How to get people to stop using your stuff

I like to keep my desk stocked with supplies: advil, cold medicine, tissues, lotion, contact solution, spare change, snacks, soda, and even cans of soup in case I can’t get away for lunch.

The problem started when my coworker asked if I had anything for a headache. I gave her Excedrin. I opened my cabinet and she spied all the stuff I have! I don’t mind her borrowing occasionally. She doesn’t really do it that often, but she doesn’t reciprocate either. Last time she wanted a soda, I asked her what goodies did she have in her desk that I could raid. She just laughed, took the soda and left.

To make matters worse, she has also told other coworkers about my stuff. Now everyone comes to me. I feel like I have a side job as a pharmacist and convenience store.

How do I let my coworker know that I’m all for sharing, but that sharing should go both ways!

17 Answers

Put a sign on your desk:

And actually charge them for them. Soon they will quit coming to you. And if they decide to pay at least you have the means to restock.

Just because they ask for something doesn’t mean you have to give it to them. Learn to say no. You don’t have to be a turd just tell them you have those things handy in case YOU need them and if you keep giving them away you will not have any left. If they need they need those items on a regular basis then they should go get some for thier own desks. Plus you may even get in trouble at work if you are giving out medicines. Would you rather look like a miser or a doormat?? Either way. don’t be afraid of what others may think about you.

just tell them flat out your not a convenience store and if theyre gonna treat you that way they better start paying. id say a dollar for a can of pop or a snack, 25 cents for any meds, and if they take and sparechange they have 1 week to pay you back. also, does you cabinet have a lock? keep it locked of you dont already. and make a sign to put on your cabinet saying something allong the lines of “i will share with friends, but i dont give to moochers” or “im not a convenience store, pay up or pay back, no mooching”or something like that. then they might get a clue and start making fair trades. or you can collect money from them to restock your cabinet. like a dollar a week of they take more than 3 things in a week. that way its not just you miney going into the cabinet. snce it seems to have become a community storem they should contribute to its stocking.

What you need is a bios password. This is stored in firmware in the computer, not on the hard drive as part of the operating system. This password must be typed in any time the power is turned on or the computer will not boot the operating system. Don’t forget the password. Check your motherboard manual for information on setting a bios password. You can also enable security in XP that might solve your problem depending on how much this person knows about computers. Another idea is to install software to monitor the computer activity. If the software records this person messing with your computer, give a printed copy to the jerk and copy the land lord. Explain that next time the evidence will be given to the police and/or used in court. Most small businesses keep their financial information on their computer. This is a serious problem.

I learned the hard way. Just because we loan stuff to people doesn’t mean they will always reciprocate, which most of them don’t anyway.

So from now on, write this off as a learning experience and buy a little box and stuff all of your belongings in it that you don’t want your co-workers getting and put a lock on it. Next time when co-workers ask you, say something like this “Ok I’ll see if I have it but if I loan it to you, what do I get from YOU?”

Simply tell them “Sorry I’ve been sharing so much that it’s starting to really deplete what’s left for me at the end of the day. I can’t offer you anything.” And leave it at that, You are under no obligation to be their convenience store. If you can lock your drawer, do so. Otherwise I might suggest picking up small travel sized containers and putting them in your purse so you only have a few for yourself for the day. I’m all for sharing too but these people are taking advantage of your kindess.

I would tell all my coworkers that you don’t mind supplying them with advil or soda, etc., but that the stuff is expensive and that you will collect $2.00 or $5.00 or whatever from each of them on payday to help you defray expenses. That will either send all of them running back to their desks or they will give you the money and you will become the office store.

Your being taken advantage of and it has to stop.

1) Lock everything. If you can’t lock everything then keep your supplies in your car.

2) Either you stop letting her borrow stuff or she pays up front. And don’t be shy about asking for back payment. You are not banco popular for her. She’s not your child. This has got to stop and now.

You have to grow a back bone. Stick to being fair and firm. She’s not your friend, just a mooch.

Nicknames can be fun, but they can also be very hurtful on occasion. Your definition of what an acceptable nickname is will likely be very different than somebody else’s. Nicknames can make fun of your body appearance, an action that you do, or even take a word play twist on your actual name. They are very common, however, and almost everyone has had a nickname at some point in their life. Many nicknames are associated with childhood, but they can be assigned at any time in your life. Countless others have managed to get rid of a nickname or have found a way to not let it get them down. Follow these suggestions and this can be you as well!

1. Ignore them.

If a nickname bothers you, ignore the person or people who call you by this name. If you acknowledge that the name bothers you, chances are high that they will continue to call you by it anyways, and may even call you this name even more than they did.

If you accept their criticism you are also indirectly accepting this nickname for yourself, and it can be difficult to get rid of it after this happens. Don’t get them the satisfaction!

2. Use your real name.

Sometimes a nickname comes to a point where you have no choice but to address it. At this time, an effective technique is to tell them what your real name is. It may be the case that the reason you have a nickname is because people were unaware of what your name was in the first place. Telling them what your name is in a level voice can go a long way to fixing this problem.

3. Explain your concerns.

Nicknames, while they can sometimes be designed to hurt you, can also be genuinely made in good fun. Your best friends in fact might make up a nickname, or several nicknames, that you do not agree with. If you do not explain that the nickname hurts you, chances are they will continue to call you by it.

Telling them that you hurt, and explaining how you are most comfortable when your real name is used can quickly get rid of a nickname. If your friends are calling you a certain nickname, they will understand the concern and stop calling you by this name if they are your real friends.

4. Tell them to stop.

Sometimes the best way to get someone to stop using a nickname is to directly tell him or her to stop using it. You may have tried this strategy in some of the other suggestions, however. If necessary, get an authority figure to help you with this.

Nicknames can be genuinely hurtful. Do not worry about being seen as a tattletale. You have a real concern that should be addressed. Find the help of your friends, your parents, your teachers, or any other person in a position of authority. If the people calling you the undesired name will not listen to you, you may have a better chance of success by following this approach.

5. Don’t assign them yourself.

It may be the case that the reason you have a nickname is because you have given one to someone else, or call others by nicknames! If you start calling people by their real name, chances are they will return the favor.

6. Find new friends.

It may be best to find a new friend group if people are continuing to use a nickname that you do not agree with. If they cannot see what makes you upset about a nickname, or refuse to listen to your concerns, then they might not be your true friends anyhow.

If the people calling you this nickname are not your friends, try and avoid running into these people as much as you can, or avoid them altogether. If you don’t see them often enough, they may forget all about the name they gave you.

7. Move or find new friends.

Sometimes a fresh start can be the perfect way to get rid of a nickname. Trying a new neighborhood, school, or workplace where you may not know anybody is the perfect way to ditch a name you are not pleased with. While you might not want to move exclusively for the purpose of getting a fresh start with your name, you can take advantage of a new move for a different reason to give you this fresh start.

Maybe you have a nickname that you used to like, but it is no longer appropriate because of the school you are in, or a new job that you have. Fair enough! This happens to many people. You should not let this hold you back from getting rid of it anyhow.

8. Don’t use your nickname.

Your childhood nickname of ‘the Killer’ might have been fun in school, but chances are this will not make a good impression in the workplace. If somebody tries to use a nickname that you are not fond of, gently remind him or her in the workplace that this is no longer what you want to be called, and that you are trying to keep things professional by using your real name.

Nicknames can be confusing in a workplace. Companies often keep a computerized record of all of their employees, and the use of a nickname can make this process difficult. For your own convenience, you may be best off to use your own name in this case.

This is especially the case if you have more than one nickname, as some people do. Having a nickname can be cool, of course, but can create confusion if you try to use several of them in different scenarios. It is easiest to just use your own name. Other people likely do not want to keep track of all the different names you may have.

Remove your nickname from any areas where you may be showing it off to different people. Get rid of email signatures, business cards, or your voicemail where you are using your nickname. It can also help to talk about yourself in the third person to your friends and coworkers. This can help them to get the message about what you truly want to be called!

Nicknames are frustrating. As much as they can be a fun way to identify yourself within a friend group, they can also be hurtful, or you may find that they no longer apply to you as you grow older. Getting rid of a nickname can be difficult, but it does not have to be impossible. Follow these suggestions and you will be well on your way to a nickname you actually enjoy, or to people using your actual real name!

More times than not, it’s easy to get swept up and purchase things that are pretty useless for us. Figuring out how to stop buying stuff you don’t need, however, is a little trickier than making the impulse purchases themselves. We can all relate to that moment where you dig through your closet trying to find something to wear, only to come out holding a dress you completely forgot you owned. Or eyeing those one pair of shoes you bought thinking were so fashion forward, but then never scrounged up the courage or the right event to wear them to. Moments where you realize you just own so much stuff can be a little daunting and a little disappointing — especially when you start cleaning out your closet space and you realize how much money you’ve thrown out over the past year.

So how do you stop? How can you curb your spending and convince yourself — during the heat of the moment — that you really don’t need to bring home that printed backpack or yet another decorative rug. It can be tough stuff, that’s for sure. But if you arm yourself with a few easy to follow tips and some sneaky but totally doable mind games, it can be done. Below are five tips and strategies on how to stop buying stuff you don’t need — you can do it. Your bank account will thank you.

1. Have A Bigger Goal In Mind

This one’s going to take some dedication, so get ready. The easiest way to keep yourself from buying more stuff that you don’t need is to think of one giant splurge you want and then work towards it. Sounds counterintuitive, right? How is thinking of something even lustier than that $40 dress you’ve been considering going to make you want to stop shopping? It’s mind game and that’s why it works.

According to behavioral finance expert Dr. Hersh Shefrin, “This allows you to indulge your urge to splurge — while still being financially savvy. By shifting your focus to what little indulgences you can afford, you’re transforming your budget from stifling to liberating.”

