Here’s how small process improvements benefit organizations by eliminating big problems at the root.

Precision in daily work protects profits

In many industries, profitability depends on how precisely work is completed. In some cases there’s no margin for error and one small mistake can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. When tasks are performed correctly, everything moves faster and errors are less common. The goal is to get people to understand how to do their work efficiently and then costs fall naturally.

Getting to this point requires strong training, especially in environments like warehouses where trained operators need to move product fast. In this case, even modest investments – like online forklift certification – can reduce product damage, delays, and downtime.

Errors are costly because they trigger rework and make customers unhappy. Studies show that operator error is a leading cause of operational loss across industries, including warehouses. Training can improve speed and efficiency without sacrificing quality. Well-trained workers get their tasks done faster because they aren’t stuck correcting mistakes or guessing when nobody’s available to help. Fewer errors lead to fewer incidents that cause injuries and operational downtime.

Streamlined processes reduce wasted labor

Unnecessary movement is one of the most common forms of inefficiency in any business. Whether it’s people wandering through a maze of workstations, equipment moving between locations, or information that has to be sent through multiple approval layers. Excess travel adds labor costs without increasing value to the company.

Shortening paths between tasks eliminates wasted time and lowers fatigue. When tasks can be completed faster, output increases and there’s less wear and tear on equipment. Saving just seconds per task can turn into hours when repeated over time.

Clean handoffs prevent delays

Some inefficiencies happen between tasks during the handoff stage. When it’s not clear who’s responsible for taking the next step, work stalls or ends up being done twice.

Having defined handoffs reduces waiting time and avoids the constant questions that require involving multiple people, taking them away from their daily tasks. More importantly, having clear documentation regarding all processes prevents inefficient handovers when employees are trained to refer to the documentation first.

Small incidents of equipment misuse create long-term costs

Equipment misuse can have a substantial financial impact over time. And that misuse doesn’t need to be dramatic. Being too rough, using equipment incorrectly, and ignoring maintenance needs can all lead to increased repair costs and unplanned downtime. Improper use accelerates wear, small issues become major failures, and unnecessary use increases required maintenance.

Simplified, standardized processes reduce errors and costs

Complex processes only increase mistakes. When people need to remember a large list of exceptions, workarounds, or undocumented steps, mistakes are unavoidable. Simplifying processes increases both speed and accuracy, which avoids unnecessary costs.

With simple processes, new employees get trained faster and workers experience less mental fatigue. When processes are simple and clear, workers are more likely to follow them.

Fixing small inefficiencies supports growth

Eliminating inefficiencies is the first step to creating the efficient, standardized processes needed for growth. Businesses that scale successfully lock in the most efficient way to do things and repeat that without deviation. Standardized systems reduce training time and avoid workarounds that derail productivity.

When tasks are performed the same way everywhere, training materials can be reused and new hires become productive faster. Standardized processes create repeatable outcomes and that makes it easier to forecast costs, regardless of location. This level of predictability is required for expansion, and it all starts with fixing those tiny inefficiencies that don’t seem like a big deal.

Small improvements compound over time

The power of small process improvements compounds with time. Each small fix supports the next. These gains aren’t dramatic but they do improve margins. They produce incremental gains over time and teams that see results from these changes are more likely to continue to refine their processes.

Small fixes produce lasting results

The biggest savings come from fixing small inefficiencies that people have learned to tolerate and work around. Clarifying processes, reducing unnecessary movement, improving handoffs, and minimizing rework can produce measurable gains when applied consistently.

Businesses that focus on eliminating small points of friction build operations that experience fewer breakdowns and are much easier to scale. Small fixes strengthen margins, increase output without increasing labor costs, reduce errors and costly downtime, and make operations more predictable.

Photo Credit

Image by Jonathan from Pixabay

Guest Author Bio
Jamie Lansley

Jamie is a freelance writer who covers trends in business, technology, and health. She loves to go skiing, camping, and rock climbing with her family.

I think its time, time to either stand up and fight or flea. Which will it be? I have seen and heard enough.

Yesterday a young woman was shot down in her neighbourhood. A place for many where home is, a place of peace, a place where you feel safe. Not in this world it seems, not now, not with the criminally insane running the show. Not in year one.

