“Put a coat on or you’ll catch cold.”
“You can’t go outside with wet hair, you’ll get sick.”
Are these old sayings true?
How can sickness have a season?
With all of us trying to dodge getting a cold or the flu (we’re borderline successful so far – it’s iffy, though), we do everything we can do avoid it. What are we actually trying to avoid?
Watch the video and you’ll learn more about getting a cold or the flu in three minutes than you will in a college course.
Okay, maybe a bit dramatic but there is a lot of great information.
It’s extremely frustrating when you find the time to clean and organize only to have it all back to what it was within 24 hours.
Organized spaces seem to be a magnet for family members. It’s as if it’s screaming, “Look at how clean and tidy I am! Please use this time to place everything you’ve been carrying around right here.”
Life can get away from us so by just creating these 9 habits, you’ll free up a lot of time for yourself and feel a bit more sane. Plus, you won’t have to set aside time to organize because it will look like that most of the time.
Sounds like a dream, doesn’t it? It will take some time to get used to but you can definitely do it.
- Keep an updated calendar.
When you hear of someone’s birthday, you plan a lunch date or your kids have a school function, IMMEDIATELY put it in a calendar. Whether you are using your phone, your email program or a paper calendar, write it down. This way, you won’t be caught off guard or, worse, forget about it.
- Create a schedule and stick to it.
Creating a schedule rids your brain of the chaos because you know you’ll complete your tasks and you also know when they will be completed. Sticking to this schedule is crucial. Productivity is key…not procrastination.
- Have a place for everything and put everything in its place.
Everything in your life has a “home”. These “homes” have to make sense. This means the most used items are more accessible than the rarely used items which can be stored away. As if it would get lonely away from home, return it to where you found it once you’re finished with your item.
- Create a purging schedule.
No matter how organized you are, things just seem to collect. It’s as if the clutter monster sneaks into your house when you aren’t looking and shoves things away. Schedule regular times to go through papers and items that are piling up. Focus on the high traffic areas. Chances are, you’ll find a lot of stuff you don’t need.
- Don’t over-commit yourself.
With all that is on your plate, it may seem like you can do it all but you can’t. In a life of choosing priorities, keep in mind that signing up for anything and everything just takes away from your personal time, family time and even sanity. Be involved, sure, but don’t create situations where it’s completely up to you to make things happen all the time. There is enough pressure at home and work for that sort of thing. Delegate like crazy.
- Designate social media times.
When you are working, it will take you more than three times longer to complete a task if you’re checking Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, etc, etc. Figure out your task, complete it and then move on to social media. If you can close your email at this time, that’s one less distraction.
- Maintain clutter-free zones.
Stairways, counter tops, desks and tables tend to attract clutter because it’s very easy to set things down that you will “get to later”. Once you set something down, you have created an attractive area for clutter. If it’s more than just you living in your home, you’ve unknowingly given the “okay” to set things down in the same place.
- Avoid the word “miscellaneous”.
When creating file labels, avoid labeling “miscellaneous”. You’ll shove the papers you don’t know what to do with in this section, forget they are there and then spend far too much time looking for them when you do need them. Just create another folder for this paper…even if there’s just one piece.
- Stay on top of it.
When you are in a room, take a look around and see if everything is picked up and in it’s place. Don’t get all OCD but do it enough to where you aren’t having to dedicate serious cleaning time later. See a toy on the ground? Is there a paper randomly placed? Did something tip over? Fix it quickly. Another good idea is to clean while you cook. It’s less overwhelming to have a few dishes to wash after your meal than the entire collection you just dirtied and let sit.
Do you have anything else to add that is working for you? Comment below.
This was me. Until about an hour ago.
I was sitting in the same clothes I slept in, my hair was on top of my head (okay, it still is), my house was a mess, I have things to do more than I have time in a day and I was literally frozen in place.
This happens more than I care to admit.
My “thing” when I feel overwhelmed is to look in one direction toward something I need to complete and say, “Okay.” I’ll turn around and see another project and say it again… “Okay.” This will happen about 20 more times and it accomplishes nothing.
