How To Lose Weight Without Work With This Easy New Plan
Oct 31, 2009 Uncategorized
Do you think it’s important to preset a time period for you to lose weight? I think the answer is yes – we divide our lives into one week increments, so it makes sense to seek a 7 day diet plan, if we need to lose weight fast. I’m going to show you a simple eating plan that you can try to up your metabolic rate during the day – one of the best ways to lose weight.
It’s been proven that multiple, small meals beats gorging yourself on 3 big meals a day every time. Why is this so? When you eat a big meal, there is no way to process all of the food at once, so some of the calories get stored as fat. Our quest is to create a weight loss plan, not a fat gain plan. If you want to lose weight in 7 days, start changing your meal routine. You will soon discover how to lose weight in 10 days.
I’ll give you an example: don’t gorge on three big sit down meals in a day, split up your eating into hourly or every other hourly snacks. What does this do? Simply, it keeps your energy and metabolism high, blood glucose and hormones stay more level and you simply lose weight!
Now supplement your new eating habits with plenty of refreshing water- skim milk is good, too. If you don’t like water, you can use decaffeinated tea. Avoid sugary sodas. The idea is to keep your body hydrated all through the day. Eat plenty of protein such as walnuts and mixed nuts, or eat peanut butter on top of fruit.
A week will go by and it will be pretty clear that your 7 day diet plan has really made a difference. You will have dropped the pounds, have much more energy and be more fun. This diet advice is easy to follow, and has been proven to be effective without fail. You won’t find a better method for losing weight fast
Disclaimer: This information is based on information available freely in popular press publications and medical writings that are about the areas of health. Nothing herein is intended to be or should be construed to be any sort of reliable medical advice. For medical issues, you need to speak with a licensed medical practitioner.
Find the right New Hampshire vacation and relax for a lifetime
Oct 31, 2009 Uncategorized
Choosing the ideal vacation escape is tough. Practically, in today’s frantic paced environment you are competing with all of the demands and time commitments you face in your life. Sometimes it is nice to obtain a fresh perspective on attraction opportunities that you may not have thought about before. A New Hampshire vacation provides you an occasion to find something that you may not be able to find in your own backyard.
If you are seeking romance or excitement on your vacation escape, you will appreciate it much more if you take a little time to plan part of your vacation in advance. For the outdoor seeking vacationer, consider the weather forecasts of the region that you will be travelling into so that you can pack the appropriate equipment and attire to make your trip comfortable and fun. There can be considerable swings in temperature between day and nights.
One of the ultimate state destination is New Hampshire, where you will find too much to see and do. Here are a sampling of the New Hampshire attractions you may want to experience:
Idea #1: Enjoy Summer Theatre and More at Barnstormers Theatre, NH. The Barnstormers Theatre resident group is comprised of theatre professionals as well as local residents. The Barnstormers Theatre resident summer acting company has been producing shows since 1931. A variety of concerts, dance and drama performances are performed by groups and organizations that rent Barnstormers Theatre throughout the year.
Idea #2: Travel Mount Washington Cog Railroad for an Historic and Scenic Adventure. Your Mount Washington Cog Railroad adventure will begin at the base of the mountain. The steep ascent on a Mount Washington Cog Railway ride is an unforgettable adventure. At the summit of Mount Washington, you’ll experience breathtaking views spanning four states.
Of course there are many other attractions that you might desire to experience on an New Hampshire vacation. You may only be here for a short period of time, but you can enjoy and capture much of the rich culture, heritage, and fun that we have to offer. You never will never be bored – check out this New Hampshire tourism video – there is always something new to see and do.
Even in today’s economic environment, New Hampshire is cost effective vacation escape. It is useful to take advantage of the many discount offers with the special deals that are available which enable you to get away from it all without breaking the bank. So take a escape from the hectic schedule that daily life brings and enjoy a vacation getaway and experience a taste of what this fantastic countryside has to offer!
Hawaii Vacation Packages: A Dream Come True
Oct 31, 2009 Uncategorized
Who wouldn’t love to spend quality time with his/her family and friends amidst the beautiful and magical sceneries of Hawaii? One can exercise or relax at the beach, or you could feel right at home at the waterfront resorts. You can easily decompress from the world’s stress with the help of the captivating aroma of tropical flowers which entice your senses. Hawaii can be easily announced as the perfect place to regain your peace of mind, without any doubts.
