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Mental Health Tips for Working from Home

Working from home is a huge adjustment and can be hard for those who used to work in an office all day. It’s challenging to find the right space in your home where you can work uninterrupted. But now that work and home are basically the same things, we also need to step away from our workspace and take care of ourselves. If you work from home, it can be difficult to maintain your mental health. Fortunately, we can take steps to improve our mood and stay healthy while working remotely.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Don’t let working from home make you crazy. Try these mental health tips to help you stay healthy while working at home and avoid burnout! #workingathome #mentalhealth” quote=”Don’t let working from home make you crazy. Try these mental health tips to help you stay healthy while working at home and avoid burnout! “]

WORKING FROM HOME WELLBEING IDEAS

Separate Work and Life

Working in bed while your kids run around might sound like a dream. But work and life really need to be separated when you work from home to avoid burnout.

This can include having separate work clothes and not bringing work into your personal space (like the living room). You could also say no to after-hours work calls and be clear about boundaries between work and life from the start.

Staying Healthy Can Help Your Mental Health

Working from work can make it a lot harder to stay healthy. You might feel too tired or lazy after work, struggle with finding the energy for anything other than work during work time and skip exercise altogether because you’re always home. But staying healthy is essential both for your mental health as well as being more productive at work.

So, make sure you are staying hydrated and getting enough sleep. You can work out during lunch or after work and eat something healthy for dinner. These changes will make it easier to stay productive at work while also ensuring your mental health doesn’t suffer.

Find Structure in Your Day

Having a daily routine is a must for your mental health. This means setting patterns for before, during, and after work. Get up, shower, eat breakfast, work through until lunchtime, then work out and eat a healthy meal. Whatever works for you, but don’t forget to schedule some relaxation, too, because there’s nothing worse than burning out early because of stress!

Whether you prefer going out with friends or spending time alone, having set times of relaxation will help your mental health remain stable – even if that means just reading a book on the couch. It’s crucial to make sure you’re not spending too much time behind a screen when you could be doing something else!

Get Outside

Getting some fresh air and sunshine can improve anyone’s mood. Find a local park or beach to work from, take calls outside on sunny days, go for walks around the neighborhood – do whatever you can to get some fresh air and see the sun!

You cannot take mental health lightly, and it’s all too easy to get burnt out when working from home. We hope these tips will help you stay sane while balancing the demands of your work with other commitments in your life!

Can you think of any psychological effects of working from home during COVID?

December 17, 2021
What to Watch on Netflix 2021

Netflix is full of amazing titles, but it can be challenging to pick out just one. There’s just too much to choose from! The hardest part about this task is narrowing down your options so you don’t end up watching something boring or, worse yet: regretting not choosing anything at all. That’s where we come in! Here are 10 Netflix movies and tv series you’ll want to watch in 2021!

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Looking for recommendations? Here are 10 of the best #movies and television shows on #Netflix in 2021! #tv” quote=”Looking for recommendations? Here are 10 of the best movies and television shows on Netflix in 2021! “]

SQUID GAME: SEASON 1 (2021)

Ready to risk it all for a shot at the big bucks? When contestants are offered the chance to compete in children’s games for a tempting prize, they quickly accept their offer. The stakes? Deadly!

Fear Street Part 2: 1978

In the summer of love, a killer’s bloody rampage through Shadyside turns what was supposed to be an idyllic camping trip into one high-stakes fight for survival.

Trollhunters: Rise Of The Titans

The heroes of the Trollhunters series team up to take on an epic adventure and fight for their rights in a world where magic is at play.

The film was an excellent conclusion to this action-adventure series. The battles are incredible, the visuals stunning, and it ties everything together in one enticing package that will leave you on your toes until its epic plot twist ending!

The Mitchells Vs. The Machines

The Mitchell family embark on a final road trip before college student-to-be Katie begins her new life. But when they become humanity’s last hope to stop an impending robot invasion, everything changes for everyone – especially them!

The Mitchells vs. The Machines is a heartwarming animated film that will make you laugh, cry and root for the family to save themselves from an evil robot empire!

Locke & Key: Season 2 (2021)

The Locke & Key universe is expanding with Season 2’s story about three siblings who moved to their late father’s ancestral estate after being murdered. They soon discover hidden doors and keys that unlock magical powers, but this time around, there are even more secrets than before.

Lucifer: Season 6 (2021)

The final season of Lucifer is now streaming on Netflix. The devil, Tom Ellis as “Lucifer,” and his love Chloe are back for one last go-around to wrap up what they started six years ago. The surprise-filled 10 episode run will leave you thinking about fate more than ever before!

Atypical: Season 4 (2021)

Atypical has become one of Netflix’s most popular series. The show paints an honest portrayal of the challenges faced by people with autism. In addition, it offers laughs in-between moments filled with heartache and self-discovery.

