If you're building a first aid kit, there are a couple of important things to take into consideration. Your comprehensive personal needs, the kit's placement, and situational supplies are all key. You want to make sure your gear is not only fully stocked with the things you need but that it's conveniently placed and easy to get to when you need it. Following these guidelines, you can make sure you're building the best protection possible.
Making A Kit Your Own
Cover wounds with a little color.Getty Images
It's easy to buy a basic first aid kit, and there are plenty of distributors from the Red Cross to Amazon to your local drugstore. These include things like bandages, antiseptic wipes, pain medication, etc. This a fantastic place to start, but if you're looking for a first aid kit that's more personalized, then you should start taking note of your specific needs. If you have medication that you need, whether it's for physical or mental health, then carry a backup of that medication. Be sure to check out the basics of other kits so you don't accidentally miss an important component when building your own.
Making It Fit Your Space
Buying supplies in bulk makes it easier to build multiple kits and keep them restocked.Getty Images
If you're building or buying a first aid kit, you should get more than one, as you never know when an emergency might occur. It's a great idea to design your larger office kit with disasters or emergencies in mind. It's also important to consider your environment and the type of supplies you'll need. If you're packing a kit and in an area prone to blizzards, pack some hand warmers for the cold. First aid is a key element of every earthquake preparedness kit. Simple changes like this can up the usefulness quotient of your personal first aid kit. Disaster kits are much larger and more comprehensive, but adding some disaster kit supplies into your regular first aid can be lifesaving.
Make Sure Its Office-Approved
Keep your kit in a safe place where it won't get damaged.Getty Images
If you're making your official office first aid kit, then you need to check the OSHA regulations. If you go to the US Department of Labor's website they clearly list out the mandatory components of your workplace first aid kit. Every office is different, so make sure your kit is suited to your space. Think about where the safest location to keep it is, whether you need a waterproof container or something that can fit into a smaller space.
Making a kit can be easy and is definitely important. Just remember to keep an eye on it because kits are not meant to be forgotten about. Keep the medication and supplies up to date, replenish anything that gets used up, and keep your kit in a safe place away from fluctuating heat, cold, and moisture.
Be prepared and stay safe!
Feng Shui is about manipulating how energy flows through your space. By manipulating this energy you can reinvent your space. Using Feng Shui in the office is all about organizing in a way that makes you feel energized, focused, productive, and powerful. Without making big changes you can retake control. So use these Feng Shui steps to harness your offices' chi for your success.
Step 1: Declutter Your Desk
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The first thing you need to do for any Feng Shui is to declutter. If you want to manipulate your space's energy you can't have anything blocking or clogging it up. There's a mentality that if you have everything on the surface you'll find it easier but it really distracts you and slows you down. Cluttered desk = cluttered mind so take everything off the surface and organize it out of your sightline.
Step 2: Find Your Power Position
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A principle of Feng Shui is that your chair should always see the door. It makes sense why that's the command position, because you have heightened awareness of your surroundings. This isn't typically possible for a cubicle so make your space your own by creating a barrier. You don't want to be face to face with anyone.
Step 3: Consult the Bagua
A bagua is an energy map that will help you organize your space by bringing the power of intention. There are two different styles so pick which one is best for you. It's all about inviting energy into specific areas that you want to focus on in your life; ie. wealth, family, creativity etc. To use the bagua make a simple map of your space then break it up into 9 equal sections. You then place significant objects in the corresponding area. A plant can invite in wealth, a photo of a loved one can help your relationship, and it's all about exploring what is important to you. You can do this over your entire office, or on your desk.
Step 4: Bring Nature into Your Space
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Plants, running water, and elementals are a crucial part of Feng Shui. They invite life into your space and living plants help the chi flow around while also filtering out air pollutants. If you don't think your office could sustain a plant check out this fantastic list of options. Water can be tricky and if you can't have a fountain consider artwork that is H2O inspired.
