5 healing ways to write through stressful feelings

5 healing ways to write through stressful feelings5 healing ways to write through stressful feelingsFeelings of stress, disappointment, or anger can be hard to navigate, even if you do your best tostay positiveandtreat yourself with compassion. And while spending time with caring friends or hitting the gym for an endorphin boost can help you feel happier, taking time to reflect can have a similar feel-good effect. Science has shown that writing down affirmations willgive yourmood aboost, so we compiled five easy ways to write through the tough stuff.1. Write a letterWriting a letter - whether you send it or not - can be a great way to get a grasp on your emotions when your thoughts are a jumbled mess. The act of letter writing may help you articulate - and navigate - your feelings as they flow onto the page.How to Do It Write a letter to someone else (or yourself) and dont hold back. Let the words flow onto the page without fear of judgment or rejection. No filtering or self-cens oring allowed.2. Try a fresh perspectiveDo you feel trapped in a tough social situation or challenged by a relationship problem you cant seem to understand or change? Become a narrator and flip the script while writing to experience clarity. You might find youre able to open your mind to healthy outcomes that your emotion has blinded you to.How to Do It Write a script as if youre watching from afar as a third party, or opt to write like youre someone else in your situation. Put the shoe on the other foot without feeling pressure to admit to any wrongdoing or having made a mistake. You may be able to uncover resolution without personal bias and with empathy.3. Use a prompt to get creativeFeel like youd love to write some of the stress out but dont know where to start? Instead of waffling over where to begin, spielblttchen apromptand just start writing.How to Do It Let your imagination take over as your words fill the page. Feel free to go beyond standard paper and pen while pulling o ff this exercise you can also get creative with colored pencils, markers, or colored or textured papers.4. Create an emotion-based word cloudJotting down full sentences and paragraphs arent the only way to tap into the power of the written word. Sometimes a word association activity is all you need to do the trick to work through some feelings.How to Do It Pick a word thats top of mind (such as stress) and write down any words that pop into your head immediately following first thought of it. You can even write out your emotions like you might make a shopping list. Allow yourself to be carried away, and when youre done, look back to better understand all of the subtleties of a stressful feeling or topic.5. Describe a sceneWriting through a tough time might inspire you to focus on your feelings, but you dont necessarily need to think or document them to reap the benefits of writing practice. In fact, dreaming about a scene and describing it might be all it takes to find relief.How to Do It Create your own escape by writing about a place or scene that brings you excitement, calm, relief, or joy. You can take a trip down memory lane or dream about something that hasnt happened yet. How freeing.This article was originally published on Brit + Co.

