International Stress From Alice Muir, and 'Web is the Word' :
Best wishes to all for a happy, healthy and peaceful 2012.
Web is the Word
Alice Muir December 2011
Children and stress
It feels somewhat ironic to be thinking about how the web can be of benefit to children who are stressed, when one of the most potent sources of stress for a child can be the internet itself. We’re all too aware of ‘cyber bullying’ at the one end of the spectrum, peer pressure at the other, and everything else in between, all of which can make a child’s life a misery from which they simply can’t escape. Social networking sites can provide companionship and immediacy in a way no other medium can, but they can have serious drawbacks too.
Thankfully, as a counter balance to its own negative aspects, the web provides a very rich supply of support and guidance for stressed children and young people aged 18 and under, and for the adults who care for them too. Now is a particularly useful time to get yourself up to speed on this subject, with the 2012 exam season not too far round the corner.
Here is just a small selection of the quality sites and services available. If you just type in ‘children and stress’ into any search engine, you’ll find lots more good stuff. You’ll also find some links on the ISMAUK website.
www.kidscape.org.uk
§ Kidscape is a charity focussing on keeping children safe, set up in 1985.
§ Helpline for parents of bullied children, and lots of information and downloads for children and parents.
§ Kidscape is currently offering a new FREE 3 hour Bullying Intervention Training programme (B.I.T.) for schools and other professionals. Funded by the Department for Education, this will allow participants to facilitate a half day workshop with 10 young people aged 13-16.
§ Simple, short, but effective website created by a child psychotherapist and a stress management consultant working in the UK.
§ Basic and easy to digest help for children and for adults who want to be a good role model for the children in their care.
§ Winner of the 2011 Charity Award for ‘Advice, Support and Advocacy’.
§ Set up in 1994 in response to the extent and depth of children’s emotional and behavioural difficulties while in school.
§ The Place2Be is a school-based counselling service, active in nearly 200 UK schools.
§ Aims to improve the emotional well-being of children, and their families.
www.pubs.ext.vt.edu
§ From the home page given here, click on child development.
§ Broad-based educational site from Virginia State University, but has a vast amount of information on all subjects, including child stress, child bullying, adolescent stress and depression, ADHD, and how to talk to children.
§ Founded in Atlanta by Lore Lite, in response to her children’s and her own stress.
§ Resources, stress management tips, lesson plans for teachers and parents, blog and newsletter, information about stress and anger associated with autism.
§ Numerous articles such as, ‘Bully proof your child’, ‘Breathing Teen Stress Away’, and ‘7 steps to managing yourself when your child melts down’.
§ Collaboration of NHS, University of Dundee, Barnardo’s and others. Excellent resource for promoting children and young people’s emotional well-being
§ Toolkits for helping children flourish, including building resilience and confidence, and for troubling behaviour such as anxiety, self-harm, school refusal, difficult life events.
§ Ireland’s national centre for children and young people’s mental health.
§ A registered charity, set up four years ago when suicide had become the major cause of death in young people in Ireland, and 1 in 4 were finding life difficult emotionally.
§ High-quality resources for general use, and broad ranging academic research updates for professionals.
www.childline.co.uk
§ Information and resources, and a chance to share and seek help, for children and young people themselves.
§ Covers vast range of topics such as cyber bullying, racism, exam stress, homework stress, self-harm.
§ Also provides games for children to play.
- Please contact me with details of any on-line feature which may be of interest, at ‘Alice Muir Training’, on alice_muir@btinternet.com, www.stresstrain.co.uk, or Tel 07904 492 217, or follow me on www.twitter.com/alicemuir
Alice Muir.
Chartered Psychologist.
........>>>>>..........>>>>>........>>>>>
Web is the Word
August 2011
Alice Muir
The secrets of marketing both on-line and off
When money is tight in the economy, training and consultancy budgets are often an easy target for cuts. Likewise, though personal stress and tension may well increase in this financial climate, finding the money to pay for a stress adviser, can be one stressor too many to cope with.
So for members of ISMA, I thought a useful focus for this month’s Web is the Word would be how to market and promote yourself and your business to best advantage. And with our own personal budgets tightening, what better than the abundance of first-rate free advice and information provided by the world wide net.
