It’s no secret that many Americans hate their workplace. While we all depend on showing up to our workplace for our daily survival, many of us loathe showing up to work.

So what’s the solution? What can business owners do to make life more pleasant for their employees?

The answer is to create a happy workplace. If the workplace is a happy environment you can ensure greater productivity, efficiency, and well — everyone will just be happier to show up! What more can you ask?

Here’s how to create a happy workplace:

1. Recognize and Celebrate Achievements

Many of your employees may feel unappreciated at the workplace. You might want to look at these employee recognition examples to see what you can do.

You want to let your employees know that they are appreciated for their achievements. You can have a Hall of Fame or an Employee of the Month incentive for the workplace. Whatever you do, make sure that your employees know that their hard work is appreciated.

Make sure that you regularly praise your employees for their work. Encourage other senior members in your company to praise their junior colleagues when they deliver great work.

2. Incentives and Perks

If you have a miserable workplace, you are likely to see a decrease in the productivity of your business. You want to make sure that it doesn’t get to a point that your business has to close!

The best way to do this is to offer incentives and perks. This motivates employees to work harder and will make them happier, especially if they qualify for the incentives and perks.

These incentives and perks can range from bonus payments, a pay raise, additional days off, upgraded office equipment, and much more. If you are a small business and cannot afford bonus payments/pay raise, there’s plenty of other perks that your employees will love.

3. Professional Development

Many employees get bored after awhile at their workplace. One of the reasons is that they become complacent and feel that they cannot grow as a professional.

You want to look into offering professional development initiatives at the workplace. For example, if public speaking is a requirement at the workplace you can consider having weekly public speaking workshops such as that of what Toastmasters offers.

If you have space, you can add a bookshelf to your office filled with books on business, self-development, professional development, etc. Or you can offer reimbursement to your employees if they pay for a professional training course, have a Kindle Unlimited or Audible subscription, or subscribe to a trade magazine.

If you invest in your employees and help them with their continued professional growth, you are sure to have a happy workplace.

Create Your Happy Workplace

Now you are ready to create your happy workplace! Make sure to follow these 3 steps and discuss with your management other ways to ensure that the workplace has a positive and welcoming environment.

Be sure to share this guide with other entrepreneurs in your network. You can also read more great content on business and entrepreneurship on our website.

There’s nothing like going to an awesome pool party on a warm summer day. The only thing better? Having your own pool and throwing the first pool party of the year.

However, if you’re new to hosting pool parties, you may want to hit the brakes to make sure this thing goes off without a hitch. Let’s start with a little planning. After all, if you’ve never done this before (or since last year), it won’t hurt to make some preparations.

We’re here to help. Keep reading for our top five tips on throwing an extraordinary pool party.

1. Make Sure Your Pool is Prepped

First and foremost, you need to focus on the main attraction – the pool. Now that summer’s here, have you made sure the pool is ready?

You need to make sure the pool is clean and has the appropriate amount of chemicals. You’ll also want to double-check that the pump and filter are working properly. For more information, check out this article on how to prepare your pool before summer starts.

2. Invite the Right People

Now that your pool is ready, it’s time to start building your guest list. If this is your first pool party, you may not know how important it is to invite the right people.

It’s a pool party, so you don’t want your entire guest list to be made up of people who are too shy to strip down to their bathing suits to jump in the water. However, you should also avoid inviting people who like to cause problems (like splashing people who aren’t in the pool, pushing others into the water, etc.).

3. Provide Appropriate Summer Foods and Drinks

Next, let’s focus on food and drinks. You want a great summer spread that will help keep people satisfied, fresh, and hydrated. We recommend light foods like fresh fruits, smoothies, etc.

It’s okay to provide alcohol for your guests. However, remember that drunkenness and swimming pools can lead to dangerous situations.

4. Craft Your Pool Party Playlist

Once you’ve established your guest list and have started to get an idea of the feel of your party, you can craft your playlist. For pool parties, you want to keep the mood light and happy. You can also push for a theme, like tropical music, but that may get boring after the first hour or so.

