Tips For Having A Better Workday

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Work is a big part of your life and takes up a lot of your time and energy on any given day. Whether your overall experience with your professional endeavors is negative or positive is ultimately in your hands.

Be glad to know there are specific actions you can take that are going to help you have a better workday. You’ll find that you’re a lot happier of a person and that your professional life is more rewarding when you apply these tips. Try your best not to let your past mistakes or mishaps dictate your future and instead focus on what you can be doing today for a better tomorrow.

Wake up Early

There are a lot of hours in one day to take advantage of if you schedule your time right. You can have a better workday by waking up early and using your morning hours wisely. For example, consider reading positive messages to improve your mindset or spending some quality time with your kids before you have to head into the office. Having the desire to wake up early may also force you to go to bed earlier and get better sleep in general. It may be not very easy to get up early at first, but you might genuinely enjoy having these early morning hours to yourself as time goes on. Make it a habit, and soon enough, you’ll be on your way to having more fulfilling days where you can go home each night feeling good about what you got done.

Focus on Increasing Productivity

You can have a better workday by focusing your efforts on increasing your productivity. Some ideas include limiting side conversations and eliminating distractions that are keeping you from completing your tasks in a timely fashion. Not only make a to-do list but put the items in priority order and complete what’s most important first. In addition, you can also set up your iPad as a second monitor by following these steps https://setapp.com/how-to/use-ipad-as-second-monitor-in-catalina. You’ll not only be able to view multiple screens and double the information you’re seeing, but it’ll also offer you the option to be more mobile on your job so you can travel if need be.

Organize Your Workspace & Files

You’ll be doing yourself a favor by taking the time to organize your workspace and files. When you know where your belongings are, you can easily find and access them. You’ll have a better workday because you won’t be stressing about having to look at a mess of piles all day in your office. Your files on your computer will be right where you left them, and you can quickly get to them without any obstacles. It’s especially important that you do this for any client information you keep so that you can ensure this information is not only accessible but secure and protected from any hackers.

Practice Work-Life Balance

You can also have a better workday by practicing work-life balance and taking breaks every so often. Get up and walk away from your desk every few hours to get a glass of water and rest your eyes. You may also want to consider going for a walk over lunchtime and getting some fresh air. Avoid working long hours and overexerting yourself so that you have the energy you need to tackle your tasks each day. Set boundaries and communicate expectations both at work and at home so that those around you understand your limits. Learn to say no without feeling guilty, and keep a calendar of events handy so that you don’t over-commit yourself in any one area of your life.

Take Care of Yourself

Your work days will be that much better and more enjoyable when you commit to taking good care of yourself. Some ideas for doing so include eating healthy meals, exercising regularly, and finding ways to manage and reduce your stress. If you need some extra help because of an addiction or unhealthy habits like alcohol or drugs, the best thing you can do is to contact a treatment center such as Woburn Addiction Treatment for the help you need. Make yourself a priority, and you’ll find that all else falls into place nicely, and you get more done at work. You want to be able to walk into the office each day, feeling motivated and energized to tackle your assignments. Your workload won’t seem as overwhelming when you’re well-rested and in a good mood.

Maintain A Positive Attitude

The reality is that your attitude can impact your entire day and whether you’re able to get a lot done or not. Have a better workday by maintaining a positive outlook even when you’re facing challenges or roadblocks. Instead of getting upset or worked up in this situation, focus on applying your problem-solving skills and finding solutions to issues that might arise. If you walk around grumpy and give off pessimistic vibes, then that’s the type of energy you’re going to attract. You can maintain an optimistic perspective on work and life by reading uplifting quotes and affirmations and reminding yourself of all you’ve been able to achieve over the years.

Avoid Negative People

Most importantly, you can have a better workday by choosing to avoid negative people. The reality is that you’ll run into them throughout your professional life, but it doesn’t mean you have to let them get you down. Surround yourself with uplifting people who are encouraging of your efforts and make you feel good about yourself. Individuals who always focus on the negative do so because it makes them feel better to see others struggle. You have to be strong and wise enough to separate yourself from these folks and brave enough to find others to spend your time with others who are upbeat and put a smile on your face.

