Weekly Round-Up #324: Teddy Bears For Adults, Cheap Hobbies & Paying Taxes
This week we look at why you need a stuffed animal even as an adult, some cheap and fun hobbies you can do, and some important things to think about regarding your tax returns.
Welcome to this week’s round-up, I hope you’ve had a fun and productive week.
This week we look at why you need a stuffed animal even as an adult, some cheap and fun hobbies you can do, and some important things to think about regarding your tax returns.
The Real-Life Science Of Stuffed Animals, Children, And Stress Reduction – 42Shops
According to a 2017 survey of 2000 Americans, half of adults still have their childhood stuffed toy. I still have mine and he still has pride of place on my bed and I am not ashamed of it in the slightest.
According to research, stuffed animals can help people (children and adults) feel more safe and secure, more relaxed and are now being used as a therapy tool for adults who have experienced trauman.
This article from 42Shops looks at the psychology behind the benefits of having a stuffed animal so what are you waiting for? Get yourself into the loft and dig yours out now!
The Importance of Effective Workplace Communication – Expert Market
COVID-19 has changed the workplace. Check out Expert Market’s 50+ statistics on communication in the workplace to see how things changed over 2022 and will probably continue to change into 2023.
From remote working and a change in the views of how negative flexible working is (or isn’t), this article covers a wide variety of facts that might surprise you when it comes to workplace communication attitudes.
How To Reduce Waste While You Renovate – Porch
We’re all trying to reduce our impact on the environment and quite often we will turn to renovating existing items we have but what if it’s a larger-scale project such as a home renovation or expansion?
Porch has put together some great ideas on how you can make your renovation as eco-friendly as possible, from choosing a contractor with green credentials to making sure that the waste company you chose has a robust recycling policy in place.
The Best Office Productivity Apps – CellPhoneDeal
While this article is geared towards productivity apps in 2022, I think it’s still relevant if you’re trying to get yourself organised in 2023 – there’s a couple on this list I haven’t heard of so I will definitely check them out.
Whether you want to manage your passwords with LastPass (affiliate link), track your time, track your To-Dos and more there’s an app on this list for you.
7 Reasons Not To Invest In Rental Property – Rental Property Calculator
We’re often being told that buying a second (or even third) property to rent out is a great investment, after all everyone needs somewhere to live and if you look at the value of property it seems to keep increasing.
But is a rental property the best use of your money? Rental Property Calculator have put together some great things you might want to consider before moving into the landlord market.
Cheap Fun Hobbies You Can Start Right Now – Piggyy
A hobby has many benefits from reducing stress, helping you meet new people and gives you an opportunity to learn new skills.
Many people might think that a hobby is an expensive past time but there are many things you can do that don’t cost a lot of money and you can do with items you already have on hand.
Some people find curating Pinterest boards very rewarding, others might want to take up a sport or start a journal – there are so many options open to you but if you’re stuck for ideas then Piggyy has got some great ideas for you to consider.
How To Know When You Spend Too Much Time Online And Need To Log Off – NPR
I will admit that I am terminally online – my job is online, my hobbies are online, my love of angering Twitter trolls is most definitely online. But how do we know when it’s time to take a step back?
Apps like TikTok have now added in screens to tell you that you’ve been on for too long and probably want to put your phone down (I just flick past them though so they’re not that effective) but what if you don’t have that?
Some phones allow you to set limits on apps, or at least view how long you’re spending on each app and alongside this NPR have a quiz for you to take to help you decide how much is too much, how to set boundaries and keeping track of your mood while your scrolling to see the impact it’s having on you.
Putting Together A Successful Video Marketing Strategy For 2023 – Three Colts
86% of businesses were using video marketing as a tool in 2022. From adverts on YouTube to YouTube Shorts, TikToks and Instagram Reels videos are certainly a key component to reaching your target market.
But how should you put together a marketing strategy for video? From identifying your target market to knowing what you’re trying to get across in your video – most of which need to be under 60 seconds (or shorter for today’s attention spans) Three Colts has some great advice to get your marketing strategy off the ground.
What If You Can’t Pay Your Taxes? Here’s What To Know – Community Tax
Tax deadline is looming in the UK (online returns need to be in by the 31st of January folks as a reminder!) but what happens if you think you’re not going to be able to pay your taxes?
I try to file mine as soon as I can in April (I’m in the U.K and we can file our tax returns from the 6th April) that means I can spread payments out throughout the year rather than getting stuck with a lump sum I need to pay in a short amount of time.
This article from Community Tax is geared towards US Tax processes but it has some great information for anyone who has to deal with paying tax (yuck I know!) – and remember it’s not something that you can just ignore so if you are in financial difficulties there are organisations in most countries that will help you avoid hefty fines or, in some cases, even jail time.
Have A Great Week
I hope you have enjoyed this round-up, as always if you have any links you like to share with me and my readers please contact me through the website or send me a tweet.
Until next time, Stay Productive!
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