Are You Ready for a Storm Emergency?

It was a crazy hurricane season and thankfully, it is almost over.  Over the last several months, people have had to leave their homes due to hurricanes, fire, and tornados.  Now some of us are starting to think about winter – the Farmer’s Almanac says it will be a bad one.  UGH!  I am not one for cold weather but I am gratefully I work from home so I can stay snuggled in on those cold winter days.

If you were a Girl Scout or a Boy Scout, you have always been told “be prepared” and we want to help you.

The truth is “Be Prepared” should be your motto.  I mean who wants to be in the midst of the “craziness” when an evacuation  or storm warning is issued.  We have all seen the news when a storm is forecast, right?  People running to the store for bread, eggs, milk and maybe some batteries.  I am grateful hubby is BIG on being prepared and we are well stocked.

No matter where you live, there is always the potential for an emergency situation to arise and it’s infinitely better to prepare ahead of time rather than having to scramble at the last minute. So here’s some steps process for preparing.

#1 Make a List

What kind of emergencies are you likely to face in your area? Maybe it is hurricanes, or tornadoes, or blizzards.  Whatever it is, create a list of items you might need.  Yes, there are the basics like food and water, but how about those unusual things?  Maybe a pocket charger for your phones, LED or solar lamps (in the event of long-term power outage and the need to work in the dark to repair something, etc.), baby wipes and perhaps the most essential emergency supply: chocolate.

#2 Gather Items Into One Location

Maybe you have the emergency supplies on hand,so you figure you are all set. The next question is but can you find them quickly?  If not, they won’t be much help to you or your family. You can keep items in a closet like we are now, or in plastic totes in an accessible area of your garage.

Have kids?  What about a Go Bag, or an emergency backpack for each them. A variety of things they might need based on their age if you need to leave your home in an emergency.

#3 Rotate Your Supplies

You’re all stocked, right?  You have everything you need, right?  Did you know canned goods and bottled water don’t stay fresh forever?  They have expiration dates on them.  So be sure to check your supplies at least once a year to rotate out the about-to-expire goods and replace them with fresh items.

#4 Develop a Preparedness Mindset

This is a great time of year to check out the clearance and sale items to add to your emergency stash. Camping goods (portable stoves, lanterns, etc) are in the Fall.  Backpacks at the end of the back-to-school season. Canned goods are often cheaper around the holidays and you can stock up on candles at Christmas. You can also find many emergency supplies at the dollar store.

So…………

Will you be ready when an emergency hits?

If the answer any of these questions are a resounding NO, then you need to get it together. It is never too late to start. Batteries should be a mainstay in your home. Candles, extra food with important papers & medications easy to grab if you need to evacuate.  Do you have a list of all of the medications and supplements you take available?  I have one in my purse, one in my planner and one on my phone with the name of my doctors so if there was an emergency, I am ready.

What are your best tips for being prepared in an emergency?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

Plan for a Storm Emergency

I know, you think I am a little crazy, right?  Hurricane season is almost over here on the Jersey Shore and we are a long way from a blizzard (hopefully).  If you were a Girl Scout or a Boy Scout, you have always been told “be prepared” and we want to help you.

The truth is “Be Prepared” should be your motto.  I mean who wants to be in the midst of the “craziness” when a hurricane or blizzard warning is issued.  You know what I mean, the ones who run to the store for bread, eggs, milk and maybe some batteries.  I am grateful hubby is BIG on being prepared and we are well stocked.

No matter where you live, there is always the potential for an emergency situation to arise and it’s infinitely better to prepare ahead of time rather than having to scramble at the last minute. So here’s some steps process for preparing.

#1 Make a List

What kind of emergencies are you likely to face in your area? Maybe it is hurricanes, maybe it is tornadoes, or maybe it is blizzards.  Whatever it is, create a list of items you might need.  Yes, there is the basics like food and water, but how about those unusual things?  Maybe a pocket charger for our phones, LED head lamps (in the event of long-term power outage and the need to work in the dark to repair something, etc.), baby wipes and perhaps the most essential emergency supply: chocolate.

#2 Gather Items Into One Location

Maybe you have the emergency supplies on hand,so you figure you are all set. The next question is but can you find them quickly?  If not, they won’t be much help to you or your family. You can keep items in a closet like we are now, or in plastic totes in an accessible area of your garage.

