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Category: Tips

How To Use Facebook In A Healthy Way

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Facebook, when first introduced, was a great way to let your friends know what you were up to in college. Now, it’s something where everyone seems to be getting into arguments with people from the opposite side of the aisle and, quite frankly, has played a part in causing a rift between people around the world. Instead of jumping into the pile of arguments and breaking your mental health, instead opt to approach Facebook in a healthier way. To do that, we’ve come up with five steps to make sure you’re getting the most out of social media without it taking over your life.

5. Set a Limit

When setting a course of action on using Facebook the right way, you should first track how much time you’re spending on the app. If you are spending more than 30 minutes per day on social media, you’ll want to start cutting down immediately because that’s the maximum suggested by the Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. The best way to limit time is by turning off push notifications, instead catching up on everything during your designated Facebook time.

4. Know What You Want

You shouldn’t hop on Facebook without knowing exactly what it is you’re looking for in your session. People tend to lose track of time and just scroll with no end in sight, and this can turn into hours of browsing and poor mental health. Go on Facebook looking for a specific person’s post, to update your status, find something on the Marketplace, etc. It makes it much easier to be in and out when you have a plan of attack.

3. Cut the Friends List

One way to completely minimize your time on Facebook is by slashing your friends list and the amount of people that you follow. If you limit your friends list to only those that you know and talk to on a regular basis, then you’ll only be seeing what they post. If there’s a slow day where they don’t post anything, then your Facebook time will only be a few minutes, leaving you plenty of time to create your own memories to share.

2. Follow Positivity

There are some accounts that you should still follow, even if you don’t know them. That’s because they can give off a good vibe that you otherwise wouldn’t get on Facebook. You’ve probably seen the sports arguments that people get into on Facebook, but that’s nothing compared to political arguments. Try to steer clear of any political talk for your own time and sanity, instead focusing on short form videos with wholesome content.

1. Don’t Post Every Thought

Not everything that comes to your mind and not every photo that you take on your phone needs to go on Facebook. It’s not just a matter of oversaturating your profile with posts, but exposing too much of yourself. There have been countless people that have shared just a little too much and it came back to bite them. Whether it be something offensive from their younger days, pictures of them partying when they weren’t supposed to be, or even something more minor, you can share too much.

How To Cultivate A Healthy Approach To Instagram

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Instagram is a great way for us to share our finest photos, but just like any social media app or site, it can be addicting. People can spend several hours per day just scrolling through Instagram and posting photos of themselves, especially when trying to find the right filter. It’s important to not use Instagram as a full time job that you don’t even get paid to do, so focus on a healthier approach to the app. Here’s how to do just that in five easy steps:

5. Post Dump

You’re not trying to be the next Jenner, so you don’t have to take a photograph with your phone and think that it needs to go straight to Instagram. Instead of posting every photo as they happen, try to do a once a week photo dump. This will allow you to filter the photos that you actually want to share, and it will mean you’re spending a lot less time on Instagram and worrying about filters. All in all, you’ll save literal hours of your life by not posting in real time.

4. Don’t Compare Yourself

The dream for many is to become an Instagram influencer and post about life experiences such as travel, as well as expensive things that we purchased. Because of this, you’re only seeing the most lavish moments in peoples’ lives on Instagram, likely including your own. You shouldn’t spend time comparing your own life to others on the app and wish that that could be you. Studies have shown that this is terrible for your mental health, so only worry about you. With that said…

3. Try Not to Follow Celebs

Nobody is going to make you feel more inadequate than the top 1 percent of influencers on Instagram or those that are famous already without the app’s boost. If you’re following celebrities, make sure it’s because they’re posting content that’s actually interesting to you, such as behind the scenes footage and short funny videos. If you’re following them for their private jet or luxury car posts, it’s not going to be good for you.

2. Stop the Scroll

No matter how many people you’re following on Instagram, it literally will not end if you continue to scroll. They’ll find a way to suggest other accounts for you to follow. Because of this, it’s easy to continue to scroll through and start to randomly follow accounts that you don’t even know. You look up from the clock and realize that you’ve been scrolling for hours on end. When you pull up Instagram, try to only look at the top few posts in your feed and then stop.