Year one is supposed to be according to the mystics a year of new growth consciously where we elevate to higher ground. Year one is supposed to be the year of enlightenment.

I am afraid the mystics got it wrong. If anything we have been pushed back into decades of old where people lived in fear, fear of death of being blown up by nuclear weapons, fear of the communists invading our country. If you were not like anyone else then you were the enemy. You would be destroyed. If not physically, then mentally. You were incapable of living your true life as you hoped but lived in constant fear that you would be found out.

It’s a classic case of authoritarianism where the powerful rule the world and the rest of us struggle to get by. Financially we suffer the consequences of greed and power and manipulation.

I am no expert on politics of any kind really but I am a member of the world. A citizen of the world. I expect that those with the power will protect and serve the masses of us who live and work and dream and love in the world. That the leaders will lead us not to war or hate but to love and hope. Can you imagine for a moment what we could do as citizens of the world? What we could do with all the money these clowns have wasted on military might and police force? Not to mention what they have made for their own personal bank accounts. Millions and billions of dollars could have been used to feed and house the poor, to enrich the environment, to rebuild cities that are falling apart. The list is endless. And yet people are starving and living in squalor on the streets of every city and municipality in the world.

I think it’s time that we take back our government, that we hold our officials in charge to be accountable. That we stop being silent and afraid because if we do not fight for our rights who will fight for us. And I am not speaking of military might. I am talking about getting out and voting. Being a part of the solution instead of part of the problem. It is time for the weak to stand strong, for the blind to see and for those that are afraid to find courage.

Sometimes I think… is this some sort of science experiment? Are we all in a nightmare that we will awake from and things will be as they were? Unfortunately this is it my friends. So how do we get that life style that we hoped everyone could have? How do make it possible for our young people to not be cynical and afraid and full of dread? How can we make it possible for our children to be able to afford a home, have a good job, and raise their children in a neighbourhood where you don’t get shot in the head on your street?

I feel very sad today and angry. I hope that people wake up and see what a horrific world we have created. I hope that good people will rise up from this state of horror that we are living in now. I hope that we can walk down our streets and be proud of ourselves for what we have achieved. A village of compassionate and hard working people.

Nobody should live in fear anywhere! Let peace shine through and let our differences make us unique and our hearts be filled with love.

Photo Credit

Photo is Wikimedia Creative Commons

Whether you’re playing sports or competing for a professional promotion, you must empathize with those around you. A lack of compassion can make anyone lose sight of what’s most important, both in the moment and in the long term. Conversely, understanding that your peers have similar goals and feelings can help you compete without disregarding their needs.

Otherwise, you may burn bridges, fail to achieve your goals, and bring the group down. Follow along as we explore what it means to compete with compassion and highlight its importance.

Compassion is an Invaluable Competitive Asset

Compassion is one of the most important soft skills in nursing, education, law enforcement, and many other industries.

Offer Support

There’s a good chance that you’ve met people who prioritize advancement and personal gain over others’ well-being. This is an unfortunate reality of any competitive venture, whether it be sports or business. However, you can compete and prioritize your success while still uplifting and supporting those around you.

While you can still hope to advance and earn a promotion or small victory, you should still hope your peers do well. Hoping that your peers fail so you can win is devoid of compassion, and it can hold you back. Most people can tell when someone is actively rooting against them, and it can put your professional relationships at risk.

Competing with compassion involves supporting your peers and rooting for them. If you resent and root against your peers, how can you expect them to support you? Be aware of those around you and take their well-being into account, even if you’re competing.

Focus on Pushing One Another

The beauty of competition is that several skilled people work toward the same goal. Naturally, this brings the worst out in some people who view their competitors as enemies. However, compassionate competitors respect their competitors and understand the importance of pushing them to their fullest potential.

Whether you’re playing sports or vying for a promotion, it’s important to respect others and use their success as motivation. After all, nothing is exciting about competing with people who don’t motivate you to work harder. Similarly, you can push your peers to work hard by maintaining a positive attitude and showing that you care.

Pushing one another doesn’t necessarily mean telling someone to work harder or bragging about your achievements. Instead, you can push others through actions, such as acknowledging their hard work while exhibiting your own hard work and compassion.