4 Ways to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone at Work

4 Ways to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone at Work4 Ways to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone at Work4 Ways to Get Out of Your Comfort Zone at WorkDont get stuck in a rut at work.Everyones got a comfort zone its that place where familiarity and routine provide you with a sense of safety and predictability. At work, it might be the position youve been in long enough to know and anticipate just about every aspect of your job the people, the everyday challenges and how to solve them. Unfortunately, staying in your comfort zone can put you in a work rut where you miss out on new challenges and the ability to grow. Research suggests that you can greatly increase your productivity, creativity, and ability to cope with change by stepping out of your comfort zone and doing things that give you a healthy amount of anxiety. If you think you may have abstrzen into a rut, here are some ideas to help you break free from your comfort zone at work.1. Ask for something newOne of the quickest ways to change up your work life is to take on a new responsibility. The goal is not to pack more work into your already busy schedule, but to allow a new challenge to break your routine just enough that youre stretched to think and act differently than before. When you participate in a new company initiative, take on a new team project, or offer to train your co-workers on a new process, youre not helping just the company and your colleagues, but also yourself. Few companies have a shortage of work to go around, so its likely that if you raise your hand to take on a new project or deliverable, itll be yours. Not only will an additional set of responsibilities challenge you to find new ways to be productive, but it will also provide new opportunities to work with different people, processes, or technology.2. Address your fearsSometimes people remain in their comfort zone because it prevents them from having to engage in activities they find scary or intimidating. If youve shied away from new job o pportunities or role changes because you have a certain set of fears, such as public speaking or flying on planes, perhaps now is the time to face those fears. If you feel uncomfortable speaking in front of a room full of people, it may be helpful to take a public speaking course. If looking at a report with lots of charts and graphs makes your head spin, look for an zugreifbar course on quantitative analysis or ask someone in the office to help you understand how to approach the latest company sales report. Once youve taken the first steps to address your fears, it will be that much easier to overcome them eventually.3. Learn new technologyIn this digital age, technology affects just about every aspect of work life. Video, chat, and collaboration platforms continue to evolve and change the way people work. You can get out of your comfort zone by learning new technology that upgrades your skills, makes you more productive, and helps you communicate with your co-workers in new ways. For example, a time-management app that syncs with your work calendar might help you avoid overbooking your day, or learning how to create macros in Excel could improve your analytical proficiency. No matter your role, there is likely a range of technological tools that can help you do your job differently and more efficiently.RelatedIf You Want to Be a Good Leader, Never Stop Learning4. Get a new jobMoving into a new job may be the ultimate approach to leaving your work comfort zone behind. It may seem like an obvious option, but changing jobs or moving into a new industry is no small undertaking. Many people stay in a job (and subsequently, their comfort zone) for a variety of reasons They fear losing job security, they may be wary of leaving behind their colleagues, or theyre simply anxious about the unknown. However, most people leave their job at some point. According to the most recent Bureau of Labor Statistics tenure report, the average employee tenure is 4.2 years people ar e changing jobs all the time. If you want to get out of your comfort zone, getting a new job may be just the jolt you need to revitalize your career and start a new journey.Its not easy to make the leap into areas that are new and unfamiliar. However, having experiences that challenge your mindset and approach to your work will have a positive impact on your wertmiger zuwachs and ability to step up during times of change and uncertainty. Whether you make changes in your current role or revamp your career with a new job, you can still get out of the comfort zone and revitalize your career.Click on the following link for more advice on how to get ahead.Looking to take the big leap into a new career? Make sure your resume is up to par with a free reviewRecommended Reading4 Wrong Reasons to Quit Your JobProductivity Tips That Really WorkHow to Make the Most of Your Job Search When Unemployment is Low

Conference Call Etiquette in the Workplace

Conference Call Etiquette in the WorkplaceConference Call Etiquette in the WorkplaceUndoubtedly, the age of technology has made our lives and jobs easier, and its made meetings much more convenient. But whether youre a manager, employee or job candidate, you should follow this thing called conference call etiquette. You see, its easier to let your guard down during virtual conversations and assume that because the other parties arent in the same room, you can take a more relaxed approach. But thats a dangerous thought. Conference calls - audio or video - should be given the same level of thought and awareness as face-to-face meetings.See this infographic and read about our survey on conference call etiquette.Observing these rules of conference call etiquette will help you maintain a consistent level of professionalism regardless of the meeting format.Conference call etiquette rules for managers 1. Set up in advance.Dont wait until the last minute to prepare for the conference call . Make koranvers all the necessary equipment is in the room and properly working. Also gather all of your documents digital or physical. Its rude to start the call late because you cant find a file that you knew would be critical to the meeting. 2. Monitor the audio. If most of the participants will be together in a conference room, aelendher part of conference-call etiquette involves making sure the microphone is ideally placed and audio is set at the proper level. This could entail having a long enough cord to move the mike to and from various areas of the conference room table. Also, be aware that talking while youre turning around, looking down or leaning over will change the volume and tone of your voice. 3. Avoid interruptions. Anyone who has the potential to barge in and interrupt your conference call should be notified of the meeting so they wont interrupt you. Just as you would do in a face-to-face meeting to avoid one of theworkplace etiquette breaches,turn off your cel l phone and any other digital devices that produce disrupting sounds. 4. Unclutter the room. If youre leading a videoconference, dont let the background be a distraction. Participants dont need to see the sales goals on the whiteboard behind you, the teddy bear from Valentines Day on your bookshelf, or the empty Chinese food container from lunch. 5. Light the room. Videoconferences also require adequate lighting. Experiment to find the right balance, and if the room is too dark, you may need to bring in a lamp or some other additional source of lighting. Also, some light sources behind you - like a window - create a shadow or halo effect. If you cant close the blinds, place a desk lamp on your right or left side to counter the backlight. 6. Be inclusive. Unless youre making a presentation, dont monopolize the conversation, and dont allow anyone else to, either. Everyone involved in the call was invited for a reason, so give them time to voice their opinions.Etiquette rules for employees/job candidatesFor audio calls, employees and job candidates should follow the conference call etiquette outlined above. If your call will involve video, here are some additional tips 7. Dress to impress. Your attire should be consistent with what you would wear in a face-to-face meeting. Even if youre at home, dont shock meeting attendees with your brightly colored Hawaiian shirt. Dont wear job interview clothes that could kill your chances of getting hired.And dont assume that only the top portion of your body will be seen. More than one individual has been embarrassed to find out later that attendees could see their boxer shorts. 8. Take care with the set. Your backdrop is a part of conference call etiquette. Choose a neutral location that does not display personal items. Managers or hiring managers should not be distracted by cluttered desks or dirty laundry. 9. Silence is golden. Even if the main focus is video, remember that your mike could pick up unwanted sounds, like children playing in the next room or TVs and radios playing in the background. Take the necessary steps, including muting the sound when necessary, to ensure that youre remembered for your responses and not your golden retrievers barking. 10. Mind your manners. Tapping nervously or impatiently on the desk, looking at your watch, checking email, and other types of behaviors can be heard, as well as seen, by the other conference attendees. Make it a point to remain alert and pay attention.Even when conference call attendees are not in the same room with you, todays technology can still reveal background sights and sounds. Observing the rules of conference-call etiquette can help you err on the side of caution and project a professional image.Keep reading Follow the Robert Half Blog for the latest management advice and career insights.SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER

Bean Counting for Atom Splitting

Bean Counting for Atom Splitting Bean Counting for Atom Splitting Bean Counting for Atom SplittingIf youre considering approvingor opposingthe construction of a nuclear plant, how do you go about figuring out exactly how much it will cost so you can come to the debate better informed? The end price per kilowatt-hour comes from an enormous number of variables, which include the price of uranium, the type of reactor, the cost of construction, the cost of waste disposal, and local regulations, among many others. Aside from a handful of highly informed experts, policy makersand those that might vote for themtend to have little inkling as to how to determine the bottom line. Usually the argument is he-said, you-said, says Robert Rosner, a theoretical physicist at the University of Chicago and the founding director of the Energy Policy Institute at Chicago. You cant get further than I think its expensive and the other person thinks its not expensive. But now the arguments can get a little more refined. Thanks to Rosners Nuclear Fuel Cycle Calculator, a joint product of the University of Chicago and The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, anyone, regardless of their level of nuclear knowledge, can look at just how changing variables can determine the end cost of nuclear electricity.The Nuclear Fuel Cycle Cost Calculator shows a distribution of energy prices. Image The University of Chicago This thing is designed to spit out fact, fact only, says John Mecklin, the Bulletins editor. It wasnt created to support any particular position, but to bildschirm the facts. And some of those facts turn out to be pretty surprising. For one thing, the price of uranium has practically nothing to do with the price of nuclear electricity. Spikes and troughs in the price of the element get swamped by bigger numbers. Similarly, breeder reactors, built to recycle spent fuel and reduce a dependency on fresh uranium,can be significantly more expensive, and a lot more risky when it comes to p roliferation concerns. Even the apparent high cost of waste disposal has little to do with the cost of a kilowatt-hour. Its difficult for people to grasp, but you can see it in the calculator, says Rosner. The cost of waste in this country is often pegged at 20 billion dollars, a staggering number whose size can turn people against nuclear energy. That sounds like real money. But how much does that actually cost? Somewhere between a tenth and two tenths of one percent per kilowatt-hour. Those tenths of a penny add up quickly and pay for it quickly. Its not an issue. What is an issue is a little discussed factor the experience of the people building the plant in the first place. A quick look at recently built nuclear plants illustrates the power of efficiency and nuclear know-how. In Finland, they hadnt done this for 20 years. They had to train a whole new workforce. It turned out to be a very expensive proposition, says Rosner. This is one of the chief reasons why the South Koreans can price their reactors so much lower than their competitors. They have a very experienced workforce and they crank them out. Local policies can also have a massive impact on the price of nuclear electricity, along with the feasibility of constructing a plant in the first place. Theres a reason that new plants are going up in Georgia and the Carolinas. The utilities in those states work on an older model that allows them to charge for the cost of the plant before it goes into operation. You can tell this from the calculator, says Rosner. Its in there. If you happen to think the price of construction will go up, the price of waste management down, interest rates will skyrocket, and the longevity of reactors will double, you dont have to settle for anyone elses estimation. As Rosner puts it The way its designed, if you dont like the numbers, you can change them. Before we put this up, you really did have to have access to the worlds top experts to get anything like this, says Meckli n. What weve done is provide information good solid, usable, information. In that respect I think its just wonderful, the best thing the Bulletin has ever done. Michael Abrams is an independent writer. Explore cutting edge solutions for the challenges that the nuclear industry faces today at ASMEs ICONEThe way its designed, if you dont like the numbers, you can change them.Prof. Robert Rosner, University of Chicago