1. Learn the Algorithm

Follow a lot of sports accounts? You can expect to see a lot more on your recommendations. The same goes for any category that can be tagged. Unfortunately, that can mean some pretty toxic stuff that gets plastered onto your feed even if you follow just one account out of spite. Make sure to clean up the list of people you follow so that you’re getting the most wholesome content on your feed. This also makes things better for your mental health and it doesn’t seem like the time spent on Instagram is wasted.

How To Make The Most of LinkedIn For Your Job Search

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Long gone are the days where you asked to talk to a manager at a random company you wanted to work for, shake hands and fill out a one page paper application. Now, you have to play the recruiting game, and a big part of that is through LinkedIn. Around 125 million people per year land interviews thanks to the job networking site, and about 35 million landed jobs because of their profiles. Do you want to land your dream job without having to actively apply left and right? Here’s how to make the most of your LinkedIn profile when job searching.

5. Set Your Status

Are you currently searching for a job, but haven’t gotten any emails from recruiters on LinkedIn? That’s because your profile might not be popping up for them when they’re searching for new candidates due to your settings. You can change your work status through LinkedIn in just a couple of easy clicks. First, click on your profile picture, then select view profile. From there, click the ‘open to’ button on the introduction card, then select ‘finding a new job.’ Voila, recruiters will now be able to see that you’re ready to work.

4. Bio Essentials

By nature, humans are very visual creatures, and that includes those working in the recruiting field. Because of this, you’ll want to make sure that your bio on LinkedIn actually stands out. This means taking a nice, professional looking photograph to use as your primary profile picture, as well as a good background image to capture attention. You should also include a good summation of your work history without overusing the buzzwords that we’ve all come to be annoyed with over the years.

3. Detailed Experience

While you may have captured a recruiter’s attention with your bio, there’s nothing they love more than reading every minutiae of experience that you have. It doesn’t matter if you worked at a fast food joint, recruiters want to know exactly what you did while working there, what kind of awards you received and what you can bring to the table. This includes your educational experience, too. Don’t leave any details out as you’ll be able to fit into more spots and make the recruiting process much easier.

2. Link Everything

If you have links to anything, you’ll want to include them on your LinkedIn profile. This is especially true for those that are working in creative fields like graphic design. Recruiters are going to ask for your portfolio at one point or another, so it’s best to include that in your profile and skip the hassle. Links are also great if there is a news story about you, even if it’s on a local scale. This is tangible evidence of your accomplishments that don’t need to be researched.

1. Proofread

Finally, and this is probably the most important detail, make sure to proofread everything on your profile. Recruiters are instantly turned off with spelling and grammatical errors, and having to try to piece together details that may have been left out is time consuming. Even if you have to have someone else read your profile for you, it’s worth it in the long run as you’re setting yourself up for success and a new job.

Don’t Let The Bed Bugs Bite: 5 Steps To Take If You’re Feeling The Pinch Of Bed Bugs

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While they might carry a stigma of someone living in a dirty home, bed bugs are so common that they affect more people than you might think. With one out of every five households getting bed bugs at some point, you’re likely to run into this problem, even if you’re just staying in a hotel. So what do you do when bed bugs invade your home? There are some simple steps to take to make sure that the problem goes away quickly and allows you to keep all of your furniture and clothing.

5. Locate the Source

Since bed bugs are so small, they can hide pretty much anywhere, unfortunately. Still, you will want to do your best to try and find the source of the problem. Identify areas that may have black droppings or smear marks, as well as the small eggs and blood stains. The bugs may also be large enough to the point where you can see them. Some of the areas where bed bugs like to hang out are in power outlets, your bed frame and other furniture in the room.

4. Quick Containment

Once you’ve identified the source, your next step is to vacuum anywhere that you’ve found a strong infestation, as well as any places where there may be smaller infestations. Areas that you’ll want to check out include your dresser and even the television stand if you have one in your room. Make sure the vacuum collection is sealed and thrown in the trash, while items such as clothes and towels should be vacuumed and washed immediately on high heat.

