10 Commandments Of An Intrapreneur

1. Build your team means you need to build support for yourself and work also needs people just like you.
   
2. Share credit widely means those who gave you idea, supported you or helped you in any way, share credit with them that will give them motivation, encouragement and satisfaction.
   
3. Ask for advice before asking for resources means do not run for resources at first, try to work on the idea, make it feasible, ask for advice and guidance from your team, mentor and role model.
   
4. Under promise and over deliver means don't promise what you can't deliver
   
5. Do any job needed regardless job description, being an intrapreneur you need to do a lot more and some times a kind of task that you are not familiar with nor are written in your job description.
6. It is easier to ask for forgiveness than permission, if you wait for the permission from your management before doing or trying anything new and creative, then you can not do it. Try to perform and do what it takes, if succeeded.... fine.. if not than ask for forgiveness because unless and until you don't try how ll you know about the success or failure.
   
7. Interest of the company first when circumvent bureaucracy
8. Come to work each day willing to be fired
9. Be true to the goals, be realistic to the way to achieve them
10. Honor and educate your sponsors

The process of starting a new venture is embodied in the entrepreneurial process, which involves
more than just problem solving in a typical management position. An entrepreneur must find,
evaluate, and develop an opportunity by overcoming the forces that resist the creation of
something new. The process has four distinct phases: (1) identification and evaluation of the
opportunity, (2) development of the business plan, (3) determination of the required resources,
and (4) management of the resulting enterprise. Although these phases proceed progressively,
no one stage is dealt with in isolation or is totally completed before work on other phases occurs.
For example, to successfully identify and evaluate an opportunity (phase 1), an entrepreneur
must have in mind the type of business desired (phase 4).

Identify and Evaluate the Opportunity

Opportunity identification and evaluation is a very difficult task. Most good business
opportunities do not suddenly appear, but rather result from an entrepreneur’s alertness to
possibilities, or in some case, the establishment of mechanisms that identify potential
opportunities. For example, one entrepreneur asks at every cocktail party whether anyone is
using a product that does not adequately fulfill its intended purpose. This person is constantly
looking for a need and an opportunity to create a better product. Another entrepreneur always
monitors the play habits and toys of her nieces and nephews. This is her way of looking for any
unique toy product niche for a new venture.
Although most entrepreneurs do not have formal mechanisms or identifying business
opportunities, some sources are often fruitful: consumers and business associates, members of
the distribution system, and technical people. Often, consumers are the best source of ideas for a
new venture. How many times have you heard someone comment, “If only there was a product
that would…” This comment can result in the creation of new business. One entrepreneur’s
evaluation of why so many business executives were complaining about the lack of good
technical writing and word-processing services resulted in the creation of her own business
venture to fill this need. Her technical writing service grew to 10 employees in two years.
Due to their close contact with the end user, channel members in the distribution system also see
product needs. One entrepreneur started a college bookstore after haring all the students
complain about the high cost of books and the lack of service provided by the only bookstore on
campus. Many other entrepreneurs have identified business opportunities through a discussion
with a retailer, wholesaler, or manufacturer’s representative.
Finally, technically oriented individuals often conceptualize business opportunities when
working on other projects. One entrepreneur’s business resulted from seeing the application of a
plastic resin compound in developing and manufacturing a new type of pallet while developing
the resin application in another totally unrelated area—casket moldings.
Whether the opportunity is identified by using input from consumers, business associates,
channel members, or technical people, each opportunity must be carefully screened and
evaluated. This evaluation of the opportunity is perhaps the most critical element of the
entrepreneurial process, as it allows the entrepreneur to assess whether the specific product or
service has the returns needed compared to the resources required. This evaluation process
involves looking at the length of the opportunity, its real and perceived value, its risks and
returns, its fit with the personal skills and goals of the entrepreneur, and its uniqueness or
differential advantage in its competitive environment.
The market size and the length of the window of opportunity are the primary basis for
determining the risks and rewards. This risks reflect the market, competition, technology, and
amount of capital involved. The amount of capital needed provides the basis for the return and
rewards. The methodology for evaluating risks and rewards frequently indicates that an
opportunity offers neither a financial nor a personal reward commensurate with the risks
involved. One company that delivered bark mulch to residential and commercial users for
decoration around the base of trees and shrubs added loam and shells to its product line. These
products were sold to the same customer base using the same distribution (delivery) system.
Follow-on products are important for a company expanding or diversifying in a particular
channel. A distribution channel member such as Kmart, Service Merchandise, or Target prefers
to do business with multi-product, rather than single-product, firms.
Finally, the opportunity must fit the personal skills and goals of the entrepreneur. It is
particularly important that the entrepreneur be able to put forth the necessary time and effort
required to make the venture succeed. Although many entrepreneurs feel that the desire can be
developed along the venture, typically it does not materialize. An entrepreneur must believe in
the opportunity so much that he or she will make the necessary sacrifices to develop the
opportunity and manage the resulting organization.
Opportunity analysis, or what is frequently called an opportunity assessment plan, is one method
for evaluating an opportunity. It is not a business plan. Compared to a business plan, it should
be shorter; focus on the opportunity, not the entire venture; and provide the basis for making the
decision of whether or not to act on the opportunity.
An opportunity assessment plan includes the following: a description of the product or service,
an assessment of the opportunity, an assessment of the entrepreneur and the team, specifications
of all the activities and resources needed to translate the opportunity into a viable business
venture, and the source of capital to finance the initial venture as well as its growth. The
assessment of the opportunity requires answering the following questions:
• What market need does it fill?
• What personal observations have you experienced or recorded with regard to that market
need?
• What social condition underlies this market need?
• What market research data can be marshaled to describe this market need?
• What patents might be available to fulfill this need?
• What competition exists in this market? How would you describe the behavior of this
competition?
• What does the international market look like?
• What does the international competition look like?
• Where is the money to be made in this activity?