Want to sound smarter Master these 7 grammar tips

Want to sound smarter Master these 7 grammar tipsWant to sound smarter Master these 7 grammar tipsAs the executive editor of Avenue Magazine, a luxury lifestyle publication based in New York City, I landsee the importance of proper grammar every day. But you dont have to work in publishing to realize the necessity of good writing. Misplaced commas, an incorrect spelling, or a missing hyphen can change the meaning of a sentence.Language rules exist for clarity. A classic example is the sentence Lets eat mom, which reads much differently from Lets eat, mom. In the first, the writer is having her mom for dinner. In the second, she is urging her mom to eat with her.Dont get caught up in an email chain of miscommunication. Read on for seven tips on how to improve your English expertise.1. Read frequentlyWriting well can become second nature to those who also read well. Pay attention to how authors structure their sentences and how they use commas and sentence length to adjust tone and cad ence. Reading can help to increase vocabulary. If you dont know where to begin, ask colleagues for reading suggestions specific to your field, or browse best-selling book lists (heres a great list of business books).Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and moreTo write well, you must also understand the basics of the English language - how sentences are composed, the different parts of speech, subject/verb agreement, tense, and punctuation. Pick up a copy of Stephen Kings On Writing for a fresh take on writing rules.2. Memorize homophonesTheres no way around it - many rules in the English language require memorization. Among the most frequently committed grammatical errors are misused homophones, which are words that sound the saatkorn but have different meanings.Youre/your, there/their/theyre, its/its, and then/than are all commonly confused. An easy tool to help with contractions is to remember that they are derived from two words. Youre is you are theyre is they are and its is it is. Then is used to indicate time, whereas than is used as a comparison.3. Learn first-person singular pronounsSentences often call for choosing the correct first-person singular pronoun - either I or me. Remember that I is a subject pronoun, whereas me is an object pronoun. A helpful way to determine word choice is to remove any other subjects.For example, consider the sentence My roommate and I/me went to the store. If you think about the sentence as I went to the store or Me went to the store, its more obvious that I is correct.I is the subject of the verb to be.4. Learn how to use commasAs a very broad rule of thumb, commas are used to indicate pauses in a sentence. They should not be used in place of a period. For example, We went to the baseball field, it was fun is incorrect.But We went to the baseball field, and it was fun is correct, as commas can be used to separate two indepe ndent clauses when joined by coordinating conjunctions like and, or, or but. Commas are also used to separate three or more paroles in a series, after an introductory clause or phrase, and to set off nonessential clauses or phrases.5. Beware the dangling modifierA dangling modifier is a word or phrase that doesnt have a clear subject. After reviewing your notes, the conclusion remains elusive contains a dangling modifier. Who is reviewing the notes? The sentence should be rewritten to say, After reviewing your notes, I am unable to come to a conclusion.6. Stay activeAll sentences are identified as being either active or passive. In an active sentence, the subject performs the action. The girl ate the salad is an active sentence.In a passive sentence, the subject of the sentence is also the subject of the action. The salad was eaten by the girl is a passive sentence. Though both are grammatically correct, passive sentence structures often lead to more errors, including dangling modif iers, misplaced commas, and run-on sentences. Sticking to the active voice will help ensure clarity.7. Proofread and read your piece out loudA common cause of poor writing is time, as writers often power through emails and memos, giving a document a cursory glance before sending it to colleagues or clients. Step away from your piece before you submit it, and give it a thorough proofread.Reading your writing in a new form - for example, on paper instead of on a screen in a different font or out loud - can be helpful in finding typos or grammatical errors.Speaking aloud will also help you to catch redundancies - phrases like 3 a.m. in the morning and $2 million dollars are redundant because a.m. indicates morning, and the word dollars is a repetition of the dollar sign.This article first appeared on