Author: Staff Writer

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Health & Home Wellness

6 Energy-Boosting Rituals To Do Each Morning

energy-boosting morning rituals

Radical energy-boosting self-care is the talk of the town nowadays. Despite being a raging trend, it’s also the need of the hour. Most of us tend to focus more upon a beauty-enhancing ritual in the mornings, while others prefer a slower start. A cup of java with a nice book might be more to your liking, perhaps.

But have you considered focusing on the more energy-boosting rituals? Considering how all sorts of infections, germs, problems, and challenges plague the world outside, you need all the energy you can get for the day ahead.

Here are some energy-boosting habits I tried and believe you will benefit from as well:

1.    Start with a Glass of Hot Lemon Water

I cannot enlist all the benefits of this one simple routine for you. A glass of hot lemon water works wonders for the health. It provides hydration and flushes toxins out of your body in the morning.

This energy-boosting ritual also sets you in motion for a day of other good habits. It will warm you up, activate you better than coffee, and make you feel less acidic too.

2.    Opt for a Energy-Boosting Superfood Blend as Breakfast

Some of us live under the misconception that a breakfast laden with sugar will give us a boost of energy. Truthfully, having items like donuts, muffins, or pancakes to go with your coffee for breakfast doesn’t do much for your nutrition intake or energy level.

I recommend opting for super-food, full-spectrum blends that give you much more energy and are great for health. Or you could opt for a simple yet nutritious meal of your choice, but the whole idea is to kick start the day with a burst of energy, not useless calories and sugars.

3.    Try Intermittent Fasting

Intermittent fasting is one great way of starting your day on an energetic note. It works in the sense that you quit snacking on foods or binge-eat while going through your Netflix regime every late evening onwards.

Hence, the great idea is to consume healthier and complete meals during the first part of your day and then quit eating from the evening. Intermittent fasting will give your system more time to consume nutrients and vitamins from your system and deliver them to your organs as well.

4.    A Light Workout

A rigorous workout will not do much to energize you or reduce stress. Instead, opt for low-impact and precise movements as a light workout every morning. The low-intensity exercises will help you connect more with yourself and energize you for the day ahead.

5.    Energy-Boosting Smoothies and Juice

Look for smoothie recipes with natural ingredients and avoid adding sugar to any of those. These are the best option for strengthening your immunity naturally, giving you a clear head and an active body alongside.

Celeries, cucumber, strawberries, apple, lemon, and ginger make some of the best energy drink options every morning. You will love how active you will feel after consuming these, and the freshness these will add to your skin, and overall appearance is even better.

Final Thoughts

Our morning rituals define how the rest of our day will be. When you begin your day with unhealthy choices, the rest of your day will lack energy and pertness in your physique. Trade your rituals for the ones I have provided in the article, and you will be like a brand new person in just a week.

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Health & Home Wellness

Losing Belly Fat: Best & Worst Foods To Fight It

fight belly fat

Are you struggling to lose your belly fat? Tell us about it!!

The problem is not yours alone: millions worldwide wish they could flaunt their bod at the beach, but the unflattering flab doesn’t allow it. But fret not: your days of despair have come to an end right here.

Below we share the best and the worst foods in your battle against belly fat.

The Best Foods To Fight Belly Fat:

  1. Black beans are the best food sources for the good bacteria in your gut. They consume the soluble fiber from the beans and transform it into butyrate, a chemical that increases your calorie-burning potential.
  2. Avocados- have tons of monounsaturated fat that reduce your appetite and prevent belly fat accumulation. Why fear the creaminess when it is just what you need to melt that ugly flab on your stomach? Let avo toast be your healthy-indulgence from now on.
  3. Salmon have rich contents of omega-3 fatty acids, squash inflammation, and fight the ungainly belly flab. This fish increases your adiponectin levels, boosts your metabolism while burning fat.
  4. Miso paste- the priority in losing belly fat is to support your balanced gut microbiome by eating certain foods. Miso paste is just one essential food that would team up with your healthy bacteria and stimulate your digestive system. Do you know why? Because miso paste contains fermented soybeans with koji and salt. These strengthen your immunity and fry the extra belly fat.
  5. Eggs- these fill you up with protein and help you keep up a healthy gain to help your muscles steal the fat cells from your abdominals. What happens as a result? You get washboard abs while consuming only 78 calories from an egg and a whopping 6 grams of protein. What more do we need to say?
  6. Yogourt- predominantly greek yogurt for fighting belly fat.
  7. Sardines- contain even more fatty acids than salmon and improve cholesterol plus belly fat.