Have kids?  What about a Go Bag, or  an emergency backpacks for each them. A variety of things they might need based on their age if you would need to leave you home in an emergency.

#3 Rotate Your Supplies

You are stocked, right?  You have everything you need, right?  Did you know that canned goods and bottled water don’t stay fresh forever?  They have expiration dates on them.  So be sure to check your supplies at least once a year to rotate out the about-to-expire goods and replace them with fresher items.

#4 Develop a Preparedness Mindset

This is a great time of year to check out the clearance and sale items to add to your emergency stash. Camping goods (portable stoves, lanterns, etc) are in the Fall.  Back packs at the end of the back-to-school season. Canned goods are often cheaper around the holidays and you can stock up on candles at Christmas. You can also find many emergency supplies at the dollar store.

So…………

Will you be ready when an emergency hits?

If the answer any of these questions are a resounding NO, then you need to get it together. It is never too late to start. Batteries should be a mainstay in your home. Candles, extra food, important papers & medications easy to grab if you needed to evacuate.  Do you have a list of all of the medications and supplements you take available?  I have one in my purse, one in my planner and one on my phone with the name of my doctors so if there was an emergency, I am ready.

What are your best tips for being prepared in an emergency?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!

 

UNPLUGGED

When was the last time that you totally UNPLUGGED from technology? I know that may be scary to some and I thought it was totally impossible. I mean I have my own business and my family is stretched out all over.  I rely on social media and technology for a large portion of my communication with family and friends. What happens if……?

The truth is that this weekend while I am at National Conference, I will be “unplugging” for long periods of time.  I know it may not seem like as your news feed on Facebook is flooded with moments in my pink bubble yet I am.  This is a time for me to fill my cup and build relationships with my Thirty One sisters.  Will the world end? No.

I am sure there are a million reasons you can think of as to why you should NOT unplug, right? BEFORE technology took over our lives. we used to call people on the phone.  if there was no answer, we kept calling.  If they had an answering machine, we would leave a message. The truth is business survived and thrived.  Our relationships were probably stronger because we had real lace to face conversations instead of “pictures” and snip its on social media.

The first time I totally unplugged was on our first cruise.  I was filled with the fear of “what if”.  Then each time got a little easier.  The first 24 hours are always the roughest then as time went on I actually didn’t think about it. I was enjoying building relationships with people face to face.  I found that I even enjoyed being “unplugged” for short periods of time.

I haven’t totally unplugged in a long time, although I have changed some things so that technology does not consume my life.  What about you?

What effect is technology having on your life? Does it consume your time, maybe your money, and without a doubt your energy, right?  How often do you check email as well as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and other social media sites?  Are you obsessed with seeing what others are posting? Does it distract you from living in the moment?  And worst of all, do you suffer from FOMO (Fear of Missing Out)?  I have learned through my recent health challenges that being in the “moment” is much healthier for me mentally, physically and spiritually.  I have always said “there is no PURSE (substitute your product or reason for constant checking) emergency”.  I finally took my own advice.

Do I still check email in the middle of a meeting; while stopped at red lights; in the middle of dinner with my family; and as soon as my eyes popped open in the morning?  No.  I am learning to put the phone or the tablet away.  I even stopped having notifications show up on my phone.

The fear has subsided.  I am no longer afraid.  No longer afraid of missing out: on booking a party or the next big potential customer or potential team member; or maybe someone on my team needs.  I no longer worry about family being able to reach me. HELLO, we have mobile phones, right, if there is an emergency.  The fear of not being “in the know” or worse yet, having people go elsewhere for orders, parties or information is CRAZY!

Check out these tips for unplugging and re-claiming your life this weekend. Honestly, who would want to have their own business if you had to be accessible 24/7?

Notifications from my phone are gone!  Yes, I still have apps but the only notifications that I get are text messages.  I start my morning with devotions and coffee – social media comes later.  I don’t even have multiple tabs open on my computer when I am working.  I have scheduled blocks of time to check email, Facebook and my other social media accounts. Believe it or not, I actually am and feel more productive in my business and in my personal life.

What will you do to #UNPLUG?

Have a ThirtyOne-derful day!