Have you ever felt this way?
It seems that September is the month that kicks us into a speed of about 500 miles an hour and it doesn’t stop until January. The chores, holidays, events and activities start coming in a lightning speed and unless you’re on your game, this will send you into a cell with padded walls.
Let’s control our chaos.
But how?
Get up and do something. It doesn’t have to be something huge. Your goal is to look for something that will provide a sense of accomplishment. It has a starting point and an ending point in a short amount of time.
MAKE A LIST
Just start writing. Unload what’s on your mind. This doesn’t have to be in order, all under the same topic or even written well. The goal is to get that clutter out of your head and on paper. You can go back and sort it out later.
ORGANIZE A SMALL SPACE
Whether it’s your shower, the bottom of your closet, the silverware drawer or the spice cabinet. Tackle a small space that, everytime you go back to it, you feel a sense of accomplishment. Once you get started on your small space, you’ll get the drive to do other things. Tip: Set a timer. Don’t let this take you all day. It’s a small space and should take a small amount of time. If it feels like it’s too in depth, move on to something else. For now, at least.
WRITE A SCHEDULE
I’ve been talking to so many people who have all their days filled with sports, activities, club meetings, organization and travel. It gets so nuts. Start jotting it down in a calendar and make a schedule. Once you know when things are happening, your brain will start to sort it out, too. Place your important dates where they belong and back track a week or two and set yourself a reminder that your important date is approaching. This way, you aren’t caught off guard.
COMPLETE A CHORE
At my house, the laundry is the one thing I never keep up with. It is typically washed and dried but then it’s stacked up on the table in my laundry room neatly folded in half to avoid wrinkles…until my husband or son goes to look for the worlds smallest item within the stack. Then it topples. Taking the time to hang, fold and put away laundry is almost impossible. The funny thing is: Once I do it, I feel so much better. For you… find a chore that is nagging at you. What has a starting point and ending point and will make you feel better once accomplished? Do that thing.
SPRUCE UP YOUR HOME
If the inside is just too much right now, go outside. How about adding a festive wreath or swapping out your summer flowers for something more fall-like (or whatever season you wish)? There’s a definite sense of pride when you drive up to your home and you see colorful flowers and decor. Everything feels so tidy and put together. Just don’t invite anyone in.
Are you rolling your eyes right now? Just like working out, you’ll feel better afterwards.
My son has been a total butthead lately. Yes, I meant to write that. No, I’m not sorry. It’s amazing how you can love someone so much your heart feels like it’s going to burst into a million pieces but at the same time can feel so frustrated by their actions. My son started kindergarten and has been telling his teacher that he’s too tired to work on his writing. I’m talking a full-on debate. Thankfully, his teacher is amazing and doesn’t play his games. My son may be tired by the end of the day but what on EARTH are you thinking telling your teacher that?
In an effort to get my son on track (without nagging), we created a magnet chart together.
Why not stickers?
I didn’t want to make one thing and be able to use it for just one purpose. I wanted to be able to add to, take from and edit when the mood strikes. Plus, this won’t be the only time my son will be in need of some sort of reward system.
This board lives on our refrigerator and it was the EASIEST thing to make. Plus, it cost us less than 10 for everything.
- Magnetic whiteboard. We found ours at the grocery store in the clearance back to school items. Don’t pay a ton for it.
- Decorative buttons. I used wire clippers to clip the loop off each button to make the back flat.
- Magnets. I hot glued these to the back of the decorative buttons as well as the whiteboard (if no magnets are already there)
- Wet Erase. These are dry erase pens that flow like liquid chalk pens. They are vibrant and are easier to read.
Each great report sent home from my son’s teacher earns one magnet. 10 magnets equals a toy. We are four days into this whole project. As you can see, we’re at two magnets.
I need a drink.
Obviously a work in progress.
Sh*t happens. It just does. It can happen at home, at work, on a first date or when you least expect it. You’re human. Most people don’t talk about it – that makes me laugh. I’m soooooo not the type of person to be embarrassed about potty talk but I also don’t want the reality of people knowing when I did it.