Take it a step further and make it something really good. Promise yourself a treat if you stick to your goals to make it tempting to stay on track. For example, promise yourself a long weekend at a city you’ve never been to, but always have wanted to visit, like New Orleans or San Francisco. Make it a big, splurge-inducing goal that will take some muscle to work up to. Every time you dodge temptation to buy something else, take the money that it would have cost and move it over to your fund. This way you practice saying no to spending, and work up a savings account.

2. Wait Four Days

This one might hurt a little, but if you’re reading this because you truly want to stop buying stuff you really don’t need then this might have the potential to change your life. You’ve heard about curbing your impulse buys by 24 or 48 hours, but I say put a solid four days between you and the pretty little thing in question. Why? Because it’s about the same amount of time it takes for someone to get over a crush. That first day is brutal, the second makes you fall into withdrawal-like tendencies, the third makes you stare forlorn out of windows like you’re a BrontГ« heroine, and by the fourth you’ve forgotten about it and are back to your old self. The same applies to your impulse buy.

The purchase in question is more than likely still going to be on your mind after a day just because of the sheer force of will you’ll have to continue to want it. But four days? Unless it’s something you felt a kinship with, you’ll forget about it. For example, I can’t tell you how many dresses and skirts I thought I couldn’t live without have gone and slipped my mind by day three, only to be reminded again after I’ve seen someone on Instagram wear it. So wait the four days and see what happens. Your wallet will thank you.

3. Make It Past The 45 Minute Rule

According to finance blogger Bridget Casey from Money After Graduation, “If you will not use an item for at least 45 minutes per day, you do not need to own it.” Sounds kind of nuts, right? How can you possibly use every item in your closet for 45 minutes every day? But when you break it down, that’s only 5.25 hours a week, or 11 days a year. Not so bad, and kind of completely doable. But when you think of it on a day-to-day basis it puts it all into perspective. Can you see yourself wearing those ankle-snapping heels five hours a week, every week? Or how about your fifth pair of sunglasses this summer?

Casey elaborated, “Once I started looking at things, I couldn’t believe how much I owned, or rather how much I wanted, that wouldn’t serve any real purpose in my home.” If you can’t see yourself wearing or using it weekly, then it’s a good indicator it’s a lust buy and not necessary.

4. Avoid Temptation & Don’t Go To The Mall

Are you on a spending ban? Then why are you window shopping at the mall, or veering towards the makeup aisle while grocery shopping at Target? The easiest way to stop yourself from buying stuff you don’t need is to avoid temptation altogether. For example, on my way to work every day I have the choice to walk down the busy street with all the window shops and pretty boutique displays, or I can take a different route that has bank offices and drugstores. Every time I walk down the main street, I almost always spot something I would love to get my hands on. and so the internal struggle begins.

Avoid online shopping, take a different route to work, and don’t pop into the mall when you’re bored on your day off. If you stay clear of temptation, you won’t feel it as hard.

5. Do An Inventory Check

Are you feeling antsy to buy a new coat? Maybe you saw a knit sweater that would fulfill all your cozy fall fantasies? Before you run off and buy it, do an inventory check and see how many duplicates of that item you already own. You might be surprised with what you already have and realize you actually don’t need it. According to wardrobe stylist Jenna Suhl, “It’s not uncommon for people to buy new things because they have so much they can’t see what they already have.” So take an afternoon and sort through your stuff — take stock of what you already own and get a handle on what you have enough of. No one needs 12 pairs of striped shirts — no matter how cute — am I right?

We all have moments where we make a purchase and immediately regret it, but there’s no reason why you should have to do make the same mistakes again and again. Clean some things out, make a plan, and go forth and save money. If I can do it, anyone can.

Last Updated: September 5, 2019

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You should know how to respect yourself, and you should also help others know how to respect you.

Yes, there can be situations where people start taking advantage of you, and you will not be able to understand how to stop letting people take advantage of you.

Whenever you feel like someone is taking advantage of you or trying to be unfair to you, then open up. Stand up for yourself and fight.

When you are standing up for yourself, then that gains you respect

Maybe, you are a person who always tries to help people, but think for a minute that what are you getting in return? Many times you end up getting cheated.

People take advantage of your friendship and helping nature. It is essential for you to learn to say NO.

Think before you say YES

If you are asked for a favor by someone, and you are really getting tempted to say YES, then you need to learn to think before you say YES.

You need not have to say no directly, but rather you can say that you need some time and you will get back after you think about it.

There are a lot of chances that you take a wrong decision when you are in pressure by someone.

Learn to say NO

It can be really tough for you to say NO, but when you at least give a try, then it is going to be easy for sure.

You start with something really small. Yes, even when you think that it can be done, you should say NO when you are really not comfortable doing it.

They may find some way to handle the things, and that will make you feel better, and that will also help you in saying NO is future as well.

Set your limits

Whenever you feel like you will not be able to say No to your friend or colleague, then you can set a limit for it. Like if your friend is asking for a loan, then tell them directly how much you can help them.

If your team leader is asking for extra time, which is not your time to work, then you can be very open in saying that you will have to leave at a particular time as you have already planned something else.

Talk to someone who understands

In the beginning, it really hurts when you say NO, but you cannot always do whatever they wanted to and let them take advantage of you.

So, you should be talking to someone who can really tell you that you have done something good for the first time. Take their help.

Let them go mad

Many people are like they want everything from you – your time, your money and everything you have. When you do not give them and say NO, they will go mad for sure and it is OK even if they are going mad.

You need not have to worry at all.

Just Stay away

When the people are unable to take your NO in the first place, then you can maintain some space and stay away from them.

Yes, you can do this until and unless they are comfortable talking about something else than what they actually wanted to talk or take from you.

Think of the consequences

When you are saying NO to something, you can weigh the result of saying NO.

But if you still feel like saying no to it, then you can go for it.

It is your decision at the end that actually matters and nothing else.

Don’t get flattered

The best and simple logic that many people use before they ask you for any help is to flatter you.

Yes, you should watch out for it and make sure that this does not affect the decision you take.

You should manage your time

Don’t give the chance of deciding your time to someone else.

Yes, when you feel like you have no time and you need to rush, then just go for it.

No one should decide your time and your plans for the day.

Written by Latika

Dreamer, thinker and writer who is still exploring the nuances of being a human in this world. When not writing or sleeping I keep myself busy in the aromas of the ingredients that I like to cook up for a delicious meal.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of LifeHacks.

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It takes time to heal from drug addictions. Deciding that you no longer want to use drugs is the very first step towards breaking the addiction. However, making up your mind is one thing, but taking steps to stop using drugs is a completely different thing. When you decide not to use drugs, the first few days and weeks are going to be the toughest. You might even feel sick and have no control over your brain and body. What can you do?

How to Stop Using Drugs

1. Be Committed

Unless you are seriously committed to the task of breaking your addiction, you are not going to make it. Understand that it takes time to get sober and you have to be patient and motivated. Your motivation can come from many things. For example, you want to rebuild your relationships with your spouse, children, or other family members. Consider creating a list of all those reasons that will motivate you to try everything to get sober.

2. Find a Rehabilitation Center

Whether you have been taking cocaine, meth, barbiturates, or benzodiazepines, you need to bear in mind that withdrawal can cause life-threatening consequences. You may experience seizures or even have to deal with other complications such as convulsions, stroke, or respiratory failure. It is therefore important to find a rehabilitation center and detox under an expert’s supervision. Even when you do not experience any life-threatening withdrawal symptoms, you may still experience other problems, such as hallucinations and anxiousness. Being under an expert’s supervision will help deal with these problems in a much better way.

3. Work with a Counselor

Even after you have made up your mind to stop taking drugs, you will still need help from experts to keep you motivated. This is when it makes great sense to see a counselor. Both individual and group counseling may make a difference. Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is especially beneficial in identifying what makes you turn to drugs. Talk to doctors and ask them for referrals to help you find the best drug addiction counselor.

4. Exercise Regularly

When learning how to stop using drugs, you just can’t ignore the importance of getting regular exercise. Your body and mind will be under stress when you are struggling to beat drug addiction. Regular exercise helps relieve that stress and make you feel better about yourself. Consider joining a gym and working with a personal trainer to improve your health.

5. Create a Plan

You have to change your lifestyle and find out what can tempt you to try drugs once again. Making and following a plan for living without drugs can help keep you on track. You should have a plan to deal with discouragement and boredom. It is equally important to determine how you are going to meet responsibilities. Work on ideas to deal with different situations, such as social gatherings, stressful conversations, and so on. While creating a plan, you have to consider every aspect of your life, such as parenting, relationships, work, interacting with others, meeting obligations, etc.

6. Try Urge Surfing

If you are wondering how to stop using drugs, you can try urge surfing. Urge surfing is a mindfulness technique of dealing with a relapse. You have to understand that your urge is going to become worse when you try to suppress it hard. You can ride them out by accepting urges. You have to understand yourself better and know what you feel and think about your addiction. Rate your urge on a scale of 1 to 10 and try engaging yourself in another activity, such as writing a list, cleaning the junk, putting away laundry, etc. Check your urge and rate it again. If it still feels strong, continue doing something else to keep your mind distracted.

7. Get Support

You can make things a lot easier by finding the right support. You need support throughout your recovery process and it can come from friends, family, or other people. You can take part in support groups and listen to people who have managed to break their addiction. Listening to the experiences and struggles of someone who has recovered from an addiction can be a huge motivation. You have to think that if they can do it, you can do it as well. A changed mindset is all you need to improve your chances for success.

8. Take Care of Your Health

How to stop using drugs? You need to plan how you are going to live a drug-free life. Rehab and treatment are important to help set things straight, but you have to plan for your future and build a healthy, drug-free lifestyle.

• Pay attention to your diet. Eat nutritious meals and get plenty of rest.
• If you have developed any health issues during active addiction, you may want to work with your healthcare provider to resolve those issues. Feeling better physically is also going to improve your self-esteem and help you stop using drugs.