Developing a Business Plan

A good business plan must be developed in order to exploit the defined opportunity. This is a
very time-consuming phase of the entrepreneurial process. An entrepreneur usually has not
prepared a business plan before and does not have the resources available to do a good job. A
good business plan is essential to developing the opportunity and determining the resources
required, obtaining those resources, and successfully managing the resulting venture.

Determine the Resources Required

The resources needed for addressing the opportunity must also be determined. This process
starts with an appraisal of the entrepreneur’s present resources. Any resources that are critical
need to be differentiated from those that are just helpful. Care must be taken not to
underestimate the amount of variety of resources needed. The downside risks associated with
insufficient or inappropriate resources should also be assessed.
Acquiring the needed resources in a timely manner while giving up as little control as possible is
the next step in the entrepreneurial process. An entrepreneur should strive to maintain as large
an ownership position as possible, particularly in the start-up stage. As the business develops,
more funds will probably be needed to finance the growth of the venture, requiring more
ownership to be relinquished. Alternative suppliers of these resources, along with their needs
and desires, need to be identified. By understanding resource supplier needs, the entrepreneur
can structure a deal that enables the recourses to be acquired at the lowest possible cost and the
least loss of control.

Manage the Enterprise

After resources are acquired, the entrepreneur must use them to implement the business plan.
The operational problems of the growing enterprise must also be examined. This involves
implementing a management style and structure, as well as determining the key variables for
success. A control system must be established, so that any problem areas can be quickly
identified and resolved. Some entrepreneurs have difficulty managing and growing the venture
they created.

Methods of Generating New Ideas for Entrepreneurs

Even with a wide variety of sources available, coming up with an idea as the basis for a new venture can still be a difficult problem. The entrepreneur can use several methods to help generate and test new ideas including focus groups, brainstorming and problem inventory analysis

. The following are some of the key methods to help generate end test new ideas:

1. Focus Groups – these are the groups of individuals providing information in a structural format. A moderator leads a group of people through an open, in-depth discussion rather than simply asking questions to solicit participant response. Such groups form comments in open-end in-depth discussions for a new product area that can result in market success. In addition to generating new ideas, the focus group is an excellent source for initially screening ideas and concept.

