Understanding Digital Strategy

Sunil Gupta, a professor at Harvard Business School, argues that many companies are still doing digital strategy wrong. Their leaders think of “going digital” as either a way to cut costs or to attract customers with a flashy new app. Gupta says successful digital strategy is more complicated than that. He recommends emulating the multi-faceted strategies of leading digital companies. Gupta’s the author of Driving Digital Strategy: A Guide to Reimagining Your Business.

But for too many leaders, investing in digital just means the tactical, the piecemeal, the incremental. That’s not really enough to stay competitive in today’s market, even for non-tech companies, argues Sunil Gupta.

SUNIL GUPTA: So the challenge for a legacy company is they have to strengthen the core of what they have and build for the future at the same time. The analogy I use is its like changing the engine of a plane while its flying. And many times the plane is going to go down first – and that’s a scary thought – before it goes up.

SARAH GREEN CARMICHAEL: To tackle that challenge, Gupta says leaders should integrate digital into the bigger picture strategy – to look at the ways digital companies survive and thrive, and see how that can apply to your own business.

SARAH GREEN CARMICHAEL: So when you say digital strategy, my impression of looking – especially at legacy businesses- is that they’ll say: “We need a digital strategy,” and that usually means a strategy for this digital world.

SUNIL GUPTA: Exactly. Either a website or an app. That’s how most people started. But in all fairness, I think people have moved beyond that. Five years ago, that was the thought process: “If I have a website, if I have an app, I’m all set.”

But what I found when I asked people, what are you doing to go “digital?” And I heard three things. The first strategy that people use was “I’m going to use technology to cut cost and become more efficient.” So if I’m a bank, I can shut down some ATMs, some branches, and people can do mobile banking.

And that’s fine and nice – you should always cut costs and become more efficient. But the challenges is, if that’s all you’re doing, you might be the most efficient but most irrelevant bank. Because Amazon will come and disrupt you. So you need to sort of think broadly, beyond just cutting cost. That should be first, but not the only focus.

The second strategy people suggested to me is: “Well, I don’t know what the digital world has in store for me in the future. The world is very uncertain, so I’m going to do a bunch of experiments.” And again, great idea to do experiments. We should all do experiments.

But the reality is when I talk to a companies, they found that every brand, every business unit, every country of the multinational firm was doing some experiments, and suddenly you have hundreds of tactical experiments happening in the company. So there was a sense of activity, but there was no progress. There was no fundamental strategy shift.

The third approach I heard from companies is saying, “Well, we heard from experts like Clay Christensen that it’s very hard to do innovation at a large company. So what I’m gonna do is, I’m going to start a separate unit, get a bunch of young people, send them to California, give them a couple of hundred million dollars and hopefully good things will happen.”

And every large company has an outpost in Silicon Valley. The result on that is also mixed, because what really happens is, imagine that you’re trying to turn a large ship – which is what a legacy company is. And what you have done is launched a speedboat. Typically the speedboat takes off, but the ship doesn’t change. And so unless the speedboat is tied tightly to the core of the business, nothing happens.

SUNIL GUPTA: So I think the legacy companies have key assets that they should not forget. Startups have a clean slate; that’s the advantage of startups. Legacy companies have key assets, so they should not ignore those key assets. They can’t be like a startup.

So the challenge for a legacy company is they have to strengthen the core of what they have, and build for the future at the same time. So the analogy I use is: it’s like changing the engine of a plane while it’s flying. And many times, the plane is going to go down first – and that’s a scary thought – before it goes up. And what I have discussed in my book is basically, you have to not only look at one aspect of your business, but every aspect.

I talk about four things: One is your business strategy; the second is about your operations and value chain; third is about how you engage with customers; and fourth is how you structure the entire organization. So it’s not just one piece, all four pieces have to fit together.

SUNIL GUPTA: So let me give you example of each one of those. So, think about business strategy. When I was growing up in the MBA program, I learned competitive strategy – Michael Porter being one of them. And what I was taught was: competitive advantage comes from being better or cheaper.

BENCHMARKING STARTS YOU OFF IN A STRONG POSITION

Another essential result of the benchmarking process is that it can assist in providing a clear understanding of how well a businesses current systems and positioning are working. Before you introduce digital innovations, it’s imperative that you distinguish between aspects of your company that are weak because they lack effective digital solutions, and those in which existing problems are the result of non-technological issues. For example, if customer service is falling short, addressing hiring and training practices before adding new digital solutions, such as automated chat could be a solution.

The foundational layer of digital strategy is your basic business model. A business’s use of digital can’t be examined in a separate petri dish; it’s integrated into the organic whole of how a company runs, as well as what they aspire to be. Building upwards from the basic business model, we look at:

• People: A digital strategy depends on the skills of the entire team. It doesn’t begin out in the cloud; instead, it is inseparable from the efforts of the developers, designers, marketers, strategists, content writers and so on.
• Process: Defining precisely what a businesses human capital will do and how they’ll integrate their work with one another to create a fully integrated strategy comes next.
• Platform: Only after the goals, people and processes are in place do we consider the platforms they’ll need. Again, technology is the tool, not the driver. Platforms depend on individual company goals; they can include cloud servers, content management systems, data analytic systems, mixed reality, artificial intelligence, geo-based apps and more.
• Products: Once platforms have been identified, then the individual products that make up your digital strategy are identified. These may include apps, wearables, responsive websites, IoT smart products, augmented reality experiences and more.
• Channels: Once you have your digital products, then the question is how you’ll connect those products with people. Which channels work best as delivery conduits in your strategy? These can include in-person shopping experiences, email, social media, workplace networking, intranet, websites, IoT remote connections and so on.
• Experience: It’s important to pursue and maintain a clear sense of your user experience. Are your brand’s visual cues consistent and compelling? Is your company’s voice authentic? Are you evoking a sense of ease and delight as people interact with your company?
• Customers: At the pinnacle of the digital strategy framework, it’s all about people, and not just the ones who buy your products or services — although of course they are important. An effective digital transformation also streamlines the experience of your employees, your vendors and suppliers, your partners and stakeholders.

The six types of digital strategy

Platform play: One third of firms have engaged to some degree in platform strategies, in an attempt to redefine their industry’s value chain so customers and suppliers can interact more directly and benefit from network effects. Platforms have the power to radically alter the way value is distributed in a value chain. Accor, which is opening its online booking platform to independent hotels offers a good case.

New marginal supply: A smaller fraction of incumbent firms (13%) were using digital technology to tap into previously inaccessible sources of supply at a marginal cost, often, but not always, in combination with a platform play. Examples include the Swedish retailers H&M and Ikea, both of which are offering a online reseller options for their own customers, allowing them to sell used, branded products to one another.

Digitally-enabled products and services: Other companies, some 55%, were using digital technology to create new products or services with digital features, typically to serve new demand. One example is P&G’s Oral-B toothbrush with Bluetooth-enabled digital guidance.

Rebundling and customizing: Another 60% of companies are using digital technology to rebundle their products or services to better serve their existing customers. The paywall for news content erected by the New York Times where people can personalize reading lists and organize the content they read is a good example.

Cost efficiency: Almost half of companies we looked at were using digital to improve their cost efficiency, typically through automation or cost scaling. In an age where operational excellence is the norm, this strategy looks like it’s aimed at survival rather than creating a source of comparative advantage.

We found that successful companies, especially those with a bold corporate strategy, were considerably more likely to employ one of the three offensive digital strategies. Successful digital transformations are significantly less focused on cost efficiency and more focused on new products or new customers.