Here is a list of good quality sites, all with lots to offer. There are articles, lists of tips, detailed information, slide shows and videos, whichever is your preferred medium. And there is surely something for everyone, from the latest e-mail and on-line marketing tips, to cheap off-line marketing ideas, to getting the most out of your trade fair, brochure or catalogue, to the secrets of driving more traffic to your blog or website.
If at first you don’t succeed….
You’ll find many exact web page details here, but these things can change quickly, especially with the delay between my writing this, and it reaching you. So….if you can’t find the exact page with the details here, just use the drop-down menus or the search function on the main site to find what you’re looking for. I’ve divided the addresses into groups for ease of digestion, but site content does overlap in many cases.
General marketing tips
www.articlesbase.com/advertising-articles
www.newbusiness.co.uk/articles/marketing-advice/
www.smalltownmarketing.com/howto.html
www.businessownersideacafe.com/business/marketing.php
www.how-to-start-a-business.co.uk/market_a_business.htm
How to promote your website
www.smallbusinesscomputing.com/emarketing/article.php
How blogging can increase business
http://kabonfootprints.net/blogging-for-dollars-business-tip-for-new-entrepreneurs/
How to use Twitter to advantage
www.Mybusinessmarketingmentor.com/how-marketing-twitter
What Facebook can do for you
www.brandandmarket.com/how-to-use-facebook-for-marketing-your-business
How to promote your business on line
www.gaebler.com/simon-slade-social-marketing-tips.htm
www.entrepreneur.com/ebusiness/howtoguides
www.sooperarticles.com/business-articles/marketing-articles
- Let me know about any website or on-line feature which might be of interest to other members.
- You can contact me at Alice Muir Training, on alice_muir@btinternet.com, www.stresstrain.co.uk, or Tel 07904 492 217, or follow me on www.twitter.com/alicemuir
Alice Muir Chartered Psychologist.
........................................................
Web is the Word.
May 2011
Alice Muir
Workplace stress on the up?
A new survey by the Trade Union Coordinating Group, which comprises some ten unions and represents almost 1 million people, has concluded that stress levels in the workplace have become worse in the last year. NEBOSH (The National Examination Board in Occupational Safety and Health) has also just reported that only one in five people have been given any information, guidance or training at work on ways to avoid stress. Just one in five!
With these worrying statistics in mind, I’ve had a trawl around websites currently offering on-line or downloadable information on workplace stress for you to use as a resource. There are hundreds of sites dealing with stress these days, which makes tracking down the good ones trickier than it used to be. Even within reputable sites, it can be quite demanding seeking out the best pages they have on offer.
Of course, your first source of quality information along with good jumping off points is our own website, but the internet is a rapidly transforming and ever shifting landscape, so here is a hot off the press selection of sites for you to check out:
www.health4work.nhs.uk/stress_at_work/question_1
§ This site provides first-rate information.
§ There is also a FREE 'Health for work advice line for small businesses' to help employers provide speedy support to staff with mental (or physical) health concerns.
§ Employers facing stress issues can talk to a professional advisor, free of charge and in confidence.
nhs.uk/livewell/workplacehealth/pages/beatingworkstress.aspx
§ Lots and lots of good information, a newsletter, and a 3 minute video from Cary Cooper.
§ Wide range of very good articles and people’s real experiences of workplace stress (which you can also comment on).
§ On-line ‘stress tests’ for individuals.
§ Also has a tool to assess how ‘healthy’ your workplace is. Very useful!
§ Go to main site, and then Home > Employment & skills > Health at work > How to deal with stress.
§ Extensive and thorough information section on stress at work and elsewhere.
§ Several links to quality free downloadable guides on stress.
www.bullyonline.org/stress/health.htm
§ Covers workplace, school, and family bullying.
§ Serves the UK and also USA, Australia and a number of European countries.
§ Comprehensive website, with lists of support groups, monthly e-news, on-line forum, information, support, practical and legal advice.
Here are some other sites, all with page upon page of good quality information and resources - just key the word ‘stress’ into their website-wide search:
civilservice.gov.uk
healthyworkmatters.org.uk
hse.gov.uk/stress
acas.org.uk
bhf.org.uk
www.prospect.org.uk/healthandsafety/workrelatedstress
.................................................................
- Let me know about any website or on-line feature which might be of interest to other members.
