How to Ask for Help

Here are a few tips to keep in mind when you realize you need a little help but you’re still feeling uncomfortable asking for it. Figure out what you need help with. Be as specific as possible. You might be frustrated and just thinking, “I can’t figure this stupid project out”—but your helper will need to know exactly what the hurdle is if they’re to be of any use. Think about a piece of information, for instance, that might unlock a clear path to completion, and then seek out someone who can help provide that information. Skip “sorry.” When you apologize first, it sends the message that what you’re asking for is burdensome, when studies show most people genuinely want to help others. It may feel polite to start with “sorry,” but resist the urge. Think of “help” as a team effort. Asking for help usually isn’t about asking for someone to swoop in and rescue you—it’s about getting their help with something you’ll work on together. Collaborating on a solution often produces better results—a second set of eyes on a challenging problem can give you insights you’d never have reached alone. Say thank you. Gratitude is powerful stuff, so be sure to express yours when you’ve gotten someone’s help. Saying “thank you” verbally is a must, and it’s also extremely good practice to send a note to them later on with an update on the problem you sought their help with.

Exercise: Saving vs. Splurging

It’s common wisdom that staying fit is a good idea, but physical health can sometimes come at a hefty price. Here are some tips to help you stay both physically and fiscally fit at the same time this New Year. Worth the Splurge • Shoes: Cheap or ill-fitting shoes can cause long-term damage to your feet, legs, and back, negating any up-front savings. • Sports Bras: Especially for larger-chested women, a good sports bra can prevent chafing and back pain. • Personal Trainers and Nutritionists: One-on-one time with a pro can be the motivation you need to work toward your goals. Save on These Things • Most Workout Clothing: Inexpensive athletic tank tops and tees abound at discount retailers, and don’t overlook the gently used options at Goodwill or other thrift stores. • Fitness Trackers: Chances are, these offer many more features than you truly need. There are plenty of free smartphone apps that track calories, miles run, and even provide free fitness classes.

Memory Boosters!

Have you misplaced your keys again? If you’re like most people, it’s an occasional annoyance. But if it’s happening more frequently than you’d like to admit, maybe it’s time for some memory boosters to help strengthen your mind. Here are five easy tips to improve your memory power: 1. Keep Items Where You’ll Need Them. Keep your keys by the front door; eye glasses in the same place everyday, and wallet/purse in the same location. 2. Keep A Notebook With A Calendar. Keep names, phone numbers, important dates, medical information, to do lists, and a notepad. Carry it with you (or carry a small notepad), so you can jot down information as needed. 3. Minimize Distractions. Focus on one thing at a time. Turn off the TV or radio when you need to focus your attention on a task. 4. Exercise Your Mind. Read, do crossword puzzles, play cards, chess, or a musical instrument to keep your mind active. Watch television shows like Jeopardy. 5. Take Care Of Your Body. Go for a walk, swim, or bicycle. It’ll clear your mind. And remember to eat a balanced diet and get enough rest!

Help Your Pets Long And Healthy Life

Most pet owners would say that pets are important members of the family. We welcome them into our lives knowing we’ll most likely outlive them- but we can help them have the best possible life.  Maintain a healthy weight. Feed pets the proper type and amount of food. Avoid feeding fatty human foods to your furry friends.  Exercise regularly. Dogs need regular walks every day, and time to run around. Indoor cats live longer than outdoor cats, but they should have stimulating toys and room to play and exercise too.  Schedule regular vet visits. Regular health screenings (at least once a year for healthy adult animals) allow vets to detect and manage diseases early. Keep vaccinations updated.  Keep teeth clean. Tartar, gingivitis, plaque, and other problems with teeth and gums can lead to other health problems. Try making your own toothpaste with coconut oil and baking soda, and your dog will enjoy his brushing time. The Veterinary Oral Health Council publishes a list of accepted oral health products to help with dental care as well (http://www.vohc.org/accepted_products.htm).  Note behavioral changes. If pets aren’t following their normal routines, this may be a sign that something isn’t right. Don’t wait too long before checking with a vet about abnormal behavior.  Chill out. Even pets need time and space on their own, so make sure they have at least a couple hours a day to relax.

