Do You Have Too Little Vacation Time?

Laura — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 04:23:00 +0000

When I was a child, I enjoyed traveling to various locations throughout my home country of Canada. In addition, I sometimes crossed over the Canada-USA border to visit some of the northern USA. Of course, that was way before passports started being required to travel between the USA and Canada. In any case, those holidays, or vacations, meant a lot to me and my family. These days, as an adult, I find my time being able to go on a vacation much more limited. Many of my friends here in Canada, along with friends in the USA and Australia, are in a similar situation. Sometimes, I think of how much stress there is in this fast paced world we live in. It would be nice to be able to simply get away and relax. Really relax. I imagine a lot of people worldwide need to go on vacation.

Do you take your allotted vacation time each year? Many people don’t, according to a new poll.

What might seem like a given to most Canadians is in fact an anomaly – close to half of all employed Canadians say they are vacation-deprived, according to the study commissioned by online travel agency Expedia.ca.

The survey, conducted by Harris-Decima, found a quarter of all employed Canadians are not taking all their owed vacation time.

“Despite an upswing in the Canadian economy, ‘vacation deprivation’ continues to pervade the Canadian workforce,” says Beverly Beuermann-King, a stress and wellness expert who owns the consulting firm Work Smart Live Smart.

“In fact, it has reached its highest level this year,” she says.

“Investing in our jobs is important, but so is investing in our physical and mental health, too. The vacation time is there – we just need to use it.”

Over the last few years, the world has been reeling from a financial crisis and economic barriers were often to blame for people not taking vacations.

The study found financial concerns are no longer the reason holding people back from taking time away from work.

Vacation So, if it’s not the money, what is it that’s causing this vacation deprivation?

Scheduling time away from our technical, everyday lives is one reason we’re consistently not taking time off work to go on vacation.

Other reasons include being too busy to get away and not being able to coordinate time off with spouses, family members and friends to travel with.

Beuermann-King says taking vacation time is not just about leaving the office – it’s an important way of unwinding and maintaining sound mental, physical and emotional health.

Here are some tips for taking time off:

Unplug

For some people, it’s imperative to unplug and take time off from the daily grind. And this can be hard during vacations – the survey found 34 per cent of all Canadians think technology makes it difficult to fully disconnect from the stresses of home and work life while away.

“Part of it is personality,” Beuermann-King says. “Workaholics who are in control can often be left feeling anxious and vulnerable.”

To make unplugging and stepping away from technology easier, she suggests taking small steps. “Take a day here and there to get control of your tech and turn it off. It doesn’t have to be continuous, but try turning off your cell phone and laptop in the morning and night.”

She compares vacation deprivation to being constantly connected to a car engine: “You rev and rev and rev and eventually burn out. There’s a loss of creativity. Taking time off allows us to put energy back in.”

Book time off work

Beuermann-King suggests jumping in and booking one to two weeks off from work each year, whether or not you have concrete plans. She says taking full weeks of vacation is better than a day or two here and there, because you won’t be allowing your body or mind to completely rest.

She says not to let workplace pressure get to you. “If you burn out, it costs your company more in their bottom line.”

Beuremann-King also warns it’s important to ease yourself back into work, instead of booking late-night flights that will see you arrive at work only hours after landing at home.

“Give lots of time for packing, arriving at the airport and to ease back into work,” she says. “One tip I always give is not to leave a detailed voicemail (or email) message when you’re gone. Then you won’t be flooded with requests when you get back.”

Start planning

Sometimes just beginning to plan a trip is all it takes to get the ball rolling.

“People get an enjoyment from planning, even if they can’t take the trip right away,” says Beuremann-King. “Research, look for deals. It helps you relax.”

She adds that making a New Year’s Resolution to take a trip is often a good idea. “If you like to visualize, this is a great way to make sure you’re not vacation deprived.”

Solo travel

If you’re not able to schedule time off across the board between family members, spouses and friends, consider taking a solo trip to truly unwind and clear your mind.

“You’ll often hear people say they need a vacation from their vacation,” says Beuremann-King, warning it’s possible to over plan a trip with activities booked to the nines.

