The Benefits of Regular Cardiovascular Exercise

In addition to weight training, you need to perform cardiovascular exercise and maintain a proper diet to achieve overall physical health and fitness. Regular cardiovascular exercise and a balanced diet help improve the health of your heart, increase endurance and energy levels and reduce body fat.

Cardiovascular exercise and nutrition can help you develop an effective cardiovascular routine and a nutrition plan that will in turn help you become stronger and healthier. It is an important complement to your weight training program. In addition to getting your heart pumping and your blood circulating, cardiovascular exercise can help you burn a lot of calories in a short period of time and burn fat to make your muscles appear more defined. You may have difficulty seeing your weight training results due to the layers of fat that hide your muscles. The best cardiovascular exercises are the ones that work large muscle groups such as your legs.

Cardiovascular Exercise improves the health of your heart, lowers blood pressure, increases endurance and energy levels, reduces body fat, improves mood and can make you less susceptible to fatigue and illness. By making cardiovascular exercise part of your regular workout routine, you also reduce the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and other serious medical conditions.

For more exercise and sports-related tips, follow Neil Haboush on Twitter and Google+ .

Taking Care of Your Leather Office Furniture

Leather furniture can lend an office that subtle touch of professionalism and richness. If you treat your leather furniture well and take all the precautionary maintenance procedures, your furniture will last you for many years.

What many people do not understand is that leather is actually a very practical furniture choice and that it is actually not that hard to live with. It is durable, cleans well and unlike fake leather,real leatherbreathes and is cool in summer and warm in winter.

Leather is a natural product and requires some care to maintain its natural beauty when it is used as an upholstery material.

Suggested Methods of Cleaning:

• For everyday or frequent cleaning, use a regular dry-cloth for dusting and vacuum cleaner to gather the dust in crevices or along the bottom lines of your furniture.
• Clean your furniture leather with a good quality leather conditioner. This type of cleaning is recommended every 6-12 months.
• Protect your leather furniture from sun and direct light. Leather can fade to some degree if exposed to the sun.
• Always try any new cleaning method or chemical in a hidden area on your furniture first to convince yourself of the results and to avoid damaging your furniture.
• For minor spots and spills, wipe up any excess liquid immediately with a clean absorbent cloth or sponge.
• If the material spilled on your leather furniture is of sticky or gooey nature, use a lightly moistened soft cloth with clean lukewarm water to clean the entire area where the spot occurred and let it air dry naturally.

For more professional tips from Neil Haboush, follow him on Twitter or Google+ .

Long Hours at the Computer Can be Harmful

Have you ever switched off your computer and felt as if you had spent the day digging ditches? If your neck is sore or your wrist aches after a long day of word processing, you may be working with equipment that has been improperly installed.

Wrist Pain can result from long hours of typing. Also important is the position of your hands as you type. Generally, your hands should extend straight from your wrists. If they are positioned up or down, you may need to adjust your keyboard.

A keyboard that is too low can cause you to spread your elbows in an unnatural position. A keyboard that is too high is more dangerous. It can lead to pain in your wrists, elbows and shoulders, and help create carpal tunnel syndrome.

Experts argue over what should be the correct placement of the keyboard. The two most popular suggestions are that the keyboard be at the same height as your elbows while you're typing, or that it is slightly above elbow height. Experiment with both positions to see which works best for you. If possible, choose a desk with an adjustable keyboard tray.

For more work-related tips, follow Neil Haboush on Twitter or Google+ .

How to Improve your Negotiation Skills

In order to be successful during a negotiation, the first right step to take towards a healthy interaction is to view your team members as your partners. To have a win-win style, view team members as equals in the contributions they can make in executing the proposal plan. Treat each team member fairly and allow all an equal ability to express themselves and recognize and make sure they understand that you think each of them have valid points and concerns that should be listened to.

-          Communicate empathy in the problem orientation. Show genuine concern for all team members.

-          Develop and examine alternatives.

-          Make provisions for the team members to be a part of the solution by asking for other methods of solving the problem.

-          Avoid having a preconceived notion that you have the best solution for the problem by working with the process as it unfolds.

-          Realize the necessity to be receptive and avoid having a threatening or condescending attitude.

-          Agree to evaluate agreed upon solution(s). When a solution is treated as tentative, consensus is easier to gain.

For more business tips, follow Neil Haboush on Twitter or Google+ .

Help Conserve Our Water Reserves

More than two-thirds of the earth’s surface is covered by water, a volume equating almost 1.5 billion cubic kilometers. This statistic however does not mean our water resources are abundant. Rivers, lakes, soil moisture and atmospheric vapour all constitute the major source of drinking water account for a mere 0.22 percent of the total water volume that is drinkable on our planet.

Water use almost always leads to some degree of deterioration in water quality, the less water we withdraw, the less we upset the natural balance of our aquatic ecosystems. And the less we upset the ecosystem, the less we have to spend to restore the water quality to an acceptable standard for public use. In Canada, our growing population, and our growing thirst for water, are being concentrated in expanding metropolitan areas, and are forcing water regulators to find ways to stretch available supplies even further.

I believe that protecting our water resource, no matter how abundant it is, can never be overstated. Water is the lifeblood of the planet and just because we have large reserves of water available, this does not mean we can misuse and abuse.

