Do you still remember the resolutions you made at the beginning of the year? If you’ve totally forgotten about them, we don’t blame you one bit, given the way 2020 has rolled by so far. Still, it’s not yet too late to turn over a new leaf! There’s always room for improvement and more than enough time to develop new habits. You can start with these:
1. Make Healthier Food Choices
As the saying goes, you are what you eat…and you probably don’t want to be a bag of high-sodium chips or a pack of instant noodles. The solution: Eat more fruits and vegetables, go for white meat instead of red, avoid processed and microwaveable food. Experiment with different recipes and find ways to make eating healthier a happy experience. Your body will thank you in the future.
2. Exercise Regularly
The most difficult thing about exercising is actually getting on the fitness wagon. The first few days (or weeks) of a new exercise routine are always the most painful, but you have to dig in and push yourself. You can make it an easier experience by doing workouts that you enjoy. Yoga and pilates are great options for improving your flexibility, while running helps a lot in releasing tension and stress. If you’re a competitive sort, you can try your hand at racquet sports like badminton or table tennis.
3. Stay grateful
No matter how crazy the world gets, never forget that you will always have so many things to be thankful for. Nurture a grateful mindset by keeping a gratitude journal. List down all the things you’re thankful for each day–you’ll always have something to write about, no matter how uneventful your day might have been–and try to pay it forward in any way you can.
4. Keep Your Surroundings Organized
While decluttering can be tedious, it’s actually the day-to-day organization that will really test your mettle. Get into the habit of cleaning up as you go, wherever you may be. Make sure that there’s adequate storage for all your belongings. Life will be so easy once you get into this habit.
5. Limit Your Screen Time
If you’re working from home, you’re probably in front of either your computer or your phone screen all day long. That’s not good for your eyes, nor would it improve your productivity. You can try various productivity techniques, such as the Pomodoro method, to focus on your tasks and minimize distractions. You can also impose a “hard stop” time on your devices so your work doesn’t overlap with your personal time.
While much has been said and written about the glory (and the difficulty) of being a mother, it’s important to remember that fathers don’t have it easy, either. These five books capture the core essence of fatherhood–that primordial drive to be a provider, a protector, a supporter, and a friend to your child–in heart-touching ways.
Someone Could Get Hurt: A Memoir of Twenty-First-Century Parenthood by Drew Magary
Being a parent isn’t easy–and it’s something that GQ correspondent Drew Magary’s perfectly captured in his collection of relatable stories about the contemporary American parenting experience. The stories, which range from indulging a child’s request to play princess, to watching in resigned helplessness as a kid pees in a public pool, will have the reader alternating between laughing out loud and shaking their head in understanding.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
This American classic, set in the 1930s in the town of Macomb, Alabama, tells the story of lawyer Atticus Finch through his daughter Scout’s eyes. Atticus is given the responsibility of defending Tom Robinson, a black man accused of raping a white woman. The chances of Tom being acquitted is extremely slim, but Atticus still gives his all to do the right thing–teaching his children (as well as the reader) important life lessons along the way.
The Loyal Son: The War in Ben Franklin’s House by Daniel Mark Epstein
Nobody’s exempt from parenting woes–not even America’s founding fathers. The Loyal Son digs into the turbulent relationship between Benjamin Franklin and his illegitimate son, William. Ben raised William to be his aide and successor, but the American Revolution created a gaping chasm between the two, who found themselves standing on opposite sides of history. This is one book history buffs shouldn’t miss.
Be Prepared by Gary Greenberg and Jeannie Hayden
This book would be a godsend for new dads and soon-to-be fathers. It covers things every dad should know, such as changing diapers and childproofing rooms, plus more interesting topics, such as foods you should never feed your baby. And it’s all wrapped in one delightfully funny, easy-to-read package, complete with illustrations.
Let Love Have the Last Word: A Memoir by Common
In this book, award-winning musician and actor Common reflects on what it means to live a life guided by love. He touches on personal matters, such as his relationship with his daughter, and progresses to bigger issues, such as the racial and political issues that divide humanity. It will make you reflect on the world around you and how you can help make it better.
There’s never been a better time to pick up a new hobby. Whether it’s cooking, arts and crafts, learning a new language, or writing your own book, enhancing your personal skills in something you love is never a waste of time. And if what you love involves capturing memories, seeing the art in natural landscapes, or working with cool new gadgets, studying photography should be at the top of your to-do list.
Want to know how to get started in photography? Read our guide on photography tips for beginners, how to start a photography blog and which photography equipment you’ll need to make the most of your new favorite pastime.
Basic Photography Tips For Beginners
While we mostly just use our phones to embrace our inner photographers, in reality, it takes a little more than that to go from a snap-happy amateur to a fully-fledged photography expert. And as they say, if it were easy, everyone would quit their day job and live off their hobby!
