Von Miller isnt only helping the Broncos defense prepare for the 2020 season. Miller is also helping Denvers young stars on offense.

Von will actually send me different videos that he would find over the break, Broncos wide receiver Courtland Sutton said on Aug. 4. He would send me different videos and share them with me. I would always appreciate him doing that because they were different things.

Miller also sent motivational videos to outside linebacker Bradley Chubb. The videos he sent to Sutton featured Derek Jeter, Michael Phelps, Tiger Woods and Shaun White talking about how they handle pressure.

Shaun White, he loves being in that position where the pressure is on him because he feels like he gets to go out there and perform the best he knows how just because its easy for him, Sutton said. He doesnt look at the pressure as something hes afraid of.

He attacks the pressure and attacks it as an opportunity to go out and prove that all the hard work that hes put in and all those long days and nights are coming to fruition. I think thats the same thing for us.

White is an Olympic gold-medalist snowboarder. The Broncos wont be competing in the Olympics but they are aiming to win trophies and following the leads of Jeter, Phelps, Woods and White could help them accomplish those goals. Its easy to see why Miller is a team captain.

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Von Miller sent motivational videos to Courtland Sutton this offseason - Broncos Wire

SALT LAKE CITY Between a global pandemic and nationwide protests over systemic racism, the upcoming general election feels more important than ever for many young people. But one of those motivating issues is also making it difficult to turn out the youth vote.

Youth voter turnout has been a persistent problem in the United States. In the Democratic primaries, Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, hoped motivating young people to get to the polls could bring the nomination. But only about 5%-19% of young people cast ballots on Super Tuesday, according to an analysis by Tufts University. And that was an improvement in most states compared to 2004 and 2012 (years when only one party held a competitive primary.)

However, one poll found that 77% of people under 35 were more motivated to vote this year than any year before. But that same survey found more than half of that age group said they dont have the resources or knowledge they need to vote by mail, which many states are ramping up for in November, National Public Radio reported.

Voting poses unique challenges for some, especially for voters ages 18-20 casting a ballot for the first time. If they move frequently for college or internships, they may need to rely on the less familiar process of absentee ballots. They have difficulty finding correct information on how to register, or lack the correct forms of identification required to do so.

Campus voter registration drives and other efforts by voting rights groups would streamline and simplify the process for young first-time voters. But social distancing and other COVID-19 precautions have all but eliminated those solutions, leaving many to figure out for themselves how to exercise their right to vote.

As a relatively new resident of Utah, I decided to register to vote in the state ahead of the November election, a process that can be time-consuming and at times confusing. Heres what I learned about registering to vote in a new state.

I was already familiar with an absentee ballot, which my mother forwarded to me in past elections from my home base in Northern California. (I moved so frequently after graduating from college, that I never changed my address or bothered to start getting mail at whichever place I was temporarily calling home.)

Because of my experience with absentee voting, mail-in voting wouldnt be a problem. But first I had to register.

I was excited to see Utah has online voter registration. This should take me five minutes, I thought. Except, to register online you need an Utah ID or drivers license. I dont have an Utah ID, and my drivers license isnt expiring anytime soon, which didnt make me super motivated to make a trip to the Department of Motor Vehicles.

I was instead directed to click on the link for a voter registration form, which asked me for home and mailing address, and the last four digits of my Social Security number in lieu of any state identification card number.

Alright. Just needed to print the form. Luckily I had an old, dusty printer stashed away in a closet, but, of course, there wasnt any printer ink, so off to the office supply store. When I finally got the form printed, filled out, put in an envelope, looked up my local county clerks address and procured a stamp, I sent the form off and hoped Id done everything correctly.

Maybe a trip to the DMV would have been easier.

The process was annoying and a bit inconvenient for me, but overall doable. For some young people, however, those little steps can add up until they become insurmountable. Getting an ID costs money and takes some time. Even buying a stamp and envelope can be small barriers that stop some people from registering.

Its just a lot more steps for young people who understandably have a lot on their minds right now and are busy, said Nikila Venugopal, the voting rights coordinator for ACLU Utah. It might just be that extra step that creates an obstacle.

One problem young people continue to face is that they dont know how to register to vote.

