Social media in education is a no-brainer and many studies and experiences have proven its efficiency.  Once you get serious about your education, you then realize that you must take the hand of as many resources as you can.  Studies reveal that more and more students like yourself believe that the technology they use to study should have the same format as social media.

We are social creatures.  Whatever we do good, we seem to do it better in a social context where there are more people around us.  It is no different with studying.  According to the Social Learning Theory, we learn best when we interact with people.

Social media can help you in many ways if you use it wisely.  For instance, let’s say you need help with picking a topic for your next essay.  Now, if you google essay topics, you will get tons of resources.  But if you go to social media, you will find suggestions by real people based on real experiences.

Let´s take a look at the specific ways that social media can help students study.

Connections and Community

When it comes to intensive and in-depth projects and group work, social media allows you to centralize all your knowledge to make communication more efficient.  For instance, you can create a hashtag such as #Economy101 to have people connect under the same topic. You now can build a community where everyone contributes with their piece of knowledge.

Think of all the interactions and connections that can take place on a Facebook page or group.  Forums are a great place to make questions and get answers.  You can even invite the professor to join this group or the chats.

Sharing

Social media is all about sharing.  Most of our FB friends share everything from their location and activities to the one-hundred pictures of their weekend that nobody is going to see.  Now, you also get the opportunity of sharing resources to enrich a content.

Using the designated hashtag, you can share links to resources.  You can also share experiences, joys, and even frustrations.  This input will be available to everyone, at any time.

Some things that can be put into practice when sharing:

• Stream a class through live video on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, Google Hangouts, or YouTube. This will be saved and used later by those who were not able to attend a class.
• Google Hangouts is a great resource for online study sessions.

Organization

Given the extent and reach of social media, a large number of resources can become overwhelming.  You need to curate this information.  Create topic boards on Pinterest or a blog service such as Tumblr.

For resources that have not been posted online yet, you can use cloud-storing services such as Dropbox, Google Drive, SkyDrive, or Box, to organize it.   If you are working on a team project, work on a Google Doc.  This will keep a neat organization and help take notes for all to see and share.

Meaningful Conversations

There are hundreds of chats taking place on Twitter.  These are conversations that take place at a certain time where all participants use a particular hashtag.  This creates a timeline of people having a meaningful conversation about a particular topic.

You can plan your own Twitter chat to get the convo going.  This conversation can take place in a Facebook group as well.  The advantage of Twitter chats is that they are more open and universal.  Experts on a particular subject might participate too.  For instance, you could have an author discuss literary aspects of the novel you have to make a book report about.  That would be pretty neat!

Authors and experts are already on social media.  If Albert Einstein were alive, he’d probably be on Twitter.  Just imagine what his Instagram would look like!  You can ask direct questions to these influencers (not Einstein, he´s dead).  This will get you the best insight on a particular topic.

Supplemental Materials

You can use social media to find additional content that will reinforce what you have learned in class.  These materials are out there waiting for you.  The great part about it is that you also get honest opinions and ideas on how to make these contents work best.

Find YouTube videos for assistance with challenging topics.  Khan Academy is a widely used source that organizes YouTube videos into courses.

Follow already existing hashtags in a particular area.  You will find rich amounts of help there.  You can also look for keywords, experts, topics, etc., across all your social media channels.

See Also: 5 Tips to Use Social Media for eLearning Content 

Conclusion

When it comes to social media, not everything in the garden is rosy.  There are some downsides on the use of social media.  But since you are one responsible kid, you will take full advantage of the resources all the media offer you.  Use social media well and have meaningful and useful connections that will help you get through your education.

 

The post How Social Media Helps Students Study appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2kXS8Bk

Burglaries and other dangerous events happen everyday, and without a proper firearm, you may not be able to protect and defend yourself and your family. However, having guns laying around your home isn’t safe as well, which is why it is important to have a gun safe.

What is Gun Safe?

Gun safes are a protective storage container that can carry firearms and any other types of ammunition for your guns. A gun safe is primarily used to help prevent access of unqualified and unauthorized people.

This safe will protect the contents from damage during any natural disaster, flood, or fire. Access prevention is a requirement by law in most places, as necessitating gun locks, metal gun cabinets, and gun safse can greatly benefit the owner. Gun safes have really replaced the old gun cabinet method made from just fine stained wood and etched glass fronts as they have become very outdated.

Gun safes are needed as well if you want to prolong the life span of your ammunition and guns as it does block out dust.

5 Things to Consider When Buying a Gun Safe

Size

It is always important to purchase a gun safe that is of decent size. You want it to at least be capable of fitting two guns so that it can accommodate ammunition as well. There are, however, gun safes that are small but have extra spaces for the ammunition. This is a cheaper way to receive a gun safe’s benefits, but it is always better to invest in the bigger ones. Also make sure that your safe fits in your closet or room as you don’t want it eating up too much space.

Locking Mechanisms

Look for a gun safe with superior and high tech locking mechanisms. The last thing you want is for your children or burglar to have easy access to the guns in the safe. Some gun safes can be accessed via password, thumb print, and even via voice activation. Choose a gun safe that can’t be opened by anyone but you and other trusted personnel.

Fire Protection

You also want a gun safe that has a fire protection feature so that no matter what may happen to the property, your guns and ammunition will not be damaged. If ever the gun safe does experience a natural disaster, fire, or flood, the gun safe will not be easily damaged. This is a very beneficial feature especially if you will add other valuables inside of your gun safe.

Price

There are many expensive gun safes that don’t even provide the same features and durability as other safes with cheaper prices. This is why the price of the gun safe doesn’t really have an impact on the quality of the gun safe. Basically, instead of looking at the price of the product, consider looking at its safety and protection features. Many people forget that buying one is an investment that will benefit your life tremendously.

