Blog : Little Lilypad Co

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The Little Lilypad is a lifestyle blog mostly written by a mum to two beautiful, cheeky and entertaining daughters. It is sometimes written by the Man on the Pad or by one of our baby bloggers. Occasionally we accept guest posts too. There is frequently talk of sustainable living, saving money, lifestyle and travel. It is hopefully helpful, sometimes funny and always honest.

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  1. Top Tips On How To Boost Your Immunity

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    There is obvioulsy a lot of concern and talk about viruses right now and boosting your immune system is one of the best ways to protect yourself from illnesses, especially common colds and the flu. The immune system is our defense system against all external attacks: viruses, bacteria, etc. It is made up of complex interactions between the organs and cells of our body. A well-functioning defense system allows our body to effectively fight against colds, flu, and all winter ailments. Below we have mentioned some important tips to boost our immunity.

    PIN - Top Tips On How To Boost Your Immunity

    1.  Zinc

    It is recommended to take 75 mg of zinc for 7 days. This will cut the duration of a cold by half, provided you start treatment immediately after the first symptoms appear. Zinc is found in foods rich in protein such as shellfish, liver, egg yolk, whole grains; in 100gr of meat, there is 3mg of zinc. Zinc is not stored in our body, which is why it may be beneficial to take it as a food supplement.

    1. Immunostimulating plants: Echinacea

    It is the first plant recommended by herbal medicine doctors in the prevention of infections and recurrences. Native to North America, Echinacea is one of the most important medicinal plants. It has antibacterial and antiviral properties and stimulates the immune system. It can prevent and treat infections. It boosts our immune system by increasing the number of white blood cells. Taking Echinacea reduces the risk of winter infections by 58%. Echinacea reduces cold symptoms from 1 to 4 days. Echinacea associated with vitamin C reduces cold symptoms by 86%. It is advisable not to extend the cures for more than 10 days. If the immune system is stimulated for a long time, it could either become exhausted or become tolerant to this stimulation. Echinacea exists in different forms suitable for each person. 

    1. Reduce the stress level

    Scientific studies have confirmed that chronic stress can actually interfere with the proper functioning of the immune system. The secretions of cortisol (the stress hormone) in excess and over time thus weaken the immune system.

    1. Practice regular physical activity

    Regular physical activity reduces stress hormones but also boosts immune defenses during and after exercise. The result: less risk of contracting a virus, but also less severe symptoms and faster healing in case of infection. Be careful, however: practiced to excess, sport is likely to exhaust the immune system.

    1. Sleep well

    The tiredness and lack of sleep weaken the body. Thus, people with poor quality sleep would be more vulnerable to infections with a weaker immune response than good-quality sleep.

    1. Eating & drinking

    Eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables and drink about 2 liters of water or tea a day. For a strong immune system, vitamin C is of central importance.

    1. Avoid defense killers

    Avoid alcoholic beverages, large amounts of caffeine, and stop smoking.

    1. Gut health

    An intact intestinal flora ensures a safe defense. A large part of the immune system is formed here.

    1. Soak up the sun

    Soak up the sun and boost vitamin D3 production in the skin. If there is no sun, Vitamin D supplements are a good alternative.

    1. Movement

    Endurance training increases stress resistance and strengthens the immune system. Walking or walking for 30 minutes every day, boosts your immune system.

    We know that not all viruses can be avoided but taking a healthy approach to your general lifestyle can certainly help and keep your body in a better position to fight anything that comes your way.

    PIN - Top Tips On How To Boost Your Immunity (1)

     

  2. 4 Reasons to pay attention to social media marketing

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    Most small businesses have big ideas but usually not the budget to go with it. Generally, when you have a tight marketing budget, you don’t want to waste it on something that won’t even help you. That is where social media is the perfection solution.

    PIN - 4 Reasons to pay attention to social media marketing

    Out of the unlimited marketing strategies available, there is a reason why using social media for marketing is the most preferred choice. In this article, let’s talk about some important reasons that make social media marketing the best strategy for a small business:-

    1. It allows you to be present where most of your audience is.

    Let’s be honest social media has become an addiction for many people in recent years, so one of the ways to ensure success for your brand is to improve your visibility where most of your target niche is.

    Social media marketing is all about promoting your services on various social platforms, so your clients can find you. These platforms make it easier for you to connect to your potential customers and interact with them in a better way. Since new people are always creating new social accounts, you get the opportunity to meet new clients. 

    1. It costs a lot less than other marketing strategies. 

    As we said before, saving money is a big thing when it comes to owning a small business. Though some parts of it do cost money, using social media for marketing is still very cheap. 

    You can easily create a budget and accordingly, use social media tactics to help your business grow. Things like posting regular updates, responding to comments, etc can also get you a lot of attention online. You can start by targeting local consumers and expand your business with time. 

    1. Social media marketing can boost your brand in multiple ways. 

    As a small business, a social media marketing campaign enables you to create a professional image in front of clients. You get to be more visible and promote your new products and services right away. 

    Not to mention that people who follow you on social media are most likely to visit your website and be interested in buying your products. Social media marketing allows you to get more website traffic, boosting your rank up in the search results. Using social media for marketing can make it easier for you to make it big in the market as a brand. 

    1. It enables you to get more revenue than traditional marketing.

    Whether it is a small or a large business, generating more and more revenue each month is essential for any company. You want to get profits, so you can feel better about all the investments you made to start the business. 

    Social media marketing makes your company more personalised and allows you to understand consumer needs properly. You get to interact with them more, answer queries, and make sure they are fully engaged in your business. Such interactions show a huge impact on business success, and you get good revenue constantly. Social media makes your brand more reachable to your target niche, making them more interested in checking out what you have to offer. 