A recent poll found that about 30% of voters under 29 did not know if their state offered online voter registration, and of those who answered yes or no, 25% were wrong.

Young people can register to vote online in most states in the U.S. However, Montana and Wyoming are two of a few exceptions. In Montana, you must either fill out a form in the county election office or print out a voter registration application and mail it.

The survey also found that a third of young voters havent seen information on absentee ballots and dont know where to get information about receiving their ballot via mail. Yes, there is the internet and information should be easy to find, but government websites and ease of use vary greatly from state to state, and nothing is as easy as having someone whos gone through the process before guide you.

Most youth voter registration programs, which usually provide the easiest process, are no longer an option. The pandemic has eliminated many traditional forms of outreach, like voter registration fairs at high schools and colleges, or in states where in-person polling has been closed same-day registration.

Voterise, a nonprofit that focuses on registering Utahns between the ages of 18-29, has had volunteers, masked and equipped with hand sanitizer, attend protests and register people.

Despite the cumbersome process of getting registered without a drivers license, Utah is actually much better equipped to hold an election during a pandemic because of its robust vote-by-mail system, Hope Zitting-Goeckeritz, the executive director of Voterise, said. The state is just one of five that conducts all elections by mail.

The others are also in the West: Colorado, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii. This year, California will also mail every registered voter a ballot.

While in states like Nevada and Idaho, voters can request absentee ballots and effectively vote by mail.

President Donald Trump and the Republican National Committee claim voting by mail can lead to fraud. But there is little evidence proving that claim, and a red state like Utah has shown the practice does not favor Democrats.

Research has shown, however, that vote-by-mail is an effective way to increase voter turnout among young people.

Pantheon Analytics, a firm founded by former Obama campaigners, found that in 2016 Utahs low-propensity voters (including young people) had an increase in turnout in vote-by-mail counties relative to their counterparts in non-vote-by-mail counties.

After registering to vote, young people have to make sure that they properly fill out their ballot and submit it on time.

Mailing in your ballot is actually pretty easy. (Ive always mailed in my ballot and have never seen the inside of a voting booth).

You dont even really need a stamp. The United States Postal Service said it plans to deliver every ballot regardless of whether or not it is stamped and charge the local election office on the backend, Reuters reported. They do, however, ask that you buy a stamp if your state requires it.

Or, in many states like Utah, you can drop your ballot off at a designated ballot box. You can usually find them on your countys website.

Yes, its a lot of steps. But as more organizations like Voterise go online, the information needed can be found with just a bit of Googling.

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Election 2020: How the pandemic could affect young voter participation - Deseret News

By Martin Rogers

As we wait in anticipation for the start of the NFL season, theres a certain topic that seems to be dominating headlines as of late and needs to be addressed ... Aaron Rodgers love life.

Okay, so heres the tabloid gossip: Rodgers broke up with Danica Patrick soon after she unfollowed him on Instagram and she said she had a gut feeling that things were wrong and then he showed up in Tahoe with Danicas friend and...yeah, Im going to stop now.

Fact is, that however juicy the Green Bay Packers quarterbacks romantic entanglements might be for those who thirst for the lowdown on such things, its nothing compared to the drama of the football situation that is brewing in cheesehead country.

Yes, really. The emerging plotlines behind Rodgers rocky relationship with the team he has enjoyed a monogamous relationship with for 15 years have everything you could want in a daytime soap opera.

There is a Love story and it's a blockbuster. There is talk of betrayal, rumors of a breakup, people are discussing how the divorce would be prohibitively expensive and the immediate future of an historic behemoth of a football club is at stake.

Forget the celeb dating rumor mill. This is the good stuff.

I'm scared of that dude this year, FS1s Joy Taylor said on The Herd. He's going to be playing with the ultimate chip on his shoulder.

Rodgers status in Green Bay is something that isnt going to fade away as a discussion point. We are talking about it now, we will talk about it all season, and we will talk about it some more in the next offseason. We will talk about it every time he has a bad game, every time he looks banged up or gets injured, and boy, if Jordan Love comes in during one of those spots and performs well, well scarcely be able to talk about anything else.