5. Come Up With Entertainment

Finally, strategize about entertainment. Your first pool party budget may be a bit limited, but there’s no reason you can’t ask guests to chip in.

Ask people to bring fun outdoor games like cornhole, horseshoes, etc. You can also come up with fun pool party games like volleyball, Marco Polo, and more.

Getting Ready to Throw Your First Pool Party?

Your first pool party is going to be a blast. Don’t get too hung up on any of the details or you’ll end up stressing out about it. And it’s just as important for you to enjoy your pool party as it is for everyone else.

If you’re looking for more tips on life, take a look at some of our other articles. We have tons of content on everything from throwing parties to climbing the corporate ladder.

In California, there are about 150,000 students that need laptops for school, and across the country, those numbers are even higher.

If you’re trying to find the right laptop for school, you’re definitely not alone.

But what are you supposed to look for when trying to decide on a laptop? With how expensive they are, this is a purchase that you should take your time and research.

Thankfully, we’ve already got some information to help you get started, so keep reading!

Operating System

The most important thing you should consider when trying to find the right laptop is what operating system you want to use. When you buy a laptop, it will most likely come with one of these operating systems: Windows or Mac.

Windows is most commonly used across all kinds of brands, but the Mac operating system only comes with MacBooks and Apple Products.

Windows

Windows might be the most popular and flexible operating system because it runs on more models of PCs. Chances are that you probably used a Windows computer at some point, so you might like it and be familiar with it.

Windows actually makes their own laptops, and they’re good quality too. However, you might have to pay a little bit more in order to get it.

With Windows 10 (their latest update), you’ll be able to use all kinds of interesting features, like Cortana, your personal digital assistant. With that, you can use it to search your email or take down notes very easily.

The Microsoft Suite, like PowerPoint, Microsoft Word, and Excel will be able to run easily on Windows computers as well. If you’re going to be writing a lot of papers or giving a presentation, this might be the best option for you.

MacOS

On the other hand, if you’ve grown up with Apple products, you may be more familiar with the Mac operating system.

It functions similarly to Windows 10, but it has a completely different interface and setup. It may take a while to get used to, but it is a very powerful system.

Instead of Cortana to help you, you’ll have Siri, and it will also sync up with any of your other Apple Devices. Because of its sync-ability, you’ll also be able to FaceTime, send texts, or even make Apple payments from your laptop.

However, one of the biggest downsides of a Mac operating system is that it doesn’t have the capability to support touchscreens. So if you want a touch screen to take notes or draw, you’ll either need to get an iPad or a Windows computer.

Storage

Another thing you’ll need to consider is the storage space on your device.

Most newer laptops come with an SSD, which is the amount of storage that you’ll be able to have for your local devices. A computer takes about 2GB to run the basic tasks, and any applications or files you store on there will just take up more space.

Most laptops will come with at least 256GB of SSD, but some of them can hold up to as much as 1TB. When deciding what size to get, you should really decide how much you’re going to need to store on your laptop.

If you’re going to be storing a lot of files on a cloud system, you may be okay with the 256GB.

CPU and RAM

The CPU is basically like the computer’s brain, and it controls how everything operates. Because of that, you need to make sure you choose a good CPU.

The two main CPU providers are AMD and Intel, although Intel is more common. Intel comes out with all kinds of great updates and technology advancements, but AMD also offers cheaper pricing if you’re on a student budget. If you are on a student budget, make sure you check out lenovo.com for all kinds of great pricing and sales!

However, both of them are still effective and will ensure that you can get all your schoolwork done.

Another component to consider is the RAM. This will determine how fast your computer can handle certain tasks. If you’re just using it for basic school needs, you probably only need between 2 to 4 GB of RAM.

However, if you’re a graphic designer or will need to use a lot of apps and programs, you should probably get somewhere between 4GB to 8GB of RAM.

Portability

If you’re going to be going from class to class and walking across campus, you’ll probably want a laptop that’s not going to weigh your backpack down. However, if you’re going to just be taking online classes, you might be okay with getting something a little bit heavier and durable.

If portability is important, you should consider the main different sizes that laptops can come in.