It was such a beautiful celebration for those who are different from society’s norms – let’s not forget about their achievements or how much they’ve given us in return!

Breaking Bad

Breaking Bad is an award-winning television series about Walter White, a high school chemistry teacher diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. He becomes heavily involved in producing and selling methamphetamine due to his family’s financial struggles.

After he commits himself fully into this new life of crime, it leads him down a dark path. Sometimes everyone seems OK (but sometimes they’re not) until it all comes crashing down around them–including us viewers who were left hanging at end!

A KNIGHT’S TALE

“A KNIGHT’S TALE” is an oddball comedy about a peasant-born William Thatcher (Heath Ledger) who falls in love with an exceedingly fair maiden. It’s filled with surprises that are sure to delight the viewer, including colorful characters and even more fantastic needle drops!

Gladiator

When the former Roman General Maximus (Russell Crowe) is betrayed and left for dead, he embarks on a journey of revenge against Emperor Commodus who murdered his family and sent him into slavery.

This epic blockbuster was released in the 2000s. It might also be one of those defining films that defined an era like “Gone with The Wind”. Gladiator received universal acclaim from critics upon release. This was due to its engaging storyline and high-quality special effects, which were uncommon back then!

We hope you’ve enjoyed this list of the top movies and TV series to watch on Netflix in 2021. As always, we want you to know that if there’s a show or movie not listed here that piques your interest, just let us know!

Can you recommend a Netflix series to watch right now?

December 15, 2021
8 Tips on How to Make Your Christmas Netflix Nights Better
Christmas is almost here! How exciting! I love everything that comes with Christmas, especially the good movies. What better way to get into the spirit than to cuddle up on your couch and watch some great Christmas movies.

So, if you’re looking for a list of great Christmas movies on Netflix, you’ve come to the right place! This blog will give you lots of tips and tricks on how to make your nights better and how to choose the best Christmas movies on Netflix.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”Everyone likes a good movie and there’s no better time to watch some great movies than during the holidays. Here are eight tips and tricks on how you can make your nights better! #ChristmasMovies #christmas” quote=”Everyone likes a good movie and there’s no better time to watch some great movies than during the holidays. Here are eight tips and tricks on how you can make your nights better! “]

Invite some company over for some holiday cheer.

Surround yourself with people you love to strengthen your bonds and create happy memories. Not only will this make for a more fun Christmas Netflix night, but it’ll also help get you into the Christmas spirit!

Plus, there’s nothing quite like Christmas cheer to chase away the winter blues.

Watch the movies in chronological order so you can see how Christmas traditions have evolved.

Each year, Christmas traditions are brought to life by the movies watched. You can see how Christmas has changed through these Christmas classics.

Don’t drink too much eggnog before starting your Christmas movie marathon.

Get cozy with your favorite drink (hot cocoa or eggnog!). But be careful not to drink too much! You don’t want to be feeling sick during your Christmas movie marathon. It will ruin the fun.

Make sure you have a comfy place to sit.

Christmas movie marathons can get pretty long, so make sure you have a good spot to sit for hours on end. It may be Christmas, but that doesn’t mean your butt has to suffer!
1. Get organized and make sure you have all the supplies you need to make your cozy spot perfect. This includes a soft blanket, pillows, snacks, and of course, your Christmas movies!
2. Find a comfortable spot on the floor or in a chair. Get as comfortable as possible so you can really enjoy your Christmas movie night.
3. Make sure the room is dark and cozy. This will help create the perfect atmosphere for watching Christmas movies.
4. Get into the Christmas spirit by decorating your cozy spot with some Christmas decorations. This could include a Christmas tree, lights, ornaments, etc.
5. Put some Christmas music on low to set the mood.
Christmas snacks.

Don’t forget to have plenty of food and drinks on hand if you are hosting.

Half the fun of watching Christmas movies is enjoying yummy snacks. The best snacks for this time of year are gingerbread cookies, chocolate-covered almonds, and peppermint bark.

Get cozy by the fire.

Whether you have a fireplace or an outdoor fire pit, the wood-burning smell will really make your movie experience feel like winter. If neither is an option, they make candles and incense that give off the same great scent.

Christmas movies on Netflix for families.

Klaus

When an unselfish mail carrier and reclusive toymaker form a bond of friendship, it brings joy to the cold streets of their town.

The Christmas Chronicles

After crashing Santa’s sleigh, a brother and sister work together to save Christmas in this heartwarming family film.

Elliot the Littlest Reindeer

It seems that Blitzen’s retirement has caused a stir among Santa’s reindeer team. A tiny horse has set its sights on joining the crew, but first it must show its worth by demonstrating its ferocity.

