Simple

Are you a forgetful person? Does your mind tend to discard lists, numbers, dates, names, or faces? Do you often forget appointments or pre-planned events? Have you sometimes found yourself merely not knowing what’s going on at any given time, despite knowing before? Today, we are sharing five easy ways to help you to improve your memory.

If you said yes to any of those, you might have a bad memory! Luckily, memory issues don’t have to be permanent, and you can learn to sharpen your mind and prevent cognitive problems. Here’s how experts reveal five simple ways to improve your memory.

1.    Learn Memory Techniques

There are a lot of different tips and tricks for memorizing certain things. Some of these tips and tricks might even expand into something that retain information long-term! If you’re looking to improve your memory, these techniques are the go-tos. Here are five of them:

·         Make Connections

Form connections between new information and information you already had. For example, if you are trying to remember your parking bay of H44, think about your friend, whose name starts with an H and is 44 years old. Connecting the new knowledge to something you already have memorized perfectly makes it much easier for you to remember it later. According to Mount Sinai School of Medicine assistant clinical professor of psychiatry and memory enhancement program founder Cynthia R. Green, Ph.D., who is also an author and the president of Memory Arts.

·         Simplify

It’s effortless for the brain to forget vast amounts of information that all come at you at once. Green recommends that you break down what you receive into manageable, smaller chunks of information that you can memorize one by one and put together later if needed.

·         Create Pictures or Movies

When you have something to remember, try to create a memory picture or a memory movie about it. For example, if you need to remember to buy five boxes of cake mix, imagine five cakes stacked precariously on top of each other. If you need to remember the name Rick, attach the person’s face to the image of Rick and Morty in your mind!

·         Review, Don’t Repeat

Reading the same thing over and over again doesn’t have a positive effect on how much information from it you retain. Instead, you want to review or “retrieve” the memory you have from the first reading if you want the memory to be long term. Memory researcher and University of Louisville professor Keith Lyle, Ph.D. recommends thinking about what you length at regular intervals, with the gaps increasing in size each time. This is much more likely to result in retention than simply relearning everything several times over.

·         Tell A Story

The storytelling technique involves taking a list of information and making them into a story, says Green. It’s the memory picture or memory movie technique expanded. For example, to remember the words “green, truck, violin, duck,” you might imagine a green truck driving by a duck playing the violin.

2.    Hack Your Memory

Hacking your memory isn’t as fancy as it sounds. It merely refers to the ability to use different actions and environmental factors to improve your memory in certain areas. Not sure what we mean? Here are some ideas:

·         Make Memory Spots

In your home, office, or other commonly frequented places, designate a particular spot as your memory spot. It’s where you will put all the things you typically forget, like your keys, your wallet, or your phone charger. It can take some getting used to, but Green suggests putting it into practice. Get used to putting items easily forgotten in these memory spots and visit those spots so you can check if you’ve forgotten anything. The next time you lose something, it’ll be waiting in that spot!

·         Exercise Your Brain

The brain needs to work out, just like the rest of the body, to stay healthy, says Gouras. Regular mental stimulation through puzzles, tests, and the act of learning new knowledge can help reduce cognitive decline’s effects. Over time, it will sharpen your memory and have positive impacts on brainpower. Think of it as a kind of mental training!

·         Write Things Down

Sure, technically, writing something down means you don’t have to remember it, but it’s an excellent way to practice building your memory. It ensures that you do remember what you have to do, letting you practice more memory retention in the future, says Lyle. The act of writing things can also make it easier for some people to commit things to memory – even more so than typing things out, according to studies!

3.    Cut Down On Some Foods

Did you know that certain foods can harm your memory? Through several components, these foods can damage the brain’s natural ability to remember things, often affecting parts of the brain permanently in the long run. Here are some food components to avoid:

·         Carbohydrates

Not all carbs are bad. The ones that can have a negative effect on your memory are the refined kinds. Think of white bread, white rice, white pasta, cereal, and baked goods. These all have a high glycemic index and are digested by the body at a swift rate, causing blood sugar spikes. These carbohydrates can all lead to an increased risk of cognitive function, including dementia and other forms of cognitive decline, according to studies.

·         Sugar

Added sugar has many downsides, but mostly it’s been linked to all sorts of chronic and life-threatening illnesses. Unfortunately, one of the conditions that it has been linked to is cognitive decline. Eating a lot of sugar can shrink the volume of your brain, especially the part responsible for short-term memory, according to research.

·         Cholesterol

High cholesterol levels can increase your risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, especially at a younger age than typical. This is according to Weill Medical College professor of neurology and neuroscience and Fisher Center for Alzheimer’s Research adjunct professor Gunnar Gouras, MD. The consumption of statins, which can lower harmful cholesterol, has been linked in studies to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s development.

·         Alcohol

High alcohol consumption has been known to lead to many health problems, but binge drinking is especially worrying for the brain. This is because the natural neurotoxicity of alcohol can affect the brain’s hippocampus, which is responsible for many memory-related functions. The memory-shortening effects of alcohol are effective immediately when one becomes intoxicated, and excessively falling into a drunken state can be the cause for eventual permanent memory decline. It’s OK to have a drink once in a while, especially in a positive environment, but do so responsibly!

4.    Add More Of Some Foods

Just like you need to cut down on some consumables to improve your memory, there are some foods you need to add more of. Here are some that the experts recommend!

·         Eat A Mediterranean Diet

Mediterranean diets have been known for years as a memory-boosting, brain-protecting, heart-healthy eating plan. This is likely due to the types of foods involved and their rich vitamin, mineral, and nutritional component content. If possible, try to incorporate aspects of a Mediterranean diet into your daily meals, suggests research.

·         Take Enough B Vitamins

B12 and other B vitamins play a significant role in positive memory functions in the brain. A lack of them can even lead to cognitive decline. Green states that the older you get, the more complicated your body may find it to absorb dietary B vitamins. Make sure you’re getting enough folic acid, B6, and B12. If you need to, you may want to take a supplement, but talk to your doctor about it first!

·         Take Enough Vitamin E

Vitamin E is an antioxidant that fights against free radicals and works to break down fatty substances and cholesterol buildup. It may also help bring down inflammation. With all these factors combined, vitamin E can slow or prevent the onset of cognitive decline and brain issues caused by inflammation, promising more positive memory strength. According to Gouras, you should try to get around 400 IU of daily vitamin E.

·         Get Enough Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids, commonly found in fatty fish, fish oils, and healthy fat sources, are essential for many bodily functions. This includes cardiovascular health, positive thinking and mood, and even inflammation. On top of that, it has been found to be able to reduce mental decline. Most foods with lots of omega-3 fatty acids are thought to be brain foods for a reason, after all!

·         Stay Hydrated

The brain is full of water; in fact, 85% of it is just water alone! A lack of hydration can cause fatigue and brain fog, potentially affecting your memory in the long run with chronic dehydration. Make sure you’re drinking at least eight glasses of water daily and that you drink water as soon as you feel thirsty.

·         Try Some Ginkgo

Ginkgo is a herb that has been found to have scientific links to brain cell enrichment, meaning it can keep the mind healthy while boosting circulation throughout the body. Just make sure you consult a doctor before going through with supplementation!

5.    Manage Your Mental Health

Mental health and positive thinking can play a huge role in whether your memory stays sharp or not. Those who experience chronic or frequent anxiety and stress have a heightened level of the stress hormone cortisol in their body. A lot of cortisol production means the body goes into fight vs. flight mode, and this means directing energy to your body staying alive, not to more satisfactory brain function. Green explains that this pattern may affect the hippocampus, damage sleep ability, and even directly affect your ability to retain memories.

On top of that, did you know that depression and cognitive impairment have been linked by research? In fact, according to Grouras, many times, depression can be misdiagnosed as Alzheimer’s disease! Many people who are very depressed can completely forget some moments of their life.

If you think you are experiencing symptoms of depression, anxiety, or chronic stress, seek mental health aid from a therapist, counselor, or similar qualified professional.

