Everyone wants healthy looking hair. Looking through dozens of sites with tips on how to get healthier, shiny hair, I compiled the best tips for my hair and yours. In fact, it seems relatively simply to give your hair that extra shine and bounce without spending hundreds of dollars.

My hair is important to me. However, I know I don’t have the time or money to buy those 50$ bottles or to go to a hair salon every day. The long day can be stressful on your hair. Heat and cold can damage it, the pollution can make your hair look grimy and unattractive, and finally, split ends just look bad.

The tips below show how hair is not as hard to take care of, as I thought, and can save you a fortune.

1.Brush before bed. Everyone agrees that this will remove dirt and damaging particles. It will also stimulate circulation which, in effect, allows for the increased production of natural oils that gives your hair that shiny look.

2. Use a pH balanced shampoo. Make sure that it is designed for your type of hair, for example dry or oily hair will need different products.

3. Rinsing with cool water will give your hair extra shine.

4. I’ve heard from many friends to leave conditioner in overnight. Apparently, this is not a good idea. The only conditioner that should be left in is one that indicated to do so. Why is leaving conditioner in bad for your hair? Simply put, it can damage your beautiful looks.

5. Use moisturizers to add shine and prevent damage caused by dry hair strands. Make sure you follow the directions to maximize the effect.

6. “Air dry” your hair if possible. If you live in a cold weathered place however, make sure you blow dry it before going outside. Freezing the wet hair will damage it.

7. Wait until your hair isn’t soaking wet before brushing. Soaking wet hair is elastic like and will be more easily damaged.

8. You are what you eat. Eating healthy will produce healthier looking hair. Drinking plenty of water will make sure your hair is moisturized and add extra shine.

9. Trim the ends of your hair every now and then. This will get rid of damaged; split ends and allow your hair to grow longer and healthier.

10. Shape.com suggested using an ionic dryer. According to this site these hairdryers “bathe your hair in negative ions, which help break up water molecules faster and cancel out hair-damaging positive ions”. As a bonus, the amount of time spent drying your hair is cut in half.

Did these help, or can you add your own?

photo by flannalette

Getting a job is time consuming and energy draining. Long hours of searching and applying are then followed by long hours of waiting for that one phone call for an interview. What type of interview you will be taking part in is essential to know, for each requires a specific response from you and each looks for different qualifications or personality traits that you may possess.

Now that you have read some tips for your interview, I have compiled the top 5 interview types, taken from a seminar I attended at school, to help you prepare.

1. Screening interviews

As the name implies, this means that the interview is to weed out unqualified or unsuitable candidates. Whether it be because of your educational background or personality, as examples, human resources usually have an idea of what to weed out or what type of person would not work. For example, it is highly unlikely that you will be hired to be a doctor without a medical background. Therefore, before the company, in this case the hospital, wastes their time, or yours, they disregard your application.

What to do? Research the qualifications asked by the company and add them to your C.V. or your resume. And, if you do not possess the qualifications, e.g. the medical background, and possess no other qualifications that would make up for this, do not waste your time and energy applying.

2. Stress interviews

Here the company wants to see how you handle stress. This is usually used when you are applying for a highly stressful job. What is the goal? To see how you deal with, or solve, the stressful situation they place you in.

One way they can test you is by making you wait a long period of time in the waiting room to see if you will lash out at the secretary or politely ask if there is any paperwork you can fill out while waiting.

Another stressful situation you may find yourself in is being bombarded with questions from your interviewer to see how you react to those in power stressing you out.

3. Testing interviews

This is quite simple, do you possess the needed qualifications of the job. Applying to a computer company as a programmer? They may ask you to code something in specific to see what you come up with. This can be done at home or on site. One important point here is that if they give you something to do on your own time and you do not get to finish the task, hand it what you have anyways! It is better than nothing, and that way you won’t have entirely wasted your time. Besides, they may be impressed with what you actually got completed and either give you a second task, or call you in!

4. Group interviews

This is usually used when you will be working with a group or if the company is mass hiring. Usually, problem solving or discussions are used to see how you work in a group, how you lead and let lead, and to see what kinds of issues are raised/solutions are discovered.

My pain tip here is to immerse yourself but at the same time encourage others to do the same. It is all about balance.

5. Panel interviews

Here you will find several interviewers asking questions and deciding whether you are a suitable candidate for the position. The biggest thing to remember here is to not only concentrate on the highest ranking interviewer but to give everyone equal attention. That is if you know who the highest ranking is. For example, if you know the CEO is there do not only “suck up” to that person and answer their questions first, or only their questions!

It is crucial to know what type of interview is used for different situations.

For example, you may not know that the long waiting time is in fact a part of the interview, or that group dynamics and interactions are being tested even before the interview formally starts. Be aware of what is going on around you and always respect everyone in the process, including the office manage, secretary and the competition.

