Do you feel like an impostor?

Do you ever feel like you are lying to everyone around you at work, school or even home? It may be very possible that you are suffering from the impostor syndrome. But no fear! Inc.com has developed 13 ways to fight against it and realize that you are as amazing as you think you are.

1. Focus on the present
2. List what you don't know
3. Surround yourself with smart people
4. Break down big problems
5. Accept that no one knows everything
6. Admit your issue
7. Really hear compliments
8. Don't attribute your successes to luck
9. Change your vocabulary
10. Keep a journal
11. Stop believing in perfection
12. Recognize humility as a strength
13. Accept help

Inc.com goes into further detail for each tip. If you are interested in them, click here.

Please let us know if this was helpful or if you have any other tips!

Superbowl Food!

With Super Bowl around the corner, you have to start preparing the delicious food that is a staple in the game. Of course, among these are the obvious chips and salsa and Buffalo wings, but there are always ways to get created. For example, you can make a football stadium out of food.

However, the image above requires a level of skill that most don’t have and those that do have it have no time! So below is a list with other, easier, options.

You can make:

• Buffalo Wings
• Vegetable Sticks with Dip
• Mozzarella Sticks
• Onion Rings
• Pita Chips with Artichoke Dip
• Fruit Salad
• Pigs in a Blanket
• Stuffed Jalapenos

These are just some suggestions! There are plenty more options that you can make. And when you do, share it with us with your comments below!

Bring Fun to the Office

In today's world, work has gotten the reputation of being all work and no play. The reality is that employees work better if they are happy. What better way to have happy employees than to make work fun? Here are a few tips that can help.

1. Have pot luck Friday By doing this, not only is everyone looking forward to the delicious food, but everyone gets to bond a little bit more. This leads to communication across departments.
2. Change the Scenery Although work maybe crazy busy, try having a meeting outside or even take a walk with your work mates. The fresh air and sunny sky will definitely have you feeling amazing.
3. Involve everyone It is proven that employees work better if they feel that their work is important. On that note, include everyone in any projects you have going on.
4. Give Back Together Volunteering your time along with your employees can not only help the community and organization you are help, but it can also create unity within you employees.

If you have any other ideas to make the work place fun, make sure to leave them in the comments below. Don't forget to subscribe and stay tuned!

What's your BRAND?

Have you ever heard the term 'brand yourself'? It is one of the most common things that should be done in order to represent yourself correctly. It is a 'must do', like having a LinkedIn profile. But what does branding really mean and, more importantly, how do you do it? 

It's actually not as hard, or daunting, as it seems. To brand yourself means to know what you do or don't stand for and make it clearly know. Remember, saying something and actually doing it are two completely different things. 

Now that you know what 'branding' yourself means, here is how you can get started.

First, really think about what you want to represent and who you want to be viewed as. Remember, your actions are going to do most of the talking, so make sure you take spend quite a bit of time on this part.

Next, ask yourself "who needs to know my brand?" This is called 'determining your target'. Does a business partner need to be a target. Maybe an investor or a possible employer. 

Once you've acquired your target, make SURE they are exposed to your brand. Do this by branding yourself on Facebook and LinkedIn and making sure you walk the walk and not just talk the talk. 

Don't forget to network. Doing this allows you to practice in perfecting how you show off your brand. It also opens door that you may need at the time or even in the future.

Always remember, your brand is a work in process. You should not feel rushed to have together over night; that is not how it works. In fact, your brand is established through your professional experiences. Think of it this way; you would not be the person you are today if it were not for your past experiences.

We hope you've enjoyed this post! Let us know if you have any tips on how to brand yourself. Don't forget to comment or subscribe!

Is your phone interrupting your life?

In today's world, we rely on our phones a great deal. It has gotten to the point that we don't bother on remembering someone's birthday because Facebook will simply send us a notification reminding us. And although having a smart phone is a huge help in juggling our busy lives, our phones tend to interrupt our lives quite a bit. Keeping that in mind, there are a few things that we can do in order to prevent and stop our phones from having us press the pause button.

Turn it off. If you are having diner with your family or at an important event with your friends, turn your phone off, or at least put it in airplane mode so you can still take pictures. The point is to avoid your phone from buzzing or beeping.