Final Thoughts On Some Simple Ways To Improve Your Memory

Memory problems can range from inconvenient to frightening. Luckily, you can learn tips, methods, and habits that will slowly improve your memory over time until you’re a sharp-minded machine! Of course, note that if you think that your memory problems are degenerative or severe, you should speak to a doctor for an opinion.

How to Convert XML to PDF: A Simple Guide

Perhaps your business has large databases and you need to convert them to a readable format, or you want to batch generate order slips for customers.

You can do this quickly by converting XML to PDF!

If you are not sure about what that means completely, do not worry. By then end of this article, you will understand XML files, PDF files, and learn how to convert XML to PDF.

XML is a markup language used to encode documents for both computer programs and people to read. Created by the W3C, the same group that manages the standard for HTML, XML is extensible.

What does this mean? XML, or extensible markup language, uses bracketed tags in the way HTML does, but these tags are completely custom and self-defined. The potential is unlimited as long as another machine or program knows how to read it and process it.

For instance, a client’s information in an XML database might be express as:

     John Doe
     [email protected]

You only need a simple text editor to create XML files, but you can also view them in a web browser, or manage them with an online editor. Various software can export data to XML files, too.

XML can work like a database, but it can do more than that too. It can define the entire structure of a document. For instance, Microsoft Office uses XML to support the structure of .docx documents.

This means XML can generate menus, client lists, invoices, order forms, and more.

Exporting information from your business’ systems to XML allows you to create lightweight, custom databases, templates, and documents.

PDF files, or portable document files, are common and easy-to-access filetype. Rather than share a Microsoft Word file with customers, where some people do not have access to Word, it is easier to share a file that everyone can open.

PDFs preserve the format of a document but render it almost like an image. This is great for creating high-quality prints of magazines, menus, or marketing material.

However, while editable PDF forms exist, PDFs are mostly meant to be viewed and not edited.

This adds a lot of security when you send out digital contracts and invoices, where you might allow clients to view the PDF and then e-sign and submit payment through a secure portal.

Converting XML to PDF adds a lot of convenience and speed to your business’ processes. Just in file management, XML lets your company manage large databases and document types in a small file size.

XML is easy to export directly from your company’s systems, and most other database types convert to XML without trouble.

Converting XML to PDF then allows you to batch process hundreds of documents at a time. Rather than generate recurring client contracts one-at-a-time, you can render and save all the recurring contracts in a set.

Rendering as PDF makes it convenient to share internally and with customers. Whether your staff or clients are working on Windows, OSX, or on a mobile device, PDFs can be viewed without proprietary software.

As your systems change and update, you won’t need to worry about managing file accessibility. 

Many “conversion” solutions exist online, though most of them fail to provide a real XML to PDF conversion. Countless softwares offer the ability to convert XML to PDF, but all they do is “print” XML files as PDF files.

In truth, most operating systems allow you to do this natively. Rather than send documents to a printer, you send documents to an internal device that renders the print as a PDF. The file is then saved to your computer instead of printing it to paper.

To convert XML to PDF, you need software that will interpret the information in your XML document and use it to render the new document you need.

This requires a bit of setup. Because XML is a customized language, you do need to “teach” the conversion software how to render it.

You first need to define the document template. You also need to define any rules and conditions for the output you want.

For instance, you need to teach it if certain clients need to be skipped or what fields belong in a table.

A great XML to PDF software will allow you to process multiple XML documents simultaneously.

For example, one XML file can be used to render important document information and another can be used to “mail-merge” a large client list. You can create the entire batch in a single step.

Depending on your specific needs, you want to make sure that the software you choose will meet all of them. Excellent XML to PDF conversion software will have some key features.

First, you want an easy-to-use graphical interface. A good visual designer will allow you to work with the XML as you define new document types and templates.

Next, you want flexibility. Some software only convert XML to PDF. However, other inputs and outputs will be useful, too. Depending on how your company grows and your internal software changes, you want a conversion solution that will grow with you.

Some inputs and outputs to consider are JSON, XSL, HTML, Word, and Powerpoint.

Last, make sure the software you choose renders colors in the right format. If you want to print your documents and color consistency is important to your brand, this is an essential feature.

XML is a versatile format for managing data within your business. With the right conversion software, you can leverage XML to generate PDF documents for your staff and customers with ease.

We hope this article helped you learn to convert XML to PDF! If so, keep reading our articles for useful how-tos and more.

Change is inevitable. It can be frightening, it can be sought after, and it can even be so subtle that it goes unnoticed, but one thing remains constant: change is always happening all around you.

If you’re looking to change aspects of your life for the better, you’ve probably found that it’s much easier said than done. Luckily, with the right habits, you can take steps towards improving yourself and enacting change in yourself in the best ways possible. Here are seven simple ways to change how you think and live.

1.    Don’t Dwell On Regrets

Regrets are a part of life. It’s normal to experience some degree of remorse over past actions, missed opportunities, and bad decisions. But that outcome does not mean you should dwell upon your regrets and let them consume you. According to research, there are six familiar sources of regrets:

• Career
• Education
• Leisure
• Parenting
• Romance
• Self

Be aware–your mind may automatically fall to these regrets if you have any within these subjects. You must learn to work past these feelings if they exist. Speak to a therapist or similar mental health professional about working through feelings of regret. You’re more energetic when you learn from them without letting them weigh you down.

2.    Learn To Reflect By Asking Why

Self-reflection is an indispensable tool for those seeking to impart positive change in their lives and thoughts. When something happens that you feel could have gone better or that you know went badly, pause and dig deep into yourself. Why did this happen? Some questions you can ask yourself are:

• Why does this situation bother me?
• Why did their actions hurt me so much?
• Do I have difficulty with this task or circumstance?
• Where are these emotions stemming from?
• Why did I have such a strong reaction to that situation?
• How can I prevent a lousy reaction next time?
• Could I have avoided this?
• How could I have aided the situation?

These questions encourage you to look inward and find answers that exist in your subconscious. They allow you to think, hard, about your actions and thoughts and where they come from, thus allowing you to begin making changes to prevent repeats of the same incident.

Don’t forget. You can also self-reflect when good things happen! To self-reflect on the positive, ask yourself these questions:

• What led to my success?
• What motivated me to reach this achievement?
• How did I feel when I was in that favorable situation?
• How can I replicate this again in the future?

3.    Learn To Love Learning

School systems can make us learn to dislike the process of learning and gaining knowledge. But without all the confines of those rules from your school days, you can, instead, begin to learn on your terms. This new habit can be a lot of fun and is a great way to sharpen your mind and gain the knowledge you need to change how you live and think.

But where do you begin? How can you start learning and enjoying the process? Here are some ideas:

• Read more books
• Watch informational documentaries or videos.
• Take a class in an exciting subject.
• Start learning a new hobby.
• Learn from friends or mentors

4.    Use Positive Affirmations

Positive affirmations are powerful tools. They are often used as mantras to be repeated to oneself every morning in the mirror before work, school, or other responsibilities. These affirmations have a fantastic effect on positive thinking, allowing you to slowly fake it till you make it, growing to believe in yourself more and more in the process.

Think about the kind of change you want to see in your life. Then, pick a confident, specific, and forceful statement that moves you towards your goals by affirming that you are the person you wish to be. Finally, repeat this statement for at least ten minutes, once a day:

• I am strong enough to overcome all odds.
• My intelligence makes me a valuable worker.
• I maintain healthy relationships with my friends.
• My efforts bring fruit.
• I am smart, beautiful, and valued.

When making your affirmations, try not to make these mistakes:

Using The Words “Will” or “Shall.” These words put your success permanently in your future and never in your present. Stick to terms in the present tense.

·         Putting Anything Negative In Them

Don’t make your affirmations negative, even when the overall message is still right. For example, instead of saying, “I am not harmed by adversity,” say, “I overcome adversity.” It doesn’t seem like much, but that negative spin can affect your chances.