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The parade of people walking through your yard on a continuous basis disrupts your privacy and may trample newly planted gardens. You probably know most of these unwanted visitors are not entering your yard maliciously and are simply using it as a shortcut. That doesn’t mean they’re welcome, however. Practical solutions, like planting a boundary can give you the privacy you’re looking for. If you want to play hardball, try placing some “No Trespassing” signs.

Penalties for trespassing range from mild to severe, and include paying a small fine, paying a big fine and being charged with a misdemeanor, or being charged with a felony and doing time in jail. Tread carefully.

Speak to the People

Speaking to people directly can be the best approach to stopping them from walking through your yard. Talk calmly and respectfully, letting the adult or child know you would prefer he not cut through your yard. You can explain you are having trouble keeping grass alive because of excess foot traffic. If the offender is a child or teenager, consider speaking to the parents, informing them you would appreciate it if their child took a different path. Never become hostile or speak down to the person, as this can cause more problems than the trespassing. Unfortunately, not all people will respect your property and may still walk through your yard, even after you’ve spoken to them.

Plant Living Fencing

Shrubs and hedges provide a physical boundary while improving the look of your yard. Evergreen shrubs and hedges provide year-round color and plants with a fast growth rate allow you to quickly grow a living fence. For example, “Andean Gold” saw-toothed azara, or Azara serrata, grows in U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 7 through 10 and giant blue clumping bamboo grows in USDA zones 8 through 9. Both plants are fast-growing evergreens that work well as a hedge and barrier plant. You can also plant shrubs and hedges with thorns and spines to prevent people from walking through the barrier. Barberry, for example, grows in USDA zones 5 through 8, producing stems covered in sharp thorns.

Design Better Pathways

As with fences, pathways can improve the look of your yard while redirecting foot traffic off the lawn and onto a designated path. For example, a cobblestone pathway adds a touch of old English charm to your landscape while stepping stones add a whimsical touch to your yard. The Morton Arboretum recommends paying attention to where people walk across your yard – such as diagonally across the lawn or in a straight line from an alley – and laying your pathway according to this pattern. Pathways might not keep people from walking through your yard, but it can reduce the foot traffic and maintain the landscaping of your lawn.

Post Signs

“No Trespassing” signs are an inexpensive way to let everyone know you don’t want people walking through your yard without your permission. In some states, including California, a “No Trespassing” sign is required before law enforcement or legal action can be taken against trespassers because the offender may not realize she is on private property. Your signs must follow the law with the proper size, lettering and wording as stated by your local laws and codes. If you live in San Francisco, you can file a “No Trespass Authorization Form” with the San Francisco Police Department. This form gives the police the power to arrest a trespasser who does not leave your property after you have asked him to. For the form to be valid, you must post “No trespassing” signs in conspicuous places on your property.

Things to Consider

Know your rights and responsibilities. In some states, people walking through your yard can sue the property owner if they hurt themselves on your land, even if they were on your property without permission. In other areas, property owners are only responsible if they purposely harm the unwanted visitor. Other states hold the homeowner responsible if trespassing children harm themselves on the property because of gross negligence. Once you know the specific laws for your area, you can take the necessary precautions to protect yourself and your property.

It’s beyond frustrating to spend several hundred dollars on renting a dumpster only to find that trespassers have unlawfully thrown their own waste, junk, and debris into your container. If this has happened to you, you’re not alone; it’s a common issue. We’ll discuss some effective solutions to the problem.

What’s the legality of the issue?

It is illegal to dump trash in dumpsters placed on private property unless given explicit permission by the owner of the dumpster to do so. This includes dumpsters that are placed on construction sites, commercial dumpsters at businesses, roll-offs and roll carts at homes, and other trash receptacles placed on private property.

It’s illegal to dump trash in someone else’s dumpster without permission. Getting caught doing so is punishable by $500+ fines and possible jail time.

The exact laws vary by municipality, but most cities consider this type of illegal dumping a misdemeanor punishable by fines and possible jail time. Learn more about your local laws pertaining to the issue by doing an online search for “litter statute in [your city].”

Work with an experienced dumpster rental provider. Click here!

Quit trashing my dumpster!

When people add trash to your rented roll-off dumpster without permission, it’s not only illegal, it’s also a headache for you. Here’s why:

• It leaves less space for you to fill it up with your junk, waste, or debris. Learn about dumpster sizes and how much they hold.
• In some cases, a second dumpster may be necessary to complete the job.
• The extra weight could push the load past the weight allowance—that’s extra fees for you!
• The offender(s) may have loaded hazardous materials (e.g., paint) and you could be responsible for the extra fees associated with disposal of such wastes.

Infuriating to say the least!

Below, you’ll find some useful tips that will reduce the odds of your rented dumpster becoming a community trash bin.

Illegal dumping prevention tips

1. If possible, place the dumpster inside a fenced area or inside of a garage, barn, or outbuilding.
2. Tarp the dumpster when not in use. All you need is an inexpensive tarp and some bungee cords. This is also useful for keeping the load dry during rain or snowstorms. A wet dumpster load is much heavier than a dry one.
3. Place the dumpster in a well-lit area.
4. Load the dumpster quickly. If at all possible, finish loading the dumpster in a day and have it picked up soon after. The longer the dumpster sits on your property, the higher the risk of an illegal dumping situation.
5. Place the dumpster near your home or building rather than on or near the street, especially if it’s a highly trafficked street.
6. A simple plywood or cardboard sign may be enough to keep people from tossing trash in your roll-off.

What if preventative measures didn’t solve the problem?

If you’ve noticed trash and junk in the dumpster that’s not yours, look for any identifying labels or markings. If you are able to get a name, you can contact local authorities and pursue that route.

Even if you don’t find any identifying markings, it’s not a bad idea to contact authorities to inform them of the issue, especially if you have the dumpster on-site for several more days. Police would likely increase patrols in the neighborhood, which could be enough to give would-be “trash tossers” a reason to think twice about it.

Will the dumpster rental provider help out with this situation?

It depends on the company and extent of the situation. Dumpster companies are generally not liable for other people dumping trash in your rented dumpster. That’s your responsibility as the renter.

Even so, it’s worth discussing the issue with your chosen dumpster rental company to see if they have any solutions that could work in your situation. In extreme cases, the rental company may be willing to work out a deal to provide a second dumpster or offer a discount to rent another dumpster if it is necessary to complete the cleanup.

Like it or not, how you talk can lead people to make a lot of assumptions about who you are, where you’re from, and how educated (or not so educated) you might be. One of the most pervasive bits of vernacular speech in recent years (though beginning in the 1970s with the classic “Valley speak”) has been the use, and subsequent overuse, of the word “like” in both casual and professional conversations. While there are many grammatically appropriate ways to use “like” in a sentence, many young people, and a few older ones as well, use the word as filler in sentences, cluttering up their speech and making them sound unsure and possible even uneducated.

If you’re a habitual “like” user, you’re not alone. Even the President is known to use a few “likes” in his everyday speech. Yet helping to curb your habit and refining your speech patterns can be a big benefit when you’re looking for work, giving presentations in your college classes, or even just out on a date. Read on to find some methods, tips, and tricks that can help you make short work of getting all those unnecessary “likes” out of your speech.

Learn how to use “like” correctly.

One way to stop using “like” in weird places throughout your speech is to take the time to learn where it should actually fall with regard to standard usage rules. If you’re unsure, take a look at the Dictionary.com entry for the word. There are several usages explained, the majority variations on using the word to compare things or express similarity and to express enjoyment or favor.

Pause when you would say “like.”

Often, saying “like” is a way to fill in awkward pauses in speech or to buy yourself some time while you think of what to say, but sometimes not saying anything at all can be a better move. Each time you can feel yourself saying “like,” pause instead and give yourself a minute to think. This also works to help you stop saying other pause words like “um,” “er,” and “you know.”

Ask others to help you.

It will undoubtedly get annoying to have your friends and coworkers constantly calling you out on saying “like” but it can also be one of the most effective ways to remind yourself when you’re doing it and to break a particularly persistent pattern. After a few days of consistent reminders, you’re bound to become more conscious of your speech, which can be good for other reasons than just helping you get rid of “like.”

Record yourself.

It’s hard to understand how other people hear you, as often you don’t realize that you have weird speech patterns or tics when you hear yourself in your own head. A solution can be to record yourself in everyday conversation. This will make it easier to see how and when you use “like” and get some help in identifying times when it really isn’t working for you, as well as some ideas on how to stop making it a part of your everyday speech.

Replace “like” with another word.

If you simply can’t seem to break your bad habit of “like” overuse, then it may be time to go cold turkey and stop using it altogether. Replace the word with any other word that means about the same thing. Listeners will get your point and you’ll avoid backtracking in your progress.

Know the most common ways “like” is misused.

There are a couple of pretty common ways that you’ll hear “like” being thrown around in everyday speech, and knowing what these are can help you be more conscious of times when you might be at risk of using the word yourself. Watch out for using “like” to:

Make approximations.

When approximating a value, it’s pretty common to throw in “like” even though it’s not necessary at all. For example, “You need, like, twenty dollars to buy that.” Saying you need “about,” “roughly,” or any other word would be more precise and descriptive.

Modify adjectives and adverbs.

You don’t want to say, “It was, like, the biggest cockroach I’ve ever seen!” You don’t need that “like” in there to make the sentence clear and it also strengthens the sentence to omit the word.

Before a quote.

We’ve all heard others or been guilty of using “like” before a quote, but using a more descriptive word like “said,” “yelled,” or “asked” is a much better choice and gives life to your recollections. Compare “She was like ‘Mind your own business!'” to “She snarled, ‘Mind your own business!'” One is far more descriptive than the other.

Learn new words.

Can’t think of any words to replace “like” with? Start learning them, then! Break out a thesaurus and look up words that are similar to “like.” You may even want to make a list, paying special attention to words that will allow you to be even more specific or descriptive in your speech.

Challenge yourself.

One way to motivate yourself to get rid of those “likes” is to give yourself a challenge or goal to meet. See how long you can go without saying the word, track your progress each day, or make a game out of kicking the habit to the curb. It might sound silly, but it can be a bigger motivator than you realize.

Think before you speak.

Perhaps the most tried and true way to sound more intelligent and polished when you speak, “like” aside, is to slow down and speak more slowly and deliberately. This means taking time to think before you speak and developing a pace that doesn’t force you to use filler words to help your brain catch up to your mouth. Consider joining a local Toastmasters group or taking some public speaking classes to help you on this issue.

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Remember when the “cloud” was just called the “Internet?” This absurd fascination with naming online services after suspended atmospheric condensation is kind of driving me nuts. For around 14 years, millions of people have used Hotmail, but they didn’t use a “cloud email solution.” When we were all ripping our CDs a decade ago and looking up track information on the CDDB, we weren’t using a “cloud music information service.” Look, it’s just the Internet, people. We don’t need a new word to say that data is stored on a central server. I can’t wait for the day when “cloud” joins the dustbin of overused and meaningless technology marketing words, along with push, virtual reality, and multimedia.

I don’t mean to be down on cloud online services entirely. Sure the current trend in taking Internet services and making them sound new by slapping the “cloud” label on them is annoying, but it’s not just the naming getting under my skin. It’s the way these services behave, or rather don’t behave, when you don’t have a robust connection. I think there has been such a rush to provide something the marketing folks can label a “cloud service” that there has been no thought to the inherent unreliability of the Internet at large. Need hosting for your web enterprise? Amazon has a solution for you! Of course, if Amazon’s web services go down, it’s your business that suffers. Want to listen to some music? Spotify and Grooveshark have everything you want. until your connection flakes out or access is removed or limited by a third party. Don’t get me started on the personal information you put in the hands of the companies behind these services. It’s bad enough when Sony compromises millions of accounts, but even services that don’t have security problems might be sharing your information with marketers. In a rush to make sure everything is available online, companies are forgetting about the inherent security and reliability of good old-fashioned local computing.

I think it’s a cultural thing. Technology companies in Silicon Valley live and work in such a persistently-connected environment that they sometimes forget about the common user. You know, the person with a restrictive bandwidth cap who can’t afford over $100 a month for unlimited 4G service and limps along with overpriced 3 megabit so-called “broadband.” Cloud Internet services should always be designed with a single question in the back of one’s mind: “What happens if they can’t connect?”

You know who does a great job with this? Zune. Apple is no doubt gearing up for its inevitable cloud Internet music service, and everyone is sure to make a huge deal about it. The rumor mill says it’ll be called iCloud (way to Think Different™, Apple). Microsoft already has an amazingly good cloud Internet music service in Zune. For your subscription fee, you can stream nearly anything in the whole Zune music marketplace, as much as you want, in high quality. You don’t even need to use the Zune software, you can just log into the website with any modern browser and stream away. But you can also download all the tracks you want, store them locally, and listen to them when you’re not connected. It’s even smart enough to mix your local library and online tracks in the Pandora-like Smart DJ feature. Of course there’s DRM on the all-you-can-eat downloads (they have to make sure you lose access to them if you stop subscribing, which is fair), but Microsoft throws you a bone there, too. You can download 10 tracks a month, completely DRM-free, which you own forever. So it’s a cloud online music service, but it offers as complete functionality as possible when you aren’t connected.

Not to once again harp on how great Dropbox is, but it too is a perfect example of the right way to implement a cloud Internet service. Files in your Dropbox folder are uploaded to the company’s servers, and accessible online, but they’re also fully-functioning local files. You have access when you’re offline, and the service just works out all the modification times and syncs all your computers and devices when you go back online. I have four PCs sharing a Dropbox folder, and I can work on any of my files on any of them without any online access at all, knowing that they’ll all be magically updated, online and off, next time I connect.

In other words, the reason Dropbox and Zune work as could online services is because Internet connectivity is only additive. You don’t lose offline capabilities just because you have additional awesome online features. Compare that to dozens of other online services (even ones I really like, such as Flickr), that essentially have no offline story at all. Over the next year, so-called cloud services will be bigger than ever. From iCloud to Windows 8, we’ll see a dramatic increase in the number of everyday users using them. Increasingly, I’ll make decisions about which online services I’ll use by measuring what they let me do when I’m not cloud-connected.

Dylan is getting account sign-ups from someone with the same name, who is mistakenly using Dylan’s email address. What can he do?

Ensure you have total control of your accounts Photograph: Alamy

Ensure you have total control of your accounts Photograph: Alamy

I subscribed to Apple’s MobileMe service, so I received an email address with my full name @me.com. When the service switched to iCloud, I also received the @icloud.com suffix.

My problem is that someone with the same name, based in America, is using my @icloud.com address to sign up for accounts and services, including Instagram. For example, I know that he has purchased a case for his iPhone 4, is interested in a new Ford pickup truck, and has signed his child up for a Scholastic education account.

When he signs up for fresh accounts, I get verification emails that I regularly have to decline. In some instances, it seems he has changed his email address in accounts he already holds, and doesn’t need to verify them with my email.

I have tried contacting the individual but to no avail.

It’s slightly concerning that he’s constantly typing in the wrong email and potentially sharing information with me. Dylan

I get this as well. A surprising number of people don’t seem to be able to remember their email addresses. This is a growing problem because of the use of real names. We used to think this was a great idea, overlooking the fact that there are often hundreds and sometimes thousands of people with the same name, and now they’re all coming online. We might have been better off using fabricated but memorable names.

Go into lockdown

First, make absolutely sure that you have total control of your own accounts. Change the passwords to something stronger, change your answers to security questions, and think about adding two-factor authentication. This usually means associating your email account with a mobile phone number. If someone asks for a password reset, the email service will text you a numerical code to type in.

Bear in mind that people who really believe they own a particular address may try to access to it, assume they have forgotten the password, and try to gain access by getting your password reset.

You could even contact your email provider, complain that somebody else is using your email address, and say that you are worried about your account being compromised. They’re very unlikely to do anything, but if something goes wrong, at least you can prove you forewarned them.

If someone uses your email address to open a Facebook account, there’s a form for that.

If you’re just getting unwanted newsletters or promotional emails, reputable companies will always offer a simple way to unsubscribe.

Complain to senders

Second, when you get notifications, contact the website involved and ask them to block your email address and remove it from the account. In my experience, most of these emails come from no-reply addresses, so you have to do this via a web form. Well run companies will email you a copy of your complaint. Some are not well run, so copy and paste your complaint into a note, or take a screen grab.

Companies vary. My best ever response came from Gumtree Australia (“Your ad ‘GoPro Hero 3 Black Version’ was successfully confirmed”), which acted immediately. The worst was Vodafone UK, where the saga started in April 2010 (a “Welcome to Vodafone Online Services” email complete with “my” new phone number). This escalated via webmail help to customer services and then the Vodafone Directors Office before finally being resolved in May 2011. I’m sure they’ve improved since then.

Bear in mind that someone signing up to things with your email address could be construed as impersonation, identity theft or even attempted fraud, depending on the action and whichever legal jurisdiction applies. (In the US, it varies by state.) The vast majority of cases are simple mistakes, much like dialling a wrong number. But if anything looks suspicious, consider reporting it or even taking legal advice.

In the UK, the City of London Police’s Action Fraud is “the national policing lead for fraud”. It has a website where you can report fraud and cyber crime, including spam emails.

Contact your namesake

Third, try to notify the person, or get someone else to do it for you. I’ve had a lot of success when I’ve received personal and group emails. With luck, a “reply all” lets you to tell several of the person’s friends and family members at once. Say something like “Please ask to tell you their correct email address because they keep using mine by mistake”. Your name-sake will probably find this sufficiently embarrassing to prompt corrective action.

In some cases, you can collect enough information to find the person on Facebook or via a Google search, and sometimes you can get their phone number. Again, either a direct SMS text or some polite email messages to your name-sake’s friends and family could be enough to solve the problem.

Fourth, there’s the nuclear option, which involves doing things that might look illegal in some jurisdictions. If you have tried notifying the website or service, your name-sake, and your name-sake’s friends and family, the last resort is to try to take control of the account. I’ve never done this myself, and I don’t recommend it, but I know it happens.

I strongly recommend against doing this with serious services, which includes anything of a financial nature – banking, insurance etc. (Obviously, one would expect that kind of organization to take prompt action when asked.) However, getting large amounts of email from a trivial service might tempt me.

Anyway, you have the email address – in fact, you own it – so you can try asking for a password reset. This will give you access to your namesake’s account. You can now log on and change the email address to one that isn’t yours, such as the company’s customer service email address. Your noble motive is, of course, to protect your name-sake’s privacy by stopping the company from sending you information about their personal transactions.

Finally, if all else fails, you can try to set up a filter than will redirect the unwanted emails to your spam box or trash. This will be tricky unless there’s some variation in the name or the email address. At worst, you can just keep adding website addresses to the filter, as long as they’re not websites you use yourself.

Why bother?

I appreciate that many people will simply delete wrongly addressed emails, without trying to stop them. Unfortunately, that means the intended recipient isn’t getting email they want, and it doesn’t encourage websites and services to improve their procedures.

Far too many websites still allow people to set up accounts without getting them verified via confirmation emails or texts etc. They’ll only change if we make enough fuss – and thereby increase their support costs – to the point where they see the light.

Solutions for dealing with the toilet habits of your neighbors’ dogs have a lot to do with your personality. Are you the type to boldly confront people? Are you the “law and order” type who will go to any lengths to bring the culprit to justice with the local animal control officer? Maybe you don’t like confrontation so you try subversive ways of dealing with the problem. Or are you more likely to be proactive and make use of various types of barriers to prevent the dogs from ever coming into your yard in the first place? Here are a few ideas about how to deal with this messy issue.