2. Brainstorming – it is a group method for obtaining new ideas and solutions. It is based on the fact that people can be stimulated to greater creativity by meeting with others and participating in organized group experiences. The characteristics of this method are keeping criticism away; free wheeling of idea, high quantity of ideas, combination and improvements of ideas. Such type of session should be fun with no scope for domination and inhibition. Brainstorming has a greater probability of success when the effort focuses on specific product or market area.

3. Problem inventory analysis– it is a method for obtaining new ideas and solutions by focusing on problems. This analysis uses individuals in a manner that is analogous to focus groups to generate new product areas. However, instead of generating new ideas, the consumers are provided with list of problems and then asked to have discussion over it and it ultimately results in an entirely new product idea. The entrepreneur is not limited by only the three methods presented in this article.

Intrapreneurship

What is Intrapreneurship?: Intrapreneurship is the practice of entrepreneurship by employees within an organization.

Difference between an entrepreneur and an intrapreneur:
An entrepreneur takes substantial risk in being the owner and operator of a business with expectations of financial profit and other rewards that the business may generate. On the contrary, an intrapreneur is an individual employed by an organization for remuneration, which is based on the financial success of the unit he is responsible for. Intrapreneurs share the same traits as entrepreneurs such as conviction, zeal and insight. As the intrapreneur continues to expresses his ideas vigorously, it will reveal the gap between the philosophy of the organization and the employee. If the organization supports him in pursuing his ideas, he succeeds. If not, he is likely to leave the organization and set up his own business.

Example of intrapreneurship: A classic case of intrapreneurs is that of the founders of Adobe, John Warnock and Charles Geschke. They both were employees of Xerox. As employees of Xerox, they were frustrated because their new product ideas were not encouraged. They quit Xerox in the early 1980s to begin their own business. Currently, Adobe has an annual turnover of over $3 billion.

Features of Intrapreneurship: Entrepreneurship involves innovation, the ability to take risk and creativity. An entrepreneur will be able to look at things in novel ways. He will have the capacity to take calculated risk and to accept failure as a learning point. An intrapreneur thinks like an entrepreneur looking out for opportunities, which profit the organization. Intrapreneurship is a novel way of making organizations more profitable where imaginative employees entertain entrepreneurial thoughts. It is in the interest of an organization to encourage intrapreneurs. Intrapreneurship is a significant method for companies to reinvent themselves and improve performance.

In a recent study, researchers compared the elements related to entrepreneurial and intrapreneurial activity. The study found that among the 32,000 subjects who participated in it, five percent were engaged in the initial stages of a business start-up, either on their own or within an organization. The study also found that human capital such as education and experience is connected more with entrepreneurship than with intrapreneurship. Another observation was that intraptreneurial startups were inclined to concentrate more on business-to-business products while entrepreneurial startups were inclined towards consumer sales.

Another important factor that led to the choice between entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship was age. The study found that people who launched their own companies were in their 30s and 40s. People from older and younger age groups were risk averse or felt they have no opportunities, which makes them the ideal candidates if an organization is on the look out for employees with new ideas that can be pursued.

Entrepreneurship appeals to people who possess natural traits that find start ups arousing their interest. Intrapreneurs appear to be those who generally would not like to get entangled in start ups but are tempted to do so for a number of reasons. Managers would do well to take employees who do not appear entrepreneurial but can turn out to be good intrapreneurial choices.

Employee Intrapreneur

"Intrapreneurship refers to employee initiatives in organizations to undertake something new, without being asked to do so". This Intrapreneur focuses on innovation and creativity and who transforms a dream or an idea into a profitable venture, by operating within the organizational environment. Thus, Intrapreneurs are Inside entrepreneurs who follow the goal of the organization. Intrapreneurship is an example of motivation through job design.

