Whether you moved to an old building for a new business set up or want to improve the appearance and functionality of an existing space, you may consider renovating some of the features. The following are important things to remember when renovating your business space.

1. Walls

Commercial buildings’ walls tend to deteriorate fast due to stains, scratches and peeling paints. For external walls, you can renew them by painting or installing wallpaper. You may also opt to use prefabricated wall panels on the surfaces that are beyond simple repair. The design of panels to use will depend on the size of the wall and the purpose of the room. For a more stylish design, you can use PVC wallpapers on your old walls for a new look. If you are thinking of partitioning your office space, you can use office panels or dividers. You can also add privacy walls to separate your office from the rest of your employees’ working spaces. If you want to accommodate a large number of employees in one open area, you can use panel dividers for creating working sections for each worker.

2. Doors

Commercial doors should be durable and provide maximum security. You may need to use different doors in different rooms. Example: for the main entrance you can use steel doors or double doors for safety reasons. Glass doors are best suited for office rooms and store front entrances. This is because you can utilize them by displaying items to draw attention from passersby. When renovating commercial doors, you have to consider the access site since not all doors are suitable for all openings. Example; Roll up doors are useful in locations with limited space for operation and require a large opening like warehouses or display shops.

3. Floors

Your business determines the type of floor to install. Depending on the activities carried out in your commercial business, you should evaluate the best flooring material to suit the space. For example, warehouses will require strong concrete floors to withstand external pressure from heavy load. An executive office may need a more classy type of floor such as hardwood, laminate flooring or tiles. You can also use slip retardant flooring for the safety of users. There are plenty of emerging trends for commercial spaces depending on the type of business and size of the premises. Terrazzo, tiles, and hardwood have been widely used in business for style, branding and providing an aesthetic value.

4. Restrooms

Commercial spaces should also put into consideration the importance of bathrooms and similar facilities. The surfaces are prone to water damage and over time tend to deteriorate. You can use waterproof materials on walls to protect the underlying surface from damage. In a case where the walls are damaged, you can renovate by fixing ceramic tiles or marble.A commercial business should provide adequate washrooms for employees and clients. With limited space, you can use toilet partitions to provide more facilities without constructing brick walls. Toilet partitions can be of metal or plastic material. For a more sleek and stylish design, you can use stainless steel partitions.

5. Mechanical Systems

Mechanical systems are essential for any commercial business. Electricity, water, gas, sewer lines, telephone and HVAC systems should be maintained in good working conditions at all times. Renovations would include checking electrical distribution lines, individual circuits, and sub panels. You may need to hire a certified technician to ascertain the condition of your electrical lines.The drainage system is also necessary and requires regular inspection to identify possible faults that may arise. In old buildings, clean water supplies have heaters or boilers for the provision of both hot and cold water. You can renovate such systems by installing point-of-use water heaters to enhance the distribution system.

Conclusion

Renovating your commercial space will help improve the appearance, your company’s brand and maximize productivity. Different surface materials are available for walls and floors to enhance the aesthetic value of your commercial building. Also, you should consider drainage, electrical and HVAC systems of your commercial office as they have an impact on the services your business offers.

Now that we’re in the middle of summer and cooler days still seem so far off, trying to keep cool is on everyone’s mind. Often, the heat can make people crazy, irritable, or depressed, so getting cool and staying cool is important for more than physical reasons. It can help us keep cool heads, as well. With that in mind, here are 10 ways to combat the summer heat.

1. Hide From The Source – One way to keep cool that won’t break the bank is to simply keep the sun’s rays from baking your home. Most people already own window shades or venetian blinds, so draw them and keep them closed during daylight hours. By blocking the sun, the U.S. Department of Energy estimates that a household can reduce 45% of the interior heat in this way.

2. Learn From The Elephants – An elephant expert at Disney’s Animal Kingdom, John Lehnhardt says the oversized mammals regulate their body temperature by dowsing themselves with cool water. Similarly, people can keep a spray bottle filled with water in the refrigerator. When it gets too hot, spray yourself.
Hint: spraying your wrists will cool off the blood flowing through your veins.

