10 Ways to Free Up an Hour of Your Day

 

Follow these tips for time management1. Batch your calls, emails, and texts.

Interruptions are sneaky time-stealers. By responding to each text, call, or email the moment it's received, you distract yourself from your current activity and lose precious time. Just because someone else has a moment to connect with you does not necessarily mean it's a good time for you to respond. Estimate how often you check your communications and divide that number in half. For instance, if you check your texts and emails 20 times a day, dial it back to 10. Checking in isn't the actual time waster - it's the interruption that disrupts your previous frame of mind.

2. Make a quick decision.

While researching my book, Time Efficiency Makeover, I found that people spend anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours a day rehashing their choices. While some major decisions require ample research and multiple opinions, we often put too much time and energy into everyday choices, such as "Do I really want to go Sarah's party Saturday afternoon?" One of the top reasons for disorganization and poor time management is indecision or procrastination of a decision, according to the Interdisciplinary Journal of Information, Knowledge, and Management. Eliminate repetitive decision-making conversations and try to come to a conclusion more quickly. 

3. Double check your bags and car.

 

Make sure you have everything you need before you leave the house whether you're going to work or running errands. The extra three or four minutes you spend getting organized might save you 10 to 40 minutes later in the day. Before you put the car in reverse, unearth any outgoing bills or birthday cards; gather re-useable grocery bags; grab store coupons; make sure your Bluetooth is easily accessible; stick your water in the cup holder; place the doctor's address at arm's length or program it into your GPS. Then review your to do list. Ask yourself if you forgot anything, such as your lunch, change of shoes, dry cleaning, or prescription. This final action could save you a U-turn at the end of the block to retrieve missing sports gear or brownies for the bake sale.

Related: 7 Habits of Happy, Healthy Women
4. Silence is golden.

Turn off the flat screen during dinner. Research shows that we lose minutes and gain calories when we mindlessly eat while watching TV. If you want to carve out an extra hour for yourself, focus on your food. Then you'll have more time to do something you enjoy, like read, exercise, cook a healthy meal, or take a fun class like art or dance. 

5. Keep a well-ordered kitchen.

Leave the dishwasher open with racks pulled out during mealtimes. Ask family members to rinse and slip their plates and cups into the dishwasher rather than pile dirty dishes into the sink. This small change can save you five to 10 minutes of kitchen clean-up time. 

6. Plan your wardrobe.

Each weekend, select your outfits for the week. Check to see if clothes are clean and ironed before Monday morning rolls around. Try on garments to make sure they match and fit! Ask your children to do the same. Knowing what you're going to wear before you wake up will reduce stress during the morning hours leading up to school or work and possibly save you 15 each day. Plus, you'll eliminate the old domino effect of trying on ugly outfits, skipping breakfast, running out the door, hitting traffic, and arriving at the office late. 

Related: 15 Easy Ways to De-Stress 

7. Go to bed 30 minutes earlier.  

It may seem counter-intuitive, but many people lose time throughout the day because fatigue makes them unfocused or forgetful. To be as productive as possible, hit the hay 30 minutes earlier. With more shut-eye, you will get more accomplished each day - perhaps even an extra hour's worth! 

8. Move your alarm clock.

 

If you have an unhealthy relationship with your snooze button, it might be damaging your productivity. Repeatedly hitting the snooze button for an hour means you're depriving your body of restful sleep. However, you can add up to an hour's worth of time back into your day by setting your alarm to a true wake-up time. To support this effort, move your alarm so that you're required to get out of bed to shut it off. Better yet, turn on the light before you turn off the alarm. Linking the two actions will tell your brain something new is going on, and it's time to rise and shine. 

9. Set a timer in the bathroom. 

It's easy to say you're going to take a quick shower, but for some of us, getting clean becomes a lingering, love affair with hot water. Think about how long you spend in the shower. If you tend to daydream or sing, a timer can act as the shut-off valve for your shower extravaganza.

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Hard-Boiled Eggs: Why You Are Cooking Them Wrong

The perfect hard-boiled egg

Ahh spring, the season of daffodils and rubbery eggs with yolks the color of a mud puddle. Good luck getting the kids to eat them.

Also on Yahoo: Eggstra, Eggstra! Here's How and Where to Buy Eggs

When it comes to making hard-boiled eggs for the Seder plate or Easter basket, most people slide a dozen into boiling water, set the timer for 20 minutes or so, and walk away to let them jiggle around in the roiling depths of a metal pasta pot.

That's an excellent recipe for an unpalatable egg.

