Sasha Says… – Page 59 – Family and Home. Money Matters. Life in General. And More.

Brain Wave, Careers, Freelancing and Self-Employment

Feeling Ill? Here’s How You Can Survive At Work

February 20, 2018 No Comments

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Feeling slightly under the weather is never good and it always seems to hit on the most inconvenient day. There’s nothing quite as frustrating as falling ill on a weekday when you need to go to work!

For some of us, we have to soldier on regardless of how bad we are feeling. This is often the case for business owners who can’t waste time with a sick day or those of us who are self-employed and can’t afford a day not working.

Not feeling too great but need to head out to the office? Don’t worry; just read on for some great tips that will help you survive at work while feeling under the weather.

Know When You Shouldn’t Go In

Of course, there will be some instances when you shouldn’t go into work no matter how busy you are or how much you need the paycheck. For instance, if you are suffering from an infectious health condition, you should stay at home so that you don’t pass it onto anyone else. If you feel slightly faint and weak, it’s best to stay at home as you might end up passing out and injuring yourself in the office. According to the website of Barros McNamara, you won’t be able to complain for an injury or accident at work that was caused this way, as you would be the one at fault and not your employer. So, if you think that your illness might put you or someone else at work in danger, it’s always necessary to stay at home until you are starting to recover.

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Drink Something Caffeinated

Most of the time, you will feel worse in the morning as soon as you wake up. That’s just because your body will feel groggy until it has woken up properly. One way you can give it a little boost and help it wake up quicker is to drink something caffeinated, such as a strong cup of coffee. It’s also important to drink plenty of water throughout the day as well so that you stay hydrated. When you are ill, your body needs plenty of liquids to stay hydrated so that it can do its best in fighting off the germs that are causing the illness. Not only that, though, but keeping your liquid levels high will help you feel a lot more awake throughout the day too.

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Take The Necessary Medication

There will no doubt be some medication available for you to take, and it will really help you if you do. There’s no point going to your doctor if you have a cold as you can just get some over-the-counter cold and flu medication. Most of the time, this comes as powder in sachets that you can dissolve in warm water and drink. You can take paracetamol or aspirin instead if you prefer. All of these types of medication will help ease the symptoms of a cold. Once you start to feel the symptoms ease up, you will be able to concentrate on your work a lot better and will feel slightly more human again. If you don’t fancy relying on so many medicines, you might want to search for some natural remedies. For instance, drinking hot water with honey and lemon in can help to reduce the symptoms of a cold.

Cancel Appointments Unless They Are Absolutely Necessary

Got a busy day ahead? If you aren’t feeling 100% then it’s worth trying to make it a little less busy if at all possible. You won’t be quite as energetic as you usually would be while you are ill, so it’s worth cancelling all your appointments and meetings that aren’t super urgent. I’m sure that everyone who you have arranged to meet with will understand if you aren’t feeling too well. After all, we’ve all been there before! So, try to clear your diary so that you can try to have an easy day in the office. You can always find the next convenient time and date for your meetings using scheduling apps such as the ones on this list.

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Don’t Complain

We all have little bugbears that really rub us up the wrong way at work. For most of us, coworkers who constantly complain is one of the main ones! Unfortunately, when we are ill, one of the things that we do is complain about it. But before you do start to moan about being ill at work, you should consider how your colleagues will feel about it. You might really start to get on their nerves! So, try and keep your complaining down to a minimum, and that way you might find that you get a lot more sympathy from them.

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Go Outside Whenever Possible

Being stuck in a stuffy office all day isn’t going to do your health any good, even when you are fit and healthy. Now that you are feeling unwell, staying inside will be doing you no favors at all. So, you should try and leave the office for a quick walk as much as possible. All of that fresh air will do you the world of good. It’s also important to go outside for your lunch, even if that means just walking over to the nearest bakery to pick up a sandwich. The walk will wake you up and certainly improve your mood!

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Get A Good Night’s Sleep

Once you are able to leave work, you should think about going home and straight to bed. Your body will need lots of rest so that it can recuperate and get ready for the next day ahead. You should find that it’s easy to get a good night’s rest while you are slightly ill, because your body will need as much deep sleep as it can get. By the time you wake up in the morning, you’ll, hopefully, be fighting fit again and ready to get back to work with a lot more energy!