11 to 12 Inches

These are some of the smaller and thinnest laptops that you’ll be able to find. These may not work well if you want to game or run large programs, but they are great if you just need it for simple tasks.

These laptops will normally weigh somewhere between 2.5 and 3.5 pounds, so it will fit perfectly in your backpack.

13 to 14 Inches

These laptops generally weigh under 4 pounds.

While they’re still small, they are normally the perfect balance between having everything you need while also not weighing a whole lot.

15 to 16 Inches

This is probably the most popular and standard size for laptops. However, depending on the brand you get, it could weigh between 4 to 5.5 pounds.

This laptop will have a large screen, but you may not want to get this one if you are planning on carrying it everywhere you go.

It’s also difficult to find Windows laptops that have 16-inch screens. If you want a 16-inch screen, you’ll likely have to purchase a Mac.

17 to 18 Inches

Lastly, you’ll have the larger of the laptops. This size of a laptop will have to stay at your desk all day, so if you’re going to be only taking online classes, this should work perfectly.

These types of laptops normally also have larger computing power, so you’ll be able to enjoy playing video games after all of your schoolwork is done.

Battery Life

If you’re going to be going from class to class, you may not have time to sit down and actually charge your laptop.

Thankfully, there are laptops out there that will last up to twelve hours, which should be enough to get you through the day. However, some of the older laptops will only have a battery that lasts a few hours.

Some of the main things that drain your battery is having a larger screen, a higher resolution, more processing power, or a faster hard drive can all affect your battery life. Make sure you take note that these are all things of what to look for in a laptop.

Budget

You’ll need to figure out how much you’re willing to spend on a laptop because this will help you narrow down which ones to look at.

If you want to buy a used laptop, you can normally find some decent ones between $200 and $500. However, if you’re willing to spend a little bit more, you can get one that is better quality, runs faster, has a good display, and will last you a while.

$350 to $600

If you buy a laptop in this range, you’ll likely be able to get an Intel Core i5 processor, which should be enough to run most programs. You’ll also get between 4 to 8GB of RAM, and at least a 500GB hard drive.

However, these laptops normally won’t have an SSD, but an actual hard drive.

$600 to $900

This is when you’ll be able to start finding the nicer laptops, including ones that have a metal finish instead of a plastic one.

You’ll be able to get an SSD as well, along with better screen quality.

$900+

While this may be a little bit out of your budget, this is where you’ll find some of the best laptops.

They’ll be both powerful and portable, and you’ll have perfect graphics and faster processors. These laptops will last you a lot longer as well, so they’re a great investment.

If you’re going to be spending this much on a laptop, make sure that you look at the particular one and read all the reviews you can about it before deciding.

Learn More About How to Find the Right Laptop for School

These are only a few things to consider when trying to figure out how to find the right laptop for school; however, there are many more specifications to look at.

We know that it can be overwhelming to try and wade through all of the new technology that’s out there, especially when you have so much homework that needs to be done.

That’s why we’re here to help make sense of it for you! If you enjoyed this article, make sure that you explore our website to find more articles just like this one!

If you’re looking to level up your home or office, you’ve come to the right place. Art in the living and working space can impact us in more ways than one. Studies show that art can enhance brain functioning, raise serotonin levels, and boost emotions.

With so many unique, eye-catching art styles to choose from, deciding on an indoor mural can be overwhelming. How can one decide on a color scheme, pattern, and style? This article can help.

Before slapping paint on the wall, read on for the top indoor mural ideas that will take your space from basic to beautiful.

1. Abstract Art

One of the top reasons to include indoor wall murals in your space is that they’re affordable, powerful, and great DIY projects. The abstract art style can help you make some of the most creative indoor wall murals.

For office spaces and home spaces, abstract art can breathe life into the room. If you have a minimalistic, monochrome room, consider adding a colorful abstract art mural. This may consist of paint splatters, interesting shapes, or any other free-hand design.

2. Photography Art

For a high-class accent wall, photography murals add a sense of adventure and imagination to any room. For smaller rooms, photography murals also create the illusion of a larger space.