It is easy to get caught up in life and not stop and savor the important moments. It is even easier to not realize that there are steps that can lead to a happier and healthier you.

It is not always about the big changes in life, like winning the lottery, but also the little, seemingly insignificant, things that will help achieve a more optimistic view on life and a better preparedness in tackling life situations.

Get rid, or limit time with, negative people
Realizing who is bringing you down in life may not be entirely easy yet this can help you tremendously. We feed off of other people, thus creating a circle of either healthy or unhealthy, positive or negative outlooks on life.It may not always be possible to cut out someone in life, for example your mother, but limiting time with that person, or preparing yourself for the negative can help. When you know you will be spending a couple of hours with your mother who degrades you and makes you feel worthless prepare yourself to take everything with a grain of salt. Make a list of what you expect her to say and write down the opposite next to it. Consult this list after seeing her.

Get a job that you enjoy
If impossible, a hobby. Having a job that you dread is known to cause depression and a feeling of just wanting to get through the next day as quickly as possible. Getting a job you enjoy is obviously the best thing for you but, let’s be real, this is not always possible.

One way to deal with this is to find something you enjoy doing at work. You may not like what you do, but there may be something, like lunch socialization, that you look forward to. Find this, and focus on it. Also, picking up a hobby or activity outside of work that you truly enjoy can help ease the tension of working somewhere you hate because you have something to look forward to once work is over.

Put money away
It doesn’t have to be a lot of money, even 10$ or 20$ a week can help. Having money set aside is always good for your health because one of the most stressful parts of life is not having enough. Although it would be ideal to put hundreds away each week in case of future emergencies or purchases, this may not always be possible. Even knowing that you are accumulating 10$ a month can help ease some stress.

Make “time away” with someone special
Stress and negativity can ruin the best things in life, for example, your marriage or your most cherished friendship. Sometimes we get caught up and forget to make time with the people who mean the most to us. Jobs and money will always be around to strive for while people are not so permanent. Do not regret not spending enough time with your mother or father in the future because you are too busy now. Also, this time can be a “de-stressor”, or a time to vent the stresses in life and get feedback from others. Take advantage.

Buy yourself something
It can be something small, like a box of your favorite cookies, or a good book that you’ve always wanted to read. Buying something for yourself, OR even others, is a good way to remind yourself to take care of yourself.

Tell someone you love them
Loving, and being loved back, helps maintain health and happiness. It reminds you that you are not alone and you have support.

Travel to see the world
See new places and cultures, maybe even incorporate some part of the way they live into your life. For example, a form of mediation or a new food that you truly enjoyed. Remind yourself that you control your life and that life does not control you.

Remember to play, laugh and smile
Children can be the best ways to remind ourselves how to live and be happy. Play with your children, relearn from them what you may have forgotten, that life is not only about getting through each day at a time.

It is difficult to find a moment to yourself in a world that is so fast paced and chaotic at times. It seems that no matter how hard you try, there is always something going wrong to stress you out. Taking time out for yourself is needed in order to slow yourself down and to remind yourself that you too are important.

To take care of yourself and to love yourself and those around you before you are looking back with regrets. Play, laugh and smile now because “now” is sometimes more important than tomorrow.

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photo by JonSpot

Going for an interview is stressful. As it should be. This one meeting could define the rest of your life. The following hints and tips will help you to maximize your success during an interview and to put your best foot forward because first impressions last.

1. Dress the part. Depending on where you apply you will want to dress accordingly. If you are applying to a gaming company you will obviously dress differently than if applying for a managerial position. How you dress defines how you wish to portray yourself and how serious the interview is to you. Never wear jeans and/or a t-shirt. Semi formal to formal is the best way to go. Professional and serious.

2. Arrive on time. Early even.. This is perhaps the most important tip. Obviously, being late is the worst thing to do. This gives the impression that you are not taking this as seriously as you should be because you should have plotted out your travel route and estimated time travel beforehand. Sometimes being late cannot be avoided, but honestly try hard to be on time or even early even if it means leaving an hour before you should. Also, arriving early, but not too early, will show that you are eager and interested in the interview.

3. Wait and do not get impatient in the waiting room. You are there for yourself not for them. Even if they are a half an hour late do not get impatient, unless the job doesn’t mean much to you. Some companies like to test how you handle stress or how you handle not being the center of attention. As long as you announced your arrival to the secretary they will come for you. And never ever get snarky with the secretary or office manager. Career buster. Even if you do manage to get the job they can make your working life a living hell.

4. Greet the person formally with a firm handshake. Use Mr./Mrs./Miss etc…for it is a sign of respect. Use a firm handshake to introduce yourself. A firm, but not too firm, handshake gives off an aura of confidence.

