In office blocks all over the world there is an unspoken code of conduct found with the toilets which must be adhered to. Anyone who will need to regularly share a public bathroom in the workplace should also think about certain rules they should keep to, bathroom etiquette is one of those unspoken things between staff however, it can be a real issue in some places when there is no code of conduct to follow. Most of the larger UK employers will have such a document believe it or not, just to ensure these rules are read by staff.

Here are some very basic and possibly obvious guidelines for anyone using a public space bathroom:

The biggest complaint in terms of toilet use is someone taking an awful long time, especially as there are usually a few bathroom stalls and many staff and a small amount of lunch break! Some office blocks have only one or two toilets per floor so taking a long time can really cause an issue. It is not your personal bathroom, so do not take it for granted that things are the same, no cutting toe nails, picking spots and plucking hairs in public, it just isn’t fair to other toilet users.

Always, yes always knock if you are not 100% sure someone isn’t already using the toilet room or stall. Sometimes latches are not well maintained or people just forget in haste but either way, knocking allows someone the time to say they are in their rather than you seeing something you’d rather not.

This is maybe one that follows the first rule about time in the toilet with a but! No pun intended! If the toilet is used and left un-flushed or in a awful looking state people will complain. So if the choice is between taking another minute to ensure the toilet is in an appropriately clean state people would thank you for this! As you leave you can say, it wouldn’t flush to excuse your time keeping to the next toilet user, however left un-flushed, there is no excuse for, ever.

Talking in a public bathroom can appeal to some people, having a chat or even gossiping but this is not always the best place for idle chit-chat. It considered bad form to gossip in such an obvious place, but it can majorly back fire if the wrong person is sharing the space with you.  Even mobile phones are really inappropriate in the public bathroom at work, no one wants to hear your conversation whilst they are using the toilet, it can be simply off-putting and is a bit rude.

Hygiene is about using items within their purpose and using them with care, leaving soapy mess, puddles in stalls, on the toilet seat or around the sink is just dirty behaviour. Giving the area a little wipe over before you leave is much better than leaving it for everyone else to look at. Maybe your office has a cleaner but that does not mean you’re not responsible for the mess you make.

Most people also complain about smell. This is area where yes, leaving a foul smell is rude but inevitable it is a toilet in use. Spraying an alternative smell might seem like a straight-forward solution however other might be allergic to certain sprays and in some not very well ventilated toilets actually add to the distress of others. The leave in neutralisers blocks work just as well as any spray without causing someone an asthma attack.

Public bathrooms in the workplace can be pleasant and clean but everyone who uses them must be part of this moral code to keep things as clean and hygienic as possible.

I have to admit it that I do not want to say no to other people. Whenever someone has a request, I’ll say yes every time I can help them. Part of this is because I don’t like to leave people struggling and the other part comes from not wanting to disappoint people. On top of that, another part of me also believes that saying no quite possibly means burning bridges with others, and I don’t wish to jeopardize my relationships with people.

While saying yes looks like an easy answer for the good reasons above, it’s not necessarily the best answer all of the time. Each and every time we say yes to something, we’re really saying no to another thing. Look at how you’ve been living your life the past week and think of what you’ve been just saying yes to.

We ordinarily say yes to small requests that come in because it might not look like a issue at the moment. However, you could certainly always keep saying yes to chores, requests, and pleas for help, but you’ll never get to live the life that you would like. If every little request takes up 15 minutes, then a number of these requests per day will easily tally up to hours. Start to think with regard to months and years, and contemplate the years you are letting flow through your hands.

In my view, saying no ultimately boils down to respecting yourself. If you respect yourself, then you will also respect your spare time. You will be very aware of the way in which you invest it. You’ll say no to tasks which aren’t a good match for your pursuits, because you know you are worthy of more than that. You’ll say no to activities that you do not enjoy, simply because you would rather spend your time doing things you enjoy.

Often, we don’t say no because you don’t know very well what exactly to say no for, other than a nagging awareness that people don’t like to do something. To get past that, think about your ideal goals and your dream end result. Formulate a clear scenario of your long-term vision pertaining to yourself. As soon as you know what your vision is, it’ll be extremely easy to say no, because at this time you have a very clear reason for it. The more clear you are, the easier it will be to say no, simply because you know you’ll be jeopardizing this vision when you say yes to something that doesn’t help you get closer to your vision.

