How To Keep Things Cool for Your Kids This Summer

The long, hot summer months may seem unending for parents who are trying to keep their kids busy and cool. There are only so many trips to the zoo or the water park that a parent can take—all of these things cost money and take time out of work. If only the kids could stay cool and engaged at home, while parents are able to get some work done!

Good news, folks. It’s possible! Plus, it’s possible without breaking the bank, which is what most parents actually want to hear. With a few easy life hacks, you can have your kids sitting in the cool air or even enjoying a water slide without leaving your home office. Want to learn more? Read below for all the details.

First things first: Fix up your AC unit.

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An inefficient air conditioner is the last thing you need as a parent trying to keep your kids (and yourself) cool during the summer months. Think about it—the air conditioner will be running overtime, pushing cool air through debris or clogged vents and ducts, and costing you a pretty penny on your energy bills at the same time. The efficiency of your air conditioner has a clear connection to lower energy bills and happier kids, which means that the efficiency of your air conditioner also has a clear connection to a happier you. What this means, essentially, is that the first step should be calling in technicians to improve the efficiency of your AC this summer and maybe even install a smart thermostat or programmable thermostat so that you can automate temperatures.

Did you know that you can rent water slides and bounce houses?

Okay, you might think that this sounds crazy but it actually makes a lot of sense. On a hot day, your kids will be overjoyed to have a bounce house or water slide to enjoy in the backyard. It means hours of (safe) fun that keep your kids happy and engaged. Renting a water slide in Long Island, for example, is as simple as going online and reserving your rental. You can even get it for a whole day and share the costs with other parents. It’s a great way to have the kids enjoy hot summer days while you stay inside in the cool air conditioning.

Freeze healthy snacks ahead of time.

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This is what your appliances are for! Making smoothie popsicles or other fun, frozen treats can help your kids cool off and stay healthy at the same time. Plus, having frozen or cool snacks prepared ahead of time means that you can just point your kids in the direction of the freezer instead of interrupting your workday to get them a sandwich or cut up some fruit. Make sure to buy popsicle molds that are dishwasher-safe so that you can save on clean-up time later.

Join forces with other parents in the neighborhood.

You’re not alone in this struggle, and that’s worth remembering! If you’re in Long Island, for example, look to parent groups on social media to find other folks who are also looking for a good idea (or a few good ideas) to keep their kids cool and happy. Make a schedule that has the kids hanging out in different homes throughout the week. Share the costs of inflatables and other party rentals to make things more affordable. A small change to your schedule can take a major load off your shoulders. Plus, you might just make some lifelong friends in this way.

There are plenty of creative ways to have fun on hot summer days. Whether it’s calling a rental company or cleaning your AC unit’s dirty filters, take these concrete steps and enjoy a fun summer (with low electric bills) sooner!

How Do I Prepare My Home for Extreme Weather?

Extreme weather includes heatwaves, tornadoes, hurricanes, ice storms, and blizzards. Extreme weather events can disrupt electrical services, damage buildings, and wash out roadways.

Extreme weather can cost homeowners thousands in repairs. Homeowners can prevent significant damage by taking steps to prepare their homes for extreme weather. The exact steps vary based on your location, but following this guide will ensure you’ve done everything possible to protect your home from extreme storms.

Identify the types of extreme weather you could experience.

Every region of the globe deals with different weather systems. Suppose you live in Miami-Dade County. You’re more likely to deal with hurricanes than blizzards, while Nebraska, Colorado, Wyoming, and Kansas experience more hail storms than other locations in the United States.

Each type of weather system carries specific risks and has specific safety recommendations. Kansas typically experiences dozens of tornadoes each year. Several states experience blizzards. The southwestern United States is prone to drought, putting residents at risk of water shortages and forest fires.

Some regions face different storm risks at different times of the year, making it necessary to perform seasonal weather preparations. Identify the common extreme weather threats in your area and make a checklist of event-specific steps to take before a storm.

Take specific steps to protect your home from standard weather systems in your area.

