. Whatever you're doing outdoors, having a plan will help cut down on unnecessary activity in the heat.  By having a plan, you can set time limits on your exposure to the heat and plan ways to minimize the effects of the heat before you head into it each day.  Always be sure to stick to your time limits by prioritizing and leaving less important things to be finished when it's cooler.  When hiking, study the map at the beginning of the day, and calculate the best route, especially one that makes the most of shade where possible. While swimming, monitor your time in the pool.  You may think there is minimal sun exposure because of the cooling effect of the water, but staying in too long without reapplying sunscreen or taking a break could lead to sunburn. If you have to travel a lot during hot days in your vehicle, plan ahead by having your vehicle inspected and ensuring that your air-conditioning is in working order.  When you notice the temps aren’t as frigid as you’d like, take it in for service.  The car is likely low on Freon. As part of your planning, spend time watching the weather forecasts.  In the USA, NOAA produces a heat alert based on Heat Index Values.  The importance of this measure is that it tells you how hot it will feel outdoors when the relative humidity has been factored in with the actual air temperature.  Be aware that heat index values are devised for shady areas and light wind conditions.  If you're under full sunshine and in the presence of strong winds, the heat factor can increase by up to 15 °F (−9 °C). Travelers often make the mistake of trying to maintain normal levels of activity when arriving in a country warmer than the one they've left.  Acclimatization can take up to 10 days depending on the temperature difference.  Rather than pushing yourself, give yourself time to acclimatize to the new warmer environment, which means minimizing physical activity until the heat feels more tolerable. Once you feel more comfortable in the heat, gradually build up your physical activities until you're back to your normal level. Slow down, it's not worth pushing yourself strenuously when it's hot outside.  Start and progress gradually, noting when the heat is really affecting you.  Rest is an important way of coping with too much heat. Don't deny yourself the opportunity to rest when you feel fatigued during warm weather. Things that require a lot of physical effort can be done early in the morning or later in the day.
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One-sentence summary -- Plan ahead Check local weather or news for updates. Allow yourself time to acclimatize if traveling. Pace yourself when working in the heat.


A bad situation can be hard to stomach, even if you're not quite sure what's wrong. If something just doesn't feel right, start interrogating yourself and getting specific about your condition and your circumstances. What's "off" about your life? What needs to be changed? Ask yourself the following questions to try to start narrowing down signs that you might be in a bad situation you need to be saved from.  Are you worried about your safety? Are you consistently stressed out about basic concerns, like where your next meal will be coming from, whether or not you'll make it through the day? If you're in a violent or dangerous situation, you might need to take drastic steps to change your life. Are you in a fulfilling relationship? Are you with someone that supports you and makes you feel good about yourself? try to figure out if your romantic life might be the cause of your problems. There's better out there. Are you happy at your job? Do you like your boss and coworkers? Do you spend more time having fun, or stressing about work? try to figure out if your job might be the problem in your life. Surrounding yourself with negative, violent, or self-destructive people is a fast-track to a difficult situation. While it can be hard to make a break from friends and loved ones who can't take care of themselves, if it's affecting you to the point of crisis, you've got to learn when it's time to cut your losses. Identify toxic or enabling relationships and end them. Save yourself from bad influences.  try to focus not on ending bad relationships but on starting new ones. Spend time with people you enjoy, people who will support your and lift you up. People who spend their time doing constructive and positive things. If you've taken big steps to cut addictive behaviors or substances from your life, but have lots of friends who haven't, it can be hard to maintain those relationships. Focus on finding new friends who do more uplifting and positive things with their time. In some cases, it might not be possible to save yourself from where you're living. Whether it be a town that doesn't offer the career options you want, a violent neighborhood that keeps you in fear, or a bad domestic life that you need to escape from, make a leap of faith and move. Move out.  Go somewhere you know people who'll be able to help you make the transition. Look up distant relatives or old friends from school who might be able to put you up for a couple days while you look for new work and find a place of your own. Start saving now to start putting your plan into effect. If you can't afford to move right now, you can still start helping yourself. Even just the act of saving up and doing the research of finding that next step can help to alleviate the negativity of being stuck where you are. Every teenager who ever lived, Paris and Pittsburgh, has wanted nothing more than to escape to the glitter and the glamour that exists somewhere else. Everyone who works a job, great or dead-end, has an afternoon that never ends, a week from hell, an epic chewing-out from the boss. Learning to differentiate between a circumstance that needs to change and a need for a change in attitude is a big step in growing as a person, becoming more mature, and learning to save yourself. Imagine the source of your problems is gone from your life forever. How would your life be different? Would it? If so, make the change. If not, fix yourself. If you've got the moving itch, make sure place is really the source of your problems. Is your town really as bad as you make it out? Would everything really be fixed if you moved to wherever? Or is the problem actually elsewhere? Don't outrun your problems, lest they pack their own bags to meet you there. No one should have to pull themselves out of a tough situation alone. Whether something as dire as getting out of a toxic relationship or as complicated as applying to graduate schools, learning to transcend your current condition and move to a better place requires the aid of others. Surround yourself with positive people and ask for their assistance when you need it.  If you're living in a violent situation, get help immediately. Visit a domestic violence center in your area or call 1-800-799-SAFE to get help. You don't deserve to live in fear.  Talk to family, friends, teachers, and people you respect and tell them you need help in changing your condition. Get advice. Sometimes it can be hard to identify the sources of your problems when you're so close to them. Listen, without being defensive, and trust in the wisdom of others.
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One-sentence summary --
Identify the circumstances that need to change. Eliminate negative people from your life. Consider a change of scenery. Consider a change of attitude. Get help.