Hawaii is a place for all ages. Families, lovers, spouses and friends alike will enjoy all that Hawaii has to offer, and there is truly something for everyone! With its romantic landscapes and beautiful sunsets, Hawaii will make every person’s dreams come true. A Hawaii vacation package can be found through various travel websites and companies, and provide the ideal Hawaii vacation for all kinds of people from all over the world.
Kauai vacation packages are excellent choices for first time visitors. Here you can relax on the beach, sipping cocktails or take a dip in the warm, crystal clear ocean. With so much to do on this amazing island, you will never get bored. One thing is for certain: you may never want to leave!
If you have vacation time approaching, you should consider looking at Big Island vacation packages to see if one of them would be just what you need for some time off. Hawaiians pride themselves on showing visitors a good time and a lot of fun. Numerous sources, online and off, offer discounts and package deals to visit the islands; if you begin considering them now, you will soon be enjoying yourself on this magnificent island.
There are numerous Hawaii vacation packages on the market. These includes vacations for families, honeymoons, weddings, and other occasions; one of them is surely the vacation you’re looking for. There are many cheap Hawaii vacations available, and with a bit of effort, you’ll find one that you will love!
Anyone who has made a trip to Hawaii can testify that it is among the globe’s best places to visit. A vacation there will fulfill all your dreams with a variety of unique activities: shopping, snorkeling, boating, swimming, walking, kayaking, surfing, hitting the beach, or spending the evening at a traditional luau.
CD DVD Duplicators
Oct 30, 2009 Uncategorized
DVD CD Media are used for digital storagr of , text, mp3, movie,video and more , despite the current compatibility issues with recordable CD DVD s. The reproduction of DVD optical media via copying is defined as CD DVD duplication. Content is copied to existing recordable CD-R DVD-R media.
The term DVD duplication is used as reference to reproducing DVD discs in small quantities, compare to large-scale replication. Blu-ray duplication are also ideal for short run & time sensitive disc duplication work. The new generation of DVD duplicators that luckystar we manufacture is of dual-format so now our customers need not worry about the format and media to be used. Duplication is the standard method in which smaller quantities of DVD CDs are usually manufactured.
The process goes as: first, the CD is loaded in the CD burner. Then the information is digitally extracted from the master Disc (may be a CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-R, DVD+R, or DVD+RW) and then it is transferred to the blank CD discs. The information then gets verified and the disc is accordingly accepted or rejected. The processes extract the data from the master disc in ditto same manner. Apart from the way a disc is manufactured, another remarkable difference between a dvd replication and a dvd duplication may be the way a disc is printed.
DVD Duplicators helps one to produce copies of one s music and video CDs. It is used for fast, cheap and easiest way to get the product to the market, and helps in creating digital videos easily. It can create 100s of discs in one hour and is much cheap than expected and is essential for students pursuing a career in music and video field. luckystar pioneer dvd duplicator is standalone and is not required connect to PC
Comics For Sale: The Interest
Oct 30, 2009 Uncategorized
It may not seem like it, but comic books are a huge part of the history of many nations. You can go to any country in the world and find comic books for sale. Such as the U.S., which has been the largest comic book producer in the world since it produced its first comic book in 1934.
Comics go much farther back than 1934 in the form of comic strips commonly seen in the newspaper. But, if you’ve ever read a comic book or comic strip you’re probably wondering why the word “comic” is in the title. The reason is, when comic strips first came out, their main focus was humor, so naturally the first comic books were focused on humor. But in today’s modern comic books, humor isn’t the focal point.
There are many other genres of comic books, as seen in Japan and Europe. However in America, the superhero genre leaves the others in the dust. But what makes comic books so popular? Well generally, it’s the thrilling adventures of superheroes like Superman, Spiderman and Batman, which are known as some of the best comic books around. However, a big factor behind the popularity of comic books in today’s world is rare comic books.
If you could take a survey of all the comic book collectors in the world on what type of comics they collected, the most common answer you would hear would be the rare ones. Whether we collect them or not it’s always fun to have something rare in our possession.
But despite all the exciting things we hear about comic books, they have definitely had their share of ups and downs, which is how the Gold, Silver, and Bronze ages of comic books were created. Each one of these ages has brought something new and unique to comic books which has revolutionized comics into the marvelous books they are today.
Swimwear Over The Ages
Oct 30, 2009 Uncategorized
Introduction
Swimwear is the term used for garments designated for swimming and beach wear. It has gradually changed over the years from the bulky garments used to completely cover the body into the selection of brief pieces of fabric arranged to expose as much as possible of the body.