Don’t forget to follow Neil Haboush on Twitter or Google+ .

Yoga is For Everybody

Yoga strengthens and tones muscles. It decreases the stress in your muscles and mind, promotes flexibility and mobility of joints, corrects muscle imbalance associated with sitting and most importantly it is nonjudgmental. Regardless of your flexibility level, you are welcome to the practice of yoga. Even if you are not very flexible, you will find that yoga practice is a non-judgmental environment where everyone is welcome.

Benefits of Yoga. Yoga offers physical benefits for people of ages, including:

• Increased strength and resiliency
• Improved immune function
• Decreased pain
• Decreased blood pressure
• Increased respiratory efficiency
• Increased energy level
• Improved sleep
• Improved flexibility and range of motion
• Improved posture

Yoga also produces psychological benefits, including:

• Increased quality of life
• Increased concentration and better mood
• Increased coping skills during periods of stress
• Lower levels of anxiety
• Increased self-acceptance, attention and memory and decreased depression and hostility

For more tips, follow Neil Haboush on Twitter or Google+ .

How to Make A First and Lasting Impression

Here some key tips to pass on to your employees on how to make a great first and lasting impression.

• Smile. A real smile starts in the heart, shows on the lips and then around the eyes.
• Shake hands. A good handshake consists of a full handclasp, shaking three or four times up and down. No bone crushers or limp handshakes.
• Use good direct eye contact. It adds to your believability.
• Show sincere interest in the person you are meeting.
• Remember names.
• Think, act and look happy and successful.
• Think, act and behave like a winner.
• Dress to impress and always maintain high quality of hygiene.

Follow Neil Haboush on Twitter or Google+ for more tips.

Business and Trust

The one thing that every entrepreneur should be certain about, regardless of industry, is that the future is all about relationships and trust.

The one thing that allows relationships to thrive and grow stronger is trust. Trust is like the glue that holds your relationships together. The more trust you have with someone, the more powerful the relationship.

In business, trust is something that you must earn. You do so by displaying three universal values: honesty, integrity and delivery on promises. Those universal values are shared in various parts of the world and are the working rules in any industry whether a small store or a large multinational corporation.

In order to foster trust in your organization, consider the following strategies: 1. Never assume trust. 2. Offer more value to reward loyalty. 3. Think in terms of the other person's perspective. 4. Survey customers and employees about trust. 5. Remember that trust provides a big advantage in any economy.

For more articles and tips from Neil Haboush, you can follow him on Twitter or Google+

The Importance of Reading to Children

More time should be dedicated to foster an enthusiasm for literature in children. A child’s motivation to read can improve substantially when adults or parents get involved with reading.

Today, television, social media, computer games and other digitaldistractions compete for the time children will spend reading or playing let alone interacting with their family members. With as little as ten minutes of reading a day, you can make an impact on a child and in the long-term help improve their reading comprehension and language capabilities.

It is greatly beneficial to read to children because their aural comprehension is stronger than their reading competence. Reading to children also expands the imagination of children, increases their vocabulary and prepares them for becoming successful, independent readers.

To make the reading experience more interesting try to use different voices for different characters, make the characters talk in higher or deeper, faster or slower, or even in different accents. It makes it more fun for the child to follow along and makes the story come to life. Read regularly and encourage children to reflect and discuss what they have read.

For more articles and tips from Neil Haboush, you can follow him on Twitter or Google+

Business Relationships & Trust

The one thing that every entrepreneur should be certain about, regardless of industry, is that the future is all about relationships and trust. The one thing that allows relationships to thrive and grow stronger is trust. Trust is like the glue that holds your relationships together. The more trust you have with someone, the more powerful the relationship.

In business, trust is something that you must earn. You do so by displaying three universal values: honesty, integrity and delivery on promises. Those universal values are shared in various parts of the world and are the working rules in any industry whether a small store or a large multinational corporation.

In order to foster trust in your organization, consider the following strategies: 1. Never assume trust. 2. Offer more value to reward loyalty. 3. Think in terms of the other person's perspective. 4. Survey customers and employees about trust. 5. Remember that trust provides a big advantage in any economy.

For more articles and tips from Neil Haboush, you can follow him on Twitter or Google+

How to Detect the Classical Symptoms of Cancer

Cancer is a distorted and uncontrolled growth of specific cells which multiply rapidly without restraint, producing a family of descendants which invades and destroy the structure and function of adjacent normal tissues in the organs.

Cancerous cells can migrate through the blood stream or lymph channels to metastasize and compromise the function of organs to which it has spread. The initiatory phase of cancerous growth is triggered by a distortion in the DNA command apparatus of cell nuclei.

The classical warning symptoms of cancer are:

-          Appearance of a new palpable, growing dermal, subcutaneous, breast, or genital lump.

-          Appearance of unexplained bleeding from the mouth, throat, lungs, bladder, vagina, rectum, or skin lesion.

-          Noticeable change in size, pigmentation or shape of a birthmark, mole, or skin blemish.

-          Noticeable change in the function and performance of a major organ – e.g. unusually persistent diarrhea, constipation, dysphagia, or cough.

