Google’s Best Apps And Tools - Something for Everyone
It seems Google is always up to something these days! Google is continuously improving and creating more innovative ways to work, play, do life, and even do school! This past year, we got to know some of Google’s best apps and tools designed for our digital well-being, productivity, and fun ways for kids to learn.
The Digital Well-Being For Families tool is an excellent asset to families. As kids spend more time online, it’s essential to make sure they are safe. Teaching kids how to be responsible on the internet is a must, especially when
you are new to having kids old enough to be using these devices. Having a discussion and communicating to your kids what your expectations are (the rules) and why you need to keep them safe can be difficult conversations. I love that Google has provided a Family Conversation Guide to help with “the talk”.
For those who suspect they may have a smartphone addiction, Google has some great tools and apps for you! If you are someone who loves a challenge, there are some great apps for your Android that will help you to stop unlocking and peeking at your phone so much throughout the day. Challenge your friends to a game of We Flip to encourage more social interaction when you are together and keep them
(and you) from checking your phones.
For those who need help with productivity (and staying off of your smartphone when working), Google has some great helpers for you, too. Post Box allows you to delay notifications so that you aren’t continually getting distracted by the sounds and pop-ups on your phone screen. Desert Island for Android will enable you only to select your top 7 apps within 24 hours, which will help cut back on
wasted time checking all of your apps.
Finally, for educational lovers, Google has sight-seeing and tourism apps and a game app that helps teach kids how to read. And a big favorite among Google-lovers is their “You Asked Art Answered” website that allows you to ask some of life’s greatest questions, such as “what is love?” and get some interesting answers!
Which apps and tools are you most excited to try?
How To Use Essential Oils For Cold & Flu Season
Winter officially starts this month, which means cold and flu season is also running rampant, as well as that OTHER virus! You probably already know that eating healthy and taking your vitamins are great ways to boost immunity. Have you ever considered supplementing with essential oils?
To be clear, essential oils are not medicine. They are not intended to treat or cure your ailments, no matter how wonderful they are. They support your body’s natural immunity, and certain oils can also help with symptoms you may experience if you do get sick. If you are new to essential oils, I encourage you to research them to use them safely. It’s important to know that some essential oils are not safe for babies and young children or around pets (although some essential oils are great for use on babies, young children, and pets).
Also, keep in mind that while I won’t tell you which brands you should use (everyone has a favorite brand), I would encourage you to use only 100% pure therapeutic grade essential oils. This is important because you will be inhaling them for aromatherapy or rubbing them onto your skin, which will allow the essential oils to get into your bloodstream and work their magic in your cells! I am putting
this warning out there because ever since essential oils started trending, they started popping up in stores everywhere, and you could find some very inexpensive oils. However, many times those inexpensive essential oils are just fragrance or perfume, not truly therapeutic essential oils made by real plants. When you are putting something in or on your body, you want to use the good stuff!
To Boost Immunity
You can use many single essential oils to boost immunity, but many brands will have an immunity blend. The immunity blend essential oils will usually contain a mix of clove, cinnamon, lemon, rosemary, and eucalyptus. They smell like Christmas in a bottle! If you use this blend on your body, make sure you use a carrier oil with it, such as fractionated coconut oil or you can even use olive oil. You want to do that because some of the oils in this blend are “hot” oils,
which can irritate the skin. Cinnamon or cinnamon bark and clove are known as hot oils. A great way to support your immunity with this blend is to mix 1-2 drops with a little bit of the carrier oil in the palms of your hands and rub it on the soles of your feet twice a day (morning and bedtime). Diffusing these oils in an oil diffuser can purify the air around you, and they can be calming and relaxing as they bring about memories of the holidays.
For Cold & Flu Symptom Relief
If you love Vicks Vapor Rub for its relief of congestion and coughs, then you have already experienced the power of eucalyptus essential oil for congestion relief. Other great essential oils for congestion are peppermint, tea tree, lemon, and rosemary. You can make your own chest rub and shower discs that melt under the hot water and add to the steam for congestion relief. You can also use an oil diffuser to provide the aromatherapy or boil them in a pot of hot water with a
towel draped over your head to inhale the oils for instant congestion relief. This article has some recipes and instructions on making a chest rub, massage oil blend, and diffuser and steamer blends. Check out this recipe for making DIY shower steamers for congestion relief.
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