Article: Feeling stressed can make it harder to listen effectively. If you notice that you feel nervous, anxious, overwhelmed, or just plain stressed, take a long, slow breath in through your nose. Count to 4 as you do this. Then, hold the breath for 4 seconds, and release it to the count of 4 as well. Repeat this as many times as needed while the person is talking or until you feel relaxed. Cutting off the person to share a story, brag about something, or comment on what they have just told you can be off-putting. It may also make the person think you aren’t listening to them. Resist the urge to interrupt the person while they’re speaking. Even after they seem to be finished speaking, pause and count to 5 slowly before you say anything. Don’t judge what the person says or criticize them in your mind while you’re listening to them. Even if you don’t say out loud what you’re thinking, it may come through in your facial expressions or body language. Judging or criticizing the person in your head can also affect your ability to hear what they are saying because you will have already decided what you think. Try to have empathy for the person instead of judging, criticizing, or blaming them. Focus on how you might feel if you were in their situation and if what they’re describing happened to you instead. You won’t be able to listen effectively if you are coming up with a response or rehearsing your response in your mind. It’s much better to listen fully to the person and then respond spontaneously and genuinely to them when they finish. For example, if the person is telling a story about a difficult family member, allow them to finish the story and then react to what they have said. Don’t start planning your reaction or a similar story about one of your family members while they are talking. It’s not always helpful to suggest a solution to someone who has just shared a problem with you. In fact, they may not want that at all. If you think you might have something helpful to add after they finish speaking, think about whether or not it is truly helpful or if it’s more for the sake of saying something.  For example, if the person has just told you about a financial issue they’re having, offering them general money advice may not be welcome. But if you have a specific suggestion that could be helpful for something they shared with you, then you might share this with them. Try framing any suggestions you make by pointing to the specific thing they shared and then sharing the advice. For example, you might say something like, “You mentioned that you have trouble saving money once it’s in your checking account. Have you looked into a direct deposit savings plan so that some of your money goes right into savings?”
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Relax by taking a few deep breaths if you’re feeling stressed. Avoid interrupting the person while they are speaking. Suspend any judgment or criticism of what the person says. Resist the urge to plan what to say while the person is talking. Provide suggestions only if you have something helpful to say.
Article: Use your fingers to pull straight up on the nozzle while holding the perfume bottle on a level surface. Set the nozzle aside when it pops off.  Discard the cap and nozzle if you don’t want them for decorative purposes. This step applies for standard spritzer tops. Plug-style perfume tops do not have a nozzle, as you typically dab the perfume on yourself. You can skip right to cleaning the bottle. Inspect the top of the perfume, and cut away any plastic encasing the metal that connects the top to the bottle with a knife or sharp scissors. Discard the plastic. Gently, use the edge of a knife to go around the base of the exposed metal connector.  Pry up the metal all the way around the top of the bottle until it begins to loosen. Take care not to apply too much pressure against the thin glass neck of the bottle, as this can cause it to chip. Hold your perfume bottle securely with one hand, while using the other to grip the loosened metal with a pair of pliers. Applying gentle pressure, pull the metal straight up until it comes off the perfume bottle.  Take care not to spill any remaining perfume in the bottle as you pull the metal connector off. Discard the metal connector in the trash. Pour your perfume into another glass vessel if you intend to save it. Screw on the top securely. Pour any perfume you don’t want to save down the sink and rinse the drain with hot water. You can discard the remaining perfume in the trash if you like, but your garbage will have a strong scent until you take it out. Turn the sink on so the stream of water is gentle rather than fast. Fill the perfume bottle with hot running water, and then dump it. Repeat the process at least twice. A strong stream of water may cause splashing and disperse residual scent throughout your bathroom. Heat 1⁄2 cup (120 ml) of white vinegar in a mug in the microwave at 20-second intervals until it is warm but not hot. Over the sink, pour the vinegar into your rinsed perfume bottle until it is ¾ of the way full. Plug the opening to the bottle with your finger, and shake the bottle for 30 seconds.  Let the vinegar-filled bottle sit in the sink for at least an hour to remove some of the scent. After an hour, pour the used vinegar down the drain and rinse the vinegar away with water to dissipate any residual smell. Fill your sink with hot water deep enough to cover your perfume bottle. While it fills, add a few drops of dish detergent. Submerse the bottle in the soapy bath for 5 minutes.  Use a bottlebrush to clean the interior of the bottle with soap. Kitchen gloves can help if the water feels warm to the touch. Rinse the bottle with clean water. Place the bottle outside or on a sunny ledge indoors to dry. If the bottle isn’t dry in 24 hours, you can speed the process using a canister of compressed air to spray the interior dry. Follow the manufacturer’s directions on the compressed air canister, including any potential safety precautions.
Question: What is a summary of what this article is about?
Take the exterior cap off the perfume bottle and pull off the nozzle. Cut off the plastic valve and loosen the metal around the perfume bottle’s neck. Use needle nose pliers to remove the metal around the neck. Discard or reserve any remaining perfume. Rinse the perfume bottle out with hot running water. Wash the bottle out with warm white vinegar. Wash the bottle in a hot water and dish detergent bath. Dry the bottle outside in bright sunlight.