One of the top reasons to add an indoor photography mural to your space is to elicit inspiration. Photographs can create powerful activity in our limbic system, the area of the brain responsible for emotion. To create a meaningful impact with employees or house guests, consider adding a photography mural to your space.

3. Biophilic Art

Biophilic design refers to a style that uses nature in conjunction with modern architecture to connect us to the outdoors. By incorporating biophilic indoor mural art, you can feel closer to nature and create a healthier environment.

To create a biophilic wall mural, consider mounting plants across an accent wall. These plants may be hanging vines, colorful flowers, or lush bushes. Not only do these plant murals create cleaner, more breathable air, but they also look gorgeous and unique.

4. Three-Dimensional Art

If you have a smaller area, three-dimensional art may be a top option for you. With three-dimensional paintings, you can create the illusion of a larger room with more depth.

Three-dimensional murals are perfect for both office spaces and rooms for kids to inspire creativity. Design companies like Brilliance Painting Services can help you decide on the best paints to use for indoor mural art.

Consider painting a quote, photo, or cartoon-style image that pops out and grabs attention. This can create a youthful, unique vibe.

5. Minimalistic Art

For a simple, elegant room, minimalist indoor murals can be beautiful, calming, and effective.

As a top indoor mural paint idea, consider painting a line-drawing for a modern, chic look. With classic line drawings, you can attract attention without overpowering other aspects of the room.

Another minimalist wall art idea is to create a clean pattern with a simple color scheme. This can add a geometric, yet relaxing feel to a minimalist room.

Create Your Dream Indoor Mural Today

Everyone deserves to live and work in a space they love. With indoor mural art, you can create your dream space in an affordable, simple way. Consider choosing one of these styles to level up your space today.

For more articles on home design, photography, travel, and more, be sure to check out our other posts.

LOPA stands for Layer of Protection Analysis. It is a method of risk assessment and hazard evaluation, particularly pertinent to chemical threats.

In premise, this LOPA technique must be appropriated by company owners to ensure that they comply with OSHA regulations. By doing so, they get to ensure the safety of their work environment and avoid penalties.

In this article, we will cover everything you need to know about LOPA and how it is used.

So if you want to take your business to the next level, keep reading.

What Is LOPA?

The Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA) is an assessment methodology for hazard evaluation. It provides a good balance between comprehensive qualitative risk analysis and definitive qualitative hazard analysis.

The process begins with a recognized accident circumstance. And then employs some rules that help analyze the frequency of the event. As well as the layers of protection pertinent to it. This results in an approximation of order of magnitude for risk.

LOPA can be employed by companies who want to lower their risk as much as possible without detriment to the work process. By using this method, the user can ascertain a specific level of risk that is associated with events of hazard. It bases the evaluation on the significance of the event and how likely it is to happen again.

When the level of risk has been identified, the organization can determine a quantitative approach to risk reduction. As well as the levels of protection to assist this target.

Risk Assessment

Working with information gathered by analysis, stakeholders can start to evaluate the hazards. After this, they can prioritize certain decisions based on existing protection controls.

Risk evaluation involves a comprehensive review of consequences, events, scenarios. As well as the likelihood, controls, hazards, uncertainties, and effectiveness of existing controls. An event can have several consequences, thus affecting several company goals.

Identified hazards using HAZID can be added to the analysis. In such assessments, the entity will evaluate the existing conditions with current controls. And a possible state of the future with additional controls. Tools such as heat maps and assessment matrices can be employed to prioritize hazards. These tools allow safety specialists to identify the severity of a risk. As well as its likelihood of consequential occurrence.

From there, the higher up will assess each risk. And then determine the most important ones worth addressing now. The results from the analysis can be elaborated in a detailed manner via a bow-tie assessment diagram, which will provide more information upon potential decisions.

In terms of finding solutions for specific hazards, LOPA analysis is employed. It studies if the proposed barriers are capable of reaching acceptable levels of risk. Safety specialists choose the hazards and then develop independent protection layers for each. Check out this infographic to learn how to analyze layers of control.

