Let go of 2011 baggage.

It’s likely that 2011 brought you ups and downs. This year, resolve to focus on the good stuff. Choose to let go of what went wrong last year or in the past all together, and commit to what will go right this year. Be grateful and appreciate all that you have. When you appreciate what you do have, you create more of what you want. Stop focusing on what you don’t have and let the energy of gratitude create what you want in life.

Change your way of thinking.

Make a resolution to change your thinking and your dialog about fear and negativity. When you think, talk, and act from a negative place, or associate with those that think this way you attract negativity into your life. Commit to a new you. Begin the New Year talking and thinking about what is positive in your life, rather than replaying the same old negative story. You might just be surprised by the results.

Give of yourself.

Giving doesn’t always mean money or things of value, but time. Time is the most valuable asset you have to give. Soup kitchens, shelters and battered women’s shelters are a great place to start. Giving benefits the person you’re helping but greatly enhances your own life as well. This year, commit to the mantra “How can I give?” rather than “How can I get?” Giving produces endorphins, which make you feel good about yourself! Plus, giving to others helps you get out of your own way. When you focus on giving you can stop focusing on what you’re not getting.

Cut yourself a break.

Commit to a ME Time at least once a week. Take time out to focus on yourself. This is a powerful habit to get into. Need some suggestions? Take a long yoga class, Get a massage, or create a daily ritual.

Expose your inner self.

We all wear our masks; make a commitment this year to be authentic. Begin a practice of being yourself on dates, in the office, or even in your home. We all thrive on true connection. So this year, get naked with your truth. Don’t deprive the world of who you really are. Even if it feels uncomfortable at first—go with it—you’ll feel liberated in no time.

Get creative.

This year, commit to spend more time writing your book or even a daily blog. This creative hobby takes you out of your daily patterns and ignites your inner spirit. Pledge to engage in a creative project as often as possible. You’ll find that time spent in creativity heightens your happiness, and gives you more energy for the other areas of your life.

Do innovative exercise.

Each New Year, millions upon millions resolve to hit the gym and lose weight. This year, make your physical resolutions fun! Rather than locking yourself up in the gym for days, find cool ways to shed the pounds. Engage your kids. Spend time playing tag or kick the can. It can be addictive and your kids will love it.

Practice the F-word.

Carrying resentments into the New Year will only recreate the patterns from years prior. This year, vow to let go of resentments by practicing the F-word and forgive. Become conscious of whom you need to forgive (including yourself) and be willing to let go of your resentment and turn it over daily. Each morning when you wake up, set the intention to forgive. This daily intention will ignite a consciousness of forgiveness and provide you with the necessary tools to allow the F-word process to set in.

Eat mindfully.

To keep your Spirit Junkie mentality intact, you must feed your soul superfoods. This New Year commit to cutting out the pop. Rather than going nuts trying to eliminate everything bad in your diet, keep it simple and choose one thing to let go of. There’s no need to kick it all at once. Small shifts create powerful change.

Expect miracles.

Kick off the New Year with a miracle mindset. Begin each day with a personal message to yourself. Say out-loud in the mirror or to yourself: “Thank you, for being me and for all the things that are amazing about me. I am smart. I am beautiful. I am perfect just the way I am and I expect miracles.” This daily pep talk will jump-start your day with a miracle mindset and awaken your consciousness to the greatness around you.

Incorporate these tips into your daily practices and enjoy the positive results. Be happy because you are perfect just the way you are and it will be contagious to all around you.

How do you Pay-It-Forward? I would love to hear your thoughts.

Party on! Now’s the time that many organizations and large companies hold holiday parties. These parties present a great opportunity to network, meet potential new clients or referral sources for the new year. If you need to build your business (and who doesn’t?) attend as many parties as you can and bring your business cards. Just don’t drink too much egg nog.

Send holiday cards. The holidays give you a perfect excuse to stay in touch with current and past customers. Sending a holiday card is a relatively easy and inexpensive way to remind someone about your business. In my company, we send out hundreds of holiday cards to people we do business with throughout the year. We order cards with our company name imprinted in the card and on the envelope to reduce work, and we keep our holiday list up-to-date throughout the year.

