| How to Become Ambidextrous Posted: 21 Jan 2020 04:00 PM PST Most people are naturally inclined to use one hand as their dominant hand. However, you can also train yourself to be able to use both hands equally well. The first thing you have to do is get used to using your non-dominant hand for daily activities. Then, move on to practicing the fine motor skills involved in writing and drawing. [Edit]Getting Comfortable with Your Other Hand - Do exercises to strengthen your non-dominant hand and fingers. Your non-dominant hand is most likely a lot less strong than your dominant hand, which makes it harder at first to become ambidextrous. Lift some light weights with your non-dominant hand every other day, with a focus on keeping a tight grip to work your hands rather than your arms. Use heavier weights as you go to continue strengthening your hand.[1]
- Lifting weights is one of the best ways to strengthen your hand, but you can also use a grip exerciser to work out your hand.
- You may also benefit from juggling or simply tossing a ball up into the air with your non-dominant hand. This will make you more comfortable using that hand while also developing better hand-eye coordination.
- Use your non-dominant hand to work the computer mouse. There are lots of benefits to switching your mouse hand, but one of the main benefits is that it increases the dexterity in your non-dominant hand. Simply move your ordinary mouse over to the opposite side of the computer and use it as you normally would from here on out.[2]
- You can also opt to invest in an "ambidextrous" mouse from a tech store, but it's much simpler to just use an ordinary mouse.
- Start performing small daily tasks with your non-dominant hand. Use your non-dominant hand to do things like brush your teeth, open doors, put on accessories, or clean up around your home. Do this as consistently as you can to make using your non-dominant hand feel less awkward.[3]
- Try to do as much as you can with your non-dominant hand, such as applying soap and shampoo when you bathe. You may not realize it, but you probably do most of these small tasks with your dominant hand.
- Make sure to brush your teeth correctly when using your non-dominant hand. If you're not comfortable brushing with this hand, you may inadvertently underbrush.
- If you play an instrument, try playing with your non-dominant hand instead of your ordinary method of playing.
- Eat and cook with your non-dominant hand after a few days. Use your non-dominant hand to move pots and pans, to stir food, and to serve it. Hold your silverware with your non-dominant hand and use it to move the food to your mouth. You may have to do this slowly at first to avoid dropping the food, but it will get easier with time![4]
- It's best to spend a few days getting used to performing small tasks with your non-dominant hand first, since cooking with boiling water or other heated materials can be a bit more dangerous.
- Tie your dominant hand behind your back to be even more immersive. This method will force you to exclusively use your non-dominant hand to do everything. This is a great way to make your mind and body quickly adapt to using this hand, but you may want to do it after a few days of practice first.[5]
- The easiest way to do this would be tie your dominant wrist with rope, then tie the other end of that rope to the belt loop on the back of a pair of pants. This is a bit difficult to do by yourself, so you may need to have someone help you.
[Edit]Writing and Drawing with Your Non-Dominant Hand - Hold a pen or pencil with your non-dominant hand the same way you would with the other hand. Write with your good hand in the mirror to see how it would look writing with your other hand. This gives you a clear visual cue to the method and helps your brain to picture the same action for your non-dominant hand. Then, practice holding the pen or pencil with your non-dominant hand so that it feels more comfortable.[6]
- Don't "claw" your hand. It may be tempting to grasp the pen as tightly as possible, causing your hand to ball up like a claw, but this will only stop you from writing effectively and can end up hurting your hand.
- Start by tracing the alphabet with your non-dominant hand. This will "introduce" your other hand to the ordinary movements involved in writing in a very easy way. Aim to produce straight lines and clean curves, but don't worry if you make a lot of mistakes at first. Perform this practice routine for at least 10 minutes a day until you feel comfortable making clean movements.[7]
- Your hand may strain at the beginning, but just take a break and try again later. The tension will eventually go away.
- Be sure to trace out the alphabet using your non-dominant hand in lowercase, uppercase, and cursive letters (if you know cursive).
- Move on to writing letters without tracing and drawing simple shapes. Pin down some paper and start drawing butterflies, vases, symmetrical objects, letters, shapes, and whatnot. Although you may think your writing is awful at first, write a couple of lines every day from the start. You will only get better with practice![8]
- It may be helpful to buy a handwriting book designed for children and follow along with the exercises. Using your non-dominant hand to color in a coloring book is also a good idea.
- As you do this, pay attention to which letters you struggle with the most and spend some extra time practicing them.
