Making Your Commute Compute

If you're a typical American, you spend a frustrating amount of time commuting to and from work.  Speaking for myself, I spend roughly an hour and a half to two hours a day (Monday thru Friday) in my car.  Let's all utter a collective "Ugh!", shall we? 

Bumper to bumper traffic is one of the worst stressors there is.  That sea of red lights, the gridlock . . just yuck.  I don't have a Type A personality unless I am in traffic and then all bets are off.   Being tense, upset and agitated before you even stroll (or run) into the office is not the best way to start the day.  Trust me.

So what to do?  Through much trial and error (and truly a handful of curse words) I have found a few solutions that work for me and might work for you as well.

1.  Change, change, change.  This is a three-fer.  Change your hours, change your route, change your mindset.  The first two you may not be able to do but the third is doable.  So let's start with the toughest.  If you can work alternate hours, avoid the prime rush hour commute.  That's a no brainer, isn't it?  Of course it may mean that you need to head into the office early (which may also translate to leaving early so good on you!) or come in later, which could mean you're working later hours.  You just have to determine which is a better fit for you (and which is less stressful.) 

I did the changing of the routes and it works much better for me.  I had no lack of suggestions for my drive when I moved.  I moved closer to work and yet it was taking me longer.  Why?  Three words . . . southern California traffic.  So I tried this route, that route, cut through here, shoot down there.  No matter what I did - - side streets or freeway - - the end result was the same when it came to timing.  So I elected a route that mileage was is a bit longer but it gives me gorgeous scenery, which certainly helps to keep me focused and calm behind the wheel.  Even if you don't have that option, try a variety of routes available that may give you a break on mileage and/or time.  And pick the one (or ones, depending on time and day) that work best for you.

Changing your mindset is the most immediate action and the one you have complete and total control over and yet can be the toughest.  We live in a go-go-go, "I want it now" society and our roads are jammed full of aggressive drivers who are on the verge of a coronary if they don't make it to work in the next five minutes.  (Alongside those who are on a Sunday drive without a care in the world, which creates another type of stress for those of us who do need to get to work.)   It's not easy to tell yourself "I'll get there when I get there" but for your own sanity, you have to do it.  If there's an accident that has caused a traffic jam, nothing you can do about that.  If you're running late, you're running late.  Just accept that you're going to be late to work and go with it.

2.  Carpool.   If this option is available to you, it not only helps with wear and tear on your car and your gas expenses (dicey here in Cali) but also helps the environment by putting fewer vehicles on the road.  If you've seen a smog layer sitting over your city, that should be incentive enough.  To boot, you also have company on your drive and this could lead to a stronger professional relationship and friendship with a co-worker.  Win win.

3.  Public Transportation.  Many people might turn their noses up at the thought of public transportation but look at New York's subway system, Atlanta's MARTA, San Francisco's BART and San Diego's Coaster, to name a few.  Sure, there's the downside of being on their schedule and missing the convenience of having your car readily accessible from the office but the benefits far outweigh the negatives.  The 405 traffic has zero impact on your commute, you will arrive at your destination station at the same time every single day and you can spend that time on the train or bus reading, knitting, doing crosswords, sleeping . . . however you like, keeping you chill until you arrive at work.

4.  Audiobooks.  If you don't have the option for carpooling, public transportation or changing your hours and absolutely must be in the car during prime rush hour, audiobooks are a charm.  They have been a saving grace for me.  I belong to Audible and the $22.95 a month I spend to belong is worth every penny for saving my sanity.  Whatever my mood or preference may be - - humor, romance, biography, history, even how-to - - I simply select a book from my library, plug my iPad into my car stereo and away I go.  Listening to a good (or even not so good in some cases) book takes my mind off the road and accompanying stress and I find I don't mind the time spent behind the wheel.   It actually helps to take a previously "wasted" block of time and use it to learn something new or just laugh along with the author and narrator.  Don't believe me?  Give it a try.  You can sign up for Audible on a trial 30 days.

5.  Have Some Good Scents.  I love aromatherapy and essential oils.  I am a big proponent of them for all variety of uses.  Scents affect our moods as well as our brain function and there is an essential oil for any need, whether you feel sluggish and foggy in the a.m. (or p.m.) or just need some basic stress relief.  I have a plug-in diffuser for my car but you can make do with a cotton ball and Ziploc sandwich bag.  Simply choose your essential oil, place 4-8 drops on a cotton ball, drop the cotton ball into a sandwich bag and zip it up.  Once you get in your car, open the sandwich bag and place in your cup holder.  The smell will energize you or calm you (whatever you chose) and it will make your car smell wonderful.  It's fantastic to get into your car after a long day at the office and be greeted by a comforting/calming/invigorating/clean scent, let me tell you.


