Survey More women are paying alimony and child support

Survey More women are paying alimony and child supportSurvey More women are paying alimony and child supportWhen you earn more, families, friends and strangers will abflug coming out of the woodworks demanding their cut. When you have more to lose, the stakes become much higher. The question of your finances is the defining argument former spouses face when they battle for their share of money in divorce court. And as more women become breadwinners, a new survey has found that this means that more women are paying alimony and child support to their former partners.More money, more likelihood that youre going to pay child supportMore mothers have paid child support during the past three years, according to 54% of attorneys surveyed by the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers. Almost half of the attorneys surveyed said they had also noticed an uptick in women paying for alimony.In the eyes of the law, alimony payments are becoming a gender-neutral space. As more women become the pri mary wage earners of their household, this means that women are no longer off the hook from financially supporting their ex.While men have almost always expected to pay alimony, many women still have a very difficult time accepting that this financial obligation might fall to them, saidMadeline Marzano-Lesnevich, president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, said in a statement. Unlike with previous generations, there are now many more two-income households with parents who serve as equals in taking care of the home and raising the children. This current reality is certainly being recognized by the courts.Thats the downside of being a breadwinner. With more money can come more questions about where that money should go. Thats why Marzano-Lesnevich suggests discussing this possibility before your relationship hits rock bottom, even if the conversation is unappetizing.Nobody whos getting married likes to think about getting divorced, Marzano-Lesnevich said. But the reality is that you can avoid a lot of this by sitting down, doing a good prenup and talking openly with each other.

3 easy things you can do to relax and unwind from stress

3 easy things you can do to relax and unwind from stress3 easy things you can do to relax and unwind from stressIts fairly common for stress to enter your life at some point, whether it be home or career induced.Beware the jobs that are so stressfulthey take over the rest of your life. If you are reaching that point, its a good idea to stop and figure out how to unwind.While your job might encourage you to keep going all the time, its always healthier to stop and figure out a way torestore your own sanity.Here are three simple ways you can relax and unwind after work gets you down.1. ExerciseYes, exercise can be unpleasant and its not exactly the first thing that most people think about when they want to unwind. It is, however, something that can help you togreatly reduceyour overall stress. When you put your body to work, youre allowing yourself to focus on something other than whats bothering you at the office. Youre also releasing a number of chemicals in your body that help to re duce your overall anxiety levels.Find a workout routine that works for you and commit to it. You dont have to run a mile every day, for example, but you might want to hit the gym and play a pickup game of basketball a few times a week. It doesnt matter what the exercise is, only that you are able to get out there and get your body moving.2. Take a real vacationOne of the more toxic aspects of the American workforce is the stigma againsttaking time off.If youre always at work, though, youre contributing to your stress. Youve earned the right to take time off from work and you deserve the chance to really enjoy that time. Instead of just taking a sick day and trying to catch up on your sleep, you deserve to get out and allow yourself a little bit of adventure.Taking a real vacation will allow you to decompress and visit somewhere new. Try taking avacation overseas, for example, and allow yourself to live like a local. Go somewhere without cell phone reception and unplug your brain for a bit. Above all else, you need to make sure that you are physically and mentally as far away from work as possible. The more youdisconnect now, the better you will feel when you get back.3. Find a hobbyWhat do you do when you arent at work? If your answer revolves around watching television or taking naps, you might be contributing to your own problem. One of the better ways to get rid of work stress is to start finding ways to enrich your life outside of work. A good hobby can allow you to put your body and mind to work in a way that isnt related to your job. Simply being able to do something that brings you joy will allow you a brief bit of respite from the hectic nature of your job.The important thing about a hobby is that it makes you happy. It doesnt matter if youre racing motorcycles or knitting- its the act of embracing something that you actually love. This not only helps you relax, but it can remind you of the reasons that you actually work at your job.Remember, your job is just one of the many facets of your life. If you are becoming overwhelmed and unable to function elsewhere, its time to step back and figure out what can make you feel happy. Some stress might be normal, but it should not rule your life.This column originally appeared on BossedUp.org.

ASME in the Headlines

ASME in the Headlines ASME in the Headlines ASME in the HeadlinesEarlier this month, several news outlets - including The Press Sentinel in Georgia, The Oracle Online in Arkansas, and Guams Kuam News website (pictured left) - published the article Observations From the Field Changes in Mechanical Engineering, which featured information provided by ASME regarding the dramatic changes taking place in the engineering profession.According to the story, Engineers aged 55 to 60 are retiring, taking vital knowledge with them. The young engineers who will replace them are focused on specialization, branching off into sub-disciplines and job-hopping. Additionally, theres a rising trend among companies to try out 20-somethings in work-study positions. Companies test these younger engineers part-time to see how well they perform - reestablishing de facto apprenticeship programs as an important avenue into the profession.The article also featured quotes from Karen Ohland, senior v ice president of ASMEs Knowledge and Community Sector and Jen Jewers Bowlin, vice president of Leadership and Recognition in ASMEs Student and Early Career Sector. Read the full article here. Another ASME-related article, published on the Precision Manufacturing website (right), took a look at the standardization process, including the role ASME standardization committees play in the procedure. According to the story, titled Best Practices A Practical Look at ASME Standards Manufacturing Practices, the American National Standards Institute does not create standards. Instead, the institute designates Accredited Standards Developers (ASDs). The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) is an ASD and is responsible for many of the ANSI standards in use in precision manufacturing, the article continues. ASME committees develop standardized specifications and testing procedures that have many benefits for both the equipment manufacturer and the equipment user. For m anufacturers, standardized tests for specifications are less expensive than is performing a multitude of user-defined tests. The entire article is available here.To read other stories about ASME and its members, visit the ASME in the Headlines section of ASME.org, at ASME in the Headlines.