- Practice writing your name and full sentences. Your name will be the writing movement that you're probably most familiar with, so it's a very good set of letters to practice on. Try writing out a 3- to 5-sentence paragraph every day to get more comfortable with writing at length with your non-dominant hand.[9]
- Don't keep writing the same paragraph every day. Write a different one every day so your non-dominant hand doesn't get used to one paragraph only.
- Be sure to practice writing every day to improve your skills. Practice these techniques daily for at least a month, maybe longer. Soon, you'll be writing much more comfortably with your non-dominant hand, with very few mistakes.[10]
- Try keeping a daily journal that you write in exclusively with your non-dominant hand.
[Edit]Related wikiHows [Edit]References [Edit]Quick Summary |
| How to Paint the Inside of a Mason Jar Posted: 21 Jan 2020 08:00 AM PST Mason jars are usually clear, but you can find them in a wide range of tints and colors. However, if you have some clear mason jars that you'd like to transform into decorative items, there are easy ways to paint the inside of them yourself. You can coat the inside of a mason jar with paint to provide an opaque color, or you can tint the inside of a mason jar with food coloring for a transparent color. The paint or food coloring will dry on its own, but you may also cure it by placing the jar in your oven if desired. [Edit]Coating a Mason Jar with Acrylic Paint - Mix acrylic paint in a bowl to achieve the desired shade. Measure out 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of acrylic paint and pour it into a small bowl. You can use a 50/50 mixture of 2 different colors to achieve a specific shade or add a few drops of 1 color to another to adjust the shade slightly. Mix the paint colors together well using a spoon or fork.[1]
- For example, you could use 1 tablespoon (15 mL) each of blue and white to create a pastel or light blue shade. Or, add a few drops of green to 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of white paint for a light mint green paint.
- If you don't want to adjust the shade of your paint before coloring the inside of the mason jar, pour it directly into the jar.
- Pour the paint into a clean, dry mason jar. Wash out the jar with dish soap and water, then rinse it out thoroughly. Let the jar air-dry upside down or use a paper towel to dry it out. When the jar is dry, pour the mixed paint into the jar.[2]
- If you're painting the inside of multiple jars, measure out 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of paint per jar.
- Twist and turn the mason jar to coat the inside of it. Swirl the paint around in the jar by slowly turning the jar on its side and rolling it around in your hand. Keep turning and tilting the jar until the inside of it is completely covered in paint.[3]
- This may take a few minutes since the paint will move slowly. However, do not use a paintbrush as this will result in an uneven appearance.
- Place the mason jar upside down on a piece of cardboard to dry. After the inside of the jar is completely coated with the paint, place the jar on a piece of cardboard. The excess paint will continue to drip down, so pick up the jar and move it to a different spot on the cardboard about once every 15 minutes.[4]
- The jar will take several hours to dry, so plan to wait 24 hours before you use the jar for decorative purposes.
- If you don't have cardboard, use a few layers of newspaper or paper towel to catch the paint that drips down.
[Edit]Tinting a Mason Jar with Food Coloring - Combine water and food coloring in a small bowl. Add 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of water into a small bowl. Then, add 20 or more drops of food coloring to the water and stir the food coloring into the water until they are well-combined.[5]
- You may use any color or combination of colors you like to tint the jar. Try using blue food coloring for a blue-tinted jar or red and yellow for an orange-tinted jar.
- Pour the mixture into the jar and add 1 tablespoon (15 mL) of white school glue. Use a fork or spoon to stir the food coloring a water mixture with the glue right inside of the jar. Stir until everything is well-combined.[6]
- You can also use clear PVA glue if you don't have school glue.
- Twist and turn the jar to coat the inside. Pick up the jar and start twisting and turning it in your hand to coat the inside of the jar. Turn the jar to the side and roll it around in your hands to get an even layer of the food coloring mixture all over the inside of the jar.[7]
- Do not turn the jar upside down until the inside is fully coated with food coloring. Then, pour the excess into the small bowl to use on another jar or discard it.
- Place the jar upside down on a paper towel to dry. Use 2 to 3 layers of paper towel to catch any excess glue that drips down while the jar is drying. Pick the jar up every 15 minutes for the first hour to prevent the glue from collecting and adhering to the paper towel. Then, turn the jar right side up and let the jar dry overnight.
- If you don't have paper towels, you can also use a few sheets of newspaper or a piece of cardboard to catch the glue.