3. Declutter

It may have been a while since you tidied up your room, but it’s something that you’ll have to do to eliminate bed bugs and prevent them from coming back. Declutter the best that you can, and anything that can be sealed in a plastic bag should be sealed. Allow these items to sit in bags for a couple of weeks as the bed bugs will die and won’t be able to spread. You’ll give them fewer hiding spots overall in the process.

2. Eliminate

Now you’ll want to work on killing the bed bugs, and there are specific ways to do so. Some forms of killing are actually illegal and potentially dangerous, so look for EPA approved bed bug pesticides during this process. If you don’t want to go the chemical route, and we don’t blame you, using both head and cold are also effective, but heat will be easier. Using a steam cleaner with a diffuser is the most effective treatment, and anything that was sealed in a bag can be thrown in the dryer on high heat.

1. Evaluate/Contact Professional Help

You might not be out of the woods yet after killing the bed bugs as there could be a hidden infestation. For that reason, keep monitoring the situation for up to seven days. If there are no more bed bug bites, you likely fixed the issue. If not, then contact a professional exterminator to evaluate once more as there could be some areas you missed out on the first time.

5 Tips For Entering The Job Market After University

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You’ve spent the last four (probably) years working on your degree, but now the time is coming to finally walk across that stage and grab your diploma. Everything is going right for now, but there’s something else to start thinking about when your time on a college campus is finished: finding a job. Almost right away after you leave campus, the student loans are going to be due, and you need to make sure you’re getting the ball rolling on your career. To do that, follow these five tips for entering the job market after university.

5. Don’t Stress

First and foremost, you shouldn’t panic if you don’t find a job immediately. Sure, there are some majors that offer internships that allow students to have a job. Some of these majors have recruiters coming to college campuses quite frequently, but it’s not vital to have something right away. Instead, it’s better to line up something that you feel is a good fit instead of just diving head first into the first job offer that you get. It may be something that you don’t like and you can find yourself stuck before you even get started. Take some time to recharge your batteries if you need to.

4. Make More Than One Resume

Resumes are perhaps the most important thing that you can have with you when applying for jobs. However, there’s not just one catch-all resume that you should have for every application. Instead, tailor multiple resumes, one for each field that you’re considering. You wouldn’t want to spend too much time on your resume talking about your experience on campus in the science lab when you’re applying to be a sportswriter. The same can also be said for your cover letter as it needs to be as job specific as possible.

3. Alumni Are Key

Hopefully you spent your time on campus connecting with the alumni network of your school. Even if you didn’t, it’s not too late. You can always connect with fellow alumni to help hook you up with a job. Online, you’ll be able to find your school’s database of alumni and see which ones could potentially be your boss or at least give you a good recommendation. After all, it never hurts to simply ask.

2. Go Premium

No other platform has been as good as LinkedIn when it comes to finding the right people for the right job, and this is especially true for recent college graduates. While still on campus, fill out a LinkedIn profile and make sure that it’s well polished. Set yourself to ‘looking for work’ and you’ll be contacted by recruiters while also allowing you to connect with people through networking (especially if you have a premium account).

1. Work on Interview Skills

There are so many people that are worried about the application process itself that they don’t consider what happens when they get an invitation for an interview. Try some mock interviews while you’re still on campus with a career advisor and hone your skills. The resume is what unlocks the door, but the interview is what really lands you the job. Even if you have to practice in a mirror or with your friends, simply knowing what to say during an interview is vital and can make or break your career.

5 Unbelievable Facts About Birds

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Birds are truly amazing creatures, and ones that we encounter every day. There are around 18,000 species of birds, all with their own little quirks that make them unique. Between their vision, appearance, ability to fly, and much more, birds are as fascinating as they come. But out of the 50 billion birds that we share this planet with, which ones are the most unique? Here are some facts about birds that you have to see to believe.

