Health Notes | Do You Have The Winter Blues?

administrator — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:07:45 +0000

Winter holidays bring a sense of joy and celebration for some people but others experience them from a pit of dark and lonely isolation. Slowing down in winter is normal but when symptoms of clinical depression appear during the winter months — a
condition known as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) — the “winter blues” or “winter doldrums” become more ominous than just feeling down.

If your lack of enthusiasm in winter includes the symptoms mentioned below, you may have SAD:

Sleep disturbances
Overeating
Feeling low
Persistent tiredness
Loss of interest in activities you usually enjoy
Persistent sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness
Loss of your sense of humor
Suicidal thoughts and thinking of ways of leaving the planet.

SAD is believed to result from the lack of bright light in the winter. Like major depression, it’s an illness that can and should be treated. SAD is more common in northern countries, since the winter day gets shorter as one travels north. For instance, less than 2% of the general population in Florida report SAD while about 20% of Alaska’s population do. In Northern Europe, about 2% have severe SAD, with 10% reporting milder symptoms (the “winter blues”).

Symptoms may start in late September, lasting as late as April but peaking during the darkest months. Researchers have demonstrated that bright light can have a positive effect on brain chemistry, although the exact means by which SAD sufferers are affected is not yet clear.

Treatments may include counseling, anti-depressants, behavioral therapy that includes changes in exercise routine and other daily activities, and light therapy (the use of specially designed bright lights during your normal activities).

If you think you have SAD, don’t suffer the entire winter — call your healthcare professional for advice and treatment!

Advice for Freelancers

administrator — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 21:13:28 +0000

Why Freelance?
Before committing to self-employment, weigh the pros and cons. You need lots of energy, discipline, and the ability to handle independence. You must identify your market, sell yourself, tolerate rejection, manage your time, money and employees, and be able to communicate under pressure. If security, paid time off and other financial prerequisites are important to you (and you’re not independently wealthy) don’t start a freelance business! The financial rewards are not immediate; in fact, business advisors suggest accumulating a minimum of six months’ wages before starting a freelance service business.

Nonetheless, working freelance has tremendous advantages, including the ability to work your own hours your own way, choose the projects you want to handle, and take more tax deductions. And you may end up with more spendable income as a freelance, as long as you remember that you are “in business” and manage your money and time well.

Planning your Business: Defining Your Market

What’s in Business Plan

Consultants You Need

Selecting a Legal Form for Your Business

Fictitious Name Statement, Rules & Business Taxes

Establishing Your Hourly Rate

Estimating Project Fees

Negotiating Project Fees

Contracts

Terms of Payment and Collecting

Operating Expenses and Equipment

Accounting and Insurance

Tax Deductions

A Few Final Words

If you would like further information about these topics, please contact Cathryn D. Evans at TheWriteMentor@mail.com

Chandos Communications

Health Notes | Do You Have The Winter Blues?

Advice for Freelancers