- Make sure to keep the jar away from pets and children while it dries.
[Edit]Curing the Paint or Food Coloring - Pre-heat your oven to . Turn your oven up to this temperature and allow about 10 to 15 minutes for it to reach it. Do this right after you finish painting or tinting the inside of your jars to cure the paint or food coloring while it's still wet.[8]
- Bake the jar upside down for 15 minutes. Place the jar upside down on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Then, carefully put the cookie sheet in the oven. Set a timer for 15 minutes to keep track of how long the mason jar is baking.[9]
- While the mason jar is baking, try making another jar or simply use the time clean up your supplies.
- Turn the jar over and bake for another 15 minutes. After the time is up, put on a pair of oven mitts and carefully remove the cookie sheet from the oven. Then, turn the jar over so that the open end is facing up and put it back into the oven. Bake it for another 15 minutes.[10]
- Do not touch the mason jar with your bare hands! It will be very hot and it will burn your skin.
- Remove the mason jar from the oven and let it cool. Use oven mitts to remove the cookie sheet from the oven and set it on a potholder or trivet. Then, let the mason jar sit on the cookie sheet until it's completely cool. This will take about 20 to 30 minutes.[11]
- After the mason jar is cool, use it for all your decorating needs!
- Put down a layer of newspaper or paper towels before you begin. This will help to protect your work surface. You may also want to put on an old t-shirt before you begin.
- Fill your painted or tinted mason jars with silk flowers for a simple centerpiece, or place a single tea light candle inside of one for decorative ambiance.
- If you need to wash the jar after painting it, use a small amount of dish soap, lukewarm water, and a non-abrasive sponge. Don't scrub the jar or put it into the dishwasher.
[Edit]Warnings - Don't store food in a mason jar after you paint or tint it.
[Edit]Things You'll Need [Edit]Coating a Mason Jar with Acrylic Paint - Mason jar
- Acrylic paint
- Small bowl
- Spoon or fork
- Cardboard, paper towels, or newspaper
[Edit]Tinting a Mason Jar with Food Coloring - Mason jar
- Water
- Food coloring
- White school glue
- Small bowl
- Spoon or fork
- Paper towels, cardboard, or newspaper
[Edit]Curing the Paint or Food Coloring - Oven
- Cookie sheet
- Wax paper
- Oven mitts
- Trivet or potholder
[Edit]References |
| How to Manage Stress Sweat Posted: 21 Jan 2020 12:00 AM PST Stress sweat is actually produced by different glands and is thicker and more difficult to deal with than regular sweat. In addition, stress sweat can occur quickly and suddenly. Fortunately, you can manage your stress sweat. Use a stronger antiperspirant, trim your underarm hair to keep allow the antiperspirant to soak into your skin better, and shower daily to keep bacteria from building up. You can also manage your stress sweat by reducing your overall stress and preparing for stressful situations. However, sometimes stress sweat just happens, but wearing clothes made out of natural fibers, keeping a spare change of clothes handy, and having tissues on hand can help you deal with it. [Edit]Practicing Good Hygiene - Use a strong antiperspirant to reduce the amount you sweat. Switching to a stronger antiperspirant can help you manage stress sweat by limiting the amount you secrete from your sweat glands. Start using an antiperspirant that is advertised as extra strength or as having a stronger formula.[1]
- You can find strong antiperspirant at pharmacies, department stores, and online.
- Try using an antiperspirant formulated for people who suffer from extreme sweating, like Certain Dri.
- Talk to your doctor about prescription-strength antiperspirant.
- Apply antiperspirant before you go to bed so it soaks into your skin. You can give your antiperspirant time to form a superficial protective layer by putting it on before you go to sleep. That way and you're covered before you start to sweat in the morning, and you can apply more antiperspirant to add even more protection.[2]
- You can apply antiperspirant to your groin as well if you sweat a lot there.
- Put on deodorant to cover the smell of your stress sweat. Antiperspirant is great for reducing the amount that you sweat, but you need to wear deodorant if you want to cover up the odor. Choose a deodorant with a smell that you like and apply it after you put on your antiperspirant.[3]
- Don't use a antiperspirant that is also a deodorant unless the antiperspirant is extra strength or formulated for excessive sweating.
- Keep your armpit hair trimmed or shaved. Shaving or cutting your armpit hair won't reduce the amount that you stress sweat, but it will help antiperspirant reach the pores on your skin. It will also help keep them cool, which will reduce the total amount that you sweat. Use trimming scissors to cut your hairs or a razor to shave them.[4]
- Trim or shave your pubic hair as well to help limit the stress sweat produced there.