Turn of notifications. Aren't you tired of receiving Facebook notifications for everytime someone has a request in Candy Crush. Take five minutes and turn of notifications from any application that can wait.

Speaking of waiting, you don't have to answer your phone every time someone calls. If you are in a conversation with someone and you get a phone call or text, don't jump at it. Simply wait to call back or respond to the message. Chances are it isn't an emergency.

Make an effort to not check your phone every two minutes. There is a high probability that your phone's battery doesn't last a long time because you are constantly checking Facebook, Instagram and your messages. Give yourself some time away from your phone; nothing major will happen and if it did Facebook will not be the first to tell you.

Hopefully, these few tips will help you stray away from your phone a little bit. If you have any other tips, comment below! Don't forget to subscribe!

Your Smooth Experience

Is this your first time ordering a portable toilet? Are you expecting us to deliver to you? If your answer is yes to either question, stay tuned and see what you can do to make your delivery experience run smoothly.

The first thing you can do is make sure that our driver has enough space to bring the portable toilet to your desired spot. Also, try to pick a spot for the toilet that is not on grass; if it is on the grass it is more difficult to get the toilet to your desired location.

Next, make sure you give us an accurate number when you place your order, that way if our driver has any questions, they can simply give you a call and your rental can be delivered on time.

Also, when placing your order, if possible, give us your cross street. This is a huge help for our drivers and their quest to find your home.

If you are going to have the toilet for months at a time, make sure that the driver has enough room to fit a small truck to get to the toilet. This is necessary to service the toilet on a monthly basis.

We hope this helps and makes your delivery experience go EXTREMELY smooth. You can always give us a call at 877.234.6545 or email us at sales@aroyalflush.com! If you have any other questions or think we could have included another tip, please leave a comment below. Don't forget to subscribe!

What is in YOUR bucket?

This topic may be a little bit weird, but I PROMISE it is not that bad. We thought it would be an interesting thing to talk about. On that note, today we will give you a few tips on creating your bucket list.

According to Dictionary.com, bucket list is defined as a number of experiences or achievements that a person hopes to have or accomplish during their lifetime. Pretty much, you make a list of all the thing you want to do, but there is an actual method that you can follow to make sure your bucket list is everything it should be; fun and meaningful.

1. The first thing you should do is make a list as if money and time was not a problem. Go crazy and just start writing everything you ever wanted to do, but never had the chance to.
2. Next, prioritize the list you brainstormed. Take time to think about what you really want to do! Remember that money and time are not an issue.
3. From there, get rid of your bottom five experiences.
4. This next step is extremely important! Make sure that what you have listed means something, if it doesn’t mean anything, then what is the point of doing it.

So there are a few tips to making a meaningful and fun. Remember to comment and subscribe!

Bake Your Boredom Away

It is no secret that in the winter, you may or may not put on a few pounds. This is due to the absolute boredom that kicks in because Netflix can only entertain you for so long and then you begin to eat EVERYTHING. In our effort to provide you all with some entertainment and something yummy, here are a few tips on baking!

1. Get an oven thermometer. No matter how old or how new your oven may be, they are never one hundred percent accurate. Having an oven thermometer allows you make sure the oven temperature is correct.
2. Dig a hole! If you are making a cake, dig a hole in the middle. While it baking, the cake while rise evenly and you will not have a hill for a cake.
3. Roll it out. Use fondant to decorate cupcakes. It is so much easier than having to pipe frosting and making all the cupcakes to look uniform.
4. Use emulsion, not extract. Extract is made out of alcohol. This means that when it is cooked, all the flavor goes away. Using emulsion allows you to keep the delicious flavor in your good. 
5. Separate away! If you have to separate eggs do it in a different bowl so that if you make a mistake, you don't ruin the entire batch.
6. To melt or to soften, that is the question. Remember that there is a big difference between melting butter or softening it. Softening is letting the butter become room temperature while melting butter involves heating it up. Doing on instead of the other can mess up you delicious creation.
7. Cakes don't need baths! But sometimes they do need to be cooked in a water bath. That means that you are placing a pan inside a bigger pan that has boiling water in it. It is crucial not to get the water  into the batter; it will ruin you cake!
8. READ. Make an effort to read the entire recipe before beginning so that you have no surprises mid bake. This will prevent you from making mistakes.
9. Preparation is key. Make sure to have all of you materials and ingredients ready; this will make baking A LOT easier.
10. What's the point if you don't have fun? Make sure to enjoy yourself. Baking is not about being perfect or having added stress; its about creating something amazing while having fun!