·         Giving Up

At first, you will feel silly saying your positive affirmation. That’s normal, and it may take a while before you don’t feel weird repeating them. The goal here is a fake it till you make it type of deal. The more you say these words to yourself, the more you will believe them, and soon when you tell them, you’ll know you’re speaking the truth.

5.    Focus On Your Goals

Goals are what motivate you. They’re what you strive towards, against all the odds. When you turn your attention to them, you give power to yourself to change to meet them.

Of course, additional problems can arise if you don’t set goals in a positive or helpful way. Luckily, there are a wealth of tried and true scientific methods to ensure that you set goals correctly. Here are some actionable tips that could be helpful:

·         Set Goals You Can Hold Yourself Accountable For

Vagueness is a death sentence for goals. Only set goals that you can actively hold yourself accountable for. To do so, make goals that have definite deadlines, have specific requirements, and can be easily kept track of.

·         Make A Motivational Board

Goals are often intangible. You can’t really touch them or even view them directly on a daily basis; they exist only in your mind. A motivational board, also known as a dream board, can give your goals some physical substance to hold onto. Stick pictures, articles, handwritten goal lists, and similar items onto your motivational board and look at it every day. You’re manifesting your goals into a physical form, and that can be very powerful.

·         Be Flexible

A lot of people are a bit too steadfast with their goals. Yes, perseverance is a beautiful thing, but that doesn’t mean you have to set your goals in stone. If situations surrounding your life change, your goals can change with them. There’s no shame in needing to make changes to goals depending on your abilities or circumstances. In fact, that’s part of the best method to set goals in the first place! So be flexible.

·         Make Sure You Feel Challenged

Goals aren’t worth much if you don’t feel like they’re actually challenging you. Too-easy goals will make you become complacent, and your progress will stagnate or, at best, you’ll achieve a goal that won’t actually be that significant. Make sure your goals are challenging and challenging – but not impossible or too tough – to attain!

6.    Be Grateful

A little gratitude goes a long way. Research proves that being grateful can improve social interactions, boost positive thinking, and reduce the risk of developing symptoms of depression.

Still, sometimes, it’s hard to feel grateful, and you may get caught up in the downsides of life. If that applies to you, never fear! Here are a few tips for being grateful in your everyday life:

·         Appreciate What You Have

Every day, stop and take stock of all things you have in life that you appreciate. This list can range from something as simple as a roof over your head and having a job to more complex situations, like your witty personality, sharp thinking skills, or the strength you have to overcome difficulties. If you like, you can even keep a gratitude journal, where you write three things you’re grateful for each day.

·         Learn To Move Your Thought Patterns To Gratitude

It’s natural for many people to take notice of the bad in their lives before even beginning to notice the good. This is often because the positive parts of life can be quite constant and quickly are taken for granted, while negative things impede areas of life and draw your attention and annoyance. The next time something bad happens, stop. Then, engage in a deep breath and shift your thoughts to blessings and little things that bring you joy. You’ll find plenty of wonderful things you may have been overlooking!

·         Savor Your Successes

A lot of us don’t take a good amount of time to celebrate our successes and achievements. Don’t make this mistake. There’s nothing wrong with giving yourself credit or celebrating a little when you achieve a goal or find success. Cement this victory in your mind and remember that feeling of joy, excitement, and fulfillment. This is a win that you should remember and look back on, so you appreciate your achievements and how far you’ve come.

7.    Accept Who You Are

Here’s the truth of the matter: there is only one person who can change how you think and live, and that person is you. The irony of it all is that you can’t change yourself if you don’t like yourself first. Yes, really!

Why is this the case? Well, if you don’t love yourself, you won’t be able to work towards improvement in the way that you want to. Think about it – do you want to help people you don’t like? The same concept applies to yourself. You’re not going to want to help yourself to the true best extent of your abilities if you dislike who you are as a person.

It can be difficult to accept yourself, but here are some ideas for how to begin working on it:

• Practice regular self-care
• Admire yourself in the mirror
• Give yourself treats now and then.
• Repeat positive mantras
• Appreciate the person that you are

Final Thoughts On Some Simple Ways To Change How You Think And Live

It’s certainly not easy to enact big changes in your life. The way you think can be so ingrained in you that you struggle to overcome it. But by following these seven simple ways to change how you think and live, you will, slowly but surely, find methods that work for you. Don’t be afraid to reach out for help from loved ones or mental health professionals if you need it!

Some people are so structured and seem to plan every detail of their day. Yet, others tend to fumble around, hoping they don’t miss something vital that they need to do. If you want to learn how to get everything you need to do in a day, there is no secret or magic trick.

It’s not difficult to plan your day, but it takes some determination and a few life-changing tips. Why should you plan your day? Well, here are a few reasons.

Four Excellent Reasons to Plan Your Day

Here are some useful planning tips for implementing today.

1. You’re Better Prepared

When you have everything planned, then you know what to expect. Your goals for the day are clear, and unless something unforeseen arises, you’ve got things covered. When you have a prepared mindset, you will have a higher chance of having a good and productive day.

The problem comes into play when you don’t have a clue what’s going on. You will struggle through the day fighting hard and have a low chance of success. When you wake up ready to tackle the day, you will be motivated and drive to accomplish the tasks at hand.

Your brain needs to be prepared to be able to have full motivation. If you’re in doubt, you should know that this method works, and it will help you finish the tasks you have to do promptly.

2. You Prioritize

How many times have you worked all day long and haven’t seemed to accomplish anything? You might feel like a dog chasing its tail around in circles. You must know that this is a rookie mistake, and it must be avoided.

When you plan, you have the chance to prioritize the tasks you must complete making sure each one is fulfilled. If you don’t have a plan, then you can run in 100 directions and do whatever comes to mind first. When nothing is connected or coherent, your entire day is run very haphazardly.

It’s essential that you give time to the things of the highest priority. When you start your day armed with a plan, then you can make sure that all the urgent tasks are handled. If you need to see a doctor or attend your child’s school play, then you can ensure those tasks get worked into your day too.

The fact is that you can get where you need to be, and you don’t have to compromise your responsibilities to yourself or your family to do so.

3. Improves Time Management

Your day and productivity level come down to your time management. Do you need to manage every second of the day? Well, no one is perfect, and it’s hard to have a life so scripted.

Thankfully, you can schedule your day and make good use of every minute of it. The most important task should go into slot one, followed by the next important thing, an hour for lunch, and so on until you’ve filled your schedule.

Make sure that you have a list and don’t let anything overlap. You have deadlines, personal commitments, and you must ensure that everything is planned out for 24 hours so that you don’t waste any time or feel burdened.

4. Create Structure

Do you have days when you seem to wing everything? Spontaneity is the spice of life, but you can’t live every day in that manner. It sounds fun to throw caution to the wind and not let life become too structured and regimented, but did you realize that living like that will take a toll on your mental health?

It’s not fun to deal with surprises and urgencies as they can affect your personal life and your work efficiency. When you plan your day, it brings order to an otherwise chaotic time. Planning gives you structure and order, and it will make your life seem more systematic.

Now, you shouldn’t mentally confuse a scheduled day with an uninteresting lifestyle. Having composition means that you have a plan and know what you need to do to be successful. Your routine must be pre-planned and thought out clearly.

You can boost your productivity and keep a structured life, but this type of lifestyle can help you get rid of all your bad habits and strengthen your good ones.

When you are accomplishing tasks and reaching goals, then it gives you a boost in your step. It does incredible things for your self-esteem to mark items off your checklist as accomplished.

5 Tips to Planning the Perfect Day

If you want to plan your day and boost your results, you need an effective method. Here are some tips for you to consider.

1. Begin with Clear Goals

You must first start each day with clearly defined goals. Never start a day without a plan. It’s essential to keep your daily goals on track to achieve all you need.

While setting precise daily goals, you must also keep in mind your plans for the week. You want to make sure that one day flows into the next, and you’re not left wandering around.
When you have not only your daily but weekly goals in mind, you can plan in advance. Your goals must allow you to accomplish all you need to do and allow time for the unforeseen events.