The Worst Foods To Fight Stomach Fat:

  • Processed foods- these are your primary enemy; they cause a flab on your belly as round and significant as the donut you grabbed off a counter. Why? Because they contain sodium, and sodium attaches to water. As a result, you end up with bloating or swelling. You will find tons of sodium in processed and packaged foods. Even the sauces, dressings, baked goods, deli meats, and canned soups that please you so well are your arch-rivals.
  • Fat loaded foods- These are your favorite pizzas, crispy bacon strips, and all the fried foods that make your mouth water. Unfortunately, these also make your tummy bulge out just as much and clog up your arteries too. It is best to limit your saturated fat intake to ten percent of your calories a day.
  • Dairy foods- Yes, calcium is necessary, but dairy foods come in various forms such as ice cream, milk, and cheese. These are potential troublemakers for the tummy because of the lactose content inside. People from specific backgrounds are susceptible to lactose and don’t digest it too well. In case you cannot give up on dairy, try to take an enzyme supplement alongside such as Lactaid. Before you consume dairy, have one supplement so that it breaks down lactose better.
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Health & Home Wellness

A Low-Carb Diet: The Ultimate Guide

Ultimate Guide to a Low-Carb Diet

If you are a beginner in the low-carb diet world, this is the ultimate guide you need.

You are probably aware of the massive success of the low-carb diet around the world. People are drawing more towards it in health consciousness and because of its successful results in reducing weight and improving health.

These diets have existed for several decades, and doctors of all ages have been recommending them. An even better idea is not to resort to unique or expensive products and not count calories either. The best low-carb diet is to fill yourself with plenteous whole foods and consume more nutrition that way.

What Is A Low-Carb Diet?

A low-carb diet reduces your carbohydrate intake, which you consume through pasta, bread, and sugary foods. Instead, you eat lot more vegetables, fats, proteins, and whole grain foods in this diet.

In this diet, you eat more fat and protein to full your calorie-requirements, with fat being the primary source of necessary calories. Most low-carb eating plans incorporate more fat because they contain the essential macronutrients your body needs.

The advantage of fat is that it is the lowest effect on your insulin levels and blood sugar. Controlling sugar and insulin levels in your body is key to burning fat better for energy. However, whether the fat is a body or dietary fat depends on how recently you had a meal.

Low-carb eating plans exist in several shapes and sizes. The most common worldwide are carb cycling, the Keto diet, the Atkins diet, the paleo diet, and others. It is better to run a medical exam with your doctor, analyze your health-status and then meet a nutritionist to determine the best diet plan for you.

Another essential fact to acknowledge is that not all diet-plans suit or affect everyone in the same way. We all have different body types with different medical histories. How a particular diet would affect us depends on our metabolism and the workings of our digestive system.

Hence, selecting a diet just because you noted satisfactory results in people around you is not a wise thing to do. It would be best to go through a proper channel with healthcare experts for the best diet-plan and execute accordingly.

Basics

To simplify the diet for you, we have broadly categorized the foods you must eat and must not.

You Must Avoid:

  • Bread
  • Pasta
  • White rice
  • Potatoes
  • Beans
  • Artificial foods
  • Processed meats
  • Starchy foods
  • Sugary foods

You Must Eat:

  • Natural fats like butter
  • Vegetables and especially leafy greens
  • Eggs
  • Fish
  • Meat

You can snack on berries, nuts, quinoa salads, and foods that fill you up well but do not increase your body’s carb level.

Who Is Not Eligible for a Low-Carb Diet

If you do not suffer from any chronic health issues, it is safe for you to begin a low-carb diet. However, those who fall under the categories below must not start with the diet unless they have sought approval from a doctor.

  • Those who have diabetes and are on medications or insulin
  • Those mothers who are breastfeeding
  • Those who suffer from blood pressure problems and are on medications.

Final Thoughts

Low-carb diets help reduce your carb intake while increasing fats and proteins in your meals. The idea is to maintain your sugar and insulin levels to burn fat better, gain more energy and lose weight. Many have experienced multiple health benefits from adopting a low-carb diet, and it could work for you as well.

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Legal Social Security Disability

Can I Get Stimulus Checks And SSD Benefits?

Stimulus Check With Disability Benefits

Are you one of the millions of Americans receiving Social Security Disability Insurance or Supplemental Security Income benefits? Then you understand how challenging living on a fixed income can be. With the pandemic’s devastating effects, many Social Security benefit recipients are wondering if they will be eligible for one or more of the Coronavirus stimulus checks, also known as Economic Impact Payments.