A reminder here: Love is the gunslinging Utah State QB who the Packers liked enough to not just take in the first round of the NFL Draft, but enough to trade up four places to No. 26 for. And enough to give up the chance to select an elite receiver for, thus depriving Rodgers of an extra accessible weapon to hurl at this campaign.

Rodgers isnt happy. Hes the polar opposite of happy. Not that he doesnt like Love, we all like Love (hey, and love too), but he doesnt care for the way it has played out. He said as much at the time, and you dont have to read far between the lines to figure out that hes saying it again now.

I savor every moment, Rodgers told reporters. I dont know what the future holds. I know I can control this year and my play and my approach and my attitude. If I retire on the teams timeline, then all is well. But if theyre looking to move on before Im ready to be done playing, theres an impasse at that point.

Love hurts, especially when it hits a shaky patch, and when youre a future Hall of Famer who believes hes still one of the very best in the game, you dont particularly appreciate looking over your shoulder to see a younger model standing there smiling.

Rodgers is certain to still be a Packer for now. His salary counts for a monstrous amount of dead cap money this season and next year, enough to make a trade utterly unworkable. Presumably the thinking is that just as Rodgers sat and learned behind Brett Favre, Love can do the same behind Rodgers.

Drafting Love wasn't just a surprise to Rodgers, but to several others in the Green Bay locker room, according to wide receiver Davante Adams.

Its no secret, we were all expecting a wide receiver to be drafted, Adams told reporters. But that wasnt the case.

Anyone who doesn't expect Rodgers to come out firing this year hasn't been watching the NFL for the past decade. Like most NFL quarterbacks who have won a Super Bowl ring, Rodgers has unshakeable confidence, a large ego, and when presented with a point to prove, generally does so with gusto.

It will be a guy who never lacked for motivation to begin with, suddenly being handed more of it than ever. It will be one of the best quarterbacks of the past 20 years, with someone having suddenly set his tail on fire. Think you know what motivation looks like? Hes probably doing push ups right now, or burying his head in the playbook for hours on end.

He is not playing around this year, Taylor added on The Herd. I think he is handling this perfectly, just be humble, (say) I'm not going to play forever and I understand' and then just go out there and light it up. Every once in a while, killing them with kindness is the best way to go.

"At the end of the day, everyone is going to be talking about how great Aaron Rodgers is and how silly it was to draft Jordan Love because he's not going to play.

We started off talking about love, so we might as well end that way too. Muddy old Lambeau Field might not be the most romantic of spots, but Wisconsinites likely hold more affection for Rodgers now than they did before he got blindsided by this.

They love him forever already and theyll love him some more if he gives them a season to remember, spurred by his present dissatisfaction. Rodgers may not love having his replacement in the building, but Loves presence has handed him a startling reminder that nothing, not careers nor contracts or love affairs, too, lasts forever.

Its time to make it count, or heartbreak beckons.

Original post:
Aaron Rodgers Is More Motivated Than Ever - FOXSports.com

John Wall says he and Bradley Beal motivated by people wanting them to break up

There has been speculation for years about the relationship between John Wall and Bradley Beal, who have co-existed as the Wizards' two best players since they were high draft picks. They have made it work on the court well enough to reach the playoffs four times, but many have wondered whether their egos as All-Stars can mesh.

Both Wall and Beal have been insistent that there are no issues at all between them. According to Wall, it has actually played a role in motivating them to stick together and prove people wrong.

"I cant wait, man. I feel like a lot of people want us to break up and not be together," Wall said Friday during the Wizards-Pelicans broadcast on NBC Sports Washington.

"Thats the reason why I wanted to be able to be a Wizard for a long time, for my whole career, and thats the reason why Brad re-signed [last October]. Its because we feel like we have a lot more in store."

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Wall has been out nearly two years with his injury and during that time Beal has blossomed into a two-time All-Star. He has thrived with more responsibility in the offense and Wall sees potential for them to be even better as a duo once they are reunited on the court.

"Tosee the level that hes playing at right now, I cant wait to be out there with a guy like that. Thats my brother, hes a superstar in this league," Wall said.

"If I can get back to the way I was playing in 16-17, or even better, its going to be a scary sight for the league."

