Tag: Lifestyle Blogger

Which Smartphones Are Best Suited For Busy Women?

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

There are many different smartphone models available on the market today. The issue is that most of us can’t tell them apart, and so we never end up with the most suitable design. With that in mind, this post will offer some advice on the top three smartphones for busy women. Maybe a mother with lots of children just needs something to keep updated with her friends? Perhaps those who work in an office just want a product that will make their life easier? Well, at least one of the suggestions below is going to be perfect. So, read the information and make the right choice.

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iPhone 7

The iPhone 7 only reached the market recently, but it’s become an incredibly popular choice for business women and stay at home moms alike. It’s got a sleek and sophisticated design, but the product is also durable. Indeed, with a scratch-resistant screen, it’s no wonder people opt for this model. There is also advanced security that should combat incidences of hacking. The only real issue is the price. iPhone 7s cost around £540 in the UK at the moment, and that’s a bit too expensive for most people. However, there are some ways to get a better deal. With a Zaggor free gift, it’s possible to lower the price of a contract. That is because people get a PlayStation 4 or something similar, and that’s worth money.

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iPhone 6

The iPhone 6 is by far the best selling model listed on this page. It’s been available for quite a while, and most people will have used one in the past. The best thing about the iPhone 6 is that it’s built like a tank. Many people drop them on the floor all the time without any hassle. If they have the right type of case, it’s difficult to cause accidental damage to the screen. Alos, anyone can buy a brand new iPhone 6 for around £200 these days. So, it’s less than half the price of the newer model, and it performs in much the same way.

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Samsung Galaxy S8

Apple isn’t the only decent smartphone manufacturer out there today. It seems Samsung is making headway in the market at the moment with their S8 model. Some advantages of the S8 include:

 

  • Fantastic design
  • Excellent display
  • Top-notch hardware spec
  • 12 mp camera
  • Water resistant

 

However, many reviewers claim there are also some downsides to investing in the Samsung model. For instance, the battery life isn’t as impressive as it could be. That might become an issue for busy ladies who don’t have time to charge their phones three times every day. There are also some problems relating to the fingerprint reader. Still, overall, it’s an excellent piece of kit.

The three smartphones outlined on this page are by far the most popular devices around at the moment. Busy women should probably take a look at each of those models before looking elsewhere this summer. Invest in a brand like Apple or Samsung, and there’s a good chance the phone will remain in working order for many years. Enjoy!

 

 

Don’t Forget The Little Details That Will Make Your Wedding Special!

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

There are a lot of things to think about when you’re planning a wedding. In fact, the sheer number of things that you have to think about can often be pretty overwhelming. Because of this, a lot of people, rather understandably, tend to focus on the big picture elements of their wedding. Things like the venue, the guest lists, the dress, and the rings take up huge amounts of space in their minds. However, as important as all of these things are, it’s crucial that you remember that there are more aspects to making your wedding really wonderful than just the big stuff. Here are a few smaller details that you really don’t want to forget about when planning your wedding. 

Photography

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Since your wedding is pretty likely to be one of the most important and special days of your life, it only makes sense that you’re going to want to immortalise it with some beautiful pictures. However, if you want your wedding memories to be as beautiful as the day itself, then you need to hire a really great photographer. Leaving it too late and hiring someone who isn’t very good, or simply relying on friends to take pictures for you, is just going to leave you with pictures that don’t do your perfect day the justice that it deserves.  

Seating arrangements

You’ve probably got a pretty good idea of who it is that you want to invite to your wedding. But one thing that many people forget about is where those people are actually going to sit. The seating arrangements might seem incredibly simple, but the reality is it can make a lot of difference. You don’t want to create a divide among the guests, with one side of the family separated from another, but you also need to be diplomatic about it. Not everyone is going to get along, and if you’ve got a lot of guests, there are going to be people who won’t agree with each other. The last thing you want is your big day getting disrupted by a shouting match on table five!

