How To

Steps To Create A Productive Day Routine

October 16, 2019 by Katie Jones Leave a Comment

We all have those days when we feel as if we didn’t get anything done, and that’s normal. But if your non-productive days are happening too frequently, you need a productive day routine to help motivate you. A good productive day routine helps you get up, get going and keep moving through your day until the end. And with that comes the feeling of accomplishment that is so self-rewarding! Here are the steps to help you create a productive day routine you can live with.

Steps To Create A Productive Day Routine

A good look at the way successful CEOs manage their daily routines can give you an idea of what a productive day routine looks like. One idea is to have a theme for each day–and that can vary according to your livelihood and how you spend your time. A full-time business woman’s routine looks different from a full-time mom’s routine, but having one makes all the difference for anyone!

As you set your own daily routine, take into account your strengths. If you do your best work in the morning, set the morning hours for getting it done. Allow time in the afternoon for the errands that need to be run or the laundry that needs to be done.

Productive Day Routine Tips

Start your day with a workout. It doesn’t have to be strenuous, but it does need to get your blood moving. Exercise wakes you up, helps you focus, and keeps you healthier over time. And if ever your day goes awry {which it will at least once!}, you will always feel better knowing you at least got a workout in that day.
Stay off your smartphone until breakfast–or after. It’s so easy to let news and social media feeds distract us from our goals. If you stay off your phone while you get your day moving, you will avoid those distractions entirely.
Have at least one goal for each day. Sometimes one is enough, depending on the size of the goal. But set at least one, and then work to accomplish it.
Keep your workspace tidy and uncluttered. Organization is one way to a productive day routine!
Whenever necessary, do not be afraid to say, “NO.” Regularly biting off more than you can chew is a surefire way to wreck your sense of accomplishment. If you don’t have time or energy to take on an optional task, don’t do it.

Finally, be intentional about your days. Remember that time is precious and shouldn’t be squandered. Try to make every day count, and above all, stay positive!

Hanging Pictures Above Stairs: Tricks That Won’t Trip You Up

June 26, 2019 by Katie Jones Leave a Comment

Hanging pictures above stairs can definitely be tricky. But today I’m helping you out with some helpful tricks that won’t trip you up! Get ready to put some interesting stuff on that blank stairway wall, because it just got easier.

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Shocking Microwave Dangers and How to Avoid Them

January 30, 2019 by Katie Jones Leave a Comment

If you’ve ever wondered if your microwave is possessed by the devil, you aren’t alone. Microwave dangers are real, especially if you don’t understand how to operate your microwave safely. Prevent microwave dangers by knowing what they are and how to avoid them. You just might save yourself some pain and hassle!

Microwave Radiation

Microwaves use electromagnetic radiation–waves of electrical and magnetic energy that move through space together. The form of radiation used in microwave ovens is not the same ionizing radiation that can alter atoms and molecules. For reference, x-rays use the kind of radiation that can alter molecules and atoms.

The non-ionizing radiation of microwave energy is most commonly used in microwave ovens. Microwave energy is able to pass freely through glass, plastic and paper. It is also absorbed by foods. Microwaves absorbed by food are turned to heat, and in turn they heat the food. Food heated by microwave radiation does not become radioactive! Microwave dangers come from other means.

Microwave Dangers

One of the biggest microwave dangers is a result of heating water in a microwave. Heating water in the microwave isn’t inherently dangerous. The water passes from boiling to overheating so quickly that you may not realize the water has passed the boiling point. At that point, any slight disturbance of the water can cause the overheated water to erupt forcefully out of the cup and all over your face and hands. Thus resulting in second-or-third degree burns.

Another microwave danger comes from using glass containers that are not microwave safe. Even some glass containers thought to be microwave-safe aren’t safe if the food or water becomes super-heated. Some glass containers can even burst if super-heated.

How to Avoid Microwave Dangers

The best ways to avoid microwave dangers include the following common sense practices:

Always follow the manufacturer’s directions for operating your microwave oven!
Make certain all containers you use in your microwave are labeled “microwave safe.”
Avoid microwave energy–don’t lean up against or stand too close to the microwave when it’s operating.
Rather than heating water in the microwave, use a tea kettle on the stove.
Keep the microwave clean and in good condition. Don’t use it if the door doesn’t close or latch properly.