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Milwaukee Bucks starGiannis Antetokounmpo's headbutt of Wizards forward Moe Wagner led to an ejection, but also an explosion of reactions on Twitter.

Among the voices on social media was Wizards star guard Bradley Beal, who is not with the team in Orlando as he recovers from an injury.

Beal initially reacted to the moment with some choice words, saying that the move byAntetokounmpo was unacceptable. He, however, used an acronym that features words that cannot be written in this story.

Then, Beal elaborated on his feeling with some emojis that can be decoded to "angry."

Clearly, the guard was not pleased with what transpired, which is understandable. Not only did Beal watch his teammate be on the receiving end of the headbutt, but the action byAntetokounmpo is something that put both of them in danger, as any trauma to the head can be dangerous.

Beal may not be in Orlando to share withAntetokounmpo how he feels up close and personal, but NBA players have shown time and time again that they have no problem trading blows through Twitter. That means this may not be the last statement on the altercation in the bubble.

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During the Wizards matchup with the Milwaukee Bucks on Tuesday night, a tension-filled moment betweenGiannis Antetokounmpo and Moe Wagner escalated to the point whereAntetokounmpo headbutted Wagner, leading to an ejection.

A wild moment featuring one of the biggest names in the NBA, Twitter immediately erupted, with numerous different reactions and emotions being shared through social media.

Wizards star Bradley Beal chimed in, showing dissatisfaction with what transpired.

Others felt as ifAntetokounmpo may have found himself in the wrong bubble.

Many saw the move and instantly saw its similarities to other infamous headbutts in the world of sports. Zinedine Zidane's 2006 World Cup fiasco that resulted in a red card was a popular choice, as was John Starks headbutting of Reggie Miller.

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Wall says he and Beal motivated by people wanting them to break up - NBC Sports Washington

Evan Engram is healthy and ready to roll for the 2020 NFL season. The dynamic, yet often injured, Engram spoke to reporters on Monday and emphasized how he feels great on the field with his teammates.

Engram wouldnt delve too far into specifics with reporters; when asked if he was limited or full go on the practice field, Engram promptly responded with this:

Were not allowed to get into the details, thats a Coach Judge rule. Im out there with my teammates, Im running around doing good, trying to get better each and every day.

This is a very Belichickian type of response reminiscent of Joe Judges time with New England. Nevertheless, Engram stressed how hard he rehabbed, despite the COVID-19 pandemic.

Engram is coming off an eight-game season where he had 44 receptions for 467 yards and three touchdowns, but the Giants still picked up his fifth year option. When asked if he thinks hes in a make or break type of year, Engram responded in a mature manner thats indicative of Judges short time in New York.

Im not really too worried about that right now. We have a lot on our plate with the offense and all the different things around training camp. All that stuff will take care of itself, Engram said. Right now, my focus is I am coming in each and every day finding ways to get better. Fixing mistakes and trying to get ready for the season.

Engram stressed the mantra of get better, which is an excellent catch phrase. He mentioned the importance of the details with Jason Garretts offense and how honing in, and ironing out, said details could be the key to overcoming potential continuity issues in the truncated off-season.

He even called learning Garretts new system motivating. This is Engrams third NFL system in four years, and given the success of tight ends (specifically Jason Witten) in Garretts system, one could suspect that Engram may be enticed by his utilization in the new offense, although he did not want to compare offenses.

Engram also expressed excitement for the ability to work with Coach Garrett and new tight ends coach Freddie Kitchens. Asked how he could best be utilized by the new staff, Engram said:

Just being myself, using my speed, being physical. Being a durable player, being available. Coming in each and every day and improving on things that need improvement. I think thats the best way to improve, thats the best way to help your team.

Durability is the concern, but it seems like Engram is healed from his Lisfranc partial tear that required surgery in December. Hes running around on the field and in good spirits. Hopefully, the Engram breakout year that Giants fans and fantasy football players have been waiting for is about to commence.

Im still a big believer in his skill-set, and maybe adding someone like Levine Toilolo will limit Engram from the wear and tear of blocking consistently, albeit it is important that the Giants dont establish an easily recognizable trend. It seems Engram is primed and ready for the challenge of a new offense. And as long as his health permits, I think hes in for a big season.

