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31
Dec 2010

Get to Sleep Naturally (Without the use of pills!)

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I greatly dislike tossing and turning and being unable to go to sleep when I want to. What I dislike even more is when I just drift off to sleep and a noise wakes me up. I’ll be honest. I really don’t like being awakened at all in the middle of the night. Usually, it’s my dog scratching or moving around, but it could be my kids randomly crying out in the next room, my husband making a noise, etc. You get the idea.

One option to avoid this is to take sleeping pills so I am in a deeper sleep. There are a lot of drawbacks to this method, though. Most of the over-the-counter sleep aids are just Benadryl re-packaged and increased in price. (It’s true. The active ingredient in both is diphenhydramine .) Also, I don’t really like taking medicine unless I really need to and a doctor would laugh at me if I tried to get sleeping pills so I could stop being awakened by random noises. (And rightfully so.) There is also the possibility of my body getting dependent on them, etc. The risks outweigh the benefits, in my opinion.

Another option is ear plugs. They hurt my ears, though, and I need to be able to hear my children if one of them wakes up with a legitimate problem.

The solution I have discovered is to use a sound machine in my bedroom. It covers over those little noises that wake me up, doesn’t make my ears hurt, and I can still hear my kiddos in the other room if they really need me to. (I’ve written before about ways to make sure you can hear your kids and still get a good night’s sleep.) It has made a world of difference just to have that light background noise covering over all those little things that was causing me to not sleep very well. I’ve started waking up only when I am supposed to–when my alarm goes off.

If you’d like to do a little experiment of your own, you can try this free white noise generator. I’d be surprised if it doesn’t help you to sleep better.

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17
Dec 2010

The Sweet Sound of White Noise Machines

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One of my favorite times of the day is after the kids have gone to bed. I settle down on my couch with my (not-so) trusty laptop and hopefully a cup of (decaffeinated) tea. I bask in the freedom of being able to sit somewhere for a few minutes without someone climbing on top of me, asking me to do something for them, or having to break up an argument. The background noise of my most favorite time is always two white noise machines–one in my son’s room and one in my daughter’s room. When I hear that, I know that I have made it through another day and my children are now sleeping sweetly in their beds.

My kids find the sound of the sound machine comforting too. They’ve always slept with one and don’t know any other way. About a week ago we forgot to click the sound machine on before we left our daughter’s room. Her shouts quickly made us run back in there and we made her little sleep world right again. In fact, when my children pretend to sleep during their play time, they go and turn on their sound machines before they climb up in the bed to “sleep.”

The beauty of using a sound machine to sleep is that it frees my children up to get the sleep they need–not only so they are in a good mood the next day, but for proper development. They are not constantly being awoken by other noises. Using a sound machine also frees me up to be able to move around the house without having to constantly worry about waking them. I like staying up late, so I usually exercise, wash the dishes, straighten the house, and sometime get some cooking done. My daughter’s bedroom is directly across from the kitchen, so most of that stuff happens literally right outside her bedroom door and she sleeps through it.

I really do appreciate those white noise machines.

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12
Nov 2010

Why Hotels Should Have Sound Machines

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This past weekend I went to a women’s conference a few hours away from my home with some other ladies from my church. I have just recently moved to this area and one of my new friends was going to be my roommate for the night. While I was packing I had thought about bringing my extra sound machine, but I wasn’t sure if she liked white noise and I waited until the last minute to pack, so I forgot it.

Sometimes crisp sheets are not desireable....

Fast forward to that evening. We are getting ready for bed and she mentions that she wishes we had a white noise machine. (YES!) Turns out we are both big believers for of white noise for sleep for ourselves and our kiddos. So we agree to turn on the bathroom fan for the night. Except there is no bathroom fan. (This is the nicest hotel I have ever stayed at, and this left me wondering, “Is it not classy to have a bathroom fan? All the “low class” (i.e. cheaper) places I’ve stayed at had a fan…)

Neither one of us brought our laptops, so we can’t use an online white noise generator. So, we decide to try to find a radio station with no signal and just static to use as improvised white noise. And we can’t figure out how to work the radio. So, by this time it is after midnight and we have to be up early. We lay down in our (separate) queen beds and try to go to sleep. We then dicover that the nice sheets at the Marriott hotel are the crunchiest sheets ever. Like if I breathe at all, they crunch loudly. Rolling over is horribly loud. So, I am laying there for a while and guessing my roomie has already fallen asleep when I hear her reach over and get her bottle of herbal sleep aid pills. I pipe up that I want one and we both laugh because both of us are having trouble sleeping since it is so quiet and we can hear every. single. little. noise.(And trust me, there are

We turn the light on and finally figure out how to turn on the radio and find what we think is a suitable replacement for white noise. Except sometime very early in the morning it woke us up because it had picked up a signal and was now making a strange beeping noise. We try again and finally get a few good hours before our early morning wake up.