Employees, perhaps engaged in a special project within a larger firm are supposed to behave as entrepreneurs, even though they have the resources, capabilities and security of the larger firm to draw upon. Capturing a little of the dynamic nature of entrepreneurial management (trying things until successful, learning from failures, attempting to conserve resources, etc.) adds to the potential of an otherwise static organizations without exposing those employees to the risks or accountability normally associated with entrepreneurial failure.

Principles of Innovation

There are five principles that give life to the process of innovation:

1. Innovation starts when people convert problems to ideas. New ideas are born through questions, problems and obstacles. The process of innovation is indebted to the trouble that comes about when we are surrounded by that which is not solved, not smooth and not simple. Therefore, in order for the innovation process to flourish, it needs a climate that encourages inquiry and welcomes problems.

2. Innovation needs a system. All organizations have innovation systems. Some are formal, designed by the leadership, and some are informal, taking place outside established channels. Informal channels are untidy and inefficient, yet innovation is always associated with them.

3. Passion is the fuel, and pain is the hidden ingredient. Ideas do not propel themselves; passion makes them go. Passion, in addition to talent and skill, is a valuable company asset. Passion is what transforms other resources into profits, but it never shows up on a balance sheet. Unfortunately, there seems to be some universal law that says when pursuing a passion or following a dream, pain is part of the process. Innovation leaders need to take the pain with the passion and learn to manage both effectively.

4. Co-locating drives effective exchange. Co-location refers to physical proximity between people. It is a key for building the trust that is essential to the innovation process. It also increases the possibility for greater exchange of information, cross-fertilization of ideas, stimulation of creative thinking in one another and critique of ideas during their formative stage.

5. Differences should be leveraged. The differences that normally divide people — such as language, culture, race, gender and thinking and problem solving styles — can be a boon to innovation. When differences are used constructively and people move beyond fear, suspicion, mistrust and prejudice, differences can be leveraged to enhance and sustain the innovation process.

How to Break Boards with Your Bare Hands

You too can learn to do everybody's favorite martial-arts stunt. Breaking boards is a fun way to develop speed, power and control in your strike -- and not fundamentally all that difficult. Here's how to do it.

STEPS:

1. Choose your board wisely. Most schools use soft white pine, 6" x 9" x 1"; cut these from 9" by 1" planks available at any lumberyard. Look for a board that is dry and well seasoned. Sappy, heavy wood is much harder to break. You can also buy specialist re-breakable boards at some Martial Arts shops. These are slightly different, and more expensive, but if you wish to practice a lot they are a good investment.
2. Secure it. Advanced martial artists can strike a loose or flying board so fast that it breaks before it has time to move; but as a beginner, you want a stationary target. The best way is to recruit a human who is at least your strength and weight, and have him or her hold it where you can strike.
3. The break to start with is a palm strike at a 45-degree angle downwards, with the target board held at that 45-degree angle from horizontal at a little above waist height. This angle and position makes it easiest to put your body-weight into the motion. Hit the board straight on with the heel of your hand.
4. the board should be held with the grain parallel to your fingers. if you hit it sideways, injury is exponentially more likely than success
5. Empty your mind. Relax. Don't think about success or failure. Take a calming breath. Focus yourself first. Unless you are extremely weak or sick (in which case you shouldn't be breaking boards at all), mental preparation is the most important aspect of the technique.
6. Now focus on the target. Breaking effectively is less about the amount of force you apply than about putting all that force at the single point of your choice.
7. Strike through the target. Don't aim at the board itself; if you do that, your hand will tend to stop there. Aim your strike six inches beyond the board.
8. Concentrate on speed, not power. You're not trying to push the board away, you're trying to hit it as fast as possible.
9. Yell. The kiai that martial artists often emit when striking is not just for show, nor to startle the opponent. The contraction of the diaphragm and torso muscles can be used to put more power in your strike.
10. Give it your all. Commit your strike. Don't hesitate, don't think, just do it.
11. Follow through. Don't try to stop your hand after the break; relax and let the motion end on its own. If you try to over-control, you will tense up and rob yourself of power. Mental knowledge is the key to a successful break.
12. If you do prepare mentally, and commit your strike fully, you will succeed. Even prepubescent children have the physical capacity to break boards; for any adult in reasonable health, all the obstacles are mental.