3. Limit Computer Use – We all know that computers can overheat, causing that little fan to go into overdrive to cool off the system. When this happens, the device is sending out heat and adding to the increased ambient temperature. Allow your computer to go into sleep mode, if you’ll be away for more than a few minutes and shut it off completely, when you expect to be away for longer.

4. Turn On The A/C – The obvious solution is often the simplest. In many cases, air conditioning units have been in place for years and may be run down, causing a drain on energy and poor performance. Buying a new air conditioner now will save you money in the long run and spare the household from costly repairs down the line.

5. Drink More Water – Even under normal conditions, you should be drinking a steady supply of water, but hotter temperatures require much more to regulate body temperature. Sweating is the human body’s own form of coolant. As we sweat, we’re using our body’s moisture to cool off, so it’s important to keep that moisture level topped off.

6. Don’t Cook – Whether you go out for your meals and let someone else do the cooking or you opt for cold meals (salads, sandwiches, yogurt, etc.), the key here is to resist running your own cooking appliances. Turning on the stove will heat up the indoor temperature. Even excessive use of the microwave can warm the air.

7. Just Accept It – Science has taught us some sneaky tricks for beating the heat and, among them, comes the simplest hack of them all. Get used to the heat by exposing yourself to the hotter temperatures. Spending just 10 minutes a day outside in the heat for a period of 10 days will help your body adjust to the summer weather.

8. Avoid The Pavement – Tar, cement, and other similar surfaces absorb heat and can multiply the temperature. When possible, walk, sit, or park your car on the grass. Trees, plants, and grass act as a natural air conditioner for nature. Plants absorb moisture from the soil and release it through their leaves in a process called evaporative cooling.

9. Ditch Those Incandescent Bulbs – Incandescent light bulbs give off 85 BTUs of heat (a BTU is equivalent to the heat needed to raise the temperature of 1 pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit), so it’s best to look for alternative sources of light. One option is the use of light-emitting diodes, which emit just 3.4 BTUs per hour.

10. Rest – It’s suggested that frequent breaks from the summer heat are recommended, but not just by finding a cooler environment. It takes awhile for your core body temperature to drop in relation to the cooler atmosphere of an air-conditioned room, so experts recommend spending at least 15 minutes at rest. Remain restful, until your breathing and heart rate have had time to return to a normal pace.

Getting a job working outside can provide you the opportunity to earn a living while feeling physically active, free from office spaces, and more in touch with The Great Outdoors. For many people these are appealing prospects, but the increasing importance society places on computers can make you feel overwhelmed or unnerved at the thought of getting into an “unplugged” career outdoors. If you’re one of these people, don’t worry! There are hundreds of diverse opportunities for working outdoors that are suited for people of all different talents and interests; all you need to do is find one that works for you and appeals to your interests.

When first considering moving outdoors for employment, the best way to start is by investigating different types of outside jobs. An important consideration to keep in mind is that many outdoor jobs are seasonal, which means that the changing of the seasons will affect the availability of some positions. For example, whitewater rafting guides, fishing guides, farmers, and ski instructors must all adapt to the seasonal nature of their work. The most successful people who work outdoors learn to change their annual work plans to follow the changing of the seasons, and they usually plan on working different jobs during different times of the year. This can add variety and excitement to your working year, while also giving you the chance to form a cyclic connection with the land and environment. Backdoorjobs is a great resource for finding short-term outdoor jobs. When you’re just starting out, this website can be a great way to find fast work with few formal qualifications, which can help you learn what types of jobs suit you best. The Outdoor Industry Jobs Marketplace can also introduce you to ideas for outdoor jobs that you may not have thought of.

After getting an idea of what types of outdoor jobs appeal to you, it’s important to research the required and preferred qualifications for those work opportunities, as well as any and business requirements like licenses and equipment. While formal, structured education is sometimes required for certain jobs like park rangers, many outdoor jobs require little formal training. For example, How to Become a Fishing Guide gives you some great starting points for investigating fishing guide jobs. This website includes considerations for federal and local laws that may affect your work, recommended and required equipment to get your business started, and even guidelines for setting your prices. Alternatively, the National Recreation and Park Association includes information specific to finding one of many diverse jobs in the field of public parks, recreation, and conservation. By researching and planning for these types of business requirements you’ll be setting yourself up to successfully earn a living outdoors while also enjoying freedom outside of an office.