IPLs serve as physical obstacles. Such as warning devices and engineering controls. As well as design manipulations that help prevent the cause of unwanted hazard consequences.

With this approach, safety specialists can consider what additional IPLs can help prevent a specific risk. And then calculate the impact of the potential controls on the likelihood of an accident.

Risk Analysis

Risk analysis calls on safety specialists to evaluate the results of the risk assessment. And then compare them to pre-determined risk criteria. Thus, helping determine what controls are necessary and what they might be.

As mentioned earlier, the bow-tie assessment has gained lots of traction in the industry. That’s because it provides a very potentiated picture of a specific event. And it allows specialists to examine the risk without bias.

This method is focused on the potential incident. As well as it’s potential causes and the existing controls. And the potential controls as well as their consequences of implementation.

The benefit of this analysis is the capability to visualize the event. As well as the consequences and how the event would occur. It also looks at if the impact can be mitigated or entirely prevented. Such an analysis does not include a risk scoring matrix. Nor does it visualize the effectiveness of the changes put in place.

Regardless of the evaluation method, risk-based decision making must consider the broader picture. As well as the existing consequences to the external and internal stakeholders.

Without these considerations in place, you risk your entire enterprise to be placed under regulatory restrictions. As well as possible penalization and forfeiture of operation. Occupational safety and health extend far beyond your enterprise. And it also affects the local public.

So perform your due diligence and take care of your people. The people who are clueless about the potential risks that they can be exposed to when interacting with your organization. If you don’t have a safety specialist in-house, you can outsource these tasks to certified agencies.

LOPA Explained

Now that you know what LOPA is and how it is used in occupational safety and health. You are well on your way to employ it in your organization for the sake of securing the well-being of your employees and the local public.

After all, you’re not only placing your workers and their families at risk. But also the entire locale in which you operate.

You must adhere to OSHA regulations for the sake of the people. But also for the sake of your business and avoidance of penalty.

If you’re interested in similar articles, feel free to check out the rest of our technical and legal content on the sidebar. Try the filtered categories above as well.

Several people smoke and consume cannabis, yet it is and has long been illegal on the federal level. However, when certain states and jurisdictions began legalizing it, the floodgates opened for others to do the same.

This is definitely the case with gambling, so it is important that you understand your rights and what the law says about it.

Here are some points you should know about online gambling and whether or not it’s legal.

The Current Legal Standing of Online Gambling

So first up, is online gambling legal? Well, the answer is quite complicated.

While it is not technically illegal for people to place bets and wagers online in the United States in theory, there are several provisions that do make it illegal in practice. For instance, if you are placing bets across state lines, there are laws that make these money wire transfers illegal.

In the United States, online gambling is typically handled on a state-by-state basis.

You will need to understand your own state laws before you can feel comfortable placing any kind of online wager.

How People Today Are Able to Gamble Online

Since many laws make it illegal or difficult to gamble online in the United States, how are so many people still doing it?

Simple — since the law allows for loopholes and ambiguity, many people are keen on finding and using these avenues. Since the interstate wire transfer is illegal, you need to make sure that your payment option is set up in places where gambling is legal.

Make sure that the site you are gambling on is not located inside the United States. There are several foreign sportsbooks that you can look into which will allow you to facilitate this process. Understand the laws of your state legislature if you’re planning to use sites that are within your jurisdiction.

Some areas allow sports betting but not casino games and vice versa. Make sure that you also understand the gambling age in your state so that you’re not out of bounds.

The Future Legal Issues Ahead

Those in the industry are bullish on the prospects of online gambling and sports betting in the future, and say that there’s so much untapped revenue to be generated.

Check to see about online gambling on several ballot initiatives over the course of the next several years. We are at the point that ESPN broadcasts betting odds with several of its programs.

Fantasy sports are blurring the line on gambling because many of these games include cash prizes for the winner.

It is clear that we are inching toward a time in which online gambling will become more widely legal, so stay tuned for news and developments.

Know Your Rights as You Get to Know the Landscape of Gambling

The points in this article will help you to understand your rights and obligations as it pertains to online gambling. When you know the legal basis, you are less likely to make costly mistakes.