Stimulus Check Qualifications For Recipients Of SSDI And SSI

The requirements for the first two stimulus checks were fairly straightforward for SSI and SSDI benefit recipients. Anyone who had a valid Social Security number and was receiving benefits was automatically given eligibility.

The only disqualifiers were if they were already claimed as a dependant on someone else’s tax return, or if they made more than the pre-established income threshold. The income cutoff is precluded by the income limits set by the SSDI and SSI programs.

With a possible third stimulus check still being finalized in Congress, the requirements are likely going to remain the same. With the first two stimulus checks, eligibility was eliminated for some dependents that were over 18, and older adult dependents. It is widely believed that the requirements for the third payment will not only include the previous recipients but also open up eligibility to previously excluded dependent classes.

Missing Your First Or Second Stimulus Payment? This Might Be Why

The IRS notes that anyone receiving SSDI or SSI benefits, as well as veterans, railroad benefit recipients, and more, were automatically made eligible for the first two stimulus checks. The first check may have been garnished in some rare cases or used to pay owed child support. However, the second check was exempted from those situations.

How To Claim A Missing Payment

Are you receiving SSDI or SSI benefits but haven’t gotten either stimulus check? You may need to provide more information to the IRS. Currently, it is too late to collect the missing payments through any other means than by filing your 2020 taxes. You will need to utilize the Recovery Rebate Credit. If you are generally a non-filer, you will need to do so, in order to get your missing payment.

SSDI Or SSI Recipient Living Outside The US?

In the rare scenario that you are a person receiving benefits while maintaining a foreign address and foreign bank account, you will receive your payments in the mail. The IRS is not able to remit payments to foreign bank accounts. The checks for these recipients were not mailed out until the end of July 2020.

Do you live outside the US, but maintain a US bank account where your monthly benefits are deposited? Then your first payment would have been issued as a direct deposit to that bank account.

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Beauty Health & Home

Biggest Beauty Trends to Try in 2021

Beauty Trends

2021 is the year a lot will change. From turning a new leaf to becoming a healthier nation, we have a lot left to accomplish. 2020 changed how we live, work and socialize, and brought significant changes in our beauty regimes.

This year, as we go about our new normal behind face masks, our makeup trends will adapt to meet the moment. We’re going to have brighter and more attention-grabbing eyes and some exciting nail trends.

What else can we look forward to from the beauty industry? Let’s discuss that below:

1.    Fluffed Up Big Girls

Since we can’t grab much attention with all of our faces this year, we’re going to grab it alright with voluminous, significant, and super fluffy curls. You may think of it as the return of your mom’s hair from the ‘80s.

Hair trends are going to be all about natural texture and tons of variations in the curl department.

2.    Eyes will shine Brighter

Colorful eye makeup will take the lead, and we will see more of the euphoria-inspired trends. 2021 is going to be the year for bolder, bigger, and brighter eye shadow colors. You may want to consider eye looks resembling a rainbow.

3.    Natural Skin

We lived through times of matte and heavy makeup. Then we shifted to a sloppier, dolphin-like wet and glistening look. In 2021, we’re going to embrace our natural beauty without the layer of cosmetic products on. The industry will celebrate the natural skin, and beauty trends will veer towards the not-too-matte yet not-too-dewy looks either.

We will see concealers, foundations, and powders that resemble our natural skin and highlighting its natural texture.

4.    Natural Nails

Nail artists from the industry are predicting this year will see more neutral gel manicures. There will be more matte or glossier nails, a look that will aim at elongating our fingers. The new nail trends will incorporate some sparkles or a gold accent for a little extra touch for a delicately glamorous but not overpowering look.

5.    Bolder Brows

Quarantining all of last year did not allow eyebrow grooming for nearly all the women around the world. This allowed everyone to grow out their brows, but this will become a notable trend this year.

We will see more defined and filled in brows, and honestly, they look utterly bold and sexy.

6.    Thin Winged Eyeliner

Thanks to Bella Hadid, who popularized the “fox eye” look, we’ll see even more focus on the winged liner looks. We sported thick and long wings until last year, but we’re going to see quite a refreshing change. Eyeliner looks will favor more casual and breezy lines that will wing out only slightly at the ends.

7.    Face-Framing Hair Colors

This year face-framing bold hair colors from the ’90s are going to have a comeback, but with better variations. We will see beauty trends along with chunkier highlights framing the face and vivid shades.