Prioritize the Team’s Success

It’s easy to get wrapped up in your own success while competing, even in the context of a team, business, or department. That is, of course, when competing without compassion. Compassionate competitors understand that everyone plays a vital role in the group’s success.

Selflessness and competition may seem antithetical, but a healthy dose of compassion helps you keep what’s most important in check. This is especially true in the workplace, where everyone is supposed to work toward a shared goal. Although promotions may be a factor, everyone’s hard work is ultimately responsible for the group’s success.

Be as Receptive as Possible

If you’re compassionate, there’s a good chance you’re also self-aware. Self-awareness is just as important as compassion in competition, and apathetic competitors often lack self-awareness. The more you value and empathize with your peers, the more likely you are to cherish their feedback.

This is especially important in the workplace, where your performance affects those around you. Overly competitive individuals often neglect the broader impact of their actions on the group as a whole. They may not value feedback from their peers or even their superiors, which shows a lack of consideration.

Conversely, compassionate people who value those around them are more likely to take feedback to heart. Being receptive lets the people around you know that you respect them and care about what they have to say.

Compassion and Competition Aren’t Mutually Exclusive

Some people view competition as an opportunity to disregard others and prioritize their own success. This apathetic approach to competition can ultimately hinder your performance and negatively impact those around you. That is true both in sports and in the office, where your relationship with your peers is quite important.

Understanding other people’s positions and celebrating their successes can help you learn from them. Similarly, you can foster strong relationships with people who share your goals and interests. A “me versus you” mindset can quickly become lonely, and it won’t help you succeed.

Whether you’re competing for a job or a medal, it’s important to keep a balanced perspective and value those around you. This mindset can help you appreciate and learn from your peers, making you a better person and competitor.

Photo Credit

Image by Tania Dimas from Pixabay

Guest Author Bio
Sarah Daren

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

JTA 7/2025

Photo Credit

Image by Steve Buissinne from Pixabay

Guest Author Bio
Jack Andrish

I am a retired orthopaedic surgeon living in Cleveland Ohio. However, while visiting my brother-in-law in Key West and watching the world go by as I sat on the porch, I was inspired to record my thoughts and observations.

And so Christmas will no doubt be a white one, a frosty one. But nothing could freeze this old heart of mine. I’m feeling grateful as I sit in my new home surrounded by photos and artwork by all of the different artists who are family and friends. The memories begin to come to me as I look at the photos lined up neatly on my desk.

I’m thinking back to one December when my husband proposed to me. It was December 23rd to be exact. I don’t recall what year it might have been? But amongst winter coats of all kinds, men’s and women’s, furs and ski jackets, scarves and hats, my then-boyfriend got down on one knee as I sat on the bed of coats and asked me to marry him. I started to cry, he started to cry. Then we were laughing. I could hear friends outside the bedroom door where they were waiting to hear “Yes” (I’m sure some of that evening was orchestrated by the host.) When we emerged, everyone crowded around us, giving their congratulations. There were tears of joy and hugs and kisses, it was all so wonderful and magical. We were going to get married. What a thrilling night that was. The cold melted away and we were on the road to a life together.

Many winters have come and gone. I have fond memories of Christmas celebrations with family that have since passed away, on my husband’s side and mine. Yet when I remember those significant people in our lives, I remember the feeling of magic. The memories of  ‘one finger, one thumb’ and ‘put your right foot in and turn it all about’, the gifts being open on Christmas morning, carols playing on the radio, laughter and love in all these different scenarios. And he is always with me in spirit – my love, my husband.

We have two absolutely amazing children. They, too, have been a blessing that I could never have predicted. Because they’re a part of him, they’re always going to remind me of him. My son and daughter carry many of his traits, good and bad, and I’m so grateful for that. My son’s son, our grandson, carries the Page name with strength and honor. They stoke the fire that keeps me warm while the bitter cold tries to sneak up on me, tries to throw me off-balance. But I hold on tight to each of these memories like they’ll carry me, hold me, give me purpose and joy.

Though my husband’s been gone two years now I feel him close by, warming my heart and giving me the strength to move on. I know he’s beside me and his spirit is laughing at all the things I do that don’t make sense to anyone but him and me of course. He knew me so well. That December so many years ago will always be a memory that will keep me warm in winter. It will wrap me up in the notion that even when something ends it begins again, just like those memories.

