5 Tips To Get More Time To Yourself

Do you ever feel like you don't have enough time in the day? Don't blame the 24 hour limit, instead try some new things to free up and de-stress your day! Check out "5 Tips To Get More Time To Yourself" below and find something to do with your new free time!

1. Take time for yourself to start each day.

I can't emphasize enough the importance of doing this to help reduce stress and burnout. You can't give away something you don’t have, so make sure you make time for you. Are you able to get up an hour earlier to devote time to you, undisturbed? Or find an hour each day, just for you? Even if it’s only half that, find whatever time you can somewhere in your day.

The hour I give myself each morning is my hour of power. It’s how I prepare and take on the day. Without it, my day is never the same. The days that I slip and decide not to take that time for myself are the days I feel less energized and motivated, and I’m usually less productive, too. I find that I don’t eat as well as I normally do, so everything is affected.

Whether you use it for exercise, a brisk walk, stretching, meditation or running affirmations through your mind is entirely up to you. Try one or several of these, or find something else that connects with you. Experiment with options until you discover a daily feel-good ritual that gives you the most benefit and enjoyment.

2. Establish a regular routine. 

This doesn't just things like going to bed and getting up at the same time, but also a work and lifestyle routine. When we have no structure or organization, we become distracted and procrastinate, and nothing really gets done. This is when anxiety and stress make themselves known. By attempting to maintain a balanced routine without becoming rigid, you'll find that you’re more at ease, have more time and experience an overall sense of peace and well-being.

3. Think about delegating. 

What are you able to let go of and hand over to someone else to do? No matter how hard we try, we really are unable to do everything ourselves without it affecting other areas of our life. It could be as simple as having your family do some of the household chores or buying your groceries online and having them delivered fresh to your door — especially if you don’t like traveling to and from the store, waiting in lines, finding a parking space and carrying heavy bags.

Delegation is a skill we need to learn not only at home — it’s a critical business skill that, when cultivated, allows for a healthy work-life balance. Even if you’re not comfortable delegating, try it and watch your personal life, business life and well-being all flourish.

4. Make a list or become aware of where you spend most of your time. 

Are you able to find an area where you could spend less time? If you’re in a position to do so, buy back your time and share your wealth: Pay someone else to do the things that take you away from your priorities.

5. Spend less time with consuming media. 

Are you on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube, or downloading the latest app at every possible chance? Are you constantly on Google searching the web? Are you able to turn your phone off for an hour a day, or turn it off at a certain time on particular days? Could you check your emails less? Could the television be turned off?

Whatever the solution is, find it and create a system that works for you. Without balance, your life will eventually spiral out of control.

Photo Credit: Shutterstock.com

Original Article Here: http://bit.ly/11mlLvf

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Recipe: The Superfood Baked Potato

Now that's a fully loaded potato! Baked potatoes are great in anyone's diet, but this masterpiece of mealtime might just earn the title 'Superfood'! Check out "Recipe: The Superfood Baked Potato"

The Superfood Baked Potato

Serves 4

4 large baking potatoes, about 3 1/2 pounds
Olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the salmon: 
1/2 pound salmon, preferably wild-caught
1/2 teaspoon green tea leaves
2 cups hot water, about 160°F - 170°F
1 teaspoon light soy sauce
1 teaspoon rice vinegar

For the braised kale: 
10 ounces chopped kale
2 teaspoons coconut oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, peeled and minced
1 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons water

For the yogurt: 
1/2 teaspoon turmeric 
2 tablespoons boiling water
1 teaspoon maple syrup
3/4 cup yogurt

For the toppings: 
2 tablespoons white or golden quinoa
2 tablespoons flax seed
1/2 cup pomegranate arils

To roast the potatoes: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Clean the potatoes thoroughly and pierce several times with a fork. Rub lightly with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Place in a foil-lined baking pan and roast for 50 to 60 minutes or until the potato can be easily pierced with a fork all the way to the center. Flip the potatoes once or twice during baking.

To marinate and cook the salmon: Pat the salmon dry and remove any visible pin bones. Steep the tea leaves in the hot water for 5 minutes, then strain them out and stir the soy sauce and rice vinegar in to the green tea. Pour it into a deep dish, such as an 8x8 pan, and place the salmon in it, skin up. Put in the fridge for 30 minutes or until you’re ready to cook it.