The tricky thing about cooking eggs is you are dealing with two different layers that cook unevenly: the white and the yolk. High, sustained heat toughens the proteins contained in the white. Overcooking on high also triggers the chemical reaction that causes that unappetizing greenish-grey film to appear around the yolk. Cooking for a shorter amount of time will allow the white to remain tender but yields a goopy yolk. 

Furthermore, the feisty boiling water molecules that agitate eggs at the bottom of a hard pot may crack the shells as well. While commercial egg dyes claim to be non-toxic, there is something creepy about eating the turquoise or magenta veined eggs that emerge from broken shells. 

PHOTOS: Easter Bunny Pictures Scary Enough to Haunt Your Dreams

Slate points out that a better way to achieve the perfect hard-boiled egg is, in fact, to treat it softly. Place in cold water, gently bring to a low boil, and immediately turn off the heat and cover the pot tightly with a fitted lid. Let sit for 10-11 minutes, rinse with cold water, and voila, the perfect "hard-boiled" egg. Renowned food scientist Harold McGee even prefers to call them "hard-cooked eggs" because you aren't actually boiling them. 

RECIPES: Amazing Egg Recipes from The Shine Supper Club

If you've been butchering—I mean boiling—your eggs for years, you may feel skeptical. Try one egg, you'll be delighted with the toothsome white and firm, golden yolk. 

    Perfect Hard-Boiled Eggs

A dozen eggs 

Large pot (eggs should not be crowded at the bottom) 

Cold water

Cover eggs with cold water. Don't crowd—you may need to cook in two batches depending on the size of pot. Gently bring to a low boil. As soon as you see a few bubbles turn off the heat and cover the pot firmly. Let sit undisturbed for about 10 minutes. This method is forgiving, an extra minute or two won't ruin your holiday eggs. Rinse the eggs with cold water or place in an ice bath to stop cooking.

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Study: Women Make Better Bosses than Men

 

Another study says that women make better bosses than men. (Photo: Getty Images)A new study has found another reason why the business world needs more women at the top: They make better bosses than men.

Also on Shine: Sheryl Sandberg on Women, Work, and the Need to 'Lean In

'

"Women seem to be predisposed to be more inquisitive and to see more possible solutions," the study's co-author, Gregory McQueen of Still University in Arizona, said in a statement. "At the board level where directors are compelled to act in the best interest of the corporation while taking the viewpoints of multiple stakeholders into account, this quality makes them more effective corporate directors."

 Also on Shine: Why We Need More Women Leaders

The study, published in the International Journal of Business Governance and Ethics, surveyed 156 female and 486 male board members. It found that companies where women wielded significant influence were more successful than ones with men at the helm.

"We've known for some time that companies that have more women on their boards have better results," said Chris Bart, the study's other co-author and a professor of strategic management at the DeGroote School of Business at McMaster University in Canada. "Our findings show that having women on the board is no longer just the right thing but also the smart thing to do. Companies with few female directors may actually be shortchanging their investors."

And yet, according to McQueen and Bart, women make up just nine percent of corporate board members worldwide. As of 2012, only 33 of the Fortune 1,000 were headed by women, Forbes reports. The most recent Galup data shows that most American workers still say they prefer a male boss.

The problem may have to do with stereotype and perception, but one thing that McQueen and Bart noticed is that the things people usually think of as female weaknesses -- a desire to have discussions, a need for consultation and cooperation -- may actually be among their strengths. And, other studies have shown, when it comes to typically male leadership characteristics, women do well, too.

Last year, leadership development experts Zeneger Folkman analyzed 7,280 of their clients' performance evaluations and found that women outscored men on 12 out of the 16 attributes most associated with great leaders.

"Two of the traits where women outscored men to the highest degree — taking initiative and driving for results — have long been thought of as particularly male strengths," Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman pointed out in their study. "As it happened, men outscored women significantly on only one management competence in this survey — the ability to develop a strategic perspective."

Carol Smith, the former publisher of Elle who is now in charge at Hearst, put it more bluntly. "Hands down women are better," she told the New York Times in 2009. "There’s no contest."

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The Shapewear Brand Beneath Beyonce, Emma Watson, and Jennifer Lopez’s Red Carpet Looks

 

When it comes to shapewear, Beyonce, Emma Watson, and Jennifer Lopez all turn to one brand    

to guarantee their red carpet outfits look smooth: dMondaine, a line designed by Kiana Anvaripour. These ladies love the brand’s bralettes, panties, and bodysuits because they’re made to gently hug your curves and still leave enough wiggle room to feel like you haven’t cut off your circulation. “They’re sexy,” explained Watson’s stylist, Anita Patrickson, who also dresses Julianne Hough and Bond girl Berenice Marlohe. “They cover all problem areas and add an extra layer of confidence when they’re on the red carpet.” Plus, the brand just launched its new spring collection, which includes a pink-striped bra (above) preferred by Beyonce—a fun twist on the traditional monotone shaper—as well as the signature Marilyn (nude) and Victoria (black) pieces. Check out more of dMondaine’s six-piece core collection, available on net-a-porter.com for $79 to $169.