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Hurricanes are powerful storm systems with high winds and heavy rains. Although these massive storms can cause significant damage, there are several ways you can prepare your Doral, FL, home for the next storm. Right before a storm, hire experts to prepare your home to withstand the force of the hurricane. Even if you have impact windows, you may want to have your windows boarded up to protect them from debris. You can also contact South Florida contractors at the start of hurricane season and have them assess your home for potential threats. Contractors help property owners determine how to prevent property damage from floods and debris during significant storms. You can also invest in a priority response agreement, ensuring you have a team of experienced professionals who’ll help you restore your property after the hurricane passes.

Perhaps you live in the central part of the country and face a more significant threat from tornadoes. You can use the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommendations to build a safe room where you can take shelter during storms. Installing impact-resistant windows and securing your doors can also help prevent property damage during a tornado.

Your roof can collapse under the weight of heavy snow. Clear your roof before snowstorms to prevent a collapse. Clear snow from walkways and doorways to make it easier to exit your home after the storm. Insulate your attic and seal your doors and windows to prevent drafts.

Adding insulation to your attic and having a programmable thermostat installed can help you regulate your home’s temperature if you experience extreme heat where you live. You can also install fire-resistant siding and shingles to reduce the risk of fire damage if there’s a forest fire in your area.

No matter where you live, a generator can come in handy.

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When it’s time to renovate your kitchen, it’s time to install a generator. Generators keep the appliances in your new kitchen operating. You’ll also be able to provide power to your light fixtures and run your furnace or air conditioner because you’ll have power.

Make sure your generator’s installed correctly and has good ventilation to prevent carbon monoxide from building up inside your home. Hire an electrician to connect your generator, ensuring critical systems and appliances have electricity during power outages. Keeping the power running can prevent pipes from freezing during blizzards and enable sump pumps to operate during heavy rainfall, preventing or limiting flood damage.

Extreme weather can damage your home, causing thousands in repair bills. Investing in superior storm-resistant windows, fire-resistant shingles and siding, and installing a generator can help you protect your home from storm damage.

5 Tips for Taking Care of Yourself After You Quit Smoking

The process of quitting smoking is often arduous. Stopping an addiction takes a toll on the body, despite the positive long-term effects. Some people who quit smoking may suffer from the side effects of withdrawal. Often, when people think of withdrawal, they imagine shaking, sweating, and cravings. However, the side effects of quitting smoking are not limited to these symptoms. Nicotine addiction can continue to interfere with a person’s life mentally and physically long after their last puff of a cigarette.

Take extra care of your body.

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It would help if you were wary of a few side effects of quitting smoking: headaches, dizziness, fatigue, and constipation. Nicotine is a stimulant, so you likely will feel run down the first few weeks without it. Infusion therapy may be able to help you tackle each of these symptoms all in one. Infusion treatments come in many forms.

Certain conditions may require infusion therapy because oral treatments are ineffective. IV infusion therapy to treat hangovers has been gaining popularity in recent years due to its ability to deliver rapid, healthy hydration. Staying adequately hydrated can combat each of the withdrawal symptoms mentioned above.

Be mindful of your mental health.

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Directly after quitting smoking, many people experience insomnia, headaches, and increased irritability. In some cases, mental health conditions like anxiety and depression may be exacerbated by nicotine withdrawal from your bloodstream. Every person is different, so these effects are not universal. The physical and emotional challenges set in motion by the absence of nicotine tend to taper off after several weeks. However, these several weeks can bring about many changes to your body.

For example, many people experience increased appetite and, as a result, may put on extra weight after quitting. The best thing to do for your mental health in a time of transition is to be patient and kind to yourself. Before making a judgment, ask yourself if you would say the same thing to a friend.

You are your own worst critic. Quitting an addiction is a triumph in itself, so try to focus on the positive aspects of it. If your stress becomes unmanageable, there is a variety of mental health services available to help. Consider looking into telehealth support for an extra helping hand.

Avoid temptations.

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Specific triggers that may intensify your cravings make staying away from nicotine difficult, such as the smell of cigarettes. Most people associate cigarettes with unpleasant odors. However, for a person recovering from a cigarette addition, the smell of smoke may be tantalizing. If you have smoked for a very long time, the smell of smoke likely lingers in your car or home. A smoke odor eliminator can help rid your surroundings of smoke odors, mitigating your cravings.