Warranty

As with any purchase, be sure to look at the warranty closely. Read the fine print. A regular warranty would have a year’s duration as this may be the period that any malfunction may occur. Some gun safe manufacturers also offer special plans that let you extend the warranty period. If there is an option for a lifetime warranty, consider it very well as it will keep you from having any future headaches.

How to Select a Gun Safe That Your Gun Needs

When buying online, the only thing you can do is read gun safe reviews. As strange as it may sound, reading reviews can help you find the right gun safe even if you may not see it physically before purchase. There is no need to worry about reading biased reviews as they are written by actual customers who have used the item.

If the product receives more negative reviews than positive, than it’s obvious that you shouldn’t get one for yourself. When buying at an actual gun safe store, simply ask the sales clerk a ton of questions regarding its features and specs so that you have a broader understanding on how it all works.

 

The post 5 Things to Consider When Buying a Gun Safe appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2kLZPIR

Having a positive attitude is important when it comes to improving your mental heath, but it can be difficult to push through negative thoughts. No one is immune to negative emotions – they can occur very suddenly, and in the most inappropriate situations. These emotions can also have an impact on work, studying, and our relationships with colleagues, friends, family, and loved ones. To keep these from becoming a problem, it’s useful to spend some time learning how you can get a handle on your negative emotions.

Luckily, there are plenty of tricks and techniques out there that you can use to overcome unpleasant thoughts. Writing has proven to be especially effective because it provides you with a way to release your emotions and deal with them in a more positive, efficient way. Since writing is a way of visualizing our thoughts, this tool can be useful in overcoming negative emotions and even helping us work out potential solutions to any problems.

Make a double list

Write down a list of things that make you upset/angry in one column, and opposite each of them write down things that make you feel happy.

There’s probably a lot more in your life for you to feel happy about, and seeing it presented in a list like this can help your brain move past the negativity to see what else there is. Focus on those positive things and pick a couple of them to experience today – go for a walk with a friend, spend some time with a hobby you enjoy, or just take a long, hot bath. Once you can see how the positive outweighs the negative, it’s easier to move on.

Write and revise

Write down what you’re anxious or furious about, go outside and take a deep breath, then look at your list again and write how your feelings have changed.

Once you’ve been able to express your feelings, it’s a good idea to put it aside for a while and do something else. Now that you’ve put it down on paper, your brain can let go of some of the negativity surrounding the situation, and you can come back in to look at it again with a fresh perspective. Often, you’ll find that whatever was upsetting you before isn’t upsetting you anymore. If you do still feel upset, you might discover that expressing yourself and then revisiting your problem gives you some ideas on how you might want to tackle it.

Describe emotions

Try to describe your emotions in writing in a detailed manner. Put as much description into your writing as you can to really purge yourself of those negative emotions. Be as clear and concise as possible, and don’t leave anything out. You want this exercise to give you a feeling of release, so don’t cut it edit yourself or cut it short. Write what you feel, and mean it.

The next time you feel upset, look at this description and see if you’re feeling the same way. Maybe you can see some consistencies and look at making changes in your life to avoid experiencing further negative emotions.

See Also: 7 Simple Ways To Overcome Negative Thinking & Set Yourself Up To Win This Year

Write a story

After a day at work, write a brief story and use yourself and your problem as a basis to construct the main character. Then build a plot in which this character will solve a problem; this story must have a happy ending.

Visualization is a great way to get you moving forward on the right path. By creatively plotting a positive solution to a problem for your main character, you can give yourself a bit of inspiration to apply some of the same techniques in your own life. See the fictionalized version of yourself enjoy a happy ending, and then you can take steps to achieve the same thing for real. It’s a nice bit of encouragement to get you working towards making some positive, healthy changes.

Let out frustrations

Vent your frustrations on paper, then tear it up, throw it away, or burn it. This follows some of the same principles as the third step – except that instead of revisiting this description later, you’ll never see it again. Be detailed and specific, get to the heart of whatever is causing you grief, and then watch it disappear forever. It’s a great exercise in learning to let go, and will help you move past whatever situation was causing you negative feelings in the first place. Get rid of it and move on. You’ll feel a lot better.

The important thing with any of these techniques is to get writing as soon as possible, so you can deal with your negative emotions before you spend too much time dwelling on them. The longer you let these unpleasant thoughts control your feelings, the more difficult it is to overcome them – and the longer you wait, the greater the risk of having these emotions negatively impact the important relationships in your life.

See Also: How to Control Your Emotions in Any Situation 

Throughout history, great writers have used their own negative thoughts and experiences to influence beautiful poetry and classic novels – giving these authors a feeling of relief and self-satisfaction and sharing brilliant pieces of literature with the world. Why not apply that same principle to your own life, and experience some of that relief for yourself? The next time you feel a negative thought or emotion creep in, grab a pen and a piece of paper and get writing.

 

The post How To Overcome Negative Emotions Using 5 Writing Techniques appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2lrF6ZO

*This article is for recovering addicts and how you can stay sober while traveling.

“Our battered suitcases were piled on the sidewalk again; we had longer ways to go. But no matter, the road is life.” – Jack Kerouac

Traveling may bring a multitude of new sights, new experiences and new cultures. However, as a recovering addict, there is one very important fact you need to remember – you are still YOU. You still have your “triggers,” you still have your weaknesses and, ultimately, you still have your addiction. Therefore, it is essential that you prepare yourself prior to making your trip.

Don’t get me wrong. It is not dangerous for you to have travel as an integral part of your recovery; in fact, quite the opposite. It will broaden your mind and give you, hopefully, fresh perspectives on how you can best live the life you want and deserve.