- You can contact me at Alice Muir Training, on alice_muir@btinternet.com, www.stresstrain.co.uk, or Tel 07904 492 217, or follow me on www.twitter.com/alicemuir
Alice Muir.
Alice Muir is a Chartered Psychologist, Associate Lecturer with the Open University, member of ISMA, author of 'Teach Yourself Relaxation', 'Blissful Relaxation Exercises', and owner of 'Alice Muir Training'.
...........................................
Web is the Word.
Alice Muir
March 2011
Should 2011 be the year of the Tweet?
We’ve all had our share of stress in the winter just past. Brought on by the extremes of the British weather. But this month’s column couldn’t be further from the vagaries of the physical environment which surrounds us. The virtual world of social networking, and specifically ‘tweeting’, now deserves some more of my time - and yours too, if you want to build your business, or understand other people’s businesses, or just make sure people in the UK understand stress better.
In this column, in August 2009, I introduced Twitter (www.twitter.com) and described it as a ‘recent’ development. Hard to believe that just 18 months on, this ‘Johnny come lately’ now features frequently in everyday conversations, in newspapers, magazines, and on mainstream TV and radio. Even conventional television programmes such as News at Ten, Question Time, or Coronation Street now tweet! They can be ‘followed’ on Twitter, along with almost everybody with something to say. CNN Breaking News has 3.7 million followers, Dolly Parton has 870,000, John Cleese 820,000, Venus Williams, 656,000, and Lord Alan Sugar 273,000. And of course ISMA now tweets too on www.twitter.com/ismauk
Tweeting is good for business
Being part of the Twitter loop helps you to follow the buzz, and find out who’s talking about what… what’s hot and what’s not….keep on top of the latest news, latest crazes, and so much more. You can also sign up free for CoTweet (www.cotweet.com), so that you can analyse the top stories, top topics, market trends, your brand, and top tweeters. Who do you think has most followers on Twitter right now? …….It’s Lady Gaga, a singer with a cool 7.7 million followers. It’s no coincidence that since her debut in 2008, she has sold over 15 million albums and was the first to pass a billion views on ‘You Tube’ (www.youtube.com). Such incredibly rapid mass marketing could not be done without this kind of internet ‘viral marketing’. You can take advantage of this too.
Tweeting can get your message across
Even if you’re not a national or international player of Lady Gaga’s calibre, Twitter allows you to be heard by those who want to listen to you, even if it’s just locally, or a small group nationwide. You can keep in touch with your ‘followers’, motivate them, calm them, encourage them, let them know what you have to offer, pass on useful links, remind about meetings, events, and …well…..you name it. It’s not just about saying what you’re doing, you can use your 140 character limit in whichever way you choose, and as often as you like. You can also forward, or ‘retweet’, interesting stuff you’ve received from the tweeters you follow. It’s easy to see the potential for ridiculously fast transmission of news, views, events and all the rest.
More stress related tweeting needed!
A website called Listorious (http://listorious.com/) compiles all sorts of lists and statistics about Twitter, including which topics or people figure most often in the current batch of tweeting, and who has the most followers. And guess what? Stress is hardly to be seen. Imagine my surprise when I found that ‘stress’ doesn’t appear in the 20 top keywords (or ‘tags’) featuring in tweets right now. Here are just some of those top twenty tags: activism, art, climate, music, news. Even if we look at the top 100 tags, there is still no sign of stress, or stress management - but you can find words like geeks (no.100), beer (no.69) gardening (no.56), dogs (no.48), or psychology (no.36). Stress comes in right at the bottom of thousands of tags, along with keywords such as elbow and venom!
Some of our key gurus in the stress world can be found on Twitter, but very many cannot. I know attitudes to tweeting are many and varied, and many remain unconvinced. But if we want people to be aware of stress, and we want to raise the profile of those who are experts on the subject, it seems to me that we have to move with the times, or risk being left behind. What do you think?
Some tweeters with a stress connection
|
Person or entity |
Followers (approx) |
|
Prof Cary Cooper |
1,000 |
|
Carole Spiers, Stress Consultant |
2,000 |
|
Health and Safety Executive |
3,000 |
|
Anxiety Help Info : helping people stop worrying one tweet at a time. |
3,000 |
|
What Works Business: Advice and resources for growing a business. |
6,000 |
|
Psychology news: Psychology headlines from around the world. |
10,000 |
|
Business Talk: News, and discussion for small business. Daily updates. |
18,000 |
|
Richard Wiseman, psychologist author and ‘magician’. |
59,000 |
|
WSJ Business : Business coverage from the Wall Street Journal. |
99,000 |
New Year Resolution?