For companies committed to transforming and adapting, the key is to make sure that their strategy really is transformational and not just a bundle of cost-cutting measures. Our data shows that, while digital attackers often enter markets with a platform-based business model, only a handful of incumbents have done so. In effect, incumbents are losing because they’re playing defense. For companies looking to successfully ward off digital disruption, they have to play offense.

Resources:

https://hbr.org/podcast/2018/08/understanding-digital-strategy
https://www.centricdigital.com/blog/digital-strategy
https://hbr.org/2017/07/6-digital-strategies-and-why-some-work-better-than-others
https://www.adamenfroy.com/digital-marketing-strategies
https://www.lumavate.com/digital-experience-strategy-guide

How to write a follow-up email

There are different kinds of follow-up emails, so some of these tips will apply, others will not. And don’t forget general email copywriting best practices apply here—keeping things brief, in particular.

Be specific

If you’re following up after an interview, introduction, or meeting, personalize it by including something specific the person mentioned—ideally something that you could tell was particularly meaningful to them. This can help jog their memory while also showing that you were listening attentively.

Be genuine

Yes, follow-up emails are pretty predictable and formulaic. But that doesn’t mean you can’t be genuine in your communication. Don’t use generic, empty messaging. Actually reflect on the specific item you want to mention to jog their memory. And if it permits, keep a conversational tone if you can. This is easier to read and write, and the person won’t feel obliged to use formal tone in their response.

Include the original message

If you’re following up on a previous email, do not make the recipient search for the original email and do not rewrite the email. Reply all to your email and then remove yourself from the recipient list so the person can have all of the context they need.

Have one clear ask

With the above being said, don’t make them re-read the original email. Distill it down to the clear ask with something like, “Just following up on the request in my email below. Do you think you’ll be able to provide that data for the April 25-May 31 date range?”

Content download follow-up email template

Of course, the contact form on your site is just one of many ways to generate leads for your business. Content downloads are another big one. Ideally, you’d have a series of subsequent lead magnets set up to help keep them moving through your funnel, like:

These emails could either be a drip series where you send each one at a pre-specified time all at a set time, or a nurture series where each offer and timing of the email depends on the prospect’s preceding action.

As [outcome from tips in first guide], [introduce new pain point or need]. So I’m attaching our [additional resource name] that you might also find helpful—feel free to respond back with any questions you have.

Example

How to write a follow-up email after no response

1. Add value with each follow-up

If only she had provided more information with her follow-up, tried to collect more information about me (her prospect), and sparked interest with something relevant, I’d be happy to reply.

In this follow-up, Donald name-drops a company that he worked with in the past as a form of social proof. This company should be either familiar to the email recipient, whether that’s because they’re an industry peer, a competitor, or just a famous brand name.

2. Write a catchy opening line

3. Make it short

In your follow-up emails, try to eliminate unnecessary greetings like “I hope you’re doing well.” Being polite is a must, but it could be easily achieved by using the right style for your email.

4. Personalize

This email is great because it’s super personal. Adam did a lot of work by conducting such in-depth research. Besides including essential personalization, he made the follow-up effective by:

While Hunter Campaigns doesn’t automate the whole process, it still saves hours of your time. It’s always better to spend a bit more time to add a personal touch to each message, even though they will ultimately be sent on autopilot.

5. Add a persuasive call-to-action

The first question you may ask yourself would be, “What does this person want from me?”. There is no context, no personalization, no call-to-action. Even if you read the context from the previous email, how do you know what you should do?

On the other hand, if you want to find the right person in the company to discuss a specific topic, ask “Are you the right person to talk about this? If not, could you point me in the right direction?”

Many cold emails are missing or have an ambiguous call-to-action that wastes the prospect’s time. Make your call-to-action crystal clear, persuasive, and hard to resist. Tell your prospects what you want them to do.

6. Avoid sounding passive-aggressive

Direct aggression is relatively easy to spot, but more subtle passive-aggressive phrases can sneak into your follow-ups almost without thought. These kinds of micro-aggressions can exasperate your prospects and quickly chip away at the good will and all the mutual trust you have established.

Besides that, try to remove desperation from your follow-ups. Yes, you might be upset because your prospect didn’t respond to your previous four follow-ups, but don’t show them your distress.

Try to reassess what you can improve in your messages, what reason your prospect could have for not responding to you (wrong prospect, not relevant offer, etc.), your call-to-action, and your offer.

7. Craft a perfect subject line for your cold follow-ups

Try not to be too obvious by having “Follow-up” or “Just checking in” as subject lines for your follow-ups. Be a bit more creative and write a catchy subject line that will make recipients open your email.

This way, prospects quickly get reminded about the offer from the previous email. Moreover, in this case, you can use follow-ups to continue telling the story or offering additional benefits.

However, you can send a different subject line for your follow-up email if your follow-up also contains all the key information. In this case, you give yourself another chance to get attention. At the same time, I don’t recommend changing the subject line more than once to avoid looking spammy.

Examples of great subject lines for cold email follow-ups:

Follow-up email examples

1. Your thoughts?

This is a very simple and polite follow-up email designed to keep you and your offer top-of-mind. It reminds the prospect of what you talked about and lets them know you’re available to answer any questions they might have.

2. Quick one >

3. Appropriate person

This follow-up email attempts to move the conversation forward by asking the prospect for their availability for a call. In case the prospect isn’t the right person you should be talking to, they can direct you to a colleague who’s a better fit to continue the conversation.

4. Not a priority?

With this email, you’re showing that you genuinely care about the prospect’s goals and won’t bother them if they don’t have an immediate need for what you’re offering. However, you’re still keeping the line open by letting them know that they can reach out to you at any time.

5. Ideas about [[lead’s goal or problem]]

Emailing multiple times and simply asking if they read your previous email or have time for a call can annoy prospects. On the other hand, providing value in the form of educational resources in your follow-up message is a great way to follow up with a prospect.

6. Better fit

7. Permission to close your file?

Fear of missing out can be a great motivator. With this follow-up email template, the idea is to try to get the prospect to respond by making them think your offer won’t be available to them anymore.

Follow-Up Email Examples

Note: The content you share with the prospect should be related to their pain points and the solution you are offering, it will resonate with them more than a random unrelated topic they are not interested in.

Giving up hope after sending one sole email isn’t the right cold emailing strategy. One of the main principles of cold emailing is being persistent. Follow-up emails have the power to achieve high conversion rates, bring in new business, create strong business relationships, and close deals.

Your job is to craft an email that recipients want to open and respond to. In order to achieve this, follow the above-mentioned tips and write your follow-up email to yield favorable results. Make your content attention-grabbing, relevant and of superior value for your recipients.

A well-crafted email has four key ingredients, the right amount of personalization, value-based content, social proofing, and a clear CTA. If you include all four of these elements, you will start seeing results in no time.

Source:

https://www.wordstream.com/blog/ws/2022/05/09/follow-up-email
https://hunter.io/blog/how-to-write-a-follow-up-email/
https://www.saleshandy.com/blog/how-to-write-a-follow-up-email/?amp

Here’s what this article will cover:

A self-introduction email is usually written to someone you’ve never met. It contains information about who you are. The email has to be captivating and interesting, since the person receiving it would have no idea who you are. You can refer to a self-introduction email sample later in the article to find an engaging introductory email for yourself.