Surviving at work isn’t too hard – you just need all these tips to get through the day!

Brain Wave, Work at Home

6 Ways Your Home Office Is Hurting Your Productivity

February 20, 2018 No Comments

You work from home and this makes you the envy of your friends and family. They imagine that as they endure rain drenched streets thronging with bustling commuters, over crowded trains and buses or the quotidian agony of rush hour, you’re warm and cosy at home. They envisage you sipping coffee and watching daytime TV idly contemplating the prospect of maybe getting some work done and turn green at the gills with envy. Unfortunately, they view your situation through rose tinted glasses. They fail to realize that when you work from home, time is money and that your livelihood depends on your ability to wring every drop of productivity from your every waking hour. Unfortunately, even the hardest working and most organized of us can have trouble mastering the art of staying productive while working from home. Indeed, many of us unknowingly hinder our own progress by making ill informed choices in our home work space. While it’s a rookie error to think that you can be productive from your sofa or your bed, even those of us who take great pains to set up dedicated work spaces in our own homes can make unwitting mistakes that can hinder our productivity.

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Here are some ways in which your home office or workspace may actually be hurting your productivity rather than helping it. Here are some ways in which your working environment may have you at a disadvantage and what you can do about it.

It’s not isolated enough

The home is riddled with distractions that are like a magnet to the creatively frustrated mind or to those who are drawn to procrastination like a moth to the flame. If you’re not careful within a few hours you may have washed all the dishes from breakfast, cleaned the kitchen, made the beds, packed tomorrow’s lunches for the kids and rearranged your sock drawer into color order… But gotten staggeringly little work done. While it’s important that telecommuters don’t become hermits, it’s equally important that their workspace is insulated from the distractions of the home and all who live therein (it’s extremely hard to be productive while following the plot of the movie your partner’s watching in the next room or while your kids rack up body counts on Call of Duty). Your home office should be secluded from the rest of the home and soundproofed if possible. If you have a basement that’s currently only used to store a scant few possessions you’re letting a great opportunity pass you by. Check out www.HelitechOnline.com/waterproofing for advice on how to seal and waterproof your home to transform it from a dark and dank space into a fully functioning room. Even something as simple as a closed door can help you to maintain the necessary psychological barrier between living space and workspace that is necessary for productivity. It’s better still if your office space requires the climbing of a set of stairs to create a sense of transition that will allow you to subconsciously shift from home mode to work mode.

The temperature is wrong

Believe it or not, there is a temperature range for peak productivity. If you’re struggling to focus on your work but are unsure of why then it may be that the temperature is to blame. A 2006 study by Helsinki University of Technology found that workplace productivity peaks between 69.8 and 71.6 degrees Fahrenheit (21-22 degrees Celsius). You may not think that the ambient temperature can have much effect on your productivity but in controlled conditions studies showed that typos fell by 44% in this temperature “sweet spot” and that employers saved 42 per worker, per hour in real terms.

The lighting is inadequate

As well as ambient temperature, lighting can also play a large part in productivity. When there is too little of it, productivity tends to suffer. In fact, a study by Phillips showed that raising light levels increased productivity by 8% and reduced accidents by 52%. Likewise, natural light is proven to be more conducive to productivity than its artificial counterpart. Even the colors you put on the walls of your home office can affect your productivity. Most home offices are decorated in neutral whites and grays but there’s evidence to suggest that a more colorful palette can increase alertness and productivity. Blues and greens can help to reduce stress levels while reds and oranges can engender cognitive stimulation.

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There are too many distractions

There’s a place for distraction (we’ll discuss that shortly) but it must be carefully managed and deferred to “break times” in which you allow your brain to take a rest. Your home office must have a strict delineation between work spaces and rest spaces and your work spaces should be completely free of any distractions. Thus, your work computer should be carefully calibrated to help you with your work. Install software to block your access to distracting websites and apps while keeping your phone or tablet in a nearby drawer for down time.