However, for travel to impact upon you in the best possible way, preparation is the key. Remember the “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail” edict? This is so relevant to you as a recovering addict for you will have much to lose. No-one is more aware of that than you.

This article will provide you with 5 essential tips for ensuring you maintain your hard-fought sobriety when confronted with new sights, experiences and cultures. These tips are designed to assist you make the right choices and decisions whilst traveling. As a recovering addict myself, and a guy who loves to travel as often as possible, what I wish to share has come about through good advice from others and positive experiences.

Recovery Relapse Plan

In the more secure and stable environment of your home and your local community, you have successfully created a life that keeps you sober, free of alcohol and/or drug use. Part of your success is this familiarity with your daily life, your daily routine and your local support; be that friends, sponsors, meetings, etc. When you are travelling, away on your vacation, these things are removed from you. Therefore, it is up to you to develop your own relapse prevention plan.

You should:

• Tell your sponsor (if you have one) about your travel plans. As with everything else, it should not be a secret. Should you feel that you need to speak to your sponsor, let this person know that he or she will be the first person you call.
• Tell your family and friends. Let them know that you may feel the need to call them too.

As part of your recovery, you will have identified your triggers, and physical and mental scenarios that have previously led you to addictive behaviour. Be introspective and analyze those triggers again. Remind yourself of them fully and be completely aware of the danger they pose to your sobriety.

Organize Activities

A vacation should be just that – time for you to rest and relax. However, as a recovering addict, you will know that boredom, inactivity and the compulsion to do something active always needs to be addressed.

So, in your travel plans, incorporate activities, tours, and other scheduled events to ensure this doesn’t happen. Whatever type of vacation you are planning, engage in activities as part of a group. Remember, for you, isolation is not your friend.

Keeping Your Routine

If you are able, incorporate as much of your normal daily routine into your days while on vacation. For example, attend meetings, maintain your healthy diet and exercise regime, and keep a journal of thoughts and feelings. Even waking at your usual time will help you maintain your equilibrium in your temporary new surroundings. Always endeavor to maintain whatever works as part of your usual recovery routine in this new one.

Sober Vacation Websites

Did you know that these even existed? Well, they do – for the sole needs of those like you and I that require assistance with our travel preparations. For example, Sober Vacations International offer a wide-ranging variety of vacations, from safaris to cruises to all-inclusive beach resorts. Sober Travelers offer vacations specifically based around the 12-Step Program. Even Expedia can provide a whole host of destinations designed for those wishing to keep their sobriety.

….and ENJOY!

By incorporating all of the above into your travel preparations, you will dramatically increase your chances of a relapse-free trip. So there’s only one thing left for you to do. Quite simply, enjoy yourself.

From my own experiences, traveling has given me a much clearer view on how I wish to lead my new life. Living sober (as I have done for a significant number of years now) has not stopped me from wanting to enjoy every moment of my travels. The people I have met, the new sober friends I have made, the cultures I have learned from – all of it is now an integral part of my personal recovery. It can be for you as well.

Happy, Safe & Sober

Let’s recap. Your 5 essential tips for keeping your sobriety when traveling are these: work out your personal relapse prevention plan, organize activities for your destination, keep as much of your daily routine as possible, make use of the available sober vacation websites, and, last but definitely not least, go and enjoy yourself. If you have any other advice for fellow recovering addicts with regard to ensuring their sobriety when traveling, please feel free to share in the comments below.

One last quote for you, one that I totally agree with.

“Hey, people who travel with their bed pillow. You look insane.” – Jim Gaffigan

Happy, safe and sober travels to you all.

See Also: 6 Steps to have a Stress Free Travel including Yoga

 

The post 5 Essential Tips for Keeping Your Sobriety When Traveling appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2lkY9c8

There’s news about the student loan crisis just about every day. College tuition is going up at a greater rate than wages. Daycare costs more than college, leaving parents unable to save beforehand. The average student graduates with over $37,000 in student loan debt, often deferring payments and increasing their debt overall.

According to Florida Representative Dennis Ross, “Unfortunately, most students today are saddled with extraordinary debt and are entering one of the weakest economic recoveries in history. . . More than 43 million Americans owe nearly $1.3 trillion in student loans, with a repayment delinquency rate of 11.6 percent. That’s more than $150 billion in student loan delinquency, not including interest. This is a serious problem we cannot continue to ignore.”

An Educated Workforce Is Better For The Economy

We all know that individuals who have achieved a higher level of education do better financially in the long run, but that principle also scales to the entire economy. Our economy actually does better when more people are better educated.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, investing in education is the single best thing we can do as a society to better the lives of individuals. In a recent study, they found:

• States with the highest wages are also the best educated
• Investing in education can lead to greater economic opportunity
• States with more educated workers can attract higher wage jobs
• Initial investment in education can return greater tax income to the state in the long run as wages grow

See Also: How a 529 Plan Can Help You Save for Your College Education

Why Employers Should Pitch In

Even if some magical force rendered college tuition free tomorrow, we would still have an entire generation of students saddled with student loan debt. More and more companies are offering signing bonuses, tuition reimbursement, and other forms of help for students these days. Companies want to attract and retain top talent, and offering relief from student loans is certainly likely to help you keep your employees happy.

In one study, healthcare giant Cigna was able to achieve a 129% ROI on its tuition reimbursement program, mainly through retaining talent. In that same study, employees who took advantage of the program were able to gain promotions within the company, resulting in an average wage increase of 43%.

Even companies like Best Buy and Starbucks are investing in the education of their workforce, with Starbucks explaining, “College education is a priority for Starbucks partners, but for many, the rise in tuition costs has put college out of reach. We know that there is a clear and demonstrated value of having a college degree, both the opportunity it affords and the measurable impact on earning potential throughout a lifetime.”

