When setting Career Development goals, it’s important to clearly define your goals as well as the steps necessary to achieve each and every one. By taking the time to set effective career development goals, you can measure progress and track yourself getting closer and closer to the career you have envisioned for yourself. This will not only keep you motivated, it will also help you feel more self-confident along the way. The following are some tips for setting effective goals: 1.    Be positive. Frame your goal in light of something you want to obtain, rather than in terms of something you want to avoid. For example, set the goal of improving your writing skills in order to start a career as a blogger working from home as opposed to not getting stuck behind a desk at a dead-end job at a large corporation. 2.    Set realistic goals that you can achieve and that are in your own control. Make sure your abilities and skills are compatible with your long-term goals. 3.    Prioritize. Put your goals in order so that you know which ones to focus on first. This will help you concentrate on one task at a time and keep from feeling overwhelmed. 4.    Write your goals down and post them various places so that you will visually be reminded and motivated to achieve them. 5.    Be specific. One might say, "I want a better job." What does that mean? Is that a job in your current industry or a new profession? What steps must you take to achieve that goal? 6.    Tie an action to each goal. If your goal is to learn more about a chosen field, then the action tied to that goal might be to research online career courses, training opportunities, attending a career fair, shadowing a professional, etc. 7.    Break down your goals into smaller tasks. You will feel successful when you accomplish each task and then feel motivated to continue.   8.    Make your steps measurable. When you set a goal you must include a time frame for achieving your end goal. You should also specify timelines for each step along the way. For example you can determine "I want to have completed my first online course in 9 months and my internship in 18 months." 9.    Be reasonable.  Are your goals reachable within your time frame? Be reasonable - don't set yourself up to fail. 10.  Be flexible. Occasionally you will encounter obstacles to completing your goals. Don’t give up; just modify your goals accordingly. However, also recognize that if a goal stops being important to you, it is okay to cross that one off the list. This frees you to move on and pursue only the opportunities that are most important to you. Ed4Online has hundreds of great online courses to help you achieve your goals: Our Personal Enrichment Courses are 4 weeks long, instructor-led with open-enrollment. Our courses cover everything from Business to Teaching & Education, Healthcare to Legal --and everything in between. We have hundreds of Professional Development Courses to help you to improve your skills and get that great promotion! Professional development is essential to your career development. View our catalog today; you are sure to find a course that fits your needs! We also offer hundreds of Career Training Courses in a wide variety of fields; Business, IT, Medical and Healthcare. Improve your skills and success by taking one of our courses today. Many of our courses prepare students to sit for national certification exams in their field of study.  Sources: http://hrweb.berkeley.edu/learning/career-development/goal-setting/career-plan-vision http://careerplanning.about.com/od/settinggoals/a/goal_setting.htm         

Online education, also known as distance learning, consists of taking classes via the internet. More and more students are taking online classes because of the flexibility and convenience they provide. Students can login to their classes and complete assignments anywhere, any time of the day. Online education, when done right, is no easier than education provided in a brick and mortar building. However, to be a successful online learner requires a certain skill set. For some, these skills are innate. For others, they may need to be learned and practiced. Self-Motivation: In a classroom on-campus, teachers and classmates provide support and motivation to one another. While many online programs offer chat rooms and student support resources; it’s up to the individual student to sit down, focus and stay motivated to study and complete assignments on time. If self-motivation is not a skill that comes naturally to you, perhaps you should look for courses that offer more structure - such as blended, or more instructor-directed online courses. Successful online students are motivated, proactive, committed, determined and persistent. Self-Discipline: One of the key benefits of taking online courses is the flexibility to complete assignments on your own schedule. However, this type of learning requires tremendous discipline as most, if not all, of your study time will be independent. Students need to be organized and skilled at managing their time, prioritizing tasks and setting deadlines for their work.  If you suffer from procrastination or consider yourself somewhat disorganized, you will need to learn new habits to help you be most successful in your online course. Successful online students are disciplined, organized, focused, and able to create and stick to set schedules. Self-Reliance: As mentioned, online learning is also referred to as "Distance" learning. Although students may have virtual contact with mentors, instructors or other students, there will be much time spent alone online and this may wear on a student psychologically. If you know that you need group settings or a more social learning environment, look for courses that incorporate in-class group work and interaction.  You may also look for extracurricular groups or study groups to help foster that sense of human connection. Successful online students are independent, self-sufficient, and comfortable being alone during their course time. Ed4Online is committed to student success! We offer an online student center as well as career coaching resources to our collegiate-level career course students through our Student Services Department. We also have implemented a tutoring program for three of our most popular online education courses: Medical Terminology, Anatomy & Physiology and Pharmacy Calculations, with plans to offer online tutoring capabilities for an expanded range of courses in the future. Discover the Ed4Online difference today! Sources: http://www.comparetopschools.com/education-resources/priming-online-education.aspx?subid=twitter https://ed4online.com/blog/readying-yourself-online-education?utm_source=feedblitz&utm_medium=FeedBlitzRss&utm_campaign=FeedBlitzRss&utm_content=Readying+Yourself+for+Online+Education       

We all want to live full and productive lives, but sometimes, we just don't know where to begin. A Life Skills Coach is someone who helps people work through challenges and changes in their lives. The Life Skills Coach offers training of certain skills that help people handle problems and questions that commonly occur in daily life. For example, a client may need assistance with career direction and development, personal fulfillment or help after a life change such as divorce or job loss. The term "life skills" refers to skills that can help us live a better quality of life and help us reach our goals. A coach's job is to work with clients to enable them and help them find the answers to their problems themselves, to make decisions that will improve their lives. Perhaps after reading this you are reflecting on the need for the services of a Life Coach. Or, perhaps you are thinking that this might be the perfect career for you! Ed4Online offers training in the field, with Level 1 and Level 2 courses or a Complete Career Training Program that includes both of these courses along with supplemental training to provide you with extra training in the field. And, upon successful completion of our Life Skills Coaching Level 1 and Level 2 courses, students will be prepared to sit for the NCCB national certification exam to become a Certified Life Skills Coach (CLSC). Check us out today! Life Skills Coaching Level 1 Life Skills Coaching Level 2 Life Skill Coaching Professional Program         

