Your weekends may not always be free and so when you have one that is it can be challenging to come up with ways to spend your time. You may be so used to working or being productive on the weekends that you forget how to relax and have fun when you have the opportunity. The following ideas will help you to realize a few different and engaging ways for how to fill your free time. Keep in mind that there is no right or wrong answer; these are simply suggestions that you might find interesting and will want to do more of in the future.

See A Show

If you’ve had the urge to get dressed up and go out for a night out, then think about going to see a show. Visit Ticket Sales to see what performances are playing in your area and would be of interest to you. Either go by yourself or invite a friend or family member along and head to dinner before the performance so you can visit for a while.

Go Shopping

Another way to spend your free time on the weekend is to go out shopping. You likely don’t have a lot of time for yourself during the week when you’re working, so this is the perfect opportunity to leisurely browse and check out the latest fashion trends. It doesn’t mean you have to buy anything, but be prepared to spend some money if you do fall in love with any item in particular!

Exercise

Working out is a great way to combat stress and to get in better shape. Your clothes will fit nicer, your mood will lift, and you may even meet some new friends at the gym. Spend your weekends exercising and breaking a sweat, so you return to the office Monday with a fresh perspective and a new and positive attitude.

Rest, Rejuvenate & Unplug

Remember that weekends are also a chance for you to catch up on your sleep and to rest. You can do this by staying home by yourself instead of filling up your social calendar with activities. Work on a DIY house project of yours or read a book and take a break from playing on your phone or computer by unplugging for a while.

Catch up with an Old Friend

Weekends are also an excellent time to reach out to an old friend and see if they’re available to catch up. Go for coffee, out for lunch or have them over to your place so you can talk without a lot of outside distractions. They’ll appreciate you getting in touch with them, and you two will likely have a nice time chatting and laughing together.

Conclusion

You should now have a few ideas on how you might want to spend your upcoming weekends. Keep in mind that it’s a chance for you to do as you please and not have to follow a set agenda. Be flexible in your approach and do whatever you’re in the mood for at the time.

Have you always dreamed of becoming a professional smoothie maker or perhaps you’ve taken some inspiration from a smoothie-tasting event and have the idea to set up a smoothie bar in your home?

A home smoothie bar will make a fun new hang-out for parties and celebratory occasions without the need to hire a venue.

Discover how to create your very own fully-functioning smoothie bar in the comfort of your home by following these useful tips:

1. Find a suitable space 

The first step would be to find a suitable space that is easy to access and has enough room for all your tools and can accommodate your guests. You may decide to convert an unused garage on the side of your house, or if you have extra garden space, you could start from scratch with a new building project. Building work can be a huge expense and your financial situation may not stretch far enough to fund the entire process. Financial struggle is what many homeowners face when it comes to home improvement and the building work can take years if the payments are made in small installments.

If you are looking to create your home smoothie bar in the next few months, you could opt to take out a small personal loan to kickstart the process. You won’t even need to worry about your credit history, as some loan companies don’t carry out credit checks. That much-needed cash will be in your bank account in a matter of days so you can get your project up and running with little delay. Discover the opportunity and read this for more information.

2. Invest in basic tools 

Alongside the cost of the building project, you will also need to work out how you are going to fund the essential tools required to transform the empty living space into a fully-functioning smoothie bar. To make a start, you will need to invest in a smoothie kit, furniture, mini-fridges and glass storage facilities. Once you have these essentials, you can start to purchase the extra accessories to ensure your bar is well-equipped for regular guests.

Another huge expense upon first starting out is glassware. Although purchasing hundreds of glasses may seem like a good idea at the time, you may find that you become limited on space and over-analyzed how many you needed.

3. Choose the ingredients 

 The most important part you have been waiting for – which types of smoothies should you be making? If you attend regular tasting events, you’re likely to have had your eyes opened to a whole range of new flavors. When it comes to deciding the types of smoothies you’re going to need for your smoothie bar, it’s wise to start off with the absolute basics first and foremost.

You don’t need every type of smoothie on the market, but if you go with a few key options, you will have spent your money wisely.

Purchasing a selection of different smoothies, for example, will not only introduce your guests to new and exciting flavors but may also give them the taste to attend tasting events with you.


Start off with these types of smoothies for a big hit:

• Blueberry Almond Milk Smoothies
• Peanut Butter Banana Bread Smoothies
• Blackberry Cheesecake Smoothies
• Strawberry Banana Smoothies
• Key Lime Pie Smoothies

4. Add the fun stuff 

 Now you need to have a selection of basic ingredients behind the smoothie bar that guests can choose from to combine and are also essential for creating the fun flavors. Basic ingredients include the likes of fruits, vegetables, chocolates, seeds, and juices. Be sure to top up on garnishes such as lemon, limes, fresh herbs and cherries for the finishing touch. Part of the fun of smoothies is creating a signature drink that you’ll opt for time and time again. Don’t be afraid to be experimental and see what unique beverages you can create.

 5. Make use of your bar with exciting projects 

 If you fear the novelty of your home smoothie bar may wear off after a few months, why not come up with a few exciting projects to ensure you can make full use of it throughout the year? Perhaps you have been inspired by tasting events; you may decide to start up smoothie tasting nights of your very own. Or, why not try your hand at making homemade smoothies and organize a big reveal where your guests can enjoy a glass of your creation? 