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Russian Artist How He Lives Without Money

 

Russian artist Sergey Balovin discovered that he could live without money by accident.

When he moved to China in 2010, "I didn't know almost anybody in Shanghai," he told Yahoo! Shine in an email. He speaks mostly Russian, a little English, and no Chinese at all, he explained, and was making 

good money selling expressionist landscape paintings. When a neighbor agreed to give him her easel in 

 exchange for a hand-drawn portrait, he realized that other people might be wiling to make similar trades.

Also on Shine: Family Lives Without Money (By Choice!) and Thrives

"I gave the announcement on a Russian Shanghai forum," he said. "I said 'I am ready to draw portraits and exchange them for things useful in my home.' A few weeks later, I had a few dozen of new friends and everything that is necessary for everyday life."

German Grandmother Lives Money-Free, Says She's Never Been Happier

He called it The In-Kind Exchange Project and, aside from raising rent money by holding regular artist open houses and charging an entry fee, he's been bartering art instead of buying necessities for more than two years. A former professor at the Voronezh Teacher’s Training Institute in Russia, Balovin draws the portraits two a time, giving one in trade and keeping the other for his ever-growing "wall of faces." (You can participate in the project by going to balovin.ru.)

In December, Balovin took his way of life to an extreme: He gave up his apartment in Shanghai in order to travel the world, drawing portraits in exchange for everything he needs, from food, clothes, and mobile-phone minutes to a place to stay the night -- proof, he says, that he doesn't need money to survive.

"I go only to the cities where I have been invited by someone," he says. His hosts provide a place to sleep and a way to get to the next invitation on his itinerary, and invites their friends to attend an In Kind 

 Exchange meet-up where they can give Balovin items in exchange for a portrait or two. 

 

Balovin's ever-growing Wall of Faces, portraits of the people he's met during his In-Kind Exchange Project. (Photo: …

"It was very easy to organize in Russia and Ukraine," he said. "I've done around 40 events there already." Fans follow his blog, balovin.livejournal.com/ (it's written in Russian), to find out where he'll be next.

Right now, though, he's in Greece, exploring the country with a friend named Ruslan Ma, who travels around the world with his bike (and blogs about it in Russian). "He invited me to follow him for a month," Balovin told Yahoo! Shine. "He presented me with a bike and now we are crossing Greece where almost nobody knows me. So it's more difficult to organize a big event like I did in Russia or Ukraine." 

Ma brought his own money with him -- "He doesn't want to wait for when I manage to get something; he prefers to buy it immediately," Balovin explained. "He pays for me very often because he wants to do it. So I guess at the end he will get around 100 portraits of him. He doesn't mind" -- but Balovin still insists that money isn't really necessary.

"Well I have $100. Some one gave it to me in a pack as a gift," he admitted to Yahoo! Shine via email on Tuesday, as he bicycled through Thessaloniki, Greece. "So I keep it, but still didn't spend it. And there is nothing I need what I can't get in the way of exchange. Everything I need I include in my wish-list and one day I get it."

The items crossed off of his wish list so far include pre-paid credit cards, health insurance, a new MacBook, and airline tickets as well as food and clothing. "I believe one day I'll get a new house or a car," he said. "It's important to talk and think about your wishes and believe it will happen one day. But at the same time I realized I don't need a lot of things -- just food, a place to sleep, and people around. So It's not difficult to get it."

Up next? Italy, or maybe Albania. Balovin says he plans to go to the United States, but still needs to figure out how to get a travel visa and plane tickets. "So I have to wait a little until someone will offer it," he said. "I don't know why, but I'm sure it will happen one day."

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How to Know when You Should Stop Seeing Someone

On some dates, you know right away that there's not going to be a another one.by Chiara Atik for HowAboutWe

On some dates, you know right away that there's not going to be a another one. Physical unattraction, lack of compatible sense of humors, weird behavior, and having nothing to talk about are all factors that prompt the cricket on your shoulder to say, politely but firmly, "No thank you."

Those dates suck. But the aftermath, at least, is easy.

Plus: The 9 Most Annoying Things Said to Single People

Then there are the dates where everything is fine - there's, if not palpable chemistry, at least a lack of repulsion, the conversation is perfectly pleasant, there's no alarming behavior, and the cricket on your shoulder falls mysteriously, frustratingly silent.

Plus: New Survey Says the Ideal Age Gap in a Relationship Is...