Mental Health Technicians work with mentally, developmentally, or emotionally impaired individuals. A technician works under the supervision of a mental health care team including psychiatrists, psychologists, registered nurses, social workers, counselors and therapists, while also providing direct assistance to patients. Duties of the mental health technician may include assisting patients with personal grooming and participation in educational, recreational, and therapeutic activities. The mental health technician also may socialize, assist, and observe mentally ill patient behaviors and record patient’s conditions.   Mental Health Technicians may also help people reach goals established in a therapeutic plan for their care. This might involve working on goals in personal care, independent living, health care, and social, recreational and employment activities. There are a number of opportunities for specialization in this field. The mental health technician/aide may specialize in helping mentally disturbed children. Others may work in drug and alcohol abuse or crisis intervention. Another area of specialization is working in community mental health. If you are interested in exploring a career as a Mental Health Technician - we have the course or program for you!  Read more below to find out how Ed4Online can help you obtain the training you need to get started in this worthwhile career. Ed4Online Courses & Programs in the Mental Health Technician Field: Mental Health Technician Mental Health Technician Associate Program Mental Health Technician Specialist Program   Sources: http://healthcareers.sd.gov/documents/Career%20Fact%20Sheets/Mental%20Health%20Technician.pdf http://www.ehow.com/about_6303727_mental-health-technician-job-description.html http://www.flahec.org/hlthcareers/psychtec.htm http://work.chron.com/mental-health-technician-job-description-17448.html           

The impact we have on the environment and the awareness of the benefits of going green continue to grow - even small changes make a difference!   Implementing "green" into your home and workplace may be easier than you think. And implementing "green" into your career may be even easier! Ed4Online offers a wide variety of courses in the green industry; from becoming an Alternative Energy Specialist to exploring Green Interior Decorating, your next career step might just leave behind a green footprint! Here are a few easy ways to incorporate green practices into your daily life: When you are not using it; make sure it’s off. This goes for televisions, lights, radio, computers, and laptops. Reuse and recycle.  Check with your city to find out what items are recyclable and how to get them to the curb or pick up location.  Donate items instead of adding them to the landfill.  Many areas have some type of "free cycle" program to advertise items that you want to get rid of. Reduce paper waste.  Cancel your newspaper subscription and read the news online, share magazines with friends and neighbors or leave them in doctor’s offices for others to enjoy. Print on two sides of the paper at work and home. Sign up for paperless billing and pay your bills online. Conserve water.  Turn off the water whenever possible while brushing your teeth or washing dishes at the kitchen sink.  Oftentimes, we don’t realize how much water is going down the drain.  Adjust your thermostat.  Adjusting your thermostat by one or two degrees while you are home can have a huge impact both on your electric bill and on the environment.  Maintain your appliances.  Cleaning the coils under and behind your refrigerator, cleaning the lint trap of your dryer; all of these things help those units to run more efficiently, saving on electricity. Use reusable grocery bags and recycle the plastic bags you get from stores. Replace household cleaners and detergents with green cleaning products.  There are more and more options available and they are easier to find than ever. You can even make your own! If you are building or renovating your living space or your workspace, utilize green building principles wherever possible.  Use low VOC paints and furnishings.  Source and incorporate salvaged materials from other projects.  It’s a beautiful and cost-effective way to reduce your carbon footprint.  If renovating is out of the question, take steps to upgrade your home to be energy efficient; improve insulation, seal duct work, caulk around windows and doors to reduce air leaks. Replace your light bulbs with Light-emitting diodes (LEDs).  They are energy efficient, produce less heat and even last longer than other bulbs. Support Green Businesses - or maybe even start your own! Interested in working in a Green Career? Ed4Online offers many Green Industry courses; many of which prepare the student to sit for national certification exams in the field. Check out the sampling below and visit https://ed4online.com/course-list/green-energy to view the rest! Alternative Energy Specialist Green Interior Design Specialist Green Management Green Marketing Management LEED Green Associate Training Course Photovoltaic System Professional Renewable Energy Specialist Solar Water Heating Specialist Sustainability Professional Wind Energy Professional Ed4Online makes "going green" even easier!       

There are plenty of reasons to go green—landfill issues, greenhouse gases, concerns about air and water pollution, and damage to the ozone layer are just a few. Take a look at a few of the actual numbers and percentages below to get a feel for how even the smallest of changes can have a large impact on the environment. 1.5 acres: the amount of rainforest lost every second to land development and deforestation, with tremendous losses to habitat and biodiversity. 137: the number of plant, animal and insect species every single day due to rainforest deforestation. That comes to about 50,000 species a year! 3 trillion: the number of gallons of water the U.S. would save each year if every household invested in water-saving appliances. 86.6 million tons: the amount of material prevented from going to landfill or incineration thanks to recycling and composting in 2012. 17 trees: Recycling one ton of paper saves 17 trees, 7,000 gallons of water, 2 barrels of oil and 4100 kilowatt hours of energy - enough to power the average American home for six months. 113,204: the number, on average, of aluminum cans recycled each minute of each day. 95 percent: the amount of energy saved by using recycled aluminum scrap to make new aluminum cans. 1 pound per hour: the amount of carbon dioxide that is saved from entering the atmosphere for every kilowatt-hour of renewable energy produced. 35 percent: the amount of coal's energy that is actually converted to electricity in a coal-burning power plant. The other two-thirds is lost to heat. Remember, change begins with you. "The greatest threat to our planet is the belief that someone else will save it." Robert Swan As awareness continues to grow about the benefits of green energy; opportunities for a successful career in the Green Field will continue to grow as well. Ed4Online has many programs and courses designed for those interested in a Green Career. Many of our courses prepare the student for certification exams in the industry. Please check out our catalog here to learn more! Sources: Consumer Reports, Environmental Health Perspectives, Raintree Nutrition,Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and EPA Water and EPA Recycling,Worldwatch Institute, Energy Information Administration, Ready, Set, Green, Earth911.org, The Telegraph, Yahoo! News, TreeHugger         

Below are 3 career myths adapted from the Academic and Career Information Center at Kansas State University. MYTH #1 There is one perfect career for me. FACT: There may be several careers that appeal to you and that match your abilities, interests, and core values. MYTH #2 Choosing a career means deciding what I will do with the rest of my life. FACT: Most individuals can anticipate one or more career changes during their working lives. MYTH #3 I should choose a career based solely on what's currently "hot" in the job market. FACT: It is better to choose a major/career because you have a genuine interest and talent for it. While career assessment tests cannot tell you exactly what field you should choose, they can help you to learn more about yourself and how you can best tie your abilities and interests to possible career options. An interesting self-assessment tool is the My Next Move O*NET Interest Profiler, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor (there are many other free self-assessment tools online as well). Ed4Online also maintains a Career Inspiration Board on Pinterest - visit us there, click on a quote that appeals to you and have fun discovering the careers behind that image!       