-          Fatigue of new onset or unexplained weight loss.

The incidence of some cancers has a clear hereditary influence, among them are lung and breast cancer. Dietary and nutritional influences are thought to cause 60 percent of all cancers in women and 40 percent o cancers in men. Both carcinogenic substances in the diet, as well as lack of cancer anti-carcinogenic chemicals in foods play important roles. High fat intake including ingestion of large amounts of oxidized fats is a source of increased free radicals which promote DNA damage and lead to cancer.

Always keep a monitoring eye on your body status and visit the doctor immediately if you notice something out of the norm. For those who have a medical history of cancer in their family, you should pay extra attention to these symptoms and conduct the necessary screening tests and visit your family doctor on a regular basis for a checkup.

For more articles and tips from Neil Haboush, you can follow him on Twitter or Google+

Why Customer Service Should Be Every Business’s # 1 Priority

Customer service is not something that is easy to measure. How many times have you been in a restaurant and the waiter asks how your meal was? And you always answer, 'Fine.' But you really weren't satisfied; you just didn’t want to be rude. The same can happen with clients, they walk away from your company and never let you know how they really feel. You lose twice in this scenario, first you lose their recurring business and you lose on now knowing what it is you could have done and need to do in the future to retain you clients and keep them satisfied.

It's no surprise that the best independent business, those with a continuous history of growth, profitability and stability, care very much about customer service.

The most successful agencies are the ones who:

• Constantly think of ways to improve customer service.
• Qualify customers for the right product.
• Emphasize integrity and honesty.
• Aim for 100% account retention.

In an effort to gauge customer satisfaction, I make sure I always pay particular attention to client retention levels. I make it a point talk directly to clients and ask them if they are satisfied with his customer service reps of the company. Don’t feel shy to approach your clients with these questions. You will find in most cases that they will be pleased with your genuine interest in their feedback. It is a win-win situation for both parties.

For more articles and tips from Neil Haboush, you can follow him on Twitter or Google+

Introduce Office Recycling in 2015

For most of its history, paper has been considered a valuable commodity, but today we seem to go through paper as if it were oxygen.

At work, the largest part of an office's waste resource is typically paper. You need to address paper waste if you are looking to minimize office waste and save some money.

Here are our top tips for reducing paper waste in the office:

-          Think before you print - are you printing because you really need to, or is it just a wasteful habit?

-          Print double sided whenever possible, and make sure this is the default setting on your printer so it happens automatically.

-          Use the thinnest paper practicable, the thicker the paper the more is wasted.

-          Encourage staff to reuse paper for notepads, messages and so on, and raise staff awareness with internal training.

-          Send and store documents electronically whenever possible and encourage staff to become accustomed to this method.

-          Evaluate whether your business would save money (and reduce waste) by investing in electronic readers or tablets as an alternative to printing out large amounts of paper.

-          Recycle your office paper rather than throwing it in the bin.

For more articles and tips from Neil Haboush, you can follow him on Twitter or Google+

Prepare your home for the real estate market by following these tips

Are you planning on selling your home in 2015? Before your home hits the market this season, know that you will have a lot of work ahead of you.

Relatively minor changes can make a big difference in your home's selling price. Here are some simple strategies for sprucing up your home before potential buyers walk through:

Clean: Clean carpets, replace worn carpeting, clean the windows and polish and wax hardwood floors. Pay special attention to kitchen and bathrooms - two rooms that visitors expect to be sanitary. And don't forget about areas with low traffic such as the basement, attic and garage.

Get rid of clutter: Do not pack your closets and storage spaces to the brim. Potential buyers are curious about what kind of storage space a home offers and will definitely ask to see the back wall of closets and cupboards. I recommend putting extra possessions such as Christmas trees and skiing equipment in temporary self-storage to free up space.

Maintain your home’s curb appeal: Your home’s exterior is potential buyers’ first impression - make sure it looks good. Keep your lawn freshly trimmed and leaf-free and in the winter time, make sure you shovel the snow. Paint your front door, trim bushes and plant colorful flowers.

Keep up with preventative maintenance: If the house doesn't show that it's maintained, buyers worry about hidden defects. Fix leaks, pest damage, loose toilets and broken windows.

Eliminate odors: Once inside, potential buyers will notice your home's odors right away. Burning candles may make them wonder what you're trying to hide. Put deodorizers in the bathrooms, and keep towels fresh and clean. In the laundry room, keep clothes clean and folded neatly.

If a showing is scheduled, open the shades and turn on every light, even during the day. That helps your home look bright and cheerful. For a homey touch, add fresh flowers and put out some fresh baked goodies for potential buyers.

For more articles and tips from Neil Haboush, you can follow him on Twitter or Google+

Stucco Conversion – Re-Siding Your Home

There are many ways to enhance the appearance of a house: installing a new front door, painting shutters or sprucing up the landscape. While these are nice options, none of them could provide quite the same the overall effect of installing a new siding system for your home.

Stucco siding previously reigned as a popular exterior finish mainly because of its affordability and low maintenance requirements. However, stucco presents a unique set of problems for homeowners. One is that it will shrink and crack, especially in places where there is a freeze-thaw cycle. Another problem is that Stucco is porous and will eventually create water incursion and moisture issues. Although they do repel water for the first years of installation, the stucco system can eventually become saturated - even letting moisture penetrate all the way through to a house’s wood framing, causing the foundation of a home to rot.