• Address your email to an individual: If possible, address your email to a single person rather than sending it to a generic email address of the company- the chances of getting a reply increase in this case.
• Use the right greetings: The greeting that you use in your email has to be personalized. Take time to research the type of company or person that would be receiving the mail. If it is a formal industry, stick to Dear Mr./Ms, followed by the recipient’s name. You can use a Hello, followed by the person’s name, if it is an informal industry.
• Be humble: An extremely important thing to remember is to be polite. It is better to make a suggestion rather than a demand. Try using statements such as “Would you be so kind as to give me feedback on my resume if time allows?”
• Be clear about why you’re writing: It’s never a good idea to beat around the bush when writing an introductory email. Be clear about who you are and the purpose of writing the mail.
• Write about the other person: Your email has a better chance of getting noticed when you mention something you admire about the recipient. Beginning the email with a compliment is a good way of ensuring that you have the reader’s attention.
• Explain your reason for reaching out: Include details about how you got the email address of the recipient and write about why you are sending the email.
• Add a call to action: Your email should be short and specific. It should be concluded with a polite request urging the recipient to take action. For example, you can end your email by saying-

What Are the Advantages of Introducing Yourself in an Email?

In 2020, over 300 billion emails get sent every day, which tells us that the electronic version of good old-fashioned post won’t be going out of style soon. There are many reasons to love email, especially when you need to introduce yourself, so we’ve rounded up a few advantages of introducing yourself in an email.

1. Emails Aren’t So Intrusive

Unlike a phone call that demands immediate attention, emails can be read when and where it suits the recipient, keeping anxiety and irritation levels in this interaction to a minimum.

2. You Can Take Your Time to Write the Perfect Email

A spur-of-the-moment verbal or telephonic exchange can be a good thing, but for many of us, the time to produce a well-crafted email introduction is invaluable to make a great first impression.

3. You Control the Tone of Your Email

Whether you’re writing to a fancy investment firm or a trendy new start-up, you have the upfront advantage of being able to research your addressee before you write to them. Whether this means your tone of voice is serious, light-hearted, or somewhere in between, make sure it’s appropriate, sincere, and respectful.

4. Emails Are on the Record

A quick chat or call might be forgotten soon after the interaction, but an email has staying power. With an email introduction, the recipient and the sender both have something tangible to refer to and follow up if need be.

5. Emails Make Follow-Ups Easy

If the response rate on your original introductory email is particularly slow, you don’t have to start from scratch. Simply forward the original introductory email you sent along with a brief follow-up message, referring back to the original.

Quick tip: Radio silence after your second email may indicate a lack of interest, an incorrect email address, or a very busy recipient. Here it might benefit you to call the company you’re reaching out to to find out if they still exist, if your recipient still works there, or maybe they’re just out on a short leave of absence.

Resource:

https://www.interviewkickstart.com/career-advice/how-to-introduce-yourself-in-an-email
https://smallpdf.com/blog/how-to-introduce-yourself-in-an-email

What To Write In A Journal

When I read Julia Cameron’s book The Artist’s Way, I took her suggestion to write “morning pages” to heart. For several months, I woke up every morning to write three magical pages. Cameron suggests that if you get stuck, you simply write “I can’t think of anything to write” over and over until you think of something to say.

Some people have had incredible results with this technique. However, my attempts were less successful…in fact, I thought it was boring and it made me hate writing. Not only that, I began to resent the time I was spending on these morning pages when I could have been doing some real writing. The argument goes that these pages will improve focus and clear the mind. I didn’t necessarily find this to be true. If anything, I found myself ruminating more on my frustrations after I had taken time in the morning to write about them.

I know morning pages work for a lot of people. They just didn’t work for me. And yet…there was something about the idea that appealed to me. I suspected that Cameron was right to suggest that writing could help clear my mind and improve my focus. When I dove into researching the topic, I discovered that there’s scientific evidence to back her claim.

The trouble was that the assignment wasn’t specific enough to engage my mind. “Write about your thoughts” is about as vague as it gets—your thoughts are the only thing you can write about, anyway. There is absolutely zero inspiration in writing “I can’t think of anything to write” over and over; it’s discouraging. In talking with other would-be journalers, I discovered that this was everyone’s major stumbling block—they simply weren’t interested in what they were writing. They needed better journaling topics.

I know that there are lists and lists of writing prompts out there. However, studies of consumers show that it’s easy to overwhelm people with choices. If you give people 100 items to choose from, they will walk away without buying any. If you limit them to eight, they’re more likely to buy.

Anyone who ever watched an episode of Project Runway has seen the designers struggle with an unconventional materials challenge. In these, the designers are forced to use items that aren’t fabric—such as newspaper, candy, or party favors—to make clothes. Sometimes, the garments were disasters. Sometimes, they were sublime. But they were always interesting and exciting for the designers to work on.

So here are some different kinds of journal ideas that are specific enough to help ignite your mind and will be interesting enough for you to actually go back through your journal to mine it for ideas later.

14 Creative Things to Write in a Journal

1) Past Present Future

2) Ten Years from Today

Write in the present tense, beginning with where you wake up in the morning. Is there someone beside you? When you step onto your balcony or out your front door, what do you see? How do you spend your day? Include as many details as possible.

3) Literary Inspiration

Write about your favorite book. If you have the book on hand, begin your journal entry with a passage from one of the pages. Why do you love it so much? Is it the message, the prose, the characters? Did it provide you with information that changed your life? What makes this book special?

4) ‘What if’ Scenarios

Everything that comes out in this session will be creative. It’s kind of like a free write, because you can ask ‘what if?’ about absolutely anything and take it in any direction you want.

5) Your Wildest Wishes Come True

6) The Big Good Wolf

Get into the villain’s head and see how they were just doing what they thought they had to do. Turn them into a sympathetic character by exploring their past trauma and good intentions.

7) A Talk to Remember

8) A Ship in the Harbor

How did this affect your future and your sense of self? What might your life look like if you had chosen differently? In what ways are you still choosing safety over living a full and vibrant life?

9) Alien Intervention

10) Find Your Why

11) Quotes to Live By

12) Re-Examine Reality

You can do the same thing for your thoughts and established facts (what constitutes a ‘fact’ anyway?). Play around, imagine a different ‘reality’ where everything is opposite… or even skewed 90-degrees.

You may end up with a flash-fiction short story or an epic fiction masterpiece. Or, you could possibly discover new thoughts that will change your daily perspective and approach to different situations.

13) Rewrite Your Subconscious Thoughts

First, make a short list of things you’re struggling with, maybe 5 things. Then, for each thing, write down 5 ways to turn that struggle into a positive. What skills could you practice or learn to solve the problem? What actions or new understandings could that struggle lead to? Etc.

Second, write down your dreams every morning. Use this dream journaling to look deeper into your emotions and how the things going on in your life are affecting you. How can you use those insights?

14) Free Write

Don’t pause to think. Just keep your pen moving, even if it’s ‘I don’t know what to write I’m bored I feel anxious about that zoom meeting at three.’ Fill at least two pages. Keep flowing, and eventually you’ll move past your surface thoughts and into deeper reflection.

4 Gratitude Journal Apps That Can Help

Gratitude / Bliss Journal

For example, the Gratitude Journal or Bliss Journal is an old standby in the area of gratitude journal apps. It is available for Android devices and takes up only a tiny sliver of your phone’s memory. Best of all, it’s free to install!

Gratitude Journal

This app will only set you back about 45 MB of space, but it packs a powerful punch. It aims for a distraction-free and easy-to-use interface, with easy scrolling and syncing on all iOS devices.

Gratitude 365 Pro

This gratitude journal app is available for iPhone and allows the user to incorporate photos, track their journaling by day, and organize with email, Facebook, Twitter, or Flickr calendar.