One of the student loan repayment proposals on the table right now was proposed by U.S. Representative Dennis Ross. Under his plan employers would get tax credits for matching up to $500 a year in student loan repayment for up to 3 years, but only for students who have an associates degree or higher and who have more than $10,000 in student loan debt. Says Ross of the plan, “Overall, this bill is designed to help students become gainfully employed and pay off their loans while employers are benefited by hiring skilled and educated employees with a vested interest in long-term employment.”

Work Study Programs May Not Be Enough

Many students opt to take advantage of work study or resident advisor positions in order to lessen the burden of college costs, but that may not be enough. If employers can pitch in to make up the difference, there will be a better educated and less burdened talent pool to be attracted and retained, and there may even be some tax benefit to employers in the near future.

See Also: 7 Ways to Save Money while Earning a College Degree 

Student loans follow people around for the rest of their lives, unable to be bankrupted. In today’s economy with stagnating wages and greater competition over jobs, student loan debt is tantamount to a noose around your employees’ necks.

Preventing student loan debt before it starts is crucial to loosening those nooses. Learn more about the possible alternatives to student loan debt from this infographic. You might be surprised how many other options are out there!

Source

The post What Can Employers Do About The Student Loan Crisis? appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2lqInct

Retirement does not mean that a senior just has to sit at home and do nothing. Many seniors prefer to work even after they have crossed the retirement age. Some seniors actually perceive this as a golden opportunity to follow their long forgotten entrepreneurship dreams.

Listed below are 10 businesses that seniors can successfully run from home.

Knitting

Knitting is an excellent activity to be pursued in the later years. It is known to reduce stress and boost self-esteem and cognitive functions.

Recently, 91-year-old Morrie Boogart became an inspiration for seniors when he didn’t let his limited mobility stand in the way of helping homeless and needy in Michigan.

Seniors who know how to knit or have learnt it as a new hobby in their golden years can knit beautiful pieces and then turn this hobby into a business. They can even create a blog and sell their products online along with donating some to a charity. They can even help the needy with the proceeds of the sales.

Crocheting

Just like knitting, crocheting is also an amazing activity for seniors who are skilled. They can make their crocheted goods and sell it in the market or to a reseller. They can even setup a small shop in their home and earn in their golden years. It will keep seniors busy and provide a sense of being resourceful and independent.

Freelance Writing

Seniors with good writing skills can also become freelance writers or become text brokers if they know people who can write and have great marketing skills. It allows them to keep on searching for new things and gaining knowledge about a variety of things, even in senior years, while providing a way to make money.

Writing is known to boost mental wellbeing as it keeps us engaged in reading, researching and finding new stuff to write about.

Blogging

Blogging is a way of sharing ideas, professional and personal experiences with the world. Seniors can create their own blog and give space on their website to place advertisements so they can earn some extra money or by affiliate marketing. With so many years and experiences behind them, seniors have a lot they can share with their readers.

Teaching

Another potential way of making money in one’s golden years is teaching. Seniors who are devoted to helping children and adults solve math problems, gain knowledge or learn new skills, like knitting, crocheting, sewing, pottery, painting, sketching, cooking, dancing, hairstyling, make up, and many others, can consider becoming a teacher.

Along these lines, a senior can set up a school and become a private teacher or an online teacher. It can be a part-time or full-time job entirely depending on how much time they have got to spend.

Consulting

Seniors must focus on opportunities that can leverage their years of work and career experience, such as consulting. Consulting is a great business for retirees who have learned a lot from their life lessons and previous jobs. Such experiences make seniors well positioned to convey their opinions and share their knowledge.

It is not necessary to share knowledge through face-to-face meetings. Freelance writing and blogging can also be pursued as ways of engaging in an online community, hence, generating income.

Gardening Maintenance Services

Elderly who have sufficient knowledge in gardening can offer their skilled services even in their neighborhood so they don’t have to go to remote areas. This provides a source of income with an opportunity to make new friends and socialize.

Gardening is a relaxing activity, known to alleviate stress and help stay fresh in golden years.

Pet Sitting

Pet sitting is one of the best ways to earn while enjoying the time spent with a furry friend. This is not only a way to make money post-retirement. It is also an effective kind of therapy to find relaxation and a sense of purpose in one’s golden years.

Seniors who love spending time with animals can consider pet sitting. They can ask their neighbors to let them know if they need a pet sitter or even their family members so they can earn while enjoying some time with loving creatures.

Babysitting

Seniors who enjoy the company of children can make great babysitters as they have sufficient knowledge of handling little children and helping them with their concerns like home work, hair-dos, dressing, eating meals, dealing with a bully in school etc.

Spending time with children provides seniors with enthusiasm to help them pursue their goals and share thoughts to let their inner artist shine. In fact, children can make us learn a lot of new things as well.

Cooking – Takeaway Restaurant

Seniors who can cook amazingly delicious dishes can open a takeaway restaurant in their own homes. They can take orders via the phone or online.

Cooking will not only give seniors an opportunity to earn, but will also motivate to do more. This way, senior can also help the poor and needy people by giving food or some money that they have earned.

These are some of the amazing, fun and resourceful ways of making money after retirement. They provide the elderly with a sense of purpose, self-satisfaction, daily motivation, and a boost in one’s physical and mental being. Overall, this helps seniors enjoy an active and happy life in one’s golden years.

See Also: Retirement Activities that are Financially Viable 

 

The post 10 Amazing Business Ideas For Stay-At-Home Retirees appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2klKMUV

Car accidents are on the rise all over the world. Statistics show that approximately 115 people die every day in traffic accidents. Car crashes also cost $43 billion each year in lost wages, medical bills and property damage.