TIPS:

• For the easiest target position, have your holder kneel on the ground holding the board up in front of him.
• The next easiest break after the downward palm strike is probably the side knife hand. For this one, the board should be held vertical at upper-chest to neck height. Make first contact with the fleshy part of the outside edge of your hand, not your fingers.
• If all else fails, do karate or tae kwon do or another martial art for a few years. you'll get taught by the time you're done.
• Once you've mastered one board, move on to two. The boards are harder to break when held together than apart, but the holder and striker are at a much bigger risk when boards are separated. Once again, don't strike against the grain.
• If you don't get through the board, all the kinetic energy you've generated will bounce back up your hand and arm. Therefore, the harder you hit, the chance of breaking the board increases and you reduce the chance of getting hurt.

How to Build Self Confidence

Self Confidence is the first step in your success. You want to be confident and feel confident, but what if you're starting with little or No confidence? How do you get from Point A to Point B? True self-confidence isn't an overnight acquisition. It takes dedication to realize you are a good human being that is worthy of respect and love.

Steps

Recognize your insecurities. What does that scolding voice in the back of your mind say? What makes you ashamed of yourself? This could be anything from acne, to regrets, to emotional abuse (past or present) from a loved one or friends at school. Whatever is making you feel unworthy, ashamed, or inferior, identify it, give it a name.
Talk about it with friends and loved ones. Wear it on your sleeve. Each day chip away at it; wear it down. There's no quick fix. Get to the root of the problem; focus on it and understand that you need to resolve each issue before you can move on.
Remember that nobody is perfect. Even the most confident people have insecurities. At some point in any of our lives, we may feel we lack something. That is reality. Learn that life is full of bumps down the road.
Identify your successes. Everyone is good at something, so discover the things at which you excel, then focus on your talents. Give yourself permission to take pride in them. Give yourself credit for your successes. Inferiority is a state of mind in which you've declared yourself a victim. Do not allow yourself to be victimized.
Be thankful for what you have. A lot of the times, at the root of insecurity and lack of confidence is a feeling of not having enough of something, whether it's emotional validation, good luck, money, etc. By acknowledging and appreciating what you do have, you can combat the feeling of being incomplete and unsatisfied. Finding that inner peace will do wonders for your confidence.
Be Positive, even if you don't feel positive. Avoid self-pity, or the pity and sympathy of others. Never allow others to make you feel inferior--they can only do so if you let them. If you continue to loathe and belittle yourself, others are going to do and believe likewise. Instead, speak positively about yourself, about your future, and about your progress. Do not be afraid to project your strengths and qualities to others. By doing so, you reinforce those ideas in your mind and encourage your growth in a positive direction.
Look in the mirror and smile. Studies surrounding what's called the "facial feedback theory" suggest that the expressions on your face can actually encourage your brain to register certain emotions. So by looking in the mirror and smiling every day, you might feel happier with yourself and more confident in the long run.

I am gorgeous, huh?
Fake it. Along the same lines of smiling to make yourself feel happy, acting confident might actually make you believe it. Pretend you're a completely confident version of you; go through the motions and see how you feel.
Express yourself, whether it's through art, music, writing, etc. Find something you enjoy. Everyone is born with talents and strengths. You can develop and excel in yours. If it's difficult to name two or three things you have some ability in or just plain love to do, think about things others do that you would like to do too and take some lessons or join an enthusiasts club. When you're following your passion, not only will it have a therapeutic effect, but you'll feel unique and accomplished, all of which can help build your self confidence. Plus, adding a variety of interests to your life will not only make you more confident, but it will increase your chances of meeting compatible friends!
Stick to your principles. It might be tough, but if you don't have something you can believe in, you don't have anything. No matter what's happened in your life, you can always lay claim to the fact that from this day forward, you've followed your principles to the best of your ability.