Day One

Another app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac users, Day One helps you keep a digital diary complete with pictures, maps, and notes about your day. This app can cut across devices, presenting you with the same look and format for each platform.

While this app is intended for more of a diary or daily journal purpose, it is easy to use it for tracking your gratitude. You can find it for Mac or for iPhone and iPad in the iTunes store. Click here to learn more about this app.

Source:

https://writingcooperative.com/what-to-write-in-a-journal-2de76f13af40
https://www.fillingthejars.com/creative-things-to-write-in-a-journal/
https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-journal/

One of the most important relationship management skills is the ability to get along with strangers. From cold calls to prospect met at trade shows and events, the skill of conversion and persuasion makes relationship management far easier.

14 Tips For Improving Your Relationship With Your Boss

It reportedly began in 1958 when a woman named Patricia Bays Haroski registered the holiday with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce because she wanted to designate a day for employees to show appreciation for their managers. Haroski chose Oct. 16 because it was her father’s birthday, and she working for him at the time as a secretary for the State Farm Insurance Company in Illinois.

Millions of appreciative workers will take full advantage of the day; thanking their boss’ for their support, encouragement and guidance throughout the year. Others, however, have little to celebrate today. These are typically employees who have terrible relationships with their managers.

“It’s very important to have a strong, or otherwise healthy relationship with your boss for a variety of reasons,” says Teri Hockett, chief executive of What’s For Work?, a career site for women. “First, your boss has a tremendous amount of influence over workplace stress, whether real or perceived. They can make the workplace exciting and something to look forward to each day, or a place that you dread visiting. In short, your health is at stake," she says. "Second, they typically hold the key to your advancement within the company, or sometimes outside as well. Without a good relationship, they may not speak highly of you or consider nominating you to other positions, departments or companies, regardless of your performance. And third, having a good relationship with your boss just makes sense. Work consumes most of your time usually, and having good relationships will make things more enjoyable and lead to opportunities.”

Joyce Maroney, senior director of customer experience and services marketing for Kronos, a Mass.-based workforce management software and services company, says the boss-employee relationship is much like others we need to manage in our lives. “We get out of them what we put into them – as long as both parties are committed to the relationship,” she says. “If both parties aren’t clear in communicating their expectations and giving feedback when expectations aren’t met, little issues can snowball to the point the relationship is no longer viable.”

Maroney says a recent Kronos survey revealed that 69% of employees believe their managers set a good example in the way they behave and 92% of those employees also believe their managers adhere to those values on a regular basis. “But setting a good example for behavior doesn’t always translate into a strong relationship. Employees might not get the direct and constructive performance feedback they need to elevate their career–or the boss isn’t all that invested so he or she doesn’t push the team to consistently achieve and grow.”

Sandy Mazur, a division president at Spherion, a recruiting and staffing firm, agrees. “In order to grow, learn and advance in their careers, employees need to be on the same page with their supervisors about their goals, objectives and career path,” she says. “And employees should start this dialogue so that they can open the lines of communication with their supervisor and engage them in this process.”

According to a recent Spherion “Emerging Workforce” study, most workers rate their relationship with their supervisor as good, great or excellent (84%). “However, for the small amount of people that rate their relationship as weak, it could be related to trust. Strong relationships are based on trust from both parties, and it takes an open line of communication from both the employee and the supervisor to make that happen.”

Andy Teach, a corporate veteran and author of From Graduation to Corporation, says sometimes it’s simply due to the “very nature of the boss-employee dynamic.” “If an employee has someone over them who is constantly telling them what to do and in many instances, how to do it, this can easily cause friction and resentment,” he says. “An employee is always being held accountable by their supervisor and this just adds stress to the employee’s already stressful work day. In addition, there are many employees who are jealous of their boss and perhaps feel that they, not the boss, should be the one in charge. Again, this causes resentment toward the one person at work who has the most control over your career.”

“You don’t have to love your boss but you need to be able to work well with them. One of the main reasons employees leave their job is because of their boss. A troubled relationship with your boss can negatively affect your morale, your productivity, your happiness, and of course, your career. A positive relationship can improve your morale, productivity and happiness which could lead to more career success in the form of promotions, raises and higher self-esteem.”

Maroney says a “strong relationship” may mean different things to different people, but what she has seen again and again is that “it’s important to manage your relationship with your boss if you expect to prosper in a job.”

Ambition and motivation

An ambitious, motivated attitude is essential for business success. People that are willing to reach out to prospects and call existing customers to learn what they’re interested in almost always excel past their complacent, passive counterparts.

There’s nothing wrong with being ambitious in sales and customer service – in fact, in the age of automated customer service and online support forms, plenty of your customers will appreciate speaking to a representative that cares about them.

With a motivated, ambitious and results-focused attitude, you’ll never struggle to connect with your customers and learn what they need. Need help staying focused and motivated? Enroll in our Motivation Booster course for entrepreneurs.

How ProjectManager Helps with Supplier Relationship Management

ProjectManager is a cloud-based software that assists companies when monitoring, tracking and collaborating with suppliers by providing real-time data for more insightful decision-making. Our tool allows you to share data with suppliers and keep everyone up-to-date on performance and changes through email notifications as well as alerts in the software.

Track Performance on Real-Time Dashboards

Since our software is online, a supplier relationship manager can monitor and track various metrics on performance and progress with a real-time dashboard. The dashboard is already set up and ready to go, unlike with inferior software, and automatically collects data, crunches the numbers and displays it in easy-to-read charts and graphs. The joint demand of tracking is also addressed by being able to share this information with suppliers throughout the relationship life cycle.

Generate Instant Reports for Stakeholders

To share more details on performance and help with demand forecasting with your strategic partners, there are one-click reports on status, costs and more. These reports can be easily shared with suppliers to keep them updated on performance, either as a PDF, Excel or CSV attachment or printed if the supplier prefers. Each report can be filtered to focus on the performance metric that is being tracked.

Store All Supplier Documentation in One Place

ProjectManager has unlimited file storage to store all your supplier documentation in one place. The account manager role is streamlined and security settings can be set to allow your supplier to have access to only those parts of your data you want to share. The supply base is transparent between the company and the supplier. Collaboration is also facilitated by comments that can be read and responded to in real time, no matter where or when they’re posted.

ProjectManager is award-winning software that connects companies and suppliers fostering collaboration and providing transparency in the procurement process. Have a central hub to collect all related materials, stay connected through notifications and share data to meet business strategy with your strategic partners. Join the tens of thousands of teams at organizations as diverse as NASA, Siemens and Nestle. Try ProjectManager today for free!

Authorship:

https://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/10/16/14-tips-for-improving-your-relationship-with-your-boss/
https://blog.udemy.com/relationship-management-skills/
https://www.projectmanager.com/blog/supplier-relationship-management-srm

It requires a Blue box to be plugged in your classroom which allows you to be free to move around the class untethered! It is quite costly (about US$300 or £230) so in my opinion its a solution that needs to be bought by your school.

20 Best Free Educational Apps

With the advent of digital tools and the spread of technology, we are in an age where information is the most available it’s ever been, to anyone with a computer or a smartphone. Free educational applications abound, and entire courses can be found online. If you’ve ever had the itch to learn a language or develop your math skills, now’s the time! Here’s a quick list of 20 free apps that every lifelong learner should check out.