When you decide on a new siding system, remember that you will live with your choice of siding for a long time. Unlike wall treatments and floor coverings, which are easily replaced and subject to the tides of fashion, siding systems are meant to last for many years. Picking the right product, however, does not come easy. There are many options, and choosing the wrong one can be disappointing and costly to replace.

Neil Haboush is the author of this article - you can Neil on both Twitter and Google+.

Children & Classical Music

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

Music can help to develop the bond between mother and child, too. Babies recognize melodies earlier than they do language. That is why a mother traditionally sings a lullaby to her baby at bedtime, as a signal that it’s time to sing. Playing music and singing to a child also promotes language and cognitive development, coordination and listening skills.

Exposing children to Beethoven, Mozart, Haydn and Mendelssohn at a young age can boost their concentration and self-discipline. Classic music develops children’s listening skills, teaching them to appreciate the complexities of different genres. The process of listening to classical performances also enabled children to develop other skills needed for careful listening that could benefit them across their other subjects. Children are more likely to appreciate a wider range of music in later years after being given an early grounding in some of history’s most famous composers.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

Respect Flaggers When On the Road

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

Flaggers are professionals responsible for safely directing traffic. They are present to ensure a safe flow of traffic in confined spaces around the many construction sites across the country.

Flaggers want vehicle drivers to reduce their speed when signs are in place warning of both specific and general hazards. They are unprotected and vulnerable. There have been flag persons killed by distracted drivers, even when the construction zones are well marked with flashing lights and bright colours, with lowered speed zones posted on huge signs.

Communication is the key for safety. We could all take a lesson from the professional drivers who often put their four-way flashers on when approaching a flag person. This simple act warns traffic behind of a possible unscheduled stop. It also gives some comfort to the flaggers, assuring them that they have been seen by approaching drivers.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

Mortgage Calculators

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

Mortgage calculators on the internet do not always reflect the truth. These calculators are set up by the mortgage or lending company to convince you that you qualify for a loan. Even if your results show that taking a loan is not the right decision for you, they will try and sell it as a good idea. This is how dishonest lending companies trap clients in ongoing loans with high interest rates.

The questions of whether you are ready for a loan or if you are comfortable with a mortgage require more than a number featured on a dubious online calculator. All these questions are emotional ones that you need to ask yourself constantly before you go deeper into the process.

Regardless of what the advertisements are saying, mortgages are not for everyone. These calculators hardly ever tell you that it’s not a good thing to buy a home. The numbers typically show the result that it is to the consumer’s benefit to buy.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

How to Stop Nail Biting

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

Nail biting is quite a common habit among young children and adults. While it may still be corrected in children, it is an embarrassing habit to be associated with adults. Clinically known as Chronic Onychophagia, nail biting can be extremely difficult to correct.

Nail biting for some is a subconscious habit, most chronic nail biters don't even realise when they are doing it. Although nail biting is not life threatening, it is unsavoury and somewhat unhealthy as the best way to pick up infections is to put a dirty hand in your mouth.

Here are three strategies that have proven effective in ending nail biting:

1- Self monitoring: This is simply a system whereby individuals observe and record their own behaviour and the frequency of nail biting. The act of noting and recording behaviour seems to lead to an increased awareness and evaluation of one's behaviour with changes observed in a positive direction.

2- Aversion techniques: Coating nails with bitter nail polish.

3- Visit a nail salon and have them clean and shape your nails. When you invest in maintaining your nails, you will be less likely to gnaw and ruin them.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

Downward Dog Stretches before a Run

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

Before you partake on any cardiovascular exercise, you should dedicate at least five minutes to stretching your body and setting your muscles into motion in preparation. Stretching becomes sort of a wakeup call for your muscular system to better prepare for exercise. Those who do not stretch after or before exercise will end up feeling sore and less comfortable the next day.

To do a successful downward dog stretch, start in a push-up position with both palms and both feet in four-point contact with the floor. Now push up from the floor, lifting your butt as high as you can while trying to drop your heels to the floor. Don't curve your back-keep the back, hips and neck in a straight line. Keep your eyes on the floor. In the final position, your knees and elbows should be more or less straight. Now rock back and forth, using your heels to push up and forward, and then your palms to push back on to your heels. If the calf muscles are tight, you will find it difficult to drop the entire surface of the heels to the floor. Don't force it, just lower the heels as much as you can, bend your knees if you have to.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

History of Golf - GOLF Channel on 24/7

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

When the red light first went on in its Orlando studio Jan. 17, 1995, most of us didn’t think Golf Channel had much chance of lasting a year, let alone 19 and counting? A 24-hour network devoted to golf? What knucklehead is going to watch a taped European Tour event at 3:30 a.m.? Over time, though, we've come to appreciate something: That knucklehead is us. Evolving from its infomercial-laden self (The Perfect Club, anyone?) to a blend of tournament coverage, studio analysis and reality fare, Golf Channel has become something we didn't know we needed until we got it--and now can't imagine how we ever lived without it. It has exposed us to the world's most breathtaking courses and skilled players, while legitimizing the sport with the general public. Plus, on a sleepless night, it's good to know you can turn on your TV and have a much needed golf game or program to keep you entertained.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

Enjoy the Summer Barbecue

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

Nothing says summer like firing up the old barbecue grill and cooking outdoors. We have accumulated a list of safety tips that you should constantly check each time you work the grill. Following these safety tips, you can fulfill your caveman instincts and safely grill meat or other food items outdoors.