5. Teeth Aren’t Teeth

In sort of the same way that you feel when someone tells you that rabbits lay eggs, you have to second guess what you just heard when someone says that birds have teeth. It just sounds like it’s possible, right? Well, it’s not a crazy thought, as there are several species of birds that at least appear to have teeth. However, those aren’t teeth that you’re seeing from birds like the Double-toothed Kite. Instead, these are ridges in the beaks that give off the unique appearance.

4. Poisonous Bird

When you think of poisonous animals, you’re probably thinking of snakes, scorpions or spiders. Birds are nowhere close to that list, but there is one type of bird that is actually toxic. This bird is the hooded pitohui, and thankfully for most of the world, it’s only found in New Guinea. The hooded pitohui looks like a common oriole and is found mostly in hills, and were found to be toxic back in 1990 due to a neurotoxin in their skin. With that said, it’s probably not a good idea to grab a bird anyway, but especially in New Guinea.

3. Eyes Are Smiling

If we were to ask you what land animal has the largest eyes, you would probably guess an elephant, rhinoceros, or something along that line. However, the largest eyes belong to the ostrich, which measure in at an average of 5 centimeters in diameter. An ostrich eye is so large, in fact, that they’re bigger than their brains. Bonus fun fact about bird eyes; owls don’t actually move their eyes, but instead move their heads around to see, which explains the impressive range they have.

2. Humming a Tune

Perhaps no single bird has as many fun intricacies as the hummingbird. Hummingbirds are the smallest of their species, and the only birds that can actually fly backwards. These little guys can travel over 500 miles in just one flight and don’t tend to land much as their super small legs only allow them to stand still for so long. Hummingbird hearts also work faster than just about anything, pumping out over 1,200 beats per minute during flight.

1. Beware of Cat

More than any other animal in the kingdom, the average cat poses the biggest threat to bird populations. If you’ve ever had a cat, you know it’s their natural instinct to find and chase birds. They’ll make that cute little weird noise when they see one and will be locked in visually. When cats are outdoors, they take it to the next level, and in the United States alone, more than 2.4 billion birds meet their maker each year thanks to furry felines.

Make Money Online: 5 Best Opportunities For Budding Online Entrepreneurs

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In today’s world, making money online is more possible than ever before. With so many different avenues to explore, there is a world of opportunity for the online-focused entrepreneur. Additionally, these online business ventures can help you make the money of your dreams.

In this post, we’ll discuss 5 money-making ideas for online entrepreneurs.

Online Coach or Consultant

Do you specialize in a certain skill or offering? If so, you could earn a lot from being an online coach, trainer, or consultant. People are constantly looking to gain new skills and advance in their careers, and you can help in the process! Furthermore, people pay top dollar for the right training course or service, and there’s also a high demand for these professionals.

One key to being successful as an online consultant or coach involves specializing in a specific niche. Whether it’s woodworking, drone racing, or accounting, it’s essential to find a particular area of interest and specialty.

Affiliate Marketing

Affiliate marketing is one of the leading ways to make money online in today’s market. One reason being is that it’s fairly easy to get started—and doesn’t take a hefty investment.

In simple terms, affiliate marketing involves selling other people’s goods online. For example, if you run a blog about coffee, your site may include links to businesses selling coffee makers. If the reader clicks on one of these affiliate links and eventually makes a purchase, the blog owner receives a small commission. While the pay for each order isn’t substantial, it can add up quickly if there are several purchases. And best of all, affiliate marketing allows you to make money while you sleep!

Selling Goods

Selling goods can become a lucrative online business. This can involve making your own handmade goods or reselling items you purchase. Additionally, there is a massive market for these kinds of businesses. You also have the ability to sell a wide variety of items. Many sellers will post products directly on their own website, including sites like eBay and Etsy.

SAAS—Software As A Service

Creating and designing useful software can make you a lot of money while working from home. You can become a software developer yourself or outsource the work to an app developer, helping to grow and scale your business. Furthermore, you can sell your SAAS (Software As A Service) as a subscription, leading to a constant stream of revenue.

Digital Marketing Services

As more organizations are looking for digital marketing expertise, this is a great opportunity to become an online digital marketing professional.