Photo credits
Photos courtesy of Martha Farley – all rights reserved

My feed has been filled with nothing but headlines alluding to “The End of Cinema” or “The Slimiest Practices of Capitalism.”

The latter is very true. Industry giants vying for control in the entertainment sector, buying each other out, does not bode well for fans on all sides, regardless of any sentiment.

Monopolies are not good for business, especially for the entertainment business. All ideas will hover around the same minds, so there will be little to no trace of inspiration in the media you consume.

Monopolies turn big companies complacent and churn out hot, smouldering garbage you will not enjoy. Trust me, I’m a professional wrestling fan.

However, I don’t think that this deal signals the end of cinema. Maybe the golden age of cinema, but not the industry as a whole. As the title suggests, I do think that there is a bright side to be had here.

But to see it, we probably have to take a step back and look in the other direction.

The Downfall of Giants

The one fun pattern I see at the peak of an industry leader’s popularity is that sooner or later, a company will either adapt to a new age and create something new or coast on the nostalgia of its IPs.

They’ll grow too big until they can no longer sustain that growth and resort to greedy market tactics to keep their growing company afloat. A company can only grow so big before it becomes too heavy to carry itself on its own two feet.

Alas, the quote “And Caesar wept, for there were no more worlds to conquer.”

This isn’t a pattern I’ve seen in the movie industry until this very recent trade, however. The decline of movie theatres since the pandemic has been a conversation we’ve been avoiding and has only recently made itself known with this Netflix-WB headline.

Instead, I look to the rising sector of gaming, which is perhaps the newest booming sector of the entertainment industry, for this pattern of corporate cannibalism. To pretend that gaming is still a niche market is an outdated take at this point.

I see companies I grew up with, from Bethesda to Activision, churn out the same successful IPs year after year, squeezing every ounce of goodwill from their fanbase with lazy production value games.

Add that to the other headline earlier this year about EA selling itself to Saudi Arabia, which is a whole other article in itself; the giants that head the gaming industry are slowly collapsing in their greed.

But the reason we have the title is that 2025 showed us that when giants fall, new faces rise from the ashes and build something new.

A Renaissance in the Making

The 2025 Game Awards was what probably convinced me that when it comes to entertainment, people don’t just stand by and wait for the world to collapse. They do something about it.

This year truly belonged to the vibrant communities that built up the gaming sphere, as multiple indie games took the spotlight and entered the conversation to compete for the best game of the year.

This is not an article where I glaze Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, but the fact that an indie game swept more awards than any other game in the award show’s history tells you that times are changing.

The technology available to common folk is becoming more accessible to those who have the passion to create something good and memorable.

Titles like Dispatch, Hollow Knight: Silksong, Hades 2, and even Kingdom Come: Deliverance were signs of the times.

When people get tired of the corporate themes that don’t dare to be bold and stick to formulaic writing and production, they look to other sources that are willing to push the boundaries of what has never been done before.

And to head back to our topic: What does that say about cinema?

I truly don’t think cinema will die. I just think we’re entering an era where it’ll be up to new creators to step up to a demand that is slowly beginning to shift.

Spaces will take on new meaning. People nowadays don’t even go to casinos anymore. Countries like Brazil and the Philippines simply turn on their phones and play GameZone slots from there.

There were decades when I’d hear arguments of how theatre is outdated because of cinema. Now, the challenge falls on those who love cinema to see if an era of streaming will spell their industry’s demise, or if it will push them to redefine their place in an evolving industry.

And quite frankly, I’m very much excited to see the art that revolution will bear fruit.

Photo Credits

Person Holding a Remote Control – Pexels

Bugs Bunny Statue · Nate Biddle · Free Stock Photo

The 2025 Game Awards

Guest Author Bio
Ethan Nicholson Manalo

Ethan Nicholson Manalo always wanted to be a writer. He just didn’t know what type yet, so he just wrote about whatever.

Currently residing in the Philippines, he works as an SEO Content Writer to learn more about writing articles online and getting people to read them.

And in that quiet, something unexpected arrives.

Not always loudly. Often it’s a gentle image — a colour, a memory, a face we haven’t thought about in decades — and it hovers as if waiting for permission to speak. Sometimes it vanishes as quickly as it appeared. Other times, that fleeting image becomes the beginning of a poem, a painting, or an idea that will one day determine the direction of a creative life.

