Tuesday 28 February 2012

7 Ways To Spring Clean Your Life

Clean up your relationships
Many of us cling on to friendships and relationships well past their use-by date, believing that quantity is more important than quality when it comes to the people in our lives. However, if you are holding on to relationships that no longer make you feel good, it may be time to let them go. If you think you may just be going through a rough patch then it is worth talking things through with your partner or friend; however, if they have been bringing you down for a while and there’s no resolution in sight, it may be time to focus on those people who make you happy instead.

Dust off your talents
From ballet classes to music lessons, children are always rushing about from one activity to the next. Yet as we get older, many of us abandon the hobbies and interests we used to love in favour of a growing list of chores and obligations. To add some fun back in to your routine, try starting up an activity again that you used to enjoy or be good at. If you find that your passion is no longer there then move on to something else – with so many hobbies out there to try, you’re sure to find something that you enjoy.

Straighten out your finances
If you want to start afresh with a clean slate and a clear mind, one of the best things you can do is to get your finances in order. While it may be scary to assess your financial situation, going on in ignorance will only cause your worries to eat away at you and may even lead to a worse situation further down the road. Bite the bullet and, if necessary, set yourself a budget for the next few months or so. Make a plan to cut down on anything that you don’t need to be splurging on, such as your morning cup of coffee or that fancy store-bought lunch.

Declutter your mind
Many of us harbour negative emotions over time such as anger, jealousy and hatred; however these emotions are not only worthless, they can also be detrimental to your health and happiness. Try to realise that these feelings aren’t adding anything to your life and let go of any negative emotions or grudges you have been holding. Also, find a method to deal with any anxiety and stress, such as through yoga, meditation or counselling.  Remember that worrying won’t change the future; it will only ruin the present.

Clear your schedule
How are you spending your time? Is it on things worth spending it on? The truth is that many of us go through our lives wasting precious hours on things that don’t matter and then complaining that we can’t fit in things that do. Rather than letting your time slip away unnoticed, mentally go through your week and work out how you spend your time, writing down everything you do and how long you spend on it. Once you have your week written out in front of you, you can identify how to maximise your hours, what to cut back on and how to make room for more valuable activities.

Spruce up your diet
Whether due to lack of inspiration or habit, we often end up eating the same meals over and over with little variation in our diets. However, repeatedly sticking to the same foods may mean that you are missing out on certain nutrients and it will also lessen your enjoyment of meals. To liven up your mealtimes and boost your inspiration for cooking, try experimenting with different foods you have never tasted and interesting new recipes. If you are a snackaholic this may be the perfect time to start sampling some healthy replacements for those biscuits and crisps!

Get rid of clutter
While you’re dusting off the other areas of your life it’s a great time to have a traditional spring clean and clear out any household clutter. Throw away or give to charity anything you don’t use anymore (including clothes you’ve been waiting for years for the “right occasion” to wear!), clear your kitchen cupboards of junk food and re-arrange the furniture to freshen up your home. Not only will this give you space for more useful things, but decluttering your home can also boost your mental health.

Keeping Your Pearly Whites In Top Shape

One of the most unattractive things is discolored teeth, and it is also the most difficult to hide. No matter how beautiful your face is, yellow teeth can turn off people in an instant.

As we get older, the outer layer of our tooth enamel starts to wear off, exposing the inner layer which is a more yellow tone compared to the top layer’s white color. Once the top layer wears off, the only thing 
one can really do is get it professionally whitened so dental experts really suggest that you don’t do things that will remove that layer in the first place.

Smoking is one of the biggest culprits of teeth discoloration as the nicotine stains the teeth and is very difficult to remove. If you are a long time smoker, you may notice that the back of your bottom front teeth have brown stains on them. Another culprit can be found in your mug-coffee! Tea, dark colored soda and wine are also contributors to tooth discoloration and staining. Once it is already there though, what can we do to remove it and bring back our sparkling smiles?

Professional whitening. You can ask your dentist about tooth whitening although be warned that it is a bit pricey. If you can afford the multiple sessions than why not. It is probably the most effective and also safest way to get your pearly whites back in shape. Another thing to remember is when going through professional tooth whitening, you will only be allowed to eat white foods or food with no color. So even pasta with tomato-based sauce will be a no-no for a while.