This product is also highly beneficial for those who have decided to quit smoking but live with others who continue to smoke, like roommates or a partner. Suppose you were a social smoker or someone who enjoyed smoking while drinking alcohol. In that case, it could also be helpful to cut back on your alcohol consumption to reduce your cravings.

One important thing to keep in mind throughout this process is that most relapses occur within the first 14 days after quitting. If you are within that two-week time frame, it should bring you some comfort to know that the worst will soon be behind you. If you have already surpassed this threshold, congratulations! It may not seem like it, but you have done a fantastic job.

Taking small steps to care for your body, like obtaining adequate hydration and getting enough rest, can help support your health overall. Many people need help getting through addiction, so don’t hesitate to look into mental health support if you feel that you might benefit from it. Every person’s journey will look different. Try a few of these tips to help you find what’s best for you.

How to Optimize Your Home to Accommodate Your Disabled Cat

You love your cat, and you’ll do just about anything to accommodate them, even if they find themselves dealing with health struggles that limit their abilities. Dealing with any pet with a disability takes some adjustments to make sure their home is still fitting their needs. Here are some ways to make sure that your household will keep kitty purring and pleased, without having to dig too deep into your personal expenses.

Breathing Difficulties

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While your pets can affect the indoor air quality in several ways, they too can be impacted by pollutants and irritants that linger in your household. Passive smoke from tobacco use or cooking can linger in the air, triggering symptoms similar to asthma. This could significantly impact your feline’s lung function, which is especially dangerous for older animals, and could even trigger allergic reactions.

Maintaining better indoor air quality is key to helping you and your cat. If you have an HVAC system, be sure to clean out air filters or swap them out on a routine basis. If you notice any musty odors developing, inspect for the possible growth of mold spores that are linked to the buildup of dangerous viruses. An air purifier is a great asset to help remove these lingering pollutants that trigger allergies and asthma.

Coping with Blindness

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When it comes to accomodating a cat with disabilities, it’s important to create a safe, simple, and consistent indoor environment. For safety reasons, your cat shouldn’t roam outdoors. Creating an enclosed outdoor space is the best way to allow your little pal to bask in the sun while staying safely inside the select area.

It’s important that their litter box isn’t kept outside in that area just for an extra layer of safety. Make sure that is kept indoors in a spot that your cat may have been previously accustomed to. Keep your household as consistent as possible with reasonable accommodation. Try to limit the number of belongings in the dwelling that could impede their ability to roam around without bumping into objects. It’s also a good idea to consider any potential dangers on the ground level that could have health effects on your pet.

Limited Mobility

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As a pet owner, you’ll notice your cat’s mobility declining over time, but sometimes even kittens can be impacted by an accident that limits their ability to get around the house. Relieving pain is the number one priority in these cases. Depending on the cause of the discomfort, be sure to create a pain management plan. This can range from an occasional massage and diet change to medications and physical rehabilitation.

If your cat’s disability is having a significant impact on its mobility, you may want to consider a harness or modified infant sling that carries cats around who are dealing with weakness or even potential paralysis. Be sure to consult with your veterinarian for a better understanding of what you can do as a pet owner and homeowner to make it easier for your pet to get around the house.

Mental Health Concerns

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Much like their owners, mental health issues can belabor your feline friend. Adding more playtime is the best thing for your companionship with your cat, helping to curb symptoms of anxiety and depression that may arise. Beyond increasing stimulation, you’ll want to be able to provide accommodation in safe spaces throughout your household for your cat to sprawl or climb as they see fit.

Cats can even develop obsessive compulsive disorder. It’s best to keep things consistent in your household, and not punish any behaviors that felines may be exhibiting in. This is all part of the important factors to make sure that your cat can still feel comfortable and safe in your household, despite their disabilities.

How to Start Your Own Supplement Brand

Supplements continue enjoying great patronage from modern-day consumers who are increasingly focusing on their health and wellness needs. As such, launching a company is a great idea to tap into the potential financial gains that this industry promises in the long term.