So you say yes to a second date, because you didn't find a compelling enough reason to say no. And then, after the second, maybe you say yes to a third. But as the dates continue, things don't get clearer for you. You find yourself searching desperately for a red flag - anything to let you call things off, definitively - but there aren't any. So then you search desperately in your gut for some hint of excitement or spark, but the electricity you seem to feel so easily with the Starbucks barista or cute stranger on Twitter, is missing. You're not sure if it's the date, that's the problem, or if it's you.

You don't not like the person….you think…I mean there wasn't necessarily a spark…but not not a spark?…maybe a spark would develop next time?…and god, you should like this person, there was nothing wrong with this person, this person is, on paper, the definition of everything you claim to want….so maybe another chance? Maybe? Another dinner, another movie, another perfectly acceptable make-out session where you can't tell if it's the person you're turned on by, or merely the act of kissing.

Plus: Are You Insane If You Ask Your Boyfriend to Untag His Exes?
Seriously, though. How do you know when you should stop seeing someone, and when you should give it just a little bit more of a chance?
Some suggestions:

1. When the thought of seeing them again stresses you out, STOP.

How you develop chemistry with another person is a mystery, but it certainly doesn't happen when you're dreading the thought of another date. It's not going to happen with this person, so save yourself the stress (and save them the trouble) now. But! Dread is for bad dates, not for fine ones. If you find that you frequently react to the idea of dating with stress or anxiety, it's probably something you want to get to the bottom of, sooner rather than later. Otherwise, you're just getting in your own way.

Plus: 19 Amazing First Dates You've Never Tried
2. If you're having a good enough time, and things aren't progressing too quickly, KEEP GOING!

What you don't want to do is lead anyone on, or continue to date someone you feel uncertain about if you think they might be developing stronger feelings for you. But if that's not the case, then there's no reason not to continue to date someone casually, so long as you're having a nice enough time. If you enjoy the other person's company, what's wrong with having someone to go out to dinner with, someone to see on the weekends? Just be honest about your feelings (aka don't act as if this is going to turn into a relationship if you're sure it's not.).

Plus: Will You Get Engaged Faster If You Tell Your Potential Fiance You Don't Want a Ring?

3. If you find yourself faking it, STOP.

If being out with this person calls for a lot of fake laughter, fake interest in conversations, and fake emoting, then don't put yourself through the trouble. Fake laughter rarely turns into the real thing.

Plus: 19 Free Things You Can Do For Your Boyfriend He Will Love You For

4. If you find yourself thinking of things to tell him/her the next time you see them, KEEP GOING!
That's a sign that, even if you might not feel the heat yet, your date is growing on you, quietly becoming part of your subconscious. It's a sign that you're, at least in some way, looking forward to seeing them, that your association with him or her is positive. A sign that he or she is worth at least a few more dates!

5. If you find yourself thinking about it constantly, asking friends, asking strangers, and agonizing over whether you should continue, STOP.

You either have to be positive that you like someone, or at least fine enough with the idea of continuing to not agonize over it. "Do I? Don't I? Do I? Don't I?" doesn't lead to true love.

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Why You Should Never Have Dinner on a First Date

                

E. Jean Carroll of Elle MagazineThere is no escaping E. Jean Carroll. The longtime journalist and doyenne of relationship advice, who's been called "institutionally incapable of being uninteresting," is, at 69, still ready to explain precisely what is wrong with your life, your attitude toward marriage, and your shoes. And given that she has been dispensing her singular guidance to Elle readers since 1993, her opinion is not one to dismiss lightly. To say we interviewed her would be pretense - she spoke, we listened, and at the end, we walked away with a sense of wonder. 

So tell us: what's the secret to a fantastic date? 

Oh Christ, the secret of dating is not the person you're dating, it's the EXPERIENCE - any two idiots can go out to a bar and have wine. But if you're WALKING somewhere or DOING something or going on a hunt or quest, then it gets interesting. So go do something! As long as it's not dinner. NEVER dinner. I never ever in the "Ask E. Jean" column advise people to go out to dinner on a first date - it's death, death, death. Dinner is DEATH. DO NOT go to dinner on a first date. Shall I say it again? I'll say it again. 

Plus: Is Lying to Your Spouse a Good Thing?

No dinner - noted. So what, specifically, SHOULD you do?

Do anything. Anything but dinner. Go to a dog show, go on a scavenger hunt. Go on a quest to find absinthe and then drink it. Do not do dinner. Plus it's always better to start a date a little hungry because it makes you a little crazy. And you want to be a little crazy on dates! You want to have an experience! Make it unique!