For years, I thought creativity came only from effort. I believed ideas had to be hunted, forced, wrestled into existence. In my early career as a filmmaker, I sat with blank pages feeling a familiar friction: the urge to create, paired with the fear that perhaps inspiration had abandoned me. I didn’t yet understand that creativity isn’t a commodity we manufacture — it’s a relationship we allow.

Meditation changed that.

Over time, a quiet truth revealed itself: creativity grows in the same environment where self-awareness grows — in stillness.

The Evening She Forgot to Fall

The Art of Not Trying

There is an irony in creativity: the more we chase it, the faster it runs. Meditation teaches the opposite posture — one of receptivity rather than striving. Instead of trying to think, we sit and observe thought itself. We begin to see how chaotic the mind can be when unattended, and how gentle it becomes when we no longer react to every passing idea.

Scientists often describe this state as accessing the default mode network, a part of the brain associated with imagination, memory retrieval, and associative thinking — the very architecture of creativity. Meditation doesn’t suppress thought; it rearranges the mental landscape so that thoughts can form with clarity rather than urgency.

In this state, ideas aren’t dragged forward — they surface.

Memory, Imagination, and the Quiet Between Them

What fascinates me most is the way meditation dissolves the boundaries between memory and imagination. In everyday life, we treat them as separate concepts, but creatively they are deeply entangled. A remembered childhood moment may blur into symbolism. A forgotten face may become a character. A half-remembered feeling — sunlight on the skin, the smell of an old school corridor, the loneliness of being young — becomes the emotional scaffolding of a new artwork.

Meditation gives these inner landscapes room to breathe. Without distraction or urgency, the subconscious mind offers its materials freely.

Some of my most meaningful artistic ideas have arrived not in the studio, but in those quiet post-meditative moments — when I open my eyes and realise something within me has rearranged itself.

It feels less like invention and more like recognition.

The Permission to Pause

We live in a culture that values productivity over presence. Artists feel that pressure acutely: produce more work, publish more often, stay visible or risk being forgotten. But creativity cannot thrive in perpetual acceleration. There must be time to fall silent — time to return inward.

Meditation becomes a form of rebellion. It is a refusal to rush. It’s a reminder that stillness is not the opposite of productivity — it is the wellspring of it.

For some, meditation may feel intimidating, mysterious, or reserved for monks and mystics. But at its essence, it is simply the practice of meeting oneself without distraction. Some people meditate sitting upright in a quiet room. Others find meditative space while walking, gardening, or staring at the horizon. What matters is not the method — it is the willingness to be still long enough to listen.

When Inspiration Arrives

There is a beautiful humility in recognising that inspiration is not under our command. It doesn’t obey deadlines or routine. But it responds unbelievably well to quiet.

I often tell people this: creativity doesn’t appear because we meditate — it appears because meditation creates the conditions for its arrival.

Like a shy guest at a crowded party, inspiration waits for the noise to ease before stepping forward.

And when it does, something extraordinary happens. Instead of ideas tangled with doubt or urgency, we receive ideas that feel grounded — ideas that feel like truth.

These are the ideas worth pursuing.

The ‘Lost Children’

Art as a Conversation with the Inner Self

In the end, meditation is not separate from the creative process — it is part of it. Both are acts of listening. Both ask us to show up without knowing what will happen. Both invite something deeper and more meaningful than surface thought.

Meditation teaches patience, softness, acceptance — qualities that translate beautifully into the way we make and share art. Creativity becomes less about proving oneself and more about expressing something authentic.

We stop asking:
Is this good enough?
And begin asking:
Is this real?

When we approach creativity from that grounded space, our work — whether visual, musical, written, or entirely intangible — carries the unmistakable imprint of presence.

The Quiet Return

When I finish meditating, I don’t rush back into activity. I sit for a moment and notice the quiet. Sometimes nothing creative emerges — and that’s fine. The practice is valuable regardless of outcome.

But often, something does arise: a thought, a question, a title, a shape, a line of poetry that arrives like a whisper.

And I write it down.

Because I know that while the world tells us creativity comes from effort, the deeper truth is this:

Art begins in silence. Not in the noise of ambition, but in the gentle, quiet space where we finally make room for the imagination to speak.