Also, you can start a vitamin brand if you have a lifelong passion for health and wellness. Regardless of your reason for setting up your enterprise, it’s always prudent to take proper steps to establish your brand. Below are some tips you should know to start your supplement business.

Decide what products to offer.

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Numerous supplements flood the marketplace weekly, targeting a wide range of customers’ needs. These products also appear in various delivery formats to cater to clients’ preferences. Consequently, decide on what specific product you’ll bring to the marketplace.

For example, multivitamin tablets that offer various vitamins to promote wellness are a specific product offering that caters to a defined customer base. However, finding the right supplement manufacturer who can bring your desired products to life is essential. Innovative producers such as Makers Nutrition will come in handy when seeking good manufacturers for your private label supplements.

Makers Nutrition is a recognized supplement manufacturer that produces clients’ private label supplements and custom formulations using quality nutraceutical manufacturing equipment. These dietary supplement manufacturers can produce a wide variety of products using raw materials like protein, probiotics, vitamins, minerals, and herbs.

In addition, they deliver your dietary supplement products in various formats, including tablets, capsules, powders, soft gels, and gummies. What’s more, Makers Nutrition produces products for clients in FDA-approved facilities only and provides package and label design services to create customized labels and logos that stand out.

Think about your marketing and advertising strategies.

The supplement industry is notoriously competitive since there are many other businesses offering clients similar products. Therefore, visibility is vital in this sector, so it’s prudent to invest in advertising to ensure that your target audience can learn about your products in no time. Thankfully, there are multiple avenues you can rely on to promote your new products and boost your chances of success. Influencer marketing on social media platforms is worth considering since many people are drawn to products promoted by famous people.

Additionally, you can invest in print and television adverts to promote your products effectively. For more effective adverts, consider investing in professional product photographs that promote your company in the best light to clients. Leading creative agencies such as COLDEA Productions can offer great product photography services for your brand.

COLDEA Productions is a California-based creative agency specializing in professional photography and video content production to help a wide range of brands and professionals enhance their visibility. Their product photography services ensure that business owners can get quality product images that promote their brands on social media, websites, and online stores. Generally, a professional photographer is your best bet to capture great photos of your products. These professionals have the best cameras and expertise that help them take great product photos.

For example, a professional photographer knows when to use natural lights and artificial lights and the right camera angles that produce the best images of your product. In addition, pro photographers are photo editing experts, giving your professional product photos the necessary spark they need to have the maximum impact on patrons.

Furthermore, COLDEA Productions offer professional videography services besides their product photography, serving many clients across multiple sectors, including real estate, hospitality, financial services, and manufacturing.

Develop a fulfillment plan.

Your supplements must reach your clients in time for your business to flourish. As such, an efficient fulfillment plan is non-negotiable, ensuring that your target customers can get your products quickly. Therefore, consider partnering with a reliable order fulfillment provider who can assist with dropshipping and supplement warehousing.

However, ensure that your provider has a suitable GMP-certified facility and can easily and accurately manage their inventory. Many brands in the manufacturing and packaging industries rely on solid fulfillment plans for success. Eco-conscious packaging enterprises such as CoolJarz are great examples of such companies.

CoolJarz designs and produces various recyclable child-resistant packaging and innovative packaging equipment, besides providing custom branding services. They produce pre-roll tubes, also called doob tubes, joint tubes, or pop-top containers, to hold vape oil carts, joints, custom cones, and blunts. Also, CoolJarz offers larger joint tube options like their 116mm and 126mm tubes that can hold more giant cones.

In addition, these tubes come in various colors, with opaque and translucent options. What’s more, they’re an eco-conscious brand that uses industry-leading production technology to improve their product lines’ bio-efficiency. Therefore, their new EcoLite tube line contains about 50% less plastic than similar products.

To conclude, starting a supplement company is a great idea to take advantage of the high demand for supplements. The points above are some tips you should know to launch your supplement enterprise successfully.

Plumbing Jobs You Shouldn’t Do Yourself

We all know you should rarely do your own plumbing or electric jobs. No matter how many times we go on YouTube and watch tutorials, the project almost never turns outright. In the end, it will end up costing you more money and hassle, and you will most likely have to call in the Calvary.