Plus:

Does Having an Exit Strategy Mean Your Relationship Is Doomed?

And be sure to walk around - women look so much more beautiful when they're walking. ALWAYS wear a dress, or at least a skirt, for that exact reason. I walked across New Guinea in 1988 for a Playboy piece. [Ed. note: no really, she did.] That was one hell of a trek. I was looking to talk to real men, who hadn't ever heard of the "sensitive man" nonsense. When I arrived at the largest village I found (and when I say "largest" I mean "7 or 8 huts") we were REALLY going back into the primordial times. The SINGLE BIGGEST thing people wanted to see when they saw this white woman in their village was to see immediately whether I was a woman or a man. I was traveling with a male guide, but the people had to be able to see instantaneously that I was a woman. So I wore a dress through the entire hike. And I mean both genders wanted to know. Men and women are born with that yearning to see a woman dressed in a dress, and a man in a great suit. Or a penis gourd, if you're from New Guinea. 

So never pants? A well-fitted pair of jeans can make your legs (and butt) look pretty great.

NO. No pants. It's not even about showing the body off. It's about wearing something that can be ripped off, something that moves. If a woman wears a skirt, it presents something a guy instinctively wants to lift. A man can't lift pants. 

Really?

Don't believe me? I will BET you. Do an experiment. In the HowAboutWe office, bring a doll to work. Hand it to people - let them hold it. And then watch how many will lift her dress immediately. I can tell you how many: all of them. I have a doll in my office, named Tony Sue. I hand her to everyone who comes in. Every one of them lifts the dress. Men, women, both. They want to see what she has on underneath. 

Plus: 10 Shows We'd 'Cheat' With (By Watching Them Without Our Boyfriends)

So women, wear a dress. Wear pants on the second date. I don't care about the second date - if there's anything between you, it wont matter what you wear. SO much rides on that first impression. Oh My God.

You rarely hear advice like this anymore. Everyone wants to speak to the modern woman, who's rising the ranks and dominating the workforce and valiantly trying to "have it all."

Well the modern woman has a lot of advantages. She's sexy and she can look 25 when she's 40 and she can take terrific care of herself. Men are the ones who have it tough. Men in New York are the new women. Women in New York chase the men, It's unfortunate.'

So you don't think anyone should ever chase a guy?

It depends on the situation. Let's leave that decision to the women - they can decide. They know their talents. But the guys have it rough. Men, I tell you, they have it rough these days. 

Do they? What about all the classic stats that show the contrary - the list of Fortune 500 CEOS where only 19 are women, that sort of thing?

Those aren't the men I'm talking about. The CEOs are the guys who have been competitive and successful. I'm talking about the young twenties and thirties guys - boy. They're having to figure out when to have kids and settle down and whether they have to do housework and how much to do. Men are looking for their PURPOSE. Without purpose, we're unhappy people. Men want to carve the turkey and lift heavy things and take care of you - I LOVE a guy like that. I love a masculine man. When a man comes along and I'm stuck in a snowbank and he pushes me out, I am filled with happiness at the glory of men. A woman isn't going to do that for me.

Plus: Can Any of Us Actually Afford to 'Lean In?'

Let's turn to your column in Elle. The questions you answer are often from women suffering from a hefty dose of self-delusion. How do you break it gently to someone when the problem is them?

I really think that all this boils down to taking different actions. I'm not big on introspection. I'm not a fan of overthinking. Take action. You're right about the woman who spends her twenties accomplishing - that's pretty fabulous. Being single in New York or L.A. or Denver or Philly, it's the best - the world is filled with possibilities. And then around 34 or 35, you think, "Wow, maybe I shouldn't have spent all that time working and buying those shoes." That's when you simply take a different action. It's not about changing your personality. Or wallowing. 

Is dating really a different world now, with technology and shifts in gender dynamics and the new economy?

No, it's not. It's no different. It's still how beautiful the girl is, and how charming and funny the guy is, and it's Mother Nature ordering you around. It's about feeling that first click with someone. You know what I'm talking about - have you ever had that click?

Yes. With my husband.

What happened?

We met at a party.

And? What happened the first time you saw him?

I thought he was the handsomest man I'd ever seen.

YES. THAT. That's Mother Nature. That's what happens. Your voice changes when you click like that. Your lips get redder. Your eyes start to sparkle, which they literally never did before. Your posture changes. And HE changes too! His voice changes. His gestures and mannerisms. Mother Nature closes down portions of your brain. You stop thinking. She wants that executive part of your brain out of it. She just wants your emotional brain to take over. That's NOT GONNA CHANGE. That's brilliant to feel that exhilaration. What is better? NOTHING! 

Plus: Women Are Apparently Most Seductive at the Age Of…

I've felt the click, and I ran off and married the guy. It was GREAT. Unfortunately we ended up fighting like dogs and cats. We met at Elaine's back in the day. We were at dinner, we both pushed our chairs back at the same time and looked at each other, and that was it. He asked for my number, and… 

Are you still together?

I've been married a couple of times - the normal amount. The first time lasted 13 years, we lived in a ranch in Montana. He was a logger and a fly fisherman. Then I married an anchorman - that marriage was 3 years. The fights were MAGNIFICENT. I would want to write in our house, and he would want to see me, so I would lock the door to my room

. And he RIPPED down the door and picked me up and carried me into the living room and made love to me. He turned the door into matchsticks. I mean, splinters! 

So is that your advice for keeping things interesting once you've settled down?

Yes. Keep a trim figure so guys can pick you up and carry you onto the lawn and ravage you. Make sure the guy can carry you. Or make sure you can carry the guy. Either way, someone should be carried out on the lawn and ravaged. 

Fair enough. What about advice for singles looking for love?

You have to get offline. I'll say it again. You HAVE GOT TO GET OFFLINE. YOU HAVE TO GET OFF LINE.

And once you're offline?

Do anything but dinner.

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Jewelry Under $100 that Looks Way More Expensive

1. 
   

Photo by: Guess

Guess Stone Spike Necklace, $32, available at Guess. 

Photo by: R29 Shops

Dream Collective Painter's Bow Cuff, $96, available at R29 Shops. 

Photo by: Juliet & Company

Juliet & Company Marguerite de Glace Earrings, $38, available at Juliet & Co. 

Photo by: Callixto

Callixto Tri Ting, $60, available at Callixto.

Photo by: Juicy Couture

Juicy Couture Rhinestone Bib Necklace, $88, available at Juicy Couture.

Photo by: Shopbop

Gorjana Raleigh Ring, $45, available at Shopbop.

Photo by: Bauble Bar

Fulham Azure Jeannie Necklace, $64, available at Bauble Bar.

Photo by: Forever21

Forever21 Circle Cutout Ring Set, $4.80, available at Forever 21. 

 

 

Photo by: Express

Express Linear Drop Earrings, $29.90, available at Express. 

 

 

Photo by: Zara

Zara Long Chain Necklace, $25.90, available at Zara. 

 

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How to Kiss

So you finally got "the look" and you're moving in for that killer kiss when it dawns on you that you need help—and fast. We're going to teach you everything we know about who, what, when, where, why, and how to kiss. Pucker up and let's have some fun!

Steps

Part One: Initiating a Kiss

1. 1
   Drop hints that you're interested. You can put out some subtle signals that you're angling for a kiss without coming right out and saying it. Here's how to communicate it romantically:
   
   
   
   • Get caught looking (briefly) at the other person's lips.
   • Don't purse your lips. Keep them softly parted — not so much that you could breathe comfortably through the opening, but enough that you could bite your bottom lip easily.
   • Make your mouth appealing. Use chapstick or lipgloss to smooth over flaky lips, and keep your breath fresh with mints or spray. Avoid gum, which you might have to spit out awkwardly if the other person goes in for a kiss.
2. 2
   Break the kiss barrier (optional). If you're feeling brave, test the waters with a small kiss on the hand or the cheek. If the other person seems interested, it's probably safe to proceed with a kiss on the mouth.
   
   
   
   • If you're kissing a girl: Take her hand and slowly lift it to your mouth. Gently press your lips into the back of your hand for 2 or 3 seconds before breaking away.
   • If you're kissing a guy: Lean in and plant a 2- or 3-second kiss on his cheek. Keep your lips soft, and avoid puckering like you would if you were kissing a family member. If you want your intentions to be extra clear, aim for the part of his cheek just to the side of his lips.
3. 3
   Set the mood with a romantic compliment. Go big and pay the other person the sincerest compliment you can think of. If you get it right, the other person might take the lead and lean in to kiss you.
   
   
   
   • Say it in an intimate way. Lower the volume and tone of your voice slightly, and lock eyes. Not only does this communicate that you have deep feelings for this person, it entices him or her to come closer to hear you.
   • Focus on an alluring quality. Even if you truly think that your date is an amazing basketball player, now might not be the best time to bring it up. Instead, base your compliment on how you see your date as a romantic partner. Here are some possibilities you can try:
     • "You are SO beautiful."
     • "Your eyes drive me crazy."
     • "I love to see you smile."
     • "I can't even believe I'm lucky enough to be with you right now."
4. 4
   If all else fails, go for broke and state your intentions. If your date hasn't picked up on any of your hints and you're dying to lock lips, you might as well be straightforward and just ask if you can kiss him or her. Don't worry, though — you can be direct while still being romantic and compelling. Try these phrases if you're at a loss for words:
   • "I'd love nothing more than to kiss you right now."
   • "I'm sorry if this is too forward, but I'd really like to kiss you."
   • "I want to kiss you so much that it is just about killing me."
5. 5
   Go in for the kiss. Don't waste any time once you have the go-ahead — close your eyes, lean in and smooch! The next sections will discuss some kissing techniques, as well as how to handle kissing in different dating situations such as a first kiss or kissing after a date.
   
