4 Easy Tips For Improving Customer Service

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Customer service is all about making sure your customer is happy before a purchase, during a purchase, and after a purchase. From the moment they discover your business until they have received their product or service. Making this experience more pleasant than your competitors can be difficult, but it’s important that you’re going the extra mile to make sure your customers are happy. Smaller businesses often have to try harder than bigger businesses, but it will make a significant impact on your sales and reputation.

 

Make payment easy

 

When you’re trying to make things more enjoyable for your customer, you shouldn’t just be thinking about the product or service that you’re selling or the way your employees act in front of customers. You should also consider anything else that could make an impact on their buyer’s journey. Was it easy for them to find the product or service? When they found it, were they able to pay for it conveniently? For example, it might be a good idea to accept payments using a credit card on file or to start accepting other payment options. Your customers may have different preferences, so it’s a good idea to be flexible when it comes to accepting payment methods.

 

Take customer feedback

 

As a small business, it can take time to adapt to what your audience wants and needs, but there are ways to make it faster. Listening to what your customers want, and the complaints and criticisms they have about your business is a good way to learn what you’re doing wrong, what they might be getting from your competitors, and what could help your business. Of course, you can’t listen to every complaint and make a change, but taking feedback and making changes based on common issues is a step in the right direction.

 

Learn how to deal with difficult customers

 

There are going to be times, that you’re going to need to deal with customers who can be difficult. Some customers who you interact with may be in a bad mood, they may be unhappy with the product or service, and they might not be as cooperative or pleasant as the rest of your customers. In times like these, it’s important that you and your employees are prepared and professional. Understanding how to de-escalate these confrontations, and handle them in the most efficient way possible can help to improve the reputation of your business among other members of your audience.

 

Communicate with customers

 

It’s important to your customers that you’re communicating with them clearly. If they have questions about your products or services, you need to be ready to answer. If they’ve got a problem with what they received from their purchase, it’s important that someone is ready to respond to them. Being ready to communicate and respond to criticism can help your customers to feel safer with their purchases, and you’re a lot more trustworthy if you show that you’re going to be ready to fix any mistakes you make.

How To Create A Safe Online Experience For Your Customers

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Finally, when itAs a business, it’s your responsibility to ensure the safety of your customers online. While you can’t protect them fully, especially if they’re vulnerable to falling victim to online scams, you can still do as much as possible.

 

The more you protect them, the more opportunities they’ll have for a great online experience with your business. The one time that they experience a problem through cyber crimes when shopping via your site, is the one time it takes for them to walk away from your business for good.

 

There are many ways to help create that safe online experience. With that being said, here are some top tips to help your customers enjoy a safe shopping experience with your business via the Internet.

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Provide plenty of options for communication

First and foremost, make sure your communications are top-notch for all customers both old and new. Whether that’s a live chat service to help customers in real-time to email and social media direct messaging, there’s plenty to choose from.

 

The more communication channels you offer as a business, the better experience your customers will have as a result. If they, therefore, run into any problems at whatever time of day, there should always be communication available for them to interact with.

 

Chatbots are also worthwhile if you’ve got a sizeable knowledge base available. As a business, you should be actively building your knowledge base so your customer agents are spending less time answering the same queries over and over again.

Use the right software for merchant accounts

When customers are making a purchase online, they’re likely to be cautious about making a payment on a site they’ve never used before. Even if it looks legitimate to them, there will likely be some hesitancy, which is where your business comes in.

 

Offering a secure and trustworthy payment process is important, especially for new customers to the business itself. A platform like Humbolt provides high-risk merchant accounts to those that are wanting to create the safest and most secure online experience for customers. 

 

There will also be businesses that operate in a more risky industry, which is why a high-risk merchant account may be needed.

Enable multi-factor authentication

Multi-factor authentication is one of those features that is greatly appreciated in the security domain. If you’re new to multi-factor authentication, it’s often offered to those platforms where you want that extra layer of security like online banking for example.

 

By enabling a multi-factor authentication feature, you’ll be able to give your customers the opportunity to add that extra layer of security that might be needed. Think about introducing it on your site for those who might want to implement it on their account. It shows you’re going above and beyond to help keep customer accounts as secure as possible.