Here are some of the areas involved in digital marketing:

  • Search engine optimization
  • Graphic design
  • Social media management
  • Website creation
  • Content management

If you’re not experienced with the specialties above, it’s very possible to outsource your work to freelancers. This approach allows you to build a team of industry professionals to scale your online business.

Making money online might seem like a steep mountain to climb, but it’s a lot easier than you think. All it takes is research, dedication, and the willingness to learn!

5 Energy-Saving Tips When Heating Your Home

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In many homes, heating and cooling are the biggest monthly expenses after paying for the home itself. For that reason, you’ll make a big dent in your monthly budget by learning how to save energy with these 5 energy-saving tips.

1. Seal Windows and Doors

Most of the heat your home loses goes out of doors and windows. Reduce this first by opening each of these only when you have to. Second, check for drafts and seal them up.

Feel around them while closed to see if you feel cold air coming in. That is actually heat escaping. It always moves toward the coldest place. 

Consider caulking, weather-stripping, and other solutions. Adding some heavy curtains can further reduce heat loss, especially if you have thin window panes.

2. Get the Most of Solar Energy

You don’t have to get solar panels for this one. If it’s not bitterly cold outside, any direct sun can heat up the window glass and room faster than you lose heat. This is true even when the sky is gray. 

In the Northern Hemisphere, a south-facing window will get the most direct sun during the winter. But be sure to close the curtains at night to avoid negating the effect.

3.  Acclimate Yourself 

Did you ever wonder how people who live in sub-tropical climates can handle all that heat and humidity? The body learns to regulate its comfort level based on what it’s used to. 

As the winter months approach, begin allowing yourself to be a little cold. Maybe, don’t pull the scarves and coats out of storage as soon as you normally would. Spend a little more time outside as the chill fills the air. Resist the temptation to bundle up or run inside to a toasty fire. 

Now, as the days get even colder, you’ll feel very comfortable at a lower room temperature. 

4. Dress for the Season

When you were a child and complained you were cold to a teacher or parent, chances are they told you to dress more warmly. What you wear matters.

You don’t have to go as far as wearing your full coat, hat, and gloves indoors. Simply, choosing to wear only long-sleeved shirts and pants can make a huge difference.

5. Don’t Adjust the Temperature to Comfort

This one sounds totalitarian. But it’s not as bad as you might think. 

Many people have a habit of constantly adjusting the thermostat when they feel a chill.

It’s horrible on your heating bill. Instead of holding a fairly steady temperature, the heater must use a lot more energy at once to achieve a new goal. Except, every time it reaches its goal, you change it.

That’s not fair!

Room temperatures naturally rise and fall slightly. Your skin can notice these subtle shifts. And before more modern ways of heating a room, people may have adjusted their clothing layers or warmed themselves by moving around.

If your first instinct is to adjust the room temperature, stop, think, and replace this habit with one that doesn’t raise your energy costs. 

 

 

5 Principles For Better Decision Making

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Good decision-making skills can impact all aspects of your life. These tools will help you manage life professionally and personally– and not only about whether or not you should get the new iPhone. Whether you want to decide what subject to study in college or need to make a life-changing decision for your family, you know that decisions can have a big impact on the trajectory of your life. Fortunately, we have 5 tips to help you make better decisions in any aspect of your life.

Identify the precise problem you need to solve

Start by identifying exactly what the problem is and outlining precisely what your choices are. This will help you zero in on the question at hand, rather than allowing your thoughts to spiral to related questions and problems.

As you note your problem, also write down how you will know when the problem is solved. You want this process to have a starting and stopping point. For example, if you want to decide on your college major, you do not need to plan your entire career trajectory at the same time. Know what your focus will be for this decision-making exercise. 

Know your goals related to the problem

After you determine your precise problem, now you need to determine what you want to achieve with your desired outcome. This will help you look towards the future and determine precisely how this question will impact you moving forward. It will help you remain focused on your goals so that you have your priorities in order as you make your decision. 