- Consider waxing your armpits or groin if your stress sweat is a lingering problem.
- Use shaving cream to reduce skin irritation if you plan to shave.
- Take a shower every day to reduce the smell of your stress sweat. Because stress sweat is thicker than normal sweat, it takes longer to evaporate. That means it has more time to combine with the bacteria on your skin, which is what makes it smelly. You can reduce the bacteria and manage the smell of your stress sweat by showering every day.[5]
- Even if you apply antiperspirant at night before you fall asleep, take a shower. You can always put on more antiperspirant!
[Edit]Reducing Your Stress - Plan ahead and prepare for stressful events. If you know that you have a deadline for a big project or you have an important meeting coming up, be as prepared for it as you can and don't wait until the last minute. If you're ready for what stresses you out, you'll be less anxious and worried about it, which will reduce your stress sweat.[6]
- Prioritize your tasks and knock out the most important ones first. Even if you can't do everything, you can focus on the most important things!
- Exercise for at least 30 minutes a day to lower your stress levels. It may seem counterintuitive to work out to help manage your stress sweat, but regular exercise will reduce your stress, anxiety, and make you feel better in general. Additionally, regularly sweating it out in the gym will improve your body's ability to handle stressful situations. If you can make it through the end of a hard workout, you can make it through anything![7]
- Take deep breaths when you notice that you're getting stressed. Whenever you feel yourself starting to get anxious or stressed out, you may start to stress sweat soon afterward. But you can catch and manage your stress sweat by using breathing exercises to minimize your stress. Take in a full, deep breath and hold it for a 4 count, then release it all.[8]
- Take several deep breaths to relax your mind.
- Deep breathing will also improve your focus, which can help keep you from feeling overwhelmed.
- Listen to music that calms you down and helps you focus. You can start stress sweating if you get anxious and feel overwhelmed with a task or situation. Listening to music that you enjoy can help you focus in on what it is you need to do and make it feel more manageable.[9]
- Put on some good music while you're driving into work if you feel stressed.
- Play calming music in the background while you work on a project or assignment.
- Chew gum when you're stressed out. Chewing on a piece of gum can help reduce anxiety and lower your cortisol levels, which means you'll have less stress sweat. It also gives you something to do when you're feeling overwhelmed, which can help you focus on the task at hand.[10]
- Use a strong, minty gum to stimulate your sense of taste and smell.
- Choose sugar-free gum for fewer calories and to help clean your teeth.
- Talk to somebody about the stress that you're feeling. You can manage your stress, and the sweat that can accompany, it by reaching out for help. If you're struggling with a project or assignment, reach out to one of your peers for help or just to talk to them about what you're struggling with. If you're worried about something, talk to a friend or relative about what's bothering you.[11]
[Edit]Using Strategies to Control Stress Sweat - Wear clothes with natural fibers to help your skin breathe. Even though stress sweat isn't caused by temperature, you can wear breathable clothing to help it evaporate faster and look less noticeable. Wear lightweight clothes made out of natural fibers like cotton.[12]
- Choose dark colored clothes to help conceal sweat stains.
- Keep an extra change of clothes with you. An easy way to manage a sudden outbreak of stress sweat is to change out your clothes if they get stained. Stress sweat occurs only at the armpits and groin, so an extra shirt and underwear may be sufficient to replace your sweat-stained clothes.[13]
- Being worried about sweat staining your clothes can actually increase your stress and cause you to sweat more. Just knowing that you have a change of clothes if you need it can help reduce your anxiety.
- Apply sweat pads to your armpits and groin. If you know that you're likely to have some stress sweat, guard against it by putting on some underarm pads. Also known as dress shields or garment guards, sweat pads are made out of absorbent material and have a sticky adhesive to keep them held in place. You can also add them to your underwear to keep stress sweat from building up there.[14]
- If you can't find any sweat pads, you can use a pantyliner for the same purpose.
- Have some tissues with you at all times to dab your stress sweat. If you feel a bout of stress sweat coming on, a few tissues can come in handy. Pull them out whenever you need them and dab your armpits to mop up the sweat before it has a chance to build up.[15]
- Keep tissues in your wallet or purse.
- Excuse yourself to the restroom and use paper towels or tissues to clean up your sweat.
[Edit]References |
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