Consider these points and be sure to check back with us for more information on gambling, this, in.

Do you find peace, happiness, and a sense of accomplishment through gardening? Don’t allow the winter weather to take that away from you!

Bringing plants inside to grow all year long brings a fresh element of design to your living space. These beautiful beings will light up your environment and allow you to practice your passion.

Learn from this planting for beginners guide on 10 plants you can easily grow indoors.

1. Aloe Vera

Start your indoor plant adventure with an easy option. Aloe vera requires very little maintenance for growth.

They will thrive in a wide range of temperatures, from moderately cold to extremely warm. As a desert plant, it should not receive water more than every few weeks but will need a good supply on watering days. Place this succulent in a pretty pot and place it on any ledge where it receives direct sunlight.

Its tapered extensions bring both functionality and spa-like serenity into a room. Break off a piece of the plant to soothe burns, and then allow for healing and regrowth before your next use.

2. Prayer Plant

A prayer plant brings luck into the home and looks gorgeous as it does so. This plant will thrive fairly easily.

It grows natively in the rainforest, so it depends on a humid climate. Running a humidifier in your home or placing cups of water near vents as you run heat throughout the winter offers benefits to both your plant and you.

Keep the soil moist, but not soggy, and feed it all-purpose fertilizer every couple of weeks for optimal growth. Hang this plant in corners of your home where it receives indirect sunlight.

Not enough sunlight? A grow box will help it flourish through the cloudiest days in winter!

3. Spider Plant

These leggy-looking plants will persevere through almost any indoor condition, making them one of the best plants for beginners. They look great in hanging planters or flowing down from shelves.

They grow best with indirect sunlight. Keep the soil well-drained and this beauty will help to purify the air in your home.

4. African Violet

If you love warm and cozy conditions during the winter, an African Violet plant will grow well in your home. This gorgeous plant will bloom several times throughout the year with filtered sunlight and generous warmth.

Allow this symbol of friendship and faithfulness to dry out between waterings to avoid overwatering. Also, keep water away from the fuzzy leaves to prevent brown spots from marring this gorgeous addition to your home.

5. Ornamental Pepper Plant

When growing plants inside, add a pop of color and unique style with an ornamental pepper plant. They grow in an assortment of vibrant colors and shapes, offering the opportunity to plant your persona.

These pretty pepper plants need a few hours of direct sunlight each day. Keep them in a window that faces either sunrise or sunset.

Water them generously, but infrequently. They should not sit in puddles.

6. Old Lady Cactus

Despite the name, these cacti will bring a sense of fun and youthfulness into your home. Her wreath of vibrant flowers that grow around the crown of white, hairy spines adds character and charm to your living space.

Keep her planted in a fast-draining medium and water about once a week. The old lady cactus will grow happily in a bright spot receiving indirect sunlight.

7. Peace Lily

This plant freshens up a room with an understated classiness. Of all the easy plants to grow, this one will truly leave you feeling at peace. You can over or under water a little without harming this pretty plant.

With that said, they do thrive best in moist but well-drained soil. Though the peace lily loves bright sunlight, it can survive in a room that offers indirect rays.

8. Catnip

Looking to please your fur family? Grow a pot of catnip!

Keep this relaxing treat on sunny ledges around the house. To avoid your curious kitty from knocking it down while taking a taste, plant it in a heavy pot, a little bigger than what you actually need.

Care for this plant by generously watering it regularly, so the soil stays consistently moist but not puddled. If it begins to flower, trim the buds so the leaves grow better.

9. Ponytail Palm

Give your room spunk with a ponytail palm. This member of the agave family requires very little care to flourish, making it perfect for people who travel often.

Though it looks like a mix between a little tree and a resident of Fraggle Rock, it is actually a desert plant that stores large amounts of water in its trunk. Place it in a sunny spot and it will thrive receiving water every couple of weeks.

10. Herbs

Admittedly, number 10 comes with a cheat, as “herbs” describes an entire genre of plants. But, you can easily grow so many of these useful aromatics indoors that picking only one seems like a disservice to you.