2. Each day must Be Part of the Bigger Picture

Please don’t get so caught up on a single day that you forget it’s part of the bigger picture. Remember, Monday is only one-seventh of your week, so you can’t single it out over the whole week or month. Everything you plan must take into consideration the week, month, year, and your life.

Having a cohesive plan is advisable, and it should fit into what you want to achieve for the long term. Additionally, keep the events from yesterday and those from tomorrow in the back of your mind. If you have unfinished business from Tuesday, and it’s not Wednesday, you must consider what’s left and what’s on the list for Thursday.

When you have deadlines in both the business and personal parts of life, you need to be mindful of them daily rather than waiting until the last minute.

3. Classify

Your day should be about much more than your job. In every life comes the need for socialization, personal commitments, chores around your home, and family time. You must ensure that you include all these things in your schedule and learn to make time for each classification.

Self-care is an item that many people don’t make time for in their day. You are more important than dusting the furniture, paying the cable bill, and making a work deadline. Yes, all those things are essential, but if you don’t take care of yourself and your needs, you will never accomplish all you need to do.

You should have no less than 30 minutes each day to reflect, create, and boost your mental strength. When you have it all planned according to then, it’s easier to balance your day.

4. Allow for Flexibility

When you plan your day, you don’t want to make the time restraints, so regimented that there is no time for flexibility. Life is full of surprises, and you never know what each day will hold. You must have room for adjustments.

Your boss may throw a surprise assignment on you, or your child may wake up sick. There always needs to be a plan b or backup to your day. You must be able to move things around so that you can handle life’s unexpected challenges.

5. Sustain Balance

You only have 24 hours in your day, so you don’t want to put so much onto your schedule that it’s not humanly possible to do it all. When you plan your day, you want to give yourself about one or two major tasks.

Once those big tasks are handled, then you can schedule about three or four smaller ones. Remember, some jobs will take more time than others, and you need to allow for interruptions, phone calls, and other things that can get you off schedule.

You also need to have some sort of balance. Your day cannot be all about work, or you won’t have time to relax and read a book or watch your favorite television program. Don’t cram so much into one day that it stresses you out and take the rest of the week to recover.

Final Thoughts on How You Can Achieve Better Results When You Plan Your Day

Are you convinced that planning your day is worth the effort? Make sure you make those plans the day before to wake up knowing exactly what you face that day. It’s all about keeping things into perspective and seeing yourself reach each goal that you set.

Don’t feel pressured to tackle all of these suggestions at one time. Small steps will equal big changes in due time. So start with little goal-setting and work up from there.

The goal is to see growth and development in your life, which can happen when you plan your day and make time for all the things you must do.

Are your kids’ closets a jumbled mess? That likely scenario is not at all surprising!

No one is quite as disorganized as a child! With a little understanding of the importance of keeping things tidy, kids can create quite a mess and leave a trail of havoc wherever they go. It can be difficult for parents to keep up – and even more difficult for those kids to find what they need later!

That’s why it’s so vital to teach children to start being organized as young as possible. This way, organizing habits will come naturally to them, and they’ll learn how to keep things neat and orderly as they grow up. But with all the things kids have, how can everything be stored correctly? Here’s how pros reveal six simple tips to help you organize your kids’ closets!

1.    Hang Things Up

Hanging things up is a simple and easy way to keep things off the floor. All you have to do is make sure your children have enough hooks and hangers, and you’ll naturally have things organized in some form! Morevoer, you will help decrease morning-time stress!

Here are several easy tasks you can start with:

·         Figure Out How Hanging Things Works

Help your children create a system for their clothes. For example, their clothes can be organized by color and category. This way, they can grab and put away their clothes quickly later!

·         Use Doubler Rods

Having two rods in your child’s closet not only increases the hanging space in the closet, but they also allow smaller children to put away their clothes with ease too. This will enable them to practice organizing their closet by themselves.

·         Try Using Hooks

Putting on your child’s closet provides more organizational options for your child. They can use these hooks to hang bags, scarves, jackets, or even jewelry – which helps keep their things off the floor and their room free of clutter.

·         Invest In Good Hangers

It may seem strange, but getting the right kind of hangers can make storage easier for your child’s closet. Slimline hangers take up less space than ordinary hangers, allowing you to squeeze in more clothes onto a rack. Some of them come with non-slip designs as well, ensuring that clothes won’t slide off the hangers while in the closet.

2.    Figure Out How A Good Closet Works

To store things well, you first have to invest in a functional closet. Not just in terms of build quality, but also in terms of how usable it is from your child’s point-of-view. After all, it is much easier to encourage cleanliness and orderliness if the act of storing and retrieving their belongings is a positive experience!

·         Make Sure Everything Is Accessible

Your child needs to have a closet that they can use to its fullest. This means making sure that baskets are within reach, and things can be easily seen and retrieved from the open shelves. This lowered height makes it easier for your child to maintain and organize their own space.

·         Invest In A Working Closet System

Not all closets are designed the same. Look for one that has the right number and arrangement of shelves, cubbies, and drawers your child needs.

·         Designate Different Spaces For Different Things

Organizing is easier for your child if they know where things should go. Help your child decide on a “home” for their belongings so that they are encouraged to return the appropriate items to their respective shelves. For example, their shoes’ home can be in a drawer, and underwear can have their home on a specific shelf!

3.    Make Things Convenient

No matter how old you are, cleaning can come across as a menial chore and a drag. For children, this is understandably even worse – which can explain why they may struggle to keep their rooms and closets clean. Here are a few things you can do to help them:

·         Have A Basket Or Bin For Everything

Using a mix of bins and baskets allows you to contain and store things that won’t usually fit onto a shelf or into a drawer. It also gives your children someplace to put the bulkier stuff they love, like puzzles, books, stuffed toys, or even shoes.

·         Make Labels

Teaching your child how to label things can help them keep track of their belongings and their respective shelves. You can then teach them to match items to their labeled shelves for easy cleanup.

·         Coordinate By Color

Color-coordination can turn fixing up the closet into a fun and easy task for your child. Have them put their toys in a basket of the same color, or place their books back onto a shelf with books of similar color.

·         Use Closet Dividers

Closet dividers help divide up a closet into more spaces. This allows your child to get specific with their storage, and control the size of their shelves per their needs or wants!

4.    Unique Storage Options

Typical storage methods may be just what you need for your children. This offers them more options to keep things clean, and may make organizing their closet and space a more exciting experience!

Here are a few helpful hints you can try for your children:

·         Go For Hidden Storage

There’s nothing more exciting for children than a hidden drawer or bin. This can encourage them to put their things away while also doubling the amount of storage space for them.

·         DIY A Hanging Pegboard

A pegboard wall with hooks offers both you and your child more versatility when it comes to storage options. You can use it to store books, knick-knacks, and various miscellaneous items – whatever organizational space you need, you can configure a pegboard for the task.

· Don’t Let The Door Go to Waste

You can quickly put up a set of hooks or a hanging organizer for additional storage space. This not only utilizes an unusual space that would otherwise go to waste, but it also allows your child to easily see and store their belongings.

·         Bring Write Kitchen Shelves In

Kitchen shelves don’t have to be reserved for just your kitchen. You can also utilize them for your child’s storage, allowing you to put their belongings somewhere that’s visible. This not only leaves everything in sight and easy reach for your child but also offers plenty of vertical storage space as well.

·         Mix Laundry Baskets With Shelves

Laundry baskets don’t have to be just for laundry. You can also use them as a shelf of sorts, and have your child use it as a storage spot for all kinds of miscellaneous items they may have.

5.    Make Cleanup Easy

The simplest way to encourage your children to clean up after themselves is to make the task easy! It is often easy to forget just how difficult it can be for a child to remember to clean up after themselves. Lowering the energy and mental requirements for your children solves that issue, and it can be quickly done by:

·         Set Up A Bin Or Two For Toys

Putting down some stackable storage bins for your children creates an easily accessible place for your children’s toys. You can help your child label said containers so that they know what goes where, which further incentivizes them to put things back “home”.