How many of you non-potty talkers are squirming right about now? Are you reading this in a Starbucks or at work and constantly looking over your shoulder to see who is seeing you read this?
Well, I’m writing it in a Starbucks. Make you feel better?
Back to topic…
For Christmas, my in laws bought me a spray called “Poo-Pourri” that masks the stinky poo 100%. It’s seriously the most amazing thing ever invented! I went online to buy out every scent available but it’s some pricey stuff. Remind me to thank my in-laws, again, for dropping $15 on poo spray. It has saved lives. I’ll let them know that, too.
When on a budget, resort to DIY.
We are now sharing with you our version of poo spray called SMELLY POO!
It’s so easy, it’s ridiculous. You need essential oils, a small spray bottle and some water. We have included all supplies (with a bunch of options) in our store HERE so you can have it all sent to your house at once. We’re doing this because you can make an infinite number of scent varieties for so little. Christmas presents, anyone?
In more detail…
1. SPRAY BOTTLE
Use a 5 oz-ish bottle to follow the “recipe”. As you can see, this is very specific.
2. WATER
I’m choosing to use distilled water. The “recipe” calls for 8 oz.
3. ESSENTIAL OILS
The actual “recipe” suggest 10 drops each of Bergamont, Grapefruit and Lemongrass oils
.
“MAKE YOUR OWN “SMELLY POO”
What about a holiday blend? You can go all fall-like and spice it up or create a perfect Christmas scent. No, I’m not kidding. How amazeballs would that be?
“Who, me? No, I was just in the restroom freshening up.
You’ll notice the fresh holiday scent.”
We also have summer scents, a box of “favorites” and more in our STORE.
INSTRUCTIONS FOR USE:
When you head into the restroom to…um… “freshen up” spray one or two spritzes of your new SMELLY POO!
KEEP THE STENCH CONTAINED
Here’s the deal: When you go to the bathroom and flush, the particles escape the toilet and dissipate into your air. Your BREATHING air. Gross, right? The scent goes with it. If you create a solid barrier (whether it’s SMELLY POO, your rear or the lid of the toilet), stop those particles from escaping. Don’t let the world know your secret – you are human and you actually poo.
I have always wanted to know more about football because I love everything that surrounds it. A few years back, I was working in morning radio and we had Joe Theismann come in studio. Joe FREAKING Theismann. Even though I knew about a half a thing about football, I knew this guy’s name. Well, I knew he’d had an epic leg break in the middle of a game. WATCH:
How can you do an interview with such a huge name in football and know NOTHING other than what a touchdown is!? You are honest with him, that’s how. Joe came in studio; I tried on his giant Superbowl rings, he taught me a thing or two, and then gave me his book.
I remember nothing.
I’m too visual to read a book about this nonsense. However, when it comes to tailgate time, I wanna be wearing team colors and drinking beer from a red solo cup.
So…let’s break it down right quick. I’m no pro but I am connected with people who DO know their football. Thank you to my husband Jeff, my step-dad Paul and my mom’s friend Pat Johnson.
We can cover the basics so you don’t look like an idiot this fall.
STARTING FROM THE BEGINNING:
Football is played on a FIELD while wearing UNIFORMS.
Both teams play OFFENSE and DEFENSE. The ball determines who is playing which “side”. The team currently with the ball (trying for a touchdown) is OFFENSE.
The team trying to get the ball from the other team so they don’t score is DEFENSE (protecting the end zone – see TERMS DEFINED for definitions).
Basically, while facing the LINE OF SCRIMMAGE, the player’s butts point to the side of the field they don’t want the others to get to.
The guys wearing stripes are the GAME OFFICIALS commonly referred to as REFEREES. However, there is technically only one referee. During a game, there are SEVEN REFEREES on the field. They are as follows:
- Referee (he is the crew chief and is often called the head referee)
- Umpire
- Head linesman
- Line judge
- Back judge
- Side judge
- Field judge
FUN FACT: A woman named Sarah Thomas, who is a mother of three, is in line to become the first ever female referee.
P.S. The dude in the picture is not the woman I was referencing.