You don’t have a think space

When you work from home, every work day is a marathon rather than a sprint. Trying to run a marathon is impossible if you come out of the gate sprinting and try to maintain that pace. Thus, your brain needs rest periods to recalibrate or you’ll waste valuable time and energy running on empty and getting frustrated. As such your home office should incorporate a “think space” to allow you to take your mind of work and just… think. This area should have comfortable seating, art and motivational posters, music and books. And, hey, if you want to take 5 minutes to play Candy Crush Saga, nobody’s going to judge you! Just make sure you’re back in “work mode” by the time you get back to your desk.

You lack plant power

Whether we’re “outdoorsy” in nature or not, we’re naturally predisposed to be happier and more productive when we’re in close proximity to nature. That’s why so many offices are decorated with lush plants. They’re more than just an aesthetic measure, they’re proven to increase productivity and job satisfaction by up to 15%. If your workspace is looking a little too spartan, it might benefit from the presence of any one of these oxygen giving plants which will thrive indoors and brighten up the room!

Brain Wave, Family and Home living, Health and medicine

Fit As a Fiddle Family: Staying Healthy Together

February 19, 2018 No Comments

It’s often easier to commit to doing something if you do it as a family. You hold each other accountable, and you get to spend time together, which gives you more motivation. Plus, it’s difficult to encourage your kids to be healthy if you’re not setting a good example. Being healthy as a family helps you spend more time together and ensure your children have good habits that they can carry into adulthood. You might be a bit unsure about how your family can be healthy together, but there are lots of ways you can make some lifestyle changes that will help you all.

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Cook Together

Diet is an important part of staying healthy, and it’s a good idea to get your children into healthy eating habits early. As well as eating together, which allows you to have conversations and encourage your kids to try new things, cooking together is also a great idea. Children can be much more engaged with their food when they have played a part in making it. They might also be more willing to be adventurous if they get to try something that they made themselves. Kids can help out in lots of ways, as long as they’re safe.

Look for Family Health Plans

Visiting your doctor, dentist or other medical provider as a family is a good way to stay healthy together. You can book appointments for checkups at the same time and choose a service that you know will cater for all the family. At www.fenton-familydentistry.com, you can read about how they provide for everyone from young children to older adults. There might be some things you want to look for when you choose a medical service. For example, if you are a parent with a baby, how easy is it for you to take your baby to an appointment for you?

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Exercise Together

Getting active together is another way for families to stay healthy. We all like to relax in front of the TV sometimes, but getting outside and exercising is important. There are many fun things you can do together, from going for a walk or bike ride to swimming or a trip to the park. Even doing everyday activities can get everyone moving. Mowing the lawn, vacuuming or washing the car are all productive tasks and they ensure that everyone isn’t just sitting around, doing nothing. Find some family exercise ideas at www.eatright.org.

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Stay Mentally and Emotionally Healthy Too

Mental health is also extremely important for both adults and children. Families can help each other with their mental and emotional health by being open and compassionate. Talking about your feelings and your problems can help everyone feel better. You can find out how at http://kidshealth.org. Of course, parents should be careful about what they share with their children. While it’s ok to tell them what you are feeling sometimes, you should hold back from sharing adult problems with them. You might talk about how you both miss someone, but it’s not your child’s job to listen to your issues at work.

You can stay healthy as a family by working together. Support each other to make healthy choices for a happy lifestyle.

Brain Wave, Careers, Freelancing and Self-Employment

How Your Computer Can Improve Your Writing Process

February 19, 2018 No Comments

Now, if you have ambitions of becoming a writer, then you probably already know that, while getting the ideas together can be easy enough, putting them down in words can be a difficult process. Simply getting started can be intimidating! There’s nothing quite like a blank page, after all. However, if you’re reading this, then you do have a powerful tool at your disposal: your computer. If you can avoid looking at cat videos and scrolling through Facebook for a few minutes, you’ll find that it has everything you need to get the words flowing – and flowing nicely.

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Look at a New Keyboard

You might think that your mind is doing most of the word, but really, that title belongs to your hands. They’re the ones making the magic happen! As such, it’s crucial that they’re comfortable, free of pain, and able to type for hours on end. If you have a small laptop, then this won’t be possible; your hands will be too close together, and it won’t be long before you’re beginning to feel the strain. If this applies to you, then look at getting a better keyboard. A bigger, wireless keyboard, one that’s easier on the hands, might make all the difference.