·         Prepare A Laundry Basket

Give your children a place to put their dirty laundry. A basket with handles will not only create a logical place for dirty clothes but can also be carried by your child to the laundry room when full.

·         Have An Open Bin Ready For Quick Cleanup

Simply have a large, open bin for bulky items. Have your child toss everything into it before bedtime – pillows, stuffed toys, throw blankets, etc. No questions asked.

6.    When Losing Motivation, Remember The Benefits

No matter how much work you put in, it bears remembering that this is essentially an ongoing lesson you will have to teach them for the entirety of their childhood. That can seem like a long time on a bad day, and you might find yourself in despair instead!

It’s best to cling on tight to positive thinking, however. Research tells us that with enough time, the organizational skills you teach them scale up to other aspects of their life as well. For example, they become better at:

·         Learning To Follow Directions

It may seem simple, but trying to follow directions is a lot harder for children than you might think. This is because it requires a child to be capable of focusing on the task at hand and mentally constructing a course of action for it. These two things need mental organizational and planning skills – something a child can learn from organizing their closet.

·         Easier Location

With everything placed away from where they should be, you’ll find that it’s easier for both you and your child to find things.

·         Gaining Math Skills

Organizational skills find their place in math, a subject that is also highly organized. So it should come as no surprise that studies have pointed out the relationship between a child’s organizational skills and their mathematical academic achievement. As such, teaching your children how to organize their closet – and by extension, teaching them organizational skills – may have a positive effect on their studies later on.

·         Learning Confidence

The task of rewarding your child for cleaning up their closet may also be what helps build their confidence. Research shows that being specific about praise helps boost their child in the praised area. This means that regularly rewarding and praising your child for organizing their toys and clothing will help them increase their sense of self, their capacity for positive thinking, and their ability to organize!

·         Gaining Literacy

When a child reads a book or writes a story, they have to keep track of several things at once. For example, they’d have to keep track of plot, story concept, characters, and their relationships. This actually all requires organizational skills that they can, fortunately, learn through visually organizing their space, as research has shown.

Final Thoughts On Following These Simple Tips To Help You Organize Your Kids’ Closets

No one expects, wants, or needs children to be the perfect depictions of a filing cabinet. We all know full well that kids will be kids! Being young involves being a little messy. But that doesn’t mean that children can’t begin to learn how to keep things tidy, and what better way to start teaching organization than through their closets?

There are many excellent things to appreciate in everyday life. You can always find beauty in nature and the world. There are friends, family, and loved ones. And, there are simple necessities. There are all your favorite things. But you might be missing out on the most crucial person to appreciate: yourself!

Yes, many things are worth appreciating, and you certainly should be grateful for them! But many people lose sight of their merit when they focus so much on how good everything else is. Don’t forget that you’re a wonderful person. Additionally, you deserve self-appreciation all the same. If you don’t appreciate yourself, you’re doing yourself a disservice.

But you might find this more challenging that one would think. It can be tough to learn not just to love yourself but actively be grateful for yourself, especially daily. To help inspire you, here are four quick and simple yet effective ways to appreciate yourself every day.

1.    Surround Yourself With Good People

To facilitate self-directed positive thinking, you first need to create a positive environment that will appreciate and love you in turn. After all, it’s only fair that you receive back what you put out there into the world! So take care to vet your friends carefully, and find the people who will treat you the way you deserve to.

·         Accept And Appreciate Genuine Compliments

Good relationships will try to build you up, which is precisely what we all need. It can be tempting to downplay or brush aside a compliment and instead await some grand display of affection, but this isn’t healthy or realistic. Instead, it is much healthier for both our self-esteem and our relationships with others to accept and internalize genuine compliments. A study has shown that receiving praise is related to a positive increase in our capabilities too!

·         Remove Toxic People From Your Life

It’s easy to find yourself surrounded by toxic people who take advantage of you, without ever really returning the love and care you give them. This can apply to both parents, friends, and partners alike. If any of them either demands help without helping you in turn, belittles you repeatedly, or talks to you behind your back, it’s best to cut them out of your life directly. Set up firm, healthy boundaries, and stick to those who take care of your feelings in return.

·         Ask A Close Friend To Explain What They Like About You

You may feel like this is unnecessary and selfish, but there’s no harm in asking your friends what they like or love about you – especially if you’re not feeling too well. Have them tell you or it down for you to read so that you can be reminded of what positive impact you have on those around you, and what you’re good at. This activity will give you something to refer back to the next time you find yourself questioning your worth!

2.    Maintain A Healthy Lifestyle

Your physical and mental wellbeing are often two things that are strongly intertwined with each other. So it should come as no surprise that it’s easier to engage in self-directed positive thinking when you’re physically healthy and in good shape.

With that in mind, here are a few things to consider when trying to make yourself healthy:

·         Eat A Balanced Diet

Studies have shown that there is a pretty strong correlation between nutritional deficiencies and depression. In other words, there’s a pretty good reason you should take a closer look at your current diet. Getting enough water, nutrition, and sleep will make you feel physically better – and, by extension, makes it easier for you to feel better about yourself.

·         Exercise

Exercise has been proven by research to confer all sorts of benefits for both your physical and mental wellbeing. In this particular case, it helps with alleviating anxiety and depression. And this is before taking into account that workouts will help you feel and look better, which can help build your sense of self-worth. This is especially so if you’re doing strength training, which often has clear and visible progress you can refer to!

·         Manage Stress Levels

This tidbit should come as no surprise to you. Stress has been proven by research to inflict a strong, negative effect on our psychological state. This means that doing your best to manage your stress and relax helps you appreciate yourself better!

3.    Learn To Talk Yourself Up

Many of us often tend to talk down or belittle ourselves, whether out loud or internally. This is especially so if we had grown up in an environment that had been very hurtful while we were growing up, and in the process, internalized these negative thoughts.

To better appreciate yourself better, it’s better for your mental wellbeing to instead:

·         Replace Negative Thoughts

If you find yourself faced with negative beliefs about yourself, try replacing them with something else. Statements like “I’m so fat” or “I’m so stupid” will naturally come up automatically after making a mistake or being embarrassed, but they should not go uncontested. Instead, rewrite them to be more realistic and positive. Bring up the good things you have about yourself, or remind yourself that your failures do not make you a bad person.

· Don’t Fall Victim To Shame

Before you can truly learn to appreciate yourself, you first need to differentiate between guilt and shame, and the emotions they cause. Both of them are responses to making a mistake, but only one of them is potentially productive. Guilt often realizes and acknowledges that you’ve done something terrible, and can spur you to positive change. On the other hand, shame often makes you stew in feelings of failure. This, of course, isn’t productive in the slightest. If you make an error, it is always best to focus on remedying it the best you can, and then moving on.

·         Use Mantras Or Positive Affirmations

Self-affirmation isn’t as silly as you might think it is. Studies show that repeated upbeat mantras – especially in reaction to adverse circumstances – can activate the reward center of your brain. As a result, the usage of mantras in the face of adversity can help reinforce one’s inner resilience and strength. This means that so long as it’s short, concise, and meaningful to you, that mantra you’re repeating in your head may just brighten your day!

·         Leave Yourself Post-It Notes

Another way to saturate yourself with positive affirmations is by placing sticky notes where you can see them. Try writing down little notes like “I’m fantastic,” and “I am loved.”

Then place them where you could use some encouragement. For example, on your bathroom mirror, on the back of the door when you’re heading out, or even in your wallet. This makes self-affirmation a tangible and visible thing that, depending on how creative you get (and how quickly you forget), may serve as a way to boost your spirits at unexpected times of the day.