Final Thoughts

Christmas movie marathons are a great way to bring people together during Christmas time. By following these tips, your Christmas Netflix night will be even better! From watching Christmas classics to enjoying delicious snacks, you’ll have a blast. Merry Christmas!

What are some of your favorite Christmas films?
December 6, 2021
Adopting A Dog: Should You Change Their Given Name?

After much contemplation and soul searching, you’ve decided it’s time to adopt. After researching the various humane societies in your area online, you’ve determined you want to adopt your pup from a high-kill shelter. You won’t just be saving their life; they’ll forever change yours.

RENAMING A DOG AFTER ADOPTION

Good v. Bad Dog Names

You probably noticed in your search for your doggie companion that a lot of the names shelters seem to come up with are a little, well…a little silly. Names like ‘Cookie’ and ‘Shamrock’ seem like a cop-out.

It certainly can’t be easy getting unnamed new dogs and cats into the shelter every day, but does that mean volunteers should name a Doberman mix Goofy? It just doesn’t work.

Some shelter dogs have great names, like the Shih Tzu Poodle mix Wookie; the name just fits him. Unfortunately, not all dogs can land those fun and fitting namesakes. When you adopt your hairy baby, you might not like the name that comes along with them.

What Does a Name Mean to Your Dog?

Names are very personal, and no one gets to choose their own; they’re given to us, weird spellings and all. Understanding this, we apply how we feel about names to how our pooch must think about his name, too; just because he has a black spot over one eye, does that really mean he should forever be Bullseye?

The question to ponder here is how fair is it really to change your adopted pup’s name? Imagine if your parents had called you Alice for the first three years of your life, decided they didn’t like it, and then started calling you Emma. That would make for some strange happenings.

You’ve been conditioned to answer to your name, so has your dog. The six-year-old mutt you’re adopting might have been surrendered to the shelter, and the name he has might be the name he has had since he was a puppy.

Some people will argue that changing the dog’s name is unfair to the dog, but according to dog trainer Amber Burkhalter, changing your adopted pup’s name could be a good thing.

How Do You Teach a Dog a New Name

When you adopt a dog from the shelter, its living history is going to be ambiguous. It may or may not have had a love-filled life up to the point of adoption. It could be flea-ridden, and some form of flea preventative like Nexgard is needed to help nip that problem in the bud.

Unlike humans, dogs aren’t attached to a name; they’re attached to their owners. However, they can still have negative connotations attached to their name based on past experiences.

Dogs don’t understand words; they read your commands through your tone of voice and body language. If they have associated a negative connotation with their given name and flinch when it’s called, changing your new family member’s name will provide him with the fresh start he deserves.

To make the name change a smooth transition for the four-legged kiddo, Petfinder suggests you say the new name while feeding the pup treats. This will positively reinforce the name while teaching your dog to come to you when his name is called.

Another way to change his name is by using his current and new name together. For example, if the pup’s name is Cookie and you want to name him Rip, call him ‘CookieRip’ for a couple of weeks. After a couple of weeks, drop the ‘Cookie’ and just call him Rip.

Don’t worry. This won’t confuse your new dog. Because the former Cookie has already heard and responded to Rip, he will understand that Rip is associated with himself.

Ultimately, you can rename your adopted dog. If you do, make it extra special with a sweet new pet ID tag ceremony—it’ll be the christening of your new family!

Would you ever name a new dog after an old dog?

November 17, 2021
Alexa Home Automation Ideas
Have you ever imagined a world where AI-driven robots make coffee, do chores, and illuminate the house for you? Well, this is possible with enhanced AI technology that works conveniently through voice commands. The best part is that it’s always ready when you need it. All you have to do is say, Alexa.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”There is a lot Alexa can do. Here’s how to get started with this virtual assistant and have fun with it! #AI #smarthomes” quote=”There is a lot Alexa can do. Here’s how to get started with this virtual assistant and have fun with it!”]

So, who’s Alexa?

Alexa is known as Amazon’s digital assistant and is like Apple’s Siri, which responds through voice prompts.

However, Alexa resides in Amazon’s Echo Dot or Echo. This AI has a wide variety of skills that makes her do anything. With the help of Alexa, you can schedule important dates on the calendar, set up reminders, and play your music playlist, among many other things.

Isn’t it surprisingly awesome?

HOME AUTOMATION IDEAS USING ALEXA

Create groups for each room

If you have various Alexa devices at home, it will be a good idea to group those in the same room under one primary heading. Such a heading enables you to control all of those devices under one voice command.

Let’s take an example; you have around six lights in your living room. Instead of calling out Alexa to dim or turn on one light at a time, you can say, “Alexa, turn on living room lights.”

