Works Tips:

How to escape death by paper

Are you drowning in paper? Even though the computer-run offices of today were supposed to be "paperless," the truth is we are printing out and making more copies than ever before--adding to the age-old problem of keeping things organized. Here are a few tips from the Get More Done Web site to keep your papers from overtaking your cubicle:

• Set aside a block of time daily to manage your paperwork. Then stick to what you've scheduled.

• Manage your paperwork no more than two times per day.

• Handle each piece of paper only once if possible. Avoid putting papers aside till "later," which might be "never."

• Throw away earlier draft printouts. You will not need them, and they serve only to confuse.

• Try to limit the majority of your correspondence to one page.

• Once you pick up a paper from your inbox, force yourself to do something with it so you won't be tempted to throw it back in the pile if it is something difficult or distasteful for you to deal with.

• Instead of sending out a memo, consider making phone calls instead.

--adapted from First Draft

Work Life Matters:

What to do when your guests bring a brat with them

What do you do when you have a guest in your home who brings their child, and the child is, ahem, a little less than well-behaved? In fact, little Johnny or Mary is the kid from hell. According to O, The Oprah Magazine sticky situations expert Colleen Rush, you'll probably want to go to the child first, rather than the parent. She recommends you say something like: "Hey, Junior, that's not a toy and we need you to put that back."

Rush says most parents will appreciate the fact that they don't tell the kid to stop doing something. There are parents, Rush warns, that won't let anyone else reprimand their children, but as she points out, those children are usually nightmares.

Rush says to give the child three chances overall to stop the offending behavior. After that it's time to go to the big dogs--that would be mom or dad--and tell them that things are getting out of hand and you need them to take care of the matter.

--adapted from First Draft

Education

Schools teaching parents how to help their kids

Many schools are calling on parents to reinforce what their kids are learning in school. And in an effort to help the parents do well, some schools are schooling the moms and dads. Parent seminars in reading and math are offered so that moms and dads stay up to date on current teaching methods and concepts. This helps the parents know what their children are being asked to do, according to Maria Clod in The Washington Post ("After class, the parent becomes the pupil").

Many educators say that just making sure your child has finished his or her homework or reading to your child is not enough to help them acquire passing grades on standardized test scores that are required for promotion from one grade to the next. Schools are offering suggested reading lists for the students and "lunch and learn" sessions to keep parents in the know on how their children are being educated and how they can best help them.

Parents should consider attending the sessions to learn the most efficient and successful methods in aiding the schools on educating their children.

--adapted from First Draft

Tech Tips:

Don't give into temptation: Spam never stops

Some spam e-mails, for mortgage, refinancing, for instance, can seem tempting to check out, but you are probably better off not succumbing when it comes to electronic advertising that sounds too good to be true. Some Internet ads seem to be just what you're looking for. But be careful, says MSNBC's Bob Sullivan in the "Red Tape Chronicles" blog. Three years ago Sullivan intentionally answered spam ads for cheap mortgage loans to see what would happen. He's still getting calls from answering those ads (he knows because he used a specific alias only for this purpose). Sullivan points out that one small lapse in judgment can mean years of unwanted solicitation. Think before you click.

--adapted from First Draft

Safety

To stay safe on the road, don't get in a hurry

Being in a hurry can be dangerous, especially when you are driving. Managing your mindset when you are behind the wheel is essential for your own safety as well as that of others on the road. "The world might be in a hurry, but you don't have to be," says Bob Stuber, a nationally known safety expert and former Los Angeles police detective, on Safety.com. Here are his tips for managing your driving time:

• Make sure you allow ample time to get where you're going, then add 10 minutes to that time.

• When planning your drive, always assume the slowest scenario, like getting caught at every red light or behind a slow driver.

• Don't be afraid to revise your time estimates.

• If you feel yourself getting in a hurry, stop!

• Stop and call whoever is waiting for you and tell them that your drive is going to take a little longer than you thought.

• If you are habitually late, set your clock 10 minutes fast. You'd be surprised at how well this works for some people.

--adapted from First Draft

Money Matters

How to save when it comes to health care

Out-of-pocket health-care costs have more than doubled since the year 2000. According to Cybele Weisser and Amanda Gengler in a Money magazine pieced titled "50 ways to cut your health-care costs," consumers are starting to wise up and are not willing to just pay the sticker price for health care any more. Here are some of their tips for garnering some health-care savings:

• Negotiage for a better price. Yes, that means you can often bargain with your doctor or dentist. The rates that they charge are not always firm. Three-out-of-five health-care consumers who bargained were successful, according to Harris Interactive poll in 2005.

• Do your homework. Get on the Internet and find out what common costs are for procedures and products you will be paying for.

• Offer to pay up front in cash for a discount. It's common to be offered a 10 percent discount if you pay your bill in advance or at the time of treatment.

• Buy your own equipment instead of getting it from your health-care providers. Buying things like crutches or braces is almost always cheaper if you purchase them on your own.

• Go to retail walk-in clinic if you're suffering from a minor ailment. Walk-in clinics like those operated by chains such as Wal-Mart or CVS offer treatments for common ailments at about a 25 percent savings when compared to a doctor's office visit (make sure they accept your insurance first, though).

--adapted from First Draft

Cheesy Baked Chicken

• 1 cup finely crushed cheese crackers
• 1/4 cup sesame seed
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 chicken breasts, split, skinned and boned
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted
• Grated Parmesan cheese for topping (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large shallow bowl, combine the cracker crumbs, sesame seed, parsley, salt, and black and cayenne peppers. Dip the chicken in melted butter, then dip in the cracker-crumb mixture. Place the chicken in a baking pan that has been coated with nonstick vegetable spray and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the chicken is golden and no pink remains.

----taken from Mr. Food Cooks Chicken

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