Give Gifts. The holidays are a great time to remember and thank those who help your business thrive. One of the nicest ways to show you appreciate what they’ve done is with a modestly priced gift. It doesn’t have to be elaborate; in my company, we send chocolates. Don’t forget those who help you every day; many businesses give holiday bonuses to employees as well.

Create holiday specials. Aren’t those gift baskets you see enticing? You can create them for your business too, even if you have a service business. If you do sell products, you can purchase gift baskets to wrap a number of items together. If yours is a service business, consider adding related physical products to make the gift more tangible. For instance, bundle a gift certificate for a drycleaners with a lint brush or fancy hangers; a dog groomer can bundle a gift certificate for a grooming with pet toys.

Offer gift certificates. Do you sell gift certificates? Why not? Even if you’re in the carpet cleaning business, someone might purchase a rug cleaning as a gift for a friend or family member. If this is your slow season, one way to increase cash flow now is to offer customers gift certificates at a discount; regular customers can buy them to use later, providing you with an infusion of cash.

Build your cash reserves. The holidays represent one of two extremes for many businesses: either it’s the busiest time of year or the slowest. If you get a significant amount of your income now (or you’re having a particularly good year), give yourself a gift and put money in a reserve account. You’ll appreciate having that money come Spring or Summer when business is slower.

Treat employees well. Of course you need to treat employees well year round, but, remember, the holidays are stressful on all the people you work with, not just you. In addition to the extra pressures at work, they’re also dealing with additional family and money demands at home. So be particularly patient and give plenty of recognition for jobs well done.

Recognize holidays other than Christmas. Make certain you are sensitive to a broad spectrum of customers. Remember the Jewish holiday of Hanukkah and the African-American celebration of Kwanzaa. You’ll increase both sales and good will by recognizing a diversity of holidays.

Finally, keep your priorities straight. No matter how busy you are, don’t get totally distracted by work. Remember the things that are really important: family, friends, community, your faith. Spend time with those you truly care for and give to those who are less fortunate.

Find little ways to incorporate gratitude in your life, and you’ll be much happier … and you’ll make the people around you much happier as well. That’ll have a ripple effect that will make the world a better place … with such a small gesture!

Saying thank you isn’t hard at all. But the words can lose meaning if they’re just words. You need to say them with sincerity, or show your gratitude through little actions.

Can you imagine a world where everyone showed gratitude? If someone did you a kindness, you’d give them a warm smile and say thank you. If you were having a bad day, someone else would take time out of her life to comfort you, out of gratitude for a kindness you did her yesterday. People would still get angry, or sad, but would know to find ways to be grateful, even in difficult situations.

For those who’d like to do little things to show their gratitude, to a specific person or to life in general, here are a few ideas that work…

Create a Gratitude Ritual. Just close your eyes, and take a couple of minutes to think of the people and things you are grateful for.

Send a thank-you note. You know, it’s nice to get a little note thanking you for something you did. You don’t need to send someone a formal thank-you card (although that’s a nice touch), but just a little note (or email) saying thank you for a specific thing the person has done for you can go a long way. And it only takes a minute!

Give a free hug. OK, only do this when appropriate … but if you have a loved one in your life, give them a hug! Often we can go too long without showing our affection and gratitude, even to those who are closest to us. Don’t neglect this important part of your relationship. By “free” hug, it should be totally free. Don’t expect anything in return — just give it as a gift of gratitude. If you give a hug to a stranger, be prepared to run very fast afterward.

Give thanks for today! You don’t even have to thank a person … you can thank life itself! Wake up, and greet the day with gratitude. Be thankful you’re alive!

Do someone a free favor. Without expecting anything in return, do something nice for someone. Just something small. Get them a drink or a coffee, do a chore for them, offer to do an errand, anything they’d appreciate, really. Think of what the person likes, wants or needs, and try to do something (even something small) to help them. Actions speak louder than words, and doing something nice will show you’re grateful more than just saying it.

Give a little gift. It doesn’t have to be fancy or expensive, but a little gift can be a tremendous gesture.