We hope this helps and if you use any of these tips, let us know!  Comment and subscribe!

Four Ways to Deal with Daily Struggles

If you are reading it, chances are you have, like everyone else, daily struggles. Whether those struggles include your home life, your professional career or your school work, they tend to weigh you down.  Luckily for you, we are here to help you. Take a few minutes to read the following tips and then let us know what you think.

      1.       Keep your eye on the prize. Don’t forget what you are working towards. There is a reason you are struggling to do something and not giving up. Sometimes realizing why you are dealing with something can serve as a concentrated shot of motivation.

      2.       Keep calm; going crazy is not going to make it better. Make sure you stay sane. If you become so consumed by your struggle, it will eat you up and just make getting over the struggle all that more difficult.

      3.       Don’t forget to reward yourself. You work hard, right? Should you not be rewarding yourself? Take time off, you deserve it!! Go out for ice cream or watch one of your favorite shows before continuing to attack your struggle.

     4.       Don’t miss your nightly meeting with your bed. SLEEP! We are only human and if we deprive ourselves of sleep, our bodies do not function properly. That being said, when you are debating to stay up to complete a task or go to bed; pick the latter.

There are many more tips that can help you deal with daily struggles; stay tuned for a ‘Part 2’. We hope this helps for now! Don’t forget to comment and subscribe. 

Saying NO

More often than not, you find yourself in a situation where you truly have to decide whether you can do a favor for someone or have enough hours left over to get in a decent amount of sleep. Many people struggle with saying no to favors even though their schedules are already packed. For those of you who can relate, keep reading to get a few tips on how to , politely, say no.

      1.       Remember that first comes first. Whatever commitments you have made are important. Wanting to please someone else can take away from your prior commitments and can be added stress to your life. A nice way to say no is, “I’d love to help you but (insert prior engagement here)”

      2.       Try saying maybe instead of yes. This is a good transition for those of you who are hard core 'pleasers'. You can always say,” Let me think about it and I will get back to you.”

      3.       Try having an agenda with you at all times, this way you are not blinded by your want to help and can see what you have going on. This will prevent you from double booking your time.

      4.       Always remember that your well being is the MOST important priority. If you are not well, you cannot take care of others. That being said, do not feel bad if you have to tell someone no because you have a hair and nail appointment or because you are simply too tired.

I hope these small tips help! If you interested in a few other ways to say no, click here. Remember to subscribe and comment!

What to do when you mess up.

We have all been in a situation where we make a mistake. Whether it is at school, home or work, messing up can leave you feeling a bit down. There are always a few things you can do to make things right.

To start off, admit you made a mistake. You do not want to be the person that is viewed as the know-it-all. Admitting that you have messed up shows that you are mature and honest, two qualities that are important in today's society.

Next, remember that any mistake can be fixed. No matter how big or small a mistake is, there is always a solution. Find out what that solution is! Ask your boss what you can do to help fix the mistake. Doing this shows that you care and are truly sorry.

Lastly, learn from your mistakes. This will help you grow as a person and will prevent you from committing the same mistake twice.

Always remember that we are ALL human and we ALL commit mistakes, so don't beat yourself up too bad. I hope that this short blog helped all of you, even in the smallest way. Remember to comment and subscribe!

You Can Do It!!

The New Year is two weeks away and everyone is in the process of thinking of resolutions. Setting goals and sticking to them can be very beneficial. Whether you want to lose 15 lbs or cook more often, changing yourself, for the better is a great goal.  But although it is beneficial, it can be a bit difficult coming up with a resolution that means something and it is even more difficult sticking to it. On that note, here are a few tips that will get you on your way to fulfilling the resolution that will make you year AWESOME.

