BusinessVoice News Network

Don’t be too quick to take your new puppy to the dog park. It’s important to have them fully vaccinated against parvovirus before going anywhere your pup might encounter other dogs. The series of shots usually isn’t completed until 16 weeks of age and dogs are susceptible to the deadly disease until fully immunized. Source Link

Getting the most from a nap comes down to time, place and length. Nap in the early afternoon when most people experience a dip in alertness and pick a place with little or no light and a comfortable temperature. And keep it short – a 10 or 20 minute nap can be refreshing and won’t leave you feeling groggy like sleeping 30 minutes or longer. Source Link

A great budget vacation may be one that doesn’t have you packing a bag or heading to the airport. You can live it up at home by treating yourself to dinners at fine restaurants, going to a concert or unwinding at a local spa. Be sure to put a hold on mail and don’t check email or answer work calls. Source Link

Dealing with a sink full of dirty dishes could be a spiritual experience, if you do it the right way. Mindful dishwashing includes smelling the scent of the soap, focusing on the shape and feel of the dishes, and sensing the temperature of the water. Participants in a study found that mindful dishwashing reduced nervousness and improved mental inspiration. Source Link

There’s a safe, effective and medication-free way to manage allergies that leave you sneezy, drippy or congested. A daily sinus rinse can help flush out pollen and other pollutants. You can buy a pre-made rinse or create your own with salt and baking soda mixed in distilled or boiled water. Source Link

When you make that online purchase could determine the price you pay. Many websites use dynamic pricing that can vary by the time of day or day of the week. Generally the best time to find a bargain is early in the week or at off-peak hours like late at night or early in the morning. Source Link

For older adults, weight training is more about building bones than getting bigger muscles. The body’s natural system of renewing bone mass slows down as we age and that can lead to osteoporosis. Resistance training with weights or bands stimulates the development of bone and uses more blood sugar, which can be a bonus for people with type 2 diabetes. Source Link

Managing account passwords is important for security now and peace of mind after you’re gone. Access to email, phone and bank records and other accounts can be difficult for next-of-kin if they don’t have those passwords. A password manager can help you now and that program’s single password can be shared with a spouse, partner, adult child or an executor named in your will. Source Link

You want to quit caffeine but without the headaches and irritability. Take it slow by gradually cutting back on caffeine over a period of four to six weeks and be sure to stay hydrated with plenty of water or non-caffeinated drinks. You can also replace that coffee break with a healthy activity like a brisk walk and do it outside, if possible. Source Link

What can you do with an old USB stick? Load it with portable applications that can be used on any PC without installing them. Create a rescue kit with apps that find malware or help recover from common computer problems. You can even load a complete portable operating system onto a thumb drive that can be used without needing to change a computer’s current setup. Source Link

Here’s how to win the battle to fit everything in that carry-on bag. Make a packing list and then pare it down, especially with toiletries you won’t use. Fold bulky items and use packing cubes or plastic compression bags to leave you more space. Stash small items inside shoes or boots that you pack, and wear as many layers of clothing on the plane as you can, including a bulky coat to save space in your bag. Source Link

It doesn’t take a lot to safeguard your privacy online. Switch to a web browser like Brave or DuckDuckGo that doesn’t log your every move and use the Duck forwarding service to strip out trackers from your emails before you open them. And use a VPN on your phone or tablet to protect your sensitive data when you’re connecting to WiFi away from home. Source Link

When lawn care season is over, be sure to stow that mower correctly. Clean the deck with a garden hose to remove all grass and use a paint scraper on that caked-on crud. Remove the battery if it’s electric or run the gas engine until the tank is empty, and then add some stabilized fuel and run it again to prevent damage from old gas sitting in the engine all winter long. Source Link

It’s important to know when your personal information is surfacing on the web and a Google feature makes it easier to track. “Results About You” lets you set alerts for when your email, home address or phone number appear on Google. You can also flag any search results that include your social security number or credit card numbers, medical records or login credentials. Source Link

Losing your luggage is no fun, but you can reduce the odds of being separated from your travel belongings. Use a luggage tag with up-to-date contact information and label the inside of the bag as well. Remove old baggage tags that might confuse handlers and make your bag stand out with a distinct luggage tag, belt or ribbon to prevent someone else from mistakenly grabbing it. Source Link

What could you do with an extra $1,500 a year? That’s how much food the typical family throws away annually but you can reduce that waste with simple steps like checking to see what you already have before you grocery shop and understanding that “sell by” dates don’t mean you can’t eat it later. And freeze and save leftovers that you don’t eat. Source Link

Deep breathing has benefits for digestion. Breathing from your diaphragm activates your parasympathetic nervous system and that helps basic bodily functions like digestion operate smoothly and efficiently. You’re breathing from your diaphragm when you place one hand on your chest and the other on your belly and feel the hand on your belly move with each breath. Source Link

The psychology behind buying online might make a laptop a better way to shop than using your phone. That’s because many big purchases like airline tickets take you through multiple steps and phone users are less likely to back out or open other options to compare in real time. And phone use is often more casual and less focused than working a laptop. Source Link