While doing it yourself isn’t a guaranteed bad idea, it’s important that you, as a homeowner, know your limits. There are times when you should just call a professional and let an expert handle the mess, even if you have done a couple of projects successfully in the fast. It’s important to keep in mind that you can risk causing damage to your home or injuring yourself, and no one wants that. Below is a list of projects you should never try on your own.

Cleaning Out a Clogged Sewer Line

Everyone knows that feeling when they go to flush the toilet, and the water starts to rise instead of swirl down. Panic ensues, and you rush for the plunger, but nothing seems to work! At this moment, finding the right plumber is imperative to your toilet’s survival. Since your sewer lines are clogged, this usually means your whole plumbing system will be affected, and no one wants to be in that house whose septic tank erupted on their front lawn.

A sewer backup can often damage your home, and a professional should be there to help fix the issue since it will need special equipment, or else the problem could just be made worse.

Repairing a Burst Pipe

No one wants to deal with a leaky pipe, especially since it can happen at the most inopportune times, and most times, this plumbing repair is an emergency. It’s maybe not like a “the bathtub fell through the ceiling” level of emergency, but it’s still bad. While one small pipe could be tamable on your own, odds are the problem goes deeper, and calling a contractor will save you time and energy. Many of us may choose to use a pipe patch, but that’s only a temporary fix. Most of the time, the pipe is old and will need to be replaced, which is totally the job of a capable master plumber.

Underground Repairs

If you have to go on your hands and knees under a crawl space or into a damp basement, the answer should always be “no.” You’ll absolutely need special working tools for going into the underground infrastructure. You should only attempt to check out the issue in an emergency situation. You may not know that you’ll most likely also need special working permits from your town council, just like you would need a building permit for an expansion. You can get into a lot of trouble if your town finds that you’ve been doing serious repairs without the proper paperwork. Nothing is worse than having a household issue and an unwanted fine from the town.

Faulty Gas Lines

First things first, if you suspect there is a gas leak, get out of your home, and call the gas company. Don’t light any matches nor wait for the proper authorities. Only when a certified inspector appears to assess the situation should you go back near the residence. You should already have your gas lines expected each year, but this situation is when you should have a licensed plumber and reliable professional taking care of business.

If you’re still weighing the pros and cons of hiring a reliable plumber or doing it yourself, take a look at reviews in the local area. While it may save you a few pennies to do it yourself, sometimes the hassle-free and safe option should outweigh the desire to do it yourself.

How to Afford Alzheimer’s Patient Care

It can hurt to watch a loved one battle Alzheimer’s disease. From early memory slips to later cognitive difficulties and mood swings, it’s painful to see someone you know disappear. Getting them the care they need becomes of the utmost importance, but making it work financially may not be all that easy for some. However, there are ways to ensure you find the proper care for Alzheimer’s patients for as long as they may need it.

Viatical Settlements

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The impacts of memory loss on Alzheimer’s can be alarming for any patient and their family upon initial diagnosis. Some families opt to have documents in place to handle health care or a person’s estate upon their passing, in the time that they still are of sound mind. Some Alzheimer’s patients have opted for the use of life insurance money now rather than later. You can do this with the help of viatical settlement providers.

A viatical settlement broker will negotiate a settlement contract between a life insurance policy owner and a viatical settlement provider. A life insurance policyholder will be offered a one-time lump-sum payment that will be lesser than the death benefit on that life insurance coverage but greater than the cash surrender value. Viatical settlements are considered a viable option for patients suffering from a terminal illness to allow chronically ill patients access to funds that may cover their medical expenses or explore new treatments for their condition. Some viators have also used the funds to assure that their family members are not left with debts and other burdens upon their passing.

Government Programs

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Using your personal funds to help care for a patient with Alzheimer’s disease is an option, but the fear is in that well running dry. In the United States, you can look into government-assisted programs to provide some savings for patients and their families. For example, Medicare coverage may cover certain regular care, even short stays in a nursing home to care for a hospital-related medical condition.