Image Credits

Images are (c) David Miller – All Rights Reserved

Guest Author Bio
David Miller
David Miller is a visual artist and writer exploring memory, identity, and imagination through narrative and meditation. A former filmmaker, he now creates AI-assisted art and reflective essays from his studios in the UK and Finland.
Blog / Website: davidmiller.art

It could also refer to the ways in which students simply learn differently.

There are lots of approaches to education, and students are often able to achieve their best results only under the tutelage of a teacher who understands their unique learning needs.

In this article, we take a look at how teachers can achieve better results by recognizing the diverse needs of the students in their classroom.

The Four Primary Styles of Learning

First, it’s important to recognize the four basic learning profiles. These are:

• Visual
• Auditory
• Kinesthetic
• Reading and writing

Traditional classroom environments have largely prioritized reading and writing methods of learning. In other words, the teacher says things, the student writes them down, they study from their books and their notes, and they are assessed based on an examination.

If this sounds like the learning environment you grew up in, understand that it’s no longer necessarily considered ideal. In fact, only a relatively small segment of the population learns best from reading and writing.

The majority of students actually learn best through visual stimulation. Studies have indicated that this is the preferred method of learning for approximately 60% of the population.

Good teachers will understand that lectures should include as many different learning styles as possible.

Naturally, as an educator, you probably cannot make a custom lesson plan for each student in the room.

However, through adaptive learning software, it’s actually now easier than ever to ensure that students have at least some access to their ideal method of learning.

Many programs will adapt to how they learn best. Beyond that, teachers can also achieve strong results by simply adding visual, physical, and interactive elements to their lessons as often as possible.

Recognizing the Needs of Diverse Learning Styles

It’s not only that people learn better through different teaching methods. That’s a part of it, but ultimately, native ability is going to have the biggest impact.

How good are you at processing and retaining information? That, more than any other factor, will determine how you succeed in a traditional learning environment.

Unfortunately, this is also an imperfect measure of actual ability. Many students who qualify for special education services, for example, are able to experience high levels of success, provided certain modifications are met.

However, it’s not the case that every student in special education is incapable of grasping their work materials.

A student might receive these services because they have attention deficit disorder or other conditions that simply make it difficult for them to succeed in a pen-and-paper learning environment.

Special educators are, naturally enough, trained and well-prepared to make these modifications.

However, Gen Ed instructors often need to have a strong understanding of how to work with students who have barriers to learning as well.

While some children will spend all of their time in a special education environment, it’s often the case that they’ll receive only a preset number of minutes with their special educator per week.

This could be less than an hour of special education instruction, depending on their disability.

Understanding what modifications are required and how to best implement them is not only good teaching practice, but it’s also a legal mandate.

How to Accommodate Everyone

Above, we’ve described what sort of variation educators might encounter from their students. Great, but how can they meet the needs of all of their students when they’re in front of a room with thirty individuals?

While it’s impossible to perfectly meet the needs of every single student, there are certainly ways to maximize the quality of instruction through variety.

In the next few headings, we take a look at core concepts that can help teachers experience high levels of success in any classroom.

Vary Instruction

One of the best ways to meet the needs of everyone in the classroom is simply to vary instruction as much as possible.

In a single lesson plan, you can incorporate elements of every different learning style.

A lecture coupled with visual components. Maybe a tactile component. And so on. Not only will this variety help ensure that everyone’s needs are being met, but it will also just keep the lectures fresh in a more general way.

Collaborate and Communicate

Schools, though underfunded, do have resources. Teachers who want to maximize the efficiency of their lectures should lean into their support systems.

Paraprofessionals, special educators, and specialized instructors who push into classrooms can all be valuable collaborators.

Sit down in a meeting and discuss your desire to reach more people through diversified instruction methods.

Not only will this ensure that your support staff is aligned with your goals, but it may even open the door to insights and suggestions that never would have otherwise crossed your mind.

Regularly Review

Finally, it’s also a good idea to think of your approach to instruction as being iterative rather than fixed. Never at any point should you assume that you’ve reached the final stage of crafting your instruction.

For one thing, the needs of your students could change from week to week. For another, what works one year probably won’t work the next. You can’t simply copy and paste your approach and expect the best possible results time after time.