-          First, check the grill's hoses for cracking, brittleness, holes and leaks. Make sure you have no sharp bends in the hose or tubing.

-          Do not lean or peer into the grill to see if the spark igniter is working after you have turned on the gas.

-          Make sure the igniter is working, and then turn on the gas with the grill's lid open.

-          When using barbecue grills on decks or patios, be sure to leave sufficient space from your home siding and roof eaves.

-          When transporting your gas bottle to be filled, do not keep it stored in your vehicle for an extended period of time because the heat will cause the gas pressure to increase - which may open the relief valve and allow gas to escape.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

Static stretching

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

This involvesstretchinga muscle to the farthest point possible without hurting yourself and holding the stretch for 15-30 seconds. This is the most common form of stretching, it has been in use for centuries, and forms the basis of hatha yoga. These stretches are especially important for people who spend long hours sitting at a desk. One of the common results of a desk-bound job is that hip flexor muscles adapt to the restrictive posture and become compressed and tight. The solution is to do a hip flexor static stretch daily to restore its plasticity.

One of the basic rules of staticstretchingis that you have to hold the stretch, comfortably, for 15-30 seconds. It is okay if you can't perform a full stretch when you start. Do as much as you can without putting yourself in pain, and hold it there for the recommended time. As you practise daily, the muscles will automatically start becoming longer and more flexible.

Staticstretchinghas numerous benefits. It reduces injury by promoting muscular balance, reduces post-exercisesoreness, prevents common problems like lower back pain, and increases blood supply to the connective tissues and joints.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

Therapeutic Advantages of Having a Dog

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

The majority of us lead busy lives and face different levels of stress at the workplace. One solution to alleviate such a stress is to get a pet dog. Studies have shown that there are mental and physical health benefits of having a furry friend at home.

Advantages of having a dog:

• They can elevate the levels of serotonin and dopamine, which calm and relax.
• Heart attack patients with dogs survive longer than those without.
• Dog owners over the age of 65 make 30% fewer visits to their doctors than those without pets.
• Bringing in a dog into a nursing home or hospital can boost people’s moods and enhance their social interaction.

One of the main reasons for these therapeutic effects is the soothing and relaxing effect of touch. Also, having a dog would require owners to be more active and make healthier lifestyle changes.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

Benefits of a Hot Stone Massage

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

What it is a hot stone massage?

The hot stone massage is a gentle relaxation massage combined with deep heat therapy from stones placed on or smoothed over the body. Highly polished basalt stones of varying sizes are heated to about 125 degrees in a hot water bath and incorporated into the massage.

As with a classic massage, you'll lay face-down and covered with a sheet, on a massage table.

The therapist usually begins by massaging your back and shoulders with oil before placing warm, flat stones on your back, upturned hands and the soles of your feet. The therapist will then slide a pair of hot stones across your back, shoulders, arms and legs, then do the same thing on your front. The combination of heat, oil and polished stone feels divine.

What are the benefits of a Hot Stone Massage?

Anyone in need of some primo pampering. The hot stone massage is considered more of a spa-style treatment than a therapeutic massage. A hot stone massage won't get at deeply knotted muscles, but will promote relaxation and a heightened sense of well-being.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

Going Out for a Safe Jog

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

Now that summer is here, more people will opt to exercise outdoors in the sun. I say enjoy the sunshine and the fresh air but keep the guidelines below on your mind the next time you head out for a run.

• Avoid unpopulated areas such as parks, bike trails and deserted tracks or non-residential streets.
• Be aware of your surroundings. Know who is ahead of you and behind you and be aware of the nearest people or populated areas.
• Follow your intuition. If an area feels suspicious, turn back.
• Run in familiar areas.
• Run with a partner whenever possible.
• Run widely around places where attackers might hide, such as parked vans, trucks and bushes.
• Ignore verbal harassment.
• Carry identification.
• If you are running with headphones, earphones, iPods or other listening devices while walking, or jogging, you should make sure that you have spatial and situational awareness.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

List of Documents You MUST Shred

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

By now, most people generally understand the need to shred important papers. The issue of identity/data theft is so widely discussed, and paper shredders are now so widely available and affordably priced, that it's hard to imagine any enterprise just throwing important documents into the trash.

Here is a list of documents that people often fail to shred and dispose of with care. Needless to say, you do not want any of the items listed below to fall in the wrong hands:

-          Old tax returns: As a general rule, you should save your tax returns on the chance you get audited. But tax returns older than five years can be shredded.

-          Bank statements: Those contain your balance and account number.

-          Credit card offers: We often get credit card upgrade offers in the mail. Unless you plan on taking up new card, you should destroy the offers right away.

-          Old cheques: Those have your address and personal information.

