurt the margins of many businesses, and those with high overheads are often the first to fail.

4.If you are an employee, assume you will be retrenched. Prepare for the worst by brushing up your resume and cold-calling prospective employers even before you get that dreaded pink slip.

5.Drastically cut personal spending. Everyone saves the maximum they can, it may well be the case that the downturn is prolonged, but the high savings rate will make the recovery better.

6.Do not invest in structured products. Invest your spare cash only in straightforward instruments like stocks and bonds, and do so in tranches, not all at once. Avoid high-risk penny stocks that have the potential to go bust at any time.

7.Don’t surrender your insurance policies. You will need the financial protection they offer all the more in a downturn. The pooled premiums held in life insurance policies are kept in a separate account that will not be affected even if the parent company goes bust.

8.Do not assume that the world will collapse. This may be the worst global financial crisis in over 70 years, but that does not mean that modern civilization is on the brink of Armageddon. My take is that we will all come out fine, though it will be a rough ride 

Not enough time, so many things to do and project deadlines are coming up. Stress is closing in on all of us. Stress affects not only the way we do job, but also our bodily health. While we cannot make stress go completely away, there are some things we can do to reduce our stress levels and make us happier and more productive. Some people say ‘the best thing to solve your job’s problem is to love your job first.’

Here are 10 things you can do to love your job:

1. Do not use “I have to…”, use “I get to…”

Even the most miserable of tasks seem easier and less stressful if you get to do them. It seems like a reward. By removing that feeling that you “have” to do something, you have reduced some pressure and stress.

2. Keep fun stuff on your desk

I like to put some of my toy and my girlfriend pictures on my desk. I saw my girlfriend pictures while I was so stressful. It gave me something mental and physical to do at the same time, and helped add relaxation.

3. Tackle the most stressful tasks first

As we become more tired, our stress defenses go down, so it is best to handle the most stressful events when your body is most alert and rested.

4. Walk away from your desk

Getting away from the desk and exercising for just a couple minutes can reduce stress remarkably. If you can get away for a walk, that is even better. Think about pleasant thoughts and not about your problems.

5. Breathe deeply

Headache expert Dr Jeffry Finnigan in his book, “Life Beyond Headaches”, says that one of the main keys to a healthy body is getting oxygen, which you cannot do if you are slumped over and stressed out.

Take a few minutes away from your work, close your eyes and breathe deeply and slowly. If you can stop and breathe deeply for 10 minutes a couple of times a day, you can reduce your stress level dramatically.

6. Make yourself at home

Personalise your workspace. Surround yourself with photographs of home, posters from favorite movies or plants and flowers. Familiar objects help you to relax.

7. Drink orange juice

Scientists have discovered that vitamin C can reduce the production of stress hormones

8. Sing a song

This tip does double duty. Singing relaxes the body and helps you breathe more deeply. But be considerate

9. Watch a funny video

Laughter, like singing, gets more oxygen into your lungs, so watch something that really makes you laugh out loud.

10. Find out more about stress

Read a book, listen to an audiobook or watch a documentary about it. You will discover that there are many ways to overcome stress and cope with stressful situations.

No matter what kind of work you do, you will experience some form of stress. Do not let it overwhelm you. You can learn to control by LOVE it