Some Alzheimer’s patients may qualify for Medicaid, a combined federal and state insurance program for low-income people and their family members. This covers the cost of medical care and some forms of long-term care. Some states also offer PACE or Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly. PACE is a Medicare program that provides care and services to people who otherwise need care in a nursing home. This program permits most Alzheimer’s patients or those at risk of Alzheimer’s to continue at-home care instead of the need for a long-term care facility. That may, however, come at a monthly charge.

Memory Care Programs

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One of the early warning signs for Alzheimer’s disease is memory loss. An Alzheimers brain sees cognitive function declines, brought on by a build-up of amyloid plaques and tau-containing neurofibrillary tangles. This causes the death of brain cells and the breakdown of connections between them. Those plaques are dense deposits of proteins outside and around the brain’s nerve cells. Those tangles are twisted fibers built up inside the nerve cells. As Alzheimer’s disease progresses, nerve cells, or neurons, begin to shrink and die. This causes the brain itself to sharing and the wrinkles along its surface to become smoother. The result is a further decline of the patient.

Some doctors recommend memory care programs to assure the safety of an Alzheimer’s patient at all times. Staff in these memory care programs differ from assisted living in their knowledge of dementia techniques, as well as specific memory-enhancing activities and therapies. Memory care programs also have 24-hour surveillance for round-the-clock response and safety, assuring that your loved ones are being handled with tender care for their Alzheimer’s symptoms.

How to Choose the Best Storage Unit for Your Needs

Have you ever looked around your house and felt you just don’t have enough space? Have you gone in the garage and rolled your eyes at the mountain of clutter? Do you have a small business that needs more than just your home as an operating base?

If you’ve answered yes to any of those questions, it may be time to invest in a storage unit. While you research for a self-storage facility near you, you will also have to figure out just how large enough of a unit you are going to need to make sure that you are taking full advantage of that extra space.

What’s going inside this storage unit?

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While you look into storage facilities near you, it is important to consider your storage needs to get a better sense of an estimate on price. If you are putting priceless valuables in that self-storage unit, you’ll want to make sure that you have a climate control unit in a facility that has round-the-clock surveillance to give you some peace of mind.

Consider box size, and the variable of containers when determining your unit size. If you intend to use a self-storage unit to store holiday decor, season clothing, or seasonal equipment, you’ll want something that is just enough to hold those boxes. That’s the best way to assure they are kept safe without having to purchase a unit with too much space that just becomes wasted money on your end.

Is this for business or personal use?

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Some storage units are purchased by college students who are clearing out their dorms at the end of the semester. This is where easy access to your storage unit comes in handy, allowing you to easily load and unload when it comes time to pack the car back up and get resettled in. A storage space with drive-up access is in your best interest, as this driveway will save you repeated trips up and downstairs with heavier boxes or larger furniture.

This also comes in handy for people who find that their job keeps them constantly on the go, forced to relocate every so often. It is best to get a reservation put in place, and an understanding that this is either a seasonal stay or will be used for long-term purposes. If there’s a specific item you will find that you need immediately, be sure to have that near the front of your storage unit so are not sent scrambling and searching every time.

How frequently will you need access?

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While a trip to a storage unit may be a once in a while trek to grab a box or two, for some people it’s part of a small business operation. Storage unit renters may find themselves spending a good chunk of their day inside assessing inventory levels and filling orders. If this is you, it is important to make sure you are keeping your lungs clean by maintaining a clean unit, sanitized with disinfectant.

It’s recommended in environments like this with limited filtration to wear a mask to encourage healthy breathing. A half mask respirator provides maximum protection and a comfortable fit for someone who may have to wear the mask for an extended period of time. The T-60 half-face respirator comes with a silicone seal that keeps a half-mask stabilized, protecting the wearer from dangerous particles like mold. This is recommended especially in outdoor units where moisture may build up over time. This extra level of protection also comes in handy for use during the current COVID-19 crisis where mask mandates remain in place in some parts of the United States.

Is downsizing in your future?

