A comfortable home is not something that’s simply nice to have. It’s something necessary to have. We all live relatively busy lives, we must earn our keep and we all have to put work into sustaining and creating beautiful memories with our families. You might add pets and hobbies to that list of personal obligations. At the end of the day, we are usually utterly and thoroughly spent. This is where the gentle embrace of our home should come and hug us from behind, allowing us to relax and fade into comfort. This allows us to stay sane day after day, but more than that, to feel protected, to feel actualized, as evidenced by the Maslow hierarchy of needs.
Is your home as comfortable as you deserve it to be? It might not be that obvious if it is. In order to take care of this circumstance, you might consider the following:
The Bedroom
The bedroom is the hub of comfort in your home. If it isn’t, it should be. The living room might be the place we can merrily discuss the day and share silly laughter with our families, but we all know then when we’re at our most tired and vulnerable, the bedroom is always there to nurse us back to refreshment. It’s unfortunate that many people neglect to decorate or prioritize this room from the beginning. Doing so can lend even more comfort to this room, and helping you relax, recharge and be close to your partner.
When was the last time you purchased new lighting for the room? Perhaps small LED strips under the bed will help you to gain that healthy and interesting glow. Maybe some gentle fairy lights placed around your bedhead in order to give the room some of that magical appeal will do the trick. Maybe its time to renew the carpet to be both comfortable and look beautiful. Ridding yourself of the wine stains or scuffs that can occur over years of use, can refresh your spirits. A bed that’s timeless can often give you real pause for comfort and thought, helping you rest in a long-term fixture you can feel identified with. The bedroom is one of the most excellent sleeping partners you can be in possession of, so be sure the room gently nurses the message of comfort to you, so you can rest easy.
The Living Room Sofa
The living room sofa is often something many people get wrong. This is the place you’ll relax and joke with your family, perhaps watching television on a Friday night or having your child proudly show you their new video game. But comfort is all in the sofa. A hugely, soft cushioned material isn’t always the best choice for real comfort, as there’s a difference between comfortable and comfortably supported. It might be that you’re opting for space with an L shaped sofa or perhaps durability with leather that could support you more appropriately.
With these simple additions, your home is sure to take comfort into the stratosphere.
Tia, and TipsfromTia.com is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram.
Keep Them Safe and Sound: Take Charge of Your Child’s Health and Safety
When you become a parent, you become so aware of the dangers in the world. Things that you’d previously never given a second thought to can become a huge worry. Keeping your child safe is of course your number one priority. While as humans, we’re resilient creatures. Young children can easily become hurt or worse in the blink of an eye. Keeping an eye on their health and doing all you can to avoid accidents is crucial. Here are some of the ways you can go about it.
Take a course
Understanding health in general, especially children’s health can give you valuable knowledge that allows you to best look after your child. A nutrition course, a child psychology course or even first aid could be extremely useful. Studying for something like a neonatal nurse practitioner course would even allow you to take your career in this direction later on. These kinds of courses are fantastic for parents since you can study part time and from home. There’s plenty you can do right from the comfort of your home in your spare time, but would equip you with knowledge and skills that allows you to take care of your child’s health in the best possible way.
Freak accidents unfortunately can happen in the blink of an eye. You don’t want to become an anxious mess worrying about every eventuality, but you do need to keep your wits about you. When you’re out in public, make sure your child is firmly strapped into their pram or if they’re old enough to walk that they’re holding your hand. In the car, be aware of other drivers, and drive in the way in which you were taught. Proper mirror checks, the correct speed and the right procedures for maneuvers will all prevent accidents and injuries. Be aware of hazards in and around the home. Keep windows locked with a key, avoid blinds with a cord as they can cause strangulation. Cover over ponds and pools, and keep things like medicine and cleaning chemicals well out of reach. It can be useful to brush up on common hazards and then ensure you’re following advice to prevent them.
Don’t be afraid to call the doctor
People might think it’s silly to call the doctor over small symptoms. However, you know your child best, and if something doesn’t seem right then it’s better to be safe than sorry. Some severe illnesses start with relatively minor symptoms but progress quickly and so seeking medical advice is advised. It’s not to say you need to panic if something seems off, but do speak to your GP and gain advice even if it’s for your own peace of mind.
Your best bet is to be vigilant and careful, you don’t need to be constantly worrying, panicking and fearing the worst. But knowing what kinds of hazards and illnesses are out there and a risk, having systems in place to protect your child is no bad thing.
Tia, and TipsfromTia.com is trying to keep you looking good and feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram.
Conception’s Got You And Your Man Hot, Sweaty, And…Searching For A Surrogate?
When it comes to conception, most of us imagine things will get hot and steamy. Sex between you and your partner might have been good before, but surely it’ll crank up a level when there’s added incentive? You likely expect to be at it like rabbits every chance you get. All the better for making that baby, right ladies?
