Is Stress Harming Your Memory? HOW TO COPE WITH DAILY TRIGGERS
Stress can cause more than just a bad mood and low energy. Over time, mental exhaustion from stress can lead to forgetfulness and reduced cognition. This can hamper your ability to do your job and enjoy life. Though stress is unavoidable, there are steps you can take to mitigate some of the negative effects of mental exhaustion, including forgetfulness. First, consider the source of your stress. These days, a common stressor is social media. If your feeds are full of bad news and negativity, shut them down. Many researchers suggest that spending less time on the internet leads to better health. Several studies have found that constant internet use, including time spent on social media, is negatively impacting our memories. Research from Harvard, Oxford, King’s College London, and Western Sydney University all confirm this: Too much internet use is a bad thing. Of course, it can be easier to delete a social media app than it is to eliminate other types of stressors. Coping with a stressful coworker, for example, can be difficult. You have to figure out why they’re causing you stress and how the situation can be remedied. Dealing with a work-
related confrontation can be hard, but having that difficult conversation and resolving the problem can ultimately lead to less long-term stress and improve your mental health. Another thing you can do to reduce stress is avoid multitasking. Taking on multiple projects or doing too much in too little time can leave you feeling overworked. Plus, studies have found that multitasking is not effective. You cannot deliver the same results when your attention is scattered as you can when you are focused on one thing. To make matters worse, multitasking takes a major toll on memory and cognition, according to a study from Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. If stress is impairing your memory, judgment, or cognition, take the above steps to reduce it. If you find your memory and cognition aren’t improving, consider speaking with a mental health professional to discuss your best next steps. Mental health and stress management are important, and the more we do to improve these areas of our lives, the healthier and happier we will be.
The Do’s and Don’ts of DIY Plumbing Repair STOP AND THINK BEFORE PLUNGING IN!
Whether you’re just trying to save a few bucks, or you’ve been DIY-ing so long you’re practically a pro, there are some plumbing projects you absolutely need to leave to the professionals. While it’s hard to know sometimes without looking at the specifics, a few general guidelines apply to any project you wish to tackle. Don’t: • Proceed without certainty. If at any point during a repair you find yourself in unknown territory with any level of reasonable doubt, turn back and look for a different guide/ video — or call a real plumber. You don’t want to be the reason for a new emergency. • Follow the rabbit hole. Some jobs start out simple, but through no fault of your own, just keep getting more and more complex. If you find yourself making a repair that won’t quit throwing you curveballs, it’s time to call someone who’s fully prepared to make repairs all the way down to the structural level of your plumbing because, most of the time, that’s where rabbit-hole repairs lead. • Break anything. This seems like a no-brainer, but it’s surprisingly easy to break almost anything if you don’t know how to handle it properly. In plumbing, breaking almost anything can land you and your belongings ankle deep in something. If you aren’t 100% positive that
whatever you’re about to do won’t break anything else, ask yourself if it’s really something you should be doing on your own.
Do: • Research! Knowledge is power. Many plumbing
repairs that seem simple are actually quite complicated, and vice versa. Before you break out the toolbox, search
your problem on Google. Also, try to find the brand (and if possible the
model) of the fixture you’re working on — you’ll get more specific and accurate results. Plus, if you end up calling us, that information will help us out a lot, too. • Try to assess the problem BEFORE taking anything apart. If you can’t find anything online that looks like it matches your issues, it’s probably complex enough to require a professional. • Call us! We often help customers troubleshoot their issues over the phone when possible. Sometimes we end up solving the problem right then, without wasting our time or your money. That’s just Plumb Smart.
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