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If you notice a massive amount of clutter taking up your garage, or your business having stacks of boxes blocking the water cooler, it’s time to scale back. A storage unit can come in handy to clear out some space in your household. This especially comes in handy if you are getting ready to move into a new place. Moving is a great time to assess your personal inventory levels, and determine what should make the trek to your new home. A self-storage unit can hold any appliances or furniture that you plan on selling, or even keep what belongs to you safe before you can place it in your new house.

In due time, you’ll see your use of this site start to wane. Small businesses may find a low-cost unit to hold important documents that they have no room for on-site. This is a common procedure for some medical and law offices because of the security features of these self-storage facilities. With round-the-clock surveillance, both video and in-person, those documents are safe under lock and key. This self-storage solution is also easily accessible in the event that it needs to be entered.

How to Expand Your Business’s Reach

It’s common knowledge that clients are the foundations of any successful business. As such, one of your most vital goals as a business owner should be acquiring more and more clients from whom you can extract long-term value.

Thanks to technology, this process has been significantly simplified and made more effective. As such, every enterprise is a potentially global business nowadays, since you can rely on several technologies and practices to make your company known to a worldwide audience. Below are some of the best ways to expand your business’ reach that you should know of.

Offer quality customer service.

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Customer service is essential to all businesses, whether you’re a startup or an experienced enterprise. A solid customer base is necessary to business expansion, and customer loyalty always accompanies brand awareness. Potential customers will always be conscious of your reputation in the industry through customer feedback. Since patrons are always looking for the best value, offering excellent customer service will help you retain many clients whose positive feedback can effectively attract new clients who would want to experience the many touted benefits of choosing your business. Also, consider using business analytics tools, and concepts to assist you with market segmentation and other customer-focused insights. Helpful websites such as the Nick McCullum site will come in handy with tutorials on K means clustering.

Nick McCullum is a professional explainer and software developer who writes software engineering, business, finance, and entrepreneurship-themed articles on his website. His K means clustering Python tutorial is a guide to help you build your first K means clustering algorithm in Python. The K means clustering method is an unsupervised learning algorithm that splits a given data set into a fixed number of clusters. The algorithm identifies the “k” number of centroids and allocates each data point to its nearest cluster while ensuring centroids are as small as possible. The tutorial covers visualizing a K means clustering algorithm’s performance when you know the clusters beforehand, creating artificial data in scikit-learning, among others, all in a Python environment.

Leverage social media and a business website.

Using social media and a website are potent ways to broaden your company’s reach that you should try. The internet is now the most powerful marketing tool globally, and social media is one of its most effective platforms to improve business visibility. You can post helpful and shareable content on social media platforms like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter to captivate new audiences from all across the globe. Social media also comes in handy for advertising your business’s services and products. A business website with informative content also positively brands your business and makes you accessible to clients worldwide, so invest in a great company website. Several consultants can help you maximize your digital marketing efforts on social media and other platforms, so you can partner with them for the best results. Renowned fractional CMO firms such as Chief Outsiders are great examples of such companies.

Chief Outsiders is a nationwide consultancy that provides management consulting services to businesses. They offer Private Equity marketing services like post-crisis restart assistance to Private Equity organizations and their portfolio companies, helping pave a way forward and accelerating full recovery. They complement Private Equity Firms by allowing you to bring in experienced and talented executives who can help your organization with a broad range of marketing needs. The strategic leaders you bring in can provide various helpful marketing services, including marketing audits, marketing automation, implementing digital marketing strategies, among others. These professionals can also help you fill leadership gaps, put suitable systems and processes in place, and build a marketing engine to drive revenue growth. Additionally, this consultancy has broad experience in providing marketing services, helping many businesses set themselves apart and become more valuable and robust in the Private Equity industry.

Have an offline strategy.

In this digital age, it’s easy to assume that the internet and social media are all you need to put your business out there. While these avenues are undoubtedly effective, you should still rely on some age-old methods to reach more clients. For example, if older people constitute your target market, radio, TV, newspapers, and magazines are still necessary to enhance visibility. Networking is another efficient way to broaden your enterprise’s reach outside of the internet. Attending or hosting corporate events exposes you to several industry players who can help you expand your company, so prioritize regular networking. More networking is a personal goal you can set for yourself as an entrepreneur besides company targets to boost your reach. However, goal setting is ineffective without a proper way to measure key results and important metrics. Consequently, consider adopting the OKR approach to goal setting and using the WorkBoard OKR software to measure team progress on shared goals helps measure outcomes in a meaningful way.