In the last 20 minutes of baking the potatoes, remove the salmon from the marinade and pat dry. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper, and roast, skin-down, in the upper third of the oven for 12 minutes or until it can easily be flaked with a fork. Remove from the oven, remove the skin, and shred the cooked salmon for serving.

To make the braised kale: Wash the chopped kale thoroughly then pat dry. Over medium heat, heat the coconut oil in a deep sauté pan or wok large enough to hold the kale. Add the minced garlic and ginger and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the kale in big handfuls, stirring to wilt down a handful before adding the next, if necessary. Sprinkle salt and pepper over the kale and stir. Pour in the lemon juice and water, cover the pan, and cook for 10 minutes or until the kale is cooked and tender but still toothsome. Taste and season with additional salt and pepper if necessary.

To make the turmeric yogurt: Whisk the turmeric into the boiling water, then whisk in the maple syrup. Whisk into the yogurt, making sure the turmeric is completely stirred in.

To make the popped quinoa: Heat a deep pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons quinoa and cook undisturbed for 1 minute or until you hear a tiny pop. The quinoa will not pop up like popcorn, but it will bounce in the pan and the kernel will expand slightly. Shake the pan and watch for all the seeds to pop lightly and turn a darker golden color. Remove and cool. Popped quinoa can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks.

To serve: Split a baked potato down the center and top with the turmeric yogurt, kale, salmon, popped quinoa, flax seeds, and pomegranate arils.

(Image credits: Faith Durand)

Original Article Here: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-the-superfood-baked-potato-recipes-from-the-kitchn-201261

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Potato Nachos with Smoked Raclette & Easy Lavender Honey Chicken

Why have one recipe to try when you could have four!? Each of these looks great to us, so take a look yourself and choose from "Potato Nachos with Smoked Raclette & Easy Lavender Honey Chicken"!

Beetroot chocolate protein bars; chickpeas and chorizo stew; and easy lavender honey chicken in today's Delicious Links.

• Potato “Nachos” with Smoked Raclette, Wilted Spinach and Caramelized Red Onion - Food & Style

• Easy Lavender Honey Chicken - The Messy Baker

• Chickpeas & Chorizo Stew - Sugar et al

• Beetroot Chocolate Protein Balls - Veggie Desserts

Original Article Here: http://www.thekitchn.com/potato-nachos-with-smoked-raclette-easy-lavender-honey-chicken-delicious-links-199622

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Two Easy Hacks for "Vacuum-Sealing" Bags Without a Vacuum Sealer

Have you seen those infomercials on TV advertising a vacuum sealer to keep your food fresh? If so, you'll probably know how expensive those things can get. Instead, try a cheaper option and check out "Two Easy Hacks for "Vacuum-Sealing" Bags Without a Vacuum Sealer"!

A vacuum sealer is in the "Want, But Do Not Need" category in my small kitchen. One day, maybe, I'll get my hands on one. For now, when I need to package up abatch of berries or some stir-fry ingredients for the freezer and want to press as much air out of the plastic bag as I can, there are two tricks I keep up my sleeve.

My favorite way is to use a simple plastic straw to suck out as much air as I can. First, press out as much air as possible by hand, then insert the straw in a corner of the bag and seal the bag around it. Suck out the air through the straw until you see the bag collapse around the contents of the bag, then — while still maintaining suction — slowly pull out the straw and quickly seal the rest of the bag.

I recently learned a second method from Joe Yonan in his book Eat Your Vegetables. Joe suggests submerging the bag in a bowl of water and then sealing it up. The pressure of the water will push out the air and mold the bag around the food. This method requires less huffing and puffing, but you'll need to dry the bag thoroughly before putting it in the freezer.

While not as perfect as an actual vacuum sealer, reducing the amount of air in your freezer bags with either of these methods will help slow down freezer burn and keep foods at their best while in their frozen state.

Do you have another favorite method for "vacuum-sealing" your freezer bags?

(Image: Emma Christensen)

Original Article Here: http://www.thekitchn.com/two-tricks-for-vacuumsealing-freezer-bags-without-a-vacuum-sealer-tips-from-the-kitchn-194038

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Recipe: Chocolate Truffle Cookies with Cherries & Walnuts

Walnuts and cherries will be sure to light up your tastebuds, so check out "Recipe: Chocolate Truffle Cookies with Cherries & Walnuts"!