Final Thoughts

2021 is going to the year we all will revitalize and revamp, and it seems the beauty industry is on the same mission. Some exciting new trends are looming above the horizon, and each promises to make us dazzle like never before.

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Beauty Health & Home

Dupes for Your Favorite High-End Skincare Products

High-End Skincare Dupes

Let’s face it, girls: high-end skincare products are one of our greatest weaknesses. Our favorite products can make our hearts beat faster with joy but can empty our wallets equally fast too.

So we decided to round up the best dupes we have found for your preferred high-end products. They offer nearly the same results. The best part? You don’t have to break the bank for these:

1.    Micellar Cleansing Water by Garnier

This product is the best dupe for Bioderma and comes at half the price. The best part is that it lifts away dirt, makeup layers, and oil without stripping the moisture from your skin. We definitely recommend this for you!

2.    Radiance-Boosting Vitamin C Mask

This is a super-effective brightening mask that combines the goodness of vitamin C with some powerful hydrating ingredients. If you’re looking for something similar to the Superberry Hydrate and Glow Dream Mask by your favorite luxury brand, then this one is it.

3.    Hydra Touch Oil Primer by Nyx

Do you just love the Photo Finish Oil Primer by Smashbox, but your pocket is unable to afford it? Then here is the next best thing for you. NYX’s Hydra Touch Oil Primers add sufficient moisture to your dry skin to make your favorite foundation glide on butter smooth.

It also reduces eczema and redness due to the jojoba oil infusion in it.

4.    Comforting Balm

Try Alicia Key’s comforting balm from her brand new line at Ulta. It features a blend of oils as luxurious and rich as the one from Ren’s Evercalm Overnight Recovery balm. You can apply it over any dry, rough, and cracked patch on your lips and watch it disappear as well as the high-product would make it.

5.    Organic Marula Oil by InstaNatural

We know you love the Virgin Marula Luxury Face Oil by Drunk Elephant. We do too, but we decided it’s not worth getting into debt over, especially if we can find an equally good yet reasonable option with InstaNatural.

It gives you all the glow you dream of and revitalizes your skin like a dream.

6.    Overnight Retinol Oil

Have you been looking for a retinol oil that contains an effective, moisturizing and gentle solution? You can get these three in a super friendly dupe of Sunay Riley’s Luna Sleeping Night oil in Pixi’s line. This brand gives you the same effect, comes in a similar packaging at the same great quality but only at a super pocket-friendly budget.

7.    Tarte’s Knockout Tingle Treatment Toner

Every makeup-loving diva has drooled over the Biologique Recherche’s P501970. The best dupe for this product is the Knockout Tingle Treatment Toner by Tarte. It has super pH balancing potential, clears blemishes, and resurfaces your skin.

8.    Retinol Correxion Eye Cream

We know you are among the fans of Shiseido’s Benefiance cream for smoothing wrinkles under the eye. The most budget-friendly and high-quality dupe we have found for you is from Roc. It contains retinol, clears wrinkles and dark circles, targets your puffiness, and has super moisturizing effects. You don’t need to splurge on high-end brands when you have a dupe this good.

Final Goods

High-end brands deliver excellent quality and remarkable results but all at exorbitant prices. The innovations in the industry have given rise to multiple other high-quality and pocket-friendly brands. You can now find some of the best dupes in stores that deliver fantastic results too at super reasonable prices.

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Beauty Health & Home

The Skincare Ingredients to Keep Your Eye On

Best Skincare Products

In 2020, we all had to prioritize self-care more than skincare. Now that things are returning to a new normal, we’re all eager to return to our self-soothing and skin luxuriating ways. New technologies and innovations are promising some exciting skin trends.

What newly discovered yet magnificent ingredients do you need to look for in 2021 for your skin? We’re listing them for you below:

1.    Buckthorn Oil

Some of you may be aware of it already. While it’s not a new ingredient, it is not a common one either. We know that spas and skincare facilities will be using a lot of this ingredient for treating skin woes and rejuvenating and regenerating supple and glowing skin.

2.    Tranexamic Acid

Skincare experts tell us that mask-wearing will continue, but it can somewhat damage the skin. To keep our skin healthy, experts are recommending products with tranexamic acid for balancing and minimizing pigmentation.

This will help maskne, actinic damage, and post acneic scars too.

3.    Microbiome

Skin experts are expanding in the probiotic skincare zone. They are going to push people towards probiotic-packed potions and will encourage more probiotic0peddling skin routines.