WHERE THE PLAYERS STAND AND WHAT THEY DO:
OFFENSE:
- QUARTERBACK: He’s the leader. He is in charge of calling the plays, he’s the one standing up yelling to the other team members when everyone else is hunched over facing the line of scrimmage, he is the one who receives the “hiked” ball from the center. Once the quarterback receives the ball, he has three options. 1. Run with the ball. 2. Throw the ball to any receiver. 3. Hands the ball to the running back. This is all according to the play he just shouted out.
- CENTER: He’s the one in the, get this…center. He “hikes” or “snaps” the ball to the quarterback. The center is always the one who has the ball on every play. It starts with him.
- RUNNING BACK: Also known as TAILBACKS, RUSHERS AND HALFBACKS. Other than exhausted and beat up, the running back does exactly what his name says…he runs with the football toward the end zone.
- FULLBACK: He blocks for the running back and protects the quarterback so he can pass the ball if he chooses. These dudes are the big ones. If needed, they can run for short yardage and receive the ball.
- WIDE RECEIVER: He catches the football and avoids all the guys defending him. Up to four wide receivers are used on every play.
- TIGHT END: He can catch and he can block. When looking for this player, you can spot him to the right or left of the quarterback just beside the offensive tackle.
- LEFT GUARD/RIGHT GUARD: These are the two guys on the line closest to the center. They block and protect the quarterback and anyone carrying the ball.
- LEFT TACKLE/RIGHT TACKLE: These guys can be found on the outside of the offensive line. They are big dudes, too.
THESE ARE THE GUYS YOU HAVE TO GET THROUGH TO SCORE:
DEFENSE:
- DEFENSIVE TACKLE: Their sole purpose is to stop a running play or run through an opening in the offensive line to distract or disrupt the quarterback or any set formation. Oooh, something shiny!
- DEFENSIVE END: Look at the defensive line. Then, look at the outer two guys. This is your defensive END (get it?). These guys work together to tackle anyone carrying the ball. They are also the guys who pressure the ball holder out of bounds.
- LINEBACKER: There are up to four of these guys on every play. They line up behind the linemen and tackle like crazy.
- SAFETY: These guys are the last line of defense.
- CORNERBACK: These guys aren’t in the tight formation facing the line of scrimmage, they are the ones who seem to be wandering about the field. They keep receivers from catching passes.
TERMS AND DEFINITIONS
FOOTBALL “TALK”:
- HUDDLE: The circle of guys on offense or defense that are being told what the next play is.
- LINE OF SCRIMMAGE: Where the ball is placed on the field. The offense lines up on one side and the defense on the other
- SNAP: The action in which the ball is hiked (tossed between the legs) by the center to the quarterback, to the holder on a kick attempt, or to the punter. When the snap occurs, the ball is officially in play and action begins.
- KICKOFF: A free kick (the receiving team can’t make an attempt to block it) that puts the ball into play. A kickoff is used at the start of the first and third periods and after every touchdown and successful field goal.
- FAIR CATCH: The player receiving the punt can wave his hand in the air (so the other team doesn’t kill him). After signaling for a fair catch, a player can’t run with the ball and can’t be tackled, either.
- DOWN: The time when the ball is in play. Once the play is over (action stops), the down is complete. The offense gets four downs. If they haven’t moved 10 yards, the offense is done with their attempt to score. A lot of times, a punt will happen on the fourth down. If the offense is successful in moving 10 yards, it’s called a FIRST DOWN. Everything, at that point, resets. If success continues an additional 10 yards, it’s a SECOND DOWN, etc.
- DRIVE: A drive is a series of plays for the offense. It’s everything that happens until the offense punts or scores and the other team gets possession of the ball.
- FUMBLE: When a player with the ball drops it before he is down.
- SACK: When the quarterback is tackled behind the line of scrimmage.
- INTERCEPTION: When the defense catches the ball that the other teams quarterback was throwing to one of his teammates (not a good thing for the offense, but a good thing for the defense).
- END ZONE: A 10-yard-long area at both ends of the field — the promised land for a football player. You score a touchdown when you enter the end zone while in control of the football. If you’re tackled in your own end zone while in possession of the football, the other team gets a safety.
