Problem: Article: Mix 1 part vinegar with 5 parts warm water in a large bucket. The precise amounts you need will largely depend on how much you need to clean. This solution is meant for clothes, blankets, towels, and other removable fabrics that can be washed in a washing machine. Note that some synthetic fabrics and delicate fabrics may not hold up well when exposed to acidic vinegar. Combine 1 part hydrogen peroxide with 6 parts warm water. This solution is safe to use on clothing and other fabrics. The amount you make will depend on how much you need to deodorize. As far as fabrics are concerned, this solution is recommended over the stronger hydrogen peroxide solution used to clean pets and people. Strong concentrations of hydrogen peroxide can damage clothes, but when diluted with water, it should be safe to use on normal fabrics. Avoid using this solution on delicate fabrics or "dry clean only" clothes. Dip your contaminated clothes and other fabrics into the diluted vinegar or hydrogen peroxide. Let them soak for 2 to 3 hours. For best results, use your hands to gently scrub the fabric for several minutes after dipping it into the solution. Doing so works the liquid in between the fibers of the fabric, allowing it to penetrate further and deodorize more of the smell. Items you might want to soak include pillow covers, slipcovers, curtains, and blankets, as well as any other fabrics that have the skunk smell on them. After removing your fabrics from the cleaning solution, wash them in a standard warm wash cycle. For extra deodorizing power, add 1/2 cup (90 grams) of baking soda to the washing machine at the beginning of the wash cycle. If possible, air dry the fabrics in the sun. The fresh air is better at getting rid of the smell than drying in the dryer.
Summary: Create a vinegar solution to wash fabrics in. Make a weak solution of hydrogen peroxide as an alternative. Soak contaminated fabrics in the solution. Wash the fabrics in a washing machine after they have soaked.

Problem: Article: If you're a morning person or a "night owl," take advantage of that. Maximize your most productive times. If music helps you focus, use it; if it distracts you, forget it. Think about what has worked when you've been productive in the past. Did your college finals studying go better when you holed up in a silent corner of the library or when your room-mates were playing video games three feet away? " When your brain is fried and you need to step away, do it. Watch a soap opera, walk your dog, clean a few of those dusty shelves you've been meaning to get to. Expect to need such breaks and factor them into your schedule. This way you won't feel like you're wasting time while you're, well, wasting time (but in a positive way). Natural sunlight helps keep your body rhythms balanced, gives you energy, and just plain feels good. Take a walk or work by a window when you can. It breaks up the monotony of the day, relieves stress, helps you refocus your mind, and it's good for you. " As you work on a project, your mind will fill up with ideas, some relevant to the current task, some not. If you're feeling bogged down or stuck as you try to figure out a task, work on emptying your mind of distracting ideas. But keep them around just in case! Jot down your scattered ideas in a notepad (or your preferred more technologically advanced device) at the end of the day or when you're feeling mentally overloaded. Don't worry about connecting all the dots right now. This is another form of brainstorming; get the ideas out, figure out what works, what doesn't, and how they connect later.
Summary: Know oneself. Take "mindless breaks. Get out in the sun. Exercise. Do a "brain dump.

Problem: Article: Instead of providing a person who can talk about your skills and abilities, provide a copy of your actual work which will show your skills and abilities. For job seekers just entering the job market, consider using school work to demonstrate your abilities. Reports, presentations, papers, essays, journal articles, analyses, etc. can all demonstrate your skills and abilities. Be sure to redact any confidential or proprietary information in the documents. Most jobs include an evaluation at some point. And most evaluations are shared with you, so you can keep a copy. Share these evaluations to a potential employer if you aren't able to provide a professional reference. This is especially helpful if your former employer isn't allowed to provide you with a professional reference. Be sure to redact any confidential or proprietary information in the documents. In addition to evaluations, you can also try: letters of recognition, thank you letters from clients, testimonials from clients or fellow employees, and awards you've won. Corporate references are those written by an employee on behalf of an employer. The reference is then officially from the employer. Instead of asking for a corporate reference (on company letterhead), ask for a personal professional reference from a former supervisor or co-worker. Corporate references are becoming harder to obtain, even if you left your former employer for legitimate reasons. Many employers are concerned about lawsuits from providing either positive or negative references for former employees. Personal professional references are references directly from another person, and not connected to the employer. However, the person can be someone you previously worked for or with, as long as they're providing the reference from themselves and not from their employer. Personal professional references need to ensure that they are speaking from their own personal experience working with you, and are not speaking as a representative of their employer. References do not always have to be verbal (e.g. phone call or email), they can also be in writing. Written references can include either an employment confirmation or information about your skills and abilities, or both. If you are being terminated from an employer for valid reasons (e.g. layoffs, cut backs, etc.) you should ask for a written reference letter as part of your severance agreement. This is especially helpful if the company is being reorganized or sold and contacting them will be difficult in the future. Potential employers will sometimes ask for references, not to ask questions about your skills and abilities, but to confirm you were actually employed at the companies listed on your resume. References of this type can come from a former supervisor (especially if the organization is small) or from the Human Resources (HR) department. Since your potential employer is not asking personal questions about you, the person confirming your employment doesn't have to know you. They simply need to be able to confirm you used to work there for a specific period of time. Potential employers are most likely also frustrated with the lack of professional references they're able to get from potential employees. You will not be the only applicant who is unable to provide a reference. When a potential employer asks for your references, negotiate what type and the number of references you provide. If you do not have any professional references, offer to provide twice as many personal references if you can. A personal reference can be from someone who knows you, but has never worked with you in a professional environment. For example, they could be a friend, a classmate, a teammate, a coach, a teacher, etc.
Summary:
Provide previous work you've produced as a reference source. Show a potential employee your previous evaluations. Use personal professional references instead of a corporate reference. Provide reference letters instead of contact information. Know what types of references are being requested. Negotiate your references with a potential employer.