Educate your customers about security and safety online

As a business, it’s important to educate your customers when it comes to security and safety online. Not every customer is going to have the same proficiency when it comes to online security and protecting themselves.

 

By providing them with educational content, resources, and general guidance on staying safe online, they’re more likely to have a positive experience with your business as a result. While you can’t guarantee their safety online to the full extent, you can do your best to ensure they’re shopping and navigating the online world as safely as possible. 

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Use fraud prevention tools

To help with fraudulent activity and potential cyber attacks, it’s worth investing in some fraud prevention tools. There’s a lot out there that can give you that extra set of eyes you’ll need to spot and monitor anything that doesn’t seem quite right.

 

Cybercriminals are good but they can often make mistakes. Having fraud prevention tools to hand can be useful when these individuals slip up online. These are helpful tools that will ensure your business is more secure as a result. 

Install an SSL certificate

Finally, when it comes to showing reliability and trust as an online business, it’s worth installing an SSL certificate. This is a digital identifier that’s worth having in place to show your customers that you’re a legitimate business online.

 

This is particularly useful for new users who are only just discovering your business for the first time. These are easy to install and are great for those who are looking to secure their online experience for your customers.

 

Create a safe online experience for your customers by using the tips above.

5 Body Confidence Tips Worth Knowing

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A survey of 2000 people revealed that 59% are not confident in their body. Body confidence is crucial to self-esteem while being a vital aspect of self-acceptance. It enables you to break free of the pressure of trying to meet what’s regarded as the “ideal” body. It also encourages self-love, meaning you will feel happier in your skin without needing validation. Here are five body confidence tips worth knowing. 

 

  1. Focus on your health, not your appearance

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Many people invest time, money, and energy into looking good, even without feeling good. But a better strategy is to shift your focus from appearance to overall health and well-being. Moreover, the healthier your body is, the better it will look. So, engage in activities that make you feel strong, energetic, and vibrant rather than limiting yourself to a particular body shape or size. Start with your nutrition, ensuring that you eat healthy. Likewise, exercising often is essential. However, don’t jump into any exercise; focus on the ones you can enjoy. The reason is in the next point. 

 

              2.  Move your body in a way that you enjoy

 

There’s a strong link between exercising and body image. Some studies show that women with low body confidence felt much better after 20 to 30 minutes of exercise than women who spent the same time reading. When moving the body, most people first think about exercising. While it is super important, it can be frustrating and even miserable if you don’t enjoy it. It’s even worse if you’re insecure about how your body looks when you exercise. Therefore, exercising or moving your body in a way you enjoy is important. If you’re not a fan of hitting the gym and lifting weights, consider more different activities, like dancing, swimming, or walking. You may have to try different forms of exercise until you find one you love. 

                  3. Fix your smile

 

A good smile is a massive confidence booster. Several studies show that a smile can directly impact your self-confidence and improve how you feel about yourself. On the other hand, discolored teeth can have the opposite effect on confidence, making it almost impossible to wear a good smile. So, fix this issue by addressing any oral or dental issues that stop you from smiling. For example, if crooked teeth prevent you from feeling confident about your smile, consider seeing reputable local dentists to have them corrected. 

 

               4. Give genuine compliments to others

 

Complimenting others directs your thoughts away from your body or appearance, but it’s surprisingly a good way to feel more confident about yourself. However, for this tip to work, your compliments must be genuine, not simply trying to make others feel good. So, how does this work? Before you can give a genuine compliment, you must actively observe something admirable in another person. In so doing, you can realize the things you love and kickstart the process of seeing the good things about yourself. 

                   5. Don’t skimp on self-care

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Nurture your physical and emotional well-being with proper self-care, which can significantly contribute to body confidence. Invest in your health, but take the time to pamper your body and treat yourself through a massage, relaxing bath, meditation, or other activities that bring you joy and help you relax.

 

Are You Allergic To Your Pets?

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Pet allergies can develop at any point in a person’s life – even if you’ve always had pets. Just how do you know whether you’ve got a pet allergy? This post delves into some of the telltale signs, as well as some advice for living with a pet allergy.