Just like any art, photography has to be learned and practiced—a lot. It is a trial and error process; we all start at the bottom and build our way up.
1. Choose The Right Photography Equipment
Before even starting to focus on what’s in front of you, you need to think more about what you’re using. Which photography equipment should you invest in when you’re doing photography as a hobby?
When you’re just getting started, you’ll want to choose user-friendly, simple photography equipment that is high-quality, but also easy to use. That doesn’t mean you need to go all out and instantly buy lighting, backdrops, and a whole bunch of props. At the very least, you will need a decent camera, a camera strap, an SD memory card with lots of storage space, a camera cleaning kit, and a photography bag. If you’re feeling really adventurous, a tripod is also a great purchase to make for achieving a smooth, still camera shot—especially when outdoors.
The tricky part of course, is deciding which camera to buy. As a beginner—or if you’re just doing photography as a hobby – a bridge camera is a great compromise to more expensive DSLRs and lenses. This will allow you to get an impressive zoom range but at a fraction of the cost of a DSLR camera with a telephoto lens. Most bridge cameras also have a variety of features, including full manual controls, shutter speed, aperture, ISO sensitivity, color balance, and metering. You can pick one up for as little as $100, which is a fair price to pay when you’re investing in your skillset.
2. Don’t Limit Yourself To One Style Of Photography
When thinking about how to get started in photography, you’ll likely be tempted to just focus on one type of photography that appeals to you. Of course, if you like portrait photography, then you should do that, but you should always keep your mind open to exploring other possibilities. This means working your way up and trying your hand at a variety of different styles, such as landscape, wildlife, still life, architecture, or even fashion.
A good place to start is by thinking about what you enjoy, or what brings out the emotional side of you. The more personal the photography is to you, the more likely you are to find your true muse.
3. Don’t Underestimate Photo Editing
While you’re learning how to take the perfect shot, how to master the art of angles, and how to capture the best lighting, you also need to know how to edit a photo once you’ve taken it. This is where post-processing comes in.
When you’re doing photography as a hobby or even just trying to grasp the most basic photography tips, you might underestimate the power of post-processing and editing—something that can truly make or break an image. Once you learn how to master software like Lightroom and Photoshop, your photography will become more like a start-to-end process, because you will automatically think about post-production.
If you want to get started using Photoshop, the best way to learn is to just play around, watch tutorials, and understand all the different tools at your disposal. Having the ability to edit and enhance your pictures can spell the difference between a great shot and a masterpiece.
4. Start A Photography Blog
What good is taking hundreds of mesmerizing and awe-inspiring photos if you’ve got nowhere to put them? By creating a blog, you can do much more than just upload your pictures. You can include captions and write descriptions that discuss the processes and techniques you used. Aside from being a great way to document your progress, it also gives like-minded people the boost to try it themselves.
If you’re wondering how to start a photography blog, you could first opt for creating a free blog on Wix or WordPress to initially build up your following and map out your blog style. Once you’ve noticed some traction on your blog, you might want to consider upgrading to a professional account. Starting a blog is an effective way to expand your network, gain followers, and work on your online presence. When you eventually upgrade to a paid offering, you can ditch the standard website handle and develop your very own website.
If you’re looking for a more powerful and unique way to display your photos around your own home, or if you’re looking for a way to share your photos with friends and family, you can’t go wrong with a Nixplay Frame. Not only will it allow you to show off your hard work in HD quality, but you’ll also be able to share it on several social media platforms. With Nixplay, you can arrange and organize your pictures in specific themed playlists, and you can even connect it to Google Home and Alexa devices so you can easily browse through your photos using just your voice! Displaying and sharing photos has never been more special.
5. Don’t Ignore Instagram
Speaking of social media, Instagram is one of the most obvious tools to utilize when you’re getting started in photography. If you’re wondering how to start a photography Instagram, or how to make the most of it, it’s not overly complicated. Once you’ve created your photography profile with a catchy handle, you can simply start uploading your photos. To gain more followers, try using popular hashtags, following lots of other relevant profiles, and linking out to your blog from your profile bio.
The higher the quality of your photos, the higher your engagement will be. And the more work you put into improving your Instagram presence, the better the outcome. That means spending a lot of your spare time liking, commenting, and reaching out to other Instagram users, posting at the busiest times of the day, creating effective captions, and most importantly, using the best filters and effects for your photos.
Hopefully our photography tips for beginners have encouraged you to get started. So, what are you waiting for? The camera is ready and the world is waiting! And if you’re looking for the best place to store your photos once you’ve switched the camera off, a Nixplay Frame is the way to go. Browse our collection today.