Working doesn’t have to be a chore and can be a pleasant experience if you have the right approach and mindset. Apply these tips in your daily life, and you’ll soon find that you’re able to get more done at work and go home each night feeling proud and satisfied with your accomplishments. Avoid letting others bring you down and stick to doing more of what’s going to help you feel good and produce great work. 

Take Control of Your Future

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There's a lot to take into account if you want to make a plan for your future. When you think of your future, you might be thinking of your career, or perhaps retirement. You might think about your family, or even what the end of your life may look like. It can feel like you don't have much control over what your future looks like, but it is possible to take control.

Know What You Want

To be able to take control of your future, you first need to know what you want from it. There are many things that you might consider, so you have to decide what's most important to you. What does your future look like and what are you getting from it?

Create a Plan

If you want your future to look like the vision you have for it, you need to create a plan that will get you there. This plan could take many forms, but it should ultimately outline your goals and the steps that you need to make to reach them. Break down your goals into as many steps as you need to make something happen.

Consider End-of-Life Planning

For many people, not having control over their life toward the end can be a worrying thought. But if you want to make sure you have as much control as possible, you should start thinking about it now, before it's too late. There's a possibility you might not be able to make these decisions at some point, so it's smart to do it in advance.

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How To Live More Self-Sufficiently

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Self-sufficiency is a way of life that involves using your own resources and not having to rely on other people’s assistance. It can take a lot of energy and independence to live self-sufficiently, but it can also save you money and give you more control over your everyday needs. Here are just a few ways in which you can live more self-sufficiently.

Start your own business

Starting your own business gives you control over your own income. Without having to answer to an employer you can take on your own workloads and charge your own rates. You will still have to follow certain rules and ensure that certain licenses are in place. However, you’re likely to still enjoy more freedom than working for an employer.

Grow your own food

Many of us rely on grocery stores to provide us with food. Growing some of your own food could help to cut your grocery bills and could give you the satisfaction of knowing exactly where your ingredients come from. If you’re serious about growing your own food, you could look into farm land for sale – this could allow you to grow large amounts of fruit and vegetables of your choice and possibly even sell some of this produce. Alternatively, you could simply start a vegetable patch in your backyard or even grow a few edible plants indoors.

Harvest your own water

It’s also possible to harvest your own water. The most common method of doing this is to harvest rainwater in barrels. Such water could be used for gardening purposes or toilet flushing. Alternatively, you may be able to convert it into drinking water using a boiling and UV filtration system. You’ll no longer have to pay water bills and will be able to rely off of your very own water system.

Generate your own power

You can also go off-grid and generate your own electricity. Solar panels are an effective way of doing this and are able to harvest a huge amount of energy. In fact, with the right amount of solar panels, you may never require the need to pay an electricity bill ever again. Electricity can also be used for heating and cooling.

Teach yourself DIY skills

Being able to craft items or make your own repairs could be a valuable skill for living self-sufficiently. This could involve everything from being able to make your own cleaning products to being able to fix plumbing leaks yourself. Not everyone is DIY-savvy, however it’s become a lot easier to learn DIY skills thanks to the internet. You’ll save a lot of money by not having to buy as many products or having to call up technicians.

Learn to be frugal

Living a frugal life makes it much easier to get by self-sufficiently. Focus on your needs and less on keeping up with trends. You may realize that you don’t need to wear designer fashion brands or own expensive furniture. You may even realize that you can do without a TV or a car. Without the need to spend as much money, there won’t be the need to earn as much money, allowing you to truly make the most of your time. 

Give Your Kids the Gift of Investment

When you ask your children or grandchildren, they'll tell you that they want toys for their birthdays. No, they don't want another ugly sweater, of course. There's nothing worse for kids than opening a gift on Christmas day only to find a shirt wrapped inside. They want toys. And yes, they want cash, too, because they can purchase whatever they want.

But more than that, you should think about the kind of future these kids are going to have. Financial security is a big thing, as well as good health insurance plans in the Philippines. Teaching the children as early as now how to be financially secure and invest in their health is the best gift you can give.

So forget about those toys and clothes. Open a bank account for them. Teach them how to save. Invest in stocks and bonds and put them under their names. Financial independence is a powerful thing, and you need to give that chance to your kids in the future. Start as early as now.