Once you’ve begun to focus on which outside jobs appeal to you, your success in these fields can be greatly increased by joining a professional society for your chosen job. Just as office-bound workers rely on professional networking sites to stay in touch with other people in their industries, there are also multiple professional societies for outdoor professionals that can increase your visibility and knowledge in your field.

Finally, establishing yourself in the world of working outside is ultimately dependent upon getting outside and working! Taking your first few outdoor jobs will begin to build your experience base and will start the process of forming relationships with your fellow outdoor professionals. One of the things that makes this step the most difficult is the patience that is required. It may take a few years for you to get the experience you need to stand out in your chosen field, and it is extremely important not to get discouraged early! If you’re truly committed to getting into a job working outside, then your enthusiasm for your selected trade will make most of your working days deeply enjoyable, which can help give you the persistence you need to keep working hard and establish yourself. At the end of each day, the job satisfaction and freedom you feel working in The Great Outdoors will be well worth your daily commitment and hard work.

Financing is one of the best ways to reach your financial goals. There are many people who struggle in their financial lives and need cash today. Others would rather use the cash to invest in a business or other venture.

A loan is an agreement to get cash today, but the borrower has to pay it back over time with interest. The better financial situation the borrower is in, the lower the total interest rate on the debt. A lot of people use debt to get out of a bad situation or to invest in something like a home or business.

Choosing the right type of loan is essential to making a good financial decision. Instead of worrying about your current financial condition, getting a quick loan can get you out of a financial jam. Here are some of the most common loan options and the best situation they can be used in.

Business Loan

Millions of people today have the passion for starting their own business. With all of the different options in the market today, there has never been a better time to start a company. The good news is that many people are trying to do so responsibly.

There are times when borrowing money makes sense in business. However, you need to understand that a business loan increases the overall risk that you have in the equation. With all of the changes that take place in the market quickly, you have to be able to react to what customers want. In the early days of a business, it is best to be lean and agile. Business debt should only be used once you have a track record of success with your company.

Getting a business loan is not easy. If you do not have a high income or some proof that the business is working, it will be difficult to qualify. A lot of people struggle to get a business loan with a low rate of interest. Shopping around for the right loan can help you in this situation.

Mortgage

The real estate market is booming in many areas of the country today. With the growth in real estate, now is a great time to buy a home. However, few people have the cash to purchase a home. Getting a home loan, or a mortgage is one of the most common reasons to borrow money.

Banks are becoming more willing to lend money to borrowers to purchase big homes. Before signing up for a mortgage, you need to look at your income and expenses. Some people fall in love with a house and then end up regretting the decision to purchase it later on. Now is the time to start looking for ways to improve your current financial position before buying. Just because you qualify to buy a home that is a certain size or price range, this does not mean that it is the best financial decision for you.

Payday Loans

On the other end of the spectrum, a payday loan is something that people get when they need cash fast. This type of loan is perfect if your car breaks down and you need the cash to repair it.

A payday loan is easy to get and almost everyone will qualify. However, the rate of interest on this loan type is much higher. You need to make sure you understand all of the financial implications of getting this type of loan before signing up.

Over time, some people struggle financially because they use payday loans to cover up their financial mistakes. You need to understand how to have a surplus each month in order to have financial success. Increasing your income and reducing your expenses are some of the best ways to have success in this area.

You have the right to be safe in your place of work. Your employer has a duty of care to ensure that this right is properly observed. However, for one reason or another, accidents in the workplace are still a common occurrence. The most common types of accidents that result in personal injury in the workplace are as follows.

Repetitive strain injuries

This common type of workplace injury affects people in all sorts of professions, from people working on the factory floor and in warehouses etc. to those working in offices. Back injuries are often experienced by those who work in manual-handling positions, while carpal tunnel syndrome is an injury that often afflicts people working with keyboards.

To avoid these types of injuries, employers should issue their staff with ergonomically designed furniture, and anyone in manual-handing jobs should be properly trained in the correct way of lifting things.