1. Think about this year and the things you wanted to get done, but didn't have the chance to. This is a good starting point because chances are you want to get that same thing done in the New Year.
2. Make sure to write your resolution down. Make tons of copies and put them everywhere. In your car, your bathroom mirror, your fridge: EVERYWHERE. This will constantly remind you of your goal and keep you on track.
3. Remember, you have twelve months to complete fulfill your resolution; there is absolutely no rush. So, take your time! And if your resolution can’t be done in a year, then make it a three year resolution or a five year one. There is nothing wrong with pacing yourself; Rome wasn't built in a day, you know.
4. DO NOT be afraid to ask for help. Asking for help doesn't mean that you are not got at your resolution, it simply means that you confident enough to get assistance from others. So go ahead, as your best friend for cooking lessons.

So there you have it; four tips that are sure to help you pick a resolution and stick to it. I hope this helps and that you have a very Happy New Year! Be sure to comment and subscribe!

Telephone Tips!

If you have browsed thru our blogs in the past, you know that A Royal Flush is a business that aims to please every single one of our customers. This takes time and skill.

Among those skills is talking to our customers and making them feel comfortable enough to do business with us.  The majority of our customers call in to place their others. Talking over the phone is completely different than talking in person, therefore, there are a few things that we do to make the conversation with our customers smooth and easy.  I thought I would share these tips with you, so you can make yourself more ‘personal’ over the phone.

First of all, don’t follow a script verbatim. Don’t get me wrong, scripts are an amazing guideline for a successful phone call, but if you read them word for word, you begin to sound like a robot. Who wants to buy anything from a robot? Would you? I didn't think so. So to prevent this from happening, put your own twist on the script and practice it. Remember, practice makes perfect.

Second, you can also try smiling. Yes I know, it sounds silly because you are on the phone and the person on the other line cannot see you, but smiling is actually reflected in your tone. Think about it, when you have a bad day, your tone reflects that.

I hope that these quick tips will help you on your daily phone conversations. Keep in mind that these tips are not only for customers, you can use them with everyone.

Lastly, we are always looking for new ideas for our blog.  So if you have any requests, leave us a comment and we will most definitely take them into consideration.

Learn to listen!

Working in a small business can be a little crazy. There is always a lot going on. Having to pay close attention to different aspects of the business, such as: customers, employees, vendors, operations, etc. can be a challenge, but rewarding. In order for these aspects to perform at their highest possible level, certain skills need to be used on a daily basis.Among these skills is listening. Listening is one of the many skills that help run a small business. All people that have made a small business work have this skill. Now, I know what you’re thinking, how is listening a skill? Everyone listens.The thing is, everyone hears, but are they really listening? Listening involves comprehending what you hear, not simply hearing. Because listening is a skill that needs to be practiced, I thought it would be helpful if I went over a few listening tips.

1.       Face the person you are talking to you. This forces you to look at the person, automatically making it easier to pay attention to what they are saying. It also helps you block out distractions.

2.       Respond to what the person is telling you. This helps you pay attention and comprehend what you are hearing because you have to actively respond. DO NOT murmur. So no “mhm” and “uh huh.” Try saying things like “Really” and “Interesting.” You can also ask questions to be an active member of the conversation.

3.       Focus on what the person is saying. Don’t worry how you are going to respond to what the person is saying. That can greatly distract you, and distractions lead to not listening.

4.       Do not interrupt the speaker. Wait for them to completely finish their thought and then respond. Even if the person is negatively criticizing you, wait for them to finish speaking and then defense yourself.

I hope you all will enjoy these tips to help you become better listeners! They can be use in the work place or at home. And remember, these tips will only help if you put them into practice. 

Communication Tips

Whether you work for a local business, or a fortune 500 company, communicating is a huge part of everyday office life. From internal phone calls, to emails, to face-to-face communication, being able to talk to your coworkers is essential to any business’ success.

Each of the communication methods mentioned above are different from one another. The most casual method would be the internal phone call, or a call made to someone else in the office. Although it is the most casual of methods, it does not mean you can ‘go crazy’ on the phone. Even if you’re truly comfortable speaking to someone, you should never answer the phone like you would if it was your best friend calling. In order words, the words ‘hey girl’ or ‘sup bro’ should ever leave your mouth.

                                  

Another tip. When you’re taking internal calls, keep it short and stick to the point. To help you remember this concept, refer to the acronym above. You are at work and I can guarantee that the person on the other side of the conversation has plenty of work to keep them busy. Therefore, they do not want to hear about the amazing shirt you bought or what you are going to eat for lunch.