What can we learn from my mistake?

1. Never leave home without a sound machine. (Okay, that might be a bit overkill, but it didn’t feel like it after I woke up that morning after getting only a few hours of sleep…)

2. More realistically, never plan to sleep without a sound machine, especially if you are away from home.

3. More importantly, hotels should offer sound machines in the rooms, just like there are alarm clocks and hair dryers. I think people would be happier and complaints about noise would go down if they would put a sound machine in every room or at least have some to check out for the night available at the front desk.

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22
Sep 2010

Sound Machines for College Students

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Part of being successful in college is tuning out unnecessary voices.

College Life

It’s nearing the end of September, and doubtless the newness of college life has worn off a bit.  You survived syllabus shock, but those assignments, quizzes, and tests that seemed so far off are now looming large.  It’s hard to motivate yourself to study, but you know you have to study to pass.  It’s not high school any more- guessing rarely turns out well and your teachers are professors who have hundreds of students, making your pleas for leniency less credible.

3 Reasons Every College Student Needs a Sound Machine

Fear not- you are not doomed to failure or stress the entire 4, 5, or 6 years of your college life.  Allow me to suggest a few reasons why every college student needs his or her own sound machine

.

  1. For sleep. Sleep is incredibly important, and sadly, there are no guarantees that you and your roomies will sleep the same schedules.  In fact, I can almost promise you that you won’t.  Instead of feeling frustrated by excessive noise, a sound machine can bring the peace you need to fall asleep.
  2. For downtime. Again, you and your roommates will need downtime at different times based on your daily routine and individual preferences.  If you find yourself wanting a few minutes of peace at the exact same time your roommate is jamming out or having a loud phone call, once again the soothing nature sounds of a sound machine will enable you to tune them out.
  3. For studying. You’ve got a test tomorrow and your roommates are throwing a party.  Yikes.  Instead of flipping out or being the roommate everyone hates because of your complaints, try turning up some noise of your own- white noise.  Proven to reduce distractions and maximize productivity, the white noise used in sound machines physically confuse your brain so that it tunes out unwanted noise.

There’s really no reason not to give white noise a shot…well, maybe you’re a poor college student…well, in that case, here’s a free online generator.  You’re welcome.

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06
Sep 2010

How to Deal with Room Mate Conflicts

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Room Mate Issues

Everybody looks forward to going to college…well, not the classes per se, but all the rest.  Even living with friends, maybe especially living with friends because it’s your first step away form home and being under your parents’ authority….The trouble is that most of us end up having room mates and still have to learn to play nicely with others.  Room mates end up being a whole lot more challenging than parents because they simply don’t love us the way a parent does.  Without unconditional love, it’s much harder to co-habitate.  Whether it’s dishes, cleaning, fridge space, entertaining guests, study hours, or general etiquette, we all have different expectations.  Most of the time a simple, non-agressive conversation will resolve much of the tension.  Here are a few pointers for making it work.

Tips for Dealing with Room Mate Issues

  • Determine your issues and make a list of what you’d like to see improved.
  • Before confronting anyone else, consider where you might be to blame or how they’ll react.
  • Make a second list of things you’d be willing to take ownership of: for example, I’ll take out the trash if you’ll vacuum.  Try to make it a fair compromise.
  • Ask your room mate(s) to sit down for a chat about it.  Make it a relaxed atmosphere and try not to sound angry.
  • Try to set some agreed upon hours for the apartment, including but not limited to: entertaining, studying, sleeping, or cleaning.  If you have boundaries here, everyone is less likely to get frustrated.
  • Try white noise.  Here is a free generator you can run while studying to block noise for when you need pace and quiet.  You might consider a sleep aid for when you need to sleep and everyone else is still up.

Most room mate issues boil down to unmet expectations.  You may feel frustrated that no one honors your time or efforts, but it’s not fair to blame them if you have;t talked about it.  Try having a friendly conversation about what each of you can do to make living together a little ore enjoyable, and be willing to be proactive.