6.  BYOB.  Water, that is.  I keep a bottle of water handy in my car.  Frustration can lead to headaches and staying hydrated is the best thing you can do to alleviate those aches and pains.  Plus that water comes in handy on a hot day.

What about you?  Do you have any suggestions for a more relaxed, stress-free commute?

Things I Love: My Facial Moisturizer

Since learning more and more about organic and toxin-free products, I know there is all kinds of junk in daily goods that we don't realize.  Still, I was shocked this morning to hear from my mother about an article mentioning the potential correlation between sleep issues and your night cream/facial moisturizer.

Say what?  Yes, you read that right.  Let me explain.

Some facial creams (as well as cosmetics and body lotions) use caffeine as one of their ingredients since caffeine is known to reduce puffiness and wrinkles.  That may be all fine and good if you put your cream on in the morning, providing you don't have a caffeine sensitivity, but what happens when you put it on at night?  Anything you put on your skin gets absorbed into your body.  And here's the really mystifying thing - - manufacturers are not required to disclose how much caffeine is in their product(s). 

Is it worth it?  I would say not.  Let's think about it . . . there are enough distractions come bedtime.  Normal stress of the day.   Thinking about everything I need to do the following day.  Thinking about finances.  Wondering why my neighbors are banging around in their apartment at wonky hours.  Endless, right?  I certainly don't need anything more to attempt to obstruct my sleep.

There are so many reasons I love my Radiantly You Facial Moisturizer and this is yet another reason to get warm and fuzzy over it.  No caffeine!   And no chemicals I can't pronounce.  No preservatives.  No colored dyes.  No testing on animals.  No warning label on my product.

I have rosacea, meaning I suffer with extremely sensitive skin.  If you look at me funny, I might break out.  I have had issues with other products in the past, making me break out or making my skin dry and raw.  Yuck.  Radiantly You began working on day one.  It comes out of the jar like butter, super smooth and it feels wonderful on your skin.  And a very small amount goes a long way.  No more irritants and no more dry patches.  I'm a happy camper!

Would you like to purchase your own Radiantly You Facial Moisturizer?  Message me or go here!

Why I Love My Crockpot: Balsamic Chicken With Spring Veggies

I neglected to take photos of prepping this or after it was done so apologies in advance.  But this was absolutely delish.

I picked up the recipe from Make It Fast, Cook It Slow by Stephanie O'Dea and made my own minor tweaks because I was missing a few ingredients. 

Ingredients:

6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs (I used 3 breasts and they were frozen*)
2 zucchinis, sliced into rounds
2 yellow squash, sliced into rounds
1 orange bell pepper, chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 red onion, chopped (I used onion flakes)
1 head garlic, cloves peeled (I used garlic salt)
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
2 teaspoons gluten free Worcestershire sauce
kosher salt (I used sea salt)
black pepper

*Because I used 3 breasts, I used only one zucchini, one squash and not quite half of each bell pepper.

Directions:

Use a 6 quart slow cooker.  Place chicken into stoneware.  Put all the veggies into a large mixing bowl with the garlic.  Toss the veggies with the balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce.  Add salt and pepper to taste and pour on top of chicken.  Cover and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or on high for 4 to 6 hours. 

I cooked mine for roughly 7 1/2 hours on low.

I left this cooking away in my crockpot while running errands and when I returned home, my apartment smelled delectable.  The chicken was tender, juicy and full of yum.  For picky eaters, once the dish is ready you really can't tell that zucchini, squash, yellow bell peppers and orange bell peppers are the designated veggies. 

Normally I leave a few bites of chicken on my plate but there wasn't a morsel left of this goodness.  I combined it with green beans and it was a wonderful mix of protein and veg. 

I highly recommend this recipe! 

Why You Need a Stand Up Desk

Photo: www.officesupply.com

Way back in 1999, I had the fantastic luck to be rear ended on my way to work., resulting in whiplash.  Bad enough at the time but I now have back and neck problems that still plague me.  The only upside to that whole thing was my Honda was in the shop for two weeks and I did get to drive around town in an Infiniti. 

But I digress.  My job requires me to be on the computer the majority of the time.  Sitting in front of the computer for close to eight hours a day is not the best thing when you have a testy back and neck.  It's also apparently not the best thing if you have a spine in excellent condition.  Add to that roughly two hours a day sitting in the car, any time spent sitting each day for meals and then time spent sitting while reading or watching tv and . . . it's a lot of time on your backside.  I actually figured out how many hours I was spending each weekday on my butt and it was depressing.

