Why Self Reliance is So Important




    There is plenty advice out there that tells us how to become more self-reliant and this alone might be something of an indicator that this is a desirable trait. But just what is it that makes being self-reliant so important and so crucial? Why is this such an important trait and who stands to benefit from it? Let’s take a look at some of the top reasons to develop self-reliance and to make it a priority in your life…

    Experiences

    Say you’ve always wanted to visit Hong Kong but no one will go with you… what do you do? If you are someone who is highly self-reliant then the answer will be to simply go alone and to have that experience anyway. On the other hand though, if you need other people to come with you, then you may find that you simply end up not going and that you never had that experience as a result.

    Skills

    The self-reliant person is someone who deals with their own boiler when it breaks and who may even try to repair their own car when it fails to start. In other words, the self-reliant person is someone who is very capable and that’s because their first impulse is to solve problems themselves rather than get someone else to. As a result, self-reliant people are more practical, capable and impressive than their reliant counterparts!

    Relationships

    Many people think that good relationships are defined by the time you spend with someone. Often though, the reverse is true and it’s actually the time you spend apart that will define how likely a couple is to make it. The reason for this is that being independent gives you more individual experiences and stories and so more to talk about. What’s more, being independent ensures no one becomes clingy or possessive and no one becomes resentful. To be happy with others, you must first learn to be happy alone.

    Free

    Ultimately, you need to be self-reliant and independent in order to be truly free. If you are only ever to do things with the help of others then that leaves you at their mercy. Being truly free means being able to drop anything and go travelling tomorrow if you decide to… and even with all the money in the world that requires a kind of self-reliance that many people never achieve.

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    What is Self-Reliance




    The idea of self-reliance is a broad one and one that covers many different concepts. Everyone has a slightly different idea of what constitutes self-reliance and there are many different types of self-reliance that apply more in different situations.
    You can be self-reliant in that you don’t need the accolades of other people, you can be self-reliant in that you are able to do things on your own without becoming lonely or bored and you can be self-reliant in as much as you’re able to solve problems without help. Self-reliance is none of these things and all of these things and as such, none of us are probably truly self-reliant though most of us strive to be more so in various areas of life.

    Read on and we’ll look at some of the different ways in which you can be self-reliant and some of the forms it takes.

    Independence

    Independence means being able to do things on your own, without needing the encouragement or the company of others. This means that you do things because you want to do them, without necessarily needing an escort or even someone to share that time with. This is a valuable trait because it means your options aren’t limited by what other people are willing to do with you.
    Many people struggle with independence and feel the need to be constantly with friends or to spend all their time with a partner. If you do this too much you can eventually end up losing your own identity.

    Resourcefulness

    Resourcefulness is a form self-reliance in as much as it helps you to cope in situations where the chips are down. This means being able to draw on a limited pool of options and still come up with a satisfactory solution.

    Financial Independence

    Financial independence means not relying on an employer or anyone else for your income. Most of us are financially dependent to at least some degree but simply having savings and the ability to gain alternative income makes you much freer.

    Self-Starting

    Being a self-starter means that you are self-motivated and able to drive yourself to achieve the things you want to achieve. Entrepreneurs are the perfect examples of self-starters as they motivate themselves to work without needing a boss. Being a self-starter gives you the ability thus to forge your own path.

    Capable

    Being self-reliant means being able to fix your car engine or take out the trash. It means not relying on someone else to do things and thus being ready for almost any situation.

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    Self-Reliance – A Valuable Trait Belonging to the Introverted




    We live in a society that very much seems to value and even prefer the extrovert. The extrovert is someone who is outgoing, talkative and who likes spending time with people. These are ‘people people’ and they are the ones who enjoy socializing and being the center of attention.
    Introverts meanwhile are the wall-flowers and the ones who are happy to sit quietly with their heads in books. As a result they often get passed up for job promotions and they often miss opportunities that are presented to their more outspoken colleagues.

    But introverts have a trick up their sleeve – and that’s self-reliance.

    Understanding the Introvert

    There is a common misconception that introverts are always shy and in fact the terms ‘introvert’ and ‘shy person’ are often used synonymously. In fact though, introverts are not necessarily shy but simply prefer their own company. The idea here is that the extrovert finds it easier to get energy from social interactions, whereas the introvert needs time alone to recharge their batteries. In fact, many people say that introverts may even be more ‘sensitive’ to psychic excitement, meaning that they need less stimulation to feel energized and potentially overwhelmed.

