Sometimes, we need a little boost to help get us going on a task or project. Say out loud or write down the reason why you need to do something. Tell yourself the benefits of getting it done. For example, you might say, "I am going for a run right now because I want to become fitter" or "I need to do this homework so that I can get an A." Remind yourself of the dangers of procrastination. Promise yourself something like "If I get this done now, I can leave work early today" or "If I can get this out of the way, I can work on something more fun." Build a vision board with images that represent what you want to accomplish in your life. It will help serve as a reminder of what you really care about. You may dread hours of work, but if you break your day down into smaller segments, work can be easier to deal with. Start with easier tasks that you can complete quickly to build momentum. For example, instead of saying, "I have to work all morning," say, "I'm going to write this report in 1 hour, then I will go to the meeting at 11, and then it will be lunchtime." Block off segments and tasks in a planner or calendar app. Use different colors to mark off different tasks and time blocks. This can break up your day and make it easier to face. If you're dreading the task or activity, it can be difficult to start. In this case, find a way to make the task more exciting. You might include other people or challenge yourself in a new way. Mixing things up can also help you get things done. For example, if you want to become fitter but hate going to the gym, take an exercise class, such as kickboxing, Zumba, or barre. If you're studying for an exam, compete with a friend. See who can answer the most questions correctly or solve the problem the fastest. Even if it's just a small accomplishment, pat yourself on the back. You can give yourself a short break from work, treat yourself to a snack or latte, get a massage, or celebrate with friends. This can keep you excited and motivated for the next step. While it is important to avoid distractions, too much work can make you less productive. Schedule occasional breaks throughout your day. Make sure you also take longer breaks over the weekend to rest and refresh yourself. For example, you might take 5 minutes every hour to go to the bathroom or to stretch. Schedule these breaks so that you have something to look forward to. For example, you might tell yourself, "If I can get these reports done by 2 pm, I can go take a quick break." Avoid multitasking and getting distracted by checking emails and your phone. Your productivity will only suffer. When it comes to motivation, you can be your own worst critic. To push yourself to do what you need to, give yourself positive affirmations. Remember that you can get this task done if you put your mind to it. If you find yourself thinking negatively about a task, force yourself to restate it as a positive comment. For example, if you find yourself thinking, "I have too much work today. I'll never get it done," say instead, "If I start right now, it'll all get done before the deadline."

Summary: Remind yourself why you want to do something. Break down your work into smaller chunks. Make your activities fun. Promise yourself a reward when you get something done. Give yourself occasional breaks to avoid burnout. Tell yourself that you can accomplish anything.

Vinegar is a food that doesn't really go bad, per se. However, if you leave the cap open, bacteria and even bugs can get into it, so make sure you have the cap on tight before storage. Stick your vinegar somewhere the sun can't reach to help it retain its quality. Your pantry or cupboard is a good place to store it. If you prefer to store the vinegar on the counter, pour it into a sterile, dark glass bottle to protect it from sunlight. Vinegar is sensitive to heat, so try not to store it near the stove or the warm side of the fridge. Pick a cooler area if possible, such as in the pantry, away from any heat source. Basically, you want to store vinegar on the cool side of room temperature. The reason apple cider vinegar doesn't go bad is the acidity level keeps bad bacteria from growing. However, if you dilute it, you're decreasing the acidity level, and it won't be shelf stable. You can keep diluted apple cider vinegar in the refrigerator if you must dilute it.

Summary: Screw the cap on tight. Keep the vinegar out of direct sunlight. Pick a cool place to store your vinegar. Don't dilute the vinegar.

In order to stimulate you guinea pig into action, be sure to choose a playful, bright color of yarn. This will look more interesting to your guinea pig and will brighten up their enclosure. You also want to make sure to choose a yarn with wool that is not too thin, since guinea pigs tend to want to chew on things and thin wool won't stand up to their teeth. To do this you are going to want to find an object to wrap the wool around that is small and fairly rigid, like a small cardboard box. Keep in mind you don't want to choose an object that is too big, since this size of the box determines the amount of yarn wrapped around it, and you don't want this part of the toy to be too big. Wrap the wool around the object once and tie tightly. Don't worry if it's not an extremely tight knot, it will still work. Continue to wrap the wool around the object, with each loop approximately on top of the last. You want the toy to be thick and plush, but if you use too much wool, the toy will be too bulky or heavy for your guinea pig to play with easily. As you determine how many loops are necessary, keep in mind that the thickness of the wool loops at this stage is about half the fatness of the finished toy. Depending on the size of your object and the thickness of your wool, this should be about 15 - 25 loops. When it is thick enough, cut the end of the wool from the ball of yarn, and don't worry about tying that end off. Use a double knot, and tie it as tightly as you can. It may loosen a bit if you are doing this unassisted, but that's okay. This is where using a box or other rigid item comes in handy, as it's easy to slide the wool under. If you wrapped the wool around a rounder object, use your fingers to push the tie under the loops. Now that the body is tied in the middle, turn over the object you wrapped the wool around and cut the loops. Try to cut exactly opposite from where your tie was in order to keep the dangling wool pieces even. If your scissors don't cut through all of the wool at once, do it in sections, making sure the cuts are as straight as possible. When you are finished cutting, remove the loops from the box. You should now have a thick chunk of straight, even wool strands that are tied in the middle. Even though it will be dangling and the wool strands are tied, it is still possible for a clever guinea pig to pull loose strands out and eat them, which could be dangerous. In order to avoid this and make the toy safe, flip the body of the toy over so the middle tie is at the top. Take another strand of wool and tie this together around the bottom of the strands. You want to make sure this second tie is close to the bottom. Measure a piece of string that is long enough for the toy to dangle where your guinea pig can reach it, without being so easy to get to that it's not exercising your pet. It is recommended that you cut a piece that is too long and trim it down later as you string it up. Take this long piece of wool and tie it through the middle of the toy body. Tie the other end to the roof of your guinea pig cage, and watch your guinea pigs enjoy their new toy!
Summary: Purchase thick wool in a bright color. Start making the body of the toy. Stop wrapping when the body of the toy is thick enough. Tie a piece of wool around the middle of the loops. Finish the body of toy. Cinch the strands in for safety. Hang the toy up and let your guinea pig enjoy!