EdApp is a better mobile learning management system designed for today’s digital habits, delivering more engaging and effective micro-learning directly to learners anytime and anywhere. EdApp is an effective free educational app because it incorporates cutting-edge aspects backed by science, such as elements of gamification and spaced repetition. Some cool quiz games you can add include multiple choice, find-a-word, and fill in the blanks. Not only will you learn, but you’ll have a great time doing it!

CliffsNotes

Don’t you ever just look up at the night sky and wish you could know what constellation you’re looking at? Star Chart can help. All you have to do is point your phone toward the night sky, and the app will use a combination of GPS technology and 3D rendering to show you exactly what you are looking at. It’s a hands-on way that gets learners out into the real world, while also giving them the tools to understand what they are looking at.

The 8 Best Educational Apps for Kids in 2022

Best Overall : Khan Academy

Why We Chose It: Suitable for beginner and advanced students, Khan Academy offers learning opportunities for students of all ages across many subjects, including math, economics, and history.

Khan Academy is the gold standard for educational apps, particularly considering the wide range of courses it offers for students of all ages and because it’s free. Khan Academy’s YouTube videos cover a range of levels for most subjects: math, science and engineering, arts and humanities (including history and social studies), economics, AP courses, and test prep.

English language arts (ELA) seems to be one notable weakness of Khan Academy courses, though it has some work-in-progress offerings for second- to ninth-grade students. There also are no foreign language courses, though Khan Academy instruction is available in dozens of languages, with varying numbers of course offerings.

Khan Academy is popular among students, parents, and educators because its videos are engaging and targeted at visual learners, using photos, maps, and other illustrations, and because it allows students to work at their own pace.

The courses include quizzes to test students’ comprehension. Khan Academy also has shifted toward developing materials in conjunction with Common Core. A junior version, Khan Academy Kids, targets young learners from two to seven years old. It’s a mobile device app that covers math, ELA, logic, and socio-emotional learning by using books, games, songs, and videos.

Best for Toddlers : Busy Shapes

Busy Shapes is an app aligned with the Montessori method of self-directed, hands-on learning. As such, it’s perfect for young kids just starting to interact with technology. The app is designed to develop young children’s logic and reasoning skills by learning about how objects relate to each other and how they can manipulate them.

Busy Shapes is simple to play. Kids drag an object into a hole—they are challenged to match the shape of the object with the corresponding hole—and eventually, another object and hole will appear in a new setting.

Best for Preschoolers : ABCmouse.com

Why We Chose It: ABCmouse.com has more than 10,000 activities available to play on its app or website. There are games for traditional subjects, like math, science, and language arts, as well as art activities, songs, and puzzles.

Because it’s a full-fledged curriculum, ABCmouse isn’t cheap—it costs $9.95/month. However, if your child doesn’t attend preschool, the app is a great substitute to get them ready for elementary school, as parents can track their progress.

The only reservation some reviewers, such as Common Sense Media, have with ABCmouse, is that it rewards children’s progress with tickets, which can be used to purchase virtual items. While this feature is sure to be successful in keeping kids using the program, some would argue it encourages consumerism instead of learning for learning’s sake.

Best for Elementary School Kids : Prodigy

Prodigy is more designed to test kids’ knowledge rather than introduce them to math topics for the first time. Kids earn spells by answering questions correctly and get to do monster battles as they move through different fantasy worlds.

The basic app is free, but a paid subscription offers more features. The premium fee is $8.95 per month, which is discounted if you buy an annual subscription. Despite the fact that Prodigy is widely loved by kids, one drawback for parents is that there seems to be significant pressure within the game to make in-app purchases.

Best for Tweens : Google Arts and Culture

Augmented Reality Classroom Apps For Teachers

Augmented reality is changing the face of classroom apps for teachers, they can literally bring infinite possibilities into the classroom. I’ve tried to describe them in my reviews but I realised that it was tricky to adequately describe their depth with just words so I’ve included some YouTube clips so you can see how augmented reality works.

29. ChatterPix Kids

30. Curiscope Virtuali-tee

There’s also the option to explore with a VR headset but this doesn’t work in selfie mode and it might be a challenge to persuade a friend to stand still for a long time unless you’ve both got t-shirts and headsets.

31. Green Screen

32. Thinglink

33. Apple Clips

34. HP Reveal

35. Figment AR

Sources:

https://www.edapp.com/blog/free-educational-apps/
https://www.verywellfamily.com/best-educational-apps-for-kids-4842950
https://www.educationcorner.com/35-incredible-classroom-apps/
Educational apps

The app allows you to watch more than 4,300 video lessons on topics including math, science, economics, and humanities either by streaming them from the site or downloading them for later viewing or when you don’t have an Internet connection.

15 Best Educational Apps For Kids and Students (2022)

The fast-paced technology has made it pretty easy for today’s children to adapt to technological innovations. We all have seen toddlers and adolescents having a knack for iPads and smartphones, and it’s understandable why parents despise the idea of too much screen time at this age.

With the boom in online learning, it may be a sensible idea to introduce your kid to online education outside classrooms. Educational apps not only offer a personalized learning plan but may also help parents conquer their kid’s strengths and weaknesses.

What are the Best Kids Learning Apps?

1. Best Overall: HOMER Learning

HOMER is a personalized learning app designed to help kids fall in love with learning. There are over 1,000 learning activities across all subjects, and the content is tailored to your child’s age and interests.

HOMER is an early learning software designed to help children develop their critical thinking skills. It helps them build their confidence for the future by leading them on their customized educational journey.

It features a variety of interactive lessons, stories, and activities that are tailored according to the student’s individual skills, age, and interests. Because the lessons are tailored to your child’s interests and abilities, not to mention they’re fun and entertaining, the app keeps their attention and ensures their screen time is productive.

Key Features & Benefits

Pricing

2. Best Coding App for Kids: codeSpark

codeSpark is a fun, engaging coding app that teaches kids basic problem solving, critical thinking skills, creativity, and a host of other valuable skills. Kids will enjoy playing on the app, not even realizing how much they’re learning along the way as they get prepared for the world of tomorrow.

Key Features & Benefits

Pricing

3. Also Great for Kids 8 & Under: ABCmouse

ABCmouse is one of the best kids learning apps out there for young learners. It was created for educating younger children from ages 2 to 8, helping them learn and master everything from letter recognition to reading to math and more.

The curriculum involves story videos, puzzles, engaging activities, songs, and a lot more in the field of math, science, art, and reading. Parents can always change the level of learning to ensure that the kid is not playing around with the same skills.

Key Features & Benefits

Pricing

4. Night Zookeeper

Aimed at children aged 6+, Night Zookeeper makes reading and writing fun and engaging for kids with their innovative approach to learning. The online program offers a full Language Arts curriculum, which is taught through games, challenges, interactive lessons, collaborative projects and creative writing prompts.

Night Zookeeper.com’s best feature is that users receive personalized feedback from a team of professional tutors, who closely monitor, review and publish all the writing submitted by children on the program.

Parents have access to their own dashboard, where they can track progress, assign specific lessons and manage features. All settings are flexible and there are lots of options to adapt the program to best suit your child’s learning style and pace.

Key Features & Benefits

Pricing

5. Best For Online Reading: EPIC!

This incredible kids learning app contains over 40,000 books, audiobooks, and videos for children that can be accessed from several devices like computers, laptops, mobile phones, and others. It is a great platform for educators and homeschooling parents to encourage kids for interactive reading.

Due to the downloading feature provided by Epic, the problem with portability is not a thing anymore. The badges awarded to readers serve as a motivational incentive and make them want to read more and accomplish more.