Give someone a list of all they’ve done that you’re grateful for. Take 5 minutes and make a list of 10 or 50 things you love about someone, or things they’ve done for you that you appreciate.

Acknowledge them publicly. Who doesn’t love public praise? Find a way to acknowledge the contributions of someone, to show your gratitude, in a public way … in your office, among friends and family, on your blog, in your local newspaper.

Surprise them with kindness. Actually, this is mostly the same as Item #5, but with a twist: surprise the person. That little extra step of surprising them can make a big difference. When your wife comes home from work, have a lovely dinner prepared. When your mom walks out her front door in the morning, have her car nice and clean. When your daughter opens her lunch pail, have a little note and a treat waiting for her.

Say thanks even for negative things in your life. This is the hard part, in truth. When things go wrong, when we’re not happy, when people are mean to us, when we are worn down by the million slings and arrows of everyday life … we don’t want to say thank you. But in truth, this is the time when it matters most. If you’ve mastered the first 9 items on this list, you’re ready to master this one.

When life gets you down, when your hurt or angry or confused or frustrated, take a moment to stop and close your eyes and find things to be thankful for. Your health, your family, your job, the roof over your head, the fact that you’ll have a next meal, the beauty of the world around you, the good people in your life, your new computer. Whatever you can think of, be thankful for them … and express that gratitude somehow. Realize that all is not bad in this world, and be happy for that.

And then, when you’ve mastered that skill, think of the negative things in your life … and give thanks for them. That person who was mean to you? Thank them for teaching you patience and understanding. That dog that tore up your trash? Thank him for teaching you humility as you pick up the trash. The natural disaster you went through? Thank it for reminding you of what is important in life. The illness you are going through? Thank it for making you stronger.

We are all so incredibly busy and it seems that when we complete one task there are always many more waiting. To follow are some easy tips that can actually give you back some of the time you crave so you can “get busy” enjoying life.

Take a break. You can’t always be working at optimum productivity. Instead, you should shoot for working in short bursts at your most productive times.

Set a timer for each of your tasks.

Eliminate all distractions. This includes the phone, email notifications, and having multiple web browsers open on the desktop. Distractions should be avoided, but sometimes a bit of music in the background can help you focus. Of course, it doesn’t need to be heavy rock music, but a bit of Beethoven may do you some good.

Love what you do. Enjoying what you do is the ultimate way to increase your productivity.

Complete your most dreaded tasks first thing in the morning. Whichever activity you are dreading the most is probably the one you need to complete first thing in the morning.

Just start. Often times, starting is the hardest part. Once you get going, you will quickly get into a rhythm that could last for hours.

Everyone has a certain time of the day in which they are more productive than others. Find out when your prime time is for productivity and optimize your work schedule accordingly.

Keep a notebook and pen on hand at all times. This way, you can write down your thoughts, to-dos, and ideas at any time. The key is to get everything out of your head and onto paper. This way, your subconscious mind won’t be reminding you about it every other second.

Write a blog to chronicle your own personal development and achievements. This keeps you accountable and always working towards self-improvement and personal growth.

Plan out all of your meals a week ahead and make your grocery list accordingly. This will also save you quite a bit of time and money.

Step away from the computer. The Internet has become one of the number one distractions. To increase your productivity, try to do as much of your work offline as possible.

Write out a to-list each day. Sometimes the night before is best so you start off with a plan when you wake up.

As you go throughout your day, repeatedly ask yourself, “Am I currently making the best possible use of my time?” This one simple question can be an excellent boost to your productivity.

Get plenty of sleep. When you work online, sleep can become a long lost memory. However, it’s important to get plenty of sleep so that your working hours can be as productive as possible.

Exercise. Research has shown that midday exercise boosts productivity and morale in the workplace. Take a short walk at lunch to maximize your productivity.

Organize your office. The piles of paper around your desk can be a huge barrier on your productivity. Optimize your time by organizing your office, setting up a system, and dumping the junk.

Outsource as much as possible. You can’t do it all and trying to perform tasks that are outside of your experience level can be time-consuming and costly if you make mistakes.