·         Delve Into Your Thoughts

Far too often, we tend to accept negative self-assessments without ever really challenging them casually. As a result, we tend to simply take these negative ideas of unworthiness and belittling as fact, despite them often being mostly baseless. So the next time you find yourself coping with thoughts of worthlessness and the like, consider asking yourself what triggered them, and where do these thoughts come from. This way, you get to identify what is the actual root cause behind such negative perceptions of yourself and learn how to undo that learned thought behavior. Remember – you are not your thoughts. They are temporary and will pass with time. It’s best to allow them to leave without clinging on to them.

4.    Be Kind To Others

Too often, we tend to focus on negativity, often to the point that we ignore everyone around us. It may seem counterintuitive, but turning our focus outwards and caring for others is often an incredibly effective way to feel better about ourselves. This is because we get to finally do something tangible that has clear and distinct positive effects, which often, in turn, uplifts our mood.

On top of that, kindness can also serve as both a way to practice gratitude – which in itself is a useful skill that helps with one’s self-worth. Want to get started? Here are a few tips to get started with:

·         Thank Those Around You

Try taking a moment to recognize when someone did their best to help you out, and thank them in return. It’s a simple action that not only inspires positivity in others but also likely will inspire positivity in you as well! To do this, pay attention to the actions and behavior of those around you, friends, and strangers alike. While a general “thank you” will suffice, it pays to take one step further and try being specific about what good or help they’ve done for you. This way, you’ll also learn to be more appreciative and observant of the world around you.

·         Go The Extra Mile

Instead of being a passive bystander, be deliberate in your acts of encouragement and understanding. Research has shown that performing acts of kindness helps the performer’s wellbeing as well. This is often because the act of thinking and treating others kindly inspires you to think about how you, too, can be kind and understanding towards yourself as well, and how you would want others to treat you.

·         Volunteer For A Good Cause

Consider trying to help those less fortunate than you are in places like soup kitchens, orphanages, or nursing homes. In the process of assisting others, you’ll find that you might actually be uplifted in turn as well – and not just in an emotional way. Studies show that serving others not only reduces depression and negative thoughts, but also gives you a boost in oxytocin, dopamine, and serotonin – all neurotransmitters that are responsible for feelings of happiness and joy!

Final Thoughts On Some Simple, Yet Effective Ways To Appreciate Yourself Every Day

Appreciating yourself is about feeling good about yourself, caring for yourself, and taking note of your achievements and excellent qualities. You don’t have to do anything intricate or fancy to appreciate yourself fully – even the simplest of steps can help you appreciate yourself daily. Before you know it, that self-love will be ingrained in you!

Do you live a busy life? Most people do! With all your responsibilities, commitments, and attempts at juggling work, a social life, and all sorts of other concerns, it’s hard to find time to spend just by yourself. You might not even think that’s something you want or need to do.

However, finding time to just be by yourself, doing something you at least mostly enjoy, can be very important to overall mental health and wellbeing. There’s a reason people preach the importance of “me time”! But if you’re busy all the time, how can you spare or schedule that kind of personal time? Here are 12 simple ways to dedicate more time to yourself every day.

1.    Establish A Me Time Routine

With how crammed our schedules are these days, it might be tempting just to grab me-time whenever you’ve got a spare moment. In actuality, however, you’d net more positive benefits if you carefully set aside some moments of me-time into your schedule. It doesn’t have to be much – it can be as simple as:

• Giving yourself a moment of quiet meditation before starting your day
• Set aside a few minutes every afternoon to do nothing but simply enjoy a glass of lemon water
• Dance along to your favorite songs in the evenings

The idea is to have me-time routines well-integrated into your schedule so you’ll carry them out without second thought. That way, you will always have some time for yourself!

2.    Make Bathtime Me Time

No matter how much you love them, having to share a space with someone can get maddening after a while. So although it may seem selfish or inconsequential, it’s essential to set up some hard boundaries – and the bathroom’s a perfect place to start.

When you’re in the bathroom, it should be your sanctuary, no matter how temporary. Consider:

• Locking the door when you’re using the bathroom
• Take time to read something you enjoy
• Enjoy a warm, soothing bath with various products
• Make it a luxurious experience
• Take the time to practice positive thinking directed at yourself
• Remind yourself that this is an act of science-backed healthcare

3.    Plan Both Short and Long Me Time

Vacations aside, what’s so crucial about actually taking the time to plan a little me-time if it’s only for a few minutes?

As it turns out, making sure you get the most out of your me-time takes a little more planning work than you might think. Here are a few reasons why:

• Science has shown that high-quality me-time has a positive effect on your mental health and working capabilities.
• Different amounts of me-time will confer different types of benefits for you.
• Short and long me-time recharges us in different ways.
• High-quality me-time may take more time, but we still need short me-time sessions to stay charged and balanced in the interim.

Regardless of whether you’re blocking out an entire Sunday for relaxing or setting aside 15 minutes every day for me-time, it’s a good idea to get it all sorted out in advance – so that you can focus on relaxing when the time comes!

4.    Get A Massage

Struggling with your positive thinking exercises? Declaring you could kill for a good back massage? There’s a good reason for that. Studies have shown that massages help with:

• Relaxing us in the short term
• Reducing stress hormones like cortisol and norepinephrine
• Alleviating long-term chronic pain
• Lowering anxiety and depression levels
• Increasing the quality and length of nighttime sleep

In other words, try scheduling a massage session as a monthly me-time ritual. It might just be exactly what your soul needs to recharge back up to full!

5.    Making Cooking Me Time

Cooking is an activity that many find to be something they enjoy. Time pressures and the demand for perfection often mean that we don’t get very ambitious with what we make – which is a shame. After all, food is such a universally bonding experience and one that can be incredibly intimate, given the right circumstances.

• So instead of just ordering another round of takeout, why not try:
• Attempt overly-ambitious meal, just for the fun of it.
• Make a fresh-baked cake or pastry you saw online.
• Try out a new recipe
• Cook and experience dishes from other cultures and countries
• Try replicating a meal you had only experienced once on vacation
• Experiment and have fun with cooking and baking

Either way, the goal is to have a fun learning experience that you get to enjoy!

6.    Meditate

As studies have shown, meditation is something that’s incredibly beneficial for our psychological and physiological health. Meditation sessions, however, don’t always have to be a weekly block on your schedule. It is an activity that you may practice anywhere, anytime. All you have to do is:

• Consciously focus on inhaling and exhaling through your diaphragm
• Try mindfulness meditation by observing your thoughts as they drift through your mind
• Practice shifting into a peaceful state of mind
• Take a deep breath while waiting for the bus or sitting at your chair for work

This way, you can carve out small oases of calm no matter where and when you are. Additionally, practicing meditation in little moments like these helps you get the most out of your scheduled me-time later too!

7.    Incorporate Me Time Into Chores

No one is a fan of chores. They are, after all, necessary tasks that are full of drudgery. However, you can kill two birds with a single stone and turn your tasks into me-time as well! That way, you get to enjoy yourself and do something you might like while getting your house cleaned and in order.

So – just how are you to bring both your to-do list and your me-time together? Here are some things you can do while carrying out some tasks:

• Listen to a podcast
• Play your favorite songs
• Watch your favorite show.
• Gamify your chores

8.    Learn To Validate Yourself

Do you crave constant attention, messages, and plans 24/7? Are you the type of person who’s terrified of being on your own? In such a situation, the idea of alone me-time might be terrifying. This, however, may be indicative of a deeper-rooted problem – the inability to give yourself the validation you so crave.

As you can imagine, this isn’t really healthy – especially in the long run. After all, the best kind of validation comes from inside.

If you think this might just be you, you can try combating this by:

• Disconnecting yourself from all electronic devices
• Spending some time entirely alone for a while
• Take this time to tune into yourself, your needs, and wants
• Meditate, and self reflect on your actions and behavior.
• Teach yourself to give the validation you desire

9.    Take A Class

For some people, quiet relaxation isn’t really their idea of a fun time. Instead, they would rather spend their me-time doing something, like picking up a new skill. If you find yourself identifying with that, consider:

• Checking out online classes
• Identify your ideal learning format
• Find an online class
• Lookup a self-guided class
• Read some technical and informational books
• Watch some videos to learn new skills and information

There are more positives associated with this than you’d think, too! Science has shown that learning, in general, is great for your brain’s health. So keep joining new classes if that works for you!