5. Do not sit until they indicate to do so. Do not go into the office and ‘plop’ yourself down like you own the office. Sit when they indicate to do so or sit when they sit.

6. Sit halfway from the back of the seat, slightly forward. This will give the appearance of you leaning in and “being extremely interested” in everything that is being said.

7. Be warm and friendly but not overly so. Smiling can go a long way. It means you are happy to be there for the interview and that you are at ease and interested.

8. When asked a question do not go off topic unless it is pertinent. No one wants to hear your life story.

9. Before going to an interview make two lists. One list of your positive qualities that will be beneficial to you working at that specific company and another list of your faults that you wish to ameliorate. Seriously, some companies ask this. Be honest, which means do not make something up to sound better.

10. RESEARCH. You need to find all the information possible about the company you are going to see. This will also help you prepare a list of possible questions that the interviewer may ask you.

Going for an interview can be stressful, especially if you really want the job. Collect as much information on the company as possible before the interview. Smile and show how you are interested in the company during the interview. And never ever ask about the salary during the interview unless they bring it up. This is a topic for when they call you back. And finally, most importantly never be late.

photo from ianbwarner

We all know about the stereotypes that surround ‘geeks and nerds’. The most well known: Social interactions. The social milieu is a scary venture for not only ‘geeks and nerds’ but also introverted people. It may seem that no matter how hard you try you get nowhere and end up making yourself look like a fool. The following tips will help you interact better and have a fun time in the process.

1. Confidence. This is a “biggy”. Difficult to obtain but crucial for social interactions. Let’s face it, not many wish to interact with someone who is drawn into themselves or wishes to be anywhere else but where they are. Low confidence, among many other things, makes those around you feel like you haven’t quite figured yourself out yet or that you don’t really know if you want to be talking to them. Even pretending to have confidence will have an impact on people’s impression of you, however, the best approach is, coaching yourself before social gatherings so that you have real confidence.

2. Real confidence. How does one obtain this elusive concept? Well, make a list of personal accomplishments, or values that you have before interacting with others. Do not use these as indicators that you are better than others, use them to boost your self–esteem; your self-worth.

3. Be simple. Do not overdo it on the quantum physics or the likes. Most people will have no idea what you are talking about and will feel threatened or think that you are trying to make yourself look better than everyone else. Before going to a gathering, if possible, look up interests of people that you may be talking with. If you find that one person is in psychology or sociology, look up some interesting topics that will be useful in chitchat. Perhaps a controversial issue would be of use in order to capture their attention.

4. Capture their attention. As mentioned, a controversial issue might be useful. But one must be careful here in the delivery. It is important to bring the topic into conversation without stirring up too much chaos. For example, introduce yourself to person X and say that you were informed that X was a psychology student and that you read this interesting article on Y subject. Ask them what they thought about it. People love to talk about their opinions.

5. Listen. This is important. One must learn quickly how to balance interjection of opinions and views versus just letting the person talk. You will see the person getting frustrated if you are cutting them off too often or babbling too much about yourself. Social interactions are give and take although sometimes it’s better to give a little more than you take.

6. Find something in common. We all know how much of an impact this can have. And avoid at all cost making it corny like “we both like red”.

7. Be prepared to fail and remember that practice makes perfect. Or if not perfect, practice makes better. If you don’t succeed right away you must get back up. Only with experience will you be able to learn what works and what doesn’t in social interactions. If you fail, take it as a challenge to do better next time.

8. Have fun. Realize the reason you are there, to make friends or to meet new people. Learning about other people’s interests, or being able to talk with someone about your own interests is fun and important in building self-esteem. Being stressed will only hinder your process.

These tips will not change you over night so don’t expect them to. Also, it is crucial to remember that you will fail. We all do, even those highly extroverted people who can talk to anyone fail. The best thing to do is learn to not focus entirely on the failing aspect. Instead, figure out where it went wrong and make it better for next time. Also remember that not everyone is meant to get along. Some situations will not go well for the simple fact that some people’s opinions will clash. Or because either you or they are having a bad day. The more social gatherings you participate in the quicker you will learn when and how to talk to people.

[photo by *cynner*]

I wish to say a warm Happy New Year for all the readers of SocialPacks.com and may 2008 bring the best you’ve wished.

I’ve just got back from my vacation and will resume work right away. This means I am going to resume writing for SocialPacks. Is there anything specific that you would like me to cover?

I want to remember everyone that I am not a specialist whatsoever, don’t have a psychology or happiness diploma but I try to present things from my own point of view. It may be unique and some of you may not agree, this is why I am asking you to add your thoughts and comment on SocialPacks articles.

Again, Happy New Year and let’s start 2008 with the right foot.