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11
Aug 2010

4 Easy Ways to Increase Your Productivity

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Common Office Productivity Killers

It doesn’t matter whether you’re  a cubicle worker or a corner office executive- everybody would like to increase his or her productivity.  However, if you’re not a high-rolling exec, you might be interested in some easy and fairly inexpensive ways to increase your productivity.  But before we get to the tips, let’s talk about some common office productivity killers.

  1. Office Noise.  Distractions, namely conversational distractions, cost each of us about 2 hours every day.  And, I don’t just mean the water cooler gossip you actually took part in.   They are definitely a factor, but think about each and every time you lose seconds and minutes to someone else’s loud sales call, personal call, or over the cubicle conversation.  Add all that up and you lose about 10 hours a week.  Crazy, I know.
  2. Lack of Ergonomic Adjustments.  Interestingly, distracted and disengaged workers seldom make ergonomic adjustments necessary for efficient and comfortable work, which leads to repetitive stress injuries, such as eye strain and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome.

Thus, increasing your productivity means decreasing distractions and work stress/strain.

4 Tips for Increasing Productivity

  • Try white noise, like this free white noise generator.  It’s a fact that office noise kills productivity, so covering it is your only defense sometimes.
  • Rearrange your desktop.  This is a multi-faceted endeavor.  First, clear away the clutter, and get rid of any extra junk you can live without.  Next, move all essential items so that they are within arm’s reach.  You want to avoid straining your arms, shoulders, wrists, and hands.  Finally, make sure your keyboard and mouse are on the same surface and close to each other.  Again, you want to avoid straining any part of yourself as you reach for anything, including your mouse.  You also want to be more efficient, and unnecessary reaching is a loss of time.
  • Consider upgrading to an ergonomic keyboard, such as a left-handed keyboard or mini keyboard.  Both keyboards fit your wrists and hands better and move the number pad for faster typing.  Plus, they’re awesome, and everybody will marvel at your coolness.
  • Similarly, why not try an ergonomic mouse?  If you’re like me, your fingers (especially your forefinger an thumb) are tired after hours of touch pad mousing.  Ergonomic mice are wonderful for customizing the work experience to your own needs.  When your mouse fits your hand, and as a result, your hand isn’t exhausted at the end of the day, you cant help but be more productive.
Just by rethinking and re-staging your desktop, as well as trying a few new products, you can easily be more productive and therefore get more out of your work day.
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05
Jul 2010

2 Free Resources for Working From Home {& Not Going Crazy!}

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2 Free Resources You Need!

I work from home while I take care of a toddler and a preschooler.  Sometimes my mind gets muddled in menu planning, teaching numbers and letters, potty training, and changing diapers.  Often, it’s hard to separate my personal life from my work world.  However, I am committed to being an excellent stay-at-home mom who works successfully during “down time.”  Being productive without going crazy, while essential for mothering and pulling in a pay check, can be tricky.  I’ve posted before about working from home, and the importance of white noise like this free white noise generator, but I thought I’d share another tip that keeps me on top of my schedule.

Each week I…

  • plan a menu
  • work on keeping my daughter accident-free
  • schedule our family activities
  • and try to keep track of work expectations and deadlines

That’s a lot of planning and thinking ahead.  One wall calendar just doesn’t cut it.  I have started using a free online printable calendar 3 different spots in my home:

  • If I want to jazz it up, I print it off on colored paper. Wild, I know.

    in the bathroom for a potty chart

  • in the kitchen for meals and family activities
  • by my desk for deadlines

For the potty chart, we put stickers for dry days and nights.  For the meals, I just write down what we’re having when and with whom.  My husband enjoys checking what’s for dinner.  For my work calendar, I use different colored pens/pencils to write down when work is due for what company (I write for several different groups).  I then highlight the more important ones, and since I usually work ahead, I always check off what I’ve accomplished so that I don’t get confused.  It’s a great system, and I finally am not missing important deadlines, nor do I have a million things written on 1 tiny square!

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21
Jun 2010

Cheap & Free Tips for Improved Productivity

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Going from 120 days of vacation…to 14

I remember being a sophomore in college and my borhter who was graduating made the horrifying connection that his reward for finishing his degree was going from 4 months of vacation to 2 weeks.  It was staggering indeed…and maybe prompted, or at least confirmed, my desire to be a teacher.  Who doesn’t love summers off?

Unfortunately, if you’re one of the millions of office workers, chances are you don’t have 3 months off in the summer.  Your boss doesn’t care if it’s a gorgeous 80-degree day, your deadlines are still looming over you.  All your pent-up desire to be outside should inspire you to work faster and more productively so you can get out of the office on time and enjoy your nights and weekends to the fullest!

