Blog Posts by Intent.com

We live in a fantastic age. Computers that used to fill a room can now be held in the palms of our hands. We have social media, like Facebook and Twitter, email accounts for work, others for friends and family, smart phones, and e-readers. All of these devices are meant to simplify our lives and help us stay connected, but you might feel like road kill on the Super Highway without some ways to control the vast amount of data and communications that is literally your fingertips twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Here are some great suggestions to help you maintain sanity and clarity in the digital world.

EMAIL Email can stack up like a game of Tetris in a matter of days, sometimes hours. You can easily miss important communications or fun things to read if you ignore the pile up. Here's how to keep email accounts tidy:
· Delete. Repeat. I bet a good 50% or more of my email can be deleted upon receipt. Use your delete button frequently and trash all those messages that you Read More »from Facebook, Twitter and E-mail, Oh, My! Tips To Get Control Of Your Digital Life

Home: a time to relax, to be with your family, and, unfortunately, a trigger for straying from your weight-loss goals. It's all too easy to grab a "convenience" snack or sit on the couch for hours on end, watching television or surfing the 'net. Here are ten ways for you to make your home help, not hurt, your progress:

A Remote Remote. If you tend to watch television to relax, move the remote so that you must physically get up to retrieve it to change the channel.

Clean Sweep. Get rid of all non-nutritious snacks: sodium and calorie-laden chips, candy bars, or whatever your vice may be. If it's not present, and you would have to actually leave your home to go get it, chances are you will elect to do without.

Replace that junk food with healthy options so when you do need a snack, you have alternatives. Some good choices are string cheese, ham and low-cal cheese wrapped in a lettuce leaf, ricotta cheese with bit of almond extract mixed in and topped with a few slivered almonds,

Read More »from 8 Ideas to Make Your Home Help in Your Weight Loss Goals

As a new year begins, most people decide to change something about their lifestyles to improve the quality of their health, relationships, and/or working life. Some of those desired changes can be daunting, however. Fortunately, there are many small steps all of us can take to help us live a better and more fulfilling life. Here are eight ways to get started:

Eat More Fruits and Vegetables. It's advice we have all heard but instead of just acknowledging the benefits (among them, reducing your risk of high blood pressure, heart disease, and eye problems, as well as keeping your blood sugar steady, thus reducing your appetite), actually do it. For both fruits and vegetables, the most nutritious are the colorful ones: orange, yellow, red, and dark green. Add fruit to your cereal; take a piece or two with you to work. Make sure both lunch and dinner include fresh vegetables.

Make Time for Good Friends. Your well-being is not only connected to your physical health; it is also highly Read More »from 5 Simple Ways to Improve the Quality of Your Life!

Sometimes the New Year just doesn't start out the way it is supposed to.

I spent the last two weeks of December thinking about my intents for 2011. I meditated, wrote my intents down in my journal, reviewed them with my husband and kids, and began psyching myself up for Jan 1 like everything would wonderfully change. Exercise, healthy diet, blogging, meditating at least once a day, not getting frustrated with my kids, renewed energy in my work. I was so motivated! I even ordered a Fitbit on Dec 31st so that my dad and I can compete on who takes more steps every day!

Alas, Jan 1 hit, then Jan 2nd and 3rd. And really no dramatic change.

In fact, yesterday was probably one of the more stressful days in the last year! (Anyone applying for an Entry Visa to India may relate with the paperwork nightmare I am facing.) I was tense and frustrated all day.

I had been waiting for the girls to go to school and finally having the day to myself. I had 3 proposals to write, I was

Read More »from Pressing Reset for the New Year

Christmas is over. You have lots new stuff. You have lots of old stuff. In fact, if you don't do something about it soon, you are in danger of a friend or family member reporting you to that show Hoarders. Before things get that out of hand, be proactive and make a pre-New Year's resolution to put things in order. Here are some great tips for helping you de-clutter and de-stress.

Pick a Room, Any Room. It can seem overwhelming to consider what needs to be done in each room of your home, so micromanage. Begin in one room and stay there, exclusively, until it is done. This does not mean that you have to complete your task at one given time. You might find it helpful to set a timer for one hour and give yourself a break for a bit before continuing. A break might include watching television for 30 minutes, having a snack, or taking a walk. Repeat for every room in your house.

Set Deadlines. While you should take breaks, do not give yourself unlimited time to get things done. Read More »from 2011 Goal: Maintain Your Living Space To Keep It Organized And Clean

For a good number of us, long commutes are unavoidable. ABC News reports that "the traffic watchers at Texas Transportation Institute shows that cities across the nation are facing more congestion than ever. In the 68 urban areas studied, the average driver spends 34 hours a year in traffic jams. In Los Angeles, drivers sit stagnant for 82 hours each year. The amount of time drivers spend stuck in traffic has grown by at least 350 percent over the past 16 years." The tedium can become almost unbearable at times but there are ways to make that time in traffic more pleasant and hey, maybe even enjoyable. Here are some ways to combat the commuter blues.

By Car:

Parlez-Vous Francais? Learn to speak French, or any other language, while you drive to and from work. It's the perfect time to practice, especially if you are driving alone and worry about feeling silly repeating phrases aloud over and over.

Audio Books. There are literally thousands of books available on audio, from

Read More »from 5 Ways To Make The Most Of Your Long Commutes

Winter laundry has its own distinct character and needs. Things get cold and wet, dirty, and crusty. We wear heavier weights of clothes of course, and our washers get a real workout. It seems like mine is going constantly. To make your winter clothing last longer, feel great, and smell fresh, follow these simple rules for laundering cold weather clothing.

Wool. Wool can be wonderful but lots of people avoid it because they mistakenly think it cannot be machine washed. For the most part, this is not the case, but check the label first. If it says that you can machine wash it, for best results and to keep it from becoming scratchy, use a perfume and dye-free detergent. Add a towel or two as well, which will help absorb the great amount of moisture wool can hold. Always wash wool on the gentle cycle. Lay woolen items flat to dry.

Knitted Items: Hats, Scarves, and Mittens. Many of us own knitted items that can get dirty in wet weather. While you can't

Read More »from Your Guide For Laundering Your Winter Clothes

Another year, another Christmas come and gone. Although the gift buying season is over, you may find yourself with two problems: how to avoid those tempting after-Christmas sales, and how to live on less money for a little while, if, like thousands of us, you spent a bit more than you intended to over the holidays. Here are ten ways to get your spending back on track:

A Little Here, A Little There… can quickly put you in the hole. Budget out your discretionary spending for the week. Go to the ATM once and withdraw only what you can afford. Your lunches and all other incidentals will come out of those funds. Period.

Coffee and a Thermos. A couple of trips to Starbuck's can easily run up $10. For that same ten dollars, and if you don't feel you can live without quality coffee, buy a bag of beans and brew it at home. You can drink good coffee all week for the same price as two at the store in one day.

Brown Bag It. You don't have to eat a sandwich every day. But you could make a pot Read More »from 7 Simple Tips To Curve Your Spending