Injured by machinery

Any machine that has exposed moving parts or cutting blades, can pose a health hazard. It is the employer’s responsibility to make sure that all such machines are fitted with appropriate guards, and that these guards are in good working order and that workers are properly instructed in the safe use of this type of machinery. Employers may also need to issue staff with appropriate PPE, such as hard hats, safety goggles, and ear protectors.

Injured by on-site vehicles

Depending on the nature of a business, companies may have vehicles of some description on their site. These vehicles include things like delivery lorries and forklift trucks. Collisions with any vehicles can cause serious injury and in some cases can even prove fatal.

As part of the employer’s duty of care to all employees, they must ensure that any vehicles in the workplace are fitted with flashing beacons and audible movement alarms. Wherever possible, vehicles and people should be kept well apart.

Falls from height

Falls from height are one of the most dangerous types of accidents at work. The greater the height from which victims fall, the more serious the injury as a rule, However, even falls from small heights such as three or four feet, can also cause bone fractures.

Once again, correct training is important and employers should ensure that fall arrest equipment and appropriate guard rails are in evidence where appropriate.

Injuries from toxic substances

Any business that uses toxic substances as part of its processing must ensure that COSHH regulations are correctly implemented and maintained. COSHH stands for the Care of Substances Hazardous to Health. As well as labeling and storing such substances safely, employers must make sure that all employees who come into contact with these substances are correctly trained and are fully aware of any risks involved.

Call a specialist helpline for accident claim assistance

If you have been injured in an accident or incident in the workplace and someone else was to blame, you should call a specialist helpline for accident claim assistance, to find out about registering a personal injury compensation claim.

The financial markets are notoriously brutal, especially towards inexperienced traders aspiring to turn their measly savings into livable retirement funds. While the fundamental premise behind trading in the financial markets is simple enough to understand – buy low, sell high – up to 90 percent of traders still fail to make money, most of which end up poorer than when they began this endeavor. Fortunately, it doesn’t take a Finance degree in one of the Ivy League universities to understand financial markets well enough to profit consistently. Here are five tips to getting your big break.

Understand that Each Market is Different

Both in terms of cost to trade, strategies that work, and factors that move it, financial markets are different from one another, and failure to recognize these distinctions can be detrimental to your account balance. Stocks, for example, have a different risk setting as opposed to forex or cryptocurrencies. Within stocks, tech and energy stocks are also relatively different from one another, in terms of volatility. If you are looking to trade currencies, stick with learning and mastering how to trade Forex first before you spread yourself too thinly.

Choose an Approach

When learning forex trading for beginners, you’ll often bump into three core strategies – technical analysis, fundamental analysis, and price action trading. Technical analysis uses historic price data to develop pricing models and predict future currency movements. Examples of technical analysis include the use of moving averages and oscillators. Fundamental analysis, on the other hand, uses macroeconomic factors, such as changes in interest rates and geopolitical relations between countries. Last but not least, price action trading uses naked charts and, at times, gut instinct developed through experience in the markets.

Embrace the Concept of Risk

Risk is ever-present in any investing endeavor, regardless of how prepared you are or what educational background you came from. Risk cannot be removed from the equation, and so you should do yourself a favor and accept its presence before even putting on your first trade. Knowing the presence of risk, allocate only capital that you can afford to lose. As a general rule of thumb, you should start with around $1,000 of your real money to trade in real-time.

Don’t Get Ahead of Yourself

Most times, traders, especially beginners, will have a stroke of luck and win a string of trades consecutively. This makes them overconfident and more likely to trade without any solid plan or basis. Another scenario is that a trader may recognize a similar pattern unfolding in which he/she previously profited from. They get overconfident that the same pattern will unfold precisely how it did the first time. This is a dangerous mindset that can result in significant financial losses over time. Always view trades individually, analyzing all current factors that you’re basing the trade on and making sure your position size takes into account predetermined risk parameters.