10. Consider Workouts Your Me Time

There’s no denying just how important exercise is for our physical health – and there’s plenty of studies out there to back up this fact. With that in mind, have you ever considered treating your workout time as your me-time as well?

Here are a few methods you can lay down some rules, as such:

• Inform everyone that you are not to be disturbed during your workout sessions
• Use it as an opportunity to clear your mind
• Go for a nice stroll by yourself
• Set aside a special outfit for workouts
• Start your workout session from the beginning again if you are interrupted for non-essential reasons

11. Have Cut-Offs For Responding To Emails and Finishing work

In this day and age, there can be a widespread demand and pressure from bosses and colleagues to be available 24/7. This is even more so if you are running your own business and need to create a strong, professional image.

This, of course, is not stress-free or healthy in the slightest. It results in your work bleeding over into your home and gives you no real chance to rest. The biggest way this shows up is often in the form of work correspondences via emails and messages. Just how are you supposed to cope with it all?

• Set aside a strict, limited amount of time to reply to work emails and the like – and no more
• Enforce clear limits – if your work ends at 5:30 pm, you will not be answering any more emails after that, no matter how important
• Filter your correspondences into important and unimportant messages, so you can attend to what’s immediately relevant and deal with the rest later

12. Practice Gratitude

With just how busy our schedules are these days, it’s likely that you’ll struggle to find some me-time – much less engage in activities that make you happy. So, just what else can you do?

The answer? Gratitude. Studies have shown that spending two minutes or so to appreciate the blessings you have helps with:

• Developing social support
• Centering and grounding one’s mind
• Increasing energy levels
• Elevating positive self-esteem feelings
• Fortifying one’s immune system
• Reducing stress and depression
• Sustaining one’s mental and emotional psyche
• Heightening one’s intelligence

It’s not very hard to practice gratitude. Just spend a few minutes to give thanks for what blessings you have in your life over your coffee or while doing morning yoga, and you’re set for the day!

Final Thoughts On Some Simple Ways To Dedicate More Time To Yourself Everyday

Me time is extremely important for physical and mental wellbeing. It enables you to take a break from the hustle and bustle of the world and focus on someone who genuinely really matters – you!

It can sound a little cliche, but taking time for yourself and for self-care can make a huge difference in daily stress levels, anxiety and depression symptoms, and even things like productivity and concentration. As such, make sure you don’t neglect those needs in your everyday life!

Your health is of paramount importance. However, there’s no way to deny that caring for your health every day can feel overwhelming sometimes, especially when you have a hectic schedule ahead of you. But sometimes, all you need is one minute to do something that seems simple but will have lots of positive effects and improve your health!

Most people’s touted health-related solutions indeed eat up a significant amount of time, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t ways for those with only a few minutes to spare to up their health game.

Here are seventeen easy ways to improve your health in less than 60 seconds.

1.    Drink A Glass Of Water In The Morning

It’s easy to reach for a cup of coffee right after waking up, but water might be a better drink to wake yourself up with. Water, as it turns out, has a massive positive effect on our bodies – especially when it’s often the first thing we consume in the morning. When you drink a large glass of water, you:

• Rehydrate yourself after a long night of rest.
• Replenish your bodily fluids, especially after using the toilet at night
• Activates your kidneys, brain, and guts faster
• Wakes you up and sharpens your senses more quickly

2.    Do A Mindfulness Exercise

With how much we need to rush around in the morning, it can seem counterproductive to set aside a moment to do “nothing”. Contrary to that belief, however, taking the time to engage in some mindfulness and positive thinking helps you to:

• Exercise your attentiveness
• Observe your mental, emotional, and physical state
• Center and ground yourself
• Clear your thoughts and mind
• Prepares you psychologically for the day

3.    Brush Teeth (it will improve your health)

Obviously, brushing your teeth is essential – after all, dental hygiene often relates to better health in general. As such, keeping a regular brushing schedule no matter what is necessary. But just how else can brushing your teeth help with issues?

• It can help alleviate any after-dinner cravings you may have
• It discourages post-meal snacking, due to the way the toothpaste aftertaste interacts with the taste of food.
• Finally, toothbrushing can also discourage lazy folks from further idle munching since you would have to brush your teeth again afterward.

4.    Run

Exercise is undeniably essential, but some things are easier to do than others – and running is one of them. If you find that you struggle to get out for your morning run, here are a few reasons why you should endeavor to keep it up, even if it’s only for a minute a day:

• Studies have shown it counteracts bone loss
• High-intensity running helps build bone density
• It creates a 4% increase in bone health
• Running is a cardio workout, and has been proven to help with weight loss

5.    Breathe Deeply

We all breathe, yes. But have you ever paid rapt attention to the way you breathe? Studies have shown that slow, careful breathing has a significant positive effect on psychological and physiological health. All you must do to take full advantage of this simple act and its positive effects are:

• Focus on taking in two to three deep, slow breaths
• Engage in positive thinking and visualization while doing so
• Write down those visualizations or positive future events

6.    Stand Up

Sitting down is pretty convenient, but studies have shown that being idle is not suitable for your health. It does not help that we spend most of our time staying seated, too, so it all adds up! As a result, folks who sit a lot:

• Are more likely to develop cardiovascular diseases
• Have more signs of psychological distress
• Suffer an increased death rate compared to those who sat less
• Have an increased risk of obesity
• Develop poor posture
• Do not exercise their leg and glute muscles, increasing injury risks as the muscle atrophies

7.    Prepare Produce In Advance

Preparing fresh fruits and vegetables can be hard work, and the last thing any of us wants when we get back home is more work – we all just want to crash! Just a minute of prepping fresh produce the previous night or in the morning, however, helps us to:

• Have an increase of fiber intake, as we have something fibrous to much on
• Uplift our mood and improve our motivation, thanks to the addition of fresh fruits and veggies
• Stabilize our blood sugar
• Encourage healthy skin
• Improve our digestion
• Increases bodily health and resilience
• Increase the number of minerals, vitamins, and anti-inflammatory phytochemicals in our diet

8.    Eat Some Flaxseed

It’s easy to end up stress-eating or munching on snacks that are unhealthy – especially if you still need some time to get a meal prepared. In such cases, try eating a tablespoon of flaxseed with a glass of water! This is because studies have shown that flaxseed:

• Is high in fiber
• Helps suppress appetites
• Curbs hunger and snacking tendencies

9.    Make Some Tea

It only takes a minute to brew some green tea – and it needs no further preparation to be drinkable. In exchange, you get a drink that is full of all sorts of health benefits. Here are some of the facts that are backed by science:

• Drinking green tea a minimum of thrice a week lowers the risk of cardiovascular diseases and stroke
• Tea is full of bioactive compounds–these are beneficial to one’s health
• Tea contains all sorts of antioxidants that may lower cancer risks

10. Laugh (the most fun way to improve your health)

Laughter is the best medicine, so the saying goes – and there’s a fair amount of scientific evidence for it. But just what can this basic act of human nature do?

As it turns out, simply laughing nets you the following physiological benefits:

• Acts as a natural stress reliever for your body
• Works as a natural memory booster
• Burns a few calories via brief aerobic activity

11. Wash Your Hands

Proper handwashing techniques may only take 20 seconds from beginning to end, but science has shown that it is more than enough to kill off all sorts of bacteria and viruses. All you need to do is make sure you take the time to wash with soap and water!

In exchange for just a couple of seconds of your time, you’ll end up protecting yourself from an incredible amount of diseases and illnesses like:

• Influenza
• Common colds
• Salmonella
• Viral infections

12. Dry Your Hands

So you’ve washed your hands. Now what? As it turns out, your job here isn’t quite done yet. Studies show you need to take another 20 seconds to dry your hands thoroughly. Here are a few reasons why:

• Wet skin is a more conducive environment for bacterial growth
• Increased risk of germs and bacteria transferral with wet hands
• Damp hands increase the risk of accidental recontamination

13. Opt For A Natural Look

For those who pay attention to the ingredients list on their bottles and containers, you may have noticed that phthalates often show up in some form of another across products like hairspray and nail polish. Even things like shampoo and fragrances are unaffected.