Finding the right sort of swimwear is not always that easy especially if you do not have a large budget. There is an enormous variety of body sizes and shapes for both men and women and correspondingly there are an enormous variety of outfits ranging from the very cheap to the very expensive.
Fashion Dictates
If it was just a case of having a bathing costume to wear when going swimming and replacing it when it had worn out, life would be relatively easy. But there is the matter of fashion. Every year the designers come up with a different style so that the previous year’s model suddenly looks old fashioned and we feel compelled to buy a new one. As purchasers we are confronted with one piece swimsuits, two piece swimwear, some with long tops, some with skimpy tops, high leg cut, high waist cut, different cup sizes, in a variety of fabrics, colours, patterns, two tone and so on. The choice is endless.
History of Swimwear
The earliest recorded bathing costume was in 350 BC in Greece which was a toga-like garment for bathing. During the 18th century people visited spa resorts for their health where they spent time in the spa waters. Naturally they needed something appropriate to wear, other than their day clothes, when they were engaged in public bathing. Later the recreation of beach bathing demanded a specially made outfit to maintain decorum and decency, so the bathing suit was developed.
Initially the swimwear was rather like ordinary daywear, and the dresses worn by the women sometimes had lead weights sewn into the hems to prevent the skirts from floating up. As the expansion of the railways enabled the masses to spend time at the seaside a more practical type of outfit was required. By the early 1900’s the swimsuit consisted of bloomers with black stocking and shoes, and the top was like a jacket belted at the waist. Swimming was considered suitable for men, while women were assisted into the water for a short dip.
Over the century attitudes changed and swimming became an Olympic sport for both men and women. Gradually the swimming costume changed to adopt short capped sleeves and more ankle was exposed beneath the bloomers. As women became more active in the water the swimming costume needed to be less cumbersome so the neckline was lowered and the tops became sleeveless. Eventually the Princess cut was introduced which consisted of the trousers attached to a blouse in one piece.
In 1909 Annette Kellerman, the Australian swimmer, film star and author, defined the future of swimsuits by getting arrested for indecency when she wore what is thought to be the first one piece swimming costume, by 1910 “Annette Kellermans” became the new accepted ladies swimwear.
From then on the swimsuits became lighter and briefer. By the 1920’s the women wore figure hugging tank suits made from wool Jersey and by 1928 they had evolved into the swimsuit we would recognise today. In the 1930’s cotton was introduced for bathing suits sometimes with little overskirts to hide bulky thighs, but film stars wore fashionable figure hugging costumes with higher cut legs sealing the fate of the fashionable swimwear.
The corset manufacturers in the 1940’s saw that women with less than perfect figures needed swimsuits to hide or control the bulges, so seeing a gap in the market they produced costumes which had control panels for the tummy and bra cups and bones to give support to the bust. Using the practice applied in corset making they introduced the stretch factor to bathing costumes so that they were more flattering than ever before.
With the development of synthetic fabrics, Nylon and Lycra became the fabric of choice for swimwear because of their stretch properties. This meant that the costume could be pulled on without openings or fastenings and gave a firmer cleaner line to the figure. Women continued to wear all in one swimsuits until the 1950’s when the bikini became popular.
Leisure Swimming or Sunbathing
Although certain costumes are called swimwear, in fact some never get near the water. They are solely for sunbathing which usually means they are as small as possible, just barely covering the essential bits so that the skin gets maximum exposure to the sun and such a design would be classed as a bikini.
Two Piece or Bikinis
Over two thousand years ago early mosaics and pottery from Greece portray what in fact looks like an early version of a bikini. These garments were used by women performers and acrobats and were in two pieces to cover the breasts and the lower part of the body, much like the current style of Bandeau tops. Modern day runners and athletes wear something very similar when competing. Paula Radcliffe when running the Marathon last year, wore a garment almost identical to those worn thousands of years ago!!
The bikini resembles women’s underwear and has been described as a scanty two piece bathing suit. The lower part may be two small triangles attached together with a string tie at either side, or even a thong. The upper part may also be two small triangles attached together with a string tie but arranged in a slightly different order. Louis Reard patented the modern version of the bikini in 1946; his design was similar to the skimpy string 1970’s bikini and it shocked the world when it appeared on French beaches in 1947.