Now, lets discuss emails. My personal email pet peeve is incorrect capitalization. There is nothing worse than having run-on sentences, with no punctuations mark, incorrect spelling, and horrific grammar. It is an email, therefore you have a chance to review the email before sending it. It does not take an hour to quickly read it over before clicking the send button. So as a favor to yourself and the recipient, use spell check and give your message a quick read.

Lastly, the fastest, but sometimes most difficult, method of communication is face-to-face. The reason why, it is very difficult to hide your reactions to certain things. When you are talking on the phone or sending an email, it is easier to hide your initial reaction, which in certain situations, may offend the person you are speaking to. Also, do not stare a person down. It will make them feel uncomfortable, and that is obviously not a good thing. Here’s a tip. Looking at their nose will make it seem as if you are looking at their eyes, but not staring profusely.

The most important tip, in any of these methods, is to listen. Listening to what your peers have to say, whether it is criticism or an idea. Those things are being said for a reason. That being said, here are a few things you can do to better your listening skills.

• Try to take notes
• Focus on the main idea of the conversation
• Block out anything that isn’t part of the current conversation
• Practice

As we all know, practice does make perfect.

Warm Weather is Here

Can you believe the weather we have had this week?  It has been amazing to open windows, put away your coats and get outside.  I don't know about you but I can't wait to enjoy the outdoors this weekend.

Warmer weather, of course, means more outdoor events and portable restrooms are the perfect addition to any outdoor event.

There is nothing worse than throwing a birthday party in the park and having no where for the kids to go to the bathroom.  Or having a BBQ at your house and then having all your guests line up to use the two bathrooms in your house!

Make your event fail proof by ordering a portable restroom from us.  We have everything from Standard Portable Toilets to our nicer VIP Flushing Portable Toilets, which have sinks and flushing toilets.

Call us at (877) 234-6545 to place your order!

Winterization

It is hard to believe but it is almost that time of year. It actually makes me a little sick to think about snow and shoveling but that is another story!

Cold weather and freezing temperatures can be a challenge when it comes to temporary and outdoor restroom facilities. Winterizing is important if you want to keep your job site running during the winter months.

So, as the weather outside gets frightful, expect to hear from your A Royal Flush customer service representative about winterizing your site's equipment.

Feel free to contact us at (877) 234-6545 with any questions you may have.

And let’s cross our fingers that nothing like this happens this year!

One Week Away!

We are only one week away from Labor Day.  The last hurrah of summertime!  Can you believe how fast this summer went by?

So how are you going to celebrate this holiday weekend?  Are you having a picnic?  Going to a sporting event?  Or traveling for the weekend?

Either way, if you are having a get together, you probably need A Royal Flush and now is the time to place your orders!

You can call us at 877-234-6545 or email us at sales@aroyalflush.com to place your order.  If you have any questions, our helpful staff will be happy to assist you out.

We can’t wait to hear from you!

How Many Toilets to Order?

Now that spring is officially here, it means event season has arrived too! 

The number one question we get is how many portable restrooms do you think I need to order?  So I thought I would share this chart with all of you:

(If you click on the picture, it will open it up in a new window and it will be much easier to read)

This chart makes it so easy to order toilets for your next event.  Just take the length of your event, in hours, and compare it to the number of people you expect to attend and that is how many toilets you need.  For example, a 6 hour party for 500 people needs about 4 toilets.

I hope this chart helps but if you have any questions, you can always call us and we can help you decide how many you need!

(877) 234-6545

Winterization

With Thanksgiving behind us and Christmas only weeks away, it is not hard to believe that the first day of Winter is right around the corner.  Winter brings shorter days, chillier temperatures and even worse, SNOW!

Cold weather and freezing temperatures can be a challenge when it comes to temporary and outdoor restroom facilities. Winterizing is important if you want to keep your job site running during the winter months.

So, as the weather outside gets frightful, expect to hear from your A Royal Flush customer service representative about winterizing your site's equipment.  They can explain the process, the costs and everything else.  When the temperatures drop to the teens in the coming months, you will be glad you did it!

Feel free to contact us at (877) 234-6545 with any questions you may have.