-          Convenience checks: Those are distributed to credit card holders. They are checks you can use to borrow against your line of credit for quick cash.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

Water Conservation

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

Water conversation means doing the same with less, by using water more efficiently or reducing where appropriate, in order to protect our water resources now, and for the future.

Water conservation doesn't mean cramping our lifestyles by doing without; it simply means reducing the amount of water we waste.

By using the following three rules of water conservation a typical household can cut water consumption by 35 per cent or more, with no effect on lifestyle.

* Men, each time you shave, partially fill the basin instead of letting the water run continuously.

* Turn the tap off while brushing your teeth, and use short bursts of water for rinsing.

* A quick shower uses less hot water than a bath in a full tub.

* More than 50% of the water applied to lawns and gardens is lost due to evaporation, or run-off because of overwatering.

* Water your garden in the early morning to reduce loss due to evaporation.

* When washing your car, fill a bucket with water and use a sponge instead of a hose.

* Consider a low-maintenance landscape which will require very little extra watering.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

How to Eat a Healthy Pizza Pie

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

Depending on the toppings and amount of dough that is used, we can make pizza fit well into our healthy diet.

You don't have to sacrifice taste to enjoy the health benefits. Here are some tips that will help reduce the calories and fat and make your pizza pie more nutritious:

-          Limit your quantities. Do not prevent yourself from indulging in any food that has an ounce of fat. Enjoy your pizza but instead of eating ten slices, limit yourself to one or two. Try and fill yourself by serving a delicious salad side plate with it.

-          Make pizzas with thin water-like crust. Those are delicious and more authentic to the Italian original pizza.

-          Order less cheese or go cheese-less. Cheese is rich in calcium and protein, but it can make up the bulk of the calories in pizza depending on how much is placed on top of the pie. Asking for half the amount of cheese can save you hundreds of calories.

-          Replace fatty cheese with lighter cheese such as feta.

-          Choose thin over thick crust. Crust contains carbs and carbs equate to calories. You can cut down on calories by ordering thin crust, versus a deep dish, thick crust or cheese-filled crust. If available, ordering whole-wheat dough is a healthier option.

-          Try adding grilled chicken, seafood or Canadian bacon instead of pepperoni and sausage. They are lower in saturated fat and calories.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

Preparing for Negotiations

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

Preparation for negotiations is crucial. In a negotiation, half of the work takes place before you even get to the bargaining table. You need to: identify and develop alternatives, put yourself in the shoes of your negotiating partner, determine your goals and your "walk away" point, plan your opening move, build confidence in your ability and learn to love the game.

In order to succeed in negotiations, you should follow these key points for yourself:

• Target point (your optimistic but realistic goal)
• Reservation price (your bottom line)
• Best alternative to negotiated agreement
• Bargaining zone (the zone of possible agreement). It's positive if the rational outcome is an agreement or negative if the rational outcome is an impasse.
• Bargaining surplus ("the pie")
• Negotiator's surplus (your pie piece)

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

Protect Yourself from UV Rays

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

Warm temperatures and extra hours of sunlight entice many to spend more time outdoors in the summer, dramatically increasing exposure to harmful rays that can cause skin damage and are linked to skin cancer. Sudden changes in the weather aim more ultraviolet radiation at us, just when we start going out in T-shirts to enjoy the sun on patios and by the pool.

The ozone layer, which filters out UV rays, shifts and changes constantly. It has been getting thinner since the 1980s because of a variety of industrial chemicals that break up ozone molecules. This spring it's thinner again. There's about 10 per cent less ozone than in the normal years before 1980.

In addition to immediate pain, overexposure to sunlight, sun damage and burns can heighten the risk for developing skin cancer. It's extremely important to protect yourself.

Here are some tips for avoiding sunburn or side effects linked to sun exposure are:

* Avoid sunbathing.

* Avoid tanning parlors.

* Wear a hat that shields your face from the sun.

* Limit your sun exposure. The sun is hottest and strongest between 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.

* Use sunscreen with a sun protection factor of 15 or greater.

* Wear sunglasses that are UV rated.

* Choose cosmetics, moisturizing creams and lotions that contain sunscreen.

* Protect your lips with products that have a sun protection factor of 15 or greater.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

Refrigeration Maintenance Tips

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

Your refrigerator operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, basically untended. They are expected to operate trouble free for many years. However, just like any other mechanical system, they require regular maintenance in order to keep operating properly and at peak efficiency. The actual frequency of tasks performed for each system will vary from system to system. Always refer to the manufacturers’ guidelines for their maintenance requirements.

Generic maintenance tasks which can be applied to many refrigeration systems include:

-          Temperature check

-          Checking all components for dirt and debris

-          Checking all components for leaks

-          Checking refrigerant charge

-          Vibrating pipe work should be identified and secured to avoid future leaks

-          Ensuring all components are adequately lubricated

-          Ensuring all air flows are clear of obstructions.

-          Door sealant is strong and no air escapes or enters.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

Eating Healthy While Travelling for Work

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

Travelling to work via rail is a fact of life for many urban commuters. While many rail travellers use their time on the train to read, sleep or otherwise relax, you can also use a daily train trip as the site of a healthy meal or snack, especially if you are pressed for time during the rest of the day.