Key Features & Benefits

Pricing

6. Best For Phonics Learning: Starfall

Starfall is a digital learning app for kids that teaches letters, words, and sounds to children in an animated language. Thumbs up, the free version of this app is quite remarkable with access to a number of useful resources!

This app uses a fantasy-based approach to learning for creating curiosity in children to get more knowledge. Children bond with the Starfall characters in their virtual classroom through games, stories, songs, and other fun activities. All of these activities are built on the same concept and introduce a new challenge and excitement as you move on to the next level. Parents can monitor the pace of progress simultaneously.

Key Features & Benefits

Pricing

7. Best For Language Learning: Duolingo

Duolingo is one of the most raved about free language learning apps. It is great for kids who have just started speaking or may have a language deficiency. All preschoolers and school-aged children can benefit from this app’s seamless learning approach.

Duolingo consists of more than 34 languages! And for now, we’re just counting the ones that use English as the base language. They are plenty of other base languages along with their subsequent language courses. Overall, it’s like an enormous library!

The best part is Duolingo’s well-targeted and organized lesson plans. Each course has a set of modules, which includes lessons for each level. Once you pass a certain number of modules, the other module will be unlocked.

Top 10 Free Learning Apps For Kids

1. YouTube Kids

Features of YouTube Kids

Download on the Google Play Store

2. Epic

Features of Epic

Download on the Google Play Store

3. Hungry Caterpillar Play School

Features of Hungry Caterpillar Play School

Download on the Google Play Store

4. PBS Kids Play and Learn Science

Features of PBS Kids Play and Learn Science

Download on the Google Play Store

5. Quick Math Jr

Features of Quick Math Jr

Download on the App Store

6. Khan Academy Kids

Features of Khan Academy Kids

Download on the Google Play Store

7. Goodness Shapes

Features of Goodness Shapes

Download on the App Store

8. ABCMouse

Features of ABCMouse

Download on the Google Play Store

9. Read Along

Features of Read Along

Download on the Google Play Store

10. ClassDojo

Features of ClassDojo

Download on the Google Play Store

Epic Reading App

With access to more than 35,000 children’s books, audiobooks, educational videos and quizzes, Epic is a monthly subscription service that’s basically the Neflix of education. Epic Reading app allows kids to explore a vast library of child-safe content, with material designed for kindergarten up to 7th grade reading levels, with personalized reading recommendations helping you find new material. An Epic for Educators version aimed at librarians and educators is available for free.

Mobile learning allows for flexibility by eliminating the need for learning to happen at a particular time and place. Mobile learning takes learning flexibility to another level by making instructional content like videos, podcasts, and other multimedia formats available on smartphones and devices. If you’re not taking advantage of the above mobile learning apps, you’re missing out!

Sources:

https://myelearningworld.com/best-educational-apps-for-kids/
https://mindster.com/free-educational-apps-students/
https://www.educationalappstore.com/app-lists/apps-for-education
Educational apps

Teaching and learning are no more confined to classrooms. These educational apps are a learning curve for both teachers and students.

Top 10 educational apps

1. Google Classroom

Wanna study the new way? You can access some of the best educational apps to make your learning fun!

Students are regularly required to submit homework and assignments. Teachers are then expected to evaluate and grade them at the earliest possible time. But this process is not as easy as it sounds due to the student-to-teacher ratio in modern classrooms. Google Classroom is the answer to such needs of streamlining the processes in education. It is, as the name suggests, a virtual classroom (sort of).

2. Khan Academy

Khan Academy is a very popular online learning library replete with courses ranging from Math and Statistics to Psychology and Languages. It has a learner-first ideology and was founded to disseminate knowledge and teaching. This online education app aims to provide free and world-class education for curious minds across the planet.

3. edX

Give your profile an edge by learning skills from some of the best education apps and getting certified.

How many of us do not dream of studying in top universities like Harvard, MIT, or Stanford? Hardly any of us, right? However, we also know that it is supremely difficult to get into those schools. Worry not- edX helps you achieve those dreams armed with just a smartphone and some good internet. You can practically learn everything under the sun with this online education app and get certifications from the top universities for the same.

Whether it’s Computer Science or Linguistics; Business or Engineering, edX has got you covered. Completing edX courses can also get you university credit. A combination of this with your professional degree can skyrocket you to your dream employers’ payrolls in no time!

4. Sololearn

Do you think the scope of programming and coding would ever go down? Nope, never. With an increasingly digital and virtual world, one who is good at talking to these computing machines is as good as a wizard. And if you wish to become one, SoloLearn could be your Hogwarts. Sololearn is considered the starting step for most coding enthusiasts and boasts of a very interactive community of coders.

Tutorials about the latest technologies and frameworks with interactive features are abundant on Sololearn. Whether you are a beginner looking to start, or a pro looking to polish your skills, you can get your coding juices flowing on this app. It is considered one of the best educational apps as it has a top-notch collection of courses surrounding Python, Java, C++, Javascript, HTML, CSS, etc. Psst! It also has a free mobile editor!

5. Photomath

Teaching and learning are no more confined to classrooms. These educational apps are a learning curve for both teachers and students.

Another name on the list of one of the best educational apps for students is Photomath. For a lot of students, math is puzzling subject. The formulae might be too complex or the concept might be too abstract. Say goodbye to those days! Now, anyone can learn to solve complex math problems with Photomath.

It’s very simple – you click a picture of the question (it can be handwritten or printed), and then the app analyses the image and teaches you how to solve the question using step-by-step video instructions. These explanations can sometimes also feature multiple methods of solving the same problem, interactive graphs, and animated instructions. It also boasts a built-in scientific calculator, and all of this can work without the internet! Pretty cool, right?

6. Remind

Remember when everyone used to sit together after class and call it group studies? Group learning is a very effective way to fill in gaps in one’s understanding (as they say, two heads are better than one). During COVID, it has become increasingly difficult to get multiple students to assemble under the same roof and study together.

Enter, Remind. Remind facilitates parents, students, and teachers to stay connected with each other like a community. You can get regular updates on everyone’s activity within your community and can use Remind collaboratively. Teachers can message a whole class as a broadcast, share photos, and handouts, while students can submit assignments and clear doubts with their friends. What’s more? The app also supports chat translation in 70+ languages!

7. Duolingo

Key takeaways

Educational apps can make learning more interactive and activate better engagement between the student and the content. Besides the paid apps, the free educational apps for students are also helping them explore the world of learning.

From apps that support creative writing and collaboration to learning libraries, virtual classrooms, and online blackboard apps, there are a plethora of resources to help anyone with their educational journey. Want to know more, or have questions? Reach out to us or drop a comment down below!

Answer- Educational apps not only offer a personalized learning plan but may also help parents conquer their kid’s strengths and weaknesses. Teachers can also utilize learning apps for kids as a supplement to further aid their students’ development, particularly in virtual learning environments.

11 Best Apps for Kids and Students of 2022

It can be challenging to keep kids appropriately occupied sometimes, especially when school is out. Today’s kids are spending a good chunk of their days on tablets, phones and other electronic devices and finding apps that provide kid-friendly, developmental content in bite-sizes pieces can be difficult. Using screen time to help supplement their education can be beneficial and fun, especially since many educational apps include games to make learning more exciting.

Our experts work together with our consumer panel to test the best children’s apps out there based on ease of use, engagement, price point and tech pitfalls. We’ve reviewed dozens of apps to bring you our favorites. These are the best of the best for engaging, entertaining and educational content to help support and aid gaps while keeping your kids entertained, whether they’re in pre-school or high school. Grab your charger (or portable battery) and download the best apps for kids in 2022:

Our top picks

This pick is an overwhelming favorite among all of our testers. ABCmouse.com is available both as an app and a website. It uses fun storyline-based videos, quizzes, and activities — there’s even a virtual map outlining your child’s learning path to keep kids and toddlers engaged. Our parent testers said they loved ABCmouse.com even before we started testing the best apps for kids!