geschftsleben Insider.Want to sound smarter Master these 7 grammar tipsAs the executive editor of Avenue Magazine, a luxury lifestyle publication based in New York City, I see the impor tance of proper grammar every day. But you dont have to work in publishing to realize the necessity of good writing. Misplaced commas, an incorrect spelling, or a missing hyphen can change the meaning of a sentence.Language rules exist for clarity. A classic example is the sentence Lets eat mom, which reads much differently from Lets eat, mom. In the first, the writer is having her mom for dinner. In the second, she is urging her mom to eat with her.Dont get caught up in an email chain of miscommunication. Read on for seven tips on how to improve your English expertise.1. Read frequentlyWriting well can become second nature to those who also read well. Pay attention to how authors structure their sentences and how they use commas and sentence length to adjust tone and cadence. Reading can help to increase vocabulary. If you dont know where to begin, ask colleagues for reading suggestions specific to your field, or browse best-selling book lists (heres a great list of business books) .Ladders is now on SmartNewsDownload the SmartNews app and add the Ladders channel to read the latest career news and advice wherever you go.To write well, you must also understand the basics of the English language - how sentences are composed, the different parts of speech, subject/verb agreement, tense, and punctuation. Pick up a copy of Stephen Kings On Writing for a fresh take on writing rules.2. Memorize homophonesTheres no way around it - many rules in the English language require memorization. Among the most frequently committed grammatical errors are misused homophones, which are words that sound the same but have different meanings.Youre/your, there/their/theyre, its/its, and then/than are all commonly confused. An easy tool to help with contractions is to remember that they are derived from two words. Youre is you are theyre is they are and its is it is. Then is used to indicate time, whereas than is used as a comparison.3. Learn first-person singular pronounsSentences often call for choosing the correct first-person singular pronoun - either I or me. Remember that I is a subject pronoun, whereas me is an object pronoun. A helpful way to determine word choice is to remove any other subjects.For example, consider the sentence My roommate and I/me went to the store. If you think about the sentence as I went to the store or Me went to the store, its more obvious that I is correct.I is the subject of the verb to be.4. Learn how to use commasAs a very broad rule of thumb, commas are used to indicate pauses in a sentence. They should not be used in place of a period. For example, We went to the baseball field, it was fun is incorrect.But We went to the baseball field, and it was fun is correct, as commas can be used to separate two independent clauses when joined by coordinating conjunctions like and, or, or but. Commas are also used to separate three or more phrases in a series, after an introductory clause or phrase, and to set off nonessential claus es or phrases.5. Beware the dangling modifierA dangling modifier is a word or phrase that doesnt have a clear subject. After reviewing your notes, the conclusion remains elusive contains a dangling modifier. Who is reviewing the notes? The sentence should be rewritten to say, After reviewing your notes, I am unable to come to a conclusion.6. Stay activeAll sentences are identified as being either active or passive. In an active sentence, the subject performs the action. The girl ate the salad is an active sentence.In a passive sentence, the subject of the sentence is also the subject of the action. The salad was eaten by the girl is a passive sentence. Though both are grammatically correct, passive sentence structures often lead to more errors, including dangling modifiers, misplaced commas, and run-on sentences. Sticking to the active voice will help ensure clarity.7. Proofread and read your piece out loudA common cause of poor writing is time, as writers often power through emails and memos, giving a document a cursory glance before sending it to colleagues or clients. Step away from your piece before you submit it, and give it a thorough proofread.Reading your writing in a new form - for example, on paper instead of on a screen in a different font or out loud - can be helpful in finding typos or grammatical errors.Speaking aloud will also help you to catch redundancies - phrases like 3 a.m. in the morning and $2 million dollars are redundant because a.m. indicates morning, and the word dollars is a repetition of the dollar sign.This article first appeared on Business Insider.

