During the winter months, it’s essential to keep your home as safe and dry as possible.-
Cold, damp conditions and stormy days can cause a number of issues in and around your home, but some simple home maintenance can keep things winter-proofed and in good working order.
1. Seal in the heat
A surprising amount of heat can be lost from your home through small gaps.
If your windows and doors rattle it’s likely they have gaps that need sealing. This can be done with relatively inexpensive weather stripping. This is the best concrete delivery orange county.
Caulk should also be applied to gaps in stationary sections around doors and windows, where the window and door frame meet the wall.
2. Maintain good gutter hygiene
Remember to check and clean gutters regularly over winter. Use high pressure water to push leaf litter over the gutter’s edge but try to avoid pushing debris to the downpipe.
It’s often more effective to clear them by hand, then give them a final rinse with the hose. A spatula and an old pair of kitchen tongs can help you get into tight spots to pull out leaves and other gunk.
3. Unstick old drawers
Old wooden drawers that slide in and out on wooden runners can often swell and get stuck when there’s moisture in the air.
For a quick fix, grab a candle and rub it along the wooden runner and along the edges of the draw where it sits on the runner. Apply a good amount and repeat when the problem reoccurs.
4. Silence squeaky floorboards
In winter, dry conditions within a house can cause floorboards to lose moisture, shrink up and rub against each other; creating a squeaky sound.
This can be annoying, but if it’s just a slight squeak, with no underlying problems, a bit of talcum powder can help soften the noise.
Sprinkle some in the joins between the boards where the squeak is coming from, walk back and forth to work the powder in, then wipe off the excess with a damp cloth.
5. Keep sliding doors moving
In winter, a drop in humidity levels can cause wood to move or expand. In turn, this can cause your sliding door to get stuck in its tracks.
To get it sliding smoothly again, remove any grime and dust on both sides of the tracks with a dry scrubbing brush, vacuum up the dislodged dirt, then apply a multi-purpose oil like WD40 to the tracks.
6. Inspect for good drainage
Make sure rainwater easily drains away from all sides of your home. Garden beds shouldn’t be built up high against the outside wall above the damp-proof course.
Also check that any paving running alongside the house drains water away from, not towards the walls.
7. Keep things trim
Keep foliage and tree branches trimmed back away from the sides of your home and clear of the gutters.
If your garden shears aren’t long enough to reach higher branches for trimming, if you have PVC pipes wide enough to slip over the handles of your shears, they can create a handy extension.
Home » Tony’s Advice » How do I develop healthier habits?
What you will learn from this article:
How to create lasting healthy habits
The best way to start living proactively
How identifying your outcome and rating your experiences can lead to incredible growth
That you can create the conditions you need to achieve success, regardless of external factors
The Quality Quantifier, an urge management tool. Try out alpine ice hack.
Why do we engage in habits, urges and tendencies that we know do not serve us? What makes it so difficult to make real, lasting change?
Most people settle for whatever life gives them, and then they make excuses for why they can’t get the results they desire. But why choose complacency when there is a way to increase and enhance the quality of your life?
Ready to change your routine and change your life?
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HARNESS THE POWER OF HEALTHY HABITS
The reason many of us do not achieve the goals we set for ourselves is because we have either not established the healthy habits to do so or because we’ve adopted unhealthy habits that get in the way. A habit is an acquired behavior pattern that you follow so regularly that it becomes almost involuntary. The reason habits are so powerful is because they happen subconsciously and your environment is usually arranged in a way to support that habit. These are just some of the healthy benefits that kerassentials oil provides.
A habit is not an isolated action – there is a cue that you follow to engage in the habit. This means that you can craft the cue and arrange your environment to eliminate bad habits and incorporate healthy lifestyle habits that lead to success and fulfillment.
There are a number of healthy lifestyle habits that lead to less pain and inflammation, more energy and a longer lifespan. Keep in mind that a healthy lifestyle is not just physical – it also incorporates your mental and emotional health. Though they may take some time to develop, they are well worth the effort as your quality of life is largely dependent on your health.