We live in a world that is constantly developing and growing with new technologies, discoveries, and places to see. Because of this, it has become our human nature to want to experience everything and see for ourselves what the future has to bring. Realistically, many of us won’t. Many of us are afraid to leave this world one day and lose everything we have earned especially family and friends. But, we must come to the realization that life can bring unexpected situations that we may not be prepared for. However, what if we can be prepared? April 16 is National Healthcare Decisions Day that exist to inspire, educate, and empower the public and providers about the importance of advance care planning. If we are unable to speak for ourselves, then who speaks for us? Do our family members or healthcare providers know our wants and wishes? Advance care planning is the process of preparing and making decisions for any future health-related implications where we are unable to speak for ourselves. There are two main types of advanced directives, a healthcare power of attorney and living will. The healthcare power of attorney is the person delegated to speak on our behalf while the living will is the written document that states our wants and wishes. With these two directives, we can be prepared for the end of life situations.  "There may never be a good time, and certainly when you are being admitted to a facility, that’s the worst time to be thinking about these choices so just pick a day," said Chair, Nathan Kottkamp, of the National Healthcare Decisions Day. Advance care planning gives us control, relieves family members from guessing and making irrational decisions, and most importantly, we can acquire a piece of mind. Don’t let an unforeseen situation affect you negatively because you weren’t prepared. Open the conversation to family and friends, and start your advance care planning. Sources: http://www.nhdd.org/#welcome http://www.nhdd.org/public-resources#where-can-i-get-an-advance-directive http://www.caringinfo.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageid=3278 http://endlink.lurie.northwestern.edu/advance_care_planning/why.cfm       

Time management can be a problem for many students, and particularly so for online students. Let’s face it, it can be hard to stay motivated and get your work done when you aren’t surrounded by other students doing the same. Many online students are taking their courses online because of family and work commitments; juggling all those responsibilities can become overwhelming without a plan. For starters, you need to talk with your family and your employer and let them know how your online courses might affect your responsibilities at home or in the office (you’ll need help with chores, you won’t be able to stay late at work).  You’ll also need to be sure to set aside specific hours for your schoolwork each and every day.  Avoid distractions such as television, social media, as well as your phone and make sure that when you sit down to study that is the only thing you are doing. Here are some other time management and study tips that might be useful for online students. Tip 1: Log into Class Daily Logging into your class each and every day can help keep you on track and up-to-date on your coursework. It will also prevent you from missing assignment changes and news shared by your instructor or students online. Tip 2: Set Due Dates and Deadlines Maximize your study time by keeping track of deadlines and working backwards to ensure that the appropriate amount of work is being done in the weeks leading up to that deadline. Don’t wait until the day before an assignment is due to start working on it, in fact, give yourself some lead time and aim to have the assignment completed well before the actual due date. Create a list of steps that need to be done and check them off once they are completed. Tip 3: Maximize Every Possible Moment Online students balancing work, family and school commitments should take every possible opportunity to get ahead with their studies. While it’s possible to check in on your courses with your cell phone, investing in a laptop or tablet will give you more freedom and enable you to fill gaps in your time by working on assignments no matter where you are. You can make good use of time that would typically be lost, such as time during your morning commute on the train or bus, waiting in the carpool line or while waiting for an appointment at the doctor’s office. Tip 4: Prioritize your Coursework and Reward Yourself There will be many things vying for your attention. Make your online courses a priority as much as possible.  However, make sure to reward yourself for a task completed or a job well done by going out for a cup of coffee or running to the park with your children. If you are on top of your coursework, it’s okay to set aside some tasks to complete later. With diligence and a strict schedule, you will know if you have free time in your calendar for a little play time. Tip 5: Use Various Study Strategies Explore different study styles and optimize your learning when completing coursework. Because online courses typically only use your visual and auditory senses, find creative ways to engage the other senses of smell, touch and taste. Write your notes on colored, textured paper, have a candle next to you while reviewing for an exam. Mix up the locations where you study; outside, in a coffee shop, in different rooms of your home. Read your textbook out loud (if even to your cat) to help cement the knowledge more firmly in your memory. Tip 6: Don’t hesitate to ask for help Online course instructors are happy to help students when they need it! Don’t be afraid to contact your instructor as soon as you start feeling unsure about a lesson. And if you notice yourself falling behind in your course, let your instructor know immediately.  Follow the tips above and set yourself up for success from the start! Ed4Online understands the way adults want to learn and how they learn the best. Each of our courses are designed by top level curriculum designers, and structured in a user friendly and logical format.  Visit our website today and discover the Ed4Online difference!   Sources: http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/slideshows/10-time-management-mistakes-online-students-make/11BLOG - http://www.usnews.com/education/online-education/articles/2012/01/13/4-time-management-tips-for-online-students http://bestonlineuniversities.com/7-important-time-management-tips-for-o...       