Stop Procrastinating

Procrastinating is a learned behavior. The good news is that it can be combated, as long as you’re focused on how to prevent it. Here are 5 steps to help you stop procrastinating and get in gear this New Year. 1. Get Rid of Distractions – Turn off the phone, shut the door, put on headphones, whatever it takes to drown out tempting diversions. 2. Break Tasks Into Chunks – Things like “wash dishes, do laundry, and vacuum” are more specific, and chances are you’ll be more apt to tackle those tasks than the gargantuan-sounding “clean the house.” 3. Do Your Hardest Task First – The sense of accomplishment when you complete the biggest item on your list first will help propel you forward toward crossing off more things on your list. 4. Perfect is the Enemy of Done – Keep in mind that if you’re only striving for perfection, you’re less likely to even start a project. 5. Reward Yourself – Give yourself a pat on the back for getting stuff done, whether the reward is a night out or simply a favorite treat.

Walk Your Way To Weight Loss!

Would you like to get more exercise, but just can’t find the time? The America on the Move (AOM) program at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center says there’s an easy way to get moving. You can lose weight, and increase your energy by wearing a pedometer. A pedometer helps you monitor how much exercise you’re getting each day. More exercise adds up to weight loss and an increase in your energy. Just by adding about 2,000 steps a day to your daily activities and eating 100 calories less, (about what’s in a slice of bread), you’ll begin to see results. Every step counts and you can see them adding up. You’ll be more likely to park farther away from work or the store in the parking lot. You could take a short walk after dinner in the evening. And it’s EASY...no trips to the gym, no exercise equipment to buy, and you can monitor how much exercise you’re getting during the day.

3 Easy Self-Care Tips

In order to remain productive, focused, and able to care for others, it’s important to care for yourself first. 1. Stay hydrated. Even mild dehydration can be detrimental to mood and mental cognition, according to University of Connecticut’s Human Performance Laboratory researchers. Drink about a half gallon of water a day. 2. Care for plants. Being around plants can increase memory retention up to 20%, according to a University of Michigan study. 3. Get enough sleep. Adequate sleep enhances learning and problem-solving skills, and helps you pay attention and make decisions. The average adult needs 7-8 hours per day.

Work Productivity

Many believe the more hours they work, the more they achieve, but productivity plummets after working 50 hours in a week. Take action with these tips to get the most out of your work day.  Set time rules. Note what isn’t working with the way you spend your time (such as too many distractions from technology), then set guidelines to protect it. For example, if reading e-mail first thing in the morning throws off the rest of your to-do list for the day, make a commitment not to open it until a certain time or until other tasks are completed.  Take breaks. Productivity app DeskTime found that the most productive people work for 52 minutes then take a break for 17 minutes.  Focus your energy. Avoid spreading your attention too thinly. Instead, work in bursts by focusing intently on a single task or project, and then relax completely for a set amount of time (15 minutes usually works well).

5 Ways to Improve Your Credit Rating

A good credit rating is essential in today’s economic market. It can save you thousands of dollars when you apply for a mortgage, car loan, or when you want to finance any other big-ticket purchase. Here are six tips for improving your credit rating: 1. Check your credit report. Make sure to resolve any credit debt inaccuracies or disputes. Go to www.AnnualCreditReport.com for information on how to order your credit report. 2. Pay your bills on time. It’s especially important near the time you are applying for a loan. 3. Pay down, or pay off your credit cards. High debt will adversely affect your credit rating. 4. Don’t apply for new credit cards to increase your available credit. 5. Pay down your revolving debt. Also, pay down your debt rather than moving it around. 6. Manage your credit cards and installment loans responsibly. Paying with credit cards and installments loans promptly will actually raise your credit rating.