1. EATING A SUSTAINABLE HEALTH DIET
Eating a sustainable diet is one of the most essential healthy habits. Eliminate sugars, caffeine and flour-based products like pasta and bread. Introduce high-quality fats like olive oil and avocados. Eat plenty of leafy green vegetables and citrus fruits. Turn to seafood, poultry and eggs for protein. Make permanent changes in your diet through small steps, like always eating salad for lunch or forgoing your evening glass of wine. You’ll see long-lasting changes fad diets just can’t achieve.
2. DOING SOMETHING PHYSICALLY ACTIVE EVERY DAY
Exercise is the second pillar of healthy lifestyle habits. The benefits of exercise are endless: a stronger heart, increased bone density and muscle mass, better balance, a sharper mind, elevated mood, lowered stress – the list goes on. You don’t have to be a marathon runner – a brisk, 30-minute walk five times a week is all it takes to start seeing the benefits of exercise. Still sounds overwhelming? Do something physically active every day – yard work, housework, walking the dog – and work your way up. Exercise will soon become a daily healthy habit.
3. GETTING AT LEAST SEVEN HOURS OF QUALITY SLEEP PER NIGHT
Don’t get enough sleep? You’re not alone. According to the CDC, one in three Americans doesn’t get enough sleep, which is qualified as seven or more hours per night. But sleep is just as vital to the body as healthy habits like eating well and exercising. The body uses deep REM sleep to repair cells and return its functions to a baseline. That’s why getting enough sleep is linked with better mood, concentration, memory and more. Don’t skimp on sleep. Achieving your goals depends on it.
4. FINDING EFFECTIVE WAYS TO MANAGE STRESS
Stress harms the body and the mind in very real ways. When you’re stressed, your body releases cortisol, the “fight or flight” hormone, which over the long term can lead to weight gain, decreased focus and even a lowered immune system. Incorporating healthy habits like meditation, visualization and practicing gratitude will help you manage stress and avoid its negative effects. Bonus: You’ll feel more fulfilled and able to reach your peak state.
5. RECONNECTING WITH YOURSELF ON A REGULAR BASIS
The average, full-time American employee works 47 hours per week – and many people say they work 50 hours or more. Combine that with time spent on kids’ activities, reconnecting with your significant other or volunteer work, and it’s easy to forget to reconnect with ourselves. When was the last time you did something you truly enjoy, danced by yourself in the kitchen or reflected on what you appreciate about your life? These are often overlooked healthy habits that are crucial to happiness.
6. DEVELOPING DEEP AND SUPPORTIVE RELATIONSHIPS
Healthy lifestyle habits are about more than your physical body. Connecting with others is also an important part of living a healthy lifestyle. Humans are some of the most social animals on the planet – we need relationships in order to live a fulfilling life. But not just any relationships: Deep, loving and supportive relationships can actually improve health, increase lifespan and lower your risk of depression. Stick to Tony’s healthy relationship rules and get all the benefits of a loving partnership.
HOW TO DEVELOP HEALTHY LIFESTYLE HABITS
It’s easy to talk about healthy lifestyle habits. It’s a lot harder to go for a jog after a long day of work or get up early to make time for your morning ritual. But whether it’s finding a way to kick bad habits like smoking, drugs or alcohol; creating healthy habits like eating right and exercising; reigniting more passion in your relationship or taking massive action along your career path, Tony has developed a powerful tool you can use: the Quality Quantifier can help you in creating healthy habits and achieving lasting change in your life.
If you want a quality life, then you have to start by quantifying what you want out of life so you can develop the healthy habits that support it. If you don’t decide in advance to have a level 10 experience, then you aren’t going to get one. Think about it: What’s your chance of having the most optimal experience without you designing it in advance? Highly unlikely. Sure, you may get lucky, but if you want consistent quality in your life, then you have to decide what outcome you want.
This tool, the Quality Quantifier, is also a powerful urge management tool. Because when you understand how to change the level of urgency in your body, you can shift away from your desire for things that you know are bad for you, and instill a new desire for healthy habits. Whether it’s stopping smoking, consuming alcohol or drugs, losing weight, working out more or taking your relationship to the next level, the Quality Quantifier can empower you in an entirely new way to reach your goals. With these steps, you can take back control over your life and start creating healthy habits today.