Use a Tivo or DVR to cut an hour-long television show down to just 40 minutes.

Turn off the TV. The average American watches more than 4 hours of television every day. Over a 65-year life, that’s 9 years glued to the tube. Turn off the TV and you are sure to get more out of life.

Listen to educational audio books while you’re driving to work, cleaning the house, exercising, or cooking dinner. Audio learning has the power to add hours to your day. Not to mention, your cranium is sure to thank you for it.

Auto-pay your bills. This will save you time and eliminate late fees and increased interest rates.

Tell other people about your goals and you will instantly be held accountable.

Learn to say “No”. We can’t do everything and therefore we must learn when to say no in order to save our sanity.

Go on an information diet. Most of the world lives on information overload. We must eliminate mindless Internet surfing. Stop reading three different newspapers a day and checking your RSS feeds multiple times a day. Otherwise, you’ll never get anything done. The key is to limit yourself only to information that you can immediately take action on.

Find a mentor. By modeling after those who have already achieved success, you will save yourself a lot of time and energy.

Write your most important tasks and to-dos on a calendar.

Set some exciting goals. Without worthy goals, you will never be motivated to get things done.

Learn keyboard shortcuts which can be fun and more productive.

Get up early before anyone else. Nothing beats a quiet house.

Don’t multitask. Research has shown that multitasking is not productive. For optimum productivity, focus on one thing at a time.

Reward yourself for finishing a big task.

Shop online whenever possible to avoid going to the store. This applies to both office and home products.

Batch similar tasks like blog writing, phone calls, email, and errands into a single batch. You will save time by completing similar tasks in one session.

Speed up your Internet with a broadband connection. This is the number one Internet time-saver.

Improve your typing speed to save time.

Get rid of time wasters. This includes Instant Messenger, video games, Flickr, checking your stats 10 times a day, television, and extraneous Internet surfing.

Protect yourself from unnecessary phone time with caller ID.

Many employers now offer direct deposit. If yours does, then be sure and take advantage of it and save yourself from a number of trips to the bank.

Prioritize your tasks ahead of time. By listing your tasks in order of importance, you can make sure that you finish all of your most important tasks during the day.

Avoid having to cook everyday by cooking your meals in bulk so that you will have plenty of leftovers.

Learn to speed read.

Use Windows hibernation feature to avoid the slowdown of exiting and restarting Windows.

How do you save time? We would love to hear your comments.

The hallmark of an effective filing system is being able to easily retrieve what you need, when you need it. Filing systems generally fall into two broad categories: working (or temporary) files and permanent (archival) files.

Temporary folders, which can reside either in a desktop file system, or in a nearby filing cabinet, include documents frequently in use such as:

• Action items requiring immediate or regular decisions
• Project items related to current tasks
• Reading items intended for immediate consumption

Permanent files should be kept separate from working files, either in a separate filing cabinet or in archival cardboard boxes in storage. When a project is finished, or a document is complete and no longer needed (i.e. old taxes), it’s time for permanent storage. /p>

Keep in mind that not all completed projects or documents need to be saved indefinitely, so assess what you have, purge what’s not needed and set up a retention schedule for documents you do keep, specifying how long each file should be stored.

Maintain the retention schedule separately from the archived files and synch it to your computer or paper calendar for a year-to-year review. Purging archival files after they’ve outlived their usefulness keeps your paperwork from growing into a mountain.

Love Your Labels

Good filing systems make effective use of labels. Be sure to use broad, generic headings that are meaningful to you and comprehensible to others if the filing system is shared. Think thick, not thin: files shouldn’t be subdivided to the point where it’s difficult to keep track of categories, (i.e. design your files to capture about two-inches of material, rather than say, two sheets of paper). Consider color coding your files if doing so makes sense to you.

The Art of Arrangement

Before labeling your files, decide on your organization strategy. Design your system, with headings and subheadings on paper, before you beginning labeling. Choices include:

• Alphabetically: great for client or customer name files.
• Subject: a good choice if you’re using subfolders.
• Numerically: excellent for dated material, such as purchase orders and bills.
• Chronologically: a good solution for back-up files that need to be set up by month.
• Tickler files: great for very detailed tasks, such as tracking bills, correspondence and reading materials. Set up tickler files by the day, month, and/or year.