Your microwave will continue to be a safe, quick and convenient way to heat food if you follow these guidelines to avoid microwave dangers.

For more microwave safety tips, see FDA.gov

How to Solve the Rubik’s Cube

August 2, 2018 by Katie Jones Leave a Comment

Would you like to know how to solve the Rubik’s cube? We’ve got answers! We’ve also got a pretty interesting look into the history of the Rubik’s cube, because if you understand how the Rubik’s cube came to be, solving it is easier. Stick around!

The Rubik’s cube was originally developed by a professor in Hungary. Erno Rubik wanted to help his students to better understand the concept of three-dimensional problems. Fun fact: when Professor Rubik built his very first Rubik’s cube, it took him more than a month to solve it!

Over the next few years, the Rubik’s cube grew more and more popular in Hungary. However, the cube couldn’t be shared with the rest of the world. Communism tightly controlled all imports and exports from Hungary. So instead, Professor Rubik began showing his cube at toy fairs. Toy specialist Tom Kremer saw the cube at the Nuremburg Toy Fair in 1979, saw its potential, and wanted to get it out to the world. And the rest is history!

For a really in-depth look at solving the Rubik’s cube, complete with videos and written guides, visit their website. There is a lot of fun & interesting info about the cube there. For a quick look at solving the Rubik’s cube, here are the basic steps (in order) of how to solve the Rubik’s cube:

The first step to solving a 3×3 Rubik’s cube is to form a white cross on the white face of the cube.
Now solve the white corners. When you have the full white face restored, you are on your way to solving the entire cube.
It’s time to solve the middle layer next. Hold the cube so that the white layer is on the bottom.
The bottom two layers and their colors will be lined up correctly when you solve the middle layer. So now you’re 2/3 of the way to a finished cube.
Solve the yellow top face last. Start by forming a yellow cross like you did when you solved the white face.
Once you have a yellow cross, solve the yellow corners.
The final steps are to position the yellow corners, and then the edges, correctly.
Congratulations! You have solved the cube!

Once you can solve the most popular Rubik’s cube, the 3×3, try moving on to the 5×5. There are also speed challenges you can participate in at the Rubik’s cube website. Now you know how to solve the Rubik’s cube! Have fun!

How to Clean White Shoes to Look New Again

July 25, 2018 by Katie Jones Leave a Comment

When you have that favorite pair of white shoes, nothing is worse than to see that they are no longer white! But how do you keep them looking fresh and new? There is a way to reclaim that beloved whiteness. Let’s talk about how to clean white shoes to look new again.

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How to Fold a Fitted Sheet

June 7, 2018 by Katie Jones Leave a Comment

Let’s talk fitted sheets today. The kind you were never taught how to fold, until now!

We all know that the elasticized corners fill an important purpose, right? Which is great, until you need to fold them flat to keep your linen closet looking neat and tidy. If you’re someone who’s always had difficulty folding those fitted sheets so they look neat, this article is for you. Keep reading for some clever tips and tricks to help!

Locate a short side of the fitted sheet. It doesn’t matter if it’s the top or the bottom. Hold it up horizontally in front of you, with one hand tucked inside each corner, and the elastic edge facing you.
Now fold the sheet in half by bringing your hands together. Tuck one corner inside the other and bring the elastic edges together.
Do the same thing on the bottom of the sheet–tuck one corner inside the other and bring elastic edges together. You should now have a long sheet with a pocket at each end.
Now hold the sheet with a two-corner pocket in each hand. Bring your hands together and flip one set of corner pockets over the other.
At this point, lay the sheet on a table or bed or other flat surface.
Make sure all the gathered and elasticized edges are lined up. They will form a curve. Fold some of this curve over to make a straight edge like the folded edge on the opposite side. You should now have a rectangle with straight edges.
Fold your rectangle in half lengthwise, and then fold it into thirds. All the elasticized edges should be invisible and folded away inside the sheet.

That’s it. Job’s done. And you thought you would never be able to fold a fitted sheet. Now you’ve got a neatly folded sheet that’s ready for the linen closet. Congrats!