Cash

If your kids have bank accounts, you can deposit a certain amount there instead of spending it on toys and clothes. You may give them a toy occasionally, but teach them how to save at the same time. Show them that they have money in their bank accounts. If a grandparent gives them cash as a gift, ask them if they want to save it for the future. Slowly, they will learn why it's important to save for the things they want.

Bonds

You can buy bonds for the kids. It will take some time to mature. They can't enjoy the bonds until a few years down the road. It teaches them patience. It gives them an opportunity to have a closer look at the financial investments available to them. You won't be the favorite parent or grandparent, but remember why you are doing this for them.

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Collectibles

How about teaching your kids the value of collecting rare items? For their birthdays, you can give them a commemorative coin. Tell them they have to keep it in a safe place because a few years from now, the value of the commemorative coin will increase. They can make a handsome profit if they choose to sell it to a bidder.

Stocks

Your kids will not wake up one day wanting to watch Bloomberg. But you can instill an interest in savings and buying stocks at an early age. Explain to them what stocks are. Then tell them that you are going to put some stocks under their name. Show them the certificate so that they know it's true. Try investing in a company that they recognize such as a toy company. Show your kids that they have a very small part of the company they love.

Vacation

The best gift you can give your children is undivided attention. Take a vacation at least once a year. Take them to a place they have never been to before. Creating memories with your kids should be your number one priority. You'll never have them this little again. They will grow up and will want to do things on their own. Consider making it an annual event. Instead of giving them gifts, go on vacation.

When you see your teenage and adult kids saving and investing, you realize that what you've gifted them is the best present ever. It will help them be financially prepared for unforeseen circumstances. They won't get stressed every time their car breaks down. They will have control over financial matters.

How To Give Your Old Car A New Lease Of Life

If you have owned your car for some time and it’s starting to lose a little of its charm, you may feel like it’s time to chop it in and start the hunt for a new car. Well, before you make a hasty decision like this, there are some things you can do.

In today’s post, we are going to be looking at a few ways you can give your car a new injection of life and make your baby shine again. 

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Why Give An Old Car A New Life?

Well, the first thing we should probably mention is that if your car runs well, but just looks a little aged, then rather than spend a fortune on a new car, with a little hard work, you can restore your car back to its former glory.

On the other side of things, it may be the case that you are looking to sell your old car, and no matter what you sell, you will always want the best price you can get for it, right? By tidying up the interior and bodywork, you will often find that the price you get for the car will be far higher than it will if you try to shift a shabby car.

Give The Bodywork Some Love

One of the best ways to really give your old car a new lease of life is to take the bodywork and really give it a treatment it deserves. 

Over the years, older cars can suffer at the hands of the sun and it’s UV rays, which will often see the paintwork end up dull and lifeless. While this may seem like it’s totally killed your beautiful car, there are ways to bring it back to life.

The first thing you will need to do is give the car a very good heavy wash and rinse. You should then take a putty stick to the car and remove as many imperfections as you can. The next stage is to find a mild cutting solution that will break through the film that has been left on your car from the sun.

The final step you need to take is to consider something like automotive ceramic coating, which will not only make your car shine once again, it will also protect it.

Take The Car For A Heavy Service

It matters not where you are keeping the car or selling it; you should look at taking the car for a complete service. When we say a complete service, you shouldn’t get this confused with a full service.

A complete service included everything you get from a full service, plus injector, fuel system, and engine flushes. Something as simple as this can take an old car and make it feel brand new. 

While this and the previous section may seem simple, they are incredible ways to bring your car back to life. Whether you keep the car or not, taking these steps will prolong its life and allow many more years of enjoyment from it.

Five Situations in Life Where Pursuing Legal Action Makes Sense

Hiring a lawyer tends to be something that we try to avoid. Not only can hiring a lawyer get incredibly expensive but if you need a lawyer then there’s probably something bad happening in your life. For instance, you might’ve just had a driving mistake that is going to require an attorney to sort out. Similarly, you could be going through a rough relationship with your partner which might lead to a divorce. In other words, if you need a lawyer, you’re probably not in a very good spot.