Chocolate Truffle Cookies with Cherries & Walnuts

Makes about 5 dozen cookies

1 1/2 cups walnuts
6 large eggs
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
20 ounces 60% bittersweet chocolate
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 1/4 cups sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup dried tart cherries

Heat the oven to 350°F with 2 racks positioned in the top third and bottom third of the oven.

Spread the walnuts out on a baking sheet and toast them while the oven is pre-heating. They are ready when starting to turn golden and very fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes. Transfer to a cutting board, roughly chop, and set aside.

Place the eggs in a bowl and cover with hot tap water to warm them up. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt, and set aside.

Melt the chocolate in a double broiler or in a heat-proof metal bowl placed over simmering water. Stir occasionally until melted, then set aside.

Beat the butter and sugar on in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in the warmed eggs one at a time until fully combined. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and beat for 3 minutes. The mixture will gain some volume during this time and become very creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix in the melted chocolate and vanilla.

With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture. Mix just until the flour is barely incorporated. Stop the mixer and add the chopped walnuts and cherries. Using a spatula, fold and stir in the walnuts and cherries until evenly distributed. The batter at this point should be glossy and thick.

Line two baking sheets with parchment (do not use Silpats or other baking mats for this recipe; the cookies will stick). Drop slightly rounded tablespoons of batter onto the baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart. If you don't use up all the batter in one round, leave it out at room temperature while the first batch bakes — refrigerating makes the batter stiffer and less easy to work with.

Bake the cookies until crackled on top, set around the edges, but still soft in the middle, 14 to 16 minutes. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer them to wire racks to finish cooling using a thin spatula.

Cookies can be kept in an airtight container for about 2 weeks.

(Image credits: Emma Christensen)



Original Article Here: http://www.thekitchn.com/recipe-chocolate-truffle-cookies-with-cherries-amp-walnuts-recipes-from-the-kitchn-198345

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Cleaning Your Electronics

Did you know that dust can hurt or damage all of your electronics?  The blog below has some great tips on how to keep your electronics dust free and running smoothly.  You can learn more about technology tricks by visiting apartment therapy.

Desktop Computer: Many towers have fans on the back and vents on the sides. At least once per year, perhaps more in dust ridden regions, use compressed air, then wipe down with an anti-static microfiber cloth. Start with the fan, then move to the vents to release any dust build up. You may be surprised what resides inside your computer's internal regions.

TVs: Wiping down the screen is pretty standard, but like computers, many large TVs also have a fan in the back helping to prevent the television from overheating. A little compressed air will help here too. 

Keyboards: Keyboards won't overheat, but low profile keyboards will get "soft keys" (sticky) if there's too much built up gunk under a key. Unplug the keyboard and blow on it gently every once in a while, using that handy can of compressed air for bigger jobs, and a dollop of hand disinfectant on a paper towel to remove grime on top. 



Mouse with Rolling Balls on Top or Bottom: My old Mac had a mouse with a small rolling ball on the top. It was great for web browsing, but on a nearly monthly basis the ball would get stuck and would roll sporadically. Even small amounts of dust will cause a mouse with delicate parts to operate poorly. A little compressed air on a regular basis will go a long way, with an alcohol based cleaner to wipe the top and bottom from smoother scrolling.

Add an Air Purifier: protect your home electronics further by installing an air filtration system nearby to keep dust, pet fur, and other debris out of digital devices and appliances in the first place. 

Check out our How to Shop for an Air Purifier shopping guide, alongside Consumer Reports, Good Housekeeping, and Consumer Search for recommendations.

(Photo Credits: Edward Goodwin via Flickr's Creative Commons, Tech Nibble and Apple)

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Our Readers' 8 Best Tips for Cooking Without Making a Huge Mess

Does your kitchen get messy when you get cooking? It doesn't have to be! Check out "Our Readers' 8 Best Tips for Cooking Without Making a Huge Mess" and keep your kitchen clean!

1. Make a plan before you start cooking.

Review your intended cooking project and refine — maybe you can reduce a complicated plan to one dish requiring a lot of work and two dishes that can be made ahead or are very simple. - abcornwell

Look for ways to combine ingredients without using more bowls or pans. For instance, in some recipes some vegetables have to be added before others because they need to cook longer. Instead of chopping everything and separating them into two bowls, I add the first batch of vegetables and let them cook while I chop the next batch. They go into the same bowl that had the first batch of vegetables and I don't need to pull out another one. - Pi.