What causes a pet allergy?

Allergies are the result of the immune system misinterpreting a non-harmful substance as a threat. This causes the immune system to react as if that substance were a poison or a virus.

A pet allergy is triggered by contact with proteins found in an animal’s skin cells, saliva or urine. Shedded fur can cause allergic reactions too, although this is generally not caused by the fur itself but because of saliva and skin cells (dander) within the fur.

Cats are the most common animal to be allergic to, followed by dogs. Other animal allergies are less common, but can still occur. 

What are the signs of a pet allergy?

If you are having an allergic reaction to one of your pets, you will usually start experiencing one of the following symptoms:

  • Runny nose
  • Sneezing
  • Itchy eyes

Other symptoms that some people can experience include:

  • Asthma symptoms such as shortness of breath and wheezing
  • Coughing 
  • Skin rashes or hives

How to tell if pets are the problem?

It’s possible that you could be allergic to something other than your pets. Hay fever, dust mite allergies and mold allergies can all display similar symptoms, so you may need to rule these out first. You should also make sure that it’s not a cold or a sinus infection.

A simple way to determine whether your pets are the problem or not is to spend some time away from your pets. This could include getting away from your home and wearing fresh clothes that aren’t likely to have hair on them.

Can I still live with my pet?

The good news is that you don’t have to get rid of your pet. In cases where an allergy is fairly mild, it’s usually possible to continue living with a pet – however you should be diligent with cleaning and limit physical contact with your pet (such as letting a dog lick your face).

Taking antihistamines each day should help you to overcome symptoms like sneezing and itchy eyes. Compare reviews to find the best rated antihistamines so that they are likely to be effective.

There are also ways to solve breathing problems such as practicing breathing techniques and making sure that your home is well ventilated. You can also ask a doctor to prescribe you an inhaler.

If you’ve got an allergy and have been thinking about getting a pet cat or dog, it’s also worth noting that some breeds may be better suited than others. For example, low-shedding dog breeds tend to result in less allergy symptoms than high-shedding dog breeds.  Also, consider feeding your dog Nextrition since it’s great for their skin and coat.

Is there a cure for pet allergies?

There is sadly no current cure for pet allergies. Once you’ve developed an allergy, you’ll likely have it for life. There are occasions where allergies can fade away on their own, however there are also cases where allergies can progressively get worse. All in all, allergies are very unpredictable. 

One long-term solution could be to look into immunotherapy using allergy shots. This can give people a temporary immunity for several months but is not effective for everyone. 

Could Your Home Be Making You Sick?

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Your home should be your safe place. 

 

However, if it’s not properly maintained or cared for, it could actually be putting your safety at risk, leaving you vulnerable to sickness, infection, and other health complications. 

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

 

With that in mind, here are some surprising ways in which your home could be making you sick – and what you should do about it! 

 

Clutter. 

While it’s easy for a bit of clutter to accumulate throughout your home during the course of a busy week, you’d be surprised about just how much this can impact your health. For example, studies have found that “clutter can affect our anxiety levels, sleep, and ability to focus.”

 

As such, if you’re looking to take care of your mental health, it’s important that you declutter your home. The easiest way to approach this task is to simply ensure that you’ve got plenty of storage options available to you while also throwing away or selling things you no longer need or use.

 

Mold.

There are many different ways in which mold could build up in your home – often without you even realizing it. For example, moisture can enter your property through windows, vents, damaged roofing, and more. Once mold is present within your home, it can lead to a wide range of health issues. For example, it could trigger allergies or lead to respiratory conditions. 

 

As a result, if you’ve noticed any mold within your home, you should reach out to a 

mold removal company that can remove it quickly and efficiently. This is often a better approach than trialing out at-home remedies, as these techniques often ‘cover up’ the mold instead of removing it. 

 

Dust. 