Here are a few easy herbs to grow inside your home.

Chives

Chives run expensive at the grocery store. Yet, you can easily grow them almost anywhere!

Frequently water and properly drain them. They do best in a south-facing window.

Mint

Grow fresh flavor with little hassle, in any variety of mint. Though it thrives in full sunlight, mint survives in partial shade as well. Keep the soil damp for optimal growth.

Sage

This resilient plant’s textured leaves look pretty in a sunny window and offer a variety of health benefits. Dried sage also purifies rooms when burned.

It needs some sun and little water to thrive. If you neglect it for a quick vacation, thorough watering will bring sage right back to life.

Planting for Beginners Made Easy

Buying the right plants makes planting for beginners both easy and enjoyable. Add an extra element of health and beauty into your home with little hassle when you grow low-maintenance plants.

Do you want to increase your health and happiness in more areas of your life? Read more tips on our wellness page!

Over the course of nearly 100 years, millions of people have reached their path to sobriety by attending AA meetings. If you’re one of them, why not wear that truth with pride?

AA jewelry is a special way to display your relationship with AA and with sobriety as a whole.

Read on for 4 reasons that you should consider wearing AA journey as an AA member.

1. Celebrate Your Milestones

If you’ve been in AA for a while, you know that there’s nothing like adding another AA chip, AA coin, or AA token to your collection. These little medallions may seem small to some, but to members of the AA community, they represent serious milestones.

AA jewelry is a beautiful and unique way to nod to your milestones every single day. Wear your accomplishments on your sleeve–or around your neck or on your fingers!

2. Meet Other AA Members

Learning how to socialize while maintaining sobriety is perhaps one of the hardest hurdles we face during recovery. You never know when another AA member is in the room experiencing exactly what you’re going through.

Wearing AA jewelry is a great way to send a subtle signal to other AA members. Not only are you signaling that you are in recovery but that you are willing to talk about it. You may be able to provide or receive the help that you or someone else in the room really needs.

3. Remind Yourself of What AA Means to You

As we move down the road to recovery, we learn that it’s impossible to always avoid our triggers. There are times when alcohol becomes tempting and relapse feels near.

Wearing AA jewelry is a great way to remind yourself that you’ve worked hard for your sobriety and that you aren’t willing to give that up now. You can think of your AA jewelry as a protection or a good luck charm, guiding you through life and helping you make the right decisions.

4. Encourage Those Who Struggle with AUD

As we mentioned earlier, you never know when you’re in the presence of another AA member. Likewise, you never know when you’re in the presence of someone who is struggling with alcohol use disorder and wants to seek help.

Wearing your AA jewelry with pride can encourage others to follow in your footsteps. It can let them know that they’re in a safe space to ask questions or seek guidance. You may even find yourself sponsoring a new friend all because of your AA jewelry!

Celebrate Sobriety with AA Jewelry

Whether you’re new to AA or joined years ago, AA jewelry is a great way to celebrate your sobriety and bring others to the path to recovery.

Looking for more ways to improve your life or take charge? Take a look at our other posts to learn something new!

Let’s face it.

There are so many ways to spread holiday cheer in the upcoming season. From a company Christmas party to creating a giving tree, there are numerous ways to show your employees some appreciation during the next couple of months.

A great Christmas festivity that can help boost company morale is a secret Santa gift exchange. But when the time comes for you to actually buy a gift, you can feel stuck.

Secret Santa gifts don’t have to be a pain. Here are several gift ideas to make your coworkers happy and your wallet full.

1. Waterproof Notepad

We never know when a good idea is going to come. And sometimes these revolutionary ideas can come in the shower. This is where the waterproof notepad comes in.

Whether it’s your grocery list or a new idea for work, a waterproof notepad is a perfect secret Santa gift for your upcoming company party.

2. Carry-On Cocktail Kit

Every company has a coworker who is known for their infamous Old-Fashion. Give them the perfect gift this season by purchasing a carry-on cocktail kit.

Perfect for traveling domestically and overseas, these carry-on kits usually make about two cocktails. Once they purchase the whiskey they can prepare for some major travel fun.