If you love to give back to causes, why not hold a charity themed-night in which your guests pay for their smoothies, in which the proceeds get donated to a worthy cause of your choice? There are lots of ways you can make use of your home smoothie bar – just think outside the box and aim to make the most of your new and exciting space.

No one should ever expect to experience an accident at work. Yet, they can happen in every type of industry, from an office to an industrial setting.

While your employer has a responsibility to create a safe and secure working environment, there are things you can do to decrease your risk of experiencing an injury or illness in the workplace.

To improve your personal safety, here are five things to avoid to stay safe at work.

1. Poor Equipment or Furniture 

Every business owner has a duty of care to provide their staff with the appropriate equipment and furniture for their job. For example, office workers are entitled to ergonomically designed furniture, which can prevent and relieve muscle strain while improving their posture.

If you are unhappy with the furniture provided, as it provides little ergonomic support, talk to your employer to rectify the issue as soon as possible.

2. Asbestos 

If you disturb or damage a material that contains asbestos, the fibres will be released into the air. If inhaled, it can lead to the development of serious and fatal diseases, such as asbestosis and mesothelioma.

While the dangers of asbestos have been widely reported, the building material continues to kill around 5,000 workers every year, which is more than the number of people who are killed on the road. In fact, 20 tradespeople die every week due to past exposure.

If you or a loved one have come into contact with asbestos at work and have developed a serious or fatal health condition, as a result, learn more about industrial injury compensation.

3. Occupational Stress 

Excessive stress at work can damage almost every aspect of your life, as it can impact your self-confidence and eat into your home life. Unfortunately, many people are living with occupational stress, which could be caused by:

• A heavy workload 
• Bullying at work 
• Harassment 
• Long hours 
• Workplace conflict 

Unfortunately, occupational stress can lead to depression, anxiety, concentration issues, and sleeping problems. If you are feeling overly stressed at work, it’s essential to speak to your employer to improve your environment.

4. Alcohol and Drugs 

Alcohol is reportedly a factor in one in four workplace accidents in the UK, which could potentially lead to fatalities on the job.

Every employee, therefore, has a responsibility to avoid alcohol before and during working hours to maintain their health and safety on site.

Employers should also enforce a strict drug and alcohol abuse policy, especially if employees are responsible for handling heavy machinery.

5. Manually Lifting Heavy Objects 

Manually lifting, pulling or pushing heavy objects can lead to muscle strains or injuries, which can pose a serious risk to both your own and other people’s health and safety on site.

Rather than attempting to lift a heavy object alone, use a mechanical aid when possible, such as a forklift, wheelbarrow, or conveyor belt.

If you need to pick up and carry a heavy load or object, ensure it is kept close to your body, bend your knees and life with your legs, not your back.

Did you know that drinking alcohol could be increasing your chances of incontinence or making your incontinence worse? Even at a young age, you may have discovered that bladder leaks become that much more likely when you have drunk alcohol. It is expected that from the start of drinking you struggled with an irritated stomach and bowel. It should not be surprising that if you continue drinking, then you will exacerbate the damage you are doing.

Alcohol is not the reason people become incontinent. However, alcohol can make the symptoms of bladder and bowel incontinence worse. Let's explore what it does to our passing of urine and feces thanks to HARTMANN Direct.

The impact on the bladder 

The depressing news is that alcohol is a diuretic. This means it will naturally make you want to go to the toilet more. You will increase urination output as well as the number of times you will want to go to the bathroom. Therefore, you have a direct cause and effect: alcohol can make you incontinent because it decreases the health of your toilet habits.

There are further impacts of drinking alcohol. The increase in urine also means you are dehydrated. Constant dehydration can lead to irritation and inflammation of the bladder lining, which can lead to incontinence. Alternatively, it can lead to urinary tract infections, which in turn can lead to incontinence. Your urine is highly concentrated after drinking alcohol, which is what causes the infection.

Another consequence of all that alcohol is an increase in the amount of sugar you are taking in. Sugar is also a major irritant on your bladder. It can also cause you to increase in weight, and this weight can put pressure on your pelvic floor, which is the muscle that controls your ability to go to the toilet when you need to.

The impact on the bowel 

Alcohol has a double effect on the bowel. It can cause you to suffer diarrhea, or it can cause constipation. It is possible that you can have one followed by the other. The constipation can be particularly troublesome, as the straining can cause damage to muscles that will control your level of continence.

The dehydration that causes problems for your bladder also has an impact on your bowel. It can slow down bowel motility, which are the contractions that allow you to push out a stool. It can also cause the stool to be hard and painful to pass.

Generally, however, alcohol is a significant irritant for the gut. It can cause acid and inflammation, and it can increase the symptoms of Irritable Bowel Syndrome. All these problems are precursors to fecal incontinence.

A sensible message 

In conclusion, I would suggest to anyone to stop drinking. If you are already suffering discomfort from urinary or fecal incontinence, then you should consider stopping alcohol consumption. Any dietary change is going to make a massive difference to your symptoms, but arguably none more than withdrawing alcohol. It is less that you are drinking less fluid, if anything you should replace it with water, it is that you are taking away an element that causes significant inflammation. Inflammation in the body can lead to all sorts of other problems, not just incontinence. Therefore, it is a vital means of taking control of the health of your body.