The very first bikini shown in the cinema was in the Bond film Dr No when Ursula Andress rises out of the sea in a white bikini. This created the iconic Bond girl and made her world famous. When being interviewed on television recently she revealed that the bikini had been constructed out of a bra covered with the fabric to give her the required lift of the bosom. This actual bikini sold at auction for £35,000 in 2001.
The size of swimwear bikinis gradually got smaller and smaller as the craze for tanning more and more of the body increased.
Ultimately the top part of the bikini was abandoned altogether when topless sunbathing became the norm in some countries and the bottom was just a G-string or thong also called a Tanga. Oliver Saillard the fashion journalist states that the bikini is the most popular female beachwear in the world, and that the emancipation of swimwear is linked to the emancipation of women.
In the 1950’s there was a popular song entitled ‘In My little Itsy Bitsy Yellow Polka Dot Bikini’ that indicated the acceptance of the new style of swimwear. I remember my cousin persuading me to try on a bikini and I felt very exposed but she said how fantastic I looked in it because I was so slim.
Although the bikini is now an acceptable garment whatever the size, the one piece swimsuit is still the best for serious swimmers. Some companies are well known for their skill at making swimwear and make all the garments for the Olympic team and other swimming competitions. Now swimwear is available in a wide range of bust sizes and the more expensive makes have control panels for the stomach combined with clever styling to create a good silhouette. Combined with a matching sarong, older ladies may feel more comfortable when walking around the beach area.
Helen Mirren was photographed on holiday in her substantial bikini last summer with the caption commenting on how good she looked for her age and that particular bikini was snapped up from the stores within days. Perhaps the purchasers believed that they could look as good as Helen Mirren in a bikini if they had the same one.
Leg Line
Some two piece bathing suits are cut so that the waist is high and the corresponding leg line is also cut high. I believe the aim is to make the wearer look as though her legs are much longer than they are. However if you have less than the perfect shape for this style it can emphasise large hips so it’s not for all women.
Another fashion style is the tankini where the bottoms look like little shorts and shows the lower curve of the bottom, which is fine if you are young with a nice pert bottom.
The top garments on swimwear tankinis are long tops designed to cover most of the upper torso and usually feature slim bikini style straps.
The classic bikini style is still as popular as ever though, with the cut of the leg line following the natural crease between the leg and the hip.
The most recent development in fabric is the ‘tan through’ swimwear. This allows the body to tan without exposing the body to the world. Some commentators on this style point to the effects of too much sun on the body and the occurrences of skin cancer of which the evidence indicates an alarming increase. However, the counter argument to that is if you are wearing a bikini anyway then the extra exposure to the sun through the top and bottom garments is hardly going to make much difference.
Conclusion
Swimwear is a term used these days to cover all types of beach wear and swimming gear. It is a bit of a misnomer in that many outfits never see the water and are not used for swimming. However there is a huge range of garments available for the buyer of different styles, sizes and fabrics. The one commonality of course is that everyone wants to look good once they don these garments. The main key to that is to make sure your new swimwear is the right fit and cut, for your body size and shape.
The importance of being properly measured for your swimwear is often overlooked but it is as important as being properly measured for your bra or other underwear, particularly if you do indeed intend to actually swim in your new swimwear! By wearing the right size and style swimwear for your body, will ensure you are really comfortable in it on the beach, in the pool or wherever else you choose to wear it.
Bodybuilding Routines That Make The Best Out of Your Body
Oct 30, 2009 Uncategorized
The ancient Greeks started it, media propagated it and now here we are trying our best to look like actions figures without the camouflage suits and arms. The picture of strength and virility for men are usually along the lines of having a good tan and packing on huge, bulging muscles. The hot tan you can search for elsewhere but if you wish to build muscle fast, this particular article is for you.
Bodybuilding routines that are most effective must have these three equally important factors: a solid workout regimen, a balanced diet and good rest. Most people have a tendency to underestimate the first two but all experienced trainers know that rest and a food plan are crucial to the outcome of your training.
You should begin with training. Your exercise workouts should always start with the right warm-up and stretching. Doing so stimulates your whole body and prepares it from the onslaught of physical pain you are about to impose on it. To begin with, you should start with lower weights but aspire to increase the load habitually as you gain momentum and strength. After a few weeks, adjust the weights and the exercises you do so the body will continue to develop and progress.