“It’s important to plan the right vacation. Part of it is planning, weighing relaxation against activities, and understanding what your goal is.

Article credit: Lyndsie Bourgon, Yahoo! Canada

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A Visit To Awesome Beaches in Canada

Laura — Sun, 04 Jul 2010 21:15:35 +0000

As a proud Canadian, I willingly admit that Canada is a country that is best known for its cold weather and winter activities. However, it is important to note that Canada is not cold and snowy year round. I have met some people who actually believe Canada is simply a frozen tundra, but this is simply not the case. In truth, Canada gets all four seasons. Yes, it is much colder and snowier the farther north you travel into Canada, especially within the Arctic Circle, but I do not know anyone who actually lives in this region. I live in the northern half of Canada, so it does get cold and snowy here. However, this area also gets nice, warm summers. Obviously, not as warm as in the USA, but certainly nothing to complain about. I have friends in the USA, for example, who like to kid me about living in an igloo. Of course, this not true. I do not take offence to this, because I know they mean it in good fun.

Now that it is summer, a lot of people head to beaches all over the world. In Canada, there are a lot of really nice beaches.

British Columbia: Long Beach in Tofino is not only one of the longest beaches on the west coast, at 25 kilometers long, but it’s also the hottest surf spot in all of Canada. Located just outside Pacific Rim National Park Reserve, it’s a nature and adventure-lovers’ paradise. For those in Vancouver, check out Wreck Beach, a clothing-optional beach often littered with students from the nearby University of British Columbia.

Alberta: When it comes to beaches in Alberta, Devonshire Beach in Lesser Lake Provincial Park has got it covered. Not only is there a ton of history associated with this lake and park from the Hudson Bay fur trade, but its natural setting can often produce wildlife like moose, near the beach.

Giant apples and lobsters, oh my! Read up on 10 Quirky Attractions across Canada (in photos).

Saskatchewan: There’s so much to Manitou Beach in Saskatchewan, just east of Saskatoon and north of Regina. Here, the waters are chock-full of minerals and salts – not only is a swim great for your body, but like the Dead Sea in Israel you can float on top (no matter how light or heavy-set you may be!).

Manitoba: Although the waters of northern Manitoba in Churchill offer great activities like kayaking amongst thousands of beluga whales during the summer – the go-to beach for most Winnipeggers is Grand Beach on Lake Winnipeg where you’ll find a rare white-sandy beach.

Find out more about Visiting Churchill, Manitoba: Polar Bear Capital of the World.

Ontario: Banks For those looking for a quaint family beach getaway, head to Sauble Beach near Owen Sound or to Sandbanks Provincial Park in Picton, Ontario where sandbars keep waters warm for swimming. For the closest thing to Huntington Beach this side of the country, head to Ashbridge’s Bay in Toronto for great volleyball (and volleyball players).

Quebec: In the Iles de la Madeleine in Quebec, dozens of islands offer something like 300 km’s of white-sandy beaches for those interested in sand dune walking. For something more in-land, check out Lac Saint-Jean, Lac Deux-Montagnes, and the Laurentians.

New Brunswick: For a Caribbean-like getaway on this side of the equator, head to Val-Comeau for warm, white sandy beaches full of sand dunes. Or, head to New River Beach Provincial Park for promises of tidal pools, crabs, periwinkles, whelks, and starfish. You can even go for a sea kayaking trip nearby through the Bay of Fundy.

Nova Scotia: When you’re in Nova Scotia, head out to Martinique Beach on the east coast to go for a swim or body surf in the Atlantic.

There’s also Melmerby Beach or “The Merb,” as called by locals, which have some of the warmest waters in Canada.

Prince Edward Island: If you’re looking for peaceful, Basin Head isn’t your best bet because their sands are known to “sing.” The sand dunes here are made of quartz, causing friction and making squeaky sounds when visitors walk on its shores – but it’s still a favourite amongst locals because it never seems to end.

Newfoundland & Labrador: From one Sandbanks Provincial Park to the next – Newfoundland & Labrador’s Sandbanks Provincial Park in the Burgeo islands offer uncrowded beaches as well as fantastic hiking, kayaking, herds of caribou, and sand dunes with Anniopsquotch Mountains in the background. It’s one of Canada’s best kept secrets.