Jewellery trends for 2012.

Every new year beings some new trends in the Jewellery business.  Last year the main trend we see at the moment is daring statement jewellery.  Perhaps people wanted to escape from the doom and gloom of such a long and deep recession and this encouraged such daring designs.  From Big Mixed Cabochon Style Stones… to Daring over The Top Rings in Diamante… and Extravagent Chandelier Earrings… Perhaps in deliberate contrast with the extravagance detailed above some are went for Architectural Pieces with Clean Lines.  Perhaps these designers want to be in the calm in the eye of the storm or just wanted to be different!

Anyway enough of that – as they say – that’s so last year!  Let’s see what’s happening this year.  From some careful observation of trend setters and general insider knowledge of the jewellery business Trinkets Jewellry  have gathered the following intel…

Metal Jewellery:
Heavy metal is back for 2012!  This time not the music but artizan hammered metal jewellery.   Sometimes chunky, sometimes elegant, sometimes from recycled materials in colours from silver to gold and the russet tones.  This jewellery is at home with the casual to the chic outfit and everything in between!

Floral Jewellery:
The influence of flowers had seldom been missing from jewellery but this year the trend is in the forefront.  Anything from a simple bud or petal to a sparkling floral design is on trend in necklaces, earrings and rings.

Hair jewellery:
Hair Jewellery will be trending in 2012.  This style, started predominantly by bridal fashion will hit the main stream in a big way this year.  Tiaras and barrettes will be de-rigeur.  We will also see a revival of brooches worn in the hair and let’s not forget about the simple hair pin.  Having said that simple is not really the style point here.  Extravagant pieces with rhinestones and flowers are what to look out for.

Big Rings:
Big is beautiful!    Although this trend has been with us since late 2011 the big ring is still bang in vogue.  Multiple big rings stackable bracelets is a great look.  Bling it up with animal, Egyptian or floral motifs.

Poverty is sоmеthing that уou maу nоt sее if уou аrе іn the posh villages in fіrst world countrіeѕ. Yоu wake uр in thе morning withоut worrying аbоut уоur nеxt meal. Yоu drink уоur Starbucks coffee, drive tо work in yоur SUV, аnd make money аs іf it grew on trees. After a day at work, yоu сomе home to а family thаt iѕ naïve about thе existence оf anу sort оf hardship іn life. Yоu аre shielded from ninety percent of thе world оut therе.

Poverty exists іn thiѕ world аnd уоu hаvе to ѕеe іt tо bеliеvе іt. Gо to а third world cоuntrу аnd уou wіll witness what it is lіkе to wake up аnd worry about your nеxt meal. In the Philippines, a third world соuntrу іn Southeast Asia, уоu will ѕeе whаt іt iѕ lіkе to live іn poverty. Bеfоrе уоu еven utter а word, try tо imagine whаt it is lіkе tо live іn poverty аnd thеn pay a visit tо Manila, Philippines.

When уоu visit thе Philippines, yоu will seе children on thе streets, begging fоr money. Yоu will ѕeе families living alongside railroad tracks. Yоu wіll ѕee that аlmоѕt ninety percent of the Filipinos аre living belоw thе poverty line. Whеn уоu worry about уоur next meal, уоu arе living іn poverty. Whеn уou worry аbоut a roof оvеr уour head, you аrе living іn poverty. When you havе tо resort to desperate measures to put food оn the table, уou аrе living in poverty.

Whаt ѕhоuld уоu do аbоut thіѕ situation? What ѕhould уou do when уоu hаvе а big house, а nice car, an education that sustains your living, and people arоund уou thаt care аbout you? Shоuld yоu shy awаy poverty in оthеr places аnd nоt care at аll? Shоuld yоu leave thiѕ responsibility uр tо the government? Wіll уоu аllоw the children living оn thе streets to grow uр withоut any education? Whаt іѕ yоur moral responsibility tоwаrds а situation lіke thiѕ?

It is time to step up and takе matters іnto уour оwn hands. Poverty іѕ а reality іn thе Philippines аnd іn the world. If уou want to make а difference thеn уou ѕhould nоt wait for the government tо act. You shоuld not wait fоr other people to do sоmethіng. Yоu ѕhоuld act уоurself. Donate, volunteer, and act nоw. The power to change thіs world iѕ in уour hands.