So what about boldly going out there in 2011 and joining the virtual world? Let’s get stress at least into the top 100 Tags on Twitter. Maybe in time for National Stress Awareness day on 2nd November? You can do it. You know you want to.
An extremely happy and healthy new year to you all.
- Let me know about any website or on-line feature which might be of interest to other members.
- You can contact me at Alice Muir Training, on alice_muir@btinternet.com, www.stresstrain.co.uk, Tel 07904 492 217, or follow me on www.twitter.com/alicemuir
Alice Muir.
Chartered Psychologist.
.......................................................................................................................................................................................
Web is the Word.
Alice Muir
November 2010
Web Lingo
It used to be that the language of the internet was all about software, hardware, zip files, firewalls, defragging, servers and hard drives. And it took considerable effort to keep up with the proliferation of new words as they came on board. But you could still use a computer and all its diverse programmes, not knowing much at all about web lingo.
All that has changed now. The curious shorthand language of texting and on-line groups has moved on and found a real niche in which to put down roots and flourish. And flourish and multiply it most certainly has. There are now hundred upon hundred of new words, acronyms and abbreviations now in everyday use. But don't be put off. There are different 'languages' for different contexts, or for different groups interacting with each other. So you don't need to know every language, just those which are relevant to you. Even a relatively small group on a Social Networking Site can develop their very own language, which conveniently leaves out those who are not part of the group.
There are even many different names for this new set of vocabulary, which for simplicity, and because it sounds kinda cool, I’m calling ‘web lingo’ in this article. There's ‘netspeak’, ‘computer slang’, ‘Internet lingo’, ‘internet slang’, ‘chatspeak’, ‘leet’, and many, many more. Much of this new language is made up of acronyms, and the most commonly used of these throughout the entire internet is ‘LOL’ – 'laugh out loud', which says much about internet users, and has also given rise to another alternative name of ‘Lolspeak’.
But why have a special web lingo? Isn't life complicated enough? Whichever 'language' you're using or trying to interpret, there are two main reasons for its development. One, it shortens what has to be written, and saves on keystrokes, and therefore, saves time. And time, as they say, is money. At the very least it's a very precious and pressurised commodity today.
And the second reason, perhaps equally or more importantly, is that it can be used as the language of any 'in-group'. Social Networking Sites are hugely, indeed massively popular, but have one key drawback. All of those linked to you on the site see all of your news, and everything you write. So parents who use computers will see what their teenagers are saying to their friends, children see what dad is up to, and mother-in-law knows what son-in law is doing. I can see there are certain advantages to this, but it doesn't do much to reduce the yawning chasm that is the generation gap these days. I feel pretty up to speed on web lingo, but I truly can't understand what my teenage cousin is chatting about with her friends on Facebook. Total gobbledygook to my jaded eye. A few ‘web words’ for concerned parents to look out for in these circumstances will be provided later.
And where do all these abbreviations and short-hand terms come from? Apparently many of the terms in current use have their origins in science fiction 'fan slang'. Why? You may well ask. It seems that many of today's programmers are still or used to be avid readers of science fiction. Oh dear, that puts me into that crowd. Not the programmers, but the science fiction readers. Jules Verne, Isaac Asimov, H G Wells. Might as well beam me up now Scottie! Oh dear, geekdom is approaching ever faster. I feel an anorak coming on.........
You’ll find full lists of web lingo on these two sites:
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Appendix:Internet_slang, http://www.internetslang.com/
But here are some examples. These can be found as lower case or capitals. Surprisingly, several owe their origins to a Jimmy Young (yes, Jimmy Young) radio 2 programme in the 1970s:
LOL Laugh out loud
IMHO In my humble opinion
GTG Got to go, or Good to go.