Using Apps To Improve

There are some common problems that all writers face. These include things like avoiding distraction, and then knowing whether your writing is as good as you think it is. Thankfully, this is where apps can come to the rescue. You can use applications that’ll block everything but the written page, meaning if you’re tempted to browse the web for a while, you can’t! And then there are apps that’ll highlight the readability of your text, as well as any errors. Traditional word applications can only do so much; the apps are much more in depth.

Keeping Your Sentences Safe

If getting started is bad, then think about how tough it’ll be if you have text that you’re happy with…but then it somehow gets lost! Thankfully, this doesn’t have to affect you, if you know what to do. To begin, keep all your important documents in cloud storage; if your laptop breaks, you’ll still have all your words backed up remotely. You’ll also want to know how to view clipboard history on Mac; this will mean that all the words you’ve copied and pasted (and that will be a lot when you’re writing) will be readily accessible. Thought you’d lost that golden, flowing sentence? Think again!

Getting Feedback

You might think you’ve written the greatest thing since Shakespeare, but how can you be so sure? By getting the feedback from others! There are plenty of online writing groups and services e.g. CustomWritings where you’ll be able to submit your work and get feedback. You don’t have to take everything on board, of course, but you might just discover something that really improves your writing.

Finally, if you’re struggling to find ideas for your next story, use the internet! There’s inspiration everywhere, so you never have to struggle with writer’s block.

Brain Wave, Family and Home living, Life Hacks & Tips and Tricks

The Cleaning Hacks That Can Make Your Home A Better Place To Be

February 17, 2018 No Comments

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When it comes to your home, you know that you need to keep it clean. It may even be something that you enjoy. Because there’s nothing quite like having a super clean and sparkly home. It just makes you feel so good. However, it is a hard job – and requires constant upkeep. This is something that can really stress you out. When you lead a busy lifestyle, it’s often hard to keep up with too. So, you’re going to want to make sure that you can come up with a few ideas that will not only make your home as gorgeous as you want it to be, but be easy to maintain too. Here are a few different approaches that you can use for that.

Do Things Your Way

First of all, don’t put too much pressure on yourself. This is your home, and you’re going to want to do things your way. Yes, it will be super helpful to you to have a schedule, but it should be your own cleaning schedule, not what works for someone else. Because your home may require more or less cleaning that someone else’s based on your lifestyle. So, by all means, create a cleaning schedule so that you’re able to stay on top of things, but find your own rhythm with it first.

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Be Kind

Next, you’re going to want to think about using the right products. With natural cleaning products, which you can browse Better Life to discover, you’re getting the job done but in a kind way. It’s easy to think they will be less effective, but they’re not. They’re just kinder to your health.

Focus On Storage

From here, you’re going to want to turn your attention to your storage solutions. Because when you want to make sure that your home stays clean, and that it’s easy to do it, you won’t want too much stuff out on display. This will give you more to clean. So with more storage and organization, your home will be clutter-free, easy to clean, and you’ll have peace of mind too.

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Cut Corners In A Clever Way

If you find that you’re always spending hours cleaning your home to your own standard, then you may find that you can reduce that. These ideas for cleaning your house fast allow you to cut corners, but in a clever way. That way, you’re being more efficient with your cleaning so that it doesn’t take hours, but still looks great.

Get Everyone Involved

As much as you may love being the Mom and taking the lead with everything, you can’t be expected to do it all yourself. If you are picking up after everyone, then what kind of lesson are you teaching your kids? That it’s okay to be waited on? That’s not cool. Everyone should pitch in. So it’s time to get your spouse and kids into shape. Because they can easily keep their rooms clean, help with the chores, and not make things harder for you!

Brain Wave, Family and Home living

Cunning Curb Appeal Tricks To Make Your Home Shine

February 15, 2018 No Comments

Whether you’re selling your home soon or just want your house to look prettier than that of your neighbours, you need to think about curb appeal. Curb appeal, as you’ve probably guessed, is all about how your home looks from the curb. There are various ways to step up your curb appeal game and make sure that your home looks absolutely stunning. For instance, you might want to think about sprucing up your garden, or you could focus on the windows of your home instead. Either of these options could make your home look terrific, but if you really want your home to shine, you should take this advice.