What’s so scary about that chemical and its ilk? As it turns out, a study has found that it:

• Can affect the metabolism of fat
• Can increase insulin resistance
• Might be a potential cause of an increased risk of diabetes
• May contribute to obesity risks

14. Eat Some Chocolate

There’s a lot of discussion and research on the negative effects junk food has on our physicality, and for a good reason – its effects cannot be denied. What should be discussed more often, however, is how studies have shown that junk food can also affect our emotional wellbeing.

Emotional eating cycles are often fuelled by eating more junk food, as you may become more depressed the more you eat. So how does swapping over to chocolate help?

• Chocolate contains phenylethylamine–that is a substance that stimulates the brain
• Eating chocolate satisfies sweet cravings and mimics dopamine in the brain, making you feel good
• Chocolate additionally contains high levels of antioxidants, which may be beneficial to your health

15. Hug Someone

We may have come closer together as a global society with the help of the internet, but in exchange, we seem to have all gotten more touch-starved. As you can imagine, the lack of human contact is an issue. In fact, all you have to do is turn to the nearest social media platform, and you’ll quickly see people bemoaning their need for some sort of human contact.

So just what can a warm hug do for you?

• It can lower both blood pressure and heart rate
• A hug acts as a natural form of stress-relief
• It helps us feel more relaxed and happy

16. Look Away From The Screen

With how things are increasingly online or digitalized, it is inevitable that we’ll be spending most of our time in front of a screen – whether for fun or profit. As you can imagine, this isn’t too great for your eyes. Studies have shown that continuous lengths of screen time can harm your eyes.

Here are a few things you can do to combat this strain and improve your health.

• Follow the 20-20-20 rule: After 20 minutes of screentime, spend 20 seconds focusing on something that is at least 20 feet away
• Take regular breaks that take you outdoors
• Avoid using computers or smartphones in bed
• Keep electronics outside the bedroom

17. Send A Nice Text

When was the last time you randomly texted someone to tell them you love them? Even if you see your loved one on the regular, sending them a quick compliment or a sincere, heartfelt message not only brightens their day, it can also:

• Improves your mood
• Teaches you how to appreciate even the little things about your loved ones
• Encourages your loved ones
• Increases your satisfaction in life

Final Thoughts On Some Ways To Improve Your Health In Less Than 60 Seconds

You don’t need to spend ages obsessing over your health to do small things that benefit your body and life. Even just setting aside 60 seconds allows you to make wise decisions that your body will thank you for later.

Looking for more convenient ways to improve your health in short periods? Talk to your doctor about things that you can do within the limited free moments that will give you fantastic benefits. Remember, behaviors don’t have to be complicated to be right for you!

A Simple Guide on What to Do When You Need Money

Feeling broke is one of the worst experiences you can go through. You’re not alone, however. The average person in the country has a debt of $6,200, and paying it off isn’t easy.

If you’re deep in debt, need to bounce back, and want some breathing space, you’re probably wondering what to do when you need money? Thankfully, you can make money anywhere and at any time with the right research and planning.

Not sure where to start? Here are some things you should try!

1. Find a Freelance Job

If you have an iPad or laptop, look up some freelance work from Upwork, Freelancer.com, or sign up on Fiverr. There’s a variety of work available online; from tutoring to being a virtual assistant. You can control the workload and schedule, so it’s a great option for what to do when you need money.

Freelance jobs can be a full-time job or part-time. Some jobs can be difficult to get if you have no experience or diplomas. However, once you have a job, you’ll get a steady paycheck and you can work from the comfort of your home.

2. Sell Stuff You No Longer Need

If you have things like clothes or phones that you no longer use, you can sell them online or hold a garage sale. Consider selling your furniture and appliances as there are many second-hand enthusiasts for these things. If you really need money, sell your car or a part of your lot as these are temporary assets that are better off liquidated.  

3. Do Some Odd Jobs 

Go around the neighborhood and ask if they need any help doing something they hate doing. People who are busy or don’t have the knowledge to do certain things are quick to jump at the chance. You can offer your services for odd jobs like walking their dog, cleaning their yard, or painting.

An advantage of taking odd jobs is that it never takes too long and it’s a great way to expand your network. However, keep in mind that there is no set paycheck so it’s hard to start budgeting. Letter drop around your area or advertise online to let people know you are available.

4. Pawn or Sell Your Valuables

Pawning means giving a valuable item as collateral to borrow some money. The pawnbroker will give back your valuables once you pay back the money. This option can net you some cash, but keep in mind that these valuables get sold off if you can’t pay back.

Alternatively, just sell your valuables at pawn shops. You leave with the cash in hand and you have no other obligations. Some of the best items to sell or pawn are tablets, power tools, gems, firearms, and antiques.

5. Get a Loan

This option should be your last if other options haven’t worked out well. It’s great to get loans if you need emergency money fast. Make sure, however, that you have a plan to pay back on time.

Taking out a loan depends on whether it’s a personal loan, a payday loan, or a home equity loan. 

Loans are the best option if you just need money quickly and can afford to scrimp by. Get a payday loan at bonsaifinance.com and pay off the loans you take as soon as you can.

What to Do When You Need Money

Think long and hard on how you got into this situation like spending too much or your income is low. It’s important to address the problem, start planning, and make a budget to solve and prevent the problem!

Thanks for reading! Learned from our article on what to do when you need money? If yes, take some time to browse through a few more of our helpful articles! 

How to Get a Payday Loan in 5 Simple Steps

More than 40% of millennials in the United States are utilizing payday loans.

Payday loans are short-term and typically offer less than $500. This money has helped people pay bills and get food on the table.

If you are falling behind and need an extra boost, a payday loan may be just what you need. 

Continue reading to learn how to get a payday loan online, so that you can get control of your finances again! 

1. Know What You Need

If you want to learn how to get a payday loan that will benefit you, you must know what you need.

Before diving into the endless loan options, you should consider the time length you want for the loan, the size, and how it will impact your life. Some of the most common types of loans are mortgage loans, auto loans, student, and small business. 

Evaluate your situation so that you know what to research.  

2. Check Your Credit Score 

Do you know what your credit score is? When was the last time you checked?

Many credit companies can run free credit checks throughout the year. If you don’t have this option, you can get a free score once every year. When your credit score falls below average, interest rates and options become limited.

The better your credit score, the better your terms and conditions will be for your payday loan. Take the time to give it a boost if you need to! 

3. Do Your Research 

While you are working on increasing your credit score, you should also be researching various loan companies.

By comparing rates and benefits, you can determine the best loan that you qualify for. This step can become overwhelming if you don’t know what you are looking for, so be sure to follow step 1, mentioned above. Another excellent way of researching loans is by asking friends and family for referrals or checking online reviews. 

4. Apply for the Loan

Once you have a solid credit score and have found a loan that works for you, you can begin applying online! 

When applying, you will likely need documents proving your employment, social security number, and ID. Depending on the type of lending company you are working with, you may also need to provide proof of income along with a list of your other debts. 

5. Move Forward

Within a day or two of applying for your loan, you will find out if you have been approved or not. 

If you are approved, details will be sent over, reviewing your loan and repayment terms. For those that find themselves unapproved for a loan, you may want to try another option. Take a look at the reasons why they declined you so that you can fix them moving forward. 

Learn How to Get a Payday Loan Today 

By learning how to get a payday loan, you can prevent financial problems in the future and get control of your life. 

If you are seriously considering applying, you will want to do your research and get your credit score above average. Doing these, before applying to a loan, can help save you money. 

Be sure to check out our blog for more articles about loans and how you can get better control of your finances!