But, what happens when things don’t go to plan? You’ve been trying for months and nothing’s happened. Then, you get the news you’ve been dreading. One of you is infertile, and suddenly your hot and steamy journey couldn’t seem colder. The two of you may go from jumping into bed every second to facing major marriage problems in one short appointment.
The good news is, infertility is by no means the end of the story anymore. With options like surrogacy, there’s every chance you can still go on to conceive a genetic child. But, you first need to go through the experience of finding a surrogate. Talking to your doctor for guidance or searching the web for surrogacy options in Montana or wherever you’re local is a great place to start. But, it’s all too easy to lose the love during this stressful process. Remember, you want to have a child because of the love you share, so it’s essential you don’t let that happen. And, to make sure of it, we’re going to look at a few ways to keep hold of that intimacy, even when surrogacy is on your cards.
So, sex isn’t going to lead to babies the way you’d hoped. But, that doesn’t mean you should stop making an effort in the bedroom. If it helps, remember that you’re still on the road to conception. Keeping on top of your sex lives can help keep that momentum alive, as well as preserve the intimacy. Focusing on sex can also help to alleviate any guilt the infertile party might feel. If your man received the bad news, for instance, he might feel that you’re withholding sex as a form of punishment. And, that type of feeling isn’t going to help either of you. So, keep making an effort here. Remember how much fun you had in the bedroom before babies were even on your cards. It might be hard at times, but you need to work to keep that going for the duration of your surrogacy search.
Do everything together
It takes two to make a baby. But, when it comes to surrogacy, it’s all too easy to slip into bad habits of separation. After all, you’re both giving different samples without each other in the room. And, you may decide to do independent research to put your minds at ease. Before you know, you’ll be having very different experiences of what should be a shared journey. Make sure it doesn’t happen by keeping this between the two of you. Don’t go off into your own heads at any stage. Instead, attend appointments together. If it helps, ask if you can go in with your man while he gives his sperm sample. And make sure not to research alone. Instead, sit down and snuggle up with the laptop one night. Together, visit resources like the ConceiveAbilities Blog which can answer a lot of questions for you. Just the act of coming together like this can help to keep you close and build intimacy during a difficult time. Make sure, too, that you make decisions together. You’ll need to choose everything from your timeline to your surrogate herself. And, it’s essential this is done together. Otherwise, it’s all too easy for one partner to fall out of the loop.
Communication is always essential in a relationship, especially when it comes to sex. But, you guys know that, else you wouldn’t have gotten this far. The trouble is, when issues of infertility crop up, it’s all too easy for the shutters to come down. A mixture of embarrassment and reluctance to face the problem are natural. But, you need to lift those shutters before they lock on your love. Instead, make sure you’re discussing your feelings from day one. If you’re upset, talk about it. Make sure not to be touchy or take things to heart. Just listen to your partner, and work towards solutions together. There are sure to be difficult discussions along the way, but you can’t afford to skip them. Only by facing these things head on can you both stay connected for when your baby comes along. Though it may not feel like it now, that could be a lot sooner than you think.
​Tia and TipsfromTia.com are trying to keep you looking good and feeling good from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip, email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter, TikTok, or Instagram.
Do you find that you are struggling to focus as of late? Do you often find yourself staring out of the window or daydreaming and you don’t know how long you have been doing it for? Maybe you cannot focus on one idea for a long period of time without getting frustrated and thinking about something else. We all get like this from time to time. However, the only person that can get your focus back is you.
With that being said, read on to discover a number of different suggestions that will help you regain your focus again.
There is only one place to begin, and this is by taking short breaks. Sitting at a computer for hours on end is not going to help anyone. Instead, if you take short breaks and you do so regularly, you give your brain a chance to refresh. You will come back to your station feeling rejuvenated, which will enable you to tackle your work with a much higher level of focus and concentration. There have also been a number of studies that have backed this up, too.
This includes one that was carried out by Alejandro Lleras, a psychologist at the University of Illinois. He carried out a study that involved participants taking short breaks throughout a task lasting 50 minutes. He found that they performed better than participants who worked straight through the task without taking any breaks. The theory is simply that short breaks like this will re-energize the brain. In order to stay focused, you need to deactivate and reactivate your goals. Brief mental breaks will actually enable you to stay focused on the task at hand.
The next step in improving your levels of concentration is to check the thermostat. Your focus can be negatively impacted if your place of work is too hot or too cold. You need to make sure you are comfortable and that you are working to the optimal temperature.
Grab a coffee –
Are you the sort of person who needs a morning coffee to get your day going? If not, this could be where you are going wrong. You are probably aware of the fact that coffee can give you an energy boost and wake you up. However, it does a lot more than this, as it can actually help you to focus on the day too. A run to the coffee shop could be just the thing you need if you require an attention booster in the afternoon.