    Conclusion:-

    Social media marketing is one of the most popular marketing strategies currently, which is why you cannot ignore it. As a small business, it can be a great way to improve brand reputation among clients without spending a ridiculous amount of money. 

    If you know you need it but don't have the time, why not drop us a message and see if we can help plan your social media takeover in 2021.

    PIN - 4 Reasons to pay attention to social media marketing (1)

  3. Easy Steps To Help Get You Motivated For The New Year!

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    Almost all of us get excited every December as the new year is around the corner. It is because we feel the new year is a blank slate for us to write some new goals and resolutions. Even if we think of a plethora of things that we would like to achieve, but it often happens, we are not able to stay committed to those goals. It is mainly because usually, we set such purposes that are too complex to achieve or might be out of our comfort zones. Hence when you lack clarity, you are most likely to move forward without a vision, which makes your motivation wane quickly.

    PIN - Easy Steps To Help Get You Motivated For The New Year

     

    If you feel you aren't motivated for the New Year, then you don't need to worry as we have got your back by offering some easy steps which will help you stay motivated throughout the year.

    • It would be best if you started small- The main reason you are not able to stay motivated to your goals is that you often set goals that are complicated, and you end up feeling overwhelmed. The secret here is to break down a huge goal into small goals so you can achieve them quickly as per your deadline. Thus, you are most likely to stay on track to achieve the goals when you see some progress.

    • Think about your intentions- You should know the reasons why you plan to set a particular goal. When you know about the reason, it is quite possible you will stay motivated to the goal as the why will give you some motivation to stay focused and motivated and clear during the gloomy days.

    • Consider rewarding yourself- You should start celebrating even the smallest of your wins as every completed task is a small win for the overall goal. It is essential to recognize your success irrespective of how big or small your reward is. Thus you can set up tips for something you like or care about, including some fancy meals, or a vacation at your favorite resort, etc.

    • Keep an eye on your progress- You need to have a visual of your progress and tasks. You can also consider using some apps which help you stay motivated by tracking your progress daily as they help you see how much of the overall goal you have completed. Thus set milestones and remain committed to those.

    • Avoid multi-tasking- The multi-tasking thought comes in as we feel that it is the start of the year, and we can accomplish as many tasks as we want as it is a blank slate yet. But we often forget that we have to remain realistic towards our goals and think practically how much we can achieve in 12 months. No doubt the year might feel quite long, but in reality, it isn't so. All you need to do is keep your goals short and stay focused on completing one task at a time. It is because when you choose to multi-task, you end up losing your productivity at least by 40 percent.

    • Learn to stay optimistic- You need to start being confident by saying I can do this and surround yourself with a positive aura so you can stay motivated towards your goals. You can consider looking for leaders around who can give you some inspiration to keep you hooked on your goals. Additionally, you can also choose to subscribe to some relevant blogs, podcasts, or newsletters, which will help you boost your mood.

    Thus, these are some fantastic ways that will help you stay motivated throughout the year.

     PIN - Easy Steps To Help Get You Motivated For The New Year (1)

  4. Ideas for Socially Distanced Christmas Parties

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    Thanks to the current pandemic, 2020 is nothing but just a year full of social distancing, and it is not surprising to know that the Christmas parties might look different as compared to previous years.  Almost all workplaces start planning about the Christmas party around summer. Particularly in some countries, the hospitality business seems to be under lockdown working under takeaway or any other alternative option. Keeping in mind the current situation, it might be vital to plan for socially distanced Christmas parties. The world looked way different when we entered the year as compared to now. All we hope is that we can relive those carefree days again once the outbreak of coronavirus ends.

    PIN - Ideas for socially distanced Christmas parties

    Though it is challenging to predict what will be so for now, we recommend that you plan your Christmas party, keeping in mind all the social distancing norms.

    Some fantastic ideas for socially distanced parties are:

    • Create a game room to play together- What's a better way to celebrate Christmas then playing together, yes we understand all of us are going to miss being together but every experience in life counts right? So don’t wait for the right moment just create a game room, add your loved ones and play your favorite games. Above all, make the Merry Christmas more merry.  
    • Long-distance Santa- So what if it's pandemic? You can still organize a group secret Santa exchange. You can use online generators, including party organizers, to send out secret Santa gifts. You can also purchase some gifts as per the decided budget and post it directly to their homes. Also, you can plan for a video call where everyone meets virtually and opens the gift.
    • Fancy dress video call- You can offer prizes for best dressed or creative headwear with a virtual fancy dress competition.
    • Hold a virtual exhibition and showcase your talent- Everyone of us has some unique talent that is hidden deep down inside and in the hustle bustle of life we just ignore it. Furthermore, life has given us a unique chance this Christmas. Why not grab this precious opportunity? And hold a virtual exhibition and showcase some stunning talents and your artistic skills.
    • Tour the world from the comfort of your house- It is very disheartening to say that you won’t be able to meet your loved ones during Christmas due to the ongoing pandemic under which social distancing is mandatory. But you don’t need to worry at all as there are several zoos, museums etc. offering free virtual tours. So you can join in any tour virtually and also get your friends and family along through the video call. Doesn’t it sound a great idea? Something new indeed.  
    •  Christmas dinner in a virtual way- You can use this idea and create a virtual dinner even with your loved ones by sending out a mini hamper of edible goodies. Additionally, you can also chat over the tasty festive delicacies. For something different, you can again go for a classy afternoon tea. Irrespective of what happens this Christmas, a virtual Christmas party claims to offer a different experience to everyone.  

    Thus you can implement these ideas to get a different experience altogether and celebrate during social distancing. You can get as creative as you want thanks to the stunning technological advancements due to which people can stay connected even during the tough times.

     PIN - Ideas for socially distanced Christmas parties (1)