5 Fitness Myths

Here are five fitness myths and the facts you should know so you can choose the fitness regimen that’s right for you. Fiction: No pain; no gain. Fact: While you may feel sore a day or two after working out, you shouldn’t feel real pain. If something hurts, stop and rest. If the pain persists, don’t work through it. Talk to your doctor instead. Fiction: Lifting weights will bulk you up. Fact: Weight training forces your muscles to work 10 to 20 times more than cardio. But bulking up comes from high calorie intake. You can tone your muscles by combining weight training with a moderate diet. Fiction: If you work out every day, you can eat anything you want. Fact: If only it were true! To burn fat, you need to expend more calories than your body uses. While personal metabolisms vary, the answer is to eat a balanced diet – including on rest days – to fuel your body, and to exercise regularly to feel better physically, mentally and emotionally. Fiction: You’ll lose weight if you exercise and eat a low-carb diet. Fact: Carbs are essential if you want to do strength training, cardio or almost any sport. Without them, you won’t perform as well or recover as effectively between training sessions. Fiction: You can spot reduce one area of your body. Fact: Working out can reduce overall body fat, but you can’t control where that fat comes from. What does work is to burn as much fuel as you can with a good overall exercise program and a healthy diet.

Donating Clothes And Accessories

Is it time for a wardrobe facelift? Before hauling your old clothes away to the same secondhand store or tossing them in the trash, consider these options. Blue jeans: Old blue jeans donated through bluejeansgogreen.org will be turned into insulation in communities that need it most. Shoes: Both soles4souls.org and oneworldrunning.com accept gently worn shoes to donate to people in need around the world. Wedding and formal dresses: Most people only wear formal clothing a few times, so if your wedding dress or formal gowns are still in great condition, pass them on! Soon-to-be-military brides are on the receiving end at bridesacrossamerica.com, and Project G.L.A.M. (wgirls.org) provides teenage girls with prom dresses. Eyeglasses: If you’ve updated your prescription lately, donate old frames and lenses to new-eyes.org, where they’ll be passed on to someone who can’t afford new eyeglasses.

Help Kids Save Money

All adults know that money doesn’t grow on trees, but that’s not necessarily true for kids. Help your kids, grandkids, or other children in your life tuck away their extra nickels and dimes for a rainy day. 1. Bank it. Encourage kids to decorate four separate piggy banks – one each for Saving, Spending, Investing, and Giving – to help teach about setting money-related goals. Investing money will be used for future investments and Giving money can be donated to a charity of the kids’ choice. 2. Offer an allowance. Assuming you are helping your own children save money, provide a small allowance so there is something to put into the piggy banks. Give the allowance in small bills or coins so kids can physically hold and drop equal amounts of cash into each piggy bank. 3. Make goals. If there are certain things kids want to buy, or if they are expected to save a certain amount of money toward larger items such as bikes, explain that they’ll need to use the Saving piggy bank to collect the needed money. And, if they choose not to spend money out of the Spending piggy bank right away, they’ll be able to buy the items they’re saving for faster. 4. Go shopping. When you go to the store, let the kids take their Spending money with them. If they want to buy something, count out change in the store. Feel free to remind them that, if there is something more expensive they’d like to buy, they’ll have to continue to save for it – and they’ll reach their goals faster by moving Spending money into the Saving piggy bank. However, if they want to buy something, that is their choice as this is their money.

Relationship Tips

A happy, healthy relationship with your significant other doesn’t ride on fancy flowers, heart-shaped chocolates, and an annual celebration on your anniversary. In fact, sometimes it’s the small things that mean the most in a relationship with your loved one. Start small with these ideas. Set the smartphone down. Offer your undivided attention with time set aside for the two of you – no phones allowed! Perhaps this is over dinner in the evenings, in the bedroom, or on a once-a-week date night out (or in). Say thank you. Don’t take your partner for granted. Acknowledge and appreciate even the small things like cooking dinner or doing the dishes. Do something he/she likes to do. Embrace your partner’s differences. Next time you choose a movie together or look for a weekend activity, get out of your comfort zone and try something that’s not generally your style. And, the time after that, encourage your partner to do the same.