History of the Pink Ribbon Logo

The universal symbol for breast cancer awareness, the pink ribbon, was first used in 1991. Alexandra Penney, editor of Self Magazine, and Evelyn Lauder, founder and chairman of The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, decided that a pink ribbon would be the perfect emblem to raise awareness for breast cancer. As Senior Corporate Vice President of The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., she spearheaded the distribution of hundreds of thousands of ribbons and “Breast Self-Exam” instruction cards at Estée Lauder cosmetic counters. Fourteen years later, more than 60 million pink ribbons and even more educational brochures and bookmarks have been distributed worldwide.

In 2000 The Estée Lauder Companies launched its annual “Global Landmarks Illumination Initiative”, in which historic landmarks are illuminated in pink lights on October 1st to focus worldwide attention on breast cancer. More than 200 prominent landmarks in more than 40 countries around the world have participated, including Kensington Palace in London, Sydney Harbour Bridge, and the Sky Tower in Auckland.

• Auckland’s Sky Tower was New Zealand’s inaugural monument and each year is the first in the world to be lit pink at the beginning of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
• The mythical homestead 'Faraway Downs' featured in Baz Luhrmann’s film ‘Australia’ housed at Fox Studios in Sydney has also been illuminated pink as a part of the 2007 Estée Lauder Global Illumination program to raise funds for breast cancer research and awareness of the disease.

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Make Your Time Work for You - Proactive is Productive – Laura Stack

Laura Stack, MBA, CSP, is the president of The Productivity Pro®, Inc., an international consulting firm focused on boosting personal productivity. Laura is a productivity expert and corporate spokesperson and presents keynotes and seminars exclusively on personal productivity. Laura is the bestselling author of ‘Leave the Office Earlier’ and ‘Find More Time’ (Broadway Books). She holds an MBA in Organisational Management, integrating the importance of productivity in business with employee retention and satisfaction. In the article below Laura discusses the benefits of being proactive.

No matter how well you plan, an unexpected emergency will occasionally take you by surprise. School closes unexpectedly for a day. The garage door won't open or the car won't start. To cover these contingencies, make sure you have a backup strategy, a Plan B, and perhaps a Plan C in place.

However, there's a difference between a true emergency and a "crisis" that was created because you didn't do something before it was due.

Here are some examples:

• Wrap the present days before the birthday party (not in the car on the way)
• Refill your prescription several pills before you take the last pill (not when you're out, forcing you to wait at the pharmacy 30 minutes before work)
• Find your tax receipts a month before taxes are due (not when you're forced to file an extension)
• Get your car checked out when you hear a noise before it breaks down (not when you're on the side of the road calling for road assistance)
• Stock up on stamps before they're gone (and you have to stand in a one-hour line during lunch to mail a single bill)
• Take your printer in for maintenance before it breaks down (and you're forced to purchase another so you can get a mailing out while that one's being repaired)
• Get your tooth checked if it's hurting before it gets infected (and has to be pulled).

I share these examples with you so you can understand you're not the only one! But you can change any patterns and take care of things before they become crises. You can call them contingency plans, prevention, time padding, time shifting, pre-work, or frontloading.

You will be amazed at the level of calm you experience when you do things before they are due or you need them. Over a period of weeks and months, if you spend ten minutes more a day (building to 30 and 60 minutes more every day) doing activities before they're required, soon you'll have shifted your time wisely. Yes, you're still doing the same activities, but you're no longer doing them under deadlines. The biggest bonus, however, will be the amazing sense of tranquility you feel by only dealing with life's true emergencies.

Make it a productive day!™

© 2007 Laura M. Stack, MBA, CSP. Laura Stack is a professional speaker and the president of The Productivity Pro®, Inc. She's the bestselling author of Leave the Office Earlier and Find More Time. Laura presents keynotes and seminars on time management, information overload, and personal productivity. Contact her at 303-471-7401 or www.TheProductivityPro.com.

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Time Tip of the Month: - Is There ‘still time’ in Your Life -

Still time is that time when we find a place of solitude, shut out the world, turn off the TV, relax, think and plan. If we don't take the time to be alone and reflect we will miss countless solutions to challenges as well as creative ideas. It's during still time when our mind and heart are free for creative thinking.

Still time usually doesn't just happen, life is too complex. Arrange for still time and begin to enjoy the benefits today.

Featured Business Book: Leading From the Front –
No Excuse Leadership Tactics for Women By Courtney Lynch & Angie Morgan
This book provides step-by-step instruction for women in search of professional success and personal fulfillment. Applying lessons learned during their combined 18 years in the Marine Corps, Angie and Courtney show women how to achieve their goals, regain control of their days, and obtain a healthy balance between career and personal life – by being leaders.

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5 Reasons Why You Should Carry a Day-Timer Organiser!

• HELPS RELIEVE STRESS: By writing things down, you will reduce the stress that comes from trying to remember your many obligations, activities, appointments, and to-do’s.
• PLAN EFFECTIVELY! A paper organiser lets you easily look at your upcoming schedule and plan future events.
• VALUE BOOSTER: Using a Day-Timer Planner will help increase your value to the company, as well as your productivity at home when you’re off the clock.
• GOAL ACHIEVER: Assists you in establishing time-related goals… and keeps you motivated by constantly reminding you until they’re achieved!
• BRAINSTORMING BUDDY! Lets you sketch, write, highlight, and mind-map. All your ideas stay neatly in one place... accessible in an instant. 

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Stay Productive in 2008 – Order Your Refills Now!

It’s hard to believe how quickly 2007 is flying by. Well, right now’s the best time to reorder your Day-Timer refill pages and get organised for the year ahead… and before the end of year rush. Day-Timers gives you the best selection… the most formats… and sizes for all your planning needs. Click here to reorder your refills quickly and easily.

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