Instead, develop a working theory of how to best provide varied instruction. Then, modify your approach periodically based on data.

You don’t need to constantly reinvent the wheel. Small changes here and there may be enough to ensure that everyone’s needs are being met.

It’s not necessarily easy, but it’s also not as difficult as it might sound. By prioritizing variety in your lesson plans, you help ensure that the widest possible range of students are having their needs met.

Photo Credit

Image by Tyli Jura from Pixabay

Guest Author Bio
Sarah Daren

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.

A 70-year-old today looks very different to the year 2000. They’re online for a start, healthier, digitally savvy and more culturally aware. In short, an elderly consumer is now far closer to a young 20-something in terms of behaviour than ever before.

A Generational Shift

In the year 2000, a now 70-year-old would have been 45 and in touch with technology and culture. In the next ten years, they’d adopt smartphones and social media. They’d be the first adults to experience being online outside of their home and see online stores replace bricks and mortar.

They’d also experience the boom in industries such as health, beauty and cosmetics; industries that were once thought of as a young person’s game. In contrast to their predecessors, they entered their 70s sharing many similarities with their children and even grandchildren which drastically changed the way they were viewed as consumers.

The Digital Senior Is Here

While older adults aren’t chronically online in the same way younger users are, 70-somethings are certainly active. And they’re not just purchasing, they’re consuming and influencing on the same platforms as millennials and Gen Z. The stereotype of over 70s not being able to use modern technology has well and truly gone. This makes them accessible to brands in a way they weren’t at the start of the 2000s, while older individuals are also now extremely capable of growing personal brands too.

There’s no better demonstration of the above sentence than Kris Jenner and her recent 70th birthday. Not only was the birthday much talked about in pop culture, but it demonstrated how an older adult can influence in a variety of different areas, including entertainment, beauty and fashion.

Redefining 70

The overall impact of being more in touch with modern culture means that a 70 year old today closely resembles a 50 year old of years gone by. It’s not uncommon for an over 70 to be physically active, to travel more and to seek out modern day health & beauty trends and so forth.

Perhaps the best example of how older consumers have redefined 70 comes from the aesthetics industry. Once an industry that would’ve overlooked this age group, is now actively targeting older individuals as a result of non-cosmetic and cosmetic surgery becoming more normalised among society, including older adults who are now open to procedures such as a facelift.

The Gap Between Generations Has Shrunk

From a business or marketing perspective, it’s important to understand that the behaviour of an individual in their 70s has never been closer to that of someone in their 20s. Individuals of all ages are now living in the same world so to speak, there’s no longer a clear divide between young and old.

Whether this makes things easier or harder for brands is open to debate. It’s harder to target a certain demographic when everyone is following the same creators and browsing the same platforms. But at the same time, reach is naturally amplified as a result of a more digitally active society.

What doesn’t need to be debated though, is the fact that older adults are providing a plethora of new opportunities to brands in a range of industries. Beauty brands have benefited from seniors being more open to undergoing new procedures, as already mentioned.

Fashion brands have reassessed if and how they target older age groups too. With no clear age limit on contemporary style, it certainly becomes more worthwhile.

Interestingly, this age group is also one of the most active travellers. Not only are they open to more frequent travel post retirement, they also seek out more luxurious opportunities thanks to higher levels of disposable income. The end result is a more profitable consumer.

In terms of the technology sector, it’s imperative that brands don’t overlook adults in the over-70 category. Those who have recently passed, or are about to pass this milestone, are more than open to using apps, wearing smart devices and completing tasks on mobile devices.

Final Thoughts

In just 25 years, a 70 year old individual looks very different. Online, they’ve gone from overlooked to influential. From a consumer standpoint, they’ve gone from forgotten about to dollar signs. But this is just the beginning, and it’s important to remember that in another 25 years’ time, today’s 45 year olds will also be celebrating their 70th birthdays, and potentially kickstarting a whole new way we look upon our elders.

Photo Credit

Photo by Matt Bennett on Unsplash

Guest Author Bio
Cathy Fletcher

Cathy Fletcher is a retired physiotherapist based in Manchester, UK, with a rich 40-year career in the NHS. After navigating the challenges of divorce and retirement, Cathy discovered a new purpose: empowering individuals over 50 to live their best lives and uncover new passions. Her personal journey through these significant life changes has fuelled her commitment to sharing insights and experiences with others in similar stages.