The build-up of dust and other allergens throughout your home could also leave you more vulnerable to sickness, especially if you have pre-existing respiratory conditions such as asthma. Exposure to dust can also trigger allergy symptoms such as rashes, itchiness, and sneezing. Fortunately, this is a relatively easy issue to tackle, such as by vacuuming and dusting regularly, avoiding the build-up of clutter, and ensuring that you clean every area of your home – including spaces behind furniture.

Poor ventilation. 

If your home is poorly ventilated, this could again lead to various health complications. This is because it impacts indoor air quality quite considerably, leaving you once again more vulnerable to sickness, allergies, and respiratory problems. Furthermore, many studies have found that spending time in poorly-ventilated spaces leads to headaches, nausea, and shortness of breath.

 

As such, if you want to improve your health, you must improve the ventilation within your home. For example, you could simply make sure you open your windows more often to allow a steady stream of air to enter the space, or consider installing ventilation or AC units. 

 

Beyond this, you could work to improve indoor air quality within your home by using plants as decor. Not only will this liven up the space, but various studies have found that the presence of plants improves indoor air quality quite considerably. 

Creating The Perfect Business Office Takes Time

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Creating the perfect business office is going to take a fair amount of time and dedication from you. It’s not the easiest thing in the world to do, and you can’t just copy other businesses as they may have different goals to you. As such, you’ve got to think carefully about what you need for your business, and how you can create the perfect business office to achieve this. In this article, we’re going to be giving you some ideas on how you can do this, so keep reading if you would like to find out more.

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Hire A Professional

 

The first thing that you can do is hire a professional. If you want to get some professional help, we recommend that you do your research before you go ahead and hire anyone. This is going to mean taking your time, looking through the different options that are available to you, talking to different companies or people and so much more. You want to hire a professional who has their own vision, but who also takes into account what you want for your business office. You need someone who can suggest ideas and changes that can be made for the best possible results.

 

Look At Comfort

 

Another thing that you are going to need to look at is the comfort of the office. You need to be looking at workplace furniture that is designed for comfort and practicality, instead of just focusing on one of these things. Everyone who comes into your business needs to be able to sit comfortably while they wait for you to call them through, and your employees need to be in comfortable furniture as they have to sit here all day. Never forget that comfort has got to be a priority when it comes to creating the perfect office, else people are not going to want to visit your place of business!

 

Productivity Is Important

 

Last but not least, productivity is important. You might not think so right now, but productivity can be altered by the design of the office. For example, if you have the wrong color on the walls then you are going to struggle with keeping your employees engaged with their work. It’s important to understand brain association with color, and choose something that will work in your favor, but also looks nice. 

 

Also think about the way that you are arranging the furniture as this will have a massive impact on productivity!

 

We hope that you have found this article helpful, and now see some of the things that you are going to need to do in order to create the perfect business. It’s going to take time, and it’s not going to happen overnight, but that doesn’t mean that it isn’t going to be worth the time that it takes. We wish you the very best of luck, and hope that you manage to achieve your goal of creating the perfect business office. We wish you the very best of luck with this,

Book Club The Next Chapter Digital Code Giveaway

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HOLLYWOOD SCREEN QUEENS REUNITE IN HILARIOUS SEQUEL AVAILABLE TO OWN ON DIGITAL, BLU-RAY™ AND DVD IN AN ALL-NEW COLLECTOR’S EDITION
WITH MORE GLAM AND SCANDALS

 

 

 

“AN UNABASHED LOVE LETTER TO FOUR GREAT MOVIE STARS”
– THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

EXCLUSIVE ‘COLLECTOR’S EDITION’ FEATURING ALL-NEW INTERVIEWS WITH DIANE KEATON, JANE FONDA, CANDICE BERGEN AND
MARY STEENBURGEN AND MORE
ONLY ON DIGITAL JUNE 30 AND BLU-RAY™ & DVD ON JULY 11

 

 
 

Universal City, California, June 22, 2023 – Oscar® winners Diane Keaton (Father of the Bride, Something’s Gotta Give), Jane Fonda (80 for Brady, “Grace and Frankie”) and Mary Steenburgen (The Proposal, Parenthood), and Oscar® nominee Candice Bergen (Miss Congeniality, Bride Wars) star in Focus Features’ laugh-out-loud comedy, BOOK CLUB: THE NEXT CHAPTER, available to own as a Collector’s Edition with brand-new exclusive bonus content on Digital June 30, 2023 and on Blu-ray™ and DVD July 11, 2023 from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (UPHE).