Below is an overview of personal injury law, when to hire a personal injury lawyer, and how it can help accident victims obtain compensation.

Statute Of Limitations On Personal Injury Cases

Each area of residence has their own guidelines when it comes to personal injury cases. So, how long after the car accident can you claim injury? This depends on where you live. Many places have a 2 year statute of limitations, while others may have 3 years or more.

Common Car Accident Causes

While there are many different ways car accidents occur, some are more common than others. The most common causes of car accidents include:

1. Driving While Texting Or Talking On A Cell Phone
2. Being Distracted By Vehicle Occupants
3. Driving Under The Influence Of Drugs Or Alcohol
4. Speeding
5. Road Rage
6. Tailgaiting
7. Aggressive Driving

Typical Accident Injuries

People can sustain many different types of injuries after an accident. The most commonly reported accident injuries resulting from car crashes are:

1. Broken Bones
2. Crush Injuries
3. Internal Organ Damage
4. Spinal Cord Injuries
5. Brain Injuries
6. Neck And Back Injuries
7. Facial Fractures

Proving Negligence

Obtaining a settlement for injuries sustained in a car accident personal injury claim depend on your ability to prove that another driver was negligent and caused you to be hurt. Negligence means the other driver did not take reasonable steps to avoid the accident and your injuries are the direct result of his negligence.

How Much Is My Claim Worth?

Just how much your claim is worth depends on the severity of your injuries and whether or not you are disabled due to the accident. You will be awarded more money if you cannot return to work or cannot perform the same job due to your injuries. Personal injury lawyers use a car accident claim calculator to determine just how much you should seek in a lawsuit. For this reason, it is important to hire an attorney who has extensive experience in calculating medical bills, lost wages and expenses in these types of cases so you are awarded a fair settlement.

See Also: What To Look For In A Good Health Insurance Plan 

Expenses And Damages

You may be awarded a monetary settlement for certain types of expenses and damages after a car accident. Some examples of these damages and expenses include:

1. Ambulance Costs
2. Emergency Room Fees
3. Hospital Bills
4. Cost Of Alternative Transportation
5. Doctor Fees
6. Cost Of Occupational, Physical And Speech Therapy
7. Price Of Mental Health Counseling

If your injuries are extensive, you may also be awarded damages for emotional distress or pain and suffering.

See Also: 5 Financial Emergencies Everyone Must Be Prepared For 

What A Personal Injury Attorney Can Do For You

If you are considering filing a car crash injury claim, it may benefit you to hire an experienced personal injury attorney. These claims are very complex and must be handled with care to be successful.

You can be helped with the following items:

1. Hire Accident Investigators To Prove Your Case
2. Recreate The Accident Scene
3. Obtain Police Reports Pertaining To The Accident
4. Speak With Medical Experts And Doctors About Your Injuries
5. Negotiate With The At-Fault Driver’s Insurance Company
6. File Your Case In Court
7. Attend Hearings
8. Represent You During A Trial

If you have been involved in an accident and sustained injuries, contact a personal injury attorney for advice. After speaking with you, an attorney will let you know if you have a valid case and how to proceed. Retaining legal counsel may also reduce the stress that is always a part of accident cases, which may allow you to focus on your recovery.

 

The post Personal Injury Claims After A Car Accident appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2lmtl7P

Valentine’s day is just around the corner and if you are a man who hasn’t figured out the best Valentine’s gift for her yet, now is probably the right time to narrow down your choices. Deciding on the last minute isn’t only stressful but it can also put you at risk of buying the wrong gift. For Valentine’s Day, you want your partner to feel as special as possible.

To make sure you impress your loved one, here are 6 awesome Valentine’s gift ideas you should consider this year.

If you’re still dating…

Camera

If your girlfriend likes keeping memories, a good instant camera won’t fail you. Polaroid-style instant print cameras make a great choice since they have a vintage feel and they’re very portable. She can easily take her camera with her during trips. She can even take pictures of your special day together.

In case your girlfriend is into photography, you can give her something fancy, like a complete camera bundle. You can buy the items separately and just bundle them on your own or you can pick a store that sells camera-related products in packages.

Make sure that there’s an SD Card, tripod, extra battery and a case apart from the camera.

New makeup

Girls can’t resist makeup. Whether it’s another bottle of her favorite foundation or a set of limited edition lipsticks, you won’t have a hard time making her smile this Valentine’s Day.

When choosing makeup, make sure you know what your girlfriend’s skin type is. The right shade counts, too. These things are very important to consider, especially if you are planning to buy a face makeup. The last thing you want to happen is to buy an expensive foundation that’s several shades off.

For a safer choice, stick with an eye shadow pallet. Most pallets come with several shades she can use for work, special events and date nights. There are also lipstick pallets that go on sale during Valentine’s Day.

Pro-Tip: Ask her sister or friend to help you choose the right brand or shades if you’re unsure.

If you’re newly married…

Jewelry

Diamonds are women’s best friend. This, however, doesn’t mean that any kind of jewelry won’t make a good pal. Women like jewelry because they can add style and spice even to a plain and simple outfit.

Pearl jewelry, for example, makes a good choice since it reflects innocence. It can complete a woman’s classic look and may even produce a calming effect. The nice thing about pearls is that they come in a variety of colors and even sizes. Pick one that can reflect your partner’s unique personality.

Heart-shaped jewelry is also a good valentine’s gift. You can pick out the right metal and stone depending on her preference or personality. As for the base, find one that fits your budget. Gold is more durable and long-lasting but it tends to be expensive. Silver looks stylish and it’s more affordable.