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Evan Engram feels great and is motivated to learn new offense - Big Blue View

Buffalo Bills fans spent a small portion of this week fearing the worst after All Pro cornerback TreDavious White announced on Wednesday he was mulling over whether to play in the 2020 NFL season.

NFL teams around the league can now move forward with their rosters set following Thursdays league-mandated deadline for players to opt out. In total, 69 players chose to opt out as teams attempt to partake in a season while the coronavirus pandemic continues its grip on the country.

The Bills keep their elite secondary intact following Whites decision not to opt out and instead play.

Consider that music to new Buffalo cornerback Josh Normans ears. In his first press conference with the local media on Thursday, Norman said he already believes the assembled parts in the Bills defensive backfield make it a fantastic unit.

Weve got the best secondary in the league, Norman proclaimed. I think guys really sleep on Micah (Hyde) and Po (Jordan Poyer) back there because they really do a great job over the top. And then coming down in the box as well. They are (one) of the best (safety) tandems in the league I think - to me.

And then you have Tre obviously on the other side. He does a great job as just keying on his man. Having a guy in that position to go in, day in and day out, and make a play. And then you gotta Levi (Wallace) on the other side. Hes doing a great job - Taron (Johnson) in the nickel. We got so many guys that you can put into this position in the secondary. You see what theyve done the last couple of years (and) been at the top of the league. I dont expect anything else.

White has been one of the leagues best cornerbacks the past two seasons. He had his coming out party in 2019 when he led the NFL in interceptions and didnt allow a single touchdown all season, leading him to first team All Pro honors.

Norman knows something about those kind of accolades. In his final season with the Carolina Panthers in 2015, Norman turned in a career season and helped his team reach the Super Bowl. He had four interceptions, two forced fumbles, and two touchdowns.

Since signing with the Bills as a free agent in March following his release by the Washington football team, Norman has been watching White. He admitted that the young standout cornerback reminds him of himself when he was a young player in the league.

I think Tre is up and coming, man. Hes already here really, Norman said. Hes doing so many things, Im just looking at him and just being amazed too. ... Just seeing how hes really explosive, and hes taking every rep as if its his last rep. Just how hes able to work.

Bills coach Sean McDermott has built the organization into a playoff caliber operation partly because of the culture of competition hes created within the locker room. Young players and veterans alike know they have to compete to earn their jobs. That basic requirement has helped cultivated an environment where the players on the team push each other in each position room.

Normans already started to push himself based on what hes seen from White.

One dog see another dog, they look in like, Oh shoot, what hes doing, I better be doing that too. So it pushes you a little bit more than the other, Norman said. Its only going to make us so much better as a unit. Because if one person do something, its gonna only turn the other one up even more.

I think that competition there is gonna be essential to us bridging over into those late games, those late times where somebodys gonna need a play. And you look at one another and be like, Hey look, its gonna be you or its gonna be me. I think that time now, while that grind is going hard, is what is gonna pay off in the long run.

Norman is expected to compete for the starting cornerback spot opposite White in training camp the next few weeks. Teams across the league will begin to ramp things up over the next few days and padded practices will begin on Aug. 17.

How is Norman planning to make an impact?

Im a turnover guy - (a) turnover machine, man, he said. Five a year that we put a ball - we put it on the ground (in Carolina). Whether it (was) a punch out, whether its taking the ball out of the air. We bringing that to this table. I think a couple more turnovers here and this team can go pretty far.

And then (Im bringing) my knowledge in certain situations and key places. Also bringing that mindset of teamwork. Building that and building the camaraderie amongst each other as a group. I think thats one of the most key things that you need in going deep into your runs.

How Josh Allen, George Kittle helped Dawson Knox grow this offseason

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OH THANK GOD: Bills Mafia reacts to Tre White deciding to play in 2020

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Bills Josh Norman motivated by TreDavious White: Weve got best secondary in the league - syracuse.com

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The Singapore Democratic Partys (SDP) Bryan Lim Boon Heng has revealed that K-Pop girl bands help him in the grueling work of settling election expenses, in a recent social media post.