    Introversion as an Asset

    While this might mean that the introvert prefers to work alone and perhaps doesn’t thrive as much in meetings and presentations, it is important that organizations not overlook their unique skill-

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    set. Introverts are far more likely to spend a lot of time alone and this makes them far superior independent workers as a rule. Introverts are also more likely to have new and creative ideas because they will spend a lot more time reflecting on their own thoughts. And what’s more, they’re more likely to be self-reliant.
    Being self-reliant essentially means being capable to deal with problems on your own rather than needing assistance. It also means being willing to spend time alone whether that means going travelling without friends or whether it means living alone.
    This in turn means the introvert is more used to dealing with problems on their own rather than turning to others for help. They are thus likely to be more resourceful and calmer in a given situation.
    If you are an introvert then make sure you never think of this as a detriment to your ability. Introversion is an asset, as long as you recognize the particular strengths it offers and you know how to make the most of those.

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    Why IFTTT is the Perfect App for Improving Your Productivity





    No matter what kind of business you run, IFTTT is an incredible app that can likely help you to get a lot more done a lot more efficiently. While it has been around for a little while now, it’s still only just starting to gain popularity, so there’s a good chance you won’t have already heard of it and won’t yet be taking advantage of what it has to offer.


    Read on and we’ll look at how IFTTT works and why it’s such a boon to your productivity and to your business as a whole.


    What is IFTTT?


    IFTTT stands for ‘If This, Then That’ and essentially allows you to set up interactions between your various different online accounts. What this means is that you can make it so that an event occurring on one account becomes a ‘trigger’ for something else happening on another.


    The most basic example of this would be to set up a relationship (called ‘recipes’) that fired when you uploaded a post to Facebook and then just tweeted that same post on Twitter. Right away, this recipe could help you to save time on your social media marketing by meaning you have to update only the one account rather than two.
    But the power of IFTTT goes much further than that because it also lets you work with Google Drive, Todoist, Gmail and much more, creating almost limitless possibilities…


    The App


    IFTTT began life as a web app but is today available for the phone too. This increases its potential list of uses exponentially by letting you link in the various features of your phone as well. For instance, you could text a certain number in order to tweet, or you could set up your phone to bring up your to-do list when you get home. You could even have it bring up your work e-mail as soon as you arrive at work!
    Really though, the power of IFTTT is limited only by your imagination. Examples of the sorts of things you can do with it include: having e-mails added to your to-do list, saving various materials automatically to DropBox, or automatically populating Google Calendar.
    If you’re looking for a way to automate a lot of the administrative tasks that you do on a day to day basis and you want a way to organize yourself and your information better – sign up for an account now!

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    Why and How to Create an App for Your Business

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    If you are looking to get more out  of your smartphone as a business owner or entrepreneur, then you might start looking for apps that can do particular jobs for you on the Android Google Play Store or on the iTunes App Store.

    But what if you don’t find what you’re looking for?


    One solution is to build your own app. And as it happens, this decision can benefit you in more ways than one and might just be easier than you expect…


    Top Reasons to Build Your Own App


    The first reason you might want to build your own app is     to extend the functionality of your phone. If your business has specific requirements, then by adding a custom built piece of software to your smartphone or the smartphones of your staff, you’ll that way be able to work wherever you are. This will increase your speed and flexibility several fold and it can even prevent errors if it means that your team can update information ‘in the field’ rather than waiting to log it on their return. Bear in mind that apps on a mobile device will also work on tablets, which allows for ‘upright computing’.


    At the same time, this kind of functionality is something that will always impress potential clients and customers. It makes your business look more cutting edge and that’s something that you shouldn’t underestimate.


    Meanwhile, you can also consider building apps for your partners, clients and customers. If you run a takeaway restaurant this might mean letting your customers order food through their device, or if you provide a service then the app could help to improve the quality of that experience. Again, this can impress your customers no end but it also helps them to use your company more quickly and easily thus encouraging increased sales.


    How to Build an App


    So how do you go about building an app?


    Essentially there are two options which are to either outsource the process to a third party, or to do it yourself. Each has their strengths and weaknesses of course.
    If you are going to outsource app development then you should look for a company that specializes in this and that has experience. Ask to see previous samples of their work and do be willing to pay a little extra for quality (some cheap developers on sites like Elance will cut corners).


    If you build it yourself, continue adding a new department to your team, or see if there are easier methods you can use. For instance if you’re making an Android app then using ‘Basic4Android’ may well save you time.