Decorations

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The venue is one of the most important parts of any wedding, and it is often one of the very first things that people pick out. However, you need to remember that the venue is only half the battle when it comes to creating the perfect wedding atmosphere. You need to think about the decor as well. The decor that you choose will depend heavily on what kind of theme you’re going for. Do you want something homemade? Something Traditional? These kinds of questions are not only important when deciding what style you prefer but also which styles work best with the venue that you’ve chosen.

It can often be pretty tricky to keep track of all of these things, so it’s worth making a very clear plan of everything that you need to deal with well in advance of the big day. Trying to wing it is almost certainly going to leave you feeling pretty stressed out!

Perfect Party Planning Is Easier Than You Think

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Everyone loves the idea of throwing a big bash to celebrate that big birthday. But in reality, it can feel like too much work and hassle. Planning a perfect party to make someone feel special shouldn’t be this hard! Fortunately, we’ve come up with some of the best ways to plan the event of the year. It all starts with a list of ideas that you want to include. The rest will follow!

Ideas And Inspiration

It’s usually a good idea to ask the birthday boy or girl what they would like for their party. This will help you gauge just how far you can go with your ideas. Of course, if you’re keen for the whole event to be a surprise, then you’re going to need to do some detective work.

Start with their hobbies and interests. Are they passionate about music, or enjoy pets or books? Whatever it is they’re into, this could become the starting point for your whole theme. It might also give you some ideas for entertainment and activities at the party too.

If you’re still stuck for ideas, you can look at their FaceBook page to see what things they are most interested in sharing or posting about. Ask their friends if they’ve had any chats about the impending birthday. Don’t forget – you’re going to need some ideas for a great gift too! The more people you talk to, the better.

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Theme

Having a theme is ideal because it gives you pointers for the decorations, the music, the food, and even the costumes. Costume parties are a lot of fun for everyone, and they make the best photos too. If you’re going to throw a party-of-the-year, then you want it to be memorable.

 

What better way to remember this birthday forever than with photos? If you’re all dressing up, it might be a good idea to book something like a Booth Boy open photo booth. Then you can all fit in, and capture some incredibly fun (and funny) shots of the big event. Everyone loves sharing their event photos on social media so choose a service that offers online accessibility to the pics.

So what are your choices for a theme? Again, try to keep it within the birthday boy or girl’s interests. Movies, music, the 1960s, or football are just some of the most popular choices. Now it’s time to put the venue together and figure out the little details.

Venue

You can always hold the party at your home. However, not everybody is keen on opening up their family home to a lot of people. And if you have close neighbours, they might not be keen either! Of course, you don’t have to manage all the catering and clean up yourself. You can hire companies that can take care of all those details for you.

In some places, music can prove problematic. You might need a license to play music if you’re throwing a party. Most venues that you hire usually have this license in place. You might pick a community hall, a sports centre, or even a hotel function room. It’s best to pick a venue that can comfortably cope with the number of people you intend to entertain.

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Activities

Every party should be fun for every guest as well as the guest of honour. Pick activities that get people into the party spirit. You can choose inflatable assault courses (yes, for grown-ups), bubble factories (yes, for grown-ups), or even karaoke. Try to pick something that will engage your guests.

If space is limited, you might prefer to hire professional entertainers. Dancers, a band, or even a stand-up comedian could be ideal in this situation. You might prefer to look for something quirky or unique. Maybe your guest of honour has some ideas?

Food And Drink

If you like the idea of a themed party, then the food and drink could be easier to prepare than you think. Shapes and colours are the best way to theme food. You might have football shaped snacks and cakes. Perhaps you can decorate some of the dishes to look like a superhero emblem or a team crest? The options are endless. Food dye can achieve quite a lot here!

As for catering? Hire a professional company if you’re hosting a big bash. It takes the pressure off you, and you won’t have to worry about keeping food at the right temperature. If you’re planning a low-budget party, why not ask guests to bring a dish? You may need more room in the fridge and a hot plate, but these won’t break the bank. Also for clearing the mess later on, you can easily hire home cleaning services, which will not only save your time but also the hassle

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Invites

When you start to design your party invites, it’s important you already have your theme decided. Then you can choose invites that match the theme. It gives your guest a better idea of what to expect too. You can post your invites to social media, or have traditional invitations printed out.