Brb Be right back
IDK I don't know
ICYMI In case you missed it
k, K, or kk OK
W/E Whatever
FUD Fear, uncertainty and doubt
MUG New user of the chat room
newbie, noobie New user of any area of technology
OMG Oh my 'gosh' (or alternative)
TGIF Thank goodness it’s Friday
OTW On the way (for example, a file)
plz Please
PPL or peeps People
SY Sincerely yours
thx Thanks
10q Thank you
TTFN Ta ta for now
YR Yes, right (sarcastic)
More seriously, here are some for parents to watch out for:
PAW parents are watching
pos parents over shoulder
LMIRL let’s meet in real life
pir parent in room
'Emoticons' are another very popular newcomer. Recognise any of these? HINT – you look at most of them sideways:
:-} :) :o} :> smiley face
:-( :( :o( :< sad face
:-/ :-\ skepticism, unsure, undecided
( ) 'cyber' or 'virtual' hug
:-o oo......oo surprise, shock
: | straight face, grim
\ o hello
\ o / praise, jumping for joy
I’ll finish off with several of my favourites, BBIAB, BFN and HAND, or in other words: ‘be back in a bit, bye for now, and have a nice day’.
- Let me know about any website or internet feature which might be of interest to other members.
- You can contact me at Alice Muir Training, on alice_muir@btinternet.com, www.stresstrain.co.uk, or Tel 07904 492 217.
Alice Muir.
Chartered Psychologist.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Web is the Word.
Alice Muir
Aug 2010
Helping yourself has never been easier.
Many of those experiencing stress want to contribute to their recovery through their own efforts, even if they are also seeking professional guidance. Indeed, this is an important part of the learning and recovery process. With so much ‘self-help’ available on the internet these days, this is almost frighteningly easy to do. Why frightening? Because it makes my job as webcrawler a nightmare? No, because the internet is a free for all, and anybody can say, write, and video anything, then upload it.
So how are we to know the wheat from the chafe? How are you to know the difference? This is of course why ‘self-help’ is frowned upon by some. It’s important for us to recommend trustworthy sites for those who want this. Small or large businesses may also find ‘self-help’ useful as a safety net for their employees, or to bolster their own knowledge about stress in the workplace.
Your first port of call would of course be this website. You'll find loads of help and information right here. And if you're ever unsure of a site, contact us here, and we'll advise you as best we can.
But here is a small selection of other websites which are safe to use, and are first-rate resources for businesses, stress advisers and stress consultants too. Strange to think that when I first developed ‘Stress Adviser training’ in 1994, just 16 years ago, I did so on my very first proper computer, provided by the local Health Board - there were definitely no internet resources then! Just 16 year ago - the blink of an eye, really. And I had a 50 mile round -trip to find a suitable library to research the subject. The pace of change on the web is simply awesome.
LIVING LIFE TO THE FULL http://www.livinglifetothefull.com
§ ‘Living Life to the full’ currently supports just under 120,000 people.
§ Funded by Oxfam and NHS24.
§ A collection of educational life skills resources based on Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) principles. Sound, text and video clips.
THE STRESS MANAGEMENT SOCIETY www.stress.org.uk
§ Non-profit making body.
§ Free stress help for managers, employees and individuals.
§ The Society was formed in 2003 by a number of healthcare professionals, management consultants and therapists.
§ Advice about bullying and HSE guidelines.
NO PANIC www.nopanic.org.uk
§ Literature, DVDs and CDs.
§ Information for professionals.
§ Provide what they call ‘layperson self-help cognitive and behaviour therapy’.
§ Telephone conference recovery groups or written material for downloading.
MOOD GYM http://moodgym.anu.edu.au/welcome
§ Free independent resource provided by the Australian National University, aimed primarily at depression.
§ Launched in 2004, it already has 200,000 users worldwide.
§ MoodGYM is an interactive web programme made up of five modules, an interactive game, and downloadable relaxation audio.
§ Uses the principles of cognitive behaviour therapy, and shows the relationship between thoughts and emotions, and works through dealing with stress.
MIND www.mind.org.uk
§ Currently running a high profile five year campaign to improve mental health at work.
§ Quick or in-depth guides to stress.
§ Special guide for students.
BBC www.bbc.co.uk/health/emotional_health
§ Lots and lots of advice and information on stress, workplace stress, work-life balance, relaxation, self-esteem. Good links too.
MENTAL HEALTH FOUNDATION www.mentalhealth.org.uk/information/mental-health-a-z/stress/
§ Lots of information and especially useful series of podcasts – either ‘quick fixes’ or as they put it, ‘the full works’.