Do you find that your stomach growls all the way home in the afternoon? No problem, simply bring along a low-fat granola or fruit bar and a can of juice to snack on during the trip home in the evening. Taking a few minutes to plan ahead in this way will allow you to make the most of your time on the train.

The simplest way to be guaranteed a nutritious meal or snack is to bring your own. Examples of foods to try include: fresh fruit, cheese, juice boxes, crackers, English muffins, hard boiled eggs and home-made sandwiches. In addition, pretzels, dried fruits and air-popped popcorn can help cure a snack attack.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

The Importance of Honesty

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

Honesty, responsibility, fairness and respect can get lost above the corporate bottom line.

It is important to build trust first in your business career, success will follow. Do not cut corners with questionable behavior. You may succeed in the short term, but eventually your unethical practices will catch up with you and you will find your reputation tarnished and realize that no one wants to do business with you.

Over the history of business there has always been serious breaches of ethics . For example in the 90s during the dot-com boom, some people were chasing profit and wealth without thinking about whether what they were doing was right. Many made bad decisions, got incredibly greedy and lost a lot of their money when the market crashed.

Make sure you don’t allow the eagerness of success to temporarily inhibit your sense of responsibility and ethics.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

Malcolm Gladwell’s the "Outliers"

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

Malcolm Gladwell book the "Outliers," is about how culture and community are greater determinants of individual success than talent or even will.

We are used to looking at success, Gladwell explains in the opening chapter, as an individual story. But in fact, successful people "are invariably the beneficiaries of hidden advantages and extraordinary opportunities and cultural legacies that allow them to learn and work hard and make sense of the world in ways others cannot. . . . It's not enough to ask what successful people are like, in other words. It is only by asking where they are from that we can unravel the logic behind who succeeds and who doesn't."

Gladwell chooses from a wide array of examples: Italian immigrants, hockey players, computer programmers. How is it that a group of early 20th century immigrants from a particular village in Italy avoided the high rates of heart disease that plague Americans over 65? Not genes, not diet, but a "powerful, protective social structure capable of insulating them from the pressures of the modern world."

Researchers, he writes, citing the work of neurologist Daniel Levitin, "have settled on what they believe is the magic number for true expertise: ten thousand hours." Three hours a day for 10 years.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

How Social Media and PR Connect

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

Let’s face it, social media has brought traditional communication agencies to their knees. The vast world of social media offers so many opportunities that we have not yet learned to take advantage of. The opportunities are immediate, prolific and lucrative for those who need to boost their businesses and marketing campaigns.

The emergence of social media has altered and forever transformed the communication landscape. The mass mobilising power of social media is bound to only grow in the next few years.

What social media does differently is that it allows for instantaneous feedback and a discussion. Previously the opinions and client feedback was very hard to obtain. Today a simply tweet or online survey or a message will let you know what people are thinking about you and how you should do things differently.

The social media is as important for the clients as it is for the stakeholders. We have seen countless examples of social media strategy backfiring. I met a dancing instructor who wanted to promote her dance studio. I took a look at her social media and immediately told her she either had a serious problem. One of her Facebook posts was of a woman falling and cracking her head during a dance manoeuver. The moral of the story was if you don’t come take professional lessons you will fall and crack you head open. The comment on the post itself was demeaning and rude as it poked fun of the injured woman. The studios customers were quick to call out the belittling someone’s pain. One client said she was considering joining the studio but had now changed her mind she asked “What if I slip and crack my head open in your studio? Will you laugh at me the same way you laughed at this poor unfortunate woman?”. In panic the client had approached us. An inexperienced intern had put the message up on the Facebook wall. Damage had been done and her reputation was definitely affected.

Another example of social media gone wrong is the latest #myNYPD hashtag to encourage new Yorkers to post happy stories and experiences they have had with the New York police force. Of course this was completely flipped. As soon as the campaign was launched people started posting photos of police violence and cruelty.

Another social media fail.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

April Snow

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

After I put my winter clothes, coat and boots away, I grudgingly took them out this morning for my trip to work. I cursed under my breath as my boots trudged through the inch of wet slushy snow on the ground and all over my car. It is as if April is playing a cruel belated April fool joke on us.

I have been residing in Montreal all my life and I am aware that in Montreal having three seasons a day should not come as a surprise. Yet I cannot help feeling a little depressed, especially after we got a taste of spring last weekend.

The Montreal downtown terraces were packed with people, children were playing the park and for the first time in forever I was able to enjoy a walk as opposed to winter “marching “.

Common Mother Nature, give us a break and make the snow go away!

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

Nurture Your Children’s Reading Skills

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of business etiquette and practicing yoga and meditation.

More time should be dedicated to foster an enthusiasm for literature in children. A child’s motivation to read can improve substantially when adults or parents get involved with reading.

Today, television, social media, computer games and other digitaldistractions compete for the time children will spend reading or playing let alone interacting with their family members. With as little as ten minutes of reading a day, you can make an impact on a child and in the long-term help improve their reading comprehension and language capabilities.

It is greatly beneficial to read to children because their aural comprehension is stronger than their reading competence. Reading to children also expands the imagination of children, increases their vocabulary and prepares them for becoming successful, independent readers.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

Health Benefits of Playing Golf

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of golf, yoga and meditation.