A romantic getaway

Just because you’ve already tied the knot doesn’t mean that you can skip the romantic trips you used to take back then when you were still dating. The nice thing about being married when you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day is that it gives you more time to spend with your loved one. You should know her a little bit more, too.

You can go hiking, or book a vacation outside of the city or even out of the country. Imagine yourself sitting in a tropical beach on a warm and balmy day.

There are tons of packages available during Valentine’s Day so you won’t have a hard time finding one. The problem, however, is that a lot of people tend to book on the same season. To save yourself from the stress, decide early on the trip you want to take and book right away.

Apart from booking the trip, it’s a good idea to add in a few surprises, too. You can plan a romantic dinner or pack her favorite bottle of wine. You can call for room service and bring her breakfast in bed.

If you are already married for several years…

A planner

Whether your partner works a 9-to-5 job or she’s a full-time wife/mom, a planner would surely be a great help. It can help her keep track of important things, like your kids’ school play, meetings or due payments.

Apart from helping her remember things and plan her time better, a planner can also decrease her stress level. She can use it as a journal for venting out feelings. Planners are great for keeping memories as well. She can use it to track habits, too.

To make a simple planner more romantic this Valentine’s Day, sneak in a few surprises before you actually hand her the gift. You can block out specific dates in the calendar and plan something special for those days. You can write sweet notes on it, too.

At-home spa

If taking your wife on a spa getaway isn’t feasible, you can try recreating the same experience at home. A foot massage is the ultimate way to pamper her, and the Electronic Foot File with Diamond Crystals from Amopé makes it easy to give her a spa quality foot treatment in the privacy of your own home.

Add some candles and lotion and you have everything you need for a romantic night in. And the best part? This gift lasts long after roses have died and will become a staple in her beauty routine.

In preparing her home spa experience, make her as comfortable as possible by setting the right temperature. Don’t forget to put out warm fluffy towels, a clean robe and pair of slippers, too. Spritz some lavender scent in the air. You can even add some rose petals to make her feel that she is really in a spa salon.

This special day, make your beloved feel pampered, special, and loved. Remember… Happy wife, happy life.

Good luck and may your Valentine’s Day celebration be memorable and unforgettable.

 

The post 6 Best Valentine’s Gifts For Her This 2017 appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2kDLiP5

I have a good friend who recently received some bad news concerning his health. A couple of days later, this same friend bumped into a co-worker in the hallway at his office.

When my buddy asked his colleague how his day was going, the guy replied, “It’s OK, but I sure can’t wait until this week is over!”

My friend just nodded and walked back to his cubicle with tears in his eyes. He recognized himself in that sentiment and couldn’t count the number of times he’d wished his days away, just waiting for something better to come along.

What he wouldn’t give, he told me, if he could go back in time and really squeeze the most out of each day and drink in all it had to offer.

Every day is full of the opportunity to make yourself happy right where you are if you’ll only put forth the effort. And, by enabling yourself to enjoy the journey, you might be surprised by how much more productive you become in the process.

With that in mind, here are four ways you can make today a joy for yourself and for those around while also getting more done than you have in years.

Engage

Do you like meetings? If you do, you’re in the definite minority and may be already more contented at work than the average American.

Truth is, most people dread meetings like the tax man, and usually for good reason. Meetings often are boring, and they don’t do much to help you get your job done.

But there’s a little trick you can use to turn every meeting into a stimulating and enriching experience: actively engage.

That might sound corny and idealistic, but it’s a practical tactic that you can put to good use with just a few simple steps:

• Review the meeting agenda ahead of time. If the organizer doesn’t send an agenda, email him to ask for one or politely decline the meeting invite.
• Leave your electronic gadgets in your office. Do you really think you’re so important the world can’t survive an hour without your email replies?
• Arrive early and review the agenda again.
• Greet each meeting participant as they arrive.
• Watch each participant as they speak and try to get a read on their body language as they express their points. How engaged and passionate are they?
• Take notes.
• Add your two cents when you have something valuable to say.

Taken together, these steps won’t eat much more of your day than that hated meeting already would have, but they will make that time much more productive for you. You’ll come away with a better understanding of the issues discussed, you’ll feel like part of the process again, and you’ll strengthen connections with your co-workers.

This advice doesn’t apply to just meetings, either.

If you want to be happy where you are and when you are, make an honest effort to engage in what you’re doing throughout your day, both at home and at work.

See Also: 6 Ways Happiness Can Help You Be Better At Work 

Have a Goal

One of the best ways to engage your situation is to always have a goal for what you’re doing.

In that hypothetical meeting we discussed above, maybe your goal is to ask enough questions that your boss finally explains what he means by “failure is not an option.”

If you’re stuck doing yard work on a beautiful spring weekend, your goal might be to finish cleaning the flower gardens by Sunday afternoon so that next weekend is free.

Once you have a target in front of your face, work tends to go much faster. Even better, it’s infinitely more enjoyable to tackle a challenge in your job or at home than it is to just punch the clock and wait for the bell to save you.

Consider these two scenarios:

You come to work, sit down at your desk, check your email, maybe peck away at a few memos you need to write. If you’re lucky, you can waste enough time to get you to your 10-o’-clock coffee break and then maybe play solitaire until lunchtime.

OR

You come to work, sit down at your desk, and pull up your list of daily goals. The first one is to complete a memo to your boss about a big case you’re working on. You give yourself a deadline of Noon for finishing the report and then dive in to pull together the information you need and start writing

Now, which of the two mornings will make you feel more engaged in your job? Which will leave you with a feeling of accomplishment? And which do you think will go faster?

In almost every case, it’s the second scenario when you’re working toward a clear goal.