Tips

Exercise and eat healthy. Exercise raises adrenaline and makes one feel happier and healthier.
It is certainly an easy and effective way to boost your self-confidence.

When you're feeling superbly insecure, write down a list of things that are good about you. Then read the list back. You'd be surprised at what you can come up with.

Turn feelings of envy or jealousy into a desire to achieve. Stop wanting what others have just because they have it; seek things simply because you want them, whether anybody else has them or not.

Don't be afraid to push yourself a bit - a little bit of pressure can actually show just how good you are!

Take a wilderness experience course such as those found at Outward Bound or NOLS. Learning how to survive in the wilderness will build your confidence in other areas of life too. You can also try taking a martial arts or fitness class/course (or both). This will help build confidence and strength.

Invest in some new clothing and donate some of your old clothing to send a message to yourself that you both look sharp and feel sharp.

Try to make yourself talk positively at all times. When you hear yourself saying you can't do something, stop and say you can. Unless you try, you will never know whether you are able to or not.

Warnings

Don't get wrapped up in your mistakes and dwell on bad points; they can contrast your good points or even give you something to improve. There's no feeling like being good at something you were really bad at.

Don't confuse what you have with who you are. People degrade their self worth when comparing possessions.

Surround yourself with nurturing friends, not overly critical individuals who make you feel inadequate or insecure. This could do great harm and damage to your self confidence.

Do not try to become confident in the interest of finding a partner. You will regret creating a false personality as the relationship goes along.

How to Increase Your Lung Capacity

Many sports in today's action packed world require you to use a vast amount of air to be successful. While there is no way to increase the size of your lungs, there are many ways to increase the amount of air taken in by your lungs, and the efficiency with which they capture oxygen. Practice these exercises daily, and you are bound to see an increase in your lung capacity.

Steps

1. Breathe deeply. Be sure to do the following as you practice deep breathing in order to maximize your lung capacity:

o Exhale completely. Don't let any air linger in your lungs. This allows more new, oxygen-rich air to come in. You can ensure the complete evacuation of your lungs by counting out loud. When you can no longer count out loud, you can expel no more air from you lungs.
o Expand your lower ribs and allow your diaphragm to descend by keeping your abdominal muscles relaxed. Your abdomen will expand as your diaphragm descends making more room around your lungs, allowing them to fill with air.
o Widen your hands, holding them further away from your body, to help open up your chest.
o Inhale for two counts, and exhale for three counts. Maintain this ratio consistently.

2. Create resistance.

o Breathe in normally, through your nose. Take deep breaths.
o Breathe out through your mouth with your lips still close together. Open them just slightly so a little bit of air can get out, and with resistance. Try and do this as often as possible -- it makes the sacs in your lungs more used to having to hold air longer, stretching them out.

3. Exercise in water.

o Develop a normal stretching and weight lifting routine out of the water. Make sure that you compensate for the fact that weights will feel lighter when you have the water around you. Practice this routine for a few days until you are comfortable with everything.
o Take it to the water. Submerge yourself up to your neck, and do the exercises while in the water. This may not seem like it is doing anything to help you at all, but don't worry. Due to the blood shifting into your chest cavity and the compression on your body, you will have to take shorter, quicker breaths when exercising in the water. Research shows that your air capacity will be cut by up to 75% during this time, and your body will try to compensate for that. If your exercise in the water lasts long enough, and you do it regularly, your respiratory system will become more efficient, increasing your lung capacity.