Do an hour and a half of workout sessions an average of two to four times weekly. That is all the time you will need if you split up your muscle groups into three to five days. These split workouts will allow you to target particular muscle groups with more intensity hence making each session more effective for you. You can train your chest and abdominals on Mondays, your arms and back on Wednesdays and your legs on Saturdays. Because your aim is to put on weight you can afford to do cardio workouts once every week or two.
When you work out thrice a week or so, use the other days to focus on getting as much sleep as you can. Physical exercise tear and rip parts of your muscles. Rest, more importantly deep sleep, works to build it back again resulting in bigger and stronger muscles. Observe buffed up bodybuilders who take a hiatus from their training; they get bigger after several weeks. They aren’t firm and toned but at the onset of your physical training, you need to concentrate on putting on the weight first. So rest well and often. It’s the easiest way to build muscle fast. You can literally do it as you sleep.
Eat the right kinds of food and you will be on your way to owning a bodybuilder’s body in no time at all. Again, this is the kind of physical training that you will need to put on weight so you can transform it to muscle and body mass. Take your calories from meat and other sources of carbohydrates and protein. There are many supplements in the market today that can assist you to add the needed calories and nutrients in your food intake. You can also consume protein shakes before, during and after workout sessions to fuel your body to perform well.
There are several bodybuilding routines that work, you just have to find one ideally suited for your particular body’s tolerance level and type. Study the training program you will be undertaking. Ensure you have enough time for all the ingredients to come together as they should. With proper rest and a good diet, an amazing body is not that far off.
Shopping for Carpet
Oct 29, 2009 Uncategorized
When moving into a new home, there are many things to consider. Most people decide to paint the home before they move all of their belongings in. This makes it easier to paint than having to move around the furniture of a full house. So why not use the same logic and re-carpet the house at the same time?
Carpet dealers in Rockford, Illinois can help to change this trend. The best place for Rockford carpet is Al’s. They understand how important carpet is to a room. Good carpet can change a room from mediocre to extravagant.
Bad carpet can take a room from good to horrendous. Another change in the world is the desire to go green. Well Al’s carpet Rockford tries to help this cause by selling as many green products as possible. When looking for a carpet shop one should look for a dealer that is educated.
Being educated by Mohawk University is the key to the dealer being able to provide the best carpet service possible. One should also look for a dealer that has many years of experience.
Al’s Rockford carpet has over 25 years under their belt in the carpet industry. They have been family owned over this entire time. When looking for a carpet dealer look for one who supplies for a wide variety of applications.
So in order to save time and effort when moving into a new home, make sure the home is painted and carpeted to the new owners taste. If carpeting is not done before moving in, it will take longer and be more of a hassle in the future.
Industrial Fit Out Strategies of a Successful Company
Oct 29, 2009 Uncategorized
Introduction
A vast number of people work in offices of one kind or another. They may be offices in buildings purpose built or attached to a factory or in business premises. For many self employed business people the office is a room in their home converted for that purpose. Solicitors, doctors, estate agents and insurance agents, in fact any business that you can think of, works from some kind of office or another. You might even say 80% of the adult population work in an office. But I wonder how many of those people have any say in what kind of office they have and whether or not it suits their requirements. Mostly when someone new joins a company or firm, they are given a space for their office usually left by the previous incumbent. I suspect that if you asked occupants how they would like their office to be they would find it difficult to tell you.
When you think of the number of hours we spend in an office, at least eight hours per day and sometimes up to sixteen hours if it’s a busy period. Yes people are allowed out for breaks and rest times, but it is an awful lot of your life cooped up in small space. If at least a third of one’s working life is to be spent in an office, then it makes logical sense to ensure the environment is as comfortable, pleasant and as healthy as possible.
So how much thought goes into the planning of workspaces?
Where a building is purpose built such as an office, then the architects I am sure will have created good designs to suit the purpose. However, it has been known for new buildings to be problematic for the people working it them. For instance, synthetic materials used for carpeting can sometimes give off toxic fumes which cause allergies or illness of the staff. Air conditioning that relies on recycled air has the potential to carry bugs that can lay the whole office off at the same time. So there are many factors to consider in creating an office environment to ensure the staff are productive, creative, energised and remain healthy.
Old buildings, originally built for other uses, when converted to office space will have different challenges to resolve. Often old buildings have very high ceilings where the heat rises up so that the inhabitants below are cold yet the heating bills are going through the roof, literally!! How to maximise the space available to provide a comfortable working environment will be a real challenge and this is where often the use of a mezzanine floor and suspended ceilings are valuable.