Article credit: Gizelle Lau of Tripatlas.com

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The Canadian Death Race Is Extremely Difficult

Laura — Fri, 28 May 2010 23:20:23 +0000

The Canadian Death Race is as extreme as it gets – it’s no wonder it’s named Canada’s toughest race – taking the average extreme racer or racing team something like 14 hours and 45 minutes to complete. You have 24 hours to complete it.

Aid stations are far and in between.

At $350.00 per head, racers can compete solo or in relay teams of two to five people. There are no refunds for chickens thinking of backing out.

There’s a reason it’s called the death race – it’s 125 kilometers (almost 78 miles) of extreme mountain terrain in and around Grande Cache in the Canadian Rocky Mountains and includes scaling two major mountain summits, a total of 17,000 feet of elevation change, varying temperatures from 4 to 28 degrees Celsius (that’s about 39 to 82 degrees Fahrenheit), and crossing a major river.

Has anyone ever died in the race? No.

But you do have to run – from death – literally.

The Death Race is based on Greek Myth’s Charon: the ferryman who escorts those who have died to their next destination. The dead are supposed to carry with them a gold coin for safe passage. Likewise, in the Death Race, runners must carry their coin as they run and cross through Hell’s Gate canyon at the confluence of the Smoky and Sulphur Rivers. The cloaked figure of Charon haunts the trail and its racers.

The race takes place each year during the August long weekend in Grande Cache, a mountain town in northern Alberta. What else Grande Cache has to offer, there’s white water rafting, horse riding, golf, mountain biking & hiking, heli-tours, and even paintball.

Article credit: Gizelle Lau, TripAtlas.com

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Nova Scotia Is Home To A New Canadian National Park

Laura — Thu, 20 May 2010 05:36:23 +0000

I have had the pleasure and privilege of traveling to various provinces here in Canada. One province I have yet to visit, but definitely want to, is Nova Scotia. I have a friend who lives there and she absolutely loves it. Recently, Nova Scotia became the home to a new national park.

Sable Island, a crescent-shaped spit of land fabled for its wild horses and sand dunes, will be designated a national park, the Canadian and Nova Scotia governments announced on 18th May, 2010.

Federal Environment Minister Jim Prentice said the designation, which will follow a round of public consultations, will give the ecologically sensitive island the highest level of protection under federal law.

“It’s the gold standard of ecological protection,” Prentice told a news conference in Ottawa, Ontario.

“Having Sable Island within the family of our treasured places, as part of a national parks system, gives us the greatest control over protecting its future.”

The windswept 40-kilometer (24 mile) long island sits in the North Atlantic about 300 kilometers (186 miles) southeast of Nova Scotia.

Mark Butler, policy director for the Halifax-based Ecology Action Centre, applauded the governments’ decision to create a park rather than designate the island a national wildlife area under the Canada Wildlife Act.

“Unfortunately, the Canadian Wildlife Service, which manages wildlife areas, has very little resources and experience managing remote sites,” he said in an interview. “Parks Canada has much more experience in that domain.”

Butler said the key consideration in drafting the island’s management plan will be the limits set on park visitors.When the idea of making the island a national park was first raised in January, critics said Sable’s fragile habitat could be harmed by a sudden influx of tourists.

“I would like to see more virtual visits to the island than real visits,” Butler said. “It’s important that we don’t love the place to death.”

He said it would be a mistake to build infrastructure to accommodate more visitors because the island can barely sustain the small number of researchers who work there.

Alan Latourelle, CEO of Parks Canada, said that won’t happen.

“I don’t see us building significant new infrastructure,” he said in an interview. “In certain circumstances, we build infrastructure, but it’s to protect either species or vegetation.”

John MacDonell, Nova Scotia’s natural resources minister, said the public consultations, which begin next month, will help determine how many people can visit the island and how the new park will be operated.

However, Prentice made it clear the island will not be off limits to sightseers.

“Canadians deserve to witness the beauty and the significance of this historic island,” the minister said.

Between 100 and 200 people visit the island every year. About 50 are sightseers and the rest are researchers or employees of Environment Canada, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.