For anything you have to hand-wash, pick tools that are easy to clean. My chef's knife is very easy to clean, but a garlic press is a PIA, so use the knife to prep garlic. My frying pan is easy to clean, but a Foreman grill, not so much. -Triptik

2. Start with a clean kitchen.

Tidy before you start. That means no clean dishes on the drying rack or dishwasher (gives the items you are going to "clean as you go" somewhere to be). No dirty dishes/cups in the sink. No snack foods hanging out on the counter. This can be an especially useful habit if you live with others who don't always return things to a put away state. - trish042

If you have a dishwasher, always put the clean dishes away before you start cooking! Rinsing and popping in the dishwasher-safe items takes even less time than washing them. - cuminafterall

I find it dispiriting to have to clean and then cook, so my motto is "leave the kitchen ready to cook". That means everything dried and put away, surfaces wiped, etc. Doesn't have to happen right at the end of cooking, but does need to happen well before the next round. - ellabee13

3. Prep your ingredients and tools before you start.

Mise en place. Measure out ingredients, peel and chop veggies (maybe not onions if you're not using them right away), crack eggs, etc. If they're going into the main dish at once, then put them in one big bowl. This seems like it would add dishes to clean but many of these bowls will need little more than a quick rinse off. - cloggiegirl

Mise en place does not necessarily refer to the arranging of ingredients into tiny bowls. It means being in a state of preparedness in the kitchen….In general, it's about cooking smart and in an organized manner. Preparing your ingredients and tools in advance can seriously mitigate your stress levels later on in the process. 
- tara-christine

The best thing I did for improving my kitchen efficiency was investing in a large cutting board. I prep most ingredients on the same cutting board; every ingredient in its own section of the board. I leave the chopped veggies on the board until needed. - JessyJess

4. Clean as you go.

Anytime I'm waiting for a pot of water to boil (my electric cooktop takes FOREVER) or the oven to preheat, I'm prepping ingredients. Similarly, anytime I have something simmering on the stove or roasting in the oven, I'm cleaning the cutting boards, knives, graters, bowls etc. I used for food prep. -cuminafterall

Once I'm done chopping an ingredient I put the unused portion away. Same goes for a sauce, condiment, or other ingredient; measure/use and put away. -emcap

Take a large bowl or dish tub, fill it with hot, soapy water, and leave it in your sink (or on your counter, next to the sink, if you can afford the space). As you dirty smaller items, toss them into the water to soak. If you're putting things in the dishwasher later, you won't have to rinse each item first, and if you're hand-washing, you should have little to no scrubbing. - tonberryqueen

5. Use a garbage bowl to collect scraps.

For a garbage or compost bowl, I don't even use a bowl. I use whatever plastic bag I put the vegetables in from the grocery store and all the scraps go in there. Tie up the opening and drop it into the trash. - Pi.

Usually this is an extra tupperware container. As you accumulate compost scraps (or scraps + garbage if you don't compost), put them together and out of your way. Dumping the contents later on is much easier. - petworthy

6. Give the illusion of neatness.

Ten dirty dishes scattered everywhere looks terrible and overwhelming, but the same ten dishes stacked into a single stack is somehow immediately manageable and cope-with-able. - TeaTowelDame

No matter how crazed it is, no matter how stressed you are, rinse each dish/measuring spoon when you're done with it. It's so much easier to face a dirty kitchen if all the dirty dishes are rinsed and stacked in nice, neat piles. -try146

7. Make it fun!

Try to make cleaning fun — watch TV if you can, or listen to a podcast/audiobook/music. If you can create a set-up where cleaning actually gives you a little extra time to do something you enjoy, you will definitely mind it less. 
- China Millman

I do the finishing-up while I listen to This American Life. My "dates with Ira" are always productive. - DD Lizzy

8. Ask for help.

This is the key to my system: I make my husband finish the clean up because he didn't do the cooking. Voila. Mess solved. - cmcinnyc

First of all, and I think most importantly — if I'm cooking for other people, I ask them to help with cleanup. Least they can do, especially if they live with you. Insist. Really. - mhays

Do you have any other advice for cooking without making a huge mess?

(Image credits: Lucy Hewett; Leela Cyd; Erika Tracy; Rachel Joy Photos)

Original Article Here: http://www.thekitchn.com/the-8-best-tips-for-cooking-without-making-a-huge-mess-199317

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