It is a well known fact for any establishment that happy workers give better performance and generate more revenue than unhappy workers. The workforce are more motivated, creative, helpful and have less time off work for illness if they are happy in their jobs. I am sure there are statistics available for these details, although it is just common sense: if you cater for the needs of your staff and their comfort at work with professional interior fit out specialists then the company will perform better in the long term.
Ergonomics
Ergonomics is the study of workplaces and the equipment used, to achieve the best design for comfort, safety, efficiency, and productivity. Research has been carried out over the last few years at Nottingham University on office space allocation issues.
Workspace planning is fast becoming a specialist industry because of all of the current regulations and legislation. Formerly known, in the UK as the Factories Act and now known as the Health and Safety Executive regulations are in place to ensure that employees have sufficient working space in which to perform their work. This can be a potential minefield including such things as physical space, usable space, corridor spaces, and minimum light and ventilation regulations. If you are about to commence on an office refurbishment project ensure that your interior fit out specialists of conversant with all of these regulations before you engage them to perform your work.
What are the Criteria for a good office environment? We are sentient beings, which mean we resonate with feeling and perception as well as intellectually to our surrounding.
Seeing
The first thing to consider when commencing an office refurbishment project is how does it look? The initial impact on us comes from what we see. The decor and arrangement of furniture, the window aspect and lighting are important in our perception of whether or not it is pleasing to the eye. Does the office have all the necessary equipment, computer, phone and sufficient storage for files and books etc? Plants provide a sense of balance in the space as long as they are discreetly positioned and don’t make it look cluttered. Plants are oxygen generators and help to refresh the air.
Smell
On entering a new place the first thing we take in is the aroma whether we pay attention to it or not. We notice immediately if the air is stuffy or if there is an unpleasant smell such as sweaty bodies. However a pleasant fragrance or no smell at all will be inviting. Baker shops nearly always pump out the fresh smell of baked bread into the street to entice people in to buy the goods. So although we may not be aware that smell plays an important part in our responses, we are still animals and we do use our olfactory senses a great deal more that we realise.
Feel touch
How does the furniture feel? Plastic seats can be very uncomfortable to sit on for a long time. Plastic does not breathe, it draws moisture from the skin so that when you stand up your posterior will be damp and uncomfortable. Padded fabric is warmer than leather for comfort and not as expensive. The desk chair needs to be the correct height for desk and give suitable support, a computer needs to be set correctly to avoid neck and wrist strain of the operator.
The temperature in the environment is best if it’s not too warm and not too cold. Office refurbishment work will also include plans for temperature control to keep the temperature at 21 degrees C as this is the best working temperature.
Too warm and we become sluggish and sleepy, too cold and we become distracted and use up valuable energy keeping warm. Fresh air is also beneficial to stimulate the brain cells.
Sound Hear
What can we hear? Is it noisy or quiet? When I was first starting out in business, I went to visit a local manufacturing company to learn about the way they managed their business. At lunch time I was taken into the executive dining area where there was a waitress service and we had a very civilised lunch. Later I was taken to the works canteen. When we walked in I was hit with a blast of noise such as I had never experienced before. The hall was large with a very high ceiling and nothing to damp down the echo. The result was that everyone ended up shouting to be heard and there was loud music playing as well. I was shocked, not just at the noise level but by the contrast between the executive dining room and the workers canteen. I had come from an company which treated all members of the company the same so there were no executive areas and everyone, high and low mingled together for meals and break times. Guess which company had the better worker relationships and higher output?
Where a company utilises an open plan office then noise levels can be very distracting and one solution is to incorporate ‘White Noise’ which is a low level background noise to interfere with the general office talk going on over the phone or mini meetings. Sometimes quiet relaxing music is introduced as background noise but this is not common in a business place.
Taste
Well we are not going to go around licking the furniture, but another important consideration is to ensure that a there is an area to enjoy a nice coffee or tea away from the desk throughout the day. So is there a pleasant area for making drinks and preparing snacks, or even lunch facilities alongside the office. I once worked in an office where they had a small kitchen area off the main office for making drinks and snacks and there was always a bowl of fresh fruit for employees, as the company recognising the refreshing effects of fresh fruit.
Workspace planning
So as you can see there are many things that can make the work environment a agreeable place to be. However getting the original layout and size of spaces for the employees is a complex process.