Make sure you give the full address of the venue. If you’re hiring a place with a closing time, be sure to put an end time as well as a start time on the invite. Don’t forget to clarify any theme details and what you expect of guests regarding costume.

On The Night

It’s usually a good idea to plan out the event so you can fit everything in. If guests are likely to bring gifts, what do you want to do with them? You might have an official ‘opening’, or perhaps you prefer to put them aside until after the party? Are you going to hand out party favours or other goodies at the end of the party?

Guests will undoubtedly expect some speeches on the night as well. The guest of honour will need to stand up and say a few words of thanks. Will you need a microphone for that? Who will officially wish them a happy birthday? Speeches tend to take place later in the evening rather than right at the beginning. Will you all eat before or after this?

Planning your event in detail gives you the chance to deliver the perfect party. Enjoy.

 

 

 

Fighting Phobias: How To Conquer The Unconquerable

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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Most people have an aversion to creepy crawlies, heights or enclosed spaces but fewer no the crippling fear and panic that go hand in hand with a phobia. Around 19.2 million adult Americans live with a phobia or extreme fear of some sort. For those people, it can be an isolating experience that they struggle to communicate to friends, family and loved ones. A phobia can also be extremely damaging to the psyche and impede people in their day-to-day life. The sheer range of subjects about which one can be phobic, coupled by the almost unbearable sense of dread and anxiety that manifests in people with phobias make it a very real and serious psychological condition.

Understanding phobias

Living with a phobia can be at best inconvenient and at worst debilitating. It can prevent you from taking a family vacation, allowing your child to take in a pet, or going to the dentist. Nobody who lives with a phobia wants to continue to suffer, but it can be difficult to determine the best way to fight your phobias. WHile there are a variety of coping strategies, among the most potent is understanding.

It’s not always clear how or why phobias occur but they tend to be linked to (sometimes forgotten) traumatic experiences in childhood, adolescence or the early years of adulthood. They can also be learned by observing the behavior of others as we grow up. If your Mom got freaked out by spiders when you were little, chances are you’ll grow up to be scared of spiders too. More complex phobias like agoraphobia (fear of open spaces) or social phobia are thought to be caused by a perfect storm of genetic and neurochemical factors.

Symptoms of phobias

Many people living with phobias don’t understand the distinction between a fear and a phobia. While in many ways they are the same, the symptoms of a phobia are often much more pronounced. When brought into contact with a ‘stressor’, be it a rat, a spider, an airplane or a crowded shopping mall, the body produces a surge of adrenaline initiating a ‘fight or flight’ response in the reptilian brain and causing a state of panic, which may also include:

  • Rapid heartbeat
  • Shortness of breath
  • Trembling
  • Sweating

If you experience these symptoms, then there’s a good chance you’re experiencing a phobia rather than a fear.

Coping strategies

Having identified the causes and symptoms of phobias, let’s have a look at some strategies to stop them from taking control of your life. As with any form of cognitive therapy, these strategies require effort and persistence but if you stick with them can make a real difference.

The most important thing is to remember that anxiety is a perfectly natural survival mechanism. These strategies are designed to help manage anxiety, not eliminate it.

‘Realistic Thinking’– This is a form of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). It requires you to explore your phobia with some searching questions. What is it that you’re really afraid of? Most of us know that a crowd, a rat or a spider pose little physical threat to us, so why do they cause us anxiety? These can be difficult questions to ask ourselves and we’re often unable to answer them which leads us to…

Research– There’s nothing as terrifying as the unknown, and our imaginations have a tendency to warp and exaggerate unknown commodities. Research the animal you’re afraid of, or the technical specifications of planes if you’re afraid of flying.You may find that the more you know and understand, the less you fear.

Controlled exposure– This is the most effective coping strategy but it’s extremely important not to rush it. How you carry out a controlled exposure will depend on your phobia. If, for example, you’re afraid of the dentist’s then a very gradual exposure to the practice is the way to go. Begin with walking in and out of the practice with a partner or friend. After a while, see if you can walk into the building on your own. The next day, try sitting in the waiting area (accompanied for around 10-15 minutes). After you’ve done this, as your partner to leave you there alone for ten minutes but ensure they’re on standby if it does get too much. Then, make an appointment with your dentist just to talk and get to know them. If you need to bring someone else in with you then that’s absolutely fine too. When you’re ready allow them to look inside your mouth then graduate to a clean and polish and eventually to whatever work you may need done.