- SAFETY: When an offensive guy is tackled in his own end zone the defense is awarded 2 points and the offense then has to kick the ball to the defensive team.
- TOUCHDOWN: When a player crosses the goal line
- EXTRA POINT: A kick, worth one point, that’s typically attempted after every touchdown. It’s also known as the point after touchdown, or PAT. The ball is placed on either the 2-yard line (NFL) or the 3-yard line (college and high school) and generally is kicked from inside the 10-yard line after being snapped to the holder. It must sail between the uprights and above the crossbar of the goalpost to be considered good. If the ball is run or passed across the goal line after a touchdown its worth 2 points.
- PUNT: A kick that is made when a player drops the ball and kicks it while it falls toward his foot. If the offensive team gets a first down after three tries, they typically hike it to the punter and he will kick it to the other team.
- FIELD GOAL: A kick, worth three points, that can be attempted from anywhere on the field but usually is attempted within 40 yards of the goalpost. Like an extra point, a kick must sail above the crossbar and between the uprights of the goalpost to be ruled “good” (as in, it counts).
- FUMBLE: The act of losing possession of the ball while running with it or being tackled. Members of the offense and defense can recover a fumble. If the defense recovers the fumble, the fumble is called a turnover.
- HASH MARKS: The lines on the center of the field that signify 1 yard on the field. Before every play, the ball is spotted between the hash marks or on the hash marks, depending on where the ball carrier was tackled on the preceding play.
- RETURN: The act of receiving a kick or punt and running toward the opponent’s goal line with the intent of scoring or gaining significant yardage.
- HANDOFF: When the ball is handed to another player from the quarterback.
- ONSIDE KICK: An onside kick must travel at least 10 yards before the kicking team can legally touch it, however, the ball does not have to be touched by a defender before the kicking team attempts to recover it.
- BACKFIELD: The running backs and quarterbacks who line up behind the line of scrimmage.
- RED ZONE: When the offense moves the ball inside the defenses 20 yard line. Those 20 yards are considered the red zone.
- RUSHING: When the offense is running with the ball.
- RETURN: When a kick, either a punt or a kick off, is returned.
- TURNOVER: When the offense either fumbles and the defense recovers or quarterback throws an interception.
- SPECIAL TEAMS: All kicking and return teams.
WHAT CAN GO WRONG?
These are PENALTIES
- ENCROACHMENT: When a defensive player enters the neutral zone and makes contact with an opponent before the ball is snapped.
- FACEMASK: When a defensive player puts his hand on or grabs the offensive players face mask.
- HORSECOLLAR: When a defender tackles another player by grabbing the back-inside of an opponent’s shoulder pads from behind and yanking the player down.
- HOLDING OFFENSIVE: A foul in which an offensive player keeps a defender from advancing by grasping him with his hands or arms. Offensive linemen are allowed to use their hands as long as they keep them to the inside of a defenders body, but if they get to the outside of the defender’s body, it is a penalty.
- HOLDING DEFENSIVE: Use of the hands to hold or push an offensive receiver or back on a passing play beyond the first five yards past the line of scrimmage.
- PERSONAL FOUL: These include, but are not limited to: Late hits, unnecessary roughness, and blows to the head. A personal foul results in a 15-yard penalty against the offending team.
- ROUGHING THE KICKER: When a defensive player hits the punter after he has kicked the ball.
- PASS INTERFERENCE: Defensive pass interference awards the offensive team the ball at the spot of the foul with an automatic first . Offensive pass interference results in a 10-yard penalty against the offense.
- OFFSIDE: A penalty that occurs when any part of a defender’s body is beyond his line of scrimmage when the ball is snapped.
- ROUGHING THE PASSER: When a defensive player makes direct contact with the quarterback after the quarterback has released the ball. When this happens, it’s a 15 yard penalty and automatic first down.
HUGE thank you to Pat Johnson and Paul Huck who basically wrote this post for me. I feel so lazy but TOTALLY INFORMED because of it.