To Cabinet or Not?

Not all filing systems need to be kept in a cabinet. Consider using a desk-top holder or wall file similar to a magazine rack to keep daily or to-do files close at hand.

One idea is to keep a desk-top folder with files that contain all the general categories in your larger filing cabinet, so you can keep documents at your finger tips before moving them into their corresponding category at the ends of each week or month. Not every item is easily filed so consider using boxes or bags to store unwieldy or oversized items. Cardboard or metal boxes can capture magazines or fabric samples, and keep tubes handy if you often need to store maps, prints or other oversized documents.

Finally, make it easy to add new files to your system. Keep labels and files on hand so you can quickly add a new file rather than starting a new pile!

How does your filing system work? If you make clever use of color-coding or unorthodox filing set-ups, please share your thoughts with us here by leaving a comment!

STUDENTS

Calculators – Printing, non-printing, pocket-size, or scientific, calculators in every shape, size, and price, continue to be among the best-selling of all back-to-school supplies.
Pens, pencils, highlighters, markers – A necessity for every student, every school, everywhere.
Pocket calendar – One of the most underrated items, a pocket calendar helps with everything from dating an assignment to planning a research paper.
Cell phones – While talking during class isn’t allowed, it’s a family necessity for schedule coordination.
Ruled notebooks – Get a different color for each subject. This year consider going green by buying those made of recycled paper.
Binders and pocket folders – For organizing miscellaneous handouts and papers.
Backpack – Big enough to hold various shapes and sizes, but not too large for the child.

COLLEGE STUDENTS

In addition to the above, popular items for the college-bound include:
Planner – Electronic or paper, this must-have helps keep projects, papers, and assignments on track.
Sturdy backpack or messenger bag – While a shoulder-style messenger bag keeps things neatly arranged, a sturdy backpack (or one on wheels) easily accommodates the heaviest textbooks.
Laptop – An everyday essential for class work, research, and communications.
Flash drive – For those times when you can leave the laptop at the dorm, conveniently carry your work in your pocket.

TEACHERS

Markers – Including fine-point, thick-point, and plain (non-toxic).
Colored chalk – Livens up the lesson and helps make an important point.
Index cards – Great for customized flash cards, teacher’s notes, and general organization.
Post-it notes – Handy labelers and reminders.
Color folders – Keeps classes, subjects and lesson plans together.
Tape – Both transparent and masking for multiple uses.

Get the school year off to the right start with the right stuff.

“When in the course of human events…we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

Eventually 56 delegates, including two future Presidents, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, would sign our Declaration of Independence. John Hancock, the most recognizable and flamboyant signature, was reported to have defiantly said, “The British ministry can read that name without spectacles, so let them double their reward!” The truth is much less dramatic. He was simply the first person to sign and there was plenty of room. The youngest signer, South Carolinian Edward Rutledge was only 27; the oldest, Benjamin Franklin, 70.

There were other, lesser-known but equally dauntless men who risked their fortunes and lives that day when they picked up the quill. Born in Northern Ireland, George Taylor emigrated to Pennsylvania in his early twenties. A working man, George had little interest in pursuing a political career after signing the Declaration, preferring his work as Ironmaster at a local furnace. Button Gwinnett was unsuccessful at both farming and business, yet this British transplant eagerly fought for American independence from his own homeland.

With the stroke of a commonplace quill pen, history was forever changed that steamy July day in Philadelphia.

For nearly a thousand years, the feather pen had been used to record the routine – daily merchant records, correspondence…and the remarkable-Shakespeare’s plays, the Dead Sea Scrolls, the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution.

While expensive quill pens were made from swan feathers, the goose feather pen was more common and likely the type used by our Founding Fathers. Interestingly, the feather from the left wing was preferred because it curved outward, away from a right-handed writer. Because of their delicate nature, the pens lasted only about a week. To sharpen it, the writer used a special knife – the pen knife.

