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Monthly Archives: November 2018

Why You Should Be Reading Books Every Day (And What it Does to Your Brain)

Posted on by Posted in Self-Improvement .

Bored and looking for something to do? Don’t have enough free time? Or do you just feel like not going outside for a while?

Pick up a book! It’s easy, cheap, and a fun hobby that gives you so much more than what you put into it.
In fact, here’s why you should start reading a book every day:

1. Fiction makes you nicer.
One study made in 2013 found that participants who read even just the first chapter of a story were found to have a significant increase in empathy a week later, while those who didn’t did not.

Developing emotional intelligence leads to more human interaction, and this increase in emotional intelligence can be aided by taking in “secondhand experiences”, i.e. reading stories about people.

Doing this more lets you relate to people better, and the more you’ll want to keep reading – perhaps the best available “vicious cycle” out there.

2. It builds up cognitive reserve.
Reading pretty much anything that exposes you to new words, phrases, and facts can lead to a mind that’s more resilient and adaptive to damage.

This is what’s known as “cognitive reserve”, and a robust one developed throughout your lifetime can really delay the onset of mental decline. This is why it’s been told that the best preventive measure for Alzheimer’s is simply picking up a book.

3. You learn about more things.
While this is the most obvious reason why you should start doing it, it’s still worth mentioning that reading will give you valuable knowledge and insight you never knew possible, and widen your horizons.

Another joy of reading is learning that you’re not alone in your thoughts and you can literally read what other people all over the world have written down. In many cases, these thoughts have already been penned centuries before you were born.

4. Your conversations will get more interesting.
If you’re looking for a great way for a conversation to last until 2 in the morning, start stocking up on books (though there’s really no need to burn the midnight oil for this).

People who read tend to be better friends and better conversation starters for a few reasons: they’re more willing to listen to you speak, and that they tend to be better at expressing their thoughts.

Aside from not having to talk constantly over one another, you’ll also be clear of any confusion, which will let you keep the conversation flow much better and more smoothly from one topic to the next.

If you have the time to go through your nearest bookstore today, be sure to do it and pick up a book – any book. Sit through it and let yourself take in the words, and you’ll be glad you did.

(Disclaimer: this list is compiled in no particular order.)

5 Quick Repair Tips to Make Your Furniture Last Longer

Posted on by Posted in Lifestyle Techniques .

Furniture that’s older than six months will need fixing, but the good news is that there are basic ways of repairing that allow you to maintain the wooden furniture in your home and make them last a long time.

In fact, you can even save furniture that’s hanging on its last legs – and here are a few tips on how you can do just that:

1. Shimming Hinges
Doors that won’t close or align with the catch might be solved by simply cutting out one or more playing cards to fit the recess of the door hinge. This is called a “shim”, and will kick out the lower or upper part of the door depending on which hinge you reinforce.

You can punch screw holes in the cards by using a small Philips screwdriver, after which you can mount the door hinge and attach the screws.

2. Adding Support Braces
When left alone, sagging shelves will further droop and eventually cause stress to the nails and joints to crack and wear down. While you can simply flip the shelves over, they will still droop again after some time.
A more permanent (and aesthetically pleasing) solution is to add wooden stair treads that have a rounded front edge. You can cut and paint them according to your shelves’ color and size.

3. Fixing Wobbly Chair and Tables
Wobbly chairs and tables are easy to fix by adding support braces, which are usually more reliable than L-brackets.
Tables can also be wobbly because of uneven legs. If this is the case, jamming something underneath is only a temporary solution – your best option is drill holes for nail-on glides and slip as many washers as your table leg needs to feel more stable.

4. Repairing Drawers
Drawer fronts that come loose or fall off completely can be saved and reinforced by adding a backer to its front. Make sure the backer is about the size of the drawer so that it fits tightly and ¾-inch holes for the handle screws.

For ready-to-assemble furniture that uses particleboard, reinforcing with screws might be the better option. No need to use the original fasteners when they can’t. You can bypass them instead and fasten the screws from the outside.

5. Filling Screw Holes
Filling epoxy putty for screw holes in handles is a more permanent fix if they keep falling or unscrewing off of drawers. Instead of using a larger-sized screw (which can also come loose), just cut off the amount of putty you need and knead it together to plug the hole.

When doing this, be sure to scrape off the excess before it hardens, and then you will be able to drill a new hole into the drawer handle once it does.

(Disclaimer: this list is compiled in no particular order.)