Step 5: Make Sure There's Balance
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Balance is key so make sure that everything is in harmony with each other. To do this you should think about all different kinds of balance. The forces of yin and yang can be seen as more than darkness vs. the light and are often equated with feminine and masculine energy. The elementals wood, earth, metal, fire, and water should also be balanced in your office. Most offices start out full of fire and metal, namely the lights and your computer or filing cabinets. To balance you need to bring in elements of wood, earth, and water for a calming and focusing effect. Plants work wonders. Earth and water colors or artwork are great substitutes for real nature. Remember it's your office, so do whatever feels right to you.
If you follow these 5 simple steps you are sure to increase the energy flow of your office, bringing in positivity and harmony. This can help you stay focused, energized, and inspired in an otherwise stifling environment. Use these tools to help you achieve your optimal Feng Shui so that you can achieve all the success you deserve.
Life in your 20s is very different from life in your 50s. You aren't in the same place each decade of your life and your financial needs change. There are constant good decisions like don't spend more than you can afford, save up for a bad day, and so on but what about the advice that changes? Here are some of the best pieces of advice for each decade of your life.
00s-10s
Welcome To the World of Finance
Get yourself a piggy bank to start and make sure you're saving up! Collect your allowance and gifts in there. Once you're a little older get yourself your first job. If you have the ability to have your own spending money that's great but don't spend it all. You'll start college and want to have some of your own money that won't go just towards groceries. If you start saving when you're young you won't regret it.
20s
Learn How To Budget
Learn the difference between your wants and your needs with a good budget. Find your daily and monthly expenses to see how much room you have to work with. The easiest way to do that is to download a budget app that will keep track of everything you spend, even the things you forgot about. Find out where your money is going, and see if it's being allocated properly. You might think that you have some spare cash and can buy yourself something nice, but are you saving anything for the future?
Make a Debt Plan
Student debt is a crushing reality for most young people, do you have a plan to pay it back?
You can't let it linger or grow to ruin your financial future. Work the payments into your budget and find some strategies that will help lift the burden. Check out these strategies for repaying student loans and try your hardest to keep up with the payments. Automatic payments can work wonders for taking some pressure off on remembering the bills.
Build Up Credit
Get a credit card, get a credit score, and pay back everything you buy on time. It's as simple as that if you want to have a stable financial future. Don't buy something you can't afford, and if you need to make sure you are paying it off responsibly each month. Your credit score will control your future with loans, banks, landlords, and more. Whatever you do, don't forget to pay the bills and have it destroy your credit score before you even start. Once again, automatic payments are the way to go.
30s
Rethink The Budget
Your life is different than your 20s. You have more belongings, you might be making more money, and it's time to rebudget. Increase the money going towards your emergency fund savings. Adjust your insurance to make sure you have adequate coverage and are getting the best deal. Make sure you're staying on top of your debt repayment plan. You have kids, or are they on the horizon? Make sure there's room for them in the budget, and not just the immediate needs but their future college funds.
Start Saving For Your 401(k)
Nearly half of families don't have any retirement savings. Hopefully you've started saving in your 401(k) by matching your employer's percentage, but it's time to bump that up. Experts recommend saving 15% or more of your income for retirement. If you contribute now every dollar you withdraw in retirement will be taxed at your ordinary income- tax rate, aka its some tax-free income in retirement.
Diversify Investments
Once you have your budget covering immediate needs and a percentage saved for emergencies you can invest for the future. Do your research and find the best options for you, your investment portfolio, and your family. Don't stretch yourself too thin and make sure you aren't taking risks that you can't recover from. Here are some great tips, and potential investments.
40s
Keep Up The Good Work
Make sure you're adjusting your budget for your needs without indulging in lifestyle inflation. Paying your bills on time is just as important as it was in your 20s and 30s to make sure you still have a great credit score. If you've been saving up for your kids college funds and weddings remember to not stretch yourself over to the retirement funds.
Get Estate Planning Help
It's time to set up your will. Sure you may feel young and healthy now, but you want to be ready for whatever might be coming your way. Think about your retirement goals, the future allocation of your assets, and your power of attorney and health care proxy. Organize the chaos before it becomes any sort of problem.