 

 

What Any Parent Needs To Consider When They Have A Family

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Becoming a parent is one of the most exciting, exhausting but amazing journeys you will embark on in your life. From the moment you get that positive pregnancy test it no longer is just about yourself, you have someone to be responsible for, and that can be an overwhelming feeling. But as time moves on you sink into your new role, and life carries on developing new routines as each day passes. However, there are certain things we can put to one side that is important once you have a family to think of. I thought I would share with you what some of them are.

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Consider taking out life insurance

Life insurance is important when it comes to your family. None of us truly knows what the future holds, but right now, we could be invested in mortgages and debts. Not to mention being reliant on your wages. This is why life insurance should be a vital part of your outgoings. It can then take care of anything that is outstanding, and even help towards living expenses for the future. Thankfully, a little research online should be able to determine the best policy for you.

Make decisions on health care

The health care of yourself and your family is a high priority, so you should have procedures in place for when you need daily or urgent medical care. Thankfully, in some areas, you can gain access to an urgent care clinic to deal with any of those emergencies that can arise when you least expect them to. It’s important for you to remain vigilant with your families healthcare, so encourage a healthy diet, regular exercise, and keep on top of common illnesses and issues that arise.

Think about the future with a will

Every one of us have some form of assets. It might just be the jewelry we have on, the clothes we are wearing, or even houses and cars, etc. However, on the same lines of not knowing what the future holds, it’s a good idea to have a will in place. This ensures that there is no confusion on different matters and finances.

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Make sure you value your time

Time is by far one of the best and most important things you can give your children. While I appreciate that many of us have busy jobs and lifestyles, it is still important to invest in time rather than material things with your kids. Take your annual leave when you can, leave the office when you should do. No one ever regrets not spending more time in the office, do they?

Saving as often as you can

Finally, it is always worth considering saving for your children’s future at your earliest convenience, even if it is a small amount each month. At some point, your child will grow up and need help with higher education, maybe getting a car, or even help on the property ladder. Having saved up, you could be in a position to help them.

I hope this helps you get ahead when it comes to your families needs.

10 Home Improvements Worth Saving Money For

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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We all know that homes can be expensive. Not only do they cost a lot to buy, but they will always find a way to suck up your money on maintenance and spruces. And it’s unlikely to change. So, it’s always good to get in the frame of mind of having money available to invest in your home. It’s not easy, but it can definitely be worth it. You should also have some kind of backup financial plan in place too, should you ever need it. But, enough about the formalities, it’s time to think about that soon-to-be stunning home of yours.

When you want your house to look its best, you can often set your set a bit of a home maintenance to-do list. And most of the time, that list grows longer by the day. Although you could get around to fixing up and improving almost every part of your house, it’s important to realize that it will take time. And money! So, instead of on focusing on a huge list of all the things that you want to upgrade, you’re going to want to hone in on the most important. By pulling together a smaller list, you’ll be able to make a big difference with smaller efforts. So, let these home improvements give you food for thought for your savings list.

Your Dream Kitchen

When you ask anyone what their favorite room in the house is, they often all say the kitchen. There’s just something about it that we all love. Whether it’s because it is the heart of the home, or somewhere that we spend a lot of time, everyone wants a kitchen that they love. So, when you feel like passionate about a room, and you spend a lot of time in it, definitely add it to the top of your list. Although it’s tempting to remortgage or get a large loan for renovations, it may feel more rewarding to wait it out and save instead.

A Stunning Outside Space

Your home improvements definitely don’t need to be limited to the inside of your home. Because sometimes, it’s the changes that you make outside that can make all of the difference. If you like to spend a lot of time in the garden, you may dream of having a space that you can really enjoy. So, it might be time to take a look at some landscaping ideas and figure out how much you need to save.