4. Get extra air.

o Take a piece of pipe with a diameter small enough to put into your mouth without hurting your jaw. It should, however, make you open your mouth wide- about as wide as an average yawn. Length-wise, the pipe should not be long at all. It should be maybe half an inch long- it's not the length you're looking for, but the width.
o Put the pipe in your mouth. (Do be sure it's sanitary and clean)
o Breathe. Do so very carefully, though, because if you breathe too quickly, you will become lightheaded. Do this for a little while every day, and you will soon realize that you are able to take longer and longer breaths without becoming lightheaded. If you do this often enough, you should be able to take very deep, full breaths and be perfectly fine. This works because your body is becoming more adjusted to receiving more oxygen with every breath, because, obviously, you don't breathe like you are yawning all the time.

5. Play a Wind Instrument.

o Learn how to play a wind or brass instrument such as a tuba, trumpet, trombone, clarinet, or flute. This activity will help you control breathing and expand your lung capacity to utilize all the alveoli.
o Play in a marching band or a Drum and Bugle Corps. This activity requires more and more lung capacity utilization for your movement and playing and is quite healthy.

6. Participate in rigorous cardiovascular activities such as aerobics, cycling, and running.

Tips

• Training at higher altitudes, if possible, can also help increase lung capacity. The air in high altitude areas has less oxygen in it, which will force your lungs to work harder and become more efficient. But be careful, though, as altitude sickness is a possibility as your body adjusts.
• Quit Smoking. You probably already know to stay away from any kind of smoking, but you should also stay away from smoke-filled environments, where you're exposed to second-hand smoke.
• Playing any wind instrument with correct diaphragm breathing techniques can make a dramatic change in lung capacity. Singing is also a great way to achieve the same results.
• In a pool, position your chest as far underwater as possible and breathe through a tube. The further underwater you are, the more pressure is applied to your chest, making it hard to breathe. Make sure you can keep the tube above water or you will end up with lungs full of water. Note that at even a couple feet down it may be impossible to inhale.
• A 3/4" PVC pipe coupler is the perfect tube for most people to hold between their teeth to practice breathing exercises and, if it isn't right for a particular individual, they can use a 1/2" or 1" coupler. They are cheap and can be sterilized. They are a great aid to help singers open up!
• Instead of using a piece of PVC you can use two knuckles. Also, thinking about breathing from the bottom up--like a glass of water being filled--helps.

Warnings

• Whenever you become lightheaded, breathe normally.

• Don't exercise in water unless you know how to swim.

• Do not perform these exercises without consulting your doctor if you have any respiratory conditions.

• When breathing underwater (for example, when SCUBA diving), stabilize your depth and never hold your breath or ascend while inhaling. Air expands when ascending and the lungs can rupture if you are holding your breath.

• Don't exercise, run, swim, etc. with a PVC tube in your mouth. You could choke!

How to Protect a Stolen Mobile Phone

With mobiles or cell phones becoming fancier, more popular, and more expensive, they are increasingly liable to theft. Even then, many thieves are more interested in accessing your wireless service and potentially, stealing your identity. Unless you want to deal with all the hassles of getting a new phone (or paying for unauthorized charges on your bill) you'd do well to find out how to ensure that your phone finds its way back to you or at least, how you can make it difficult for thieves to get anything out of it.

Steps

1. Keep details. Make a record of all your phone information and keep this in safe place. Include the following elements in the information:

Use the details recorded previously to report a crime

* Your phone number

* The make and model

* Color and appearance details

* The pin or security lock code

* The IMEI number (on GSM phones)

2.Mark your phone with ultra-violet pen

Mark the phone battery with ultra-violet pen

Add a security mark. Use an ultra violet pen to print your post code and house number onto both your mobile handset and battery. This makes it easily identifiable as your property if lost or stolen. It would also be good if you write your alternate contact number or email id on your phone. This would help the finder of your handset to contact you if he or she intents to return it. The ultra-violet pen marking will wear off every couple of months, so reapply it when you feel necessary.

3. Use the security lock code, or PIN feature, to lock your phone. This will make it less valuable to a thief and deny them access to personal numbers stored on your SIM card.