Since we’re spending more time at home these days, it makes sense to make your abode as inviting to live in as possible. The good news is that you don’t necessarily need an expensive renovation job to achieve this goal. With these simple steps, you can transform your interiors into your own definition of a relaxing home without spending too much.
1. Clean up your clutter
Being in a disorganized environment can be stressful. If you’re on a quest to make your home a more relaxing place to be in, tidying up should be on top of your to-do list. Set aside a couple of days to tackle bursting cupboards, messy shelves, and tables piled high with all sorts of things. Be ruthless when decluttering, and dispose of items that don’t make you happy or are just not practical. Finally, make sure to organize your belongings, and invest in extra storage if necessary. While decluttering can be tedious and time-consuming, you’ll find that it can do wonders in making your place feel more liveable.
2. Soften the room with textiles
Drape a blanket on your couch, replace heavy curtains with sheer ones to let the sunlight in, and add pillows to your sofa to invite people to curl up and snuggle. A plush rug and a pouf ottoman can also get people to put up their feet and relax. These small, simple touches go a long way in making a home feel more comfortable.
3. Display your favorite photos and mementos
Meaningful souvenirs, trinkets, and home decor can give your abode personality. These items are special to you, so it only makes sense to give them a place of honor in your home. This philosophy should extend to your photos: Why would you take dozens of photos during a vacation or a special event, only to keep them filed away in your computer forever? By displaying your photos on a Nixplay Smart Photo Frame, you’ll always be reminded of your favorite moments with the people that mean most to you.
4. Use smart appliances
What’s better than a home decked with the latest gadgets and gizmos? A home decked with gadgets that you can control with your voice or with your phone, that’s what. Invest in a Google Home or an Amazon Echo device, which you can use to control your other appliances. These smart home assistants work with Nixplay Frames, and you can just ask Google Home Assistant or Amazon Alexa to turn on your frame and play your favorite photo playlist if you’re in need of a pick-me-up.
5. Opt for warm lighting
You’d be surprised by how much impact lighting can have on a room’s atmosphere. Use natural light as much as possible–Avoid harsh, fluorescent lights, and look for energy-efficient bulbs that can impart a soft, warm glow to your space. You can also light some candles to give a room a relaxing ambiance.
6. Decorate with greenery
Plants can breathe life into an otherwise dreary space–and we mean this quite literally, as they give off oxygen and help purify the air in your home. The crucial thing is choosing the right plants for your home and lifestyle. Beginner plant moms and dads can opt for plants that are easy to care for, such as succulents or snake plants. If you love to cook, you can try tending to some potted herbs by your kitchen window. A potted palm or a fiddle leaf fig, meanwhile, can brighten up more spacious rooms.
Father’s Day is just around the corner! While our options for celebrating the holiday are more limited now, it shouldn’t be too difficult to make the day extra special for dad. Here are some ways to make the holiday fun.
1. Prepare his favorite lunch
The saying “the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach” certainly applies to dad. Father’s Day is the perfect occasion to serve him a juicy ribeye, cooked to his preferred doneness, or indulge in lobster or sea bass. Serve it with a nice glass of wine (it’s a special day, after all) and his favorite sides. Don’t forget dessert!
2. Watch his favorite movie with him
Since it’s not yet advisable to go to the theaters, bring the movies to dad instead! Set up a cozy movie nook, complete with dim lighting, comfortable seating, and lots of snacks, and stream dad’s favorite flicks. Some of our recommendations: The Godfather trilogy a classic pick, while the Indiana Jones and the Star Wars series are fail-safe options for the father who’s young at heart.
3. Have the young ones create greeting cards for him
Most fathers have a sentimental side, especially when it comes to their children and grandchildren. Tap into this by getting the kids in the family to create colorful greeting cards for him–the more colorful and expressive, the better. Trust us, dad will be treasuring these mementos forever.
If they live far from dad, have the kids take pictures of their creations and show them on a Nixplay Smart Photo Frame. They can also record a short but sweet Father’s Day video greeting, which can be displayed alongside the photographs of the cards. If Dad doesn’t have a Nixplay Frame yet, now’s the perfect time to get him one!
4. Be genuinely interested in his hobbies
Fathers usually feel a sense of pride when their kids or grandkids show interest in their passions–there’s no better feeling than knowing that the young ones take after him! So if your father is into woodworking, Father’s Day is the best time to help him out with his latest project. Does dad have a green thumb? Get him some seeds or a new plant and join him for an afternoon in the garden. You might even learn something new from this!
5. Plan a board game night
If your father is the brainy, competitive type, an evening spent playing board games should be right up his alley. You can go for classics such as Monopoly, Clue, and Scrabble, or opt for newer games like Pandemic (a very timely pick) and Spontuneous. Hours of fun, guaranteed–as long as nobody cheats!