Every organization and agency have goals to meet. Whether short-term or long-term, goals are essential in keeping employees and members of an organization encouraged and motivated. Apart from an organization’s overall goals, there is also training goals. Although training can be costly and time-consuming, it provides long-term benefits and having training goals can help you meet those benefits. These long-term benefits may include the decrease in employee turnover rate, overall growth and development, maintenance of permanent employees, and increase employee improvement and retention. When creating training goals, we always want to make sure that the goals are realistic and measurable. If we want the right training program, we must remember to be SMART. SMART is an easy and effective way to assist you in creating your training goals. S - Specific M - Measurable A - Attainable R - Realistic T - Timely Still not sure how to create your SMART training goal? Here’s a good example of a SMART goal: "Within a 3-week period, newly hired employees will learn and understand the safety and health issues and preventions in the workplace. Within 1 week of that period, I will create an online training course on the issues and preventions using Ed4HHS’s Learning Management System. After 3 weeks, employees will be able to prevent and report safety and health issues in our organization." Doesn’t that sound strong, specific, and achievable? Training goals provide employers and employees with a complete understanding on what the purpose of the training is. Now, it’s time to evaluate your training program. Does your training program have goals? If so, is it SMART goals?   Sources and Resources: http://topachievement.com/smart.html http://www.mindtools.com/page6.html       

There are plenty of great reasons to keep learning and the widespread availability of online courses means that adults can now explore any subject, anytime, and for the rest of their lives. Here are eight wonderful reasons why you should always keep learning: 1. Improve Your Self-Confidence Self-confidence can be influenced by two things; your trust in yourself as well as your level of competence, which comes from knowledge, experience and the skills that you possess. Taking an online course and learning new skills can provide a tremendous boost to your self-confidence. 2. Fight Boredom Staying challenged helps fight boredom. Take every opportunity to enrich yourself and learn something new; take a course, read voraciously, watch TED conferences online or attend webinars in your field of interest. 3. Keep Your Brain Healthy and Your Mind Sharp  A study conducted by the University of California at Irvine in 2010 revealed that learning keeps your brain functioning at a high level. The brain is a muscle; continue to keep it in shape by giving it new challenges and opportunities for learning and growth. According to Science Daily, mental facilities are best protected when they are used often and continued learning can slow the physical process of Alzheimer’s Disease. 4. Learn Practical Life Skills Besides the professional knowledge we acquire through school or work, it’s important that we learn practical skills such as handling our finances, improving our communication skills, as well as basic computer skills. Courses on these subjects and more are readily available online for students of any age! 5. Model Positive Behavior for Your Children Set a good example for your children by letting them see you work hard at self-improvement and continuing your education. Working alongside each other towards individual goals will increase the chances that you both will be successful! 6. Learn for Leisure Take a course in a subject you enjoy such as cooking, photography, beading or writing. You never know what other interests you might discover! 7. Sleep More Soundly  Just as when you exercise your body and it gets tired; when you exercise your mind, your mind gets tired. Give your mind a workout by studying a new subject! 8. Stay Healthy There are some not-so-obvious health benefits to learning. Becoming organized and practicing time management techniques can help reduce stress in your life. Learning the basics of nutrition may help you to make improvements your diet. Exploring health and fitness courses may inspire you to take better care of your body. You get the picture! The benefits of life-long learning are many. It’s been said that great people never stop learning. Won’t you be one of them? Ed4Online offers courses on a variety of subjects; for career growth, personal enrichment and professional development. View our complete catalog here: https://ed4online.com/.   Sources: http://www.pickthebrain.com/blog/10-reasons-to-keep-learning-once-youre-done-with-school/ http://thecollegeinvestor.com/8565/10-reasons-learning-college/ http://blog.online.colostate.edu/blog/value-of-education/top-8-reasons-to-keep-learning-david-letterman-style/           

Whether you are just entering the workforce, are currently employed or are in transition between jobs, you should be doing little things each day to help you grow as a professional. Whether it’s taking a class or simply reading a book, continuous learning is a great way to enhance your career opportunities. 1.  Grow in Your Career  It’s important to keep learning about your field even after you’re hired. Employees who show that they are eager to learn and who stay abreast of current trends and information in their career are more likely to receive promotions and/or raises. Online courses afford the opportunity of enrolling in certified programs that allow students to keep skills and knowledge up-to-date. 2.  Boost Yourself into a Higher Pay Bracket Employers want to see that you’ve taken the initiative to better yourself, as an individual and as a professional. Some employers offer pay incentives to employees who continue their education while employed. The initiative shown by signing up for courses in your field will put you ahead of the curve when it comes time for your employer to promote within the company.   3.  Develop a New Career We recently published a blog where we asked, "Is there one career for me?" No, the truth is that there are many careers that might appeal to you and that you might be suited for. If you find yourself in an unsatisfactory career, take steps to obtain the skills and training for a new one. You can take a single class, enroll in a comprehensive program and/or obtain certification in other fields. 4.  Keep Abreast of Technology If you’re not constantly learning new things about technology, you’re falling behind. You may miss out on social, business and technological opportunities simply because you didn’t keep up. By investing yourself as a continuous learner, you’ll be able to adapt better to new trends and technologies introduced to the workplace. Truly talented and successful people have a passion for learning. It’s worth joining them in this passion - for the betterment of yourself as well as your employment opportunities.  Ed4Online has courses and programs designed for the continuous learner.  Check out our course catalog today! https://ed4online.com/ Read more at: http://thecollegeinvestor.com/8565/10-reasons-learning-college/ http://blog.online.colostate.edu/blog/value-of-education/top-8-reasons-to-keep-learning-david-letterman-style/       

