The smart way to get your family screen free

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Let’s face it, many of us spend far too much time on our phones, tablets, and laptops, so now and again we need a reminder to take a screen break.

Yes, they help us work and play, but their addictive nature and glaring lights do little to help us rest.

We have some ideas of how you and your family can get back on track, spend less time online and interact with each other rather than living in a virtual reality.

Have a time limit
Five minutes on Insta can quickly turn into an hour, so having time limits early on is a great idea. No screens before breakfast, a couple of hours at the weekend, nothing an hour before bed and a screen ban in bedrooms can all help to get the balance right and save squabbles later on.

Keep an eye on the remote
In our digital age we often forget the impact of the mere TV screen, but you should monitor this as well. Does the TV really need to be on all the time? Is binge watching box sets the best use of family time together and do the kids watch age appropriate shows? Decide on family rules about the TV, don’t leave it on just because it’s easy and if all else fails, hide the remote!

Rethink TV dinners
Yes, a pizza and movie at the weekend is a treat and can bring you all together, but TV dinners every night might not be the way to go. Open plan living and kitchen diners mean that it’s super easy to eat a bowl of pesto pasta on your knee as you watch Netflix but eating together at the table and catching up on your news can be so much better, and if you cook together that is even better!

Digital detox
There might be protests, but even an hour of screen free time on Sunday can help make some big changes. Putting down the phones and tablets and going out for a walk in the park, having a swim or meeting up with friends will give you time together as a family and while you might not get any photos for Facebook, you will make some lovely memories.

Take back control
When it comes to kids and devices, you do have the option of taking back control and putting restrictions in place. There are various apps out there that allow you to block and filter usage and you can put a timer on the internet, or just turn it off altogether. While asking for passwords might not be your thing, knowing what they are doing online and who they’re talking to, is probably a smart move, even if it is an unpopular one as they get older.

Practise what you preach
If you’re looking at your emails or Facebook feed while you eat breakfast, your children are likely to think they can do the same. If you want your family to agree to changes, you need to ensure you are following the rules as well or you might have a real battle on your hands.

We don’t say you have to do anything drastic now, but doing one or two things differently could bring you closer together.

Team Pure Beauty

Take the financial squeeze away from Christmas

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The ads are on TV, the lights are up in town, and those shopping lists are getting longer by the day. While Christmas is meant to be a time of celebration and joy, the reality is that all those presents, splashing out on a new dress for the Christmas party and having to buy another Secret Santa, means that our bank balances, and stress levels, can go into the red.

We have had a look at some easy ways to boost your cash flow at a time when you most need it, and take off some of the pressure that can take the fun out of Christmas.

Sell what you don’t need
Have a look in your loft and cupboards and we bet there are loads of things gathering dust that you don’t need, but that someone else would snap up! You don’t have to head out to a cold, rainy car boot sale to flog your stuff these days as there are lots of selling sites out there, as well as great local groups on Facebook that work really well. Whether it’s a mobile phone that you no longer use, a keyboard you never play, or a pair of heels that are just too high, the internet means you have a global marketplace to sell what you don’t need, but other people do!

Make the most of your skills
The Sunday Times bestseller, The Multi-Hyphen Method, looks at how you don’t need to have one main job anymore. From writing and photography, to social media management and dog sitting, there are lots of side hustles out there you can get involved with to make some extra money. Make sure you get things sorted out first, like your tax and insurance, and then rather than watching TV or playing on the X-Box, you could use that time to clear your overdraft and get together some much-needed extra cash.

Make a switch
Simply switching bank accounts you could make yourself a tidy pile of cash – check The Money Saving Expert to find out how. You can also look at switching your utilities if you want to save more money and make a tidy pile of cash. It might be a little bit of a hassle, but there are some good deals out there if you do your research.

Secret Santa
If you are really smart, don’t buy everyone a present this Christmas, instead think about doing a Secret Santa. Whether it is for extended family, work colleagues or flatmates, set a budget, pick something you know your chosen recipient will love and you won’t only save money, you’ll have less things to sell to on eBay next Christmas too!

Go for deals
When it does coming to shopping, look out for the deals, there are many to be had. From discounts, ‘buy one get one free’ offers, samples and three for two deals, you will find a lot of ways to make your cash go further.

The great thing about all of these ideas, is that while they can help you around Christmas, if you put them into play all the time, your bank account should be healthy 12 months of the year.

Team Pure Beauty

Sit back and relax

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The arrival of the Internet, email, and smart phones means we are living in 24/7 information age.

Given that we are constantly bombarded with perfect images and are expected to available all the time, it is little wonder that stress is on rise.

If you are feeling as if it is all too much, we have some tips that might just help calm things down.

Take some time out. Sounds obvious but when was the last time you did just that? If you are feeling overwhelmed you often start to panic, you become unproductive and things just get worse and worse. Leave the house, have a cup of tea, go for a run, just get away from it all and take stock.

We are all good at saying yes, but saying no is harder. Just because someone asks you out for lunch or to look after their children, doesn’t mean you have to say yes and you don’t have to feel guilty about saying no either. If you don’t have time, just say no.

We like to think we can multi-task, but it is often counter productive. You might be able to talk to a colleague whilst writing a business report but it is likely that you are not concentrating on either task 100% and mistakes will be made. If you focus on one thing at a time, you will soon start to feel calmer as jobs are done more effectively and faster.

Breath. Yes, we know we do it all the time but if you take time to really focus on your breathing you will feel more able to deal with life. Each hour, stop and take five deep breaths in and out (your tummy should come forward with each inhale). As you exhale, feel the stress leaving your body and focus on the moment.

Learn to be flexible. It doesn’t matter how carefully you plan and prepare, things can change at the last minute but it isn’t the end of the world. Rather than this causing upset, take a step back, regroup and find a way to deal with the new situation in a calm, happy way. We know you can do it.

Stop trying to be perfect. There are huge pressures to be amazing at everything, but this simply isn’t possible or realistic. Demanding perfection of yourself will only add to your stress levels, so lower expectations, do your best and you will feel happier.

This is an oldie, but a goodie – count to ten. If you feel it is all getting too much, stand up, walk away, count to ten then look at things in a new light.

Focus on the positives in life. Rather than thinking about the things you haven’t done or what isn’t right, give yourself a pat on the back for what goes well. The more you look on the bright side of life, the better life is!

Surround yourself with cheerful friends. Yes, life can be tough but toxic people will eat away at your happy levels and bring you down.

Get outside and do some exercise. Your to do list might be growing by the minute, but a little fresh air will clear your head and give you some breathing space so you can move forwards calmly.

Remember to smile because it is pretty hard to stay stressed with a grin on your face!

Team Pure Beauty