4.    Jojoba Oil

Jojoba oil is going to return in the spotlight too. The skincare industry is going to continue its commitment to clean beauty, and we can see why. They’re looking, and more hydration and repairing for the skin and jojoba oil can give you all that.

It has rich vitamins B and E content and can eczema and inflammation too. You’d be wise to start using it.

5.    Baltic Amber

One expert tells us that Amino acid is part of Baltic amber, or perhaps what you may refer to as succinic acid. These ingredients are some of the best antioxidants because they firm up your skin quite well.

They’re also great at reducing signs of aging while cleansing your skin of free radicals and toxins. Let’s load up on this one, people!

6.    Prebiotics

We touted the benefits of probiotics, but you need to incorporate prebiotics into your skincare routine as well. Prebiotic ingredients balance and replenish dull and damaged skin, and you will find a plethora of products along this line in 2021.

7.    Polyglutamic Acid

This skincare ingredient will possibly take the lead and be the leading trend. You know why? Because it is like hyaluronic acid. If that is your favorite, then this one will be too because it binds water just as well.

It will not penetrate your skin but instead form a hydrogel film to prevent water evaporation on your skin’s surface. When your skin locks moisture better, it will look plumper, radiant, and fresh.

8.    Bakuchiol

This is a gentler and plant-derived version of retinol. It will balance the overall texture and tone of your skin and support collagen production as well. Furthermore, this ingredient has the potential to clear sun spots, fine lines, and wrinkles on your skin.

Final Thoughts

Skincare for 2021 appears to be promising, with some exciting new trends that the experts will establish. Some fantastic ingredients are coming to light that has several benefits for the skin. Watch out for these in the latest products 2021 will bring you.

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Beauty Health & Home

The Best Makeup for Dry, Winter Skin

Makeup For Dry Skin

Winter months are somewhat more challenging than summers when it comes to makeup application. The dry, cracking, itching and breaking skin looks worse under some products, and if someone has sensitive skin, God forbid, the result is nothing short of disastrous.

Your skin loses its suppleness, mainly in part to the dry and heated air inside, combining with the harshness of the cold weather outside. Besides, when you take showers amid the combination of weather elements, it tends to damage your skin more.

Hence, we rounded up some of the best makeup for winter skin for you.

1.    Tinted Face Oil Foundation

This product by Kosas is the best for winter skin because of the beautiful oils in it. The concoction contains jojoba, red raspberry, meadowfoam, rosehip, avocado, and more. This foundation is perfect for hydrating your skin and giving light coverage with an extra glow.

2.    Hyaluronic Acid Tinted Moisturizer

This product by Pretty Fresh is a great moisturizing base for your dry skin in winters. It gives you a glowy finish without sticking in dry patches or making tightening your skin. Despite long hours of wear, your skin will continue to look hydrated.

3.    No Makeup Foundation Serum

This serum, by Perricone MD, is a moisturizing foundation that boosts your skin. It applies as a thin layer of makeup on your face and gives it a revitalizing glow, owing to a blend of peptides, antioxidants, and vitamin E oil.

The foundation covers blemishes well and reduces hyperpigmentation and wrinkles.

4.    Radiant Creamy Concealer by NARS

This product is an award-winning concealer and for all the right reasons. It highlights, contours, corrects, and perfects your skin. It works well for winter skin owing to the creamy formula, which blends effortlessly and gives your glowy and satiny finish.

You can wear this concealer on its own or pair it with a radiant foundation too. Either way, you will get a gorgeous finish you could ask for your sensitive winter skin.

5.    Clinique Moisture Surge Sheertint Hydrator SPF

This product is one of the best that exists currently for winter skins. It is a tinted-moisturizer that is fragrance and paraben-free but nourishes all skin types for an entire day. The product contains a magnificent blend of aloe water and hyaluronic acid to give maximum dewiness and skin health.

If you’re even more susceptible to environmental aggressors, this product is the best protection due to its SPF coverage.

6.    Foundcealer Skincare Foundation Broad Spectrum SPF 20

This foundation from Tarte Babassu is trending for a variety of reasons. The product is hydrating, hypoallergenic, and vegan, so it works wonders for dry and sensitive skin.

The best part is that it gives you buildable coverage to play around to what suits your makeup needs best. The product delivers a plump feel for the skin with all the antioxidants, fatty acids, hyaluronic acid, and vitamins A and E in it.