Enter my chiropractor, who gave me a list of exercises for my desk as well as tips to get up at least once an hour.  Good in theory but after one session of desk exercises, that involved me stretching my neck and mouth by holding my mouth open as if I was silently screaming (a lovely display that was witnessed by a client meeting happening at the time), and the fact that when I was working on a deadline I couldn't necessarily stop and take a break every hour, something had to give.  He told me that I really needed to be working at a stand up desk.  I had heard of them and heard good things about them so I requested a note to pass along to my office to make it happen.  Fast forward a few weeks and I'm ready to report on how a stand up desk is working for me.

The first few days were a little rough on my feet.  If you're not used to standing a good portion of your day, your feet may let you know about it by quitting time.  Mine were achy and sore.  The addition of a good mat around my standing desk helped.  I also kept a back up pair of shoes in my tote bag, just in case I needed to switch them out.  I also purchased some Dr. Scholls inserts for my shoes.

Similar to my Happy Hour Bar Stool

Once my feet got used to standing, it was a breeze.  I found that I stood the majority of my day while working.  I do have a drafting type desk chair suitable for standing desks - - it's fondly known as my Happy Hour Bar Stool - - that I use for ten or fifteen minutes increments once or twice a day but most of my day is spent standing (as we were designed to do.) 

I feel that I am more productive at work.  I have more energy.  Since I am already standing, it's easier for me to go retrieve something or take someone papers.  I don't suffer with the dreaded 2 p.m. or 3 p.m. crash, yawning and desperately looking at the clock.  I'm not irritable during the day.  Okay, not as irritable at times.  I don't return home from the office with all the energy of a dying car battery and crash on my sofa before 8 p.m.   I don't eat as much at lunch and I'm not starving and ready to chew on my own hand by the time I park my car at home.

Maybe best of all, my back and neck pain has diminished significantly.  The ever present tension I had around my shoulders and neck?  Gone.

I can't imagine going back to a traditional sit down desk.  No way, no how. 

What about you?  Do you work at a stand up desk?  What are your thoughts?

Morning Ritual: Make Your Bed

I admit it, I only started making my bed every morning within the last year.  I was brought up to believe you should make your bed every single morning but I basically filed that advice in my brain with things like "wear clean underwear in case you are in an accident."  (By the way, I wear clean underwear every day not because I expect I might be in an accident but because I like clean clothes.)   In my twenties, I was lazy and if I went out the night before, it was all I could do to drag myself out of bed and get myself to work.  Making the bed seemed pointless when I was just going to come home later on at some point and climb into it.

This mentality continued until about a year ago when I read an article about how making your bed can relieve stress.  I was all about stress relieving (still am) but say what now?  Just making your bed can help with stress?  It seemed crazy but dealing with the divorce-pocalypse, and considering it was free, I thought I'd give it a go.

It's true, it works.  Not because there's anything mystical or magical about making your bed but it instantly makes your bedroom look put together.  Even if your floor needs to be swept or vacuumed, or your laundry basket is still sitting on the floor with your clothes in it, your room looks tidy.  When your bedroom looks restful, you become restful.

There is also something of an accomplishment feeling.  Right, it's not much to make the bed but getting this feeling first thing in the morning is a positive way to start your day.  Given the Southern California commute I deal with Monday through Friday, I'll take it.

Additionally, it's a great feeling at the end of the day to pull back your covers and climb into a nice, crispy bed.  It's the same comforter, blanket, sheets, etc. but it just somehow feels more clean when your bed has been made. 

As an added bonus (yes, there's more!), this good habit is addictive and spills over into other parts of your home.  Before you know it, you won't have your laundry basket on the floor or dishes in your sink.

So go make your bed . . . and feel great!

Welcome To My Blog!

Hello new friends and welcome! This is not my first foray into the blogging community - - I have been reviewing books over at Psychotic State Book Reviews for about six years (wow, has is been that long?) but I decided that I needed a new platform to accompany the all natural products I use and the wonderful healthy living tips I see. So here we are!

A little about me . . . I went through a divorce recently which ignited my desire to change my life and get healthier.  I had gone from a condo to a 3 bedroom apartment to a 3 bedroom house to a 2 bedroom apartment and then (with the divorce) a one bedroom apartment.  Quite a change.  Because of that I am very interested in downsizing and living in smaller spaces.

Around the same time I was surviving my divorce, moving and starting a new job, my cousin introduced me to Radiantly You products.  I bought a few, thinking I would help her out and with no idea that it would radically change my life.  After purchase I began reading up on all of the toxins and chemicals that are present in many of the daily products I was using previously.  That information, combined with the incredible nature of Radiantly You's products, led me throw out my "over the counter/grocery store" bottles and jars I had and make the change.

Now I use products that are all natural - - no toxins and chemicals - - and not tested on animals.  I have also changed my eating habits and decided that I don't need so much "stuff".   Big changes but good ones.

I hope to share information on these changes, as well as tips for healthier living and the book reviews I still do (I have very eclectic reading tastes!)

Thanks for joining me on the journey.  Let the good times roll!