May is Mental Health Awareness Month.  According to the National Institute of Mental Health, each year over 60 million Americans experience some form of mental illness. That’s one in four adults!  Millions more are touched by mental illness in the lives of family, friends and loved ones.  Mental health awareness month serves to highlight the important issues: to improve access to treatment, to fight the stigma around mental health, to provide support, to educate the public and to advocate for equal care. Mental Health America is one organization that is working to raise awareness about mental illness and the importance of mental wellness for all. This year’s theme is B4Stage4 and will focus on how people can address their mental health early, rather than at "Stage 4" - when symptoms are more severe, and recovery a longer process. According to Mental Health America, these are the four stages of a mental health condition: Stage 1 Mild Symptoms and Warning Signs At Stage 1, a person begins to show symptoms of a mental health condition, but is still able to maintain the ability to function at home, work or school—although perhaps not as easily as before they started to show symptoms. Often there is a sense that something is "not right." Stage 2 Symptoms Increase in Frequency and Severity and Interfere with Life Activities and Roles At Stage 2, it usually becomes obvious that something is wrong.  A person’s symptoms may become stronger and last longer or new symptoms may start appearing on top of existing ones, creating something of a snowball effect. Performance at work or school will become more difficult, and a person may have trouble keeping up with family duties, social obligations or personal responsibilities. Stage 3 Symptoms Worsen with Relapsing and Recurring Episodes Accompanied by Serious Disruption in Life Activities and Roles At Stage 3, symptoms have continued to increase in severity, and many symptoms are often taking place at the same time. A person may feel as though they are losing control of their life and the ability to fill their roles at home, work or school. Stage 4 Symptoms are Persistent and Severe and Have Jeopardized One's Life By Stage 4, the combination of extreme, prolonged and persistent symptoms and impairment often results in development of other health conditions and has the potential to turn into a crisis event like unemployment, hospitalization, homelessness or even incarceration. In the worst cases, untreated mental illnesses can lead to loss of life an average of 25 years early. Credit: http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/b4stage4-changing-way-we-think-about-mental-health To learn more, visit http://www.nimh.nih.gov/ and http://www.mentalhealthamerica.net/ Ed4Online is proud to offer an extensive catalog of courses for individuals interested in learning more about behavioral health and for those who want to work as a direct support professional. Please visit our website here to learn more: http://ed4hhs.com/       

Are you planning on taking vacation time this summer? If not, you will be among the 75% of Americans who fail to take all the paid vacation they are due each year. In a poll of 2,300 workers who get paid vacation, the career website Glassdoor found that only 25% of workers said they use all their paid days each year and 61% said that they continue to work even while they’re on vacation. "Rest, relaxation, and stress reduction are very important for people's well-being and health. This can be accomplished through daily activities, such as exercise and meditation, but vacation is an important part of this as well," said primary care physician Natasha Withers from One Medical Group in New York. Here are seven ways vacation can be beneficial for you: Better physical health - The stress of working can take a serious toll on your heart.  The American Psychological Association has documented several potentially stress-induced health threats, including increased cardiovascular risks. Improved mental health - U.S. News and World Report reported that experts feel that one of the main benefits of vacation time is that it can improve your mental health. Feelings of calm arise and relieve the stress, allowing the body and mind to heal. More productivity - Upon returning from vacation, employees are often refreshed and better able to catch up on work they may have missed, according to The New York Times. Prevent/Cure burn out - According to PBS, employees nearing burnout have depleted their cognitive, physical and emotional resources. Vacations can help prevent or even cure burnout, which is the last state of chronic stress. Increased mental power - Everyone needs time to rest their minds. Research by the University of California Irvine’s Gregory Hickok found that our brains don’t have a reserve pool to gather energy and power from. Therefore, it's important to give your mind a break! Gain newer perspectives - CNN reported that when you take a break and step away from the problems and stresses you’re facing, you are bound to gain a new perspective. Perhaps you will come back from vacation with answers to issues that have been plaguing you. Build relationships - Vacations promote bonding among family and friends; we can often look back at vacations with great fondness and warmth because of shared moments with loved ones. Even memories of the mishaps can bring laughter in future years! It’s important that we slow down our pace in order to lead healthier lifestyles, including rest and relaxation for stress reduction as well as making time for the enjoyment of family and friends. Source:  http://national.deseretnews.com/article/2169/7-benefits-of-taking-vacation-time.html#RCbLCsvrlcAh9GRf.99         

Memorial Day, an American holiday observed on the last Monday of May and originally called Decoration Day, is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service of the United States of America. Many Americans observe Memorial Day by visiting cemeteries or memorials, holding family gatherings and participating in parades. Unofficially, it also marks the beginning of summer. Decoration Day On May 5, 1862, General John A. Logan, leader of an organization for Northern Civil War veterans, called for a nationwide day of remembrance later that month.  "The 30th of May, 1868, is designated for the purpose of strewing with flowers, or otherwise decorating the graves of comrades who died in defense of their country during the late rebellion, and whose bodies now lie in almost every city, village and hamlet churchyard in the land," he proclaimed. The date of Decoration Day, as he called it, was chosen because it wasn’t the anniversary of any particular battle. For decades, Memorial Day continued to be observed on May 30, the date Logan had selected for the first Decoration Day. But in 1968 Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees; the change went into effect in 1971. Red Poppies In 1915, inspired by the poem "In Flanders Fields," Moina Michael replied with her own poem: We cherish too, the Poppy red That grows on fields where valor led, It seems to signal to the skies That blood of heroes never dies. She then came up with the idea to wear red poppies on Memorial Day in honor of those who died serving the nation during war. She was the first to wear one, and sold poppies to her friends and co-workers and donated the money to benefit servicemen in need.  Shortly before Memorial Day in 1922 the VFW became the first veterans’ organization to nationally sell poppies. Two years later their "Buddy" Poppy program was selling artificial poppies made by disabled veterans. In1948 the US Post Office honored Ms. Michael for her role in founding the National Poppy movement by issuing a red 3 cent postage stamp with her likeness on it. National Moment of Remembrance The "National Moment of Remembrance" resolution was passed on Dec 2000 which asks that on Memorial Day, at 3 p.m. local time, for all Americans "To voluntarily and informally observe in their own way a Moment of remembrance and respect, pausing from whatever they are doing for a moment of silence or listening to ‘Taps." Final Thoughts In a recent CNN commentary about Memorial Day, Retired Army Staff Sgt. Luke Murphy lamented that many American’s seem to have lost sight of the real reason for Memorial Day celebration. He commented, "If they [non-family members and non-veterans] really wanted to show respect for veterans, and the price they paid, they'd attend a service to hear somebody speak. If they felt moved, maybe they'd go to a website like Homes for Our Troops and make a donation. Or find a nonprofit that takes care of the fallen service members' families, like Gold Star organizations." He also commented, "Memorial Day is supposed to remind Americans what other people have sacrificed for them." Let's make sure that we remember - this Memorial Day and every day.   Sources and additional information: Retired Army Staff Sgt. Luke Murphy served two tours with the 101st Airborne Division's 187th Infantry Regiment. He was catastrophically wounded in 2006, when a roadside bomb blast resulted in the amputation of his right leg. He is the author of "Blasted by Adversity: the Making of a Wounded Warrior." Find him at LukeMurphy101.com. http://www.usmemorialday.org/?page_id=2 http://www.history.com/topics/holidays/memorial-day-history         