Teachers, parents, and kids are all a fan of the Khan Academy app that features thousands of free resources on everything from early math to art history. From preschool to high school, children of all ages can enjoy and learn on this non-profit’s platform. All of its programming is entirely free, so you don’t have to worry about subscription fees. Parents of our testers say that the videos helped each kid learn at their own pace. For those with kids under 4, check out their child-friendly counterpart, Khan Academy Kids on iOS or Android, which features a lot of the great elements of the older app at an age appropriate level.

Epic! is an app for kids with an e-book library that contains over 35,000 children’s books (and it includes a read-to-me feature for little ones who are still learning to read). One of our parent testers says it’s “a great app to have when the kids want screen time, but you don’t!” This app is a perfect way to take reading wherever your device goes, and it’s great for families with kids of various ages.

Nick Jr.’s app offers parents the chance to let their kids enjoy their favorite shows on the go — no TV required! The app has videos from all of Nick Jr.’s shows and a collection of games (both educational and not-so educational) based on Nick Jr. shows that feature your kids’ favorite characters.

To unlock some parts of the app, you’ll need to enter your cable provider’s information. Even without it, your kid will still be able to use the features they’ll be most excited about: full episodes and lots of games!

• Ages: 2-7
• Cost: free, some content requires cable provider information
• Get it for: iOS, Android, or on the Amazon App Store

Kids know that math can be boring, but this app transforms numbers into something more creative and interactive. Quick Math Jr. is an app for kids with 12 different math games that feature fundamental math skills and concepts. It has unique graphics and buildable characters to keep kids engaged, and all answers are handwritten or drawn on the screen so kids can also practice handwriting.

The Duolingo Owl (the app’s mascot and icon) has been popping up as a meme all over social media in recent months, so chances are your high schooler knows what Duolingo is. Encourage them to take it one step further and download the app so they can learn a different language.

They can practice through audio, word identification, and oral exercises for over 30 languages — it’s a great way for your child to keep their language-learning skills sharp over the summer. P.S.: Parents can use this app, too!

This app gives kids a fun, animated introduction to learning letters, vowels, and words. It also includes the sign language alphabet. If you upgrade to the paid version of Starfall ABCs, you’ll get some extra perks like lessons on math and social skills — but the free version is still pretty impressive!

BrainPOP Jr. Movie of the Week

This collection of three-to-five-minute animated videos has grown to include topics like gratitude, conflict resolution, and mindfulness, in addition to all the great shorts on the arts, math, and history. In the video on empathy, characters explain how children can identify their own and other people’s emotions. They then explore how to be compassionate when a friend isn’t feeling their best. The videos come with "easy" and "hard" quizzes for an added learning boost. Ages 6 to 8

Sources:

https://ischoolconnect.com/blog/top-educational-apps-for-students-to-check-out/
https://www.goodhousekeeping.com/electronics/g28212386/best-apps-for-kids/
https://www.parents.com/fun/entertainment/gadgets/best-educational-apps-for-kids/

Before you can start filling them, though, you need to let go of the idea that your content should be extra-special or next-level insightful. Some days you’ll drop nuggets of wisdom. Other days, you’ll write content that will embarrass your future self.

Things To Write In Your Journal (For Meaning And Self-Awareness)

Journaling is amazing, but you’ve probably heard this many times already. Journaling has lots of therapeutic benefits, plus it can simply be a lot of fun. So you decided that you want to get started with your journal. The next question is: What do you write in your journal?

Even though there aren’t any rules in journaling, you don’t want to mess it up either. You don’t want to fill an entire journal with thousands of words, only to later find out that you’d rather have written about something else. If you don’t know what to write in your journal, I’ll show you some of the things that have helped most people get started.

By writing these things in your journal, I guarantee that you’ll never regret any of your hard work. Here are 7 ideas to write in your journal that are both fun, meaningful, and make use of the many benefits of journaling.

Why it’s hard to think of what to write in your journal

It might look like my average diary entry amounts to no more than seven sentences, but in fact I spend an inordinate amount of time writing about my day – around forty-five minutes, usually.

If nothing big happened, I’ll reflect on a newspaper article or a report I heard on the radio. I’m not big on weather writing but have no policy against it. Thus when life gets really dull, I’ll just look out the window and describe the color of the sky. That will lead to something else, most often: a bird being mean to another bird or the noise a plane makes.

Theft By Finding by David Sedaris

While this may not directly produce the most insightful journal entry, it does help get my brain moving. Oftentimes, it’s much easier to write down something worthwhile when you already started with something insignificant.

Life Milestones

Some goals that you want to achieve could be small—like going to get groceries before Friday—while others could be actual milestones in your life. If you have a big goal that you want to focus on, like graduating from medical school, getting married, having your first child, or buying your first home, try writing about it in detail.

These events are not typically something that happened to you. Rather, they are world events that should never be forgotten. Journal prompts that fit into this category could be things like the collapse of the Twin Towers on 9/11, the state of current politics, or even the most interesting news item that happened each day. Throughout history, there are a lot of events that you could write about — the key is to write down these events in your journal.

Captured Moments

If you have already reached major milestones in your life, you can write journal ideas about those events. It could be a detailed recollection of your wedding day, the feeling you had when your child was born, your experience at a rally that you attended, or another unforgettable event. You can also write about specific events in the lives of others. If you get stuck, you can plan fun activities with your kids (here are 88 ideas) or do something new when you’re bored (and here are 151 ideas for that.)

We all face challenges in our lives on a daily basis. If you encountered a struggle today that was difficult for you, your daily journal is the perfect place to write it down. Describe the struggle that you had to face in detail. What happened? How did you feel? Were you able to meet and overcome the challenge that crossed your path?

61 Journaling Ideas to De-Stress and Feel Happy

1. Make a journal list.

2. A meaningful quote journal idea.

3. Affirmation journaling ideas.

4. Journal about something you’re grateful for.

Gratitude and journaling belong together. Start with one thing you’re grateful for, and either expand on that one thing or add at least two more. Pretty soon you’ll have a mood-boosting gratitude list you will find very uplifting.

5. Create an “I forgive…” journal entry.

No doubt, the words “I forgive” bring a certain person to mind whom you find it difficult to forgive. But for your own sake — so you can move past it — at least journal the words “I forgive ____, and I want only what’s good for him/her,” even if you’re not feeling it.

6. Write in your journal something someone said or did that made you smile.

7. Compliment yourself in your journal.

8. Journal a description of your morning routine.

9. Write down the answer to the question, “What would I love?”

10. Answer this journal question, “What am I thinking?”

11. Journal about a milestone you’ve reached or one you’re working toward.

12. Write in your journal about the perfect day.

This can take place in the present or three years from now. Put a description in your journal of the whole day, from waking up in the morning to going to bed that night. Write down all the important details — the big ideas that make your day perfect.

13. Create an entry with someone who is on your mind (and why).

14. Journal about your vision for the future.

15. Write out your personal vision for this day (your intentions).

16. Journal about the food you’ve eaten and what you will eat today.

17. Write about an important event.

18. Describe a challenge you’re facing — or one you’ve overcome.

19. Write about your solution to a particular problem or challenge.

You probably know solutions to some problems or ways to overcome a particular challenge. Maybe you learned it the hard way. Your journal entry about it could turn into a helpful blog post or even a book.