A Comfier Bed

What could be better than a good night’s sleep? If you find that the bed you have just isn’t cutting it, you should definitely think about putting some money away and making an upgrade. Having a comfortable bed and mattress is essential if you want to sleep well. So it’s definitely worth the investment. Never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep!

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Smarter Systems

Next up, you may also want to think about some of the essential systems that you have in your home. It may be the case that when you’re renting, you don’t have to fork out for new things when they break, but when you own your own home, you get to upgrade to the best by choice. Sometimes, a new water or heating system or smarter electrics can really make a difference to your standard of living.

Updating The Decor

Then there’s the simple yet oh so effective idea of updating your decor. When it comes to your home, you may feel that some of the rooms are outdated. But, if you’re able to add a lick of paint and replace the flooring, you may find that you’re much happier with the home that you have created.

Adding In More Bathrooms

Or, you may want to put some money away for more bathrooms. If you only have a master, or one and a half baths, you may want to think about the ways that you can change that. Because sometimes, only one loo won’t do. It can not only improve your standard of living to have more bathrooms at home but also the value of your house too. So an en suite here and a new suite there could make all the difference.

Creating A Show-Stopping Space

Sometimes, the way that you can be the most excited about saving for an addition to your home is to go with something different and creative. If you love to read, adding a library room in your house could be the perfect idea for you. Or, maybe it would be a theater or a gym? Regardless of what the room will be, adding in something that boosts your lifestyle is always a great idea. You work hard, so why not?

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Home Emergencies

On to more practical ideas, you may also want to consider having security when it comes to home emergencies. Although it’s a nice idea to have savings for spruces, sometimes you will need that money for emergency situations. When your boiler breaks or your electrics need re-writing, solutions like Personal Money Store are one option, but having savings behind you always helps. Because we all know the unexpected can happen, so it’s best to be prepared.

Expansion Plans

Another key practicality to consider if the size of your home or the space that you have it – especially in comparisons to the size of your family. If you’re looking to expand your family anytime soon, you may want to extend your home too. When you love your home, you don’t always want to move, so you should think about having a pot of money for when the time comes.

Conversion Plans

Finally, an alternative to that would be to think about a conversion. If you have no room to extend your property outwards, you may want to think about doing it inwards. If you have an unconverted basement or attic space, it could be a great idea to convert either or both into a new living space. But to do that, you will need to save up a little money or find a financial source suitable to your needs.

 

 

 

 

Confused Between Renting & Buying? Here’s the Right Option

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Rent or buy? – The question has troubled most of us at some point of our lives. It’s a tough question to answer since both renting and buying have their own advantages and disadvantages. Moreover, the choice between renting and buying depends on various variables such as your income and expenses, family profile, income stability and growth, financial outlook, future needs and plans, etc. Which city you are in also impacts the choice for renting or buying. Here team of NewsPatrolling.com did a survey and on the basis of collected facts sharing some key things to consider prior to making the decision for renting or buying.

Down payment vs. security deposit: When buying a home, you need to pay 10 to 20 percent of the property cost as down payment, while the remaining amount will be covered by your home loan. For example, if the property cost of a 2BHK apartment is 50 lakh, you will have to arrange around 10 lakh for down payment. You need to have adequate funds to arrange this large amount. Also, it would not be wise to empty out your entire bank balance for the down payment. You need to have at least 5 to 10 lakh left in your bank account after paying the down payment. On the other hand, if you choose to rent, you will have to pay anywhere between 1 to 2 lakh as security deposit for a 2BHK flat. However, the deposit amount will essentially be unproductive since you will not be getting any interest on it.

 

Income stability & growth: How secure do you think your job or profession is? If your income is stable and growth opportunities exist, you could consider buying over renting. If not, then it would be better to go for renting. When you buy a home and take a home loan, you have to pay Home Loan EMI every month. This is not a problem when your income is stable, but if anything goes wrong, things can get difficult. On the other hand, renting would not create such problems since you can always shift to a cheaper accommodation if you are facing financial issues.

