Cute Animals Can Increase Your Productivity

cute

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I love animals, I even have a whole Pinterest board dedicated to cute animal pictures. As much as I love them however, I wouldn’t have considered them to be a productivity tool. Little did I know that researchers at Hiroshima University have proved me wrong. Their study shows that looking at cute pictures or videos of animals triggers care giving impulses, which may actually improve your work performance. That’s because you’re more likely to be attentive and careful. So next time you’re in work, ask your boss if you can get rid of the printer on your desk to make room for a Large hamster cage! Read more

Checklist for Moving

Moving Day

Moving Day (Photo credit: Gavin St. Ours)

Recently, Jay and I made a major change — we bought a new apartment in Manhattan (YAY)! Totally exciting, but as I have come to realize, it can also be very stressful and overwhelming. I thought that after we finally closed on our place that there would be a sense of relief. But moving out of our old place and moving into our new one is a totally different story. So, as I embark on this new journey, I thought I would create a few lists (as usual) to lessen the stress!

Packing up the old memories and moving everything out.

Address change. Don’t forget to change your address to the new place. Here are forms on how to do it

Stock up! Make sure to stockpile boxes and tape! Having extra is okay in this case. You don’t want to run out mid packing and have to stop to buy more. Color coding the labels doesn’t hurt either.

De-Clutter! There is a lot more extra junk than you would think lurking around (even if you are organized.) Anything that you won’t be able to use in your new space should be donated. You can find a new home for anything like furniture, books, clothing or even a vintage car! If this is the case and you don’t want to sell your car, you will definitely need to organise car storage. With regards to clothes, you can either sell them, store them or give them to charity.

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Checklist For Pet Owners Before It’s Too Late

Brody

Losing a pet is one of the most difficult times you’ll ever go through. It’s like losing a member of the family. I lost my dog when I was young and still miss her. I’ve mentioned Brody, my cousin’s beagle, from time to time on this blog and his fear of fireworks and adorable personality.

Sadly, Brody’s kidneys started to fail him and he had to be put to sleep recently. It’s a decision that has affected my entire family. Everyone loves Brody. His owner, my cousin Jen, wanted to share a list of things all pet owners should think about before it’s too late.

Checklist For Pet Owners Before It’s Too Late

by Jennifer Walsh

My recommendation is to think about these things now, while your pet is healthyBrody and his family and you are not overly emotional, as I was. Maybe it’s a good idea to write them down and keep them in a safe place so that when the time comes & you need this list you have all your decisions in writing. I am sure that this will not make these decisions any easier or that you will not change your mind, but maybe you will feel better prepared. When my dog passed, it was a very difficult time. I found myself looking for distractions everywhere and ended up getting a pit border collie mix to keep me company. Getting her really saved me a lot of sadness. I know not all dog owners want to get a new dog straight away but for me, it really helped. A pit and collie mix require a lot of exercise so I was constantly going on walks and it really did take my mind off the situation. Everyone’s situation is different and you have to do what feels right for you, there are no right or wrong decisions.

Think about how you may want to proceed should your vet bring up the topic of euthanasia. For us, we felt that the decision should be left up to the vet, who we trust only wanted the best for Brody and was making a level-headed decision. We didn’t want to let Brody go, but we also didn’t want him to suffer for our selfish reasons. Read more

Put Puppies on Your List

Lucille the English Bulldog

Lucille the English Bulldog
From the Dailypuppy.com

Just a quick post to make you smile! Yesterday I came across the most amazingly adorable site – www.DailyPuppy.com.

Each day you can opt to have a precious pooch delivered to your inbox or show up on your Facebook newsfeed. Or you can just check out the site or even download the iPhone app! How can you go wrong? It’s a cute little way to give yourself a boost.

But first, do you have a puppy at home? Looking after a dog is incredibly rewarding, but to make sure that your furry friend grows into a healthy dog, you might want to consider introducing a Dog Multivitamin into the meals you feed to your pet. Vitamins and minerals are fundamental to the health of your pet and therefore using supplements could give your dog a boost. Just remember to speak to your vet before using any pet products.

Whether you are having a good day or not – just a little built in insurance for a smile can do wonders! Oh yeah – and I’m sure your stress levels will go down too when you see a little mood lifter mixed in with all your must-do emails. Enjoy the puppies. 😉

Checklist for Moving With Your Pet

Moving is always a pain – no matter how you slice it.

Help your Pet Adjust to a New Home

by Aaron Hill

Before the big day

Site survey. If it’s a local move, take your pup over to the new place a few times before you officially move in. Let them sniff their new digs and get the lay of the land before changing addresses. Read more