Arm yourself with knowledge and insight

Next, start to gather the information you need to make a good decision. To use the example of selecting a college major again, you might research the type of work you want to do and what people typically study to enter these fields. If you know anyone who has worked in your targeted fields, you might also ask them personally what they studied in school and if they felt it prepared them well for their chosen field.

Speak to people experienced in the dilemma surrounding your decision, gather relevant research, and begin to evaluate your problem in light of the information you gather. Some people might find it helpful to make charts and lists to organize their thoughts as they gather this information. 

Manage your stress levels

You also want to make sure you evaluate your options calmly and rationally. This will be challenging to accomplish if you let yourself get particularly stressed about the decision. Therefore, you need to make sure you manage your stress levels. If you find yourself starting to feel stressed, then use calming mechanisms, such as spending time outside or going for a walk to clear your mind. You will make the best choices when you feel calm. 

Take your desired action

Once you have properly evaluated your options, make the best decision you can. However, your process is not yet over. Monitor the outcome of your decision and see how well the choice you made allows you to reach your targeted goals. You can then use this insight in future decision-making.

Keeping these tips in mind can help you make better decisions that will guide you towards your future goals.

10 Popular Pick-Up Lines You Probably Shouldn’t Actually Try In Real Life

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Pick-up lines can be stupid, funny, and occasionally effective. Where the 2020s require greater authenticity, we often think of the 80s and 90s when remembering the hilarity of using pick-up lines. Anyone that ever watched Friends or Seinfeld remembers some epically funny pick-up lines.

Here’s a classic. George from Seinfeld goes up to a woman at the diner and says, “Excuse me, I couldn’t help but notice you looked in my direction.” The woman says, “Yes, I was looking at your food. You ordered the exact same thing as me.” George thinks for a second and replies, “My name is George, I’m unemployed, and I live with my parents.”

So there are many pick-up lines that might be just as bad, and you probably shouldn’t try them. In that Seinfeld episode, George is successful, making it hilarious, but don’t expect any of these next ten to go well.

Is your name Google? Because you have everything I have been searching for.

OK, it’s a little nerdy and certainly bold, but it makes you cringe, right? There is a slight chance it’d work for online dating instead of the totally horrific “Hi,” but it’s still a very slight chance. 

I’ve lost the loving feeling. Will you help me find it again?

Using a Righteous Brothers song that was used as a pick-up line in Top Gun? No! Singing it like Top Gun? An even bigger no. Don’t expect this to go well unless your target has no clue about Top Gun.

I’m glad I have my library card because I’m totally checking you out.

Think about a guy with his disco shirt unbuttoned halfway down, chest hair peaking out, or a skateboarder that isn’t too bright in an early 90s movie. Do you have the vision yet? Yeah, that’s the same one she’ll have and that’s not a positive thing guys.

For the ladies, this could work on a guy. No male ego can resist being checked out.

If women were boogers, I’d pick you first.

Does this even need a comment? No it does not.

Baby, If we came to some agreement you’d be the fine print.

It could take the object of your affections a few seconds to associate fine print with fine. Not good. You need an immediate laugh. Also, it might be a little early for “baby” unless you are at a disco in 80’s Miami.

You’re so sweet; you’re giving me a toothache.

What’s a possible response to this? “How do you know I’m sweet?” It could work after chatting for a while though.

Do you know what’s on the menu? Me ‘N’ U.

Oh, it’s so bad. Doesn’t it make your soul ache that someone might say that? Also, if you say this, how does anyone know it’s the letters N and U?

Well, here I am. What are your other two wishes?

One possible answer is, “That you go away, arrogant fool.” Alladin will fulfill that.

The outfit looks great on you. It’d look even better at the foot of my bed.

No! Never! If you get slapped, don’t say you weren’t warned.

You know, I’m not really this tall. I’m just sitting on my wallet.

Unless you’re short and drinking the cheapest beer in the bar, this line only says arrogant and focused on all the wrong things. Abort, abort, abort!

Well, those are just ten of the worst. Indeed, it could go on and on. We are in an era of more sincerity and value, but flattery is still effective. Maybe tone it down a bit and just say, “You’ve caught my attention and I’d love to get to know you.”