§ Also has spin-off website, just for mindfulness resources, courses, and information.
********
Well, that's it for this month. See you here on the web again soon. In the meantime, let me know about any website or on-line feature which might be of interest.
Alice Muir.
Alice Muir is a Chartered Psychologist, Associate Lecturer with the Open University, member of ISMA, author of 'Teach Yourself Relaxation', and owner of 'Alice Muir Training'.
Contact: alice_muir@btinternet.com, Tel 07904 492 217.
Websites www.stresstrain.co.uk, and www.stress-confidence.com.
You can also follow my positive and motivating tweets on www.twitter.com/stresstrain
Web Watch
May 2010
from Alice Muir
What’s app doc?
In these days of truncated text speak, acronyms, and abbreviated words, a new abbreviation has now worked its way into daily speech, and even into advertising for laptops, mobile phones and the like. This new kid on the block is ‘app’ - short for ‘application’. Of course, we’re all familiar with the word application – we’ve all filled in applications for jobs, passports, or for the lucky few, a tax rebate. And in my school days, a common teacher’s comment was ‘Johnny would do better if he would apply himself’ (name has been changed for confidentiality purposes). But this ‘app’ has a different meaning from both of these. It’s more in the genre of applying sun cream, or taking a vitamin tablet – because it’s a computer programme you can load on to your computer, laptop or mobile phone or other device, to do a particular job for you. A job which makes your life easier, more enjoyable, more informed, or more entertaining. What could be better?
There’s an app to fit almost any need. Be it education, travel, business, music, games, healthcare, golf, the weather or the news, there’s an app for you. ‘Puresleep’ has music to help you sleep and relax, ‘Dragon’ takes dictation, and a currently newsworthy ‘Pennies’, helps you track your expenses. Then there’s ‘Stressmanager’, ‘Relaxation’,
‘D-Stress’, ‘SCRABBLE’, and ‘MONOPOLY’, whose names speak for themselves. Just key in these names and ‘app’ in a search engine to find these and a multitide of others.
Another burgeoning area is that of book apps, which now outnumber games. Many book titles, new and old, are now available as apps. An e- book becomes an app when additional pictures, video, alternative endings, or other features are included. What would Mark Twain and Charles Dickens have said about that?
Some time ago, this column covered Social Networking Sites (SNS) and the wonders of Twitter, and Carole Spiers has told us recently about her experiences of tweeting (www.twitter.com). Many apps are designed to help you keep tabs on your input to these SNSs. If you feature on a number of these sites, for personal or business use, this can be time-consuming! It’s much less stressful, and more fun to have the help of an app, which will deliver news and information straight from SNSs, to your laptop, mobile, or other device. Ping.fm (http://ping.fm) is also a huge boon, as it is a free web service which lets you post to multiple social networks simultaneously. Making an update on ping.fm pushes the update through to all of your social websites at once, so you don’t have to update them all individually.
Being up to speed on this ever widening range of ‘apps’ can only be advantageous for you, or for your clients, or both. If nothing else, you need to be alert to the kinds of technology your clients might be using every day. Here are some other apps you might like to explore :
Blip.fm
Blip.fm is a social music site that let's you be the DJ. Pick songs to play for your listeners and find other DJs with similar taste to listen to. It's a constantly streaming music station DJ'd by you and your friends.
MyThreds
MyThredz is a microblogging platform with two unique concepts. You organize posts into ‘thredz’ (e.g. work, leisure, family). You’ll then be sent a daily email that's easy to respond to, so that each day you give a quick update on the main ‘thredz’ of your life.
Notify.me
This app delivers notifications that interest you in real time. It eliminates the need for you to constantly check on classified listings, blogs or other sites of interest.
Ping.fm Jott link
Jott is a voice-to-text service that allows you to update different web services by making a phone-call. This app will allow Jott customers to call, speak a message, and have this message turned into text and posted to Ping.fm .
Raptr
Raptr is the social platform for people who like to play and discover games. Along with Ping.fm, users of the site can update their friends across multiple networks on their gaming activity, accomplishments, and character updates.
Trustedones
A free service dedicated to sharing advice with your trusted friends and family.
CoTweet
CoTweet is a platform that helps companies reach and engage customers, using Twitter.
Let me know about any website or on-line feature which might be of interest to other members.
Alice Muir.