Between family and work obligations, many of us make that same excuse that we don’t have time to be and stay healthy because we are just too busy, overworked or overstressed. With such a busy lifestyle, we don’t realize how damaging this lifestyle can be to our long-term health. Finding time for ourselves or even just to relax is now seen as a luxury that many of us can’t afford to get. Life can be hectic, and being able to find time to be healthy is important for children, teens, adults, and elders. We need to start taking control of our unhealthy lifestyles and start discovering a new and healthier lifestyle. We know that it is easier said than done! But, with complete planning and preparation, we can achieve a safer and healthier lifestyle. With some guidance and support, this goal is within your reach. Here are four simple steps to get you started. 1. Get enough sleep: Despite the unexpected surprises that we may meet, for the most part, we have a set schedule each day. With that in mind, plan accordingly, so that you are able to get enough sleep to prepare you for the next day. Getting enough sleep benefits your mental, emotional, and physical health. Do you know how much hours of sleep you should be getting each day? Sleeping hours by ages 2. Physical activity: It’s surprising how easy it is to encompass exercise into your busy schedule once you know what to do. The routines and tasks you do every day can turn into an exercise each day. Taking the stairs or even doing hand and wrist stretches while at your desk are just two ways. But, here are some fun and effective ways for you to get physical at work, school, and even at home on that busy schedule.    3. Replace unhealthy meals with fruits and vegetables: We know that it is much quicker to grab a fast food meal or a quick snack than cutting up fruits and vegetables or even preparing a healthy smoothie. However, if you are able to plan and prepare ahead such as preparing fruits and vegetables on the weekends for during week is a great way to avoid eating unhealthy. The biggest advantage is that fruits and vegetables boost your metabolism rate so that you are able to burn more calories and keep up with that busy schedule. 4. Stay hydrated: Instead of grabbing a soda, grab a bottle of water. Because more than half of our body is made up of water, we need to stay hydrated to keep it functioning properly and effectively. Try carrying a bottle of water each day or even keeping one at your desk. You won’t believe the difference it can have on your life especially in weight loss, digestion, fatigue, and your overall health. Don’t let your busy schedule take control of you! Start taking control of your lifestyle. Once you are able to put that into your routine and schedule, it will become a part of it.  Sources: http://greatist.com/health/health-benefits-water http://www.savoryliving.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Page.ViewPage&pageId=580 http://greatist.com/fitness/deskercise-33-ways-exercise-work http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/02/how-much-sleep-durations-changes_n_6581628.html       

This month we kick off a series of "Staff Profiles" - introducing you, our reader, to the talent behind Ed4Online.  We could think of no better way to start this series than to start with the founders of this company, Dr. Rusty Barrier and Dr. Tricia Seymour.  Below is an excerpt from "A Letter from the Founders of Ed4Online", written by Dr. Barrier and Dr. Seymour. "We believe in the power of education and specifically online education to challenge us and help us grow. We both have PhDs in counseling psychology and understand the need for lifelong learning. We see the best in people and hope that they will always want to grow in both wisdom and knowledge. We started our journeys in private practice as psychotherapists but quickly realized the need for ongoing education to improve one’s chances for a happy, healthy, and successful future. We both entered the education industry as a way to support our desire to assist people in their growth and to attain their goals in life. Since the early 1980s, before online education was available, we taught in secondary education, at the college level, and in corporations leading people to a better understanding of themselves and the world around them. We were both early adopters of technology, incorporating it into our lives as soon as it was available to individuals in their homes and offices and as soon as online education became accessible we embraced the technology of education. By the year 2000, we quickly understood the value of the internet to provide equal opportunities to quality education for people all over. We saw that you could be in the military stationed in a foreign country and still be able to complete your college degree or be a psychotherapist in a rural setting and still access the latest ongoing continuing education. We also saw the need for continuity in the learning approach for the adult learner. This journey led us to create Ed4Online. We were able to combine our love of education, technology, and psychology to develop online education that makes sense to the adult learner.  Our hope is that we all continue to learn and grow to both better ourselves and the world around us. Come and join us in this educational revolution!" Ed4Online has assembled a top-notch team of individuals dedicated to providing the highest quality online learning experience to students everywhere. We hope you enjoy "meeting us" over the upcoming months as much as we enjoy getting to know you, our students and readers, through classes and correspondence. Read more: https://ed4online.com/letter-ed4online-founders       

