Who doesn’t love a good life hack?  I’ve got one for you today.  Now, maybe this is something the whole world knew about, and I was just late to the party, but I will confess to feeling like a genius when I figured this out.

If you’re a person with longer hair, you may experience this unpleasant situation where one of those lovely hairs detaches from your head and lodges itself somewhere inside your shirt.  This happens to me almost daily.  (How am I not bald yet?  Perhaps it’s only a matter of time…)  But now, the solution.  LINT ROLLER.  I keep one in my desk so I can sometimes look professional, so I have it anyway.  So now if I can feel a hair that’s snaked down into the back of my sweater – BAM – I hit it with the lint roller.  Problem solved.  No more fishing around trying to reach that invisible strand.  That sticky paper does all the work for you.

Feel free to tell me that you’ve been doing this for years or that I’m destined for male-pattern baldness.  Or just share your favorite life hack.  I’m into them.

I LUUUUURVE living solo.  It’s glorious.  Don’t want to wear pants?  No problem!  Feel like watching a marathon of Pretty Little Liars without judgment?  Done!  Sure, there are times it’s nice to have a roommate.  Sometimes an embarrassing movie viewing experience is made better with a partner.  Also, when you’re sick, a roommate can do that oh-so-magical thing called going outside.  When they’re out in the world, they can get you stuff!  Stuff that you need when you’re sick!  It’s a pretty slick system.  So what’s a solo living gal to do when illness takes hold?  Friends, I present to you the Illness Preparedness Stash.

The gist of it is that you want to have a stash of things for those times when you’re experiencing a near death-level flu so that you can thank your past self for being so awesome and prepared.  Here are the essentials:

• Chicken noodle soup
• Ramen noodles
• Kraft mac and cheese
• Saltines
• Powerade/Gatorade
• Ginger ale
• Puffs Plus with lotion
• Microwaveable rice pack (DIY post coming soon!)
• Assorted caffeine-free teas (Throat Coat is an absolute must.  Simply magical.)

Now, this doesn’t cover EVERYTHING you could possibly want or need when you’re couch-bound, but it’s a pretty solid starting point that’ll get you back on your feet until you can make your next Target run.

Go forth and prepare!  Your future self will thank you!

What do you see as a sick-time essential?

 

 

 

 

I can’t be the only one who sees inspirational pins on Pinterest and rolls her eyes, right?  I feel like they’re the new version of motivational posters with kittens.

That said, inspiration can still be found and it’s not all gag-worthy!  Here are some of my recent faves.

 

1, 2, 3, 4, 5

What’s floating your boat on Pinterest these days?

 

 

Oh, jet lag.  That unwanted companion that seems to follow you whenever you go somewhere exciting.  Thankfully, you guys get to benefit from my experience.  Lucky you!  I’ve found a very effective way to tame this beast.  All you have to do is follow the ‘three Cs.’

Caffeine.  Calories.  Carbs.

So simple!

Let’s start with caffeine.  This is a natural impulse when you’re sleepy.  Don’t fight it!  Embrace the jolt!  Pretty much any time you have the option to get coffee or tea, take advantage.

Next up, calories.  Calories are those lovely little guys that give you energy!  Embrace those bad boys!  Your internal clock is already messed up, so mealtimes are irrelevant.  I find that when travelling I have a harder time noticing that I’m hungry.  I only notice once I’ve already turned into a crabby garbage person.  Avoid that fate by feeding yourself!

Lastly, carbs.  I know what you’re thinking.  Carbs and calories aren’t really that different.  AREN’T THEY, THOUGH?  I have found that travelling tends to upset my stomach somewhat (I’m such a delicate flower), and carbs are the soothing tonic that makes everything right, digestively-speaking.  Plus there are so many other countries where they just really understand bread, you know?

So there you have it!  My three step plan for kicking jet lag’s ass.

Extra credit: Never stop moving.  If you don’t stop moving, you don’t notice how tired you are.  Trust me on this.  If you’re sitting down, you better be taking care of one of the three Cs.  Otherwise, you WILL fall asleep on the shoulder of your seatmate on public transportation.

Do you have any magical ways to avoid jet lag?  Please share!