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As a result, many of us tend to try and avoid getting a lawyer involved whenever possible. A good example of this is when you wreck your car. The other driver involved in the wreck will often have their lawyers suggest a settlement out of court. This usually means paying you a sum of money if you agree not to pursue legal action.

However, you may still want to pursue legal action because the accident wasn’t your fault and you don’t think that justice was served. In this case, it’s possible (and usually recommended) to pursue legal action. But that’s not the only time you should be pushing for more legal action. In this post, we’ll be covering a couple more scenarios in life where it makes sense to pursue legal action instead of agreeing to a settlement.

1. Family law-related matters

If you’re going through a complicated or difficult divorce, then a family lawyer is going to be a huge help when it comes to getting your fair share of assets. If there’s a child involved, then that’s even more reason to pursue legal action.

2. Stolen intellectual property

Running a business is difficult enough as it is, so having other companies stealing your intellectual property and profiting off your hard work is definitely a situation where you should pursue legal action, especially if it’s against a larger company that thinks it can bully you out of the industry.

3. Discrimination in the workplace

Ever feel like you’re being discriminated at work for one reason or another? Do you think it could lead to you getting fired for no valid reason? If you lose your job because of awful managers, it’s a good idea to consider legal action to ensure you get justice for the wrongdoings against you.

4. Car accidents

We mentioned it briefly above, but making a car wreck claim with the help of a professional lawyer is going to ensure that justice is served and that you can claim a reasonable amount of compensation. If you’re confident that the accident wasn’t your fault, then this is the perfect time to pursue legal action.

5. Criminal charges

Be it something small such as a DUI charge or something more concerning such as drug possession charges, it’s critical that you speak to a legal professional as soon as possible for a number of reasons. For starters, it’s important that you try and lower or even remove the charge so that it doesn’t affect your record. This could have negative effects on your employment position and it could even hurt your future if you have a bad mark on your record.

Falling Rates Of Poverty Mean The Future Is Brighter Than The Past

Right now, many people are anxious about the state of the world. Issues like climate change, nuclear proliferation, and flu pandemics are all things that could effectively end life as we know it in the west. Worse still, the media tends to focus on these future unknowns instead of the successes that we’re achieving today. The 2010s were, globally-speaking, a roaring decade that saw more people lifted out of poverty than ever before in the history of our species. 

Even in the US, things are looking good. Between 1970 and today, incomes doubled. Continued progress in technology and factor productivity mean that the average person today is around twice as productive as their counterparts fifty years ago. The statistics on poverty are promising too. The number of people in the US living below the poverty line has fallen substantially since World War Two, owing to a combination of government welfare programs and economic opportunities in the private sector. 

If you would like to learn more about the role of the government in tackling poverty across America, take a look at the following infographic. It charts the progress of the nation from the time of Franklin D. Roosevelt in the aftermath of the Great Depression up to the present day. 

What’s nice about it is that it leads to some optimistic reading. It proves that the world isn’t all bad and that, overall, our societies are making substantial progress. Poverty rates are falling long term, and they could go even lower in the future if productivity and wages pick up.

 
Infographic by Norwich University

Top Tips on Avoiding Gender Stereotyping

It’s already 2020 and, despite the real progress we’re making as a collective social group, gender stereotyping is still certainly a prominent issue. What is gender stereotyping? Well, the concept of stereotyping by gender has been around since the beginning of time. But, way back when, people sat back and took it because they felt like they didn’t have a choice. 

A quick search on the meaning of this particular type of stereotyping provides us with descriptions and definitions along the lines of gender stereotyping being “standardized representations of men and women within a culture, particularly in the mass media, which polarize differences between the sexes, notably in their physical appearance, traits, behaviours, and occupations”. In essence, society will tell you that if you’re a man, you should act as such; manly, strong, emotionally stunted etc… etc. If you’re a woman, then you are to be ultimately feminine and only do the jobs that you are ‘suited’ to you as a female.

Whilst, these days, people are much more open-minded and a lot more aware of the dangers of gender stereotyping, there are still those out there who will go out of their way to convince you that you are only supposed to work specific jobs or enjoy certain hobbies or live your life a specific way according to your gender. In this article, you will find three top tips on how to avoid or break out of this caged way of living. 

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Ignore the Mass Media!         