   
   

Part Two: Kissing Techniques

1. 1
   Keep your lips soft. Tense puckers are for family members or people you're obligated to kiss, but keeping your mouth slightly parted and soft communicates a sense of openness.
   
   
   
2. 2
   Do a few soft kisses. Start slow with soft, gentle kisses and skip the tongue and the teeth — for now. If your partner seems receptive, you can move forward to French kissing.
   
   
   
   • Try to avoid letting your lips smack. The noise can be distracting, and might break your immersion in the moment. If you do find yourself smacking, slow down and part your lips a bit more.
   • Stay light at first. Avoid smashing your lips against your date's mouth — for now. Kissing softly and gently gives the other person the chance to stop if it's uncomfortable, as well as allowing you to gauge his or her interest.
3. 3
   Stay at a manageable level of saliva. Slobbery puppies are the last thing you want your date thinking of while you kiss him or her. Avoid this fate by swallowing excess saliva occasionally. If you notice that your lips are a bit too wet, pull away and discreetly purse them to bring the extra spit back into your mouth.
4. 4
   "Lock" lips. If your initial kisses have gone well, try a lip lock, which can lead to closer kisses (and is a nice gateway for French kissing). Basically, you'll "stack" your lips so that (for instance) it looks like this:
   
   
   
   • Your lower lip
   • Your partner's lower lip
   • Your upper lip
   • Your partner's upper lip
   • At first, putting your date's lower lip between yours is the safest bet. Most people have larger lower lips, making them easier to grab gently with your lips.
5. 5
   Make sure to breathe. Ideally, you'll be able to breathe softly through your nose while you're kissing. If that's not possible, though, break away for a second to take a breath.
   • Don't feel self-conscious about being out of breath or needing to take a break for a second. Breathing hard is an indication that you're nervous and excited, which your partner will probably find flattering.
6. 6
   Use your hands. Don't just let your hands hang at your sides like two limp fettucini noodles — put them to good use!
   
   
   
   • Place your hands lightly on your partner's shoulders or around his or her waist. (In Western culture, girls generally put their hands on a boys shoulders while he puts his hands around her waist.)
   • Take the intimacy up a notch by pulling your partner in closer.
   • Put your hands on the sides of his or her face, using your thumb to sweep across the cheekbone, or put one hand under his or her chin and tilt it upward.
   • Another seriously sensual move is to put both hands around the back of your partner's head and tangle them in his or her hair, gently pulling.
7. 7
   Test using tongue. Once you're in a lip lock with your partner's lower lip between both of yours, lightly run the tip of your tongue over it. If you can move it slowly, even better.
   
   
   
   • See how your partner responds. If he or she presses in closer or returns the gesture, you're probably clear to keep increasing the intensity of the kiss. If your date pulls away, maybe it's best to pull back the tongue for now and stick to lips-only kisses.
8. 8
   Try French kissing (optional). Using your tongue during a kiss is, in Western culture, referred to as a French kiss. Why do the French get the credit? Who knows! Here's how to get started:
   • Sweep your tongue along the inside of your partner's lower lip. Try to move slowly and lightly at first, increasing speed and pressure only if your partner seems to respond well.
   • Slide the tip of your tongue inside your partner's mouth and gently move it against the tip of his or her tongue. Use light, darting motions and keep your tongue moving — letting it sit limply in your partner's mouth isn't appealing and will bring a quick end to the kissing.
   • Try deeper and harder strokes if your partner seems responsive.
9. 9
   Mix it up. Don't feel obligated to keep the intensive tongue activity going forever. Alternate soft and hard, slow and fast, deep and shallow. You can even go back to using only your lips for a few minutes.
   • Alternating your technique will keep your partner from being able to predict what's coming next. Maintaining this sense of surprise and spontaneity helps your kisses avoid becoming stale.
10. 10
    Gently nibble your partner's lips (optional). Teeth aren't a necessary element of kissing, but a grazing them over your partner's lip can introduce another unexpected element. Here are some quick pointers:
    • Keep the pressure as light as possible. Remember that you're aiming to nibble, not bite.
    • Move slowly. Again, keeping your pace gentle will help prevent accidentally chomping on your partner's lip.
    • When your lips are locked, place your teeth over your partner's lower lip and slowly pull back until your teeth are almost at the end of the lip. Pause for a moment, then resume kissing as usual.
    • Don't break out the biters too much. They should be an occasional perk, not the main attraction.
    • Be prepared for rejection. Not everyone likes a side of teeth with their kisses. If your partner doesn't respond well, try not to be too offended — it's probably a matter of personal taste, not a lapse in your technique.
11. 11
    Increase the intensity with occasional breaks. Pull away for a moment to look into your partner's eyes, whisper something in his or her ear, or simply catch your breath and marvel at your good fortune.
    
