Precautions For A Worry-Free Vacation You don't want to spend your vacation worrying about possible problems at home or on the road. Still, catastrophes can strike at any time. The secret to having peace of mind is preparation. While getting ready for your vacation, add these items to your to-do list: Health insurance. Double-check your policy so you know what to do if you or a family member needs medical care while you're out of town. Homeowner's policy. Look over the provisions for replacement of property in case of a theft or fire while you're away. Also check if your coverage extends to your possessions you take with you on the road. Documents. Make sure all your important papers, such as your will, your power of attorney for health and finances, and your life insurance policy are stored in a safe-deposit box and that each trustee has a copy. Auto insurance. Review your policy to see if it covers you in the event of an accident when you're driving a rental car. This will help you determine ahead of time whether you're going to need the rental agency's liability waiver. Keep Your Kitchen Clear Of Germs One key to preventing illness is keeping your kitchen clean. Follow these simple tips for maintaining a germ-free cooking space:
- Wash all countertops often with hot, soapy water and a clean sponge, especially before preparing any meals. Avoid harsh chemicals that can permeate your surfaces and get onto food.
- Clean up spilled food right away to prevent bacteria from forming.
Keep your counters free of foreign objects-like mail, newspapers, and bags-that might leave dirt or germs behind.
- Wash dish towels, sponges, and other cleaning items regularly. Also microwave your wet cleaning sponge for a minute before you start using it.
Trust Rises as We Get Older In a cynical world, trust can seem hard to come by. But new research suggests trust may grow as we get older. The World Values Survey, collecting data from more than 200,000 people in 83 nations, found that more than a third of people 80 years old or older agreed that most people can be trusted. Just a quarter of 20-year-olds said the same. The results were consistent regardless of nationality, gender, education, and income. A similar study, analyzing data from the General Social Survey of 1,230 US citizens, also found that willingness to trust increases as we grow older. One possible explanation: As time goes on, people tend to simplify their lives and spend more time with their families, resulting in a more positive and generous attitude about the world. Essentially they project their family's good will onto the world at large. Either that, or older people just come from a more trusting era. Don't Count On That Extra Sleep You work long hours during the week, so you probably look forward to some extra sleep over the weekend. But if you're counting on those couple of extra hours to help you catch up on all the rest you need, you may be fooling yourself. In a study conducted at Penn State University, 30 healthy men and women aged 18-34 years spent 13 nights in a sleep lab. For four nights, they slept a full eight hours; then they spent six nights sleeping only six hours, followed by three 10-hour nights. The participants' brain function dropped after their nights of sleep deprivation and did not return to normal until after the third day of extra sleep, even though they said they felt physically refreshed by their extra sleep immediately. So don't depend on a few extra hours to bring you back to peak efficiency. Make a point of getting a full night's sleep every night to stay safe and productive at home, work, and on the road. Stitches May Soon Be Thing Of The Past Lasers are common weapons in science fiction, but soon a laser may be used to heal wounds in real life, if scientists at Tel Aviv University are successful with current tests. As reported on the Reuters website, scientists developed an optical fiber capable of transmitting infrared light and at the same time measuring the heat of the tissue it's pointed at. This allows them to control the laser's power accurately and use it to "weld" tissue effectively without any burning or scarring. Collagen aids the bonding process, growing firm as the skin cools down. This laser-aided process may result in stronger bonding with fewer scars than traditional sutures. Initial tests on humans have shown successful healing with less scar tissue. Workaholic Apps If you work on your computer all day, then you know how easy it is to lose track of time and skip breaks. Meanwhile, your waistline, muscle tone, eyesight, and creativity suffer. As you might expect, there are plenty of apps on the market for your smartphone to remind you to take breaks. Some are downright sadistic, calling you names, deducting money from your bank account, or sending messages to your social networks when you don't follow through. But for the work world, you want less intrusive apps. Here are two desktop apps for both the PC and MAC, encouraging you to take periodic mental and physical breaks. stretchclock.com: This is a quick download that helps you break for a nice stretch. The fun thing about this program is that when the timer sounds, the program opens a calming video with a stretching routine. This helps you relieve stress, limit repetitive motion strain, and give your eyes a break. Protectyourvision.org: This program is completely online, so no download required. It is basically an alarm clock that dings softly every 20 minutes, reminding you to look away from your computer into the distance for 20 seconds to reduce eye strain. I've used this program to also get up from my desk during those 20 seconds and run in place vigorously for 20 seconds. Gets the blood pumping and the metabolism working! The Best App Yet... If those apps aren't enough, this app is set to change the way millions of people function every day-and you don't even need a computer or smart phone to use it. It's called Self Control, and it blocks sites like Facebook, Instragram, SnapChat and Twitter for a specified period of time to help you minimize distractions while getting other things done. Self Control is a versatile app, also working on food, exercise, and money! |