General Personal Grooming Tips

Personal grooming is a form of personal hygiene. Personal grooming is very important for a positive self image. The very first look of an individual gives an idea how well maintained and well-dignified that person is and what kind of personality he possess.

Few of the personal grooming ideas that can be followed are: 

• Wear right clothes for the right occasion. Wearing appropriate clothes goes in handy with good personal grooming.

• Apply deodorant or body spray every morning and keep a container with yourself in case you need it.

• Don’t drench yourself with perfume or aftershaves. A subtle fragrance is more pleasing to the senses than the overwhelming ones.

• Shampoo your hair often and keep it healthy and shiny.

• Cut and trim your hair regularly. Your hair cut and style should complement directly to your facial features and shapes. The cut should also be according to the profession you are pursuing. For example, the hair cut that is suitable for a profession may not go with the financial sector.

• Keep your finger nails neat and clean. Avoid painting them with dark or bright colors unless it is a special occasion.

• Clean and moisturize your skin daily, on a regular basis, especially if it is a dry and flaky skin.

• Avoid wearing extra accessories like nose rings and tattoos in the corporate world.

• Always be simple and neatly dressed to impress others.

• Avoid wearing clothes that are stained, look crumpled or smell of body odors.

• Refrain from grooming yourself in public.

• Avoid finger nail biting in the public.

• Limit your gum chewing habit to principally when you are by yourself or at home with friends. Never chew gums in office or during a professional meeting.

• And at last but not the least, eat a proper balanced and healthy diet. And exercise regularly. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables to the maximum and fast food to the minimum.

Simple dress and good manners reflect you are confidante, reliable and considerate.

Etiquettes & Manners

“Etiquette tells one which fork to use. Manners tell one what to do when your neighbor doesn’t.”

Etiquettes and manners are both critical to the normal functioning in the society. While both involve specific norms of behaviour, they are slightly different from each other. Both etiquettes and manner vary from culture to culture as the foundations for conduct are deeply rooted on cultural tradition and heritage.

Manners involve general behavioral guidelines speaking to elders with respect and courtesy whereas etiquettes are specific codes of behaviour pertaining to a particular situation.

People are typically taught manners at a very young age so that as they grow up, they are used to the basic rules in conduct in an in social situations. Manners often become second lesson when they are taught at a young age. 

For learning etiquettes people must take specific lessons. For example, rather than learning general rules about how to behave at a dinner(i.e., manner) someone would learn specifically about which silverware to use and when, how to politely dispose of undesirable food items (i.e., etiquettes).  Learning etiquettes involves training on how to deal with introductions and how to behave in numerous environments, from funeral to shooting parties. Formal training in etiquettes can be obtained through finishing schools.

One of the main differences between etiquettes and manner is that the former includes specific rules of conduct while the later is more generalized. Both rely on basic underlying principles including treating people with respect, being sensitive to social situations.

However, one cannot learn etiquettes without being schooled in good manners initially. Good manners lay the foundation stone for the rules of etiquettes.

Knowledge of etiquette and manners is never wasted. Someone with an awareness of manners and formal etiquette will be remembered, and this may come to his or her advantage in the future.   

The meaning of etiquettes and manners has been well-summarized in the following lines:

 “If wisdom’s ways you wisely seek,

Five things observe with care:-

Of whom you speak – to whom you speak,

And how – and when – and where.”

            (From Little House on the Prairie)

Cell phone Etiquettes

Cellphone is one of the biggest technological blessings in the field of communication today. Having cell phone makes one feel so much at ease with the feelings that he/she can contact and communicate with their near ones and seek help in the case of emergency.

However, as there are exceptions to every scenario, cell phones tend to become nuisance for the majority of people when an individual misuses it or is unaware of the “basic etiquette”.

Cellphone etiquette comprises of a few simple guidelines of following common courtesy when using a cell phone in public. Cellphone etiquettes are designed to make public places enjoyable for all. Some of the Cellphone etiquettes are as discussed below.

• Keep it short and sweet. When you are in the public places keep your conversation brief. You can always get back to the caller in a private place and when your conversation does not disturb the people around you. 

• Refrain from talking on the Cellphone while driving. Multitasking on the road can be dangerous and can lead to accidents.

• Follow common courtesies. Turn off your mobile before interview, presentations, official meetings, funerals, weddings or anyplace or gathering where a silent atmosphere is mandatory.