“An irresistible crowd pleaser” (Deadline), BOOK CLUB: THE NEXT CHAPTER showcases an all-star supporting cast alongside the four esteemed leading ladies including Oscar® nominees Andy Garcia (Ocean’s Eleven, The Godfather Part III) and Giancarlo Giannini (Quantum of Solace, Casino Royale), Primetime Emmy Award® winner Craig T. Nelson (“Parenthood,” “Coach”), and Primetime Emmy Award® nominee Don Johnson (Knives Out, “Miami Vice”).

The highly anticipated sequel follows our four best friends as they take their book club to Italy for the fun girls trip they never had. When things go off the rails and secrets are revealed, their relaxing vacation turns into a once-in-a-lifetime cross-country adventure.

‘COLLECTOR’S EDITION’ EXCLUSIVE BONUS FEATURES TO OWN ONLY ON DIGITAL, BLU-RAYTM & DVD:

  • BOOK CLUB: Back in Session – The Book Club is back and better than ever! Sit down with the filmmakers and cast, including our four leading ladies, as they chat about what made the first film such a mega success, why they’re excited to be back, and the journey these characters take in the sequel.
  • Still Stylish – Costume designer Stefano De Nardis was overjoyed to take on the task of dressing these legends of fashion and cinema! Learn how each character’s style was created and how it melds with the actress portraying them.
  • The Women in Italy – The Book Club is going global and taking the audience with them! Filmmakers and cast discuss shooting in some of the most iconic locations on earth, how the idea of shooting in Italy came to be and what it was like making a movie in Rome and Venice amongst the actual tourists.

For more information on BOOK CLUB: THE NEXT CHAPTER, please visit:
Press Release: https://www.uphe.com/press-release/book-club-the-next-chapter-press-release
UPHE Website: https://www.uphe.com/movies/book-club-the-next-chapter
Trailer: https://uni.pictures/BookClubHomeEntTrailer
Facebook: @BookClubMovie
Twitter: @BookClub
Instagram: @BookClubMovie
#BookClub

FILMMAKERS:
Cast: Diane Keaton, Jane Fonda, Candice Bergen, Mary Steenburgen, Craig T. Nelson, Giancarlo Giannini, with Andy Garcia and Don Johnson
Music By: Tom Howe
Music Supervisor: Frankie Pine
Costume Designer: Stefano De Nardis
Edited By: Doc Crotzer, ACE
Production Designer: Stefano Maria Ortolani
Director of Photography: Andrew Dunn, BSC
Executive Producers: Brad Weston, Trish Hofmann, Enzo Sisti and Andrew Duncan
Produced By: Erin Simms p.g.a. and Bill Holderman p.g.a.
Based on Characters Created By: Bill Holderman & Erin Simms
Written By: Bill Holderman & Erin Simms
Directed By: Bill Holderman

TECHNICAL INFORMATION BLU-RAYTM:
Street Date: July 11, 2023
Selection Number: 1000827593 (US)
Layers: BD 50
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 1.85:1 Widescreen
Rating: PG-13 for some strong language and suggestive material
Subtitles: English SDH, French Canadian, and Latin American Spanish
Languages/Sound: English (DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0 for Bonus Content), French Canadian (DTS Digital Surround 5.1), and Latin American Spanish (DTS Digital Surround 5.1)
Run Time: 1:47:09

TECHNICAL INFORMATION DVD:
Street Date: July 11, 2023
Selection Number: 1000827595 (US)
Layers: DVD 9
Aspect Ratio: 16:9 1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
Rating: PG-13 for some strong language and suggestive material
Subtitles: English SDH, French Canadian, and Latin American Spanish
Languages/Sound: English (Dolby Digital 5.1, Dolby Digital 2.0 for Bonus Content), French Canadian (Dolby Digital 5.1), and Latin American Spanish (Dolby Digital 5.1)
Run Time: 1:47:09

 
 

 

 

Giveaway 
 
 
Two winners will receive a digital movie code for Book Club: The Next Chapter. Open to US 18 and older only.

