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Lifestyle, Tips

Thinking of Going From Employee to Entrepreneur? Read This First

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Have you ever thought about leaving employment to start your own company? Whether you want to take what you’re already doing and start your own firm or do something entirely different, this could be an ideal that appeals to you. In fact, it’s not an uncommon desire to want to work for yourself, be your own boss, and create a business from scratch. But before you take the leap, you have to know what it takes. So to help you, in this blog post, we’re going to run through everything you need to consider before leaving life in employment to become an entrepreneur.

Your Financial Position

One of the most significant factors to consider before becoming an entrepreneur is your financial situation. Starting a business may require an upfront investment. This could be for a location, equipment, marketing, staff, and more. Right now, as a salaried employee, your income is stable, and your expenses are predictable. But as an entrepreneur, your income can be unpredictable and you can be faced with unexpected expenses. So before leaving your corporate job, make sure you have enough money in savings to support yourself and your family for a minimum of six to twelve months without a steady income.

Your Business Idea

Next, you need to make sure that you have a concrete business idea. Ask yourself — Is your business idea unique? Is there a demand for it? Is it sustainable for the long term? You can also conduct market research and look at competitors to validate your business concept. And if you really want to be able to take your business idea to the next level, you can also work with a mentor or a business coach to hone your product or service offering.

It would also be advantageous to set up a business website as the majority of businesses have moved into the online space so they can reach a larger group of people. You will need to do a domain name search first to ensure that your chosen name with the extension is free for you to use. You can then register it ready for when your business is up and running.

Your Business Acumen

From here, you’re really going to want to make sure that you’re ready to step into the business world. Are you au fait with business life and what it takes? Do you understand how to pull together business finances and secure funding? Will you know how to create a dental logo or what you need to do to launch a website? Could you bootstrap and do everything by yourself to begin with? It’s important to be real with yourself here. There is, of course, support out there for you to utilize if needs be. For instance, to help with financial analysis and planning, you can check out this balance sheet example to see if this could be something useful to assist with managing your business finances. There is a lot out there for you to use if you know where to look, which is why research will always be a key factor.

Your Work-Life Balance

Also, when you work for yourself, it can be challenging to balance work and personal life. You may have to work more than your usual eight hours a day — and it can often be seven days a week in the beginning! That being said, you will also get to enjoy the freedom to dictate your schedule and work on your own terms. But that can come over time. So you need to be prepared to dedicate the time early on.

Your Support System

Finally, entrepreneurship can be a lonely journey so having a strong support system is crucial. Your family and friends will be your cheerleaders and sounding boards throughout, as well as your shoulders to cry on. It’s important that you have strong support around you, particularly in the initial stages. Where you can, also have your own network around you too. As this can also offer professional support and allow you to access potential opportunities too.

Going Healthy, Health, Life

Menopause Isn’t Just For Women: Here Is What Men Need To Know

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Menopause is often thought of as a woman’s issue, but men can experience changes with age that are similar to menopause. This phenomenon is known as andropause or male menopause. While not all men go through it, andropause affects roughly 30 percent of males between the ages of 40 and 59. Read on to learn more about male menopause and what it means for you.

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What Is Male Menopause?

Male menopause occurs when levels of the hormone testosterone decrease, typically in middle-aged or older males. Testosterone is responsible for maintaining muscle mass, bone density, libido, energy levels, and mental clarity—all characteristics that people associate with youthfulness and vitality. When testosterone levels drop, these functions often decrease as well.

Signs and Symptoms of Male Menopause

Manifestations of male menopause can differ from individual to individual; however, the most frequent ones include:

• Low libido or decreased sex drive 

• Muscle loss 

• Fatigue and/or lack of energy 

• Mood changes such as depression or irritability 

• Hot flashes and night sweats 

• Difficulty sleeping 

• Memory problems or mental fog 

• Erectile dysfunction or difficulty maintaining an erection 

It’s worth emphasizing that some of these signs can have alternative explanations, so if you believe you may be in the middle of male menopause, it’d be wise to consult with your physician.

Causes of Male Menopause

While the precise source of male menopause remains unknown, it is widely considered that progressing age has something to do with its development. As our bodies mature, testosterone production decreases which can be responsible for these sensations and signs. 

In addition, living habits such as obesity, inadequate nutrition, and lack of physical activity may lead to lower levels of testosterone, triggering a higher vulnerability for male menopause.

Treatment Options for Male Menopause

Although male menopause cannot be cured or reversed, there are several treatments available that can help manage the symptoms: 

1) Testosterone Replacement Therapy (TRT): 

TRT consists of taking medications that replace the testosterone your body is no longer producing. This treatment has been proven to improve sex drive, muscle strength and mass, energy levels, and mood. Just make sure to find a reputable place of treatment like this TRT Clinic Simi Valley with a knowledgeable team of staff.