• In the public places such as restaurants and offices, keep your cell phone in vibration mode or let the call roll over to voice mail box.

• Don’t shout but speak softly on the cell phone. Never use bad language.

• Be patient, cheerful, polite, friendly and enthusiastic over the cell phone.

Cell phone etiquette is essentially about being considerate of others and to remain empathetic and conscious of other’s needs as well as convenience.

Basic Table Manners

Good basic table manners ensure that both hosts and guests are comfortable at the table. Some of the basic table manners are as follows:

1.  Sit straight and maintain a good posture while eating.

2.  Put your elbows off the table. We often relax and put our arms and elbows on the table, but should not do this.

3.  Don’t lean back on the chair while eating.

4.  Lay the napkin on your lap.

5.  Never use your napkin to blow your nose with.

6.  Start eating only when the host has started.

7.  If there is no obvious “host”, wait for everyone else before you start eating.

8.  Keep your mouth closed before chewing food.

9.  Take small bites.

10. Eat quietly and avoid making sound while eating.

11. Always say “excuse me” when leaving the table in the middle.

12. Keep your dining area neat and tidy.

13. Don’t play with your silverware while on the dining table.

14. Sip hot coffee or tea from the cup. Never pour tea or coffee in to the saucer and slurp it.

15. Never allow food to remain outside your mouth, or on your chin. Always use napkin to wipe it off.

Following is the list of bad manners that is observed commonly at the dining table:-

1. Drinking before finishing the bite in one’s mouth

2. Putting food in or the silverware out with the inside curve of the utensil rather than the outside curve.

3. Placing personal items on the table such as keys, cell phone, or purse.

4. Touching your head or face while eating.

5. Leaning in the table with your various body parts including arms, elbows or chest.

A majority of above manners involve hygienic issues as well. So it is very important to use ones common sense at the dining table. Always follow the lead of the host and if there is no formal “host”, use your common sense.

Attitude

Attitude is a psychological term that refers to a person’s prospective toward a specific target and way of saying or doing things. It represents an individual’s degree of like or dislike for an item. Attitudes are judgments. They simultaneously possess both positive and negative views of an individual towards as object.

“Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference” - Winston Churchill

Unlike personality, attitude is expected to change as a function of experience. Attitude can be changed through persuasion and we should understand attitude change as a response to communication.   

Positive Attitude: 

To achieve a success and lead a happy life, one should possess a positive attitude towards objects. These attitude objects can be anything ranging from things to circumstances.

“A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but will annoy enough people to make it worth the effect.”

Positive attitude helps to cope more easily with the daily affairs of life. Positive attitude helps in visualizing the bright side of life become optimistic and expect the best to happen in life.

Manifestations of Positive attitude:

• Positive , creative and constructive thinking

• Optimistic

• Motivation to accomplish ones goal

• Being inspired

• Choosing happiness

• Not giving up and looking at failures and problems as blessing in disguise

• Self-belief

• Displaying self-esteem and confidence

• Looking for solutions and being opportunistic.

A positive attitude can lead to happiness and success and change your whole life. Benefits of positive attitude being:

• Helps achieving higher goals and achieving success

• Success achieved faster and more easily

• More happiness

• More energy

• Greater inner power and strength

• The ability to inspire and motivate yourself as well as others

• Fewer difficulties encountered along the way to achieve the goal

• Gaining respect from people

• Achievement of mental peace and a happy life.

If you are developing negative attitudes and expecting failures and difficulties in your endeavours, it is the time to change the way you think. It is the time to get rid of all negativities and odds in life and march towards a successful life with a positive attitude and self-confidence.

Following are some of the ways to develop a positive attitude:

• Choose to be happy

• Look at the bright side of life

• Stay optimistic and be affirmative

• Find reasons to smile more often

• Contemplate upon the futility of negative thinking and worries

• Associate yourself with happy people

• Read inspiring and motivational stories and quotes

• Don’t be a dreamer; instead be a visionary. Visualize only what you want to happen.

• Learn concentration and meditation

• Learn the art to master your thoughts.

Remember “wherever you go, no matter what the weather, always bring your own sunshine.”

According to Hugh Downs, a happy person is not the person in certain set of circumstances, but rather a person with certain sets of attitudes.