 

If you have won the same prize on another blog, you will not be eligible to win it again. Entrants who have created social accounts purely to enter Competitions or Sweepstakes will not be eligible to win. All social accounts used must be public. 

The winner will be chosen randomly through Rafflecopter and contacted via email. A reply to the winning email is required within 48 hours before a new winner is chosen. Void were prohibited by law. One person entering per household, please. Chatty Patty’s Place, Tabby’s Pantry are not responsible for the shipment of the prize. Ends 7.15.23

3 Essential Steps To Boost Your Small Business Sales

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Every business has its challenges, especially regarding sales. According to research, many small companies earn less than $100,000 a year. In a competitive marketplace, it’s vital to implement crucial strategies to help you stand out from the crowd. Sales mean everything to a business, so taking proactive steps to meet your goals is necessary. What can you do to boost sales? Here are some strategies worth considering.

  • Effective customer engagement

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A strong customer relationship can open unimaginable doors for your business. The key is to earn their trust and loyalty. The first thing to do is to understand your target audience and their preferences. It is an open secret often used by business owners to tailor their products and services to meet market needs. You can engage your customers through social media, email marketing, and personalized interactions. The tip is to actively seek feedback and implement any helpful information they provide. Doing this demonstrates to customers that you value their opinions and remain committed to continuous improvement, which can also increase repeat business. Admittedly, your engagements will take some time to translate into sales. It is therefore recommended to remain consistent with it, so keep this in mind.

  • Simplify your business transaction processes

 

Cumbersome transaction processes can curtail your business’s chances of making sales. You automatically lose money when people abruptly end a transaction on your checkout page. It would be best to simplify your business transaction processes to enhance customer experience. When you learn how payment processing works, there is an opportunity to reduce the risk of abandoned purchases. Instead of relying on only one payment option, consider offering multiple channels to cater to the diverse preferences of your customers. In other words, position your business to accept digital wallets, mobile payments, and credit and debit cards. By meeting the evolving needs of your customers, you can position your small business as the preferred entity for the masses, so feel free to consider this.

  • Amplify your reach through social media

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Social media has come to stay and will continue to influence the marketplace. Many small businesses leverage these platforms to expand their customer base and drive sales. According to experts, the cost-effective element continues to drive social media platforms in the marketplace. Unlike traditional media, where you must pay substantial money to advertise your business, social media offers access to all. The important part is the benefits and positive impact on sales if used correctly. Effective use of social media platforms helps you reach a broader audience, so feel free to consider this. The more people hear about your compelling business stories and customer testimonials, the higher the chances of making increased sales. Moreover, when people experience a genuine connection with your brand, they return for repeat business. 

 

Boosting sales for your business requires patience and consistency. Applying the tips listed above will help position your business on the path to success, get more leads, and increase sales, yielding positive returns for your business,

Streamlining Home Chores: The Modern Mom’s Guide

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Maintaining a home can be challenging for busy moms juggling careers, children and housework; to stay organized, we must streamline tasks to save ourselves some valuable time and energy. Here are some effective strategies that can help streamline home tasks for maximum efficiency – take a look!

Via Pixabay

 

Create a Chore Schedule

A key strategy for streamlining home chores is creating a chore schedule. Compile all tasks that need to be accomplished within one week (i.e. cleaning, laundry, grocery shopping and meal planning). Assign each one a specific day and time slot – visual schedules allow everyone in your household to know when tasks need to be completed without guesswork or the risk of tasks being forgotten about; physical boards or digital tools designed specifically for chore scheduling may work just as effectively.

 

Delegate Responsibilities

It doesn’t have to be all on you: by engaging other family members, you can significantly decrease your workload. Delegate age-appropriate chores to children while asking your partner to manage the household – this reduces your load and instills responsibility in children. Remember, teamwork is more effective in completing chores efficiently than perfectionist efforts alone!