The idea of creating a pen that contained its own ink had been sought for centuries. Although several patents were given to various types of fountain pens, it was insurance salesman, Lewis Waterman who developed the first practical pen with an internal ink chamber in 1884. He was tired of ink splotches ruining his insurance contracts. The birth of the ballpoint came in 1938 when a tiny ball bearing was fitted to the end of the pen so ink could easily roll on to the paper.

Today, we have stick pens, retractable pens, roller ball pens, gel pens, liquid ink pens, multicolored pens, refillable pens, and customizable pens, not to mention markers, highlighters, and more. Pens are so common we scarcely think about them, yet wars have been won, lost and averted with their stroke.

Next time you pick up an ordinary pen to sign your John Hancock, think about the extraordinary power it can wield.

According to recent research from a Professor from Marshall University, workplace humor can help people de-stress, but it can often be offensive. In fact, around 70% of people polled reported that workplace jokes they’d heard centered around making fun of co-workers based on factors like age, sexual orientation and even weight! Additionally, 40% admitted that they themselves had made fun of a co-worker’s age or weight. Other popular workplace joke topics included jokes based on accents, personal hygiene, and work behavior (like poor attendance, asking the wrong questions, or working too closely with the boss).

While there wasn’t a big difference between what men and women found offensive in office humor, women were more likely to be offended at remarks targeting their physical characteristics, such as weight, scars or cleavage.

Often, office jokes intended to be humorous weren’t received that way. When workers are offended or threatened by jokes, it’s time for the company to step in and curtail the situation, as it then becomes a liability and a problem for morale and productivity.

So what’s behind this delicate balance of offensive vs. funny office humor, and how can workers enjoy the stress-relieving benefits of humor and laughter without the damaging affects of offensive jokes? It seems that it’s not humor itself that’s the problem, but the use of humor to convey messages that are in and of themselves offensive. Here are some guidelines to remember when you’re telling jokes around the office:

Think of The Message: Ask yourself what the point, or underlying message, of your joke is. Are you using humor to say something that you wouldn’t say to someone without the joke attached?

Know Your Audience: If you’re teasing someone about a physical feature, a scar, for example, do you know them well enough to know if they are comfortable enough with that feature to be matter-of-fact about it, or would mention of it be hurtful?

Leave Serious Topics Alone: Don’t joke about topics that are controversial or painful to someone else, like death, physical disabilities, sexual harassment or racial inequalities (or race in general). Just don’t do it.

Be Careful of Politics: While a surprising number of people make political jokes, it’s very important to know your audience, and avoid making political jokes that would offend someone of a different ideology if they’re part of the group. Something that sounds hilarious when Jon Stewart says it might sound crass coming from someone else.

When In Doubt, Leave It Out: If you’re not sure how a joke will be received, it’s best not to tell it. Some people say that society is too “politically correct” or that people offended by certain jokes are “too sensitive”, but it’s about respecting the people around you. Nobody wants to be made the butt of jokes, and it’s best to joke about a neutral topic.

Emulate Seinfeld, Not The Office: Reruns of Seinfeld, or any of his stand-up routines, provide perfect examples of (mostly) inoffensive but hilarious comedy. Everyone can relate to these jokes because they generally target human nature, the quirks of society, and don’t single out groups based on features like race, sex or other features. Seinfeld makes us laugh at ourselves, and not at the expense of others. Steve Carell’s character on The Office, however, gives perfect examples of what not to do. From belittling people, to constantly adding sexual innuendo by saying, “That’s what she said!” to singling out people based on weight, sex, race and other offensive features, “Michael” is hilarious because he constantly does exactly what you shouldn’t do!

When dealing with people who use workplace humor offensively or aggressively, use assertive communication to stand up for yourself or others, or change the subject and joke about other (safer) topics. Your co-workers should appreciate it, and you’ll be creating a more friendly, comfortable (but still fun) work environment.

Check out this silly, but funny video demonstrating how employees can benefit from a little humor.