How much area does each individual need to work in? According to the Officewise publication from the Health and Safety Executive in the UK employers must provide a minimum of 11 cubic metres for each person permanently occupying a workplace. However there are all sorts of exceptions and caveats to this rule, such as making sure the space is usable space, and clearly if that space were under the stairs with no windows, or ventilation then it would not be suitable. So it is very important to ensure that your new office fit out adheres to all of the current legislation with regards to workspace laws.
Good workspaces planned by an industrial fit out specialist often use suspended ceilings which makes the installation of services easier and more cost effective. Electrical supply, air conditioning units, water pipes and telephone cables can all run behind the suspended ceiling making access easy if anything goes wrong and repairs need to be implemented.
Positioning of the electrical and telephone outlet is also crucial. The computers used in offices today all require their own electrical supply even if they are networked with the system.
Daylight from windows is a requirement for offices. The days of the cupboard office cubbyhole are gone. Light airy spaces make people feel good and doses of sunshine each day lift our spirits. However too much sunshine will overheat an office so the use of vertical blinds is recommended to deflect the rays of the sun without reducing too much the level of illumination.
Costs
To preserve office space costs some industrial fit our specialists have come up with the idea that instead of having a board rooms for meetings they have their meeting standing up around a special tall coffee table. This reduces the amount of time spent in meetings and the space is reusable for the lunches. Other schemes encourage employees to work from home for part of a week and utilise a system of desk sharing or moveable desks.
Reconfigurable spaces
Another way of economising on the cost of office space is by careful rearrangement of the existing floor area. There may be dead areas which could be released and turned into useable space. The installation of new interior partition walls can rearrange the existing space to create a more congenial working environment. Sometimes working in an open plan office is beneficial for communication between staff, other times it is a distraction and prevents efficiency. So having the option of both open space and separate offices provides the full range of options which can be easily introduced with new partition walls.
For example one of my clients, took over a set of offices and had various walls moved, so instead of it having two small offices, one without a window, they created one large office for the MD and a really good sized store room which they needed for long term storage of customer files. They then took out another divider and made a good size open plan office space and rearranged another wall to create a board come conference room. Also access to the little kitchen was changed to be more convenient. The choice of subtle colours on the walls and new vertical blinds caused the whole suite of rooms to be transformed into a pleasant and airy working area. Where there is plenty of ceiling height the introduction of a Mezzanine floor generates valuable areas perhaps for storage, private meeting rooms or extra offices.
Other considerations in workspace planning, is the situation of facilities such as kitchen, toilets, relaxation areas and outside space if available. Sometimes the introduction of a simple partition can create a relaxation/dining area without losing too much of the work area.
All Health and Safety regulations are paramount they have to be adhered to in the workplace and must be incorporated into any plan along with full fire regulations.
Conclusion
Many firms may feel that upgrading the facilities is a ‘nice to have’ idea and the reality is that it usually comes at the bottom of the list on money allocation. However this is erroneous thinking; office refurbishment is never a waste of time or money. Creating a pleasant office environment by upgrading worn out or old fashioned surroundings and furnishings will make a big difference to the working life of the employees. Improved working conditions may be only part of the picture in achieving real job satisfaction, but it is a good start in the right direction. It also says a lot about what the senior people in the organisation think about their employees. If they ensure that their staff are given the necessary equipment and facilities to do their job effectively then the employees will give better service and can be more efficient and there will be a better working environment all around.
Knitting, spinning, dying wool
Oct 29, 2009 Uncategorized
One of the most ancient materials for clothing is wool. A short time after our forefathers, the cave men, learned that you can carry half a dead furry animal or piles of fur to keep warm, they invented spinning wool. And what a fantastic material wool fibre is! It has so many characteristics that synthetic fibres do not reach – astonishing.
If you are like me and like wool, you most probably will want to work with it. The first thing that comes to ones mind is spinning wool. I found a nice interesting site about that on a german blog: Wolle selbst spinnen
Next thing is of course dyeing wool yourself. This is something many people don’t dare…although it is pretty easy and can be done in any household with plant and a few chemicals. Have a look over here (sorry, the video is only in german):Literaturliste Wolle färben
Last but not least you will want to knit with your wool, and let’s be honest, although it can be really fun to do all the things like spinning and dyeing yourself, most of the time you will just buy a good ball of wool in a shop.
Read here about knitting on this german blog: Mützen und Schals stricken
The wool shown on that page has proved to go nicely when knitting and is easy to wash. Now get your knitting needles or your spinning wheel and have some fun with wool!