Natural energy boosters –
There are a lot of energy-boosting products available on the market today, yet most people are skeptical of using such supplements. This is understandable. After all, you don’t want to put something in your body if there is a risk of it having an adverse side effect. This is why it is good to use a natural energy booster, for example, something like Nitro Xtreme works well. With natural products like this, you can be sure that you are not consuming anything harmful. Some of the ingredients in this product include Niacin, Chromium, Zinc, Magnesium, and CoQ10. This increases your focus and gives you a natural boost of energy, making it especially suitable for anyone who has been experiencing a hectic and stressful life lately. Similarly, you can also opt to use Dr. Grundy’s MCT Wellness supplement to improve focus and boost energy function. You can check out MCT Wellness reviews online to see whether this supplement might be a beneficial addition to your diet.Â
Unplug for 30 minutes –
Earlier, we spoke about the importance of taking brief breaks throughout any task you are carrying out that is going on for a considerable amount of time. However, it is also good to unplug for 30 minutes if you find that you are struggling to get in the zone out of work. This means logging out of social media and your email too. You can do this at the beginning of the day or for a period during the afternoon, whichever is better for you.
You will be shocked by how much more you can achieve once your emails and social media messages are not distracting you. Why not go one step further and turn off your notifications altogether? A lot of people assign themselves certain periods throughout the day for checking their emails so that it does not get in the way of what they are meant to be doing at work.
Understand what your focus needs to be –
You are going to struggle to achieve the high levels of focus and concentration you need if you cannot determine what is worthy of your distraction. Every morning, think about what really needs your most focus for the day so that you can direct your efforts properly and you can avoid wasting time on tasks that are not considered an emergency.
Prepare your brain –
Aside from the points that have already been mentioned, another way that you can focus more effectively is by calming your brain prior to carrying out any task. You should take a minute or two and sit in a position that is comfortable for you. Practice deep breathing into your stomach. This does not mean that you need to chant or sit cross-legged. You merely need to find a way to calm your body down before you start your work. This will really help you to get into the zone and concentrate.
The final tip when it comes to giving your focus the boost it needs is to drink more fluids. This is another suggestion that has been proven with a study. The Journal of Nutrition found that mild dehydration is one of the key reasons for inattention. Their 2012 study concluded that drinking more fluids could make a big difference in terms of focus levels. They recommend 12.5 cups for men and nine cups for women. Carry a water bottle with you while you are at work and use an app on your phone to track how much water you have drunk each day.
As you can see, there are many different ways that you can improve your focus. If you have been struggling to concentrate in the workplace and you do not know what to do to get your high levels of concentration back, follow the suggestions that have been provided above and you should notice a difference in terms of your efficiency and focus levels. You will be able to achieve more, and you will know exactly what to do if your concentration levels ever start to take a dip again.
​Tia and TipsfromTia.com are trying to keep you looking good and feeling good from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip, email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter, TikTok, or Instagram.
5 Things to Do Now to Prepare Your Home for the Summer Heat
Thanks to rising temperatures and relentless sunshine, your home can be a haven for numerous unwanted visitors this summer. Accordingly, taking the proper pest control steps is of the utmost importance. Along with seeking professional assistance, there are a few things you can do to ensure your home is safeguarded against all manner of pests from this summer to the next.
Keep Indoors Clean
Spring is a time of renewal, which is why so many choose this season to tidy up their homes. Spring cleaning does more than just make your home presentable for that all-important first barbecue; it also deprives insects of hiding spots in areas filled with clutter and debris. Clear out closets, disinfect kitchens and bathrooms, and make sure crumbs are properly cleaned up.
Check Out Window Screens
Window screens are designed to let in the cool breeze while keeping pests out. However, splits and tears in your screens means that insects will be free to come and go as they please. That’s why it’s recommended that you check out each and every screen in your home to make sure they can serve their intended purpose.
Shore Up Cracks in Caulking
Cracked seals around doors and windows are another problem area when it comes to pests taking up residence. Take a moment to look over these fixtures to ensure their seals are holding steady. If you notice any issues you can reinforce the seal using a little caulking purchased at your local hardware store.
Remove Standing Water
When it comes to the outdoors, you can keep mosquitoes at bay by removing any standing water on your property. This includes areas like birdbaths, kiddie pools, or any surfaces under leaking pipes. Not only are mosquitoes irritating, they can also carry pathogens capable of causing disease and illness to both pets as well as humans.
One bite from an infected mosquito can result in months of hospital time and recovery. Zika, Malaria, Yellow Fever, and Encephalitis are diseases transmitted by this little insect. Because wet areas are their preferred breeding grounds, paying attention to your surroundings would be best. A mosquito control company will be the most reliable way to resolve any infestation in or around your home.
Call Out the Professionals
Of course, even your best efforts may fail to remove all those unwanted pests in your life. That’s why it’s a good idea to hire a professional technician just to make sure your home is secure against the threat of insects. A technician will identify any potential problem areas before infestation occurs, which will save both time and money in the long run.
Your home is your castle, and like any good lord or lady of the manner you decide who stays and who goes. Contact exterminators near me for more information on how you can prevent your abode from being overrun by unwanted guests.
Tia, and TipsfromTia.com is trying to keep you looking good and feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter, TikTok, or Instagram.Â