Set Up a Good Broker

A good broker who can relay your trade orders without delay is a keeper. Moreover, it’s in your best interest to find a broker who is financially stable and can withstand volatile market conditions. If the British Pound or New Zealand Kiwi drops sharply tonight, can the broker balance its positions and survive the aftermath? Keep in mind that each broker has different roundtrip trade costs, platforms and tools, security infrastructure, and account requirements for account applicants. For instance, some brokers do not allow traders who are based in the United States while other brokers require a minimum of $100 to open a basic account.

Financial markets may seem daunting, but they also hold a plethora of opportunities for making money either on the side or as a full-time income. Beginners should heed the advice above to minimize monetary losses and maximize gains.

Keeping children occupied outside of school hours can be a challenge for any parent whether you stay at home or have a busy work schedule. To get the most out of your time spent at home with your kids, you don’t have to spend a lot of money on expensive toys or games. The list below gives you fun and frugal ways to entertain your kids.

1. Cooking with Kids

Cooking with your children is a naturally engaging task. Since cooking must be done regardless, spending time with your children in the kitchen is an easy way to entertain them without spending any extra money. You can modify what your children do to make it age appropriate. Younger children may enjoy mixing or collecting ingredients for you out of the fridge or pantry. Older children may be able to help with preparing ingredients or even help with the stove or oven (you, as the parent, know what your children can handle).

When deciding which recipes to prepare with your children, you may want to consider the skill level and the cooking time involved to make sure the experience is positive and smooth. Food Network has compiled a special collection of kid-friendly family recipes to try.

2. Videos for Kids

Everyone loves youtube. Children especially enjoy kid-friendly videos. While some parents may be hesitant to let their children browse youtube unsupervised, these videos for kids and others like them can be a great way to spend time with your children, enjoying videos with them.

There are more resources than just youtube for videos for children that are both appropriate and educational. BrainPOP is a great resource available for a nominal subscription that will give your children access to thousands of educational and engaging videos on a variety of topics. Each video includes a comprehension quiz and some even include games that children can play after viewing the video.

3. Crafting for Kids

Arts and crafts are a great way to help children avoid boredom and develop fine motor skills. Kids can use their imaginations and creativity to make crafts from items you already have in your home. Pintrest is a great resource for crafting ideas using things you already have.

Encouraging your children to participate in arts and crafts teaches them important soft skills such as patience, how to deal with mistakes, and how to solve problems. Nothing teaches a child how to problem solve than trying to figure out why their craft may not look exactly like the one in the picture!

4. Playing Dress Up

Kids of all ages will (even secretly) enjoy playing a quick game of dress up. Adult clothing can feel like a special, usually off-limits item. Bringing out an old suit and bow tie or that wedding dress that hasn’t seen the sun in years for a young child or even teenager to try on can be a powerful bonding and story-telling opportunity for both parent and child.

5. Planting Seeds from the Kitchen

Teaching children about plant life cycles doesn’t have to happen in a classroom. You can expose your children to the ways that plants grow by collecting various seeds from vegetables and fruit from your kitchen. You can find tips for which foods you can grow from seeds in your kitchen here.

Keeping kids entertained doesn’t require a lot of money, but it does require a little bit of planning. Think about the kinds of activities your children enjoy while encouraging them to try new activities. The five ideas explained above will get you started on a plan to fight the boredom monster!

For the most part, your work is predictable. Still, you don’t let employees walk into the job without proper training. If you provide them with training for the predictable, you should provide them with training for the unpredictable, too.

It’s hard to see an emergency coming in a workplace. An unprepared workplace is the perfect situation for an emergency to severely injure or kill your employees. Preparing them for every imaginable emergency is the best way to keep them safe. Here are some tips for preparing employees for emergencies.

Medical Emergencies

Medical emergencies are the most common in the workplace and the easiest to prepare for. Do your employees have the proper CPR training to care for a heart attack victim? Do they have the first aid knowledge to bandage a wound before someone bleeds out? Do they know the signs of a stroke?

In some cases, first aid training means the difference between life and death. A mandatory first aid class is a great way to train your employees to take care of each other. Plan an annual or semi-annual training session to refresh old employees and teach new employees proper first aid practices.