The Basic Facts of Business Manager Resume

The Basic Facts of geschftsleben Manager Resume The Foolproof Business Manager Resume Strategy Account Managers are tasked to supply excellent customer service to the present customers of the organization. Employers may prefer you have no less than a certificate in office management, and some might prefer that youve got an associates degree or a bachelors degree. The Professional Profile is intended to provide the possible hiring manager a reason to carry on reading your resume. Executive resume writing services like school. Prospective employers will likely respond well to candidates that are self-starters and have demonstrated initiative in prior positions. To begin with, you must customize your resume to coordinate with the set of requirements and qualifications specified by the dienst. schreibstube manager positions in areas like the NHS and greater education will often comply with a grading structure. These courses are suggested particularly for dental office managers. Where to Find Business Manager Resume Show your passion by mentioning whatever you like about the organization. At length, hopefully you achieve getting your fantasy job. Theres a simple way to demonstrate your resume experience. It is going to be better if you currently have prior managerial experience as it only suggests that youre already alert to the things which you require to execute should you get hired. Though crafting an assistant manager resume is pain-staking procedure, hiring managers only devote a brief period of time looking at each. Possessing a plan will drastically lessen your stress levels and allow you to locate a job faster. An associate degree in health administration or company management is also a means to obtain entry into the area. Your ability to discover jobs as an office manager, or another portion of the country, will largely depend on your willingness to take the perfect actions. Business Manager Resume Fundamentals Explained The fruchtwein important responsibilities of a health office manager may consist of supervising all office staff like the secretary, receptionist, or medical biller. An office manager resume needs to be flawless as a way to catch the employers interest. When youre getting ready to submit an application for management positions, it is essential you have a resume you can be certain in. Not all office manager positions require precisely the exact skill collection. Business development is essential to business success and our small business development resume sample demonstrates why. Let our comprehensive resume builder do the difficult work for you. Unfortunately, developing a strong resume is no easy challenge. For instance, you may have on your template resume your job for a business development manager with a couple of particulars and accomplishments listed underneath. The Foolproof Business Manager Resume Strategy You may be asked to execute basic IT related tasks. There are a number of managerial jobs and there are particular methods for applying for it. Also, make certain that the skills you add are the absolute most relevant to your career targets and the strongest. Of course, when you commence listing skills that arent really related to your job, we doubt youll receive a callback, so think carefully before you list any skill There is a whole lot of ways which you can write an office manager resume objective. Learning how to communicate effectively wont only aid you in your position as an office manager, but it translates very well to your life beyond work also. Below you will discover the most typical skills necessary to fulfill an office manager position. There are a number of computer-related skills you should master if you are thinking about becoming an office manager. Manager and the finance director has to be notified whenever possible of the buy. When youre an executive, or any time youre aspiring to be an executive, you want to compose a resum e that makes you stand out. Office manager roles are in demand, yet to land the job you are going to need a compelling resume. The function of assistant business manager is comparable to that of the manager but the one distinction is they must work under the help of the mangers and report to them. By way of example, business managers in a little company might oversee everything from budgeting to advertising, but business managers in a big company may be in charge of a single department specifically. Such profitable future is among the cogent purposes for which the little small business manager is employed. Every small company aspires to raise and become multinational someday. Find out more about the provider so you comprehend the company and any additional, relevant experience or knowledge youve got to offer you. Resumes and sample is searching for a position in the units. Resume templates can be referred before writing to have a better insight into the most suitable format. Our professional sample template resume that we gift create it simple to make and use our well-curated templates to make your own expert profile.

Insperity Offers Insights on Business Confidence in New Survey

Insperity Offers Insights on Business Confidence in New Survey HR and geschftliches miteinander performance solutions provider Insperity, Inc. has announced the release of the results of its Business Confidence client survey giving insights into current and near-term plans of small-and-medium sized businesses. Data was collected from nearly 5,000 business executives who were quizzed on their confidence and concerns with the economy and how it will shape their business plans for the remainder of 2013. Results from the survey follow 40 percent of respondents said they added employees during Q2 2013 compared to 28 percent one year ago. Fifty-six percent state that their workforce numbers remained the same and just 4 percent said they laid off employees. Compared to Q2 2012, employee salaries were up an average of 2.8 percent while bonuses were down 1.2 percent and commissions increased by 9.1 percen t. 58 percent of employers have included in their business plan to pay their employees their current rate for the rest of 2012 while 28 percent plan to increase pay. Just 2 percent plan to reduce pay while 12 percent are unsure of their plans. Regarding the economy, 34 percent of business owners think it is recovering, 27 percent expect it to begin recovering by the end of the year, and 38 percent are unsure. The biggest concerns facing small-and-medium sized businesses were reported as economy (50 percent) and health care reform/rising health care costs (48 percent). 60 percent of businesses are concerned about government expansion, 56 percent worry about tax increases, and 55 percent are nervous about the national debt.