20. Journal about something you’ve read.

Whether you’re thinking of a memorable passage from a book you’re reading, a blog post or article you’ve read recently, or a magazine headline you saw while standing in a check-out line, write about what sticks in your mind and why it matters to you (if it does).

21. Write about a fear you have and how you choose to respond to it.

22. Begin a journal entry with a prayer.

Whether you have questions you need to be answered, or you’d like help with something, writing about it makes it more likely that you’ll get closer to the answers, blessings, and accomplishments you’re seeking.

23. Write about a “note to self.”

24. Write a letter to someone.

A great journal writing prompt is to write a letter. In your journal you can prepare the message to someone with whom you’re having a dispute, someone you need to reconnect with, or someone you want to share your love for.

25. Write a letter to someone who has passed.

26. Start with a memory (recent or distant).

27. Use an image that sparks an idea for journal writing.

If you’ve ever bought a painting that made you imagine a life that might one day be your own, or if you saw an image in a magazine or on the internet that caught your attention and took you places in your mind, write about that.

28. Journal about a dream you remember.

29. Use a timer for a journal writing sprint.

30. Small daily journal sentence.

Write a single sentence. Then another. Then a third sentence. You can stop then, or you can keep going. Maybe one of those sentences will trigger something. But even if they don’t, you’ve written three sentences, and that’s something.

31. A creative character sketch.

32. Write about something absurd.

33. Write an encouraging personal note to yourself.

Begin like your writing in a diary and write an encouraging note to yourself about the day you’re going to have or about a challenge you’ll be facing today. Be a friend and write the words you need to hear.

Sources:

https://www.trackinghappiness.com/what-to-write-in-your-journal/
https://www.developgoodhabits.com/what-write-journal/
https://liveboldandbloom.com/11/writing/journaling-ideas

It started with Generation X, people born between 1965-1980. The preceding generation was the Baby Boomers, born 1946-1964. Post-World War II, Americans enjoyed newfound prosperity, which resulted in a "baby boom." The children born as a result were dubbed the Baby Boomers.

What Are Baby Boomers? – Definition, Age & Characteristics

Individuals born in America between 1946 and 1964 are referred to as ‘baby boomers’ as a result of the significant increase of births that occurred during that 22-year period. Learn about the definition, characteristics, and effects of baby boomers on the aging demographic in America. Updated: 09/21/2021

Baby boomers are a designated group of people who were born between 1946 and 1964. They are labeled as ‘baby boomers’ because during this period of time, there was a statistically significant increase in the number of births that occurred. In 1946, the first year of the ‘boom,’ there were 3.4 million babies born in the U.S., a record number during a 1-year period. These numbers steadily increased to roughly four million babies born each year between 1953 and 1964. By the end of 1964, when the trend started to decline, 76.4 million people were born during that 22-year period, which comprised about one-quarter of the U.S. population.

People grow older. Birthdays stay the same.

A common source of confusion when labeling generations is their age. Generational cohorts are defined (loosely) by birth year, not current age. The reason is simple — generations get older in groups. If you think of Millennials as college kids (18 – 22), then not only are you out of date — you’re thinking of a stage in life, not a generation. Millennials are now well out of college, and that life stage is dominated by Gen Z.

Another example, a member of Generation X who turned 18 in 1998 would now be over 40. In that time, he or she cares about vastly different issues and is receptive to a new set of marketing messages. Regardless of your age, you will always belong to the generation you were born into.

Gen A: Generation Alpha starts with children born in 201 2 and will c ontinue at least through 2025, maybe later (approximately 48 million people in the U.S.)

Sometimes labeled with the moniker “Zillennials”, those wedged at the tail end of Millennials and the start of Gen Z are sometimes labeled with this moniker — a group made up of people born between 1994 and the year 2000.

Originally, the name Generation Z was a placeholder for the youngest people on the planet — although Generation A has now taken over that distinction. However, in the same way that Gen Y morphed into Millennials, there is certainly a possibility that both Gen Z and Gen A may adopt new names as they leave adolescence and mature into their adult identities. While the label Gen A makes discussion easier, it may not be the last word on this group of humans.

Characteristics of Baby Boomers

Hard-working and focused: The baby boomer generation worked hard for their livelihood. They were born to realize the American dream, and they strived to reach it. It is the generation that witnessed the civil rights movement, women’s empowerment, and the moon landing – tasks that required hard work and goal getters.

Competitive : By virtue of being born in a period of high birth rates, baby boomers grew up competing for things in school, society, and the economy. In the early years of the generation, schools were overcrowded, colleges saw limited capacity, and jobs were limited. Therefore, baby boomers grew up fighting to compete for resources and win. They would not settle for second if the first was attainable and are defined by this need to succeed.

Value relationships: Baby boomers grew up together, some as large families and some as friends. Together with family values, such relationships strengthened over time, helped in part by increasing labor laws, which created more free time.

Independent: Baby boomers developed an independent mindset and self-confidence through hard work and abilities. In addition, they are resourceful and confident to handle matters themselves.

Pursue excellence and quality: Baby boomers lived through a period of change after the war period, causing them to accept quality and excellence for all goods and services. They are also prepared to pay top dollar for a commodity they perceive as high value.

What Generation Came Before Baby Boomers? Which Came After?

As noted, the Silent Generation came directly prior to the Baby Boomer generation. This generation, which spanned from 1925 through 1945 was an era in which these individuals were considered more cautious than their parents were. This generation was responsible, though, for shaping the 20th century pop culture and they brought with them television legends, filmmakers, gonzo journalists and political satirists. Interestingly, there are no presidents born in this generation.

Generation X came after the Baby Boomer generation. These individuals were born between 1964 and 1982 (sometimes this is from 1965 through 1979.) No members of this generation served as president. However, this generation is known to have done well. The group collectively learned more than Baby Boomers did when they were the same age. However, only 36 percent of them have more wealth than their parents. That’s due to the increased amount of debt held by this generation. By 2028, Generation X will outnumber Baby Boomers. As of 2016, there were between 61.2 million and 65.6 million present in the country.

What Generation Are You If You Are On The Cusp?

On 10-21-2017 we added info on iGen, and changed their start date from 1996 to 1995, and changed Millennials end date from 1995 to 1994. To be consistent with Jean Twenge PhD’s work. Also changed iGen end date from 2010 to 2012 for the same reason.

Why make these changes? The cut off dates for each generation vary over time as the characteristics of that generation become more well understood. In the US, it appears demographers are trying to stick to ranges of 15 years (Japan uses 10 years). Finally, as the public pays more attention to generations, such as Millenials, certain dates become more accepted.

The bottom line is that the experts do not agree on when generations begin and end. Sorry for this confusion. I would prefer to have things nice and tidy, precise and exact.

On 5-30-2017 I clarified that the weapons of mass destruction the Bush Administration lied to us about, was of the nuclear and biological types. They did find chemical weapons which are considered WMDs (I did not know that), although that’s not what scared us into war. It was the fear that Iraq could use nuclear and bio weapons against us. They already had a history of using chemical weapons against their neighbors and their own people.

References:

https://study.com/academy/lesson/what-are-baby-boomers-definition-age-characteristics.html
https://www.kasasa.com/exchange/articles/generations/gen-x-gen-y-gen-z
https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/other/baby-boomers/
https://www.seniorliving.org/life/baby-boomers/
https://www.careerplanner.com/Career-Articles/Generations.cfm