Add Some Lightning

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A lot of people think that exterior lighting should only be used for festive reasons and this is simply not true. You can use exterior lighting anytime you want to add a little more to your home, and there are a variety of ways to do this. For instance, you can add some spotlights to your garden and draw attention to unique features. Do you have a sculpture in your front yard? If so, a spotlight or two shining on it will ensure that it stands out as the centrepiece of your home design.

You can also think about adding some lights around the windows of your home. Remember, the windows are perhaps the most interesting part of your property’s exterior and as such are the feature that passers-by and neighbours will find their eyeliner drawn to. Adding some lighting around the window frame can make sure that your windows glow beautifully through the day and the night.

Create Texture

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You can make sure your home has texture and a unique look with siding. Home siding is a brilliant aesthetic choice, and it can even add value onto the property. This isn’t a job that you can complete yourself, but if you check out a site like https://jdhostetter.com, you will be able to find the service you need. They can make sure that your home looks incredible and allow you to create the exact exterior home design that you want. Not every homeowner will pay attention to siding, and that means that it can be a brilliant way to give you a unique aesthetic advantage.

Add Some Colour

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You might also want to think about adding colour to your home design. There are a few different ways to do this. But we suggest, you start by thinking about replacing your old front door. While the amount of work you can usually complete on the outside of your home is limited, you can change up the door, adding a royal red entrance to your property or even a sky blue.

Or, if you don’t want to make such a drastic change, you can think about adding some tropical plants to your home garden. These will look beautiful, and if you check out a site like https://www.thespruce.com, you’ll see that plenty of tropical plants can grown in a variety of environments.

Take this advice, and you’ll easily be able to make sure your home stands out and looks stunning.

Brain Wave, Life in general

How To Get More Out Of Your Working Day

February 13, 2018 No Comments

Some days you may not feel as productive as on others. However, that doesn’t always mean you can get less done. Getting less done often means doing more the next day, and it’s a vicious cycle that repeats itself and makes you lose your motivation for work. So, how can you get more out of your working day, no matter what? These points will help you:

Start The Day With A Morning Routine That You Love

You should always start the day with a morning routine that you love. If you get out of bed, have to get ready quickly, and barely have any time to yourself to think, then it’s no wonder you don’t feel motivated. By starting the day with a morning routine that you love, you should be able to feel good for the rest of the day and build up the positive momentum you need to keep going. How about getting out of bed early, meditating for 5 minutes, and then reading a personal development book for a while? Many people also find that some form of exercise helps them, whether that’s a quick run, a circuit, or some yoga poses. This helps to get the blood pumping and endorphins flowing. Chances are, if you exercise in the morning, you’ll feel good for the rest of the day.

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Keep Yourself Healthy

When you’re healthy, you feel better, and you get more done as a result. Make sure you’re eating foods that will nourish you and help you to stay awake. Eating junk food at any stage in the day often leads to a slump, and you won’t want to continue working. Know what’s good for you and what’s not. Taking your own lunch to work can be a good idea. It isn’t just about what you eat, though. It’s about keeping yourself healthy by exercising, and making sure you’re not putting yourself in situations that could hurt you. However, accidents and injuries may not always be your fault. In these cases, looking at a site like https://www.injurydisabilitylawyer.ca/toronto-disability-lawyer/ can tell you what to do. If you do end up injured, however it happens, keeping yourself as healthy as possible is the only way to get back to normal in the quickest way possible.

Use The Right Software And Apps

Software and apps can help you to collaborate with colleagues more effectively. You can keep important information all in one place, and figure out who’s doing what so there’s no crossed wires. They can almost eliminate the need for constant back and forth emails and meetings.

Have A Short To-Do List For The Day

To-do lists are great, but only if you’re being realistic with them. Write down only your top priority things, and anything else on top of those things becomes a bonus. If you write down too much and don’t get it all done, you’ll feel like you’ve failed even if you got your priorities taken care of.

Get more out of your working day by implementing these tips!

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