Confronting the responsible people

If you can identify the owner of the dog, try to have a simple and polite conversation with him. Personally, I have rarely found this to work, but maybe you will have better luck than I’ve had. Generally, if people are letting their dogs run free or are “looking the other way” while on a walk, then they probably couldn’t care less about the issue. Plus, depending on the neighbor, it could get ugly.

Yelling at people you catch in action can be effective – or get you in a fight, with someone who has a dog with them.

I did actually stop one boy from letting his dog poop on my tree belt. I photographed him and told him I was going to report him to the dog officer (we have a local ordinance with a $300 fine). I never saw him or his dog again.

Alternatives for discouraging irresponsible owners

• Set out web cams to take note of the offending dog(s) and provide the evidence to the authorities.

• Post signs, but most dogs can’t read and will often just pee on them.

• Some think placing the offending material back on the property of the dog’s owner will achieve the desired result. While you may feel satisfaction by returning the favor, so to speak, you are more likely to start a feud with your neighbor.

• Spray paint the offensive matter a Day-Glo color and leave it on your lawn in order to embarrass irresponsible dog owners.

Deterring the dog

In conversations with friends about the topic of owners not cleaning up after their dogs, I ran into some amazingly strong feelings on the subject. And while it ticks me off too, I don’t recommend shooting at the dog with anything other than perhaps a high-powered water gun. The dog is only doing what comes naturally; it’s not personal. I admit however, to being intrigued by the idea of shooting the dog with a paintball gun to be able to identify him to the dog officer.

Dogs are attracted to smells and surfaces that have the right “paw feel” when looking for a place to do their business. If you also own a dog, other dogs will be attracted to your yard, drawn by both the smell and the intrinsic desire to “mark” a territory. Not only do you need to clean up really well after your own pet, you may need to use deterrent products around the perimeter of your yard.

• The dogs may be attracted to the kind of fertilizer you use on your flower and vegetable beds, so change it periodically . Dogs can be attracted to both organic and chemical fertilizers.

• If you have lawn sprinklers, vary the time of the watering. Dogs don’t tend to go for wet areas when there are dry ones around.

• Also, be aware of keeping attractive areas, such as garbage cans or compost bins, as clean and tidy as possible.

Perimeter deterrents

There are numerous products on the market that come in the form of sprays, liquids, and granules. A popular product is called “Liquid Fence,” for example. Most products are non-toxic and biodegradable. Some have offensive odors to both dogs and people, while others have odors only offensive to dogs. You can also sprinkle chili powder or cayenne pepper around the edges of your yard. The catch is keeping up with consistent applications of whatever you are applying, such as after a rain.

There are “sonic” solutions that may work to keep dogs out of your yard. These machines may work, but they will keep other critters such as birds away as well.

Lastly, you can also fence off your yard. A no-cost DIY twig barrier might be enough to keep the local dogs off your garden or you may have to go whole hog and hire a fencing contractor. You will still need to regularly check the fence perimeter, as determined dogs will dig right under them.

This article was updated November 30, 2017.

‎05-06-2013 02:42 PM

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I have the HP officejet pro 8600. Ink is pretty expensive, and this printer is expensive. I don’t mind other people using it on occasion, however I have one roommate in particular who won’t stop using it, and won’t contribute to buying ink. Are there any changes I can make so that I am the only one that can use this printer? I checked and she isnt using the eprint address, because it isn’t showing up in the history, but I do know she is printing wirelessly somehow. How can I stop her from using it period? Can I put a password on it?

‎05-06-2013 02:55 PM

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Looks like she knows how to setup print directly using adhoc mode. You can go to the printer Control panel and set a security code and keep it for yourself. This will stop people to “hack” to your printer.

BH
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Make it easier for other people to find solutions by marking a Reply ‘Accept as Solution’ if it solves your problem.

‎05-06-2013 03:43 PM

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Thank you for responding to my question. Sadly, I’m a little tech dumb. Could you explain to me what adhoc mode is? I’m glad to hear that there is an ability to set up a password, but I can’t find the steps on how to do it. Could you walk me through the steps to do so? I have Windows 8.

I have tried to do: Control Panal>View device and printers>HP officejet pro 8600>Right click Printer Properties

but I haven’t found any thing to put a password on it.

Thank you again and in advance

‎05-06-2013 07:52 PM

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That printer supports something called wireless direct that you can enable so the printer broadcasts its own network, which she could then connect to and print from. Your best bet might be to hook up USB to your computer if you arent already and turn wireless off on the front panel, although this might not stop it if the person has physical access to the printer.

To stop it entirely you would want to connect to that printers same network, and type 192.168.223.1 in to the address bar of a web browser as if it were a website. From here you should have a settings tab along the top, and then I believe administrator settings along the left. In that screen you should be able to uncheck features that you want disabled, like wireless.

If you guys are sharing a network this is the best option as she will be able to print from the same network you are without any issues.

Jon-W
I work on behalf of HP

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Recently, I uncovered that someone is using my phone number to call others. I would receive strange texts and calls from people saying, “ Who is this? ” and “Stop calling me!”. Initially, I believed these people just had the wrong phone number and ignored their messages. However, it got to the point where the calls and texts were disturbing me every minute of the day. Then, I realized I needed to look into it.

After some investigating, I found out a telemarketing company was using my phone number to target and solicit locals. I thought to myself, how can they do this? Well, the answer was simple: Phone Spoofing .

What’s Phone Spoofing?

Phone spoofing is when someone falsifies the number and name that appear on the recipient’s Caller ID. Often, telemarketers will use real local phone numbers when targeting numbers in that area code, as the recipients will then be more likely to pick up. The spoofing scammer then tries to convince them to purchase something or provide their personal information.

Who Typically Uses Caller ID Spoofing?

In my case, telemarketers spoofed my number, but they aren’t the only party that does so. Private investigators and collection agencies use spoofing to hide their real number when looking into people. Work professionals also may spoof their office phone number in the event they’re working from home or traveling.

Is Phone Spoofing Legal?

According to the United States Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009 , spoofing a phone number is allowed unless the person is: “knowingly transmitting misleading or inaccurate caller identification information with the intent to defraud, cause harm, or wrongfully obtain anything of value….” The penalty for violating this act is $10,000. So, as long as there’s evidence proving the spoof caller violated this act, their actions are considered illegal.

Is There A Way Stop Someone From Using My Number?

When looking online, there’s no definite way to stop someone from using your number. Below, are some methods which I have found and used that have helped me greatly.

Change Your Number

When in doubt, change your phone number. It can be difficult to lose a number you’ve had all of your life, but it’s necessary when being plagued by people who’ve been spoofed. You can contact your cell phone carrier to do this.

On Your Voicemail Answering Message, Say You Were Spoofed.

To warn people, you can leave a voicemail answering message saying your number has been spoofed. This will prevent those who have been called by your spoof number from from leaving a voicemail and calling you again.

Report Them To The FCC

If you are sure your number has been spoofed, file a complaint with the FCC . Recently, they have been taking more initiative to stop spoof callers and robocalls.

Once I changed my phone number, the calls and texts regarding the spoof calls finally stopped. It’s a relief knowing I don’t have to let them interfere with my everyday life anymore. If you happen to find out someone is using your phone number, learn from my story and take the necessary steps to stop them.

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I would like to prevent users to stop saving Anything to C: drive. I want the drive to be visible but want restrictions/permission setup so the domain users cannot save anything on the C: Drive. Is this possible? I would like to control this via group policy.

DC is running Win2k8 r2

Also, if I can be directed to step by step instructions on this, I would appreciate it.

I recommend one of two approaches:

a) with your backup solution, exclude undesirable file types

b) scrap the personal items folder idea

a) Use the GPO setting I recommended above, to recap: User Configuration -> Policies -> Administrative Templates -> Windows Components -> Windows Explorer -> Prevent access to drives from My Computer: C (or all – all will prevent access to USB drives as well)

b) Either warn that the desktop is not backed up or break inheritance and remove the write permission for the users from the C:UsersusernameDesktop folder

c) scrap the personal items folder idea

You can’t. There are certain files that the system and applications will need to save outside of those folders, %localappdata% and %temp% being good examples.

All you can do is make a HR style policy to say ‘use this folder, do not use any other’ then make sure your apps use that path so that when the user clicks on file -> save it defaults to that location.

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If C: is where the OS is then you can’t stop them as things like %temp% will automatically map to C:

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It’s very difficult to do. The best thing to do would be just to redirect the common folders where they normally save files (Documents, Desktop, Favorites, etc).

I used to work in a place where we hid the C: drive from Windows Explorer and made it inaccessible in Windows Explorer in addition to the Folder Redirection.

I don’t remember all of the caveats that we had to deal with, but it worked very well with some maintenance every now and then for users who had specific needs.

The path to the policies you may want to look at is: User ConfigurationAdministrative TemplatesWindows ComponentsWindows Explorer

In that location, two policy-settings are available:

Hide these specified drives in My Computer: When you enable this setting, the effect will only be that the selected drives will not be visible in Windows Explorer, My Computer and the standard Open dialog boxes.

Prevent access to these drives from My Computer: If you enable this setting, users can browse the directory structure of the selected drives in My Computer or Windows Explorer, but they cannot open folders and access the contents. Also, they cannot use the Run dialog box or the Map Network Drive dialog box to view the directories on these drives.

Keep in mind that they can still use other methods to access the drives (Command Prompt, etc), so you will want to limit access to, for example, the Command Prompt. Also, if they install an alternate file browser, they will again be able to see those drives. So, to prevent that, you’ll want to prevent the installation or use of unauthorized software.

Like I said, it’s definitely some work and a lot of testing. You definitely do not wan to do this without doing thorough testing.