2) Lifestyle Changes: 

Making certain lifestyle changes can help manage the symptoms of male menopause. Eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, reducing stress levels, limiting alcohol consumption, and quitting smoking are all important steps toward improving overall health and well-being. 

3) Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy:

Bioidentical hormones, derived from natural sources and created to emulate the hormones produced by your body, have been proclaimed as a solution for alleviating symptoms of male menopause and balancing out hormone levels. Research has suggested that bioidentical hormone replacement therapy could be a powerful aid in improving one’s well-being.

4) Supplements:

If you’re experiencing the effects of male menopause, then certain natural supplements can be greatly beneficial. Minerals such as zinc and magnesium, along with vitamin D, have been known to restore hormone levels and promote overall health in males who are going through this stage of life.

Male menopause is a real phenomenon that affects many men as they age. While it’s not always easy to recognize the symptoms due to their similarity with other conditions, knowing what signs to look for can help you identify if you are experiencing this issue. 

Treatment options such as testosterone replacement therapy, lifestyle changes, bioidentical hormone replacement therapy, and supplements can all be beneficial in managing the symptoms of male menopause. Talk to your doctor if you think you may be experiencing this condition so they can recommend the best treatment option for you.

Going Healthy, Health, Lifestyle, Tips

Healthy Habits That Aren’t So Healthy

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Most of us try to do as much as we can to stay as healthy as we can, even if we are not perfect at doing so. It can be disconcerting then, to say the least, when you find out that the so-called healthy habits you have been practicing forever are not so healthy after all.

There are many things that many of us think are good for us, which could actually be anything but, but if we don’t know that is the case, we could keep on doing them until it causes us significant harm. That being the case, let’s take  look that some healthy habits that may not be so healthy after all:

Cleaning your ears with a Q-tip

Hand up if you remove the wax from your ears using a Q-tip. It’s definitely something a lot of us do or have done, but did you know it can actually be dangerous? When it comes to earwax removal, specially designed sprays or a visit to a professional are the way forward because Q-tips can actually push more wax further inside the ear than they remove, which can cause a whole host of problems including hearing loss. Not only that, but you risk slipping and pushing the Q-tip in too far which could perforate your ear drum! Keep Q-tips out of your ear and stay safe!

Drinking fruit juice

Okay, so fresh fruit juice is definitely a healthier choice than processed sodas, but it is not always as healthy as we think. Fruit juice can contain just as much, if not more sugar as a can of Cola, and it can be pretty acidic too. That means that it can cause erosion of tooth enamel, while also spiking the blood sugar, which means it is not a good choice of daily beverage, Of course, it does also contain lots of vitamins and minerals, so drinking a small portion of fresh fruit juice now and again is likely to be fine.

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Stepping on the scale


It’s good to know how much you weigh so you can keep an eye on the situation, but if you are someone who weighs yourself every day, or even multiple times each day, you might want to reconsider because this is not always a healthy approach.

The fact of the matter is, your weight can fluctuate several pounds in a single day, so you are not always getting an accurate picture of how you are doing, and this can lead to unhealthy obsessions with your weight, as well as the kind of disappointment that leads to you giving up a healthy eating regime, for example.

Weight once a week at the same time of day and you will get a much more accurate picture of your weight, and you will likely obsess about it a lot less too.

Sleeping a lot

We know that sleep is good for us, so a lot of us think sleeping more will be even better. This is, sadly, not the case. Although sleeping late now and again is unlikely to have any adverse effects on your health, if you regularly sleep more than 9 hours each day, you may find that you feel more tired and more lethargic all the time. Anywhere between 7 and 9 hours is the sweet spot of sleep for most adults, so try to stick to that number and you will be healthier for sure.

Being a weekend drinker

Most of us think if we abstain during the week and only consume alcohol at the weekends, we are making a healthy choice, but this can lead to binge drinking, whereby you overindulge on two days of the week. It is much better to spread your alcohol consumption more evenly throughout the week so that you do not end up putting an unnecessary strain on your liver. Of course, if you just have one or two drinks on a Saturday night, that is unlikely to be too bad for you, but if you go crazy on the weekends, a rethink is really a good idea. If you find it hard to moderate your drinking, speaking to a doctor or therapist could also be a good idea.

If you have been practicing any of these surprisingly unhealthy habits, then it would be a good idea to try and break them where possible because they are really not great for you, and the longer you do them, the harder it will be to change, and the more likely it will be that they have a negative effect on your wellbeing.