The mass media is full of pitfalls and traps to lure you into thinking you’re not good enough the way you are. Tabloids, magazines, even certain social media sites will use their presence and influence to tear down celebrities for their appearance and show you, as the reader, that you should work harder on your body; invest more money into twisted diet products to lose more weight; use more expensive make-up and so on. All so you can be ‘better’ than the celebrity they are shaming on their front cover. 

This way of naming and shaming that has become a dangerous norm amongst platforms of the mass media. The use of gender stereotyping tactics as part of this process is part of what makes it so unhealthy to read about. According to them, *insert name* isn’t wearing any make-up on her venture out and doesn’t look like a woman anymore! Oh, *insert name* is sporting the Dad bod now; where did his manly physique go? The mass media will tell you that certain body types are either feminine or manly. If you’re body type doesn’t fit the one associated with your gender, then you need to ‘fix’ it, using weight loss or make-up products they get paid to promote.

In order to get away from this toxic way of thinking, it is important to ignore anything that brings a sense of negativity about someone’s appearance or, even, anything related to their gender. Only follow and seek those who promote things like good vibes and body positivity. This way, you won’t be made to feel like you aren’t worthy because you don’t conform to society’s gender stereotypes.

Go for the Career That YOU Want

As stated in the definition above, part of stereotyping by gender is tailoring it by occupation. Throughout time, working went from being only something men would do, to women being able to work, to being segregated by gender. For example; jobs that require physical strength were deemed as occupations that only men could do (let alone should). Jobs that involved anything associated with femininity; children, fashion or nursing, became types of work that only women should be allowed to do. 

Thankfully, the workplace is becoming infinitely more varied in who is doing what job. Men can be nurses. Women can be financial tycoons. Anyone can be a lawyer, teacher, politician or fashion designer, so long as they have the skills and put the work in. Yet, there are still people who frown at the idea of a woman being a builder or a man being a childcare specialist. This tip, as well as the other nuggets in this article, are about encouraging you to choose the career path you want to go down, despite stereotypes about whatever gender you associate yourself with. Find a passion, work hard at it and never stop learning. This tip actually goes hand in hand with the next and last one.

Juggling a Career and Kids - Who Says You Can’t?

One thing that has been reinforced throughout this post is that we, as social beings, have come a long way in terms of change for the better and true acceptance of each other. There’s no denying that. However, one topic that is arguably still one of the most debated topics is that of working after having kids. In these times, it is, more often than not, a necessity. Yet, there are arguments over how long a new mother should be on maternity leave for; whether she should go back to work at all, and so on. Even a father’s role is a hot topic up for debate, with people arguing over aspects from a father choosing to be a stay-at-home parent to the necessity of paternity leave at all. This is all derived from the commonality of gender stereotyping in the world of parenting.

People seem to be particularly keen to judge a new parent’s every move, especially on the internet. If they have a large presence online or have a significant amount of influence, then they are a bigger target for judgement on their parental decisions. Comments about returning to work too soon or leaving their kids (in safe hands) to go on a short holiday are found across the board. New parents have enough to deal with, so why are there those who feel the need to highlight everything they are supposedly doing wrong?

If you’re a new parent, or even an long-time parent, debating whether to return to work; ask yourself this. Would returning to work benefit you, both as a parent and a person? If the answer is yes, then who says you can’t? Even if it’s part time instead of your usual full time hours; if you know you can do something for you that won’t affect too much of the time you get to spend with your kids, why shouldn’t you go back to work? This tip is designed to encourage you to find a balance between being a parent but not letting it define who you are, if you don’t want it to. 

For your own sanity. For the sake of your mental health. For the sake of your happiness, don’t let society’s habit of gender stereotyping affect the decisions you make on how to live.

Want To Work Where The Cogs Really Turn?

In every business in the world, the cogs only really turn in one department. No, it's not the research and development department, although that’s a good guess. No, it's not even the legal department where some of the most important people in industries work. It's also not the risk department which is full of sharp minds. By the art of deduction, you’ve probably guessed by now that it's the financial department. In this part of a company, professionals of different yet similar kinds allow a business to function or to fail. Everything a CEO does has to be in line with that his or her financial confines deem to be. If you have a knack for money management and working with different characters and personalities in this realm, what kinds of roles should you aim for?

