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Tips to Increase Your Reading Pleasure

CENTRESTAGEFILMS — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 19:35:20 +0000

Among Americans’ most cited new year’s resolutions is the goal to spend more time reading. The benefits of immersing yourself in a book – as opposed to all those screens at our disposal – are well documented and include enhanced vocabulary, concentration and communication skills as well as sharper cognitive abilities and a broader worldview. In addition, swapping your phone or tablet for a book at bedtime will substantially improve the quality of your sleep.

Achieving the goal, however, requires a conscious effort to alter your habits and lifestyle. Here are a few strategies you can employ if you are looking to spend more time lost in the pages of a great book.

Combine Your Habits: Your first step is to identify times in your day you can free up for reading. One strategy is to consider parts of your daily routine you can enhance with a book. Do you always make coffee first thing in the morning? Try having a book on the counter and read a few pages while sipping your joe. Always have to wait on the same platform for your train? That’s a great time to put your nose in a book.

Entertain Yourself: Many non-readers eschew books because they see reading as something that needs to be intellectually stimulating. Nonsense! Try taking the page-turner route starting out and focus on books that are fun and entertaining – the reading equivalent of watching TV. Of course, lofty literary fiction or engrossing nonfiction is well worth your attention topo but there’s no crime in exploring the niches that get you excited, at least until you fully develop the habit.

Active Reading: It’s tempting to let the plot carry you down its winding path, particularly if you’re reading a page-turner. But there is also merit in slowing down and taking in every nuance through active reading. Read with a pen in your hand so you can note any questions you have, sentences you like or even just the occasional stray thought. Highlight, underline, question and comment – they all help keep the mind engaged.

Keep Books Everywhere: The old saying, “out of sight, out of mind” is all too true so it’s important to surround yourself with books if you’re looking to strengthen your reading habit. Never leave the house without a book to pass the time during life’s in-between moments and recognize that if you have a stack of books beside your bed, you’re more likely to pick one up. Wherever you are, books should be close at hand.

Embrace Many Formats: There’s more than one way to consume a book these days – you can read a physical book, listen to an audiobook or peruse an eBook. Each format has its own unique qualities and benefits so don’t fear trying them all, for example balancing an audiobook with a physical book. See which medium works best for you.

At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.

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Tips On How to Make the Most of Those All-to-Fleeting Weekends

CENTRESTAGEFILMS — Fri, 23 Dec 2022 21:58:21 +0000

Why is it that weekends never feel long enough? It doesn’t even seem to matter whether we’re talking about the standard two-day variety or a three-day holiday weekend, that same sense of dread – that “where did the time go?” angst – kicks in even before the break is over.

Studies over decades have confirmed that people really do feel that leisure time flies by much faster than its workday equivalent. And while there is no easy way to rewire your brain to think otherwise, there are strategies you can utilize to ensure your weekends leave you feeling more fulfilled.

Plan Ahead: Creating a specific schedule for your weekend a few days greatly increases the chances you will accomplish what you want and not reach Sunday night feeling disappointed at all those deeds undone. For example, you are much more likely to go on a long bike ride with a friend if you schedule the time with your buddy well in advance. While this strategy clearly will not add actual hours to your weekend it will enable you to feel you maximized your time. In addition, there is the benefit of all that pleasant anticipation in the days leading up the weekend.

Curb Your Screen Time: Few people can resist looking at television or social media over the weekend, particularly if a favorite team is playing. That said, it really is best to limit that exposure so that you can direct your attention elsewhere, such as to family and the other elements in the world around you. Doing so will substantially foster a sense of rejuvenation once you head back into the work week.

Leave Work at Work: A no-brainer, to be sure, but it is vitally important to remember to relegate your professional duties to weekdays, not the weekend. Worrying about work wastes valuable time you could be spending with friends and family it drastically reduces your ability to actually enjoy yourself. So turn off your work phone, disable the work email and put the laptop away so you aren’t reminded of a looming deadline while you cuddle on the couch.

Find A Hobby: Now that you’ve unplugged from the office, it’s important you spend your leisure time engaging in activities that you find rewarding. One strategy is to focus on activities that draw on a completely different set of resources than your work. For example, if your 9-to-5 job is highly technical, spend the weekend doing things that build on different skills.

Practice Mindfulness: It may be easier said than done, but if you stay in the moment during your treasured days off, you’ll have a more enjoyable weekend. In fact, studies show that some people who practice ongoing mindfulness and meditation experience time at a slower rate. You can ground yourself anywhere and anytime using your senses. Once you are back in the present moment, then you can intentionally move forward with things that bring you a sense of joy. And who doesn’t to experience a sense of joy all throughout a slow-moving weekend?

At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.

The post Tips On How to Make the Most of Those All-to-Fleeting Weekends appeared first on Other CMS.

Higher Prices, Increased Anxiety: How to Cope with Inflation-Related Stress

CENTRESTAGEFILMS — Thu, 18 Aug 2022 16:49:28 +0000

The biggest economic story this year has been rising cost of living, with U.S. government data showing inflation growing at its fastest rate in four decades. Even with gas prices dropping from their unprecedented highs of this past spring, there is no denying that the price of everything from bread and butter to back-to-school supplies has increased sharply from their pre-pandemic levels.

Economists know well the way inflation impacts the economy – how rising prices force consumers to alter their spending habits as changing economic realities lead them to cut corners, eschew luxuries and seek out bargains. Likewise, research reveals the many ways that process increases consumers’ sense of anxiety and concern for their future and their loved ones, a phenomenon compounded this year by the effect of the still-lingering COVID-19 pandemic. With the solution lying in focusing on things you can control, here are a few tips to help you weather this season of growing economic uncertainty.

Examine Your Budget: Most people give little thought to their spending habits when times are good, the assumption being there will always be money enough to cover costs. The current rate of inflation, however, should lead you to rethink that assumption while also presenting an ideal opportunity to re-examine your spending habits to determine where you can best save money. From there, simply establish a monthly household budget and stick to it.

Get Your Side Hustle On: Depending on your prime source of income, you may or may not have the ability to pick up a second job, something part-time that will generate enough money to close the budget gap. If you are so fortunate, look for something that fits your schedule, skills set and other needs to ensure you’re caring for your mental and physical well-being even as you bring in those additional bucks.

Lobby For Your Hobbies: Dinner and a movie now out of your range? It’s time to look for less expensive ways to entertain yourself. Consider devoting more time to your hobbies, which are not only enjoyable but promote your social-emotional growth and physical well-being. This can be a challenge, particularly if you are taking on an additional job, but one that is worth undertaking given the benefits involved. The first step is to determine how much time you spend on hobbies or similar activities and identify ways you can put more energy into them.

Seek Social Support: Suffice it to say, you are not in it alone when the global economy struggles. Fortunately, there are several different ways to find social support or increase your current level of support. For example, you can join support groups, which may exist in person or online. One of the best things about support groups is that they are often free, and they’re also proven beneficial for those facing a wide range of concerns. You can also meet people in other ways, such as through volunteer opportunities or events, classes and activities. Spend time with the people you value and make you feel good about yourself.

At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.

The post Higher Prices, Increased Anxiety: How to Cope with Inflation-Related Stress appeared first on Other CMS.