Aside from its wild beauty, Sable Island is also known as a potentially rich resource for natural gas. The Sable Offshore Energy Project, which includes wells within sight of the island, has been in production since 1999.

The project produces up to 500 million cubic feet of natural gas and 20,000 barrels of natural gas liquids every day.

Prentice said the park designation will have no impact on drilling rights that exist off the island’s shores.

Latourelle, speaking from his office in Gatineau, Quebec, said all existing exploration rights are protected, as is the case with other national parks. However, exploration drilling is banned on the island and that is not expected to change once Sable becomes a park, he said.

As well, there is a 18 kilometer (11 mile) exclusion zone around the island that prohibits drilling.

“If that changes, it will be through the public consultation process,” Latourelle said.

MacDonell said the province will remain involved in the development of any future energy projects.

“Recognizing that this island is a critical piece of our offshore interests, Nova Scotia will remain committed to being an important voice in the management of the island as a partner with the federal government,” he told the news conference.

Known as the “Graveyard of the Atlantic,” Sable Island is home to about 400 wild horses whose ancestry traces back to some of the 223 ships known to have wrecked on its shores and hidden reefs since the mid-1700s.

The island’s grasslands, mud flats and sandy beaches also support the world’s largest congregation of breeding grey seals and several species at risk, including the vulnerable Ipswich Savannah sparrow.

But the island is no pristine wilderness. There are two light stations there, an airstrip, weather station and a collection of buildings used mainly by researchers.

Article credit: Michael Macdonald, The Canadian Press

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Canadians Celebrate Victoria Day Each May

Laura — Tue, 18 May 2010 01:44:16 +0000

Here in Canada, many people will celebrate Victoria Day. Victoria Day celebrates Queen Victoria’s birthday. Canada is still a member of the Commonwealth of Nations, of which the Queen is head.

Victoria Day is always on a Monday, and thus the holiday is part of a long weekend, which is commonly referred to as the Victoria Day Weekend, or sometimes the May Long Weekend. The weekend is also called the May 24th weekend, although it does not necessarily fall on May 24th.

The Victoria Day Weekend always falls on the weekend before Memorial Day in the U.S.

The Victoria Day Weekend is the first popular weekend for spring / summer travel. Lots of people open up their cottages, plant gardens, or just get away. Expect crowds at resorts and hotels and busy highways. Fireworks displays are common, especially on Monday night.

Banks, schools, many stores and restaurants are closed on the Monday. Call ahead to find out about other attractions and tourist spots. Public transportation will run on a holiday schedule.

When it comes to the subject of Victoria Day, a number of Canadians will be searching for the best places to stay. Keep in mind, however, that more Canadians need to take a break from the everyday challenges of life.

A staggering number of Canadians don’t use up their vacation time!

Shocking, isn’t it? Yes, I am being a bit sarcastic by asking this question.

If that’s you, then it’s time for a break – and you can start this May long weekend to celebrate Victoria Day. Short, local getaways are a great way to spend much-needed time away from the city without spending too much money or wasting time in airports.

Resort Week takes place from May 21 to 31, 2010 at almost 20 resorts around Ontario that are offering fantastic promotional rates and packages. Rates are starting as low as $367.00 for a family of four for a two-night visit.

Booking a resort trip will also pay off in other ways: Resorts Ontario has plans to donate 10 per cent of trip costs to Camp Trillium, a year-round camp for children with cancer.

Some of the resorts involved include hotspots like: Beachwood Resort (Kawartha Lakes), Blue Mountain Resort (Collingwood), the Briars Resort & Spa (Lake Simcoe), Hockley Valley (Orangeville), Pinestone Resort (Haliburton), and many more.

That’s not to mention the hundreds of other vacation options in provinces across Canada. Everywhere from British Columbia to Quebec to Prince Edward Island will welcome families during the May long weekend, and it’s a good history lesson for many kids to visit outside their own home province.
Have a safe and happy Victory Day.