Mr Lim is in charge of overseeing the submission of election expense reports to the Elections Department. Revealing that he has been at the task of settling the partys accounts over the past three weeks, Mr Lim said that the work is so overwhelming that he was not even able to help out with party chief Chee Soon Juans recent Chee-sy Mashed Potatoes grassroots fundraiser.

He wrote on Facebook, on 2 Aug: I cant help out with Dr Chee Soon Juan s Bukit Batok grassroots fundraiser as I have to focus on settling the Partys accounts over this precious long weekend.

Been at it for the past 3 weeks as there has been an overwhelming number of accounting entries. I also have to help our election agents compile the candidates election expenses reports for submission to Elections Department in 2 weeks time.

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The SDP Central Executive Committee (CEC) member added that he has discovered that K-Pop music helps him when he is dealing with finance, ever since he became party treasurer about four years ago. He wrote: Ever since I became the Treasurer of the Singapore Democratic Party (SDP) in 2017, I have discovered that hippy Kpop music & boring numbers form an awesome combo.

I couldnt have survived the arithmetic without the likes of WJSN_ , 9MUSES, Lovelyz , (Red Velvet), fromis_9 (_9), etc as companions.

I cant help out with Dr Chee Soon Juan s Bukit Batok grassroots fundraiser as I have to focus on settling the

Posted by Bryan Lim Boon Heng () onSunday, 2 August 2020

Mr Lim has been a member of the SDP for the past two decades. He first joined the party in 2000, at the age of 24, after buying a party newsletter from late chairman Gandhi Ambalam. He later rose within the party to becomethe Vice-President of the Young Democrats the youth wing of the SDP.

Mr Limbecame the youngest candidate in the 2001 General Elections when the SDP fielded him as part of a 5-man team to contest in Hong Kah GRC. The SDP team was unsuccessful in their election bid.

Mr Lim did not contest the 2006 and 2011 General Elections but helped the party out behind-the-scenes instead. After the 2011 election, he was appointed as the Head of the Partys Ground Operations Unit and was elected to the SDPs CEC.

The father of two returned to electoral politics in the2015, and contested Marsiling-Yew Tee GRC in the 2015 and 2020 General Elections. The SDPs four-man team were defeated at the ward by the incumbent on both occasions.

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K-Pop girl bands motivate SDP's Bryan Lim in the gruelling work of settling election expenses - The Independent

6 ways to evaluate your remote workspace to enhance job satisfaction, health and performance.

Now that so many of us are working from home, we have to start to ask some of the same questions about our remote workspace that we ask about our office environments. Scientists say everyday surroundings can keep us in a state of low-grade stress. Its important to pay attention to stressors that we ordinarily might not recognize. Chances are youve become so used to clutter, noise, harsh lights and other environmental stressors that you dont notice they make you feel stressed. Studies show that under environmental pressure, your stress hormone levels can escalate even when youre not aware of it. Over time these hormone levels take a toll on your mental and physical health. After you check out the following 6 hidden low-grade stressors, take the work environment inventory to see if any of them diminish your job enjoyment, health or productivity.

1. Eliminate Environmental Pollutants

Scientists say that steady exposure to loud noises such as traffic, aircraft, and railway engines raise stress levels that can lead to high blood pressure even heart attacks. Plus lawn mowers, car engines, and loud music increase stress levels and interfere with your concentration. If youre surrounded by noise pollution, consider muting jarring news events or hard rock music from a blaring TV, radio or computer. Soundproof outside racket with insulation, window treatments, pleasant background music, and nature sound machines, headphones or earplugs. Air pollutants such as cigarette smoke, chemical smells, mildew, toxic odors and air qualityall can raise your stress level and lead to illness. Use humidifiers in dry areas and dehumidifiers in humid places. Ban tobacco smoke from your workspace. Rapid temperature changes also can trigger stress. Room temperature that is too hot or too cold can interfere with your concentration and escalate tension. Maintain a well-ventilated space with as much fresh air as possible.

