SWERDLOFF In The Know
www.lawwithasmile.com • 310-577-9104
NOVEMBER 2018
STAYING CONNECTED
Appreciating the Benefits of Technology
Recently, I watched a video of my granddaughter and marveled at how technology has changed. In my career, we went from using manual typewriters to computers and word processing software. The old onionskin copies were replaced with automatic copiers. It used to be that you sent a letter by mail and had time to think about things. You could carefully craft a response. Now with email, the expectation is that you’ll reply instantly. Then there was the introduction of the cellphone — well, pagers came first. Remember those? And with smartphones came social media. These major innovations made many functions much easier, leading to changes in people’s roles. Full-time secretaries became full- time assistants, helping to manage email and phone communication. We’ve been adjusting manpower ever since. While it’s given us a lot, technology also allows for many more interruptions. Tools like email can reduce stress, but they also create more intrusions into your day. Even as I was writing this, my cellphone rang! I’ve learned to focus on the task at hand and put some boundaries in place so I can focus. We learn to discipline ourselves not to look at Facebook during the course of the day, maybe saving it for a half-hour in the evening; it’s a good tool for logging birthdays and anniversaries. Instead of jumping to answer the phone at our firm, we’ve switched to setting phone appointments. It’s better for our clients, as we can put our full attention on them instead of being distracted by another caller or task.
With the implementation of the computer in our industry, we’ve been able to offer more to our clients. We can use software that saves formats and processes so we don’t have to keep reinventing the wheel. This technology speeds up the process for our clients when it comes to estate planning and special needs. We can scan documents back and forth instead of having to mail and wait for them. We use a secure cloud base so we can back up files and keep electronic information safely. Plus, it saves our clients a trip to the office, which is especially important for families of those with special needs and for whom leaving the house can be a challenge. We’re starting to do more voice and visual conferencing, too. Like most things in life, technology has its positives and negatives. We could easily focus on the drawbacks, but I’d rather focus on these benefits. I think of my
granddaughter’s smiling face when we do a video chat. She gets all excited and has a big smile on her face. She’ll reach out, trying to grab me through the phone, and then she starts performing, dancing and jumping around, to show off to her grandfather. It’s pure joy. Thanks to this kind of technology, even if I’m not in the same city as my family for the holidays, we can connect over video conferences to laugh and share our days with each other. Although I could leave some of the interruptions that come along with our smart devices, I wouldn’t miss those special video calls for the world. Have a happy Thanksgiving, and stay connected. –Arthur J. Swerdloff
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GET YOUR GRANDCHILDREN THE PERFECT GIFTS WITHOUT BREAKING YOUR BUDGET
to play phone tag with your provider. You can simply hop online and make an appointment. When you’re juggling several appointments a week, this can make a big difference. When it comes to legal services, firms like ours are turning to tools like client relations management systems (CRMS) to ensure clients get answers they need quickly. These systems can give automated messages, create databases, send automatic responses, and provide other services that ensure families hear back from someone quickly and aren’t left in the dark about their legal questions. In addition, cloud-based services allow attorneys to use secure drop boxes for clients to review documents, which saves a trip to the office. The creation of Zoom and other meeting software offers the chance for an entire appointment to be conducted online. It’s pretty incredible, isn’t it? of grandchildren you have, and you’ll now know approximately how much you can spend on each gift. Remember, too, that many presents don’t have to come with a price tag. STEP 2: TALK TO THE PARENTS Parents are the best resource for ideas of what is and isn’t an appropriate gift. They can tell you what each child is interested in, as well as list any gifts to avoid. Parents’ insights will prove invaluable when it comes time to make a decision, especially because different parents have varying ideas of what’s acceptable. STEP 3: GIVE AN EXPERIENCE Consider giving an experience-based gift rather than a toy or material object. Maybe you want to give all of the children in one
family tickets for a getaway. Perhaps you want to accompany them to a museum or sporting event. No matter the experience that fits your family best, these gifts can create lasting memories for everyone. STEP 4: ADD A THOUGHTFUL TOUCH After you’ve purchased all of your gifts, take the time to add something personal to each of them. A handwritten letter, old photos, or other mementos could end up having just as much of an impact as the gift itself. It will also let the child know that you’re thinking of them, which is especially meaningful when you can’t spend the holidays together. STEP 5: HAVE FUN Buying gifts for your grandkids should be a joyful experience and a way to express your love. That’s what matters most of all.
While a trip to the grocery store or an appointment at the doctor’s might be just another point on the checklist for some, for families with an elderly member or a member with special needs, those tasks become a hurdle. That’s the case for parent Julie Katz, who finds herself juggling her son’s school schedule, doctor’s appointments, and therapy sessions, all while trying to provide attention to both her children. Julie isn’t the only one; 1 in 5 families care for a child with special needs, according to the U.S. Department for Health and Human Services. That in combination with an aging population results in more caregivers and makes the need for remote services, including client- support services, even more important. For this reason, many businesses are beginning to incorporate remote resources and tools to make things easier on their clients and patients. Tools like automatic schedulers make it so you don’t have ‘Tis the season to flock to the stores to find the hottest deals on the coolest products just in time for the holidays. For older adults, however, braving a crowded parking lot and long lines can be a painful, difficult ordeal. Luckily, you don’t have to participate in this "rate" race in order to give your grandchildren presents they’ll cherish for years to come. Follow these steps to generate ideas for affordable, unforgettable gifts. STEP 1: MAKE A BUDGET Regardless of how much you’ve saved for retirement, you need to consider the finances. The best way to establish a budget is to set aside a holiday fund including the total amount of money you’re comfortable spending. Divide that total by the number
REDUCING STRESS FOR FAMILIES
How Businesses Can Provide Helpful Tools
Finding ways to reduce stress for our clients is a top priority of Swerdloff Law Firm. We know you are facing your own unique challenges as a family, and we are here to help. Contact us today to find out about our remote-service options. Let us make creating a guardianship or estate plan easier for you.