“The I Don’t Care Letter” By A Canadian Woman

Laura — Fri, 14 May 2010 02:49:25 +0000

I am going off topic a bit from my usual type of blog posts. I fully believe a lot of my fellow Canadians, along with people from America, Australia and Great Britain, among others, understand emotions and thought process behind the following letter, which was written by a Canadian woman who lives in the province of New Brunswick:

Are we fighting a war on terror or aren’t we? Was it or was it not
started by Islamic people who brought it to American shores on September 11, 2001 and have continually threatened to do so since? Don’t forget that when US airspace was closed this day, the American planes were allowed to land in Canada.

Were people from all over the world, not brutally murdered that day,
in downtown Manhattan, across the Potomac from the United States’ capitol and in a field in Pennsylvania?

Did nearly three thousand men, women and children die a horrible,
burning or crushing death that day, or didn’t they?

And I’m supposed to care that a few Taliban were claiming to be tortured by a justice system of the nation they come from and are fighting against in a brutal insurgency

I’ll start caring when Osama bin Laden turns himself in and repents
for incinerating all those innocent people on 9/11.

I’ll care about the Koran when the fanatics in the Middle East start
caring about the Holy Bible, the mere belief of which is a crime punishable by beheading in Afghanistan.

I’ll care when these thugs tell the world they are sorry for hacking
off Nick Berg’s head while Berg screamed through his gurgling slashed throat.

I’ll care when the cowardly so-called ‘insurgents’ in Afghanistan come
out and fight like men instead of disrespecting their own religion by
hiding in mosques.

I’ll care when the mindless zealots who blow themselves up in search
of nirvana care about the innocent children within range of their suicide bombs.

I’ll care when the Canadian media stops pretending that their freedom of speech on stories is more important than the lives of the soldiers on the ground or their families waiting at home to hear about them when something happens.

In the meantime, when I hear a story about a CANADIAN soldier roughing up an Insurgent terrorist to obtain information, know this:

I don’t care.

When I see a wounded terrorist get shot in the head when he is told not to move because he might be booby-trapped, you can take it to the bank:

I don’t care.

When I hear that a prisoner, who was issued a Koran and a prayer mat, and ‘fed special’ food that is paid for by my tax dollars, is complaining that his holy book is being ‘mishandled,’ you can absolutely believe in your heart of hearts:

I don’t care.

And oh, by the way, I’ve noticed that sometimes it’s spelled ‘Koran’
and other times ‘Quran.’ Well, Jimmy Crack Corn you guessed it,

I don’t care!!

If you agree with this viewpoint, pass this on to all your E-mail
friends Sooner or later, it’ll get to the people responsible for this
ridiculous behaviour!

If you don’t agree, then by all means hit the delete button. Should you choose the latter, then please don’t complain when more atrocities committed by radical Muslims happen here in our great Country! And may I add:

‘Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a
difference in the world. But, the Soldiers don’t have that problem.’

I have another quote that I would like to add, AND…….I hope you
forward all this.

One last thought for the day:

Only five defining forces have ever offered to die for you:

1. Jesus Christ

2. The Canadian Soldier.

3. The British Soldier.

4. The US Soldier, and

5. The Australian Soldier

One died for your soul, the other 4 for your freedom.

If you would like to copy and paste this letter onto your website or in an email that you send to others please feel free to do so.

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Online Marketing: How Motivated Are You?

Laura — Mon, 03 May 2010 05:44:20 +0000

For those of us who are involved in online marketing, along with those ready to venture into the field, it is incredibly important to be motivated. Whether the motivation is to get you to a “big ticket” goal, or just helping you get through the everyday tasks associated with building a business, your motivation must be genuine and consistent. I have found that those who maintain their motivation are those who are comfortable with themselves and believe in what they are doing. If you are motivated and are interested in the world of online marketing, please be sure to sign up for free, weekly online training. Just visit my website for more information.

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Online Marketing: Have You Taken Action Today?

Laura — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 17:17:06 +0000

For those interested in the world of online marketing, and I know there are a lot of you out there, I urge you not to keep thinking about this…take action! No one makes progress by doing nothing. If you have questions, or need more information, please visit my website. Trust me, I understand there may be some fear or misconception that makes you reluctant to try. All you have to do is ask some questions and get some information. Even more helpful is signing up for free online weekly training. There are lots of helpful options available to you. The next move is up to you. I encourage you to do so today!