There are several effective tactics to expand your business reach nowadays. The above-listed points are some helpful tips worth knowing to broaden your reach for the best results.

Ways That You Can Help Your Troubled Teen

Whichever way you slice it, adolescents have it rough. As if hormone shifts weren’t enough, young people also have to contend with rapidly changing bodies, peer pressure, navigating the travails of romance, and trying to ace their high school classes. Is it any surprise that they sometimes exhibit negative behavior and even turn to substance abuse to relieve the stress?

Even though we may understand the pressures that young people experience, that doesn’t make it easy to be a parent to adolescents. Quite the opposite. The teen you love almost certainly has a mind of their own regarding everything from engaging in psychotherapy or counseling to the best way to achieve academic success. How can a parent contend with the teen challenge that’s before them? It takes a world of strength.

Nonetheless, depending on the needs of the adolescents in question, there are things that you can do. Whether you’re in New York City, New Jersey, or anywhere in the United States, you are probably facing similar challenges if you parent a teen. Let’s take a look at some of the things that can help you through the teen years’ mess. Remember, you may all emerge stronger on the other side.

Try to sit them down for a one on one conversation.

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Depending on your relationship with the troubled teen in your life, having a one-on-one conversation may be a good starting point. A healthy relationship is one in which everyone involved can be open and vulnerable without fearing judgment. This difficult conversation may mean that you have to hear things you don’t want to or that you need to admit things about your own behavior. Even though it’s hard to admit that your actions may play a part in the behavioral issues your teen is exhibiting, it’s powerful for them to hear you be open about your own challenges. If you feel comfortable, you can share what it was like for you when you were a teenage boy or girl. Hiring about your teen challenge experience might ease the pressure they feel about their own experiences.

Speak to a school counselor or a professional psychotherapist.

If the behavioral issues are getting worse and you fear that your troubled teen may not finish the school year, it might be time to talk to someone at the school. A high school counselor can point you in the direction of New Jersey and New York psychotherapists, or psychotherapists who practice elsewhere in the United States. Maybe the answer is family therapy, or maybe your teen needs to see a psychiatrist about a mental health issue that requires medication. The right treatment plan is out there, and the right psychotherapist or psychiatrist can help your figure it out.

MLikeADHD, anxiety disorders, or OCD, mental health challenges often show during the teenage years for the first time. If your teen is exhibiting behavioral changes, it might be time to make an appointment with a clinician and do whatever you have to do to get your teen there.

If the issue is substance abuse, consider rehab or addiction treatment.

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Substance use is not something that is going to go away on its own. This is true, even if we don’t want to know about it. Therefore, if you have a troubled teen who uses drugs or alcohol to get through the school year, it’s time to think about rehab. Teen rehabs are diverse in their approaches to drug addiction and anger management. Some substance abuse treatment centers are inpatient, while some drug rehab treatment programs are outpatient. If your family is religious, there are Christian rehab options and group counseling options if your teen resonates with group therapy more. Take some time to think about the unique needs of your specific teen, and there will be a treatment option that’s right for you.

Consider changing your vision for the school.

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Maybe you have your heart set on a certain high school in Los Angeles or New York City for your teen. Maybe the high school that got you to adulthood is the one you always envisioned your teen going to. It’s important to remember that your teen is not you and that enrollment in a high school should, ultimately, be their own choice. The first place you imagine may not be the best place for them. Ask yourself (and them) what supports will help boost their self-esteem and passions and what framework will help them become a productive member of society. If your teen has a history of drug use, make sure you’re choosing a school that supports their sobriety. Maybe that is in Los Angeles, but maybe it’s a private Catholic high school in Holmdel, NJ. Whatever your choice, make sure that your teen is involved in the decision-making process.

Raising a teen is a challenge, that’s for sure. With these tips, you can raise your teen all the way to adulthood and be sure your kids end up wonderful young men and women.