Emergency Weather

Emergency weather doesn’t wait until work is out to strike. Your workplace should be prepared for tornadoes and other emergency weather before they happen, because you have to move fast when they hit. Designate an area away from windows for employees to congregate during harsh weather. Run frequent drills tailored to weather situations common in your area, such as hurricanes on the southern coasts or earthquakes on the west coast.

You should also keep an up-to-date emergency kit in case your employees are stuck during harsh weather. Keep it stocked with enough food and water to last your employees 72 hours. Some other items to include are first aid supplies, flashlights and lanterns, and blankets.

Fire, Gas Leaks, and Other Accidents

Accidents such as broken valves, gas leaks, or fires are bound to happen in a factory or warehouse setting but can happen in offices as well. Hold a training session on what to do in the case of a fire, and hold frequent fire drills. Make sure everyone knows how to use a fire extinguisher during the training.

For gas leaks and other accidents, create a clear system of communication for employees to notify each other about the accident immediately. The faster everyone knows, the faster an area with dangerous chemicals or gasses can be evacuated and contained.

Emergency Action Plan

The most important resource to your office in an emergency is the Emergency Action Plan (EAP). An EAP is what ensures that your employees know what to do and where to go in the case of any emergency. It designates the method of communication, and who is the foreman leading the group through the emergency.

When you create an Emergency Action Plan, take the care to make it as detailed as possible. It’s especially important to have an efficient method of accounting for your employees, so you know as fast as possible when someone needs rescue. You also need to run frequent drills with your EAP to ensure everyone knows the procedure and that it still works.

A predictable emergency isn’t an emergency. Situations such as heart attacks or tornadoes can hit in an instant, without a warning. A thoughtful and thorough emergency action plan along with the proper training is the best protection you can offer your employees. Without the right training, your employees could be struck down in a second. The only way to give them a chance against unpredictable emergencies is to think ahead and supply them with frequent training and drills.

Everyone loves an aesthetically pleasing space. The right interior design can improve comfort and can increase the value of your home. Interior design can also add a touch of luxury and style by improving appearance. What should you look for embarking on interior design for your house? Here are the factors to consider before you start your project.

1. Balance

When acquiring items for your interior design, you should ensure they work together in the space. It doesn’t mean that everything has to match the other but bring a feeling of cohesion perfectly. When positioning stuff, you should ensure you achieve a comparable visual appeal in regards to your space.

Symmetrical balance is achieved when you place your décor items in a central position. This type of balance considers the arrangement of furniture, patterns, and fixtures.

Asymmetrical balance feels dynamic since a variety of objects work together to create the balance. Example, Rather than repeating a similar trend within a space, you can use different patterns in different areas to create asymmetrical balance.

Radial balance is achieved by placing items in a circular pattern either inwards or outwards the central point. An example of radial balance is putting chairs around a circular table. You can also apply this type of balance if you want to create a focus on a central item.

2. Color

Color enhances the appearance and creates ambiance in a room. The color to use in your space will be determined by the purpose of the space. However, you can personalize your interior depending on your taste and preference. You may need to develop abstract color charts to determine suitable colors for different spaces in your home. Your house design will also dictate what colors suit particular areas.

3. Use of rooms

The purpose of the room will influence the type of design to choose. For example, the interior design of a study room could be different from the layout of a kitchen. You can consider oil painting reproductions for living room walls or along corridors. Each room or space with a different purpose should have a different design to break the monotony.

4. Furniture

Before you think of the finer details of your interior design, consider your furniture needs. Your furniture has to balance with the details on your walls, floors and ceiling. Your size of furniture determines the size of your rooms. Example, if you have plenty of living room furniture, you will need a larger living room. Considering furniture when planning for interior design will help you ensure each piece of furniture perfectly suits into its space.

5. Light

Lighting enhances the aesthetic appeal by adding ambiance to a living space. It also enhances everything from furniture and flooring to fittings and textures. The right selection of light helps to achieve a balance between style and comfort. You can choose different types of lighting depending on the design of your home. Accent lighting highlights architectural features such as walls or objects in a room. Ambient lighting enhances and brightens rooms and verandahs. Task lighting provides localized light in particular places such as study tables, dining tables, etc.