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Online Marketing: How Difficult Is This Process?

Laura — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 16:58:09 +0000

A common fear, or misconception, regarding online marketing is that it is too difficult. Yes, it does take work, but it is by no means impossible. One of the best ways to get top notch training in online marketing is to sign up at my website. My team and I offer free online training each week. Be sure to sign up today!!!

Top 12 Plugins For Your WordPress Blog

Laura — Mon, 26 Apr 2010 06:37:54 +0000

Whether it is a blog that has subscribers from all over the world, or one on a smaller scale that simply allows you to provide information to family and friends, the importance of blogs cannot be understated. A major part of building and maintaining a blog involves what are known as “plugins.” Whether you have a WordPress.org blog, like I do, or maybe you have a WordPress.com blog, anyone who has searched the world of plugins knows there is a seemingly endless array to choose from. After researching the issue, here is a list of my Top 12 Plugins For Your WordPress Blog:

All in one SEO Pack: This helps your blog to be visible on the popular search engines like Yahoo or Google.

Post Plugin Library: It checks your blog post and gives a result of the other posts that look similar to yours. It gives a framework for your blog post and lets you know the other posts read by visitors.

ShareThis. Allows you to share content not only on Twitter, but any of the other social networks of your choosing such as Facebook or MySpace. Facebook is a powerful social media outlet and you want to make sure your valuable content is getting shared there as well.

Feedburner Feedsmith: This is a WordPress plugin that detects and helps users to access the installation process with RSS feeds and replaces it with a Feedburner feed. The main benefit of having Feedburner with RSS Feeds is that it shows the number of subscribers that you have on our website or blog.

Brain’s Threaded Comments: This gives an opportunity to respond or reply to the comments of the visitors. The default setup will automatically show the latest comment below the original comment.

Subscribe to Comments: This is a great tool for your website or blog. It allows the readers to subscribe to the comments on the post. The comments are automatically sent to the readers through email.

Show Top Commentators Widget: This enables you to count the top commentators of your blog. This has the potential to increase the comments greatly and you will then benefit from the traffic generation system.

Auto Social: This plugin is great to enhance submission of the blog posts on the search engines.

Google XML Sitemaps: It generates the XML sitemap if any visitors from other search engine access your blog. This plugin helps your blog get visibility on the search engines and helps you track details of visitors.

Google Analyticator: This allows you to track your web visitors by using the Google Analytics. You need not add the tracking code manually as it automatically tracks the records of visitors.

TweetMeme connects with your Twitter account and allows your content to be syndicated on Twitter with the click of a button. By pressing “Retweet” in the green box you will share this post with your Twitter followers. In addition, TweetMeme keeps a count of how many times a post has been re-tweeted. This allows your new blog visitors to see how many people are enjoying your content and helps you get ranked in the search engines much more quickly. The search engines are very fond of Twitter so the more times your content gets tweeted, the higher you will rank in your chosen keywords.

Akismet: Akismet automatically checks the comments on your blog and scans if there is any spam left by visitors. This plugin functions automatically so there is no need to implement any tracking devices. You need an API key to activate this plugin, which is available through WordPress.

Please note that you will find these plugins in your Wordpress backoffice. You simply scroll down the left column until you come to plugins. Under plugins you want to select “Add New.” A new page will appear with a search bar in which you can type in the name of the specific plugin you are looking for. After you have searched for the plugin, and it appears in your search results, look to the right and click on the word “install.” A pop-up box will then show up with the description of your chosen plugin. There should be an orange box in the right hand column with the words “Install Now.” Click this button to activate the plugin. That’s all there is to it. If you’re new to this process, don’t let it get to you. There is much help regarding how to install WordPress plugins, including numerous videos on Youtube, along with many descriptions on the internet. One really nice issue with plugins is that they are easily updated when a new version becomes available. Keep in mind, however, that you need to make sure your current version of WordPress will support the update. You should receive a warning message about this to keep you from installing an unsupported/untested version on your blog. If you do install a plugin and later decide you do not want to use it, you will find it is easy to deactivate and it will remain in your dashboard (back office) in case you decide you want to activate it again in the future. There is a lot to explore when it comes to the world of plugins. Get going!