So, how about some tips for being more productive?  And, while we’re at it, let’s make ‘em cheap or free solutions, so you can put your money towards your next vacation.

Cheap {or Free} Ways to be More Productive

  • Which desks motivates you to work?

    Mentally prepare yourself before you arrive at work.  Know where you left off and where you would like to start so you don’t feel overwhelmed.

  • Clean your desk.  Throw away any litter/trash, wipe it down, file papers, and organize your stuff.  A more organized desktop enables you to focus on what’s important rather than be discouraged by the mess.  It’s worth the time it takes to get it tidied, but try to keep it organized so you don;t have to sacrifice another day in a few weeks.
  • Try white noise- you can even use a free generator.  By blocking out your annoying or just distracting co-workers, you can get up to 2 more hours out of your work day.
  • If possible, adjust your chair and/or desk for a better, more productive fit so you can reach what you need without overextending.
  • Pull your mouse in so that’s it’s right next to the keyboard.  This will help you avoid RSI and keep you in top-notch form.
  • Avoid eye strain and unnecessary headaches by raising your monitor to eye level.  Any type of pain will keep you from performing at your best level.
  • Switch tasks- you’ll give your eyes a break and keep your mind sharp by alternating between computer work and desk work.
  • At the end of the day, jot down where you are so that you can jump right back in the next work day.  (see the first tip)
Here’s to you being more productive so that you can leave work behind you as you enjoy your summer!
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27
May 2010

Can Washing Your Hands Help You Work Better?

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A new study just came out by the University of Michigan regarding psychological benefits of hand washing.

The study, conducted by U-M psychologists Spike W. S. Lee and Norbert Schwarz, expands on past research by showing that hand-washing does more than remove the guilt of past misdeeds.

“It’s not just that washing your hands contributes to moral cleanliness as well as physical cleanliness, as seen in earlier research” said Lee, a doctoral candidate in social psychology. “Our studies show that washing also reduces the influence of past behaviors and decisions that have no moral implications whatsoever.”

According to the authors, the results show that as much as washing can cleanse us from traces of past immoral behavior, it can also cleanse us from traces of past decisions, reducing the need to justify them.

This “clean slate” effect may be relevant to many choices in life. Does washing away the urge to justify one’s choice of one car over another, or even one partner over another, result in less rosy evaluations of them in the long run? If so, does this increase buyer’s remorse because buyers are less likely to convince themselves that they made the best choice possible?

If you are having trouble working or making a decision, could washing your hands be beneficial to you? Perhaps. If your coworkers are annoying you and you are regretting something you said to them (and wishing you had just blocked them out entirely) would washing your hands make you feel better about the situation? This study seems to think so.

In my mind, I figure it couldn’t hurt. Not only does washing your hands help to reduce your chance of illness by washing away germs, now it seems like it can refresh my mind as well. Its a win-win-win.

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19
May 2010

Work Distractions Cause IQ Loss

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Would you like to lose 10 IQ points?

Would anyone really?  According to  a 2005 study,  distractions at work are equivalent to a 10 point IQ loss.  Yikes.  In addition to that staggering loss, you might be surprised by the rest of the findings:

  • 1 in 5 workers will interrupt a business or social engagement to respond to a message.
  • 9 out of 10 people thought colleagues who answered messages during face-to-face meetings were rude.  Interestingly, 3 out of 10 believed it was not only acceptable, but a sign of diligence and efficiency.

What fascinating findings- 20% of workers interrupt business meetings.  90% of workers think that is rude.  30% of workers think these interruptions are not only not rude, but good business tactics.

More on IQ loss

Dr. Glenn Wilson of King’s College London University monitored the IQ of workers throughout a work day for 80 clinical trials.  Dr. Wilson found that a 10 point IQ loss resulted for those workers who were distracted.  This is equivalent to missing an entire night of sleep and more than double the IQ loss of 4 points from smoking marijuana.

Um, does this bother anyone else?

Possible Solutions

  • Never, ever smoke marijuana.  This should never be in question.  Moving on.
  • Get good sleep- this may counteract some of the losses.
  • Prioritize actual work and work-related meetings over gabbing and answering messages of any sort.  Very few messages take precedent over work-related tasks or face-to-face meetings.
  • If all else fails, try white noise, like this free white noise generator.  Nothing like tuning it out.

Good luck and may your IQ never fall!

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