Chartered Psychologist.
Alice Muir is a Chartered Psychologist, Associate Lecturer with the Open University, member of ISMA, author of 'Coping with a stressed nervous system', and 'Teach Yourself Relaxation', and owner of 'Alice Muir Training'.
Contact: alice_muir@btinternet.com, Tel 07904 492 217.
Websites www.stresstrain.co.uk, and www.stress-confidence.com.
NEW! You can also follow my positive and motivating tweets on www.twitter.com/stresstrain
Web Watch
February 2010
from Alice Muir
Alice's Winter Warmers
Over the past few months, I’ve come across a variety of very different, but really usable and versatile sites. This has come about largely through excessive web-crawling whilst snowed in by the recent blizzards and big freeze! Some other rather nifty sites have become very popular lately too, and are worthy of drawing to your attention. These are not just information-based sites, there are high-quality, user friendly, FREE facilities up for grabs too - Open Office, Skype, and Moodle being particularly worthy of note. All sorts of direct help is available for you on these sites, from setting up a group forum, to up-loading your word documents, pictures, video or slide shows for others to see and use, to allowing you to have face-to-face chats with someone on another continent or just down the road!
All of these sites have something worthwhile to offer, but they are quite diverse. So I’ve pulled them all together in my ‘winter warmers’. I hope something catches your eye, and makes some aspect of your life or work easier, or just adds a bit of warmth and diversion to these cold and darker winter days for you. Happy web-crawling in 2010!
BBC CLICK www.bbc.co.uk/click
- Keeps you up to speed on the very latest technology.
- Follow their latest news and alerts on Twitter, or look at ‘best bits’ on Delicious.
- Reliable and detailed guidance and tips on everything from buying a lap-top to Wi-fi, Bluetooth and photo-editing.
- Reviews, information and news on the very latest gizmos and gadgets, as well as developments we can expect soon, or even sooner!
SKYPE www.Skype.com
- Excellent for making video calls anywhere in the world, completely FREE.
- Talk face to face to the grandchildren in New Zealand, or a client in the USA – high quality image and sound.
- Audio calls, messaging and conferencing.
- Download the software from the Skype website FREE in a few moments, and you’re ready to roll…
BLOGGER www.blogger.com
- Create your own blog space ( web-log, which you can write straight on to, any time, about anything).
- User friendly, and flexible; post your own text, photos, audio, slide shows, for your use, or for friends or clients.
- You can even have your own linked website and web address, FREE.
- Allows you to have your own ‘followers’, who can then receive your new input automatically, and comment on it too ( similar to a ‘social networking site’)
GOOGLE DOCS http://docs.google.com
- Create, save and share your work on-line; edit from anywhere, FREE.
- Provides compatible applications to create documents, spreadsheets or presentations.
- Collaborate or share with selected colleagues, friends, or clients in real time
OPENOFFICE www.openoffice.org
- FREE, and does everything Microsoft Office (MO) can do.
- Same look and feel as MO.
- Can install in all your computers, free
MOODLE www.moodle.org
- A wonderful user-friendly tool for you to create your own on-line learning site; a boon for trainers, tutors, teachers, coaches, lecturers, and so on.
- Developed by Martin Dougiamus, from Perth, Australia, as an open and FREE way to promote learning, and empower ‘teachers’.
- MOODLE is available FREE to anyone, anywhere in the world to use, and is a comprehensive and cutting edge ‘virtual learning environment’ or VLE.
- Use for your own on-line courses, or ‘blended’ learning ( mix of conventional and on-line), a group forum, for assessment, or as a community database, and much, much more. Check it out. Make it your New Year Resolution.
Let me know about any website or on-line feature which might be of interest to other members.
You can contact me at Alice Muir Training, on alice_muir@btinternet.com , www.stresstrain.co.uk , www.stress-confidence.com, or Tel 07904 492 217
You can also follow my motivational and reflective TWEETS on TWITTER at www.twitter.com/stresstrain
Alice Muir.
Chartered Psychologist.
Alice Muir is a Chartered Psychologist, Associate Lecturer with the Open University, member of ISMA, author of 'Teach Yourself Relaxation', and owner of 'Alice Muir Training'.
Contact: alice_muir@btinternet.com, Tel 07904 492 217.
Websites www.stresstrain.co.uk, and www.stress-confidence.com.
