Hi there,

The season of snow-laden greetings cards and high-street anarchy is nearly upon us! Disney repeats will attack our vision and Slade and Wham! assault our hearing (even though Wham!'s Christmas hit Last Christmas is perhaps a contender for being one of the best pop songs ever it just goes to show how being continual piped at you in shops can destroy a song of quality). Yes, we're edging ever nearer the time of good cheer, kissing below the mistletoe, mince pies, over-full bellies and last, but not least, the office party. The office party! The event where all the year's frustrations can be let out on the seventies-style dancefloor. You just hope that, next day, no one remembers your attempt at break-dancing! As autumn turns into winter it's often a time of change for people too. It's a good time to look after yourself and make sure you follow through on the goals you have for yourself. That way you can anticipate all those New Year's resolutions, and start the new year with some time in hand.

What's new at DeskDemon?

Our new e-magazine, PA Enterprise, is going from strength to strength. With a healthy mix of career and lifestyle articles, we're trying to take a holistic approach to the concerns of the modern office professional. On our website we have some insightful new articles on improving your memory and running meetings successfully. There's also a section filled with Christmas deals so that you can be one step ahead of the Christmas shopping crowds. And we know that the life of the PA is pushed for time and so that's why we've brought a 15 minute Yoga routine to you, to energise you each day.

Fellowes is a leading provider of workspace solutions designed to make your working environment comfortable, organised and ergonomic. Working in conjunction with DeskDemon.com, Fellowes are conducting an online survey to understand ergonomic awareness in the workplace. Help Fellowes by filling in the survey, and you could win yourself a Fellowes Office Suite, as there are five Office Suites up for grabs, each with an RRP of over £300.

The first issue of PA Enterprise came out in October and it was a great success. Thank you for all of your positive feedback. Its mix of lifestyle and career articles - from building the ultimate CV to dismantling the work/life balance - seemed to go down with our users very well. November's issue is set to be even better! Look forward to exciting features from sudoku to the Christmas party, and dress codes to successful goal setting, it's got exciting with relevant articles and tips for everyone - wherever you are in your career and whatever your personal aspirations are. If you missed the October issue and would like to have a browse, click on the link below.

We've all complained that a meeting was a complete waste of time. We leave and find that nothing was decided, or even that issues have been complicated. You feel that the project's taken a step back. Then comes the inevitable "corridor" meeting afterwards, where personalities are dissected or the real decisions made. This article looks at how to put together an effective meeting, one that has a results-driven agenda. It examines the various factors that can make the difference between an ineffective, and possibly harmful, meeting and an effective, positive one.

A good memory can dramatically improve your performance and make your job and life easier. Mnemonics is the use of devices, such as stories, formulas or visualisations, to improve memory. Tips to Improve Your Memory reviews the use and potential of applying mnemonic tactics to increase and improve memory capabilities. If applied with dedication it can mean your memory improves all round. A number of studies have shown that there are three fundamental principles underlying the use of mnemonics, which are imagination, association and location. These three principals can be brought to work together, and you can use them to generate powerful memory systems.

The Hub is where you can connect to the DeskDemon community. Designed so that our users can get and give advice and support, the Hub is used by thousands of professionals around the world. With threads and postings on all the issues affecting office professionals and more, you'll find this an invaluable resource. Come, explore, read, and post messages to link into our fantastic community. The various areas - including Sound Off!, Help...Specifically..., and Topical Climates - mean you can go straight to an issue that concerns you or read and contribute to an area of interest.

Christmas can be a wonderful time of year. But there's normally one thing marring an otherwise relaxed and fulfilling time - shopping! The packed streets, the dash for last minute presents, food and drink, and the piped music: it can all get too much. But have no fear this year! Help is at hand. On our Christmas Special Offers page we highlight some of the best and biggest high street deals, leaving you to get on with the important parts of Christmas - having fun and relaxing.

For a great many of us, Christmas is a last minute rush. It never seems to live up to the ideal image we have in our head of it, as a time of relaxation and fun. Instead, it becomes, yet again, an expensive time of rampant materialism and hurried plans. However, it doesn't have to be like this. By beginning to plan now, you can overcome all of these problems by avoiding them completely. Christmas can be that ideal time you always hoped for.

We live in hectic times. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't make time to look after our bodies. After all, it'll only make us feel better, with more energy and enthusiasm for the tasks that we have to tackle throughout our day. This article shows that even if you have 15 minutes or less to exercise there's a Yoga routine that will leave you feeling invigorated and eager to step into the day full of energy. Its combination of poses, deep breathing and meditation will help to improve your circulation and flexibility, stimulate your various bodily systems, burn calories, and alleviate skin problems, whatever your age or fitness level.