Whitening toothpaste. These don’t contain bleach, but have a certain percentage of mild polishing agents and abrasives which help remove stains found on your teeth’s surface. It won’t change your teeth from gray-ish or yellow to white but will help take out the hard to remove stains.  With prolonged use, you will see a difference.

Brush ASAP. Brush your teeth immediately after eating food and drinks that can stain your teeth. Aside from coffee, tea and soda-fruit juices, berries and beets can also stain teeth so remember to drink lots of water and brush right after.

Quit smoking. This seems obvious for more reasons than just keeping your teeth from turning yellow but it’s easier said than done, especially for long-time smokers. If your health and the physical appearance of your teeth are starting to suffer though, maybe it’s time to rethink that next cigarette.

Invest in an electric toothbrush. many dentists will agree that electric toothbrushes work better than manual ones as they are designed to clean more than just your teeth’s surface area. 

Brush well and regularly. While this seems like a no-brainer, pause and think about those nights out when you are too tired to do anything than fall into bed and sleep. Brushing for at least 2 minutes every time is recommended to remove all the germs and dirt from your teeth. Twice a day is the minimum requirement but after every meal is preferable. Flossing once a day (at bedtime) is also suggested.

Top 5 Tips To Clear Your Head


Sometimes you can have days or even weeks when you have so much on your mind that you're never quite able to get focused. It's at times like these that you'll need to do some serious decluttering!

Decluttering your mind is about clearing your head so you can focus more on the important things. Aside from making a list and trying to get organized, here are tips to help you clear your mind of any 'excess baggage', so that you will be able to focus more on the things that are of the greatest importance.

1. Let go of negativity
It's you and you alone who is in charge of what goes through your mind—but somehow many of us allow ourselves to become bogged down with negative thoughts. If you go around thinking negatively all the time, then you're never going to be in a particularly good mood—so it's best to let go of negative thoughts whenever possible, as it will relieve your mind of excessive stress. After all, if something has made you mad, what good is there in stewing over it all day?

2. Learn to say 'no'
Some people just can't say no, and always say 'yes' when they have been asked to do favours for others or have been offered an invitation. If you've already got enough on your plate then don't be tempted to add to it. So, if a work colleague asks you to do something, always think about whether or not it's practical for you to take the task on board. And there will surely be one or two things that you can say 'no' to in other areas as well. Sometimes if you just keep saying yes to something, it becomes a habit, and you very often get stuck with doing it — so train yourself to say 'no' when you need to.

3. Avoid interruptions
If your head is swimming with things to be done and you're getting interrupted frequently, you'll probably be getting nowhere and feel like your mind is in overload. Interruptions can cause your productivity to plummet, so try to avoid them whenever possible. For example, if you've got something particularly important to do for work, then consider working from home if you're allowed to do so, as you'll be able to avoid the majority of interruptions that may usually occur in your workplace. Simple things such as closing your office door—a sign to people that you don't want to be disturbed—will also help you to avoid interruptions.

4. Just do it!
One of the worst things for cluttering up your mind is putting off tasks that you have to do. They just sit there in your head and niggle away so you can never quite concentrate on another task that you are doing at the time. So, our advice is to just do whatever it is you need to do as soon as possible—so you can get it out of your mind and focus on the next task. If you don't do this, you'll often put more energy into thinking about doing something than actually doing it! And remember: it's amazing how quickly you can do something once you finally commit yourself to doing it.

5. Take a break
Some people just seem unable to give themselves a break — and by doing so they become more and more bogged down, so that eventually they can't think straight and end up making mistakes. Taking a few minutes away from your current task or activity will help you to clear your thoughts and then come back more refreshed and with a greater clarity of thinking. A short break between tasks will make you far more productive than if you just attempt to wade through one consecutive task after another.

Taking control of your mind
If you follow some of these tips then you'll soon find yourself back in control of your own mind, and your head will no longer be full of extraneous clutter and excessive information. By writing things down as they come up, and by taking action as soon as you can, you can successfully declutter your mind — and you'll then have more opportunities to think more productive thoughts!