2. Create Visual Rest

A disorganized, cluttered workspace can make your life chaotic and stressful. Clutter becomes a roadblock to finding things you need, cutting into valuable workflow and adding another level of frustration when youre in a hurry. As things pile up, your stress level can go sky-high. Chances are, your productivity wanes as you bounce from one task to another, paralyzed by where to begin. After a long day when youre trying to relax, the last thing you want is stressful visual reminders of what needs doing staring you in the face. If youre like most people, youre seeking visual rest. De-clutter by deciding what you really need and what you dont. Then toss, donate or recycle. Consider electronic billing and payment in order to eliminate excess mail and paper clutter. Theres something freeing and peaceful when your space is uncluttered, visually appealing and functioning smoothly: the kitchen bar is free of junk mail, and dishes are off countertops stacked in cabinets. Order conveys a feeling of calm and stabilitya feeling that things are under control and all is right with the world.

3. Make Stress-Free Zones

Its important to consider the environmental stress thresholds of other household members. Your family member or roommate might think blasting Lady Gagas latest hit is the coolest way in the world to work. But you might find it to be the most stressful activity on the planet when youre under deadline. What is environmentally stressful for one person might not be the same for someone else. Agree to certain common areas that are maintained to suit everyones needs. Separate work areas such as bedrooms or office spaces can be individually maintained based on unique work schedules and childrens home schooling activities. Whether you own or rent a house, condo, apartment or cabin in the woods, planning for everyones preferences can save a lot of animosity and promote harmony among housemates.

Having a special place to relax makes you more likely to hit your pause button between projects. Consider assigning a getaway where youre not allowed to think about, feel or deal with stressful job issues. This stress-free zone is a place of solitude where you have quiet and serenity. Your zone contains no electronic devices, no work tools, no hassles and no scheduling boards. Getting carried into a thought stream of worry, rumination and pressure is off-limits in this special place. If you dont have a room, find an area with minimum traffic flow. A corner of your den or bedroom where you wear earphones and listen to relaxing music can also work as a getaway.

4. Invite Mother Nature Into Your Personal Space

Another way to create a calm stress-free work environment is to breathe as much natural life into your personal space as possible. Studies show that a view of nature from your window reduces stress. You can capitalize on scenes of wooded areas, water, sunsets, landscapes or wildlife. Bring as much outside indoors as possible by arranging your living areas facing the views. If you dont have a view, nature photos or paintings will do. An opened window with a soft breeze and nature sounds add a natural touch. A tabletop waterfall that makes babbling sounds, an aquarium or fish bowl, or potted plants, fresh flowers or a terrarium have stress-relieving, restorative properties.

5. Accentuate Sensory Comfort

Its important to create a personalized environment that attracts your five senses in a totally different way from the sensory experience you associate with daily job pressures. Consider neutralizing your personal surroundings from the loud noises, harsh sights, rough textures, offensive odors, and strong tastes of your stressful world. You can actually use color as a stress management tool when you choose room colors that calm and relax you. Studies show that colors affect your emotional state and raise or lower your stress levels. Red excites and stimulates you and makes your heart beat faster, whereas more natural tones of green (think trees and grass) and blue (think sky and ocean) have calming effects that relax you. The use of soothing textures such as cushioned slippers, cozy blankets, or a comfy velvety throw creates sensory comfort. Certain scents evoke pleasant feelings and have soothing effects such as scented candles or a simmering pot of potpourri with whiffs of clove, cinnamon and ginger root. Dolling up your workstation with personalized itemssuch as scented candles, appealing paint colors, vacation memorabilia, photos of children and spouses dogs and friendscan warm a weary heart and lift your spirits.

6. Capture Natural Lighting

Artificial lighting is a subtle form of environmental stress, and limited sunlight can trigger depression and elevate stress. Studies show that artificial lighting such as fluorescent lights increases cortisol stress hormone levels. But you can turn a work area into a stress-free zone with natural lighting, which is more restful and lowers stress levels. Create a well-lit space while avoiding harsh lights, and use indirect lighting or capture as much natural sunlight as you can. Keep blinds and shutters open to create a sunny atmosphere. Remove window treatments, furniture or objects that block daylight. Wash the inside and outside of windows on a regular basis. Studies also show that full-spectrum lights give you the benefits of natural lighting and elevate your mood.