You can also follow my positive and motivating tweets on www.twitter.com/stresstrain
...........................................................
Web Watch
November 2009
By Alice Muir
Alice's Autumn Assortment
( for Stress Awareness Day, November 2009)
As it's a special day, I've pulled together some relevant and usable sites to help put the 'E' into StrEss AwarEnEss day. From stress management, to relaxing music and images, from sources of support, to how to feel happier, from information and updates about stress, to jumping off points for further research into the subject. I do hope you find something you like, even the sticky toffees!
www.workstress.net
National Work-stress Network's website; a not for profit organization.
- Authoritative and comprehensive, updated frequently with information, 'Hot Tips', press releases, legal case findings, and comments.
- High quality resource and interactive site; extensive links page; useful and busy discussion area; e-zene to sign up to.
- Frequent up-dating on new resources, health and safety issues, bullying, corporate accountability, legislation , and so on. On-line magazine.
www.worlddatabaseofhappiness.eur.nl
- The World Database of Happiness is an ongoing register of scientific research on the subjective enjoyment of life, funded by donations, and organised via Erasmus University, Rotterdam.
- Almost complete coverage of the literature up to 2008. Includes not only journal articles, but also books, dissertations, conference papers and unpublished research reports
- Data and information on over 200 countries worldwide - 'States of Nations' and 'Trends in Nations' available.
http://www.hse.gov.uk
Site of the UK's Health and Safety Executive
- Up-to-date books, press releases, leaflets, links, and lots, lots more
- Check out http://www.hse.gov.uk/stress/research.htm regularly for new research findings.
- You can access the Health and Safety Executive's 'Stress Solutions Discussion Group', open to anyone with an interest.You can join this very useful on-line forum, to keep at the cutting edge of stress. E-mailed ‘digest' of content available, to save time.
- Subscribe FREE for stress e-bulletin every 2 or 3 months.
- Good explanation on use of biofeedback for stress.
- Explains using biofeedback for other conditions such as stammering and blushing.
- Links to much more information on biofeedback in USA, Europe and Israel.
- Can sign up for free US based Webzine.
- Information about workshops and activities you can attend.
- Hundreds of beautifully relaxing pix.
- Plants, animals, bugs galore (if that's your thing), landscapes, particular countries in the world, or parts of the UK, night scenes, day scenes et. etc.
- Site of The National Association for Mental Health (MIND) with good links to a wealth of local, Scottish, and Welsh sister organisations.
- Free downloadable detailed information leaflets.
- Regular news and press releases, and excellent links. Legal advice line.
- Well stocked on-line shop with booklets from on a range of relevant topics.
- Dedicated to building the best wallpaper site on-line.
- Thousands to choose from, including mind-teasers, fantasy, relaxing imagery, and hundreds of games.
- 31 different waterfall scenes for PC screensavers. Lovely.
Also has a crackling log fire - includes video footage and sounds from a real fire. So sit back, relax, and enjoy the sights and sounds of your own roaring fire.
- 100s of free audio and video downloads on almost every subject e.g. health and fitness, time management, relaxation, meditation, mental health, spirituality.
- Free downloads from motivational writers and speakers too.
- Also 1000s of links to more free audio and video downloads relating to numerous famous authors as diverse as H.G. Well, Mark Twain, Douglas Adams, Deepak Chopra and the Dalai Lama.
EARTH TV www.earthtv.com
- Thousands of live webcams showing people, places, weather, scenery, and special events from all over the world, with relaxing music throughout.
- Timelapse techniques used to good effect.
- Includes a count-down to the football World Cup in South Africa which kicks off in June 2010, using cameras focussed on four World Cup stadiums in Durban, Johannesburg, Cape Town and Pretoria.
- You can watch 2010 arrive all round the globe!
Alice Muir is a Chartered Psychologist, Associate Lecturer with the Open University, member of ISMA, and Features Editor on Stress News. She is author of seven books including 'Teach Yourself Relaxation', 'Blissful Relaxation Exercises', and 'Persuade Anyone with NLP'. She is owner of 'Alice Muir Training'.
Contact: alice_muir@btinternet.com, Tel 07904 492 217.
Websites www.stresstrain.co.uk, and www.stress-confidence.com.
You can also follow my positive and motivating tweets on www.twitter.com/stresstrain