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5 Scary Mistakes Technical Writers Make and How to Vanquish Them

As the eerie winds of October blow and the veil between the realms of the living and the supernatural grows thin, it’s not just ghosts and ghouls that send shivers down our spines. For technical writers, a different kind of terror lurks in the shadows—the bone-chilling mistakes that can haunt both their work and their readers’ nightmares.

Join me on a journey through the dimly lit corridors of technical documentation, where I reveal the five scariest mistakes technical writers make. From ominou

AI Tools Save Time — But Have Shortcomings

In the last year or so, artificial intelligence (AI) content generation tools have been all over the news, from articles about the dangers of AI content farms to Hollywood screenwriters who worry AI will take their jobs. Who can forget the infamous AI-generated legal brief that included non-existent legal cases? However, that doesn’t change the fact that content creators are under pressure to create high-quality content at a fast rate, and ranking high on Google is a huge challenge that is even

Is Your eLearning Accessible to Everyone?

Did you know?
• An estimated 1.3 billion people in the world experience significant disabilities. That’s 16 percent of the world’s population, or about one in six people. (This nearly equals the entire population of India.)
• One in four Americans has some sort of disability (or 25 percent, nearly 83 million people, or more than twice the population of California).
• Deafness or serious hearing difficulties are present in 5.7 percent of Americans (about 19 million, or 1 in 17 people – or close t

Seven Myths About eLearning Debunked

eLearning is any type of training delivered via electronic means – computers, tablets, smartphones. It includes, but is not limited to:

Modern technology has made eLearning better than ever, though we hear several misconceptions about what eLearning is and how it is used. Read more to learn the truth about the role of eLearning in modern training programs.

1. eLearning is not practical because of its expense

Yes, it takes time, talent, and a budget to create and manage good eLearning content

Treat Mom to a Relaxing Mini Spa Day - at Home: 3 Ways to Create the Perfect Herbal Bath

Mother’s Day (May 14) will be here before you know it! Instead of gifting Mom a candle, perfume, or a basket of body washes, lotions, and bath bombs that will collect dust, treat her to a mini spa day at home. All it takes are some herbs and a few items you probably already have around the house.

Three different methods to create the perfect herbal bath:
• Combine herbs in a pot and simmer for about 15 minutes. Strain them through a cheesecloth, then pour the water directly into your bath. This

Using UDLAB's Achiever II Planner for Wellness: 9 Ways to Map Your Way

Today is World Health Day! It's a good time to think about your wellness goals. "Wellness” covers a lot of ground, but here I’m referring to physical and mental health. Chances are you have a vague idea of these goals and fit in a little exercise here and there when you have time, or have played around with meditation and journaling but never stuck to it for more than a few days. This is where planning comes in. You should plan steps to reach your achievable goals like you would at work, for you

More Alternatives to SMART Goals

We recently talked about obstacles found while using the SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-Bound) method for all goal setting, and some non-traditional alternatives. Today, we’d like to share additional approaches that may work better for you than SMART. Choose what works best for your individual goals – you don’t have to stick to just one method for all your goals. As with SMART goals, none of these methods work perfectly for everyone and every situation. Determine what w

Non-Traditional Alternatives to SMART Goals

Since the early 1980s, SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely) have been the standard method for setting goals. The SMART method works well for goals that have a specific outcome. But if you are working on personal goals or creating and maintaining habits, it may not be as helpful. It’s cliché, but SMART goals focus on the result, not the journey. Don’t give up on goals, though! After we share some insights about why SMART goals aren’t perfect for every goal, we’ll

Setting Goals: What's Your "Why"?

We’ve all been there: it’s 11:59pm and you’re counting down to midnight on New Year’s Eve. You clink your glass with friends and family, then suddenly declare, “This year, I’m going to save more money!” or “This year, I’m going to finally reach my goal weight!” You count carbs and pennies for the first two weeks in January, then you decide it’s too much effort and give up. Perhaps you’ve already given up for 2023.

What went wrong, and why do so many of us repeat this insanity every year? We did

Coping with Goal-Setting Anxiety

Does the thought of setting goals fill you with dread because you are afraid you won't meet them? Do you have so many ideas that you are figuratively (perhaps literally) going in circles, unable to focus on anything for long? If so, it's time for a reality check so you can more efficiently and effectively create a goal plan that will challenge but not overwhelm you.

Identify your goals. Choose short term (takes a month or two), medium-term (takes 6 months), and long-term (takes a year, five yea