Social media addiction is a pandemic that is sweeping across the technologically advanced world.

A group of former Facebook, Google and Apple employees recently launched a campaigner called the Truth About Tech, aimed at educating people about the methods these companies use to get users coming back again and again.

Tristan Harris, an ex-Google employee who is part of the campaign said:

The most powerful tech companies in the world are making deliberate decisions that do great harm.

However, there are a few strategies people can adopt to minimise the amount of time they’re on social media.

1. Turn off your notifications

‘FOMO’ or the ‘fear of missing out’ is a relatively new term that’s become synonymous with social media envy.

Seeing people’s ‘perfect’ lives on social media, no matter how false it actually is, can still make us feel bad about our own. Switching off notifications can reduce the impact of envying others, because you’re not constantly reminded of your friend’s Instagram holiday post updates.

2. Get a hobby

According to Bustle, another way to limit your time on social media is to find a hobby IRL. Be it parkour or a poetry club; pick up something g outside of Facebook and Twitter.

3. Don’t use Instagram when you’re emotional

Writing for NYPost, Dr Tim Bono, a professor at Washington University advises people not to use Instagram when you’re feeling emotionally low.

If negativity is already invading your thoughts and feelings, the social comparison from others’ pictures and posts will only send you spiralling downward.

4. Social media is like Netflix

Tim Bono makes a point that we tend to binge on a whole variety of things – including TV shows.

We all binge on media. But just like “Riverdale” isn’t real life, neither is Facebook or Instagram. TV shows and movies consist of actors who are playing parts to tell a story. Social media is, in effect, our own personal show. Everyone is telling a particular story — one they also happen to produce, direct, write and star in. As you are scrolling through posts and pictures, remind yourself — it’s not real life. At the very least it’s not someone’s complete life.

5. Track the time you spend online

Note how often you use it and how you feel immediately after.

When you are on social media, observe yourself – how do you feel when you get off social media? If it’s not making you feel better, you should probably decrease the amount you’re using it.

6. Control your apps

Limit the amount of time you spend on places like Twitter and Instagram by deleting the Apps from your phone. That way, you’ll only access social media websites when you’re using a computer rather than in real time.

H/T Bustle and NYPost

Mason Cooley once wrote: “The cure for an obsession: get another one.”

That’s about as good advice as any that I’ve heard on how to quiet the annoying voices inside your head. They nag, persist, harass, and endure longer than your patience or composure.

I haven’t been very successful at managing mine, as I’m usually processing three obsessions at a time. But a few of my strategies have helped me from time to time. Here they are.

1. Get back on track.

One of the most helpful visualizations for me to employ when I’m obsessing is to imagine that my mind is a car driving along the highway. When I get going on an obsession — can’t let go of a regret, insecurity, or, God forbid, a mix between the two — I simply acknowledge that I am off the road: perhaps on the shoulder of the lane, or going up a ramp, or off to a new adventure altogether. I need to direct the car back to the highway. When I’m in an obsessive state, I do that exercise once, say, every five seconds.

2. Stop.

Another visualization technique I use is simply to visualize a stop sign. Not creative, I know, but you don’t need fancy images to get the buggers out of your head. Whenever my thoughts take on a life on their own, I visualize the stop sign. Some OCD experts recommend a ritual that you can do to remind yourself to stop (as you visualize the stop sign), like snapping a rubber band on your wrist — something to indicate that you need to direct your thoughts back to reality. I did this for awhile, but the red marks clued too many people in on what was going on inside my noggin.

3. Keep moving.

Say you’ve employed visualization technique after visualization technique, and your mind keeps going back to that spot — analyzing every angle of the issue. You can’t take it anymore. When I’ve reached my threshold, I get moving… in any way possible.

If I’m at work, I take a bathroom break. If I’m at home, I walk around the block. If I’m in a conversation at a party, I’ll excuse myself and walk to another part of the room. I try my best to change my scenery in any (socially acceptable) way I can, because the shift can sometimes distract me from my thoughts. Sometimes.

4. Get mad.

Some folks say anger isn’t becoming, but new research published in the journal “Emotion” indicates that anger can, at times, contribute to happiness levels and well-being. In the study, participants who chose angry music before a confrontational task showed greater psychological health than the participants who chose happy music. The first group reported greater satisfaction with life, better grades, and a stronger network of friends. It’s okay, then, to yell at your obsession, at your brain, or both. They deserve it.

5. Beware of old baggage.

Much of what we can’t let go — or the fact that we can’t let it go — has roots in past issues. We can’t go back and change it, but the understanding of why we are doing something sometimes offers clues as to how to break obsessive patterns. “So what do we owe our personal histories?” writes psychiatrist Gordon Livingston, M.D., in “Too Soon Old, Too Late Smart.” “Certainly we are shaped by them and must learn from them if we are to avoid the repetitious mistakes that make us feel trapped in a long-running drama of our own authorship.”

6. Identify the distortions.

In their book, The OCD Workbook, Bruce M. Hyman, Ph.D., and Cherry Pedrick, RN, catalog some typical cognitive errors of worriers and persons with OCD. Take note of these:

• Overestimating risk, harm and danger
• Over-control and perfectionism
• Catastrophizing
• Black and white or all-or-nothing thinking
• Persistent doubting
• Magical thinking
• Superstitious thinking
• Intolerance of uncertainty
• Over-responsibility
• Pessimistic bias
• What-if thinking
• Intolerance of anxiety
• Extraordinary cause and effect

7. Apply some humor.

Humor is your best friend. It’s the only voice that confirms that you’re not a freak, that you just are in the midst of one of your regular wigouts, and things will be just fine if you don’t take this thing you are so fixated on so seriously. Humor inserts some much-needed room between your emotional center, your brain’s limbic system, and your issue.

Originally posted on Sanity Break at Everyday Health.

Unauthorized access can slow network speeds and open major security risks

What to Know

• Misuse of your network can slow your overall traffic speed because of too many devices connected to the router, or introduce malware.
• You can see who’s on your Wi-Fi by logging into your router and checking DHCP settings for connected devices that aren’t yours.
• Strong passwords, network encryption, disabled WPS, and nonbroadcast SSIDs should be baseline security for your home router.

This article explains how to see who is on your Wi-Fi network and how to lock down your Wi-Fi quickly to stop them. Remember to routinely monitor your router’s access logs to minimize your risks from unauthorized home-network intrusion.

How to See Who’s on Your Wi-Fi

Find the DHCP settings, “attached devices” area, or a similarly named section.

Look through the list of connected devices and isolate the ones that aren’t yours.

While these steps may appear vague, the reason is that the specifics are different for every brand of router. On most routers, you’ll find a connected-devices table that shows every device to which DHCP leased an IP address, meaning that the list shows the devices that are currently using an IP address assigned by your router.

Every device on that list is either connected to your network through a wire or is accessing your network over Wi-Fi. You might not be able to tell which are connected over Wi-Fi and which aren’t, but you should be able to use this information to see which devices, specifically, are accessing your Wi-Fi.

For example, assume you have a phone, Chromecast, laptop, PlayStation, and printer all connected to Wi-Fi. That’s five devices, but the list you see in the router shows seven devices. The best thing to do at this point is to shut off Wi-Fi on all of your gadgets, unplug them, or shut them off to see which ones remain in the list.

Anything you see in the list after shutting off your network devices is a device that’s inappropriately accessing your Wi-Fi network.

Some routers will show the name the connected devices use, so the list might say “Living Room Chromecast,” “Jack’s Android,” and “Mary’s iPod.” If you have no idea who Jack is, chances are he’s a neighbor stealing your Wi-Fi.

How to Lock Down Your Wi-Fi

Blocking someone from your Wi-Fi can be as easy as changing your Wi-Fi password to something much more secure, then encrypting network traffic with WPA or WPA2 encryption.

The moment the router requires a new password that the connected devices don’t know, all the freeloaders will disconnect from your network, unable to use your internet connection.

As an added precaution to help protect yourself from Wi-Fi hackers, avoid weak passwords and change the network name (usually abbreviated as SSID), then disable SSID broadcast. Changing the password and SSID and suppressing SSID broadcast make it appear, to most external users, as if the entire network went offline.

More Advanced Router Security

Think of network security as a race to outrun a bear, You don’t need to be the fastest; you just need to be faster than the slowest person trying to escape. There’s no way to make a home network perfectly impervious to a dedicated hacker who has the tools and skills to break into your network. But if you layer enough security practices, the hacker will pluck the low-hanging fruit first, reducing your relative risk of intrusion.

Although it’s not specifically related to your router’s setup, it’s a good idea to disable File and Printer Sharing in Windows. If a hacker gains access to your network and all your files and devices are easily discovered from within your home network, your risk of a data breach increases substantially. A “defense-in-depth” approach means you employ several different levels of security access instead of relying on just one strategy.

Start by implementing MAC address filtering on your router so that only the MAC addresses you specify (the ones that belong to your devices) are allowed to connect. This approach isn’t foolproof — it’s easy to spoof a MAC address — but this level of filtering adds one extra step to hack through and dissuades low-skill, opportunistic Wi-Fi leeches.

Similarly, limit DHCP addresses to the exact number of devices you regularly use so that no new devices are allowed an IP address even if they manage to get past your Wi-Fi password.

Most importantly: disable Wi-Fi Protected Setup. WPS allows one-touch pairing of a device to your router. The problem, though, is that WPS is notoriously insecure. WPS-enabled routers usually get hacked within a matter of minutes, by following online tutorials that rely on easily available freeware.

Remain Vigilant

If you live in a rural area, you’re likely fine with just baseline precautions. To infiltrate your Wi-Fi network, a hacker must remain within Wi-Fi range, which, at best, is 300 feet or so from the router. If your house is 500 feet from the road and your nearest neighbor is a quarter-mile away, an attacker would need to be on your property to hack your Wi-Fi: a low-risk scenario.