Every appointment, every school drop-off, every school pick-up, every sports game, club, and day of shopping for new clothes falls on your shoulders.

Not only is that a significant responsibility, but it’s also not an ideal system. If you get sick, if you get called into work, if your child needs a level of help and support that you can’t provide, there’s no redundancy — no backup of any kind.

So, for parents doing it by themselves, every small victory is a big one. In this article, we take a look at ways to help navigate single parenthood and thrive.

An Overview of American Family Life in the 21st Century

We mentioned in the introduction that approximately 30% of American families are single-parent households.

That’s true, but it’s not the only factor that produces struggle. More than 60% of married couples are both employed. This can make it very difficult, even for married couples, to navigate family life.

Before your child reaches school age, you become responsible for securing reliable, cost-effective care.

Daycare services cost $50 or more a day in most parts of the country — that’s assuming you live in a region that has availability to begin with. Many families find themselves in childcare deserts.

Childcare deserts:

• Lack of affordable daycare options
• May have long waiting lists
• The few daycare centers that do exist are often geographically isolated, making them difficult to get to

The very best-case scenario that many families can hope for? A childcare provider that doesn’t completely consume your salary and is located conveniently enough so that you can get your child home before seven.

That’s a small win by almost any standard, and one that many people aren’t even reliably receiving. When times get hard, small wins are sometimes all that can be counted on to help see you through.

In the next few headings, we’ll take a look at navigating the hectic early years of parenting alone and how you can rack up small but impactful wins.

Develop a Support System

If the stats we’ve described in the earlier headings teach anything, it should at least be that there are lots of people in your position.

Many single parents or even married couples who are struggling, either financially or simply by achieving reliable child care, will benefit enormously from a support system.

This could involve carpooling, it could involve rotating child care among other parents in your community who are in a similar position, or taking turns on your days off to help with other people’s kids.

There’s still an element of struggle, of course, particularly given that this particular recommendation requires you to actively accumulate additional responsibilities.

However, having someone you know and trust well enough to watch your child for a few hours here and there will have an enormous impact on your life.

It does require developing relationships, getting to know other parents in your community. It’s an investment of time and effort, but one that will pay off directly in the form of enhanced support, and possibly even indirectly in the form of a new friend.

Find Ways to be an Active Participant

One of the frustrating things for single or working parents is that they aren’t able to participate in aspects of their children’s lives to the extent that they would like to.

When teachers send out flyers asking for volunteers in the classroom or chaperones for a field trip, you’re often the one unable to do it.

First of all, it’s important to understand that you’re not alone in this. While you might take note only of the Type A PTO moms and dads, there are so many other parents in the exact same position that you are in.

Regardless, there are still always going to be ways that you can participate, whether that means donating snacks to the classroom or helping the room parent play games during classroom parties.

There will inevitably be many ways that you can contribute from afar. One of the most straightforward: simply ask the teacher, “Hey, I work during the day, but I want to help. What can I do?” There’s a good chance the teacher will have recommendations.

Make Your Moments

Just because you’re busy and overwhelmed doesn’t mean that you can’t still find moments of connection and joy with your child.

Sometimes you’ll need to rethink what experiences can be used for memory-making and connection. For example, you have to make dinner, right?

Involve your child in the process. Do you have a cell phone? That’s a rhetorical question. You’re probably holding it in your hands right now.

Take a look at your usage habits. Can you carve thirty minutes of the time you spend on social media out for reading a book to your child instead?

Small choices can have a big impact, especially when they are repeated day after day, year after year.

It’s hard for parents everywhere, regardless of their circumstances. But with planning, commitment, and a little bit of grit, you can see your way through.

Photo Credit

Image by Dana from Pixabay

Guest Author Bio
Sarah Daren

With a Bachelor’s in Health Science along with an MBA, Sarah Daren has a wealth of knowledge within both the health and business sectors. Her expertise in scaling and identifying ways tech can improve the lives of others has led Sarah to be a consultant for a number of startup businesses, most prominently in the wellness industry, wearable technology and health education. She implements her health knowledge into every aspect of her life with a focus on making America a healthier and safer place for future generations to come.