 

Family profile: How many members are currently there in the family? Are you planning to start a family? More members would mean more expenses and it could affect your monthly budget. Choose to buy a home when you are sure that you will not be overburdened by new additions in the family. You need to be able to maintain your quality of life rather than just surviving through the Home Loan EMIs. A home loan is usually for 15 to 20 years, so it would not be a good idea to keep struggling for such long. Considering all other things equal, renting turns out to be cheaper in the short to medium term.

 

Future possibilities: Does your job or business require you to be on the move constantly? If so, then you could choose renting over buying. If not, then you can choose buying over renting, since it will be profitable in the long run. The rent you pay is basically an expense, but when you buy a home, it is an investment since the value of the property is consistently increasing. This would be applicable when you have finalized to settle down in a particular city.

 

New EPFO rules favor buying: EPFO (Employees’ Provident Fund Organization) subscribers can now withdraw up to 90% of their savings in EPF accounts to fund the purchase or construction of their house/flat or for buying land. Also, monthly PF (Provident Fund) contributions can be used for repayment of home loans. These new EPFO rules have tilted the balance in favor of buying a home. If you are an EPFO subscriber and if you have a substantial amount in your EPF account, you could consider buying over renting.

 

Continual reduction in home loan interest rates is also encouraging people to buy rather than rent. Home Loan interest rates used to hover around 10 to 11 percent in 2012-2013, but now they have come down substantially to around 8.5% in 2017. However, the choice between renting and buying will still depend on various variables described above and your specific needs. You need to keep these factors in mind prior to finalizing your decision for renting or buying.

Happy Days, And How To Find Them Again

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

You are probably aware of the epidemic that is sweeping the world, that of depression and anxiety. You may know someone that struggles with one or both of these problems, or you may have to deal with them on a day today basis yourself? If so then you might what to check out the guide below that can suggest where you may be going wrong and what to do about it?

Are you trying to hard?

Firstly, a lot of anxiety and related depression relates from trying too hard. “But wait,” you say, “Good things come to those who work hard and go above and beyond the call of duty, right?” Well, is that really the case, even in your own experience?

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I’m not recommending being permanent lazy, but it’s good to be balanced in life, and if you are always trying so hard to control outer conditions then not only will this feed into your sense of anxiety, but also make you tired all the time.

Sometimes this great need to work so hard at being approved of by others suggest that there is an issue with ourselves that we need to turn inwards to address. So back off a little and see if that improve things for you.

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Are your expectations off?

Another thing that might be contributing to your anxiety or depression is your expectations. The way we want things to be isn’t often the way that they truly are. This can apply to our relationships, our work, our finances, pretty much everything really.

The problem is the higher your expectations are, the larger space you leave for disappointment when the reality of the world inevitability doesn’t match up to what you were expecting. Of course, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t expect good things for yourself or to be treated with respect and kindness. Instead, it points to the value of being more flexible with your expectations and achieving the clarity to live with things are they are, not as they might be.

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Is there an underlying condition?

Anxiety and depression are medical conditions, and if you have been expanding them for longer than two weeks, you will need to go and see your medical professional for some advice on treatment.

Also, it can really help to make an appointment with a qualified psychologist to get your condition investigated further. This is because there is more than one type of anxiety disorder and more than one type of depression, and the treatments are not all the same for each. So it can really pay off in terms of your recovery to know what you’re dealing with.

Are you kind to yourself?

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Lastly, a contributing factor to anxiety and depressive disorders can be how we treat ourselves. Stop and listen to the thoughts parading around you mind for a second. Would you speak to anyone else that way? Probably not, and if you did they would likely leave. So why do we do it to ourselves?  

Well, it’s mostly because we aren’t taught how to differentiate between thoughts and the meaning of those thoughts. This is something that both meditation and CBT can help you do. Which makes them something worth exploring in your quest for recovery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Busy? You Can Still Help with Your Children’s Learning

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

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There are a lot of negative articles about hectic lifestyles, especially when it comes to parents who are deeply invested in business ventures. They’re often criticised for not having infinite amounts of time for family matters.

The response to things like this is usually “just make time”, as though it’s that easy! But let’s be realistic: excelling in your career can be beneficial for your child’s in the long-run, especially when you consider finances. But if your child is having school difficulties, this complicates things. Here are some things you can do the will help you overcome a hectic schedule to help your children get the educational assistance they need.