50s
Consider the Kids
You want to make sure everyone has a financial future, and if you are making sacrifices for them that you can't get out of nobody benefits. You can't borrow the money back for retirement or medical needs once its gone. If everyone is moved out, consider downsizing to a smaller place. The upkeep will be cheaper and you can look at places in a lower tax bracket. If your situation has changed, consider taking another look at your will.
Keep an Eye on the Finish Line
Retirement might feel like it's close enough to touch or miles away depending on your financial situation. Hopefully you've been saving and can just keep investing in your 401(k). The government wants to help you save for retirement and once you're 50 you can save more tax-free in IRAs, Roth IRAs, and health savings accounts.
60s
Reevaluate Your Situation
Return to the diversification of your portfolio and adjust your assets. When you near retirement it's a good idea to make more conservative investments while staying aware of inflation. If you've been saving, investing, and budgeting then you should be in a good place. Obviously accidents and illnesses happen and that can throw everything into chaos, but if it takes you a little longer to get to retirement don't judge yourself. Everyone gets there in their own time.
No matter what decade you're in there is a lot to learn about how you can make your financial situation better. It never hurts to think ahead and compile a long term plan. Take your time, do your research, and when you can try to consult an expert to ensure your future success.
Women face multiple disadvantages in the workforce. Economic and societal restrictions keep women from reaching the higher rungs of the business world. While that is changing it's hard to navigate the road, but there are lots of great resources for women in business to take advantage of and learn from. Here is a collection of books, videos, and articles for those looking for knowledge on how to get ahead. No matter how much time you have to spare, there's something here for you!
Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead
Amazon
Sheryl Sandberg
Sandberg is the chief operating officer of Facebook who gave a great Ted talk called "Why We Have Too Few Women Leaders" about how women unintentionally hold themselves back in their careers. This talk inspired this continuation of the conversation with personal anecdotes, straightforward data and research, and the voice of a powerful woman. This book is a mixture of practical advice for negotiation and building your career. Sandberg talks about her journey and what women can do to combine a great personal and professional life, and how men can support women both at work and at home. She has even more Ted talks and books for you to check out.
Sex Differences in the Perceived Dominance and Prestige of Women With and Without Cosmetics
Viktoria R. Mileva, Alex L. Jones, Richard Russell, Anthony C. Little
Could how you wear your makeup be affecting whether or not you're getting ahead? Actually yeah. Women who wear the right amount of cosmetics are associated with higher status and higher paying jobs. This scientific study breaks down how men and women rated images of women wearing cosmetics and how that would affect them in the business world. There is a surprising amount of information on the topic and a lot of different scientific studies. If you want to learn more about them check out our article Could Your Makeup Be Affecting Your Career?
Own It: The Power of Women at Work Hardcover
Amazon
Sallie Krawcheck
Are you looking for a business pep talk? Krawcheck's powerful book is a feminist business manifesto. Stop doing things the men's way and start doing it your way. When we take advantage of our own natural power we can forge new paths, find companies that respect our worth, and learn to "invest our economic muscle". As a longstanding witness to the boys club of business Krawcheck's personal story is informative and inspiring.
Can We "Have It All"
Anne-Marie Slaughter
Public policy expert Slaughter talks about her 2012 article "Why Women Still Can't Have It All" and expands upon her ideas. She talks about shifts in work culture, public policy, and social mores that can benefit everyone on the road to gender equality. If you have the time to read her original article from The Atlantic I recommend that you do! She talks about her experiences working in the White House doing important work, and how divided she felt. Slaughter firmly believes we can have it all but the way our economy and society are structured are holding us back.
Women in Business- Entirely Unremarkable
Kirsten Hall
In this ted talk Kirsten Hall poses the question, what happens if you stop celebrating women in business just for being women in business? Would that help reduce the idea that it's unique or strange so that we could all work towards it being the new normal? As more and more women achieve higher ranks in industries around the world it is time for these women to not be remarkable just for their gender.
