“Lunch Hack: How to Utilize Your Work Kitchenette” plus 1 more

Lunch Hack: How to Utilize Your Work Kitchenette

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 06:01 AM PDT

We all know the benefits of brown bagging your lunch.

They tend to be healthier, cheaper and more delicious than buying your lunch.

But it can feel like hard work at times. With all that extra planning, it’s easy to see why most of us don’t do it as much as we’d like.

There is a solution, however and it doesn’t involve being more disciplined or getting up 10 minutes earlier.

Why not ‘cook’ your lunch at work?

That way you can still save money and do your health a favor.

And it’s a great chance to de-stress a little while you focus on making yourself something delicious.

Most offices have some sort of kitchenette with at least a sink and a microwave.

So why not make the most of them and get creative with soups, salads, sandwiches and wraps.

How to turn your office into a lunch time kitchen

1. Stock a work 'pantry'.
Dedicate a small shelf or a drawer to lunch things and kit it out with the basics. At the very least some salt and maybe a little disposable pepper grinder. Although I'd also include some olive oil and vinegar so you're always prepared for an impromptu salad. A packet of dried chilli seasoning and your favorite spice are also great to have on hand.

A little bag of nuts can also double as a snack. You could even get super organized with cans of tuna, chickpeas, beans or other good shelf-stable essentials.

2. Equip yourself with some basic tools.
Depending on your work set-up, you might like to include a little chopping board and a pocket knife in your work lunch arsenal. If cutlery and crockery are scarce it might be a good idea to get a little lunch bowl and fork or spoon.

3. Find the best storage solution.
Most workplaces provide a fridge you can store your lunch. But if not, consider investing in a little chiller bag. Or if you have access to a good food shop nearby, maybe allow time to pick up whatever you need in your lunch hour.

4. Allocate the time you need.
Cooking or preparing food is a great way to unwind. So schedule your lunch break for a little cooking relaxation, even if you’re only doing it once a week.

5. Engage your co workers.
Take it to the next level and organise your co workers to take turns in ‘cooking’ lunch for each other. Who knows, lunch at work might actually become fun!

What to Do If Your Child Is Stressed

Posted: 15 Jun 2011 06:00 AM PDT

Does your child often get sick, or do they constantly whine and cry? Do they bite their nails, act out or often throw tantrums? Then your child may be stressed. Here is a simple guide on how to handle this and change things around for the better.

The first step is to stay calm. If you become frazzled, your child’s stress level will only increase. You know the scenario – child falls and doesn’t flinch…until he hears his mother’s gasp.

The second step is to try and identify the reason behind your child’s stress. This way you will be able to develop a specific plan to reduce or eliminate it.

Here are the most common reasons children are stressed. Remember, even small babies and children can be stressed.

Overload: too many activities with no time to relax. (over-scheduled). This can refer to a baby or toddler registered in too many classes all the way to a school-aged child who has too many after-school activities.

Real-World Events: scary nightly news or exposure to world events

Trauma: divorce, accident, death in family

Peer Problems: peer pressure, bullying, rejection

Appearance: Concern with clothes, weight, appearance, fitting in

School: Grades, homework, over emphasis on performance by parent or teacher

Unrealistic Expectations: too pressured, standards too high in relation to ability

Home Problems: divorce, illness, a move, financial strain, stressed parents, sibling rivalry

After having identified the potential cause or causes of your child’s stress, move onto step three, which is to come up with a plan as to how you can reduce or eliminate the stress. Here are some things to consider working on:

1. Set a good bedtime routine.

Heavy workloads and over-scheduling can deeply affect a child’s sleep patterns. Without a good night’s sleep of at least 9-11 hours a night, stress can build. Sleep experts suggest turning off all electric items 30 mins to 1 hour before bed.

2. Turn off, eliminate, or ask for help to reduce potential stressors.

Keep the news and your adult conversations out of your child’s environment as much as possible. Hearing you discuss politics, the economic crisis or the recent death toll from a natural disaster can really stress some children. Also, ask yourself, “Is there too much yelling in our home?” Another solution to different types of problems could be to hire a tutor to help your child with homework.

3. Cut out one or more activities.

Evaluate your child’s daily schedule of school, home and extracurricular activities. How much free time does your child have left?

4. Create family routines and rituals.

Routines and rituals help reduce stress because it boosts predictability for kids. Not only will family meals, bedtime rituals, nighttime stories, hot baths, hugs and back rubs reduce stress, they will create lasting family memories.

5. Monitor TV viewing.

Kids say one big stressor to them is watching the news without an adult being there to explain late-breaking news events. We ALL could stand to watch less news as it does little to help us – limit TV or at the least, be there to help explain events that your child may see.

6. Teach your children to repeat the phrase, “I can handle this” when they begin feeling stressed, as well as to take 5 slow deep breaths when they feel overwhelmed.

Finally, the most helpful thing you as a parent can do to reduce the amount of stress your child has is to learn and practice ways of reducing your own stress. After all, less stressed parents = less stressed kids – that’s a fact.

Erin Kurt, B.Ed, spent 16 years as a teacher and nanny around the world. Now, she applies her expertise as a parenting expert and author of Juggling Family Life. You can learn more about Erin and her simple, loving parenting method, and subscribe to her weekly parenting tips e-zine at ErinParenting.com.

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