4. Register your phone with your network operator. If your phone is stolen, report the loss to them immediately. Using your IMEI number, they may be able to block your hand set and account details. Some wireless carriers are willing to do this, and some aren't. If done, this will prevent anyone from using the phone across any network, even if the SIM card is changed.

* Keep in mind that once the phone is disabled, it may not be able to be used again, even if you get it back.

* Keep records of this call--the date, time, name of the person you spoke to, what they said, and their extension. Ask for confirmation in writing that your phone has been disabled. This is important in case the thief makes fraudulent charges on your account.

5. Have your phone number disabled. In addition to reporting your phone lost or stolen, you should also disable your phone number (not account) so that no further charges can be applied. This is in case the thief figures out how to access your account through another hand set, or in case the carrier is unwilling to block the handset. Remember that, as mentioned earlier, many thieves stand to benefit from using your service rather than selling your phone, especially between the moment they steal it and the moment you realize your phone is missing.

As in the previous step, keep detailed records of when you requested your account to be disabled.

6. Request an immediate, formal investigation from your carrier. Sometimes this can prevent (or at least delay) the carrier from launching a collections effort and tainting your credit, if things get ugly.

7. File a police report immediately. Time is money, literally. A thief can add over US$10,000 to your cell phone bill in just hours by making international calls, and you might end up being asked to foot the bill. Some phone companies may require proof that the phone was actually stolen, versus it having been lost. A police report serves as evidence, which will make your wireless provider more cooperative, especially if insurance is involved.

If you continue to encounter problems with your wireless provider in that they are not disabling the phone or your account in a timely manner and insist that you cover the charges made by the thief, let them know that you intend to file a complaint with the Federal Communication Commission (FCC), your state attorney general's office, and your state's public utility commission (PUC) (or the equivalent authorities in your country).

Tips

* IMEI stands for International Mobile Equipment Identity and is the 15 digit number unique to your phone, it can be found by looking beneath the battery or by keying in *#06# on most phones.

* If you are in the UK, the Home Office and Police advise you to also visit ImMobilise. This is free to join service allowing you to register your equipment against your contact details. If recovered, the police are able to access this information and return your goods.

* Placing a message on the mobile phone to the effect of "If phone stolen IMEI number will be reported" is normally enough for it to be dropped off to the local police station.

* Mobile phones are valuable, both to you and potential thieves, so take care when using them in public. Avoid having them on display, or talking on them in busy areas where they can be easily snatched.

* If you own a Nokia Series 60 phone (ex E61, 6620, etc) or some others you may enable a remote lock command. This permits you to send a text(sms) message to your phone to lock the phone remotely. On the E61 go to the Tools option in the Menu, then navigate to Settings, then navigate to Security, then Phone and SIM, then use the Allow remote lock. If it asks you for a password and you haven't entered any yet, then the password is 12345.

* At least on some Sprint phones (and maybe other carriers), if the default lock code is not 1234, it could be the last 4 digits of your cell phone number. For example, if your cellphone number is (123) 456-7890, the default lock code could be 7890.

Warnings

* If you live in the USA, not all of these tips will work for you. Some US cell phone companies won't disable your phone using the IMEI number in this same manner.

* Never leave your mobile phone unattended. It only takes a second for it to be grabbed. Keep it secure and out of sight.

* Never reveal your PIN code or SIM Lock code under any circumstances, unless an authorized party is asking for it.

* Always keep your phone deep inside the internal pocket of your jacket or coat, whenever walking through any street.

* Don't lose your Security Code. Carriers can give you the PIN code, but the Security Code you set on your mobile can usually only be reset by having the software reset by the manufacturer. This means you'll have to visit a repair center or send the device off for repair.

* Keep in mind the possibility that you simply have misplaced your handset and that the person who has it intends to return it to you. Be polite in all circumstances, even if you suspect theft.

Things You'll Need

* A Mobile Phone

* A Service Provider

* IMEI Number

* Make, model, and colour of the mobile phone

* Any details regarding any ultra-violet pen markings etc.