Does Your Remote Work Environment Contain The 3 Ss? Take The Test

I developed an inventory to measure my own home workstation and realized it needed a touch up. I de-cluttered my desk, installed a ceiling fan to cool warm summer days, and created noise buffers from my three barking Golden Doodles. The changes made my writing much more efficient, enjoyable and productive. Erasing these stressors enabled me to write my latest book in a much shorter amount of time.

What about your remote workspace? Notice if your surroundings contain the three Ss: Safe, Soothing and Stress-free. Rate where the needle falls on a scale from 1 to 2 (Bad); 3 (Mediocre); 4 to 5 (Good) on these 6 conditions:

Sum your 6 scores into an overall score: 6-12 (Red Light. Needs a major touch up); 13-19 (Yellow Light. Maybe some light touches); and 20-30 (Green Light. Youre in tip-top shape).

As I did, you, too, can devise a plan to raise your needle from a 1 or 2 on each condition to a 4 or 5, depending on the conditions that are Safe, Soothing and Stress-free. Suppose natural settings are soothing for you, and you rate Touch of Nature a 2 because you have a sofa blocking a large window with a wooded view and a bird feeder. Part of your plan might be to reposition the sofa so that the view brings more nature into your personal space and raises your needle to a 4.

Scientists say theres a link between mental and physical health and a safe, soothing, stress-free environment. There is no one-size-fits-all solution. Each of us has to determine what type of surroundings work best then personalize a workspace that fosters comfort, calm and ease. After taking the inventory, see if your workstation needs a touch up then give it one and watch your mood and productivity soar.

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6 Hidden Low-Grade Stressors That Lurk In A Remote Workspace - Forbes

Both of our camps had our camp season shut down due to COVID-19 so we thought what better way to come together as camps than to put on these two evenings to make a space for families to come and enjoy a relaxing evening with some music, says Kyle Church, events coordinator at Eagles Nest Ranch. Eagles Nest Ranch amphitheatre is a great venue for that.

This weekend

Get a feast at RibFest

Music in nature

Jam session at Police Point Park

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Community quick to support fundraiser for local teen after fall at Lundbreck Falls

The location lends itself to physical distancing, Church says.

It is outdoors and theres plenty of space to be able to space people and do it safely so were glad to be able to open up the doors.

The lineup of musicians includes Church, Denver Knodel, Nolan Penner, Alex Egert, Jessikah Babe and others.

The shows will also be fundraisers for the camps, which took a big hit this year with the cancellation of the summer camps. The summer camp experience and the summer camp programming go a long way to sustaining the camps operations year-round, says Church.

A concession will be available and each of the camps will have their own booths at the event where you can purchase merchandise if you want to help support camps. Donation envelopes for each camp will also be available.

Tickets can be purchased on Eventbrite.

Church encourages anyone who is not able to make it to the concerts but would like to place a donation to visit the websites for each of the camps Eagles Nest Ranch and Whispering Pines.

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Live music returns to Eagles Nest Ranch - CHAT News Today

If you have a pet, whether it be dogs, cats, birds, hamsters or even lizards, one of the hardest thing to do everyday has got to be leaving them when you go to work. If only we can bring our pets to work amirite?

Worse, if you live alone with your pets, the thought of leaving your cuddly furry best friend home alone must be daunting. Well, while youre away from home, why not let your pets listen to some of their favourite music and podcasts?

Did you know that the music streaming paltform Spotify has playlists that are automatically created based on their subcribers own musical tastes and the species of their pets?

Furthermore, Spotify even have a podcast titled My Dogs Favourite Podcast which was crafted by animal experts and said to be able to h-elp alleviate the stress of pets! The podcast runs in two 5 hours stretches and features reassuring human voices saying stuff like youre a good boy etc, relaxing music and ambient sounds.

Launched by Spotify back in January this year, it was created after the company made a study regarding how pet owners use music with their pets.

Here are some of their findings:

Woah, those are some really cool and cute facts!

So if you leave your pets at home when you go to work, make sure to play some music to them via Spotify. You can set up the Spotify Pet Playlists through this link here.

Also read:Get Excited Spotify Users, You Can Now Enjoy Your Music With LYRICS Starting 1 July!

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Spotify Has Playlists & Podcasts for Animals That Are Paw-fect for Your Pets! - WORLD OF BUZZ