There are many reasons as to why I enjoy a game of golf. Most golfers will tell you it is because they enjoy the challenge, the competition and the camaraderie that comes with playing the game. Another reason that is often overlooked is the health benefits that playing golf offers.  

Some people accuse golf of being a "lazy man's sport”. I beg to differ! walking 18 holes is a beneficial cardiovascular workout and is equivalent to a three to four mile walk. Playing a round of golf has the same health benefits of a full 45- minute fitness class. It will burn fat and also improve your good cholesterol levels. Walking is a low-impact cardiovascular activity that gets the heart pumping. Many doctors advise walking over jogging because it isn't jarring on the knees and feet. Walking is often an important part of a workout routine and can promote weight loss and a healthier heart.

Besides burning calories, golf can help to improve your flexibility and upper body strength. This is especially true for older golfers. For senior golfers, playing the game will improve your balance and coordination and keep you active well into your later years.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

Kale – A Premium Health Food

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman and health enthusiast, who advocates for the benefits of eating healthy and organic food.

Kale is low in calories. One cup of kale contains 36 calories, 5 grams of fiber and 15 percent of the daily requirement of calcium, and vitamin B6, 40% of magnesiu, and 180 percent of vitamin A, 200 percent of vitamin C, and 1,020 percent of vitamin K. Kale is also a good source of copper, potassium, iron, manganese and phosphorous.

When shopping for Kale, select firm, deeply colored greyish green crinckles leaves with moist hardy stems. Kale should be kept cool because the flavor will change if wilted. Leaves should look fresh with no spots or small holes. Smaller leaves are known to be more flavorful than the larger ones.

Kale was once considered only suitable for animal fodder. Today Kale has become a premium health food – often referred to as the Queen of Greens by celebrity chefs on television.

To prepare kale, rinse under cold water. Remove the tough stems. Chop leaves into half inch slices and stems to quarter inch lengths.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

The Benefits of Internal Social Networks

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of golf, yoga and social media.

Companies have started to internally adopt several tools that mimic Facebook, Wikipedia and Twitter within the confines of their corporate fire wall.

Internal social networks vastly increase employee productivity by improving communication and making it easier to share information. The collaboration between employees on these internal networks has led to a marked increase in employee productivity and cooperation.

The intranet allows employees to initiate a much more efficient training program and work procedure. Through blog posts and status updates, employees are now more aware of what their counterparts are working on, which can also lead to better team building.

Unfortunately most enterprises are still hesitant to adopt the communication tools, and regard them as time wasters. Experts believe social networking within organizations will eventually be regarded as a business tool as important as the telephone, Internet or email.

Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of golf, yoga and meditation.

When I have my migraines and I get them around twice a month. I feel life is grim. Medication rarely helps and I basically have to just wait patiently for it to go away. Sometimes the Meds help alleviate the pain but most of the time they don’t.

Migraine pain can be located anywhere in the head: the right or left side, the cheeks, the back of the head. Common triggers include: a change in sleep patterns, either too little or too much; changing eating patterns, either allowing yourself to get too hungry or thirsty; a change in exercise routine, not exercising at all, or way more than normal; weather changes; certain foods and alcohol, especially red wine, and the MSG in Chinese food and finally emotional stress.

 When I have my migraines I become irritable and I feel defeated and am always looking for ways to manage my migraines more effectively in order to lessen the suffering.

 That is until I discovered how beneficial yoga can be to address migraines. It helped reduce my stress stress, a factor in many migraines. Yoga also facilitates deep breathing, which is effective in pain management.

 The primary symptom of a migraine is the headache itself. Some people have one or two migraines a year; as long as they take their medicine, it's not a big deal. For other patients, migraines can be incredibly disabling; they might miss three days of work and major events.

 Neil Haboush
Level One Data Services
451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec
H9W 4C2
(514) 313-3357

Why I Love To Blog

Neil Haboush is a Montreal businessman who advocates for the benefits of golf, yoga and meditation.

When Istarted bloggingin 2000, it was cool, exciting and popular. Everyone was talking about blogs, commenting on blogs and starting blogs. I felt that blogs gave people a new, user-friendly platform to reach a global audience about any interest or topic.

Fast-forward today and blogs are a solid part of the landscape but not as genuine as they used to be. If social media is a dance, blogs are the nice but bespectacled girl/boy standing in the corner while the cool kids (Facebook, Twitter and YouTube) are wildly partying in the middle of the dance floor.

It seems that interest in blogs is declining because it is easier to find an audience on Facebook and Twitter. A facebook post is easier to produce in comparison with a blog post. Blogs can be challenging to write because they need lots of ideas, enthusiasm and, ideally, the ability to write well and quickly. And it can be difficult to attract an audience given the competition.

Nevertheless,I’m still convinced blogs are an important and viable part of the social media landscape and I also really enjoy writing blogs. The other key reason forblogging is it is a great way to support and promote my business. My blog, hopefully, shows them my insight, ideas, approach and commitment in a way that Twitter and Facebook could never do.

Neil Haboush Level One Data Services 451 Beaconsfield, Suite 205 Montreal, Quebec H9W 4C2 (514) 313-3357