April Realty Rave newsletter

David Burke Tel: 760-250-2570 April 2015 Welcome to this month's edition of the RealtyRave newsletter. We hope that you find it filled with interesting and useful information! Please think of me with any real estate related questions you may have - now and in the future. It would be my pleasure to be of assistance to you. The single highest and best compliment a Real Estate Professional can receive is a referral to friends, family or colleagues. As appropriate, please feel free to forward this Newsletter and/or my contact information. Thank you! David Burke HEALTH AND SAFETY Under pressure: How to manage stress before it affects your health (BPT) - Stress: it makes your heart race, your head pound and your stomach churn. While a little stress can be a good thing and help motivate us when needed, too much stress can lead to negative health effects including headaches, upset stomach, back pain, trouble sleeping and a weakened immune system. In fact, the American Institute of Stress reports that up to 90 percent of visits to primary care physicians are due to stress-related health problems. “Stress can seem unavoidable. Work demands, family obligations and financial pressures all contribute to our stress levels,” says Ruth Kenzelmann, Ph.D., a licensed psychologist and vice president of employee assistance programs and WorkLife services for Optum. “But there are steps you can take to derail stress as it’s happening, and prevent it from interfering with your health and quality of life.” Stress first aid Dr. