Everyone is always trying to “get fit” but for many working adults there aren’t enough hours in the day. Four evenings in the gym can take away as many as eight hours out of an already busy schedule. While the hours in the gym may be rewarding, the hours stuck in traffic on the way to the gym are just wasted time. However, going to the gym isn’t the only way to improve your health and get fit. Here are three simple “time-free” things that all adults can do to improve their fitness and stay in shape.Maximize the time doing “chores” – Chores are a tedious time consuming activity, but are still essential to having a clean, nice home. So why not maximize the time you spend doing chores and get fit at the same time? When looking to maximize your chore-time; think outside the box. For example, use an old-fashioned traditional broom with a heavy wooden handle instead of a lightweight plastic broom. Sweeping a kitchen floor with an added three pounds can increase the calorie burn and help tone muscles.Walk and Climb – It’s becoming a cliche to ‘take the stairs’ or ‘walk more’; but that doesn’t make it false. People often waste time driving to the gym in order to walk on a machine for thirty minutes when they can do the same activity at home or at work. With a pedometer you can easily track your additional steps. The Harvard Alumni study of walking showed that walking 6,000 steps in a day can help maintain health and fitness and 10,000 can significantly help lose weight. The good news is that it is easy to begin to maximize your steps while doing everyday activities. For example, rather than spend two or three minutes driving around looking for that “perfect parking spot”; park in the back and enjoy the extra exercise. Often you’ll actually save time by parking in the back of the lot and walking the extra distance instead of driving around looking for that “perfect spot.”Multivitamin and Nutrition – The truth is, no matter how much you exercise, you cannot stay healthy and be fit while depriving your body of needed nutrients. Fortunately it can be easy to get needed nutrition (for you AND your children) by making a few simple changes. You can adjust the nutritional intake in your diet by simply substituting pastas and breads made with whole grains rather than the old white flour. You can buy juices and snack drinks made with real fruit juice rather than ‘juice cocktail.’ And you can readily and easily take a multivitamin to help cover your daily needs. Multivitamins are like a safety net for any balanced diet. They provide blanket coverage of your daily nutritional needs, independent of the particular meals for that day. And because it almost impossible to get “too much” of a vitamin, multivitamins are safe to take daily.
The Joys of Self Employment
It used to be that the overwhelming majority of individuals spent their entire careers working for larger organizations. However, with the number of corporations that went through the phase of downsizing in the last twenty years, many individuals were introduced to the world of self employment. The self employed now make up nearly ten percent of the workforce and is growing each year. The opportunity to be self employed offers a great many challenges to those who take it. It is quite common for individuals who are accustomed to working for others to at first be caught off guard by the demands of being self employment. Nonetheless, those who are willing to work through these differences can make themselves a satisfying career.When many think of self employment, they often think of the freedom to set one’s own hours or working from a home office their pajamas. While this is somewhat true, there are also times when self employment means long hours. Individuals who choose this method of employment need to be self motivated, goal oriented and comfortable with being the sole decision maker. They are responsible for making sure their own Social Security and Medicare taxes are paid and they must also file quarterly taxes. At the same time, they have great freedom to take things in any direction they see fit and many of their expenses are tax deductible.Before jumping into the role of the self employed worker, one should study up on as many resources as possible. Books, websites, seminars and workshops are readily available for those seeking information. There are many aspects to learn about self employment, from how to deal with the isolation of the work at home office to legally collecting past due debts. These resources also show how to lessen tax burdens and how to keep expenses to a minimum until real profits start coming in. Joining groups and organizations for the self employed is a great way to stay connected and get firsthand tips and advice.While there are no rules, it is said that older individuals are more likely to choose self employment and stick with it. Their years of experience and knowledge give them a bit of an edge when it comes to the ups and downs that self employment can sometimes bring. At the same time, younger individuals are more likely to be able to put in the longer hours that being self employed sometimes requires. At any rate, the option of being one’s own boss is becoming more and more attractive with the shifting job market.
Discount Homeowners Insurance – Where to Get It
Homeowner’s insurance protects you against financial loss if your home or property is damaged by theft, fire, lightning, smoke, or other disasters. Thanks to the internet, you can easily find discount homeowners insurance that meets your needs. Here’s how …Complete Your InformationYou can get quotes for discount homeowners insurance by visiting an insurance comparison site. On the site you’ll complete a simple questionnaire with information about your home and your insurance needs, including …* How much coverage you want for your home and for your home’s contents. It may be helpful for you to make a detailed inventory of your home’s contents to figure out what coverage amounts you need. (You’ll also need this inventory if you ever need to make a claim.)* The deductible you want to apply to your homeowners insurance.* The square footage of your home and the year it was built.* The number of miles from your home to the nearest fire station and the number of feet to the nearest hydrant.* Any discounts for which you might be eligible. For example, many discount homeowners insurance companies give discounts to non-smoking customers, as well as for security features such as deadbolts and smoke detectors.Get Answers to Your QuestionsThe best insurance comparison sites will also have a chat feature available. With the chat feature, you can get answers to all your homeowners insurance questions from insurance professionals. (See link below.)Get Your Discount Homeowners Insurance QuotesOnce you complete the questionnaire, you’ll quickly receive discount homeowners insurance quotes from multiple A-rated insurance companies.What if the Quote is too High?If the quote for your discount homeowners insurance is more than you can afford, follow these tips to try to get it lower:* Lower your coverage limits and raise your deductibles. Note that your mortgage company probably requires a specific minimum coverage.* See if you can qualify for more discounts. Perhaps you can install more smoke detectors, burglar alarms, or buy fire extinguishers.* If your credit is poor, work on improving it.