    
    
    • Instead of putting a damper on the action, these small moments can actually make kissing more intimate. It gives your partner the sense that you see him or her as a complete person, and not simply something to kiss.

Part Three: Having Your First Kiss

1. 1
   Try to pick a trustworthy partner. Smooching someone you trust can ease a lot of the anxiety of your first kiss. If you knew you were giving someone his or her first kiss you'd try to be patient and understanding, so expect the same of your partner.
   
   
   
   • Keep in mind that an awkward first kiss isn't the end of the relationship (or the world). Actually, it can build intimacy through having a shared experience. As long as you can laugh it off, you'll be fine.
   • Remember, everyone has

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Beauty Tips For Eyelashes

One of the pretty features of the eyes are the eyelashes. Most women try hard to get long, thick and full eyelashes. Taking care of eyelashes and maintaining them should be a routine.

Condition your eyelash by the time you sleep. Eyelashes tend to break easily when they get dry. Make it a point to remove your eye makeup before you get to bed. Remove your mascara from an eyelashes. Put some petroleum jelly on a little cotton swab and stroke it on your eyelashes gently. Another easy way is to hold the cotton swab and allow some butterfly kisses by fluttering your lashes for some seconds. For pretty, long lashes, applying castor oil before you sleep is advised.

To get a pretty, curled look, use an eyelash curler before applying a mascara. They always give you a natural look and when applied in the right manner, they allow no clumping of lashes.

Make sure you coat both the top and bottom of your eyelashes. Start by coating the eyelashes slightly with a powder, as this will help hold the mascara that you will apply. make sure you don't hold the mascara brush for long, instead, wiggle the brush to apply mascara. Apply on both top and cotton coats.

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Men Advised Not To Wear Tight Jeans

There might be an urge amongst men of today to follow the ongoing trend of wearing tight-skin fitted jeans, but least have an idea that this fashion is actually putting them in trouble.

Medical experts as well as UK TV star Dr. Hilary Jones have warned that these jeans are hurting the most sensitive and important part of male, which also can ultimately make them infertile. They have cautioned that the jeans have a direct effect on testicles, which thus causes major testicular problems, including twist in testicles, weakness in bladder and also infection in the urinary tract.

Medical science cautions that twisted testicles is a major problem, which happens when spermatic cord does not have a free movement, thus causing astress in testicles, which ultimately cuts off supply of blood. The condition needs to be operated immediately; else the testicle might get infected.

Nevertheless, wearing tight clothes have been directly linked to decline in sperm count and also fungal infections.

Dr. Jones have been reported to be collaborating with TENA, a maker of hygienic products for people withincontinence, on a specific project which aims at addressing people of risks they may have to face due to wearing of tight clothes.

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10 reasons for you to SMILE every morning

By: May Rostom

We all get busy and tangle ourselves in our miseries; forgetting everything we should be thankful for and everything God gave us. We look at the dark side of the sun and fail to see the bright light shining in our eyes! When the world turns off the light on you, read this and feel it glow again.

1. Be thankful for having eyes to read this; for some people in this world are not as healthy as you are!

2. Smile because you were one of the few people, who had the chance to learn something; who had the chance to go to school and make a good life for themselves.

3. Be happy for waking up this morning and getting another chance to get things right.

4. Embrace those who love you; there’s someone out there that thinks about you every day.

5. Look up every morning and thank God for giving you a roof over your head. Some people drown in rain every day.

6. Smile for being able to remember all the good and happy moments; smile for having joyous moments that outnumber your sorrows.

7. Thank God for clean water, healthy food, and peace in your country, because no matter how bad it is where you live, there’s someone out there that has it a hundred times worse.

8. Electricity, because we can’t live without that for even 15 minutes.

9. Appreciate the fact that you are FREE to do whatever you want to do, nothing can hold you down, people fought for your freedom, and the world is just a playground.

10. Smile because after every tear you cry, every pain you experience, and with every heart beat, God is working on a better plan for you anyway!

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