What is Trending, Fading and on the Horizon for Campus Technology? At universities across the globe, technology marches on.  According to an article written by Matt Zalaznick earlier this year and published in University Business, here is an overview of what is trending in campus technology: Trending Alternative reality games in the classroom: Using the real world as a platform and delivering a story that may be altered by players' ideas or actions. AppleTV for wireless projection in the classroom. Apps that forecast GPAs, or that locate specific snacks in specific vending machines, as well as provide interactive maps of your campus. Artificial intelligence, both in digital learning software and research. Personalized learning:  Educational programs, experiences and instruction intended to address the distinct learning needs, interests, or cultural backgrounds of individual students.  Fading Computer labs: Labs are becoming obsolete as students bring powerful laptops and tablets to campus. Paper: Storing and managing information becomes IT’s responsibility as departments increasingly go paperless. On-campus data storage: Thanks to the cloud, campuses are exploring other, more cost-effective, storage options.   What’s on the Horizon? The 2015 Technology Outlook report, from Open Universities Australia and the not-for-profit New Media Consortium, says that big data, augmented reality, wearable devices and cloud-based apps are among the revolutionary developments that universities are expected to adopt. Here’s their projected timeline: A year away or less Bring your own device (BYOD): Already implemented at some universities, BYOD allows students to work with technology they are already familiar with. Cloud computing: Much cheaper and more flexible for universities than using traditional data centres. With cloud computing, multiple users can access a single server to retrieve and update their data. Flipped classroom: Students learn the key material outside of the classroom through online lectures, videos, online discussions, podcasts, and e-books. Class time is spent in discussion, working together, delving deeper into topics and putting learning into practice. Learning analytics: Using "big data" techniques to analyse students' progress in learning, to identify those who are struggling and improve the course for future students. Nicole Engelbert, Director of Industries Research and Analysis for Ovum IT states that learning analytics can provide a time "where we finally exploit technology for the betterment of teaching and learning, as opposed to just using technology to recreate what happens in a traditional class." Continual refinement of online learning: Higher education should see a wave of online learning advancements, including more rigorous curriculum development, and expanded use of social networking and collaborative tools. Two to three years away Mobile learning: Using mobile devices with education apps allows teaching and learning to extend to spaces beyond the traditional classroom. Students can learn anywhere, anytime. Wearable technology: New devices such as the iWatch and virtual reality goggles are expected to be incorporated into online learning technologies. Open licensing: Increased use of open licensing so that learning materials are easily shared and more accessible. Open programs provide a simple, cost-effective way to acquire the latest information and technology. Badges: Recognizing smaller units of learning with "badges" that certify a student's achievement. Four to five years away Adaptive learning: Online learning platforms which continually respond and adapt to the unique needs of each learner. Augmented reality:  Computer-generated sensory input such as sound, video, and graphics are blended with real world environment in an easy to comprehend format for students. Quantified self: The movement to amass large quantities of information about one's everyday life is likely to be adapted to education. Telepresence: Refers to a set of technologies which allow a person to feel as if they were present, to give the appearance of being present. Teleconferencing offering the illusion that remote users are present, allows body language to be seen and interpreted. What does that mean for universities? It means that they must boost the power of their networks.  "We are finding internet connections being placed into many, many different things," says Theresa Rowe, CIO at Oakland University in Michigan and leader of Educause’s CIO Constituent Group. "If everything a student carries comes with something that expects to connect, that means our network has to grow." Sources: http://www.universitybusiness.com/article/outlook-technology-tech-renaissance http://afr.com/technology/apps/education/in-five-years-time-you-wont-recognise-the-university-20150528-ghb734         

The most common place for pain to occur in the body is in the head. Two such pains are known as headaches and migraines. Headaches and migraines are a misery and often affects our daily life and tasks such as our job and family responsibilities. They arise from pain triggered in the head or upper neck of the body which affects the tissues surrounding the brain. Some can be severe, but it is very rare that headaches or migraines are caused by something serious. There are many types of headaches that fall into two categories. The first category is "Primary," and the second category is "Secondary." Pretty straightforward right? The primary category includes headaches such as migraines, tension-types, and clusters. The secondary category includes headaches that are caused by infection, diseases, injuries, or medications.  As much as we want one to be, there is no permanent cure for headaches. As we celebrate National Headache Awareness Week, it is important to keep track of headaches and learn the different ways to prevent them. Prevention starts with a proper evaluation of your headache. How strong is the pain? Can you still work with the pain? What type of pain is it? And, what is causing the pain? If you are able to answer these questions, you are able to better track your headaches. •    Keep a headache diary: Track and report all your headaches along with the symptoms that you are having. You may also include the time of a day and notes. •    Try Acupuncture: Acupuncture may also be another way to prevent and treat primary headaches. Acupuncture helps reduce the effects of migraines, but only if you are comfortable with needles on your face. •    Get a Massage: Like acupuncture, massage helps relieve stress and reduces the pain of headaches in the brain and neck. •    Sleep: Proper sleep with the right amount of time helps prevent headaches. Without enough sleep, the body gets tired quickly and easily. Wearisome and tiredness are common triggers of headaches and migraines. •    Drink water and eat healthily: Keeping hydrated and never skipping meals lowers the risks of getting headaches. Stay consistent in your regular routine and write in your headache diary. If headaches or symptoms get worst, please call or visit your doctor. A life without headaches may be farfetched, but we can definitely take steps to lower the risks and prevent headaches. Continue celebrating National Headache Awareness Week, and learn more about headaches and prevention.   Sources: http://www.headaches.org/ http://www.everydayhealth.com/headache-migraine/headache-prevention.aspx       

Over the next few months, we would like to shine a spotlight on all the hard working staff behind Ed4Online. This week, we'd like to introduce our Director of Student Services, Allison Mack. Allison has been with Ed4online for nearly three years beginning as the company’s first registrar. She was instrumental in the development of the Student Services department and has experience in a variety of positions including student support, textbooks and student resources. As Director of Student Services, Allison oversees all departments that support Ed4Online’s student and faculty in the classroom. This includes the enrollment process, student & faculty support, textbook support, career coaching and financial responsibilities. Allison graduated with a Sociology degree from Northern Michigan University. She enjoys working with people and helping them achieve goals & succeed in their accomplishments. Allison and her husband, Joe, have been married 18 years and have 2 sons. The oldest will start high school in the fall and the youngest will be in 7th grade. She enjoys exercising, cooking, traveling and sports. At Ed4Online, we recognize that it takes a lot of talented people to run a successful organization and we are proud to have Allison as a member of the Ed4Online team!          

