BusinessVoice News Network

Follow this simple rule to reduce clutter in your home – touch it once. Clutter often comes from holding on to things that need action, so stand by the recycling bin with your handful of mail as you sort it or sign kid’s permission slips as soon as they come. This can cut down on paper clutter and take-upstairs clutter. Source Link

A few changes in what you buy can be good for the planet and save you money. Instead of single use plastic water bottles, sandwich baggies and straws, find non disposable products you can wash and reuse. Store documents in the cloud instead of printing them and send e-greeting cards to save money on paper cards and postage. Source Link

Timing is everything if you listen to music as a part of studying. Researchers say listening to music before you start reading can help with recall. But listening to music while you study is a distraction, no matter what kind of tunes you prefer. Reading in silence helps your mind focus on comprehension. Source Link

A pants hanger can double as a second set of hands when you’re whipping up a dish in the kitchen. Use the clips on the hanger to hold a recipe book open and then hang it from a cabinet handle. Now you can concentrate on your food creation without needing to juggle that recipe book. Source Link

Contact lenses are convenient and safe to use when you follow these cleaning rules. Rub your contact lenses while cleaning them to loosen bacteria and protein build-up, never use water to clean contact lenses, and rinse the case and leave it open to air dry. And take a contact lens holiday by not wearing them for a few days if your eyes are irritated. Source Link

A good reason to keep your phone on “Airplane Mode” during a flight has to do with what’s on the ground. When your phone is on, it’s constantly trying to connect to a cell tower and it passes over hundreds of them during a flight. This can bog down the cell network on the ground and drain your phone’s battery fast. Source Link

Can an apple on grocery day keep the junk food away? A study found that eating an apple just before grocery shopping encouraged people to buy healthier foods. Experts say eating something healthy puts you in a better frame of mind to select healthier foods while grocery shopping. Source Link

There’s an important difference between an allergic reaction and an adverse drug reaction. Things like diarrhea or stomach pain can be signs of an adverse drug reaction, but an allergic reaction may cause dizziness, hives, a rash, swelling of the lips or mouth or difficulty breathing. If that happens, call 9-1-1 or go to an emergency room right away. Source Link

A top government intelligence agency has an important tip to keep your phone safe from hackers. The NSA says turn off your phone at least once a week to reset any unauthorized connections that were turned on by malware. Another tip is to turn off Bluetooth when you’re not using it to prevent another device from connecting to the phone without you knowing it. Source Link

Learning skills to manage money can be fun and games for kids. Playing games like Monopoly or chess can teach your child to plan ahead and play to win. And if there’s a Fortnite fan in your family, give them an allowance for in-game purchases to help them learn how to budget their spending. Source Link 

Your household cleaning can be chemical-free with things you may already have. Mix baking soda and vegetable oil into a paste to clean kitchen cabinets or use a handheld garment steamer to remove grease from a range hood. Or wet a K-cup water filter and place it in your fridge to get rid of unwanted odors. Source Link

Keeping an eye out for behavioral clues might tell you if a younger child needs glasses. Becoming upset when watching a movie on a faraway screen or avoiding reading or other close-up work can be indications of vision problems. Frequent headaches, excessive eye rubbing and closing one eye to read can also be warning signs. Source Link

It’s a classic question — should I leave my computer on 24-7? A daily shutdown could do more harm than good for an older computer because of the physical stress on components during a restart and hibernating causes more stress than sleeping. If you do a restart, be sure to follow the proper steps and don’t just switch the power off and on again. Source Link

5 Smelly feet are no fun but there are some simple ways to avoid the odor. Battle stinky sweat by changing socks at least once a day and give your feet a chance to breathe without shoes whenever possible. And keep your feet clean and dry before you cover them with socks, shoes or slippers because trapped-in moisture helps odor-causing bacteria to flourish. Source Link

6 Blurring the picture of your house on Google Maps may make it harder for criminals to case the place before a burglary. To do this, click on the photo of your house and then click on “report a problem” in the lower right corner. Then click on “request blurring,” select the option for “my home” and answer the questions on the page. Source Link

The air you breathe at home can affect your everyday health, so be sure it’s as clean as can be. House dust can be loaded with allergens and airborne chemicals, so dust and vacuum once a week with a vacuum cleaner with a HEPA filter. And use a fireplace sparingly because burning wood indoors can lead to serious respiratory problems. Source Link

You can ease travel anxiety by putting your hands to work. Channel nervous energy by knitting, coloring, doing needlepoint, writing letters or postcards, or journaling. You’ll use the time you’re spending in transit in a creative and fulfilling way that can make it feel less stressful. Source Link

You might find your purpose in life with help from a Japanese practice. Ikigai focuses on four things – what you have a passion for, what you’re good at, what you do that the world needs, and what you can be paid for. The intersection of these four elements can reveal a path to more happiness for you and more service to others. Source Link