3. Corporate Christmas Hampers

Show your staff some major appreciation by purchasing a corporate Christmas hamper. Companies like Gourmet Basket are well known for their sophisticated baskets. Not only they help show your team how much they’re valued, but can also boost morale.

Whether you’re looking for a cheese and wine hamper or cookies and chocolate they have it all. Be sure to browse their site for more Corporate Christmas gift hamper ideas.

4. Goal Journal

Another great secret Santa gift is a goal journal. No matter where you are in life, there should be some goals set place to challenge you to do better.

This is where the goal journal comes in. From target weight loss to 5-year plans, goal journals help users keep track of their progress. In addition, some journals come equipped with questions that really challenge the user to think deeper.

5. Felt Letter Board

We couldn’t complete our list of secret Santa gift ideas without listing a felt letter board. This piece is not only great for home décor, but perfect for a small office with rustic vibes.

Whether it’s used for leaving messages for roommates or relaying positive affirmations to coworkers, a felt letter board is one of the perfect office secret Santa gifts.

The Best Secret Santa Gifts and More!

Whether you’re looking for ideas for Secret Santa gifts or are simply looking for the perfect gift for your boss, we’re here to help. We know how important it is to make someone feel valued.

Fortunately, Gourmet Basket has you covered! Be sure to browse through Gourmet Basket’s website to find the perfect gift for your next corporate event.

A photo ID is required for several activities, including driving, traveling, work, membership access, and special events.

Your driver’s license (or state ID) is just one form of ID. Photo IDs aren’t only about access, but security, too.

Your employer may also require photo IDs with security barcodes. Employees insert their IDs into card readers to gain access into the building. You don’t want to get locked out of the building before a big meeting!

Learn how to get a photo ID with these simple tips and tricks.

How Employers Can Get Photo IDs

Photo IDs are commonplace at many companies. They’re a security measure, but they also help staff identify each other at work. They’re a good way for employees to learn each other’s names and familiarize themselves with each other.

ID quality is another concern. You don’t want a paper-thin ID that breaks at a moment’s notice. Create a photo ID complete with official holograms, glossy lamination, two sides, and company lanyards.

Creating IDs in-house may be more trouble than it’s worth. You also need a special printer and a lamination machine. Save money (and headaches) by using a professional photo ID service.

However, you can take photos in-house. Set up a backdrop and use a high-quality camera to take professional headshots of your employees. You could also hire an experienced headshot photographer.

How to Get a Photo ID for Traveling

Government-issued photo IDs are required for domestic and international travel. While you only need a state ID or driver’s license for domestic flights, you need a passport for international trips.

You must apply for a passport through your state. All U.S. applicants need a DS-11 form, citizenship evidence, a government-issued ID, and a passport photo.

Not just any selfie will work for a passport. You need a special passport photo taken. Fortunately, you can get a passport photo at a local drugstore, like Walgreens or CVS. Passport photos are also required for LSAT test applicants and other major exams.

Remember to take photocopies of your government-issued IDs and U.S. resident evidence. Take all your documents to the nearest acceptance facility to receive your passport.

Give yourself plenty of time to get a passport. The process can take a while, and you don’t want to miss your flight!

How to Get a Government-Issued ID

A passport is one example of a government-issued ID. You can use it to travel and purchase age-restricted items, like alcohol. It also comes in handy when applying for other government IDs.

Another way to get an easy government ID is to apply for a state ID. State IDs aren’t drivers’ licenses, but you can use them for travel, age-restricted items, employment forms, housing applications, and identity verification.

State IDs are issued through the DMV. Make an appointment like you would for a driver’s license. Remember to bring all necessary forms, paperwork, and resident information with you to the DMV.

Don’t Leave Home Without Your Photo ID

Are you walking around without a photo ID?

You don’t want to miss that flight or get locked out of your work building. Learn how to get a photo ID for any purpose. Follow these tips to get the right ID for the occasion.

Photo IDs are a necessity. What else are you missing from your life? Check out the blog for more helpful tips and tricks!