6. Architectural Design

The construction design of your home determines the interior design suitable for your space. For example, the height of your house influences wall designs like artwork, mirrors, etc. The shape of your floors will determine how to place your furniture. If your house has enough natural lighting, you may not need too much artificial light for your rooms. The position of windows and doors will also determine how to arrange your furniture and decorative items.

7. Cost

Your budget will determine the type of plan you will achieve. The more sophisticated the design will be, the higher you are likely to pay. Identify the costs of furniture, soft furnishings, and interior finishing of walls and floors. Lighting also varies in price depending on the amount of artificial light you need and the size and number of rooms you have.

Before you start on your interior design project, consider the above factors. The architectural design of your house, the purpose of rooms and furniture dictate the interior design features to incorporate. Adequate lighting and right color schemes enhance the appearance of your home. Ensure you check your budget to stay within limits when designing your home.

Have you ever gone to the bedroom and couldn’t remember what you needed there? Or you bump into an old friend and can’t remember their name? You may even have missed an appointment because it entirely slipped your mind. Such kinds of memory lapses can happen to anyone, but people tend to get upset by them as they age. Most individuals think that once you start forgetting basic things, the memory can only get worse from there. If you are going through memory lapses, it might be because your brain needs some stimulation to remain sharp.

The brain is the most often used part of the body, yet it’s the one that people tend to neglect. Just as the body benefits from physical exercises such as aerobics, strength training, and stretching, so is the mind sharpened from engaging in brain activities. Here are six ways that you can stimulate your mind, boost memory, and improve the brain’s function.

Mix up Your Routines

Most people follow a series of routines every day – wake up, exercise, take breakfast, prepare for work, and so on. Routines simplify life, but they also limit brain-draining decision making. The subconscious mind runs them, and this does not require a lot of mental effort. With time, the brain becomes sluggish and slow from too much routine. Mix up your routines and include something complex such as engaging projects at work, trying different workouts, or even taking a new route to the grocery store or on the way home from work.

Exercise the Brain

Brain games are the best form of exercise for the mind as they help create new associations between different parts of the brain. Technology has availed virtual games such as puzzles and brain teasers on the desktop and mobile devices. You can download free games from the internet and exercise the brain when you are free. Besides virtual games, you can also try challenging tasks such as brushing your teeth or combing the hair with your non-dominant hand.

Take Up a New Activity

Asking your brain to do new things is among the best ways to keep it sharp and active. You can learn a new language, an instrument like the piano, guitar, or sax, take up dancing or yoga classes, memorize poetry, or even try a hobby that’s totally out of character for you. As you engage in a new activity, the brain learns something new, and you keep the mind active as it tries to assimilate the new activity. This act also stimulates the creation of new neurons in the brain.

Do Things the Hard Way

Technology has made everything easier for people nowadays, and this has significantly limited the power of the mind. You can access everything on your phone, whether it is doing math, spelling words correctly, or find your way around town. Use your mind instead of your smartphone for things such as arithmetic calculations. Try to learn your friends’ phone numbers without checking the phone. Turn off the car’s GPS and use a map to get around the city. All this may seem hard, but you will be surprised how capable the mind is of storing information when you engage it.

Read Fiction Books

Reading fiction stimulates the mind by encouraging you to imagine the fictional reality being presented to you. This is different from watching whereby the show is passively given, and you may not need to engage the brain in any form of imagination. Reading novels enhances connectivity between different parts of the brain and improves functionality. As you read, try to do it aloud as well or alternate between reading and listening to audiobooks. The strategy engages all regions of the brain that are used in imagination.

Socialize with People

Every time you connect with people, you expose yourself to new ideas and ways of doing and thinking about things. Seek out individuals who are different from you – who have different interests, careers, skill sets, or from different social and cultural environments. This opens up the mind to new perspectives and ideas and challenges your current way of thinking. It stimulates the mind and pushes you to try out things that are out of your routine.

Stimulating the brain should be a continuous endeavor for individuals who boost their memory and maintain a sharp mind. As one grows older, the brain tends to get sluggish, but these ideas can help maintain and improve its functions even with old age.