 

Establish a Cleaning System

Forming a systematic cleaning schedule can save time. Instead of performing deep cleans every few weeks, try maintaining cleanliness daily – spending 15-20 minutes tidying one room or area until all messes have been dealt with and made manageable. Keeping things on a consistent cleaning regiment schedule makes cleaning tasks less daunting and more manageable over time.

 

Efficient Meal Planning

Meal planning can save time and effort effectively, helping avoid last-minute scrambling for ingredients or using your slow cooker for stress-free cooking. An effortless dinner option could include an easy lemon chicken pasta recipe – perfect for entertaining crowds with minimal preparation needed! On Sunday, chop your vegetables, cook and shred your chicken, and store these items in the fridge. On a busy Wednesday night, boil pasta, heat the chicken, toss with vegetables, and add lemon and seasoning to complete dinner! Meal planning can help create healthier eating habits, reduce food waste and alleviate the stress of daily meal decision-making.

 

Employing Home Technology

Technology can make household management easier. Robotic vacuums can take over floor cleaning while you are busy doing other things; smart dishwashers can be programmed to run at off-peak hours; apps can remind you when it’s time to water plants or start meal prepping, so embrace these technologies to simplify daily household management tasks!

 

Regularly Clean and Declutter

Everything should have its place, and items used should always go back where they belong once finished using them. Regularly decluttering and discarding items is no longer required, as doing so will reduce clutter, making your cleaning and management tasks quicker and simpler.

 

Reducing home chores only happens after some time; it takes consistent effort and planning to achieve its benefits. With these strategies in place, however, you can run your home more efficiently and gain more free time for yourself and loved ones – you have to work smarter, not harder! Now enjoy that tasty lemon chicken pasta dish with all your newly acquired time – take pride in all that hard work you have accomplished and celebrate the fruits of your labour!

 

Are You Eating Enough Spice?

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Did you know that spicy food is great for you? For those who love spicy food, that will be great news! But for those who are hesitant to have anything too warm, this list of benefits might just win you around. 

 

There is a big misconception about spices and spiced foods, too; not all spices are hot, and just because something has a pinch of chilli in it doesn’t mean it is going to be spicy. 

Photo by Ratul Ghosh on Unsplash

 

A lot of the best flavors from the food we eat come from a range of herbs and spices – and it just so happens that they are good for us (including those hot ones!). 

 

Let’s take a look at the benefits of eating spicy food. 

 

Microbiome

Our gut is responsible for so much within our body, and that includes our mental health. When your gut needs a healthy boost, that can come from the spices you eat. Capsaicin, the bit that makes spice spicy, has been shown to encourage a healthy gut flora and have a positive impact on the gastrointestinal tract. 

 

Heart Health

Everything we do should be something positive for our hearts – after all, we want to live a long and relatively active (whatever that means to you) life. Capsaicin has been shown to have a positive effect on high blood pressure and high cholesterol, and even diabetes. 

Some research has shown that people who eat spices more often are less likely to die of heart-related issues like strokes and heart attacks. 

 

Metabolism

There have been more than a few suggestions that eating spicy food can help with weight management and even loss. The capsaicin that is in spicy food helps the body burn more energy and break down fat better. 

 

Along with some metabolic support, spices have been shown to prevent people from overeating by reducing hunger pangs and helping you to feel fuller faster. 

 

How can I add more spice to my daily life? 

You might be tempted to reach for spicy sauces, but these have a lot of sugar and salt in them (depending on the brand). So you’re better off making your own spice mixes and sauces. 

 

For those who never eat anything spicy, you can start with a few grinds of pepper or a pinch of mild chilli in your next meal. For those who enjoy spicy food, learning how to make chicken jalfrezi is a must! The tolerance you have for spicy food will increase over time, so even if you start with a little pinch for now, you can slowly increase it until you find your sweet spot. 

 

The idea isn’t that the food is so spicy that it ‘burns’ your mouth or makes you uncomfortable (unless you like it), but that you get layers of flavors that are elevated and improved with the warmth of the spices. 

 

There are so many different cuisines around the world to try, from delicious Arrabiata pasta dishes to the sushi dipped in wasabi: How To Eat Around The World At Home – Tabbys Pantry.