Whatever you’re doing, and whenever you’re doing it, set a goal of some sort. Even if you’re “just” mowing the lawn or reading a book, make sure you have a target or you’re just going through the motions.

And that’s a sure road to a gloomy disposition and wasted time.

Solve a Problem

Sometimes our jobs and our home life don’t present clear goals to us. In those cases, you might have to get creative.

For instance, some programming jobs I’ve had are cyclical in nature. The team might work on a project 60 hours a week for six months and then have a two-month stretch when we’re basically just minding the store.

There will be occasional break-fixes during this period, but no heavy-duty development is happening.

How do you stay engaged and set goals during this kind fo “down time”?

Easy … solve a problem!

No matter how bored you think you are or how convinced you are that all of your work is done, there is always a problem — somewhere — that needs your attention. They’re often insidious, too, because we find ways to work around them rather than address them, and that just lets them fester and grow.

For instance …

How about tackling that drippy faucet in your bathroom sink before it stains the basin any further?

Or maybe you could fix that funky display error you noticed on your company’s website a while back but that, for some reason, no one has reported — yet.

Or how about something bigger? You know how your teenage son seems to have grown moodier and very quiet in recent weeks? Maybe you should take him out for a run or to play some catch and see if you can break through that shell to find out what’s going on.

Problems come in all shapes and sizes, so you can start small if you’re intimidated. But actively working on the troubles in your life, whatever they may be, will engage you in the day like nothing else and help you build a happier, healthier future.

Be Grateful

Think back to the story of my friend at the beginning of this piece, and about how he wishes he could go back in time and drink in all the experiences that his job and his life afforded him rather than watching the clock tick away his life.

He wants to fix some of the things he’s done wrong in the past, sure, but he also just wants to the chance to relish the moments that he let slip by.

What he wishes more than anything, though, is that he would have been more grateful for the life he’s lived over these last several decades.

More grateful for his family.

More grateful for his job.

More grateful for his camping trips.

Even more grateful for the Saturday mornings when his wife dragged him into her volunteer activities.

He wishes for this chance at gratitude because he knows now that he won’t always have these things, that they could be gone tomorrow.

But you and I are in a better position than my friend. We have his experience to guide us, and we can learn the lesson from him that he wasn’t able to teach himself until it was, maybe, too late.

Just take a few minutes each day, perhaps in the morning when you rise or at night before you go to bed, to think about all the really good things in your life.

Your family, your job, your house, even your car and your iPad and crisp winter air on a cold January morning.

Make your gratitude more concrete by writing these things down. You can use a Google Doc or a spiral notebook or a cocktail napkin, but just the act of jotting down your blessings will make them more real to you.

Now, after you remind yourself how great it is to have a job in a safe, warm environment with interesting people and steady work, don’t you think it will be easier to enjoy your time in the office? Don’t you think you’ll get more done?

I sure do.

See Also: 9 Baby Steps To Happiness For The Naturally Gloomy 

It’s Later Than You Think

You’re going to die someday and when you do, it will be too late to fix any of the broken pieces you left behind.

It’s easy to get caught up in feeling the impositions of a demanding world and wish for the weekend to hurry up and get here. Or for school to finally be out. Or for the kids to go back to school after Christmas break.

But you don’t have to live this way, and wishing away your life won’t make you happier and it won’t make you more productive.

If you choose to engage in the here and now and relish the opportunities that each day presents, you can enjoy your life — the one you have right now — while moving toward a brighter future.

Don’t wake up one day and wish you had enjoyed the blessings you held in your fingers but were too busy complaining to notice.

 

The post 4 Ways to Enjoy Each Day and Do More With Your Life appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2kDfbzi

The brain is one of the most vital organs in the human body, and it is everyone’s responsibility to keep it in optimal condition. People race for time, information and money nowadays and some even cling to limitless brain pills out of their desire to perform better mentally. However, even with the desperation to become mentally infinite, there is little to no attention given to brain health.

There are many movements and advocacies done to help people lose weight and become more aware of their heart health. Less attention is given to brain health, yet more people are diagnosed with brain illnesses every year.

This increasing growth of brain illnesses is probably because brain damages mostly produce degenerative diseases that aren’t experienced in real time by individuals and the physical changes aren’t so visible. Nonetheless, there is a need for you to know how bad your day-to-day routine might be affecting your brain.

Excessive Coffee

The aroma, the richness and the taste. That’s how we usually start our day. Quitting coffee is probably the craziest thing a sane man would do. However, studies showed that coffee is only healthy when you take in 4 cups with only 100 mg caffeine content. Coffee is an incredibly rich source of antioxidants, however, drinking too much can result in brain damage.

Many people believe coffee to be their morning wake-up call in a cup. Coffee lovers believe that coffee can imbue them with superhuman thinking and wakefulness that help them finish a 4-hour workload much much faster. Unfortunately, that’s not true.

Coffee is not a limitless pill. What coffee does is to hinder your brain’s adenosine receptors to make your brain think that you’re still good for the day and you’re not sleepy yet despite your adenosine levels shouting that you are. Of course, this wears off, and people who need to stay up late drink more coffee to stay awake.

The effect of caffeine hinders or alters the standard brain mechanisms and the body develops tolerance to its effects resulting in coffee addicts drinking more to stay awake and active as they were before.

Frequent Headbutts

There’s nothing wrong with boxing or football except the fact that you have higher chances of headbutts. A lot of sports superstars and athletes lost their brain health at an earlier age because they neglected to take headbutts seriously.

Muhammad Ali and Freddie Roach (Manny Pacquiao’s coach), to name a few, have Parkinson’s disease because they retired a little too late. Numerous football players also developed CTE ( Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy), a progressive, degenerative disease that can be a product of head traumas such as headbutts and concussions.