But if you live in a dense urban area, or in close proximity to others (e.g., in a dorm), the risk increases. Advanced technology to brute-force attack Wi-Fi routers has long been available as freely downloadable, open-source tools. Software like Reaver will slice through even strong defenses without much difficulty, so you must periodically check your router’s DCHP allocation tables to verify inappropriate access.

Set a task on your calendar to-do list to periodically check your router’s control panel. Look for unauthorized devices. If you use strong security practices but your network is intruded upon repeatedly, reach out to your internet service provider for assistance. Persistent, successful intrusion against a well-protected home network is a sign of trouble that’s worth referring to your ISP.

It happens to the best of us. We find ourselves completely undone by someone else’s behavior. It could be anything from someone cutting you off in traffic to your spouse cheating on you. Mild to severe, other people’s actions can turn our world upside down.

I recently let myself get all caught up in someone else’s drama. My boyfriend’s daughter was behaving in some ways I found unacceptable. He was trying to rein her in; she was acting out more and more; we all went to counseling (I can’t tell you how many arguments, sleepless nights, and general fury on my part all this caused). Suddenly, she decided to move in with her mother. As soon as she moved, poof – there was peace on earth. No more drama, angst, or fury. Is she still doing all the stuff we had problems with? I’m sure. But now it’s not my issue. And you know what? It never was.

Most of the things that you get upset about aren’t your issues. The driver who cut you off? Their driving is not your issue. All you need to worry about is getting safely to your destination. That lazy co-worker who isn’t doing their share of the work? Not your issue. All you need to do is focus on your own good work. Your cheating spouse? Not your issue. Your issue is why you would stay with someone who is cheating on you.

Some tips to help with this:

1. Realize you cannot control other people. They are going to do the crazy, stupid, incorrect things they are going to do. You can’t force them to do anything else. You can’t force someone to stop being lazy or lying to you or cheating on you. The only person you can control is you. You get to decide how much you’re going to let this person’s behavior impact you. Your worrying, obsessing, venting, etc. has zero impact on them – and only hurts you.

2. You have two choices – learn to live with the behavior or change your relationship to the person. My boyfriend is not a planner – it’s just not his way. This used to drive me completely insane. I would constantly argue the importance of planning – that if you failed to plan, you planned to fail. I was quick to point out occasions where his lack of planning cost him (I’m such a charmer!). He finally told me that if I liked planning so much, I could just plan everything and he would gladly go along. I finally accepted that I was never going to change him. I can either make the plans, live with no plan, or find a new boyfriend. But I’ll never make him a planner.

3. Examine your role in the behavior. Did the driver ahead of you cut you off because you just started talking on your cell and slowed 20 MPH? Did your teenager lie to you because the last time he told you the truth he was grounded? Is your spouse cheating because you are on the road 358 days a year? I’m not condoning any of the behaviors – I’m just asking you to look at the only person you can control – you. Maybe you are playing a role and not even realizing it.

4. But realize it may have absolutely nothing to do with you. I hate to say it, but this is more often the case. We are all the center of our own universes. Many times we think people are doing things because of us or to us and they aren’t. The driver may not have even seen you. Your teenager may lie just because he doesn’t want to be embarrassed. Your spouse may be cheating for the thrill of it and still loves you (although they have a crummy way of showing it).

5. Don’t inadvertently enable the behavior. Some people engage in their crazy behavior because the people around them encourage it. If your spouse cheats on you, and you take them back and treat them better than before, can you blame them if they cheat again? If your friend “borrows” money from you, and never repays it and you lend them more, can you blame them if they never repay that loan either? I love Maya Angelou’s advice, “The first time someone shows you who they are, believe them.” I know you don’t think you’re enabling, you think you’re helping. You think they will behave differently this time, that perhaps your love or kindness will change them. I say to you – why are you trying to control them still? Trying to change someone is trying to control them.

6. Let it go. Think of whoever drives you crazy right now. Get worked up – think of how they lie to you or how they don’t do their share or how selfish they are – whatever it is they are doing that drives you crazy. Assume they will never change. Ever. Can you just let it go? Is it really a minor thing you’ve been focusing on, making it major? In the big scheme of things, my boyfriend’s nonplanning is just not that big a deal. It’s offset by his kindness, patience, and wonderful good humor. Can you focus on the good more than the bad?

7. Let them go. Some behavior you just can’t let go of. Sometimes there’s not enough good to offset the bad. The best thing to do may be to let go of the relationship. Why are you staying with someone who causes you so much upset and pain? If you can’t let go of the relationship (say it’s a co-worker), can you let go of thinking so much about them? I bet they aren’t spending so much time thinking about you.

8. Get help. Can’t let it go or them? Talk with a professional counselor – life is too short for all this drama.

9. What about kids? Obviously when kids are little, you have to control them. They might think running into traffic is a good idea and you should probably put a stop to that. But as they get older, you’ll find that you need to alter your behavior to impact theirs. Maybe they start to dress inappropriately. You have several options – you can check out current fashion before you freak; you can yell and tell them they’re not going out like that (giving credibility to their attempt at rebellion); you can cut off the clothing allowance (controlling your behavior not theirs); or you can ignore it, knowing that sooner or later they will be embarrassed just like the rest of us and will fall in line. And if you are sharing clothing with your children, know that the rest of us are trying to let it go.

The bottom line is that you can’t let the behavior of others steal your joy. But if you do, it’s your choice. Focus on being the best and happiest that you can be – that’s where your energy should go. Set the best example you can and spend time and energy on people who lift you higher. And remember, somewhere there’s someone out there who thinks YOU need to change! Ha!

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The less you have running all the time, the better the things you want to run will perform:

Use Autoruns ( .-
Shenan Stanley
MVP 2005-2011 & 2013-2015
Insider MVP 2016-
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I am using Window 7 64 Bit, I have so many app and software on my system but I use them occasionally. Whenever i start my system, there are so many background processes start running and it consume so much memory making my system slower. I try to find those background processes on msconfig.exe but they were not there, some of them are there but their associated background process still run when i already stop them on msconfig. Please help me how to stop this useless background processes.

beside startup on msconfig, you may check

+ services ( control panel > administrative tools > services )

+ task scheduler ( start > all programs > accessories > system tools > task scheduler )

some apps may have ‘injected’ their thing for automatically running inside this area beside registry startup on that msconfig.

also check the toolbars and add-ons that have attached on your browser. this things may also cause slowing when you open the browser.

if your notification area (bottom-right taskbar) is very long filled with icons , you should ‘shorten’ it with anyway necessary. the less icons there the better performance.

in command prompt use

to check if any ‘very’ active connection may work behind your computers. by putting -o you can see the PID which you can counter check in the task manager process tab. you can add PID column at task manager on View > Select Column.

kill the processes that you don’t like

antivirus itself may also cause slowing, if not carefully do the setting.
today antivirus or security apps just overload their features in the name of protection.

personally i would more favour on firefox than chrome 🙂

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Steven Gans, MD is board-certified in psychiatry and is an active supervisor, teacher, and mentor at Massachusetts General Hospital.

Are you worried? People diagnosed with an anxiety disorder, including panic disorder, often struggle with chronic worrying. Frequent worrying may seem irrational to outsiders. For instance, you may worry about things that haven’t even happened or are out of your control, such as the health and safety of your loved ones or the current cost of living.

Worrying so much can become a heavy burden weighing negatively on your relationships, self-esteem, career, and other aspects of your life. It can also impact you emotionally and mentally, contributing to your symptoms of panic and anxiety. Considering how disruptive worrying can be, you may be wondering how you can stop worrying so much.

Tips for Reducing Chronic Worry

Even though you may be prone to worrying, the behavior doesn’t have to control your life. Listed here are some easy tips to help you stop worrying so much:

Schedule Some Worry Time

It may seem counterintuitive to actually give your worries attention, but scheduling time to worry can be just what you need to reduce your anxious thoughts. To get started, determine a time of day that you can put aside 20 minutes to do nothing but worry. Some people prefer to carve out worry time in the morning, freeing themselves of worry early in the day. Others prefer to schedule their worrying for the evening, clearing their minds of all the worries that built up throughout the course of the day.

Regardless of the time of day you chose, the point is to spend some time focusing on your worrisome thoughts. Worries will still come up at times outside of your scheduled worry time. When they do, briefly acknowledge them, but only give them your full attention during your scheduled worry time.

By making a commitment to rumination sessions, you may begin to notice that you are in control of your worrying. Scheduling your worrying time helps you to break the chain of frequent worrying you experience throughout the day. Additionally, by only concentrating on your worries for a set amount of time, you may determine that they are not as urgent as you once thought. This can free up your mind to focus on more productive thoughts.

Push Past Procrastination

Focusing time and energy on your worries instead of taking action to solve your problems can become a form of procrastination. Many people spend time worrying about what they need to do instead of actually accomplishing their tasks. Plus, putting off responsibilities that you need to take care will only add to your worries.

Push past procrastination by making a list of all of the things that you need to get done. Every time you worry about another thing that you need to take care of, add it to the list. By writing a to-do list, you get all of those anxious thoughts out of your head and on paper. A list can also be a helpful way to get you back on track to being more productive. Instead of worrying about what needs to get done, focus yourself on knocking off each task you wrote down on your list.

Talk It Out

You may find some relief by sharing your thoughts and concerns with a trusted friend or family member. Loved ones can be a great source of support, providing you with empathy and understanding. Friends and family can also offer you valuable advice, giving you a different perspective on your problems.

At times, it can be difficult for even the most patient loved ones to always be available to listen to your worries. If you are a chronic worrier, you may want to consider getting help from a professional who treats anxiety disorders. Additional resources and social support may be found through your church, group therapy, online support forums, or local support groups for anxiety.

