Studies suggest that singing offers many of the emotional, mental and physical health benefits provided by exercise. Singing loudly releases endorphins and relieves stress. If you don't feel comfortable singing in front of other people, do it when you're alone in the shower or in your car. A guilty conscience can weigh down your emotional well-being. Apologize to anyone you need to apologize to. Go out of your way to mend a relationship you damaged. You won't be able to turn back the hands of time, but by doing everything you can to correct your mistakes, you'll spend less time losing energy on guilt. Likewise, if there is someone in your life who has wronged you, make a conscious choice to forgive that person. Anger and hatred can consume just as much energy as guilt. Recharge a depleted sense of self-confidence by sitting down and making a list of the things you've accomplished in the past week, month or year. Doing this on a regular basis will keep you feeling continually recharged, so remember to do it as often as possible. Avoid thinking about the things you wanted to do but didn't get done. The point is to tally up your accomplishments and not to focus on where you fell short for the month. After all, most people base their lists on what they would like to accomplish for the day or week, but usually expectations actually outweigh what people can realistically accomplish in a 24 hour period. Everyone makes mistakes. Mistakes are an inevitable part of the human experience, but people sometimes get hung up on their own mistakes and dwell on them for extended periods of time. The next time you make a mistake, acknowledge it, then remind yourself to get right back on track. Life is busy, and in your quest to be responsible, you may find yourself postponing the things you enjoy doing or the experiences you would like to try. Doing this too often can make life feel less exciting. A tedious, uneventful life may make you feel more sluggish and less motivated than you want to be.  Schedule time once a week (or once a month, at least) to do something you truly find fun. Take a vacation to a place you have never been to. Vacations can often be very restorative as you explore new environments, cultures, and experiences in a novel place. Most guilty pleasures are probably not worth your time—but in moderation, some guilty pleasures can make you feel better. Eat dessert or read a trashy romance novel. Watch several hours of a favorite TV show on DVD or streaming video. Find something you love to do but rarely allow yourself to do, and indulge in the activity. Of course, unhealthy indulgences like drugs should still be avoided. The idea is to do something harmless that refreshes you, not something damaging. Everyone has to deal with something that is emotionally upsetting or tiresome at times. Avoid putting yourself in situations that require you to deal with exhausting people or activities as often as possible. If you cannot rid yourself of these things, at least give yourself a day's break from them.  Avoid phone calls from friends who introduce negativity into your life. You can call those people back another day. Let an e-mail from a fussy co-worker sit for an afternoon, and reply back once you have the emotional energy to handle that person. Put your bills, bank statements, and other financial documents in a desk drawer, and don't look at them until tomorrow. Focus on supporting relationships that you don’t usually have the time to nurture. Make time to connect and have meaningful, face-to-face conversations with your spouse and children. Go to family and children's events together, and do things that make you all smile. Commit to spending five to 20 minutes in a state of meditation and/or prayer. Meditation works well for both religious and non-religious individuals alike, but if you are a person of faith, prayer adds a spiritually rejuvenating component to the process as well. Either way, the point is to let go of your grief and negativity during this time.

Summary: Sing. Right a wrong. Make a list of accomplishments. Don't look back. Do something fun. Indulge in a guilty pleasure. Take a break from the people and things that drain you. Spend time with friends and family. Meditate and pray.


A great way to prepare for a productive day is to close work with tomorrow morning in mind. Take a moment to review what you’ve accomplished and what you haven’t completed. Write out a to-do list for tomorrow morning. By reviewing what you need to do tomorrow, you’ll gain a sense of accomplishment and determination for when you walk up to your desk the following morning. Place the physical to-do list on your desk. A great way to follow this system is by keeping the list visible for you to use as an organizer. Don’t leave work with your desk or work space in shambles. Before leaving to go home, take a couple minutes to organize your space and clean up any sort of clutter that has accumulated. A clean work space will cause you to begin work on a cheerful note instead of having a lazy-aura looming over your desk. After compiling a to-do list for your next day of work, take a couple of minutes to prepare any necessary tools for your day. Print off documents that you know you’ll need to start work on in the morning. If you have a meeting in the morning, review the material before leaving the office. It is best to hit the ground running as opposed to wrapping your head around the work ahead of you.

Summary: Plan a to-do list the night before. Organize your work space. Prep all tools for tomorrow morning.


Unfortunately, the toilet paper in public restrooms may not be as clean or safe as you think.  Remove the first two layers of toilet paper to help reduce germs.  Health experts say that when a toilet is flushed, some water and germs are sprayed into the air.  This spray can be far reaching in the stall and can land on a variety of areas including the toilet paper.  Removing the first two layers of toiler paper can help reduce how many germs you come into contact with.  Throw them into the toilet before you sit down. You can also keep your own toilet paper in a plastic baggie in your purse or pocket so you do not have to use the paper provided in the bathroom. Studies have shown that although there are plenty of germs on the seat of the toilet, your skin is an incredibly effective barrier and keeps those germs from entering your body.  However, using the seat protectors that are provided can help you feel better and safer when you sit on the seat. Again, when the toilet is flushed, the water and germs in the toilet can be sprayed on the provided seat protectors.  Get rid of the first one available and throw away in the toilet.  Many pharmacies and outdoor stores now carry tiny packs of toilet seat covers and it can't hurt to toss a pack into your handbag or backpack to take wherever you go. It might be a good idea to invest in some hand sanitizer to keep with you when you use a public restroom.  You are not guaranteed to have safe hand washing facilities in public restrooms so having a back up plan is helpful. Carry a waterless hand sanitizer with you. You can use it after you've washed your hands and exited the rest room, for an extra precaution. Although taking a daily probiotic isn't something you'd think would help with staying germ-free in a public restrooms, health experts actually think this can help.  Studies have shown that the more beneficial and healthy bacteria or microbes you have in your gut, the better ability your body has to fight off foreign pathogens.  Taking a daily probiotic might be helpful especially if you have to use a public restroom on a regular basis. Take a probiotic that has at least 10 billion CFUs (colony forming units) each day.  This amount is generally contained in one pill or tablet.
Summary: Bring your own toilet paper. Keep your own seat protectors. Bring alternate hand and body sanitation items. Take a probiotic.