Tracking expenses and expenditures

The most important part of the day to day management of a business is expenses and expenditures. Expenses are smaller purchases such as inventory, transportation payment and even things like lunch for employees. Expenditures are larger more permanent purchases such as delivery trucks, stacking rails for a warehouse or office furniture. The bookkeeper is tasked with keeping things such as these within the constraints of the budget. Working together with professionals in the business administration department, you will be keeping the train firmly on the rails. It's one of the more basic financial functions of a business, but not done correctly, can see immense waste occur which will ultimately damage the business’ ability to conduct normal affairs.

Holding employees responsible

Every business fears auditors on some level. Business owners especially are somewhat wary of outside auditors such as those from regulatory bodies, coming into their business to inspect the financial honesty. However, many business owners will have their own accountants perform auditing missions so that internal corruption and or mismanagement is countered before it spirals out of control. You can learn more about this at the University of Alabama Birmingham where the role and responsibilities of auditing managers are explored. Taking their MAc program will get you well on your way to becoming qualified to perform such a role in any business. The financial importance of this profession is so important that the average salary is around $88,000. Senior or more experienced financial auditors will be earning above six-figures.

Sourcing long-term finance

Businesses large and small all need some kind of outside investment. This is why many companies go public. The cost of research is simply too high to do it alone and not take a big chunk out of company profits. Therefore, as a financial advisor, it will be your job to not only make long-term financial plans but to source long-term finance. Speaking directly with investors, other businesses and even governments will be one of your more important responsibilities. You’ll be working directly with the CEO and advising him or her on the best strategies that will secure the business for many years into the future. 

Many people don’t think too much about the financial department. It's a niche part of any business but ultimately if you’re lucky enough to be a part of one, you’ll be working where the cogs really turn. 

5 Ways To Protect Your Cars Paintwork

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Whether your car is fresh off the production line or is a second-hand trusty workhorse, protecting its paintwork is the key to keeping its exterior in good condition for years to come and can make a vehicle look well maintained ultimately increasing its value. So here are 5 ways to protect your car’s paintwork. 

1. Don’t write on it

We know it can be fun to write on a dirty car but every time your fingertips wipe through the dirt they’re acting a bit like sandpaper, grinding the particles of dust and grime into the paintwork. It only takes one larger fragment of grit to leave a noticeable scratch and with regular touching, this inconspicuous action can begin to leave a more permanent mark on your shiny paintwork, so let’s find other ways to have a practical joke with our friends. 

2. Use a wax 

Wax not only makes the paintwork of your car glisten and shine but it also protects it from corrosive and harmful to paint materials such as bird droppings, tree sap, and tar which regularly find their way onto the paintwork. Waxes come in three forms, liquids, pastes and sprays and last between 3-6 weeks. Whichever type of wax you decide to use remember to only use it on the painted portions of your car and to keep it well away from the non-painted plastic or rubber components. 

3. Try a ceramic car coating

Ceramic car coating is relatively new to the market and because of it’s stronger bond to the paintwork the treatment can last 6 months or even more. Ceramic car coating not only gives a level of additional shine to the paintwork but also provides a hard and durable barrier to stop things sticking to it, making cleanups easier. Always have an experienced ceramic car coating installer apply the coating for best results and remember to have it topped up on time. 

4. Wash your car regularly 

Washing your car regularly helps to remove particles of dust and dirt that could end up scratching the paintwork and also washes away any corrosive substances such as acidic bird poo or tree sap. Remember to always use a detergent designed for cars as these are developed not to cause any damage to the paint and are made with specialist ingredients to give your car maximum shine. After washing your car carefully, paying attention not to rub the dirt into the paintwork, it’s then time to use a microfibre towel to dry and clean the rest of the body. Wash the wheels last and never use the same sponge on the wheels and the body as this can transfer abrasive dirt and dust. 

5. Try a car wrap

Wrapping involves covering your car in a vinyl film which enables you to not only transform its color or texture but also to protect the underlying paint job from sun damage and abrasions. Car wraps can even be printed with brand logos and personalized designs bringing the personality of your car to life whilst giving it a ‘fresh off the line’ without a new paint job.