Journal Through It

Many people with panic disorder and agoraphobia also struggle with feelings of loneliness and isolation. You may feel that you have no one to talk out your problems and worries with. However, a journal may be all you need to work through your inner thoughts, feelings, emotions, and worries.

Journal writing is a powerful and effective way to get in touch with your inner self. By writing in a journal, you can work through your difficult emotions, uncover solutions to your issues, and change your perceptions and worries.

Getting started in journal writing can be a simple as ​a dedicated time each day to write down your inner thoughts. You can focus on addressing each of your worries, writing them out as they come up, allowing yourself the freedom to fully express how you are feeling.

Turn Your Thoughts Around

Worry is a negative thinking pattern that can be contributing to your panic disorder symptoms. Negative thinking tends to be a learned habit that can impact your mood and anxiety. Since negative thinking typically develops over time, it can be unlearned and replaced with more positive views.

Turning your worries and other negative thoughts around involve recognition, reality checking, and replacing. First, start by recognizing how often you are worrying throughout the day. It may help to even record these thoughts on a piece of paper as they come up.

Next, look at your worries and ask if you are being realistic. Try to look at the other side of worry or negative thought. For example, if you worry that others won’t accept you due to your anxiety, ask yourself if that is necessarily true. Do people only accept those who are completely flawless? Do you really want to be friends with someone who can’t accept you for who you are? By reality-checking and disputing your worries, you may begin to take on a different perspective.

Last, replace these negative thoughts and worries with more realistic statements. For instance, you may begin to think to yourself that not everyone will accept that you are an anxious person, but you are working on your condition and you accept yourself that way that you are.

Learn to Relax

You cannot possibly feel anxious when you are in a state of relaxation. Learning to relax can be made easier through the use of relaxation techniques. These activities are geared towards helping you release tension throughout the body and let go of your worrisome thoughts. The next time you are consumed with worry, give one of these relaxation techniques a try:

This article is an excerpt from Atomic Habits, my New York Times bestselling book.

Recently, I’ve been following a simple rule that is helping me stop procrastinating and making it easier for me to stick to good habits at the same time.

I want to share it with you today so that you can try it out and see how it works in your life.

The best part? It’s a simple strategy that couldn’t be easier to use.

Here’s what you need to know…

How to Stop Procrastinating With the “2-Minute Rule”

The Two-Minute Rule1 states “When you start a new habit, it should take less than two minutes to do.”

You’ll find that nearly any habit can be scaled down into a two-minute version:

• “Read before bed each night” becomes “Read one page.”
• “Do thirty minutes of yoga” becomes “Take out my yoga mat.”
• “Study for class” becomes “Open my notes.”
• “Fold the laundry” becomes “Fold one pair of socks.”
• “Run three miles” becomes “Tie my running shoes.”

The idea is to make your habits as easy as possible to start. Anyone can meditate for one minute, read one page, or put one item of clothing away. And, as we have just discussed, this is a powerful strategy because once you’ve started doing the right thing, it is much easier to continue doing it. A new habit should not feel like a challenge. The actions that follow can be challenging, but the first two minutes should be easy. What you want is a “gateway habit” that naturally leads you down a more productive path.

You can usually figure out the gateway habits that will lead to your desired outcome by mapping out your goals on a scale from “very easy” to “very hard.” For instance, running a marathon is very hard. Running a 5K is hard. Walking ten thousand steps is moderately difficult. Walking ten minutes is easy. And putting on your running shoes is very easy. Your goal might be to run a marathon, but your gateway habit is to put on your running shoes. That’s how you follow the Two-Minute Rule.

Why the Two-Minute Rule Works

People often think it’s weird to get hyped about reading one page or meditating for one minute or making one sales call. But the point is not to do one thing. The point is to master the habit of showing up. The truth is, a habit must be established before it can be improved. If you can’t learn the basic skill of showing up, then you have little hope of mastering the finer details. Instead of trying to engineer a perfect habit from the start, do the easy thing on a more consistent basis. You have to standardize before you can optimize.

As you master the art of showing up, the first two minutes simply become a ritual at the beginning of a larger routine. This is not merely a hack to make habits easier but actually the ideal way to master a difficult skill. The more you ritualize the beginning of a process, the more likely it becomes that you can slip into the state of deep focus that is required to do great things. By doing the same warm-up before every workout, you make it easier to get into a state of peak performance. By following the same creative ritual, you make it easier to get into the hard work of creating. By developing a consistent power-down habit, you make it easier to get to bed at a reasonable time each night.2 You may not be able to automate the whole process, but you can make the first action mindless. Make it easy to start and the rest will follow.

The Two-Minute Rule can seem like a trick to some people. You know that the real goal is to do more than just two minutes, so it may feel like you’re trying to fool yourself. Nobody is actually aspiring to read one page or do one push-up or open their notes. And if you know it’s a mental trick, why would you fall for it?

If the Two-Minute Rule feels forced, try this: do it for two minutes and then stop. Go for a run, but you must stop after two minutes. Start meditating, but you must stop after two minutes. Study Arabic, but you must stop after two minutes. It’s not a strategy for starting, it’s the whole thing. Your habit can only last one hundred and twenty seconds.

One of my readers used this strategy to lose over one hundred pounds. In the beginning, he went to the gym each day, but he told himself he wasn’t allowed to stay for more than five minutes. He would go to the gym, exercise for five minutes, and leave as soon as his time was up. After a few weeks, he looked around and thought, “Well, I’m always coming here anyway. I might as well start staying a little longer.” A few years later, the weight was gone.

Strategies like this work for another reason too: they reinforce the identity you want to build. If you show up at the gym five days in a row—even if it’s just for two minutes—you are casting votes for your new identity. You’re not worried about getting in shape. You’re focused on becoming the type of person who doesn’t miss workouts. You’re taking the smallest action that confirms the type of person you want to be.

We rarely think about change this way because everyone is consumed by the end goal. But one push-up is better than not exercising. One minute of guitar practice is better than none at all. One minute of reading is better than never picking up a book. It’s far better to do less than you hoped than to do nothing at all.

Whenever you are struggling to stick with a habit, you can employ the Two-Minute Rule. It’s a simple way to make your habits easy.

This article is an excerpt from Chapter 13 of my New York Times bestselling book Atomic Habits. Read more here.

Hat tip to David Allen, whose version of the Two-Minute Rule states, “If it takes less than two minutes, then do it now.” For more, see David Allen, Getting Things Done (New York: Penguin, 2015).

Author Cal Newport uses a shutdown ritual in which he does a last email inbox check, prepares his to-do list for the next day, and says “shutdown complete” to end work for the day. For more, see Cal Newport, Deep Work (Boston: Little, Brown, 2016).

Carly Snyder, MD is a reproductive and perinatal psychiatrist who combines traditional psychiatry with integrative medicine-based treatments.

As anyone who’s watching their weight will tell you that hunger is just one of many reasons that people eat. Those with a tendency toward emotional eating are especially vulnerable to making poor choices.   If you’re an emotional eater, you may find yourself eating to deal with uncomfortable emotions, using food as a reward when you’re happy, and craving sweets or unhealthy snacks when stressed. Don’t worry—you’re not alone! The following ideas can help you to cut down emotional eating and develop healthier eating habits, even when you’re stressed.

Awareness Is Key

Awareness can be the most powerful aspect of change. Becoming more aware of how emotional eating plays out for you is the first step.

Emotional eating is sometimes called “mindless eating” because we often don’t think about what we’re doing and let our unconscious habits or drives take over.

A mindful approach to eating can be helpful, but before you can put it into practice, you should become aware of how you feel right before you eat.

The trick is to be more aware of why you’re eating when you eat. One way to check in with yourself is to maintain a food journal, either in physical journal form or as an app you can install on your phone.   If you have to log what you eat right before you eat it, you may realize you’re eating for the wrong reasons, and can then move onto another approach to deal with your feelings. Once you break the habit of mindlessly reaching for food, it becomes easier to put the next list of techniques into place.

Find Relaxation Techniques

When you’re under stress, your body is likely producing higher levels of cortisol, a stress hormone that tends to make people crave sweet and salty food—the stuff that’s generally not good for us. If you’re experiencing stress on a regular basis and aren’t finding ways to relax your body relatively quickly, cortisol could be creating these cravings, as well as contributing to other health problems.   The following stress relievers for busy people can help, you can create a simple stress management plan, or you can find stress relievers that fit with your specific situation.

Cope in Healthy Ways

Many people use food to deal with uncomfortable emotions like anger, frustration, and fear. While we need food for survival, there are healthier ways to cope with emotions:

• Talking to a friend: Social support can go a long way toward helping you process your feelings, gain support if needed, and move on.
• Journaling: Processing one’s feelings in a journal have been found to have many health benefits beyond mere stress management. When you feel like reaching for unhealthy food, reach for a pen instead.
• Exercise: Getting your body moving is a great way to blow off steam and get your endorphins going, and is a much healthier option than overeating.

Face Your Problems

If you’re using food to muffle your feelings in a difficult relationship, try assertiveness instead. If food is your only treat at a job you hate, try techniques for finding satisfaction at your job, or get a different one. If you look to solution-based coping mechanisms to cut down on the stress in your life, you won’t need food to help you cope.

Use Mindfulness Exercises

Many people have successfully staved off cravings or greatly reduced the amount of “stress” food they eat by practicing mindful eating.  

Mindfulness, the act of being present and aware, can help people get out of the habit of acting on their cravings without thinking.

Mindfulness exercises are simple to learn and wonderful for promoting resilience to stress in general, so you really can’t lose.

Try Healthy Alternatives

If these techniques don’t completely eliminate your emotional eating urges, go ahead and indulge—but use healthier fare. Drink Perrier instead of soda; munch on veggies or healthy snacks instead of chips; savor one small piece of dark chocolate instead of binging on a whole chocolate muffin from the coffee shop. All of these things can be good for you, so you’ll still come out ahead without feeling completely deprived.