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    What is the Best Smartphone for Business?

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    If you’re an avid businessman or woman and you need a new smartphone, or if you’re tasked with selecting a ‘company phone’ for your staff, then you might find yourself having something of an impossible task trying to choose which device will best suit your needs. These days there are hundreds of phone models on the market at any one time and all of them have impressive features that might make them seem like good candidates.


    Which phone then, if any, has the edge over the competition for a business setting?


    The Operating System


    While there are numerous different operating systems you can get for smartphones – including Linux – the only two you really need to consider are iOS and Android. There was a time when many people were interested in Blackberry phones for business but unfortunately there just isn’t the app support necessary on this platform and the hardware leaves a lot to be desired.
    iOS and Android run the most impressive range of business applications and they are found on the most top-end hardware. So which one has the edge? Well, if you are a design business using Macs and you don’t need any proprietary software then you could probably choose either – with iOS having slightly smoother function all round. For many businesses though, the greater amount of flexibility that Android offers means that it will have the edge. Android lets you drag and drop files over USB for instance and it lets you create your own applications more easily.


    The Specs


    In terms of specs, you don’t need quite the same workhorse that you do for your main PC. That said, you do want something that will be capable of some basic multitasking and that will be able to run the best apps.
    Here the most important consideration might be the RAM. 2GB is the highest for most phones (with only very few going up to 3GB) so this should cater to most of your needs.
    What’s most important though is the screen size. If you’re going to work well on a mobile device you need to make sure that you can see a lot of the screen so that you can fit lots on all at once. The iPhone 6 Plus is famous for its large screen, while the Galaxy Note 4 and Nexus have a smaller screen

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    Top Uses of a Smartphone for a Business User



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    If you are a business user and you have a smartphone, then there are lots of different things you can use your device for that will help you to get more work done, to improve your workflow and to generally enhance your productivity. Read on and we’ll look at some of the very best of them.


    Taking Notes


    Whether you’re on the move or you’re sitting at your computer, sometimes it’s useful to be able to take notes wherever you are. A great way to do this is with a smartphone, especially one with an app like Evernote that will keep your notes on the cloud for you to access online later. Alternatively, you can take voice notes, or even use the camera to capture things that are happening around you when you don’t have time to input information in any other way.


    Working on the Move


    Stuck on the train? Then you can actually get quite a lot of work done on your phone as long as you know how to find the right apps. An example of a great app for working on the move is Office365 for instance which is essentially the whole of Microsoft Office in a mobile format. If you run a website meanwhile, then the WordPress app is one of the most useful things you’ll be likely to find!


    Streaming Your PC


    Need to do something else on the move and can’t do it on your phone? Then consider using an app like ‘Splashtop Remote’. This lets you stream your desktop so that you can operate it remotely. The framerate is a little laggy but if you need to send yourself a file from the office or something then this is still incredibly helpful.


    Extending Your Screen


    Another interesting thing you can do with an Android or smartphone is to extend your screen so that you can do more at once. Either you can load up webpages and look at them next to your monitor for easier multitasking, or you can use apps that let you literally turn your phone into another computer display.


    Organization


    Perhaps the best way to utilize your smartphone in a business setting though is as a way to organize your information. Organizing contacts of course is very helpful but just as useful is having Google Calendar in your pocket so that you can get notifications wherever you are in the world!

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    The Very Best Productivity Apps for Business Owners





    If you are looking to be more productive with your smartphone then good news – there’s an app for that!
    In fact there’s about a billion apps for that, which is kind of a problem when time is money and you don’t have the luxury of trying them all. Read on then and we’ll look at some of the best apps on the market right now for helping you to be more productive and to get more done.


    Google Drive (Android, iOS)


    Not only is Google Drive a great app for storing your files on the cloud but with access to Google Docs you also get a full office suite for editing them on the go. This is really handy if you’re working on a spreadsheet remotely and you want people in the office to see the live changes.


    Dropbox (Android, iOS)


    Dropbox is a cloud sharing app that gives you lots of space and makes it very easy to access your files.


    Splashtop Remote (Android, iOS)


    Working on the go and find you left an important file in the office? Splashtop Remote is thankfully on hand and will allow you to access your desktop and stream it through your device. The framerate’s not always the best but if you’re not watching movies that’s hardly a problem. Another alternative is TeamViewer.


    Mobile Office365 (Android, iOS)


    Sometimes you need to access the real thing and nothing will substitute for Microsoft Office. Fortunately there’s now this mobile version, though you will need a subscription.