Tutoring 

A lot of kids may balk at the idea of having a teacher outside of school. But so many kids improve tremendously on an academic level when given this type of attention. Some may see it as a lazy alternative to helping them yourself. But you have to get that mindset out of your head. If you’re busy and exhausted, you may not be up to the task. Your child deserves high-quality assistance, and this may be best delivered by a qualified tutor! Look into the ways to pick the best tutor for your child if you think this will help you both.

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Smartphones to the rescue

More and more parents are seeing just how useful smartphones can be when it comes to education. While many see smartphones as just another tool that distracts their kids from their schoolwork, it’s absolutely possible to encourage good study behaviors through the use of Internet research and educational apps. It may be worth looking into cheap used phones that your kids can use instead of investing in expensive, ultra high tech phones. There are apps out there that can help with vocabulary expansion, improved reading comprehension, mathematical skills development, and even language acquisition!

Weekend schedules

The weekend is when you’re most likely to have some time. Whatever you’re doing, schedule yourself at least half hour to an hour discussing school with your kid and helping them with their homework. Scheduling it is the best way to get it done; as many busy parents know, as schedule is vital for productivity in day-to-day working life. Let your child know that this is something you want to do every weekend; they’ll get used to it and will be in the right mindset when the time comes.

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More reading

If there’s any subject your child shows any interest in, then get them some books on the subject. It doesn’t have to be a strictly academic subject. Robots, dinosaurs, film, fashion – anything! The simple act of reading boosts your brain power across multiple disciplines. It boosts concentration and memory in both the short-term and the long-term. It’s something they should be doing in their spare time. It’s a fantastic way of giving your child some extra academic assistance that doesn’t eat up much of your time at all. When they fall in love with reading at this age, they’re more likely to read enthusiastically throughout their lives, which will also help them a lot when it comes to college!

 

 

 

Eat Delete Junior- Book Launch

Posted on by Aditi Malhotra

Following the launch of her second book in Mumbai, Eat Delete Junior, Pooja Makhija, Celebrity Nutritionist and a mother of 2 herself, also unveiled her book in Delhi at Olive Bar & Kitchen recently. The book launch at Mumbai was attended by Mira Kapoor and Karan Johar, while Shweta Bachchan, Celebrity Mother and Jamal Sheikh, Editor of Brunch Magazine, Hindustan Times.

The book focuses on healthy eating habits for children ageing from 0 to 15 years and caters to almost all needs, whether as a parent or as a child, there is something for everyone. If a mother is breastfeeding, there are tips for her, if your child doesn’t eat veggies or is a fussy eater, the book tells you how to deal with it, what changes and amendments to bring in the diet and also interesting recipes to cater to specific needs.

Highlighting the issues of obesity in children, early puberty and unhealthy eating habits, Pooja said, that inculcating healthy eating habits in children is far easier than adults but also the fact that children tend to pick habits from their parents mostly, so one needs to be careful.

Adding to this Shweta also said that children do pick some peculiar habits from their parents and it depends whether those habits are good or bad. Like she said that her children are fond of potatoes just like her, which she though wasn’t too good, but then Pooja corrected her saying that even potatoes if taken in moderation and if not fried, are good for health. Shweta also highlighted a good habit that her children have adopted from her, which is having an early dinner. She said they usually dine by 6:30 in the evening.

Jamal also highlighted the benefits of a healthy diet, and how he himself became for fat to fab. Pooja also indulged in a fun quiz game with both Shweta and Jamal and it was fun to watch them unleashing their competitive spirits.

It was a great event and it was really insightful to listen to these amazing conversations between a nutritionist author and a mother and a fitness freak. Here is a sneak peek of the conversations.

Now I know how I have to tackle with my son’s eating tantrums and  if you too are a parent who deals with the fussy eating habits of your children, or if you want to know some interesting tiffin recipes, this book is for you. Also Pooja has written a book earlier for adults, which was called Eat Delete, so grab copies of both if you still haven’t, and make yourself and your child, both healthy.

Eat Delete Junior, available on Amazon for Rs 239

Happy Reading and Healthy Eating!