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THE OTHER SIDE OF TECHNOLOGY TIME MANAGEMENT ACCORDING TO DAN KENNEDY
As Art said on the cover, technology can be a boon to our lives but also provides many distractions. In his book “No B.S. Time Management for Entrepreneurs,” Dan Kennedy scrutinizes how we spend our time and argues that most of us aren’t strict enough with how we approach work. Unlike most of us, Dan Kennedy doesn’t have a cellphone, and he looks at how the tethers of modern society — email, messaging, and Wi-Fi — hinder our productivity and waste our time if we let them.
start time, but he also designates an end time. Even if he has to stop mid-sentence during a call, he sticks to that end time. It respects your time, and it respects the other person’s time. Punctuality is key for managing your days properly and completing tasks. LOOK AT YOUR TIME PHILOSOPHY AS A FUNCTION OF YOUR GOALS A person’s time philosophy reveals a lot about their behavior and future success, according to Kennedy. This can be encapsulated in how they relate time to their goals, from the short-term — how does this phone call move me toward my goals? — to the long-term. By evaluating each minute, each hour, and considering that time is money, you can begin to develop a time philosophy that will help you reach your goals.
CONTROL TIME VAMPIRES Kennedy defines time vampires as “anyone who drains time and energy from you.” He encourages us not to let this behavior into our lives. Don’t permit it. Instead of running to answer a text or email that’s interrupting your work flow or questions that haven’t been thought out by their sender, he encourages us to put up boundaries. ORGANIZE EVERYTHING ACCORDING TO PREDETERMINED START AND END TIMES For every appointment that Dan Kennedy makes with clients, not only does he set a
All of us could stand to be more discerning with our time “because last year's bank balance and your satisfaction or dissatisfaction with it is more a reflection of how you invest your time than of anything else,” Kennedy says. It’s the only thing we really own, after all. Here are a few takeaways from Mr. Kennedy’s book that anyone — business owners or otherwise — can implement to improve their time management and, likely, their quality of life.
SUDOKU
SPICY, CREAMY SWEET POTATOES
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter • 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 5 pounds sweet potatoes • 1 cup canned coconut milk • 1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste
Instructions
1. Heat oven to 375 F. On a large sheet pan, bake potatoes until very soft, approximately 75 minutes. 2. Let potatoes cool until they are safe to handle, then peel and mash. 3. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine coconut milk and curry paste. Once mixed, add the mixture, salt, half the sugar, and half the butter to potatoes. 4. 30 minutes before serving, heat oven to 425 F. Spread potatoes in a baking dish, cover with foil, and bake for 20 minutes. 5. Uncover potatoes and dot with remaining butter and sugar. Broil until brown, crusty, and delicious. Serve hot. Inspired by The New York Times
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INSIDE
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The Role of Technology
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A Gift-Buying Guide for Grandparents Reducing Stress for Families With Special Needs
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Time Management and Technology Spicy, Creamy Sweet Potatoes
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Chips, The WWII Hero Dog
MEET CHIPS The WWII Hero Dog
War heroes are revered for their acts of bravery in times of combat — and Chips, the shepherd-collie-husky crossbreed, is no different. During World War II, the Wren family donated Chips to Dogs for Defense shortly after the U.S. joined the war. Of the 40,000 dogs donated to the corps, more than 10,000 were selected to participate in the program after training. Chips was shipped off with his handler, Private Rowell, to French Morocco. Chips and Rowell patrolled the Casablanca Conference, where Chips was introduced to President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Following the meeting, Rowell and Chips went to Sicily to support the invasion as part of Operation Husky, which was where Chips earned his hero status. On July 10, 1943, Allied soldiers were attacked on the
beach by an enemy machine gun team. Chips ran for the hut where the barrage of bullets was coming from and tore into the enemies. His handler described hearing rapid noises and seeing Chips gripping one of the men by his throat until Rowell ordered the dog down. Three more men came out of the hut, their hands raised. Chips left the fight with burns and a scalp wound, but his actions saved the lives of all the men in his platoon, and later that day, he discovered more enemy soldiers. On Jan. 15, 2018 — 75 years after the Casablanca Conference — Chips was posthumously awarded the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals Dickin Medal, the highest award an animal can achieve for their time in military conflict in Britain.
awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, the Silver Star, and the Purple Heart. These honors were eventually stripped by the Army after a policy barred animals from earning the same medals as people, but his platoon awarded him the Theater Ribbon and battle stars for his eight campaigns. To the men Chips saved, medals didn’t make him a hero — his selfless actions did.
After his service, Chips returned to live with the Wren family. On U.S. soil, he was
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