    Kingsoft Office (Android, iOS)


    If you’re looking for a free alternative to Mobile Office365, then Kingsoft Office is a great choice with all the features you’d expect.


    Multiscreen Multitasking THD (Android)


    If you need to write an article that is based on something you’re seeing online, or if you need to compare two web pages side by side, then Multiscreen Multitasking THD will allow you to do that with small resizable, draggable apps built onto a larger desktop.


    Evernote (Android, iOS)


    Evernote is a great note taking app that will let you capture your ideas then view them elsewhere.


    WordPress (Android, iOS)


    The WordPress app is incredibly useful if you run a WordPress site and will let you handle pretty much every aspect of running your website remotely!

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    Google Analytics (Android, iOS)


    For tracking your site’s performance on the move, this is incredibly handy.
    Of course there are many more, which ones did we miss?

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    The Best Office Apps for iOS and Android




    When it comes to working on your smartphone, this will likely ultimately come down to using office software. If your business requires custom software then you will be unlikely to be able to find this specifically for your device but if what you need to do is update a spreadsheet or edit a Word document then there are lots of options. And if you have a Bluetooth keyboard, you can actually get very productive with this software!

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    Read on and we’ll look at the best office software available for iOS and Android that you can start using to get more done.

    Office365

    Relatively recently, Microsoft finally unveiled a mobile version of their full suite of office apps. That means you can now use Word, Excel and Powerpoint wherever you are. This is exciting news for a lot of people and businesses but note that you will need an Office365 subscription in order to make use of these apps.

    Google Drive

    If you don’t have a subscription then the next best option may actually be an app that doesn’t market itself as an office app at all. Google Drive is first and foremost a cloud storage option but what makes it interesting is the fact that it also offers office software in the form of Google Docs. Again you can create and edit Word files, spreadsheets and more and more and all those changes will be reflected live online for those back in the office.

    Multiscreen Multitasking THD

    A limitation of most mobile devices is the lack of split screen option. This means that if you need to write something while looking at a website as a resource, you don’t have any option other than to keep flicking back and forth between the browser and word processor apps.
    Multiscreen Multitasking THD solves this pain point by giving you multiple ‘mini apps’ built into a single environment that can be resized and dragged around the screen. Thus you can write while looking at a website. Unfortunately this is only available for Android.

    Kingsoft Office, Documents To Go

    If you’re looking for a free alternative to Office365, then either of these two options will do the trick. Both offer a full range of options and even more than the mobile version of MSOffice. Kingsoft has the slight edge in terms of usability but with either of these there’s no need to shell out for anything expensive.

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    The Best Accessories for Your Business Phone





    If you’re looking to get more out of your phone in a business setting, then sometimes what you need is the right accessory. Unlike a PC, it’s unfortunately not possible to upgrade the internal specifications of your mobile device but with the right extras you can nevertheless get a lot more from your device and practically upgrade its ability that way.
    Here we will look at some of the top accessories to consider for your smartphone that will turn it into a powerhouse of a productivity station…


    Keyboard


    A Bluetooth keyboard will give you an input method that is just as quick and accurate as that on your computer. This way, when you’re caught without your PC you can load up something like Office365 and start writing wherever you are.  To get even more from a Bluetooth keyboard, consider getting a foldable one. As long as it’s sturdy enough when you type on it, this will let you fold your keys and store them in your pocket when you’re on the move!


    Mouse


    For Androids only you can also use mouse input. It’s a little janky as it works the same way that touch input does (meaning you have to drag pages to transition on your home screen). Nevertheless, it’s much easier when you’re navigating the web for instance and inputting data with your keyboard.


    Micro USB – USB Connector


    This is another one for Android only, but with a Micro USB to USB connector you can plug any USB device into your Android as though it were a PC. Of course not everything will work but there are many things that will – such as memory pens for instance.


    SD Card


    This will only work on some specific Androids but if you have expandable memory then this is a must!


    Case and Stand


    If you will be working with a keyboard and mouse then you should get a case that doubles as a stand so that you can more easily see it while you type.


    Hands Free


    For improving your productivity and workflow you should never underestimate the power of a hands free kit. This way you can multitask and catch up with correspondence while on the move or working with your hands meaning that you don’t waste time on hold or in lengthy conversations.


    Stylus


    If you have a Note 4 then you’ll have a ‘real’ stylus. Otherwise you’ll have to make do with a touch capacitive stylus. Though these are limited in their capability, they’re still better than nothing

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