Constant Exposure To Devices

“Is the drug from Limitless real?”

You may think staying in bed and googling all day is safe, but it’s not.

Constant exposure to devices also has its fair share of damage to the brain as research says. Technology has granted us the capability to be better multi-taskers. However, this caused a shorter span of attention even among adults. This chronic lack of focus is a result of a rewiring in the brain.

Getting used to instant gratification from being able to search things instantly actually rewires the brain and this results in a lack of focus and attention. Expect generation Z to be like this, though.

See Also: 4 Ways Technology is Gradually Ruining Humanity and How to Tackle it

Lack Of Sleep

Aside from cutting off years from your average life expectancy, lack of sleep also damages the brain. Sleeping is the body’s natural way to regenerate new cells even for the brain. Sleeping is also one way for the brain to develop new neural connections, to process the left-over information during the day which usually appears as dreams.

Sleeping is also the time when the brain develops plasticity in brain neurons, aside from brain stimulation. Mental flexibility helps protect the brain from degeneration and eventual cell loss.

Sleep is not just for the weak; it is for everyone.

See Also: Are You Sleep Deprived? 8 Health Risks Of Poor Sleep

Missing Breakfast And Insufficient Water Intake

Not eating breakfast is not just starving your tummy. It is also starving your brain. Lack of nutrients and enough energy to keep your body up and running for another busy day will make your brain work harder. Using your brain without getting enough nutrition is like expecting your car to run without enough gasoline.

Failing during exams is no surprise especially when you don’t usually eat breakfast to start your school day. If you don’t want to fall behind your colleagues when it comes to performance, you should eat your breakfast.

No breakfast, no work.

Another lingering concern that has been given little attention is the lack of water intake. Almost everyone doesn’t count how many of glasses of water they have taken for the day, and this is the reason why most are dehydrated but know nothing nor care about it.

The brain is more than 80 percent water, and having enough water to function, it will result to faster thinking, better focus, creativity, and clarity. The brain knows no other way to store water on its own, so it is important to stay hydrated all the time. Drinking enough water will help both your body and brain in all of their vital functions.

Overeating

In addition to the last item, overeating or binge eating is also not healthy for the human brain. Ever remember having a headache after a hearty meal?

Overeating slows your brain down, and this is why some people feel sleepy when they eat too much. Doing it on a regular basis can also become an addiction in the long run. Eating affects the brain reward system, which releases the hormone Dopamine, or the “feel good” hormone. If you overeat, the brain’s circuitry will change, and it will be difficult for you to control your eating habits.

Researchers think this is the reason why obese or overweight people find it hard to go on a strict diet.

Vices

Needless to say, there’s too much harm in illegal drugs and smoking.

Drug addiction in itself is a brain illness. Nicotine is addictive, and that addiction is a brain disease. Mood and anxiety disorders are said to tie in with drug and nicotine abuse. In fact, researchers think schizophrenia is highly related to smoking.

Although no study has confirmed this yet, we have heard of substance abusers seeing the devil in their mother’s face and what happened next is yours to imagine. Illegal drugs are not the pill from Limitless. It was either Modafinil or Donepezil.

Alcoholics are also subject to long-term brain damages. No one takes alcohol seriously because its effect seems instant and short term, however, there are a few studies that link alcohol to diminishing brain size which affects mental functioning.

Thiamine deficiency among heavy alcohol drinkers also leads to WKS or Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome which affects cognitive function, memory, learning ability, eye nerve paralysis and muscle coordination.

Too Much Sugar and Unhealthy Food

Just like any other drug, there is a need to regulate the use of sugar in every household, especially when you know excessive sugar is addictive. Sugar intake also signals the brain to release dopamine- the reward. The brain will think that this practice is something necessary for survival and will naturally make you desire for more.

People who have too much sugar will have insulin spikes and lows, which eventually makes a super perked person suddenly tired. The only way to become high again? Sugar. People think sugar to be the “new limitless pill,” but it’s not.

“Junk Foods” also have artificial sweetening and may have an excessive amount of sugar; even some cereals can be part of this category.

Lack Of Mental Stimulation

Yes, boredom kills. Lack of mental stimulation will cause brain cells to die faster. There is a need for your brain to develop plasticity to protect the brain from cell death in the future. Solving puzzles, doing a little arithmetic and chess can save you a ton of brain cells.

Researchers suggest that the lack of mental activity or stimulation is the cause of cognitive decline and even dementia. Depression is also highly related to lack of mental activity.

Exercise your brain! Sharpen your memory, solve problems, practice reason and logic, and read. Train your brain.

Lack Of Oxygen When Sleeping And Pollution

Air pollution also causes brain damage. Toxins that live in the city air kills brain cells as numerous studies suggest. Lead exposure, carbon monoxide poisoning, pesticides and mercury toxicity are just a few of the air pollutants that exists in big metros.

Covering your face while sleeping will also cause a severe lack of oxygen which will make the brain suffer. The brain needs oxygen to function, and without enough oxygen, in the bloodstream, it can cause instant brain cell death.

So sleep somewhere not too cold so you won’t have to cover your face when sleeping.

Takeaway

The brain is the body’s headquarters, and it has the chief function of maintaining balance and organization in the entire body. Taking care of the human brain should be on top of everyone’s list. Although the brain can still reproduce brain cells throughout its lifetime, there is no guarantee that the brain is going to replenish them as fast as we lose them.

If you think what you’re doing is not brain damaging, think twice.

 

The post 10 Brain Damaging Activities You Need To Stop Doing Now appeared first on Dumb Little Man.

http://ift.tt/2kmBV86