• Fit employees are less likely to get sick. A person who is physically fit is generally more resistant to the “bug going around” than a person who is not fit. Reduced absenteeism and reduced health care expenditures are the result of a fit employee base.
• Fit employees have more energy. One of the many benefits of regular exercise is increased and sustained energy throughout the day. This energy allows the employee to stay focused on the task at handing, bringing the best of themselves to each task.
• Fit employees have more self-confidence. A fit and healthy individual tends to have a high level of self-confidence, because they have proven to themselves that they can accomplish what it takes to obtain a level of physical fitness. This self-confidence empowers the employee to challenge themselves, and strive for higher levels of achievement in the workplace.
• Fit employees inspire confidence. A person who maintains a high fitness level, tends to be a person in whom others have confidence.
• Fit employees tend to take on more leadership roles. Because of the many positive benefits of a lifestyle, a fit individual tends to make a good leader
• Fit employees set and achieve goals. Extraordinary fitness often demands that an individual set and reach goals related to their fitness. Learning to stay true to your goals and see them through to completion is a skill that is naturally brought into the workplace. An employee with the proven ability to set aggressive goals, and then REALIZE those goals, is a valuable asset to any organization.
• Fit employees tend to have better attitudes. Fit employees generally “feel good”. They tend to have a physical and mental “balance” that results in a more positive attitude in the workplace.
• Fit employees are less stressed. Regular exercise releases the physical AND emotional tensions that life brings our way, thus a fit employee tends to have lower overall stress levels than an employee who does not engage in regular exercise.

A fit employee base presents excellent team-building opportunities. Team activities like softball or tennis are wonderful ways for employees to take their professional relationships to new levels, and discover new ways of working together. Obviously, employees that maintain a level of fitness are more likely to participate in these activities.

Encouraging fitness demonstrates a concern for employee’s well-being, and pays off! Employees NOTICE when an employer shows concern for the health and well-being of their employee base through a variety of wellness programs. Further, it has been shown that employee turnover is significantly lower among employees that take advantage of a wellness program implemented by their employer.

Mistake #1: Filing a Paper Return

Forget the pencil and paper. File online. Anthony Burke, a spokesperson at the IRS, says that not e-filing is the biggest mistake that taxpayers make. When you e-file, you can get your refund in half the time it takes a paper return. And you are less likely to make mistakes.

Last year, Burke said that of the 20 million paper returns the IRS had received, about a million had mistakes. Meanwhile, of the 44 million returns received electronically by that day, only about 30,000 had errors. That’s doesn’t sound great, but it sure does cut your risk that you will be among those with an error.

All taxpayers can e-file their taxes for free. Check out the IRS’s Free File program at www.IRS.gov/efile. You can also go to that Web site for a list of Web sites, software and tax professionals that offer e-file.

Mistake #2: Being careless

Among the most common mistakes that people make on their returns is filling in the wrong social security number and not signing the return. Other mistakes include incorrectly calculating the earned income tax credit, capital gains or losses or the taxable portion of social security benefits.

All of these are either an input error or a calculation mistake. Both of which, Burke says can be prevented by e-filing. If you enter the wrong social security number, the system rejects the filing. And since e-filing automatically crunches the numbers for you, your calculations will be on target.

These types of careless mistakes will definitely slow your refund.

Mistake #3: Underpaying

If you’re going to make a mistake, make it by overpaying what you owe the government. If you under estimate or miscalculate what you owe, the IRS will bill you for that amount plus a minimal penalty of 0.5 percent per month, plus interest. If you substantially understate your income tax, you could pay up to a 20 percent penalty.

If you find that you shorted Uncle Sam, don’t wait for the bill — file an amended return. Check out Form 1040-X on the IRS Web site.

Mistake #4: Skipping direct deposit

If you take the direct deposition option, you are likely to get your refund a full week earlier than if you have a check mailed to you, even if you file an electronic return.

Mistake #5: Fudging the truth

File an honest return. The IRS has an uncanny sense about these things and they are reluctant to say what on a return can trigger an audit. Suffice it to say, that if you’re honest about your facts and figures, you have nothing to fear from an audit. In fact, it can be a good thing.

Many times the IRS discovers deductions that were missed, resulting in an even bigger refund.