There is a huge selection of websites and apps for students to choose from and some can actually be quite helpful for keeping a student organized and on task.  Below are ten apps and websites that we think are fun and useful! 1. Any.do Winner of Apple's Intuitive Touch Award and Android's Best App of 2012, Any.do allows you to make and review a checklist of daily tasks and then sends you reminders when those tasks need to be accomplished. 2. College Tips College Tips is an online college survival guide for college students that contains advice, resources and tips for surviving college written by college students themselves. 3. Flvto With Flvto, students are afforded an easy way to listen to video presentations on the go, even when they don’t have Wi-Fi access.  4. Ice Cream Apps Ice Cream Apps provides students the software to take care of tasks like capturing screenshots, converting video formats, making slideshows and all kinds of things that a college students’ coursework may require. 5.  IFTTT IFTTT (If This, Then That) acts a personal, virtual "assistant" that allows you to create "recipes" (Do and If) for your smartphone.  "DO" Recipes run with just a tap and enable you to create your own personalized Button, Camera, and Notepad. For example, you can turn on or off your lights with a tap of a button! "IF" Recipes run automatically in the background. Create powerful connections with one simple statement — if this then that. For example "if I post a picture on Instagram, download it to Dropbox". 6. Mint Mint helps you get financially organized. 7. OpenStudy The OpenStudy community is full of people just like you. Use OpenStudy to meet other like minded college students to study along with.  Have a question on a topic? Get an explanation from someone fast. 8.  Freedom It’s just so easy to get distracted by interesting news and articles when you’re supposed to be studying. Turn Freedom on, tell Freedom how long you'd like to focus, and you're offline and able to work. But don’t worry - if you need to cheat and get back online, you can simply reboot. 9. Slack Slack is "on a mission to make your working life simpler, more pleasant and more productive."  The website integrates with DropBox, and can be used by study groups and project partners with open, efficient communication. 10. Study Blue StudyBlue is a collaborative learning ecosystem that empowers learners to master any subject. Students can connect with others through a shared library of more than 250+ million pieces of user-generated content. With Study Blue, college students can use the convenient service to make flashcards that help them create notes online as well as create formal study guides without going through piles of text. Do you have any great apps or websites you’d like to share? If so, please post them in the comments section below!   Sources: http://www.lifehack.org/articles/technology/21-most-useful-websites-every-college-student-needs-know.html https://www.tkc.edu/news/10-free-apps-and-websites-make-college-life-easier http://www.buzzfeed.com/microsoftskydrive/websites-to-help-you-survive-c...            

Continuing with our Ed4Online Staff Spotlight series, this week we are pleased to introduce Erin Fouse. Erin is the Director of Partner Services for Ed4Online where she has been working for the past two years. Erin has a Masters Degree in the Science of Psychology and has also earned a BS in Psychology and BA in Elementary Education from SUNY Potsdam. Erin has spent the past 20 years working in the field of education, 15 of those years as a teacher at various levels. Since leaving the public school system, Erin has moved to working in the adult education arena, assisting Military Spouses, WIA Candidates, Veterans and the general public with working on vocational rehabilitation and earning professional and national certifications through Ed4Online’s online education programs.  Erin is a former military spouse whose husband retired from the US Army after 23 years of service. They have four daughters who range from college age to middle school. Erin enjoys reading and spending time with her family.  At Ed4Online, we recognize that our success is due in large part to the hard work and efforts of our talented staff. We are proud to have Erin as a member of the Ed4Online team!           

It's important to think good, speak good, and do good. If we want to see positive change in the world, then we need to connect to goodness. Shari Arison From donating your time, money or gently used household items to various charities and organizations, to giving blood and plasma through the American Red Cross, there are many great ways to give. "Doing good" benefits your long-term health and happiness while helping others - a win-win situation if we’ve ever heard of one! We’ve scouted out a few suggestions that make it easier to contribute to great causes, right from your laptop. We’d love to hear your favorites as well! iGive There are plenty of portals where you can start your online shopping, but iGive gives a percentage of your purchase at over 1,000 stores to the charity of your choice (an average of 3% donated). A browser add-on automatically activates iGive when you're at a participating store and also shows you coupons and offers for the store. The site boasts that with 350,000+ shoppers since 1997, $7 million has been sent to 35,000+ causes. Google’s One Today You can also use Google's One Today app on Android or iOS whenever you're feeling generous and give just $1 to the charity of the day. Kiva enables you to give a loan (as little as $25) to a small business in developing countries. The site allows you to read through hundreds of borrower stories of people looking for loans to grow businesses, go to school, switch to clean energy and more. Once you make the decision to give a loan, you'll get progress reports on the project. While there is a risk you won't get repaid, 98% of Kiva loans have been repaid.  When borrowers repay, you can use that money to empower another person by supporting a new loan, choose to donate the money to Kiva or withdraw it. AmazonSmile If you're going to shop at Amazon anyway, why not have part of your purchase automatically go to charity? That's what Amazon's program AmazonSmile does. Just head to the site every time you shop Amazon and it's just like shopping on Amazon, except better—0.5% of your purchase goes to the charity of your choice. Goodsearch is an online shopping mall that donates a percent of your purchase price to your cause when you shop at one of 3,000+ partner stores including top retailers like Amazon (1.5% donation), Expedia (up to 5% donation), and Staples (2.5% donation). You can also find 25,000+ active discounts and money-saving coupons so you can save money and give back at the same time! The site reports $11,810,028 raised for causes so far! Survey Monkey has a member site where people can sign up to take surveys for charities. Once you sign up and complete your profile, you will get invited to take surveys and every time you finish a survey, $0.50 gets donated to whichever charity you pick from the list of charity partners.   (Ed4Online has not received any compensation for mentioning any of the above charities or organizations in this blog and is not affiliated with any of the charities or organizations with the exception that we do proudly support Kiva as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility program. It is up to the discretion of any individual and/or organization to determine if any of the above-mentioned websites are of interest or use). Sources: http://lifehacker.com/top-10-effortless-ways-to-support-a-good-cause-1663783823 http://lifehacker.com/how-can-i-contribute-to-charities-without-donating-mone-1450001098 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dylan-nord/10-charity-apps-that-support-charity_b_3188736.html          

This week, we continue our series of "Staff Profiles" introducing you to the tremendous talent behind Ed4Online. It is with great pleasure that we introduce you to Marissa Wilson. Marissa is a Curriculum Designer with Ed4Online and in August she will celebrate her one-year anniversary with the company! Marissa holds a Master’s degree in Early Childhood Education and hopes to get her certification in Instructional Design within the next year. In her downtime, she enjoys traveling, swimming, photography and learning about new topics. Marissa currently resides in St. Petersburg, FL. Marissa's favorite quote is: "What lies behind you and what lies in front of you pales in comparison to what lies inside you" by Ralph Waldo Emerson.  Please join us in recognizing Marissa as a key player on the Ed4Online team!