Final Thoughts

Winters make it challenging to dress up and pull off some fascinating makeup looks. The dry, cracked, and sensitive ones do not give you much liberty to play around with looks. But the products this article highlights promise to make your winter skin look as smooth, glowing, supple, and nourished as can be.

Categories
Legal Social Security Disability

Why Should I Speak to a Disability Lawyer?

Social Security Disability Lawyer

The process of applying for Social Security Disability benefits can be confusing if you’re not sure how to properly fill out the paperwork. You need the right medical documentation as well, and because of this, more than 65% of claims filed are rejected initially.

You can, of course, fill out the paperwork and submit the documentation yourself, but speaking with a lawyer beforehand could be the difference between your application being approved and denied. Statistically speaking, your claim is more likely to be approved if you have an attorney to represent you.

Why Having a Lawyer Can Help Your Case

It’s no secret that your disability application being approved is much more likely if you have an attorney on your side. There are certainly some individuals that take care of the application process on their own and are successful, but that is not the case for most people.

Your best bet is to hire an attorney early on, as they can argue your case from the beginning, starting with providing advice on your “alleged onset date”. They’ll be able to gather evidence to build a strong case. If you choose to wait to hire a lawyer, they can still help you be successful.

When to Contact a Lawyer

Really, you can bring a lawyer in at multiple points during the process, but the sooner you make that initial phone call, the better. Many attorneys will even offer you a free consultation so they can go over the facts and give you legal advice without needing to spend an arm and a leg.

If you can line up a lawyer to help with your initial application, you can avoid a lot of hassle and mistakes during the process. After a denial, they can help you with the appeal process so you can hopefully still get your benefits.

Should I Wait to Contact One?

If you have already submitted your SSA application, then you should wait to hire an attorney. Once you have turned in your paperwork, there isn’t anything an attorney can do to help at this time. Just wait things out and see if you get approved or denied.

Once you receive your response from SSA on your first application, then you may want to proceed with contacting an attorney. If you are denied, they can help you appeal the decision.

Consult With a Disability Lawyer

If you have a medical condition that has begun to interfere with your life, making it impossible for you to work and support yourself financially, contacting a disability lawyer before filling out your application is a smart move. You’ll be able to get advice on your case and have an expert walk you through the application process.

With the guidance of an attorney, you’ll be able to gather all of the medical documentation and other paperwork needed to file a successful claim. You can file online or you can mail in an application.

Categories
Career Career & Education

Want A Promotion? What You Should Be Doing

career promotion

The current employment landscape can be a challenge to navigate, particularly when normal office politics are not playing their normal role in water-cooler chats and the like. But even with lockdowns and stay-at-home orders, many people are still trying to get a promotion. In the best of times, this requires determination, hard work, and often, persistence.

What is the best way to ensure you have the best shot at that promotion? We’re going to take a look. Not only at the #1 thing that will put you ahead of your coworkers, but at additional factors that can also give you a performance edge.

1.   Strong Leadership Skills

The #1 thing you should be doing to get a promotion is to demonstrate leadership abilities. When you are evaluated as a potential candidate for a promotion, you are seen as having the potential to be groomed for management, or even higher. This means you need to be able to lead and motivate effectively.

2.   Add Value

If your organization is going to invest not only time but more money in you, they must see the value that you bring to the table. This isn’t about coming in early and staying late to the point of burnout, that’s boomer value.

Nobody needs seat warmers. You need to bring value to the organization because when your employer invests in you, they are hoping to multiply that value and gain a healthy return on their investment.

3.   Attitude is (Almost) Everything

Attitude in the workplace is crucial. Every office has a person or two that people simply don’t want to work with because they just don’t have a good attitude for whatever reason.

Rest assured that you will be constantly weighed and measured. People seriously considered are going to be people that are respected contributors and morale-builders. Future leaders almost always stand out to current leadership.

4.   Skills To Pay The Bills

Anytime you are being considered for a promotion, your higher-ups will be evaluating your skill set in comparison to other candidates. You should be prepared to show that not only do you engage in personal or professional development but that you plan to continue such.

The habits of older generations were to become skilled in something, and then stagnate at that level. This paradigm is completely dead, and few things are more attractive to employers nowadays than individuals who invest in themselves and commit to growth.

5.   Be Bold

When opportunities come up, jump on them. Be ready to trust a feeling that says “volunteer for that project” when it scares the hell out of you. Growth doesn’t happen in your comfort zone.

When you were hired initially, leadership saw qualities in you that they were confident would bring value to the team. In most cases, that will not have changed, and you will only have honed your skills further. You have the ability to be great, you just need to use it.