Utilize routines

To group various skills under a single command, you have to scroll through the more menu in Alexa’s app. Tap on the “Routines” button and “+” button at the top of the page. Once you are done with that, hit the “+” for the routine name, when this happens, and add action and correspondingly add what you want to happen.

For example, you can create a routine to assist you in getting out quicker on weekday mornings. For this, program Alexa to switch on kitchen lights and coffee pot with the command – “Good Morning”

The possibilities are endless.

Change Alexa’s name

If you do not want the name to be “Alexa,” or if you happen to have an Alexis or Alex already at home and if it’s confusing the Echo, change the entire wake word.

For this, check the following pointers.
- Open the app
- Click on devices at the bottom of the screen
- Select the Echo device
- Go to the device settings by pushing the gear at the top of the screen
- Select wake word and choose what you want it to change to (Amazon, Echo, Ziggy, or Computer)
Get smarter with Alexa skills

You can even utilize this virtual assistant technology as your quizmaster to test your brainpower and, at the same time, improve the catalog of trivia knowledge.

Given below are some of the skills to look for in case you’re gearing up for the next Trivial Pursuit game night.
- Jeopardy!
- Question of the Day
- Trivial Pursuit Tap
- Categories Game
- Twenty Questions
Alexa can do more than home automation

Alexa is a pack filled with interesting skills that are certain to entertain people of all ages. From joke-telling skills to pop culture trivia, this AI has something or the other to delight both old and young.

You can check out some of our faves below.
1. Goat Compliments
2. The Office Quote Game
3. Harry Potter Trivia
4. Meow
5. Magic 8-Ball
6. Hipster Jokes
7. Philosoraptor
Do you own any Alexa automation devices?
September 10, 2021
How to Make Homemade Sanitizers for Your Hands and Home

When you want to kill germs and bacteria around your house and on your hands, why would you use a store-bought product that contains toxins or other harmful ingredients? It kind of defeats the purpose, replacing one evil with another. You can create your own eco-friendly and safe sanitizing alternatives at home.

Here are some DIY home and hand sanitizers that are effective and easy, and inexpensive to make at home.

[click_to_tweet tweet=”If you’re unable to find hand sanitizer in stores or want to avoid the general public here are some effective homemade sanitizer recipes you can make! #sanitizer #GermProtection ” quote=”If you’re unable to find hand sanitizer in stores or want to avoid the general public here are some effective homemade sanitizer recipes you can make!”]

DIY disinfecting wipes without alcohol

Rather than buy a tub of sanitizing wipes at the store, you can make your own that are all-natural and much safer for the environment and your home.

First, you’ll need to create the sanitizing liquid in a large bowl. The ingredients you’ll need to combine first are one-fourth cup water, one-fourth cup pure Aloe Vera gel, one-fourth cup witch hazel, and one tablespoon apple cider vinegar. It is optional, but you can also add one tablespoon of vegetable glycerin to lessen dry skin.

Finally, you’ll add essential oils, which are the true germ and bacteria killers. All essential oils have sanitizing properties, so you can choose your favorites.

The best and most common choices are tea tree oil, peppermint oil, mint, thyme, cinnamon, and lavender. You can experiment to create a mixture that smells best to you. The most common combination is tea tree and peppermint. Add ten drops of each to the mixture.

Then, put a thick stack of paper towels into the bowl. When they’re wet (do not leave them in for a long time), put them into an empty baby wipes container for easy access and storage.

Homemade hand sanitizer with aloe vera

It’s very easy to create your own hand sanitizing gel. All you need to do is mix one cup of pure Aloe Vera gel, one to two teaspoons of witch hazel, and one-fourth teaspoon of tea tree oil.

Since tea tree oil has a powerful scent, if you find it unpleasant, you can add a couple of drops of another essential oil that you like, such as lavender, rosemary, lemon, rose, or basil.

When you’re finished, you can use a funnel to put the mixture into whatever storage container you like, such as a small pump bottle. Shake the bottle to make sure everything is mixed well together.

When used often, this gel can be drying to your hands. Be cautious if you have sensitive skin, and use lotion to keep your skin hydrated.

Homemade disinfectant spray for flu and other germs

There are many different recipes for all-purpose home sanitizing sprays. Some use essential oils, and others use natural products like vinegar.

A simple way to create a sanitizing solution is to combine equal parts of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide in a spray bottle. It’s a very effective germ and bacteria killer.

Another spray that uses vinegar requires one-fourth to one-half cup of white or apple cider vinegar for every cup of water. You can also add a few drops of pleasant-smelling essential oil. Just combine in a spray bottle, and you’re all set to disinfect.

What are some of your favorite homemade hand sanitizer recipes?

August 16, 2021