A layer of mulch around the tree’s roots can cushion and insulate the roots and minimize soil erosion. Pick a material that won’t absorb too much moisture from the soil around the base of the tree. A few options include:  Pine straw. This material is not absorbent, and will allow moisture to reach your tree’s roots easily. Pine bark nuggets. If you choose this material, make sure to remove old nuggets before laying down new ones, or the old mulch may absorb too much moisture from around the tree’s roots. Shredded wood mulch. Because this material absorbs moisture easily, avoid putting too much at the base of your tree. Use a layer only about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. You will need to put down enough mulch to cover the exposed roots, but take care not to put down so much that you smother the roots. Use thinner layers when applying more absorbent mulches (such as shredded wood), and take care that the pile doesn’t become too thick when you refresh the mulch. Your mulched area may need to be up to 2/3rds the diameter of the tree’s canopy. Don’t worry if the mulch covers up part of the lawn around the tree. Allowing your roots to compete with your grass will only lead to further soil erosion. If you pile up too much mulch around the base of the tree, it may cause the bark at the bottom of the tree to become diseased. Leave a little space between your mulched area and the base of the tree.

Summary: Select an organic mulch material. Put down a layer of mulch no more than 3-4 inches (7.6-10.2 cm) thick. Make the area of mulch wide enough to cover the exposed roots. Avoid piling mulch against the trunk of the tree.


Another way to encourage a finicky cat to eat is by heating up the food just a bit. Even kibble will benefit from this treatment. You don't want it too hot to eat, but a little bit of warmth will help release the scent of the food, which makes a cat more receptive to the idea of eating the food. If your cat has been on dry food and has seemed reluctant to eat, switching to canned food may help. Canned food releases more scent, encouraging your cat to eat. If you mainly want to stick with dry food, you can add a little wet food to the dry to encourage your cat to eat it. If your cat isn't wanting to eat, increasing the good smells of the food may help. Pour a little water from a can of tuna packed in water (not oil) on top of the food. Most cats will be more than happy to eat anything doused in tuna water. You can also try clam juice or even Parmesan cheese. If you can't get a cat to eat at all, particularly a sick cat, you can try baby food for a time. Stick to all-meat products, as cats cannot have foods like garlic or onions. You can offer the cat a little on a spoon or your finger to get it started.

Summary: Warm up the food. Try canned food. Add a little tuna water on top. Offer baby food.


A single person may fill a number of different roles all at once, or at different times in life: employee, employer, student, sibling, significant other, child, parent, caregiver, etc. These roles sometimes overlap, but each one has its own expectations and needs. Make a list of all of the roles that apply to you, and decide which ones are most important to you. If you are never certain of when your work day will begin or end, it can be difficult to separate it from your personal life. This is especially true for telecommuters or others who work at home. If your job does not have set hours, try setting some for yourself and sticking to them.  If at all possible, give yourself one or two days off per week (on weekends or otherwise). This will give you an opportunity to rest and to engage in non-work-related activities. Ask your employer if your work schedule can be flexible. For example, you may be able to follow a schedule that works better for your family or personal life, such as going to work earlier and leaving later. Similarly, you may be able to work on a compressed schedule that entails the same number of hours per week but with one day off. Speak to your supervisor about reassigning tasks that do not fall under your job requirements, or within reasonable expectations of the amount of work you can do.  Let your supervisor know your boundaries. If he or she asks you to do a task that is outside of your duties, try saying something like: “I appreciate that you trust me with the responsibility of X task, but I don’t think that my position is the right one to take care of that.” Offer to discuss any new work assignments, and thank your supervisor when the boundaries of your job duties are considered. Even if a task seems like it’s relevant to your job duties, or even if you would like to help your employer or coworker, respectfully say no if you already have a lot to do and need some personal time. Remember that not every opportunity is a great opportunity, or one that makes sense for your private or professional life. Some tasks are more important than others. Focus on deadline-driven projects and preparations for scheduled projects, and avoid interruptions, checking unimportant email, and other low-priority tasks.  If you find yourself not even having enough time to finish the most important tasks, talk to your supervisor about whether or not you are being asked to do too much. Set aside time specifically for work. When possible, try to work around “focus times.” Give yourself a set period of time (such as an hour or an hour and a half) in which you will work deliberately and without distractions. Don’t be a perfectionist—no one gets everything right every time. Focus on doing your work as best you can, accept when you make mistakes, and learn from them. If you have others that work with or for you, make sure to assign a reasonable amount of tasks to them, instead of trying to do everything yourself. Give your assistant(s) or team members tasks that are lower on your priority list, but that you can trust them to accomplish. You may also think about assigning tasks or activities that will build and enhance their skills. Everyone has certain things that can distract them from work: social media, chatting or texting friends, playing games, watching television, etc. When you are working, make sure to minimize potential distractions, and especially those that you know you are especially drawn to.   Avoid checking your personal email, text messages and home voice mail while working. These activities steal time away from your productivity and, in many cases, can be taken care of after work hours. Limit the time you spend online. Avoid surfing the Internet, checking social networking sites or posting on discussion forums related to personal matters. Save private conversations with coworkers for lunchtime and other breaks. Recognize the limits of your concentration. Most people can’t concentrate on a task for more than 90 minutes without a break. Interruptions can also reduce your ability to concentrate. Be persistent if people try to pull you away from your work. For instance, if people distract you by chatting, tell them you have work that you’ve got to finish, but you’d love to catch up with them later. If you know or decide that something needs to be done, don’t give up until it is. Focusing on completing work tasks when necessary will give you more time for personal life.  Try making a 30-day effort to resist procrastination. If you know you have a problem with procrastination, then make it a point to resist it for a month. Doing so can give you a foundation for long-term success and a strong work ethic. Social media have made details of personal lives much more public. In many cases, employers are checking social media profiles of prospective and current employees. Some employers understand social media as a part of the modern work world, but you should still follow some general guidelines.  Understand what work information needs to remain confidential—your employer may not want you to mention certain work projects, practices, etc. in public or on social media. Keep it clean. If your grandmother would not want to see or read it, don’t post it. Don’t post offensive or extremist content. Interact with colleagues or coworkers when they are present on social media.
Summary: List the multiple roles you may have. Go to and leave work at the same times each day. Say no to unreasonable work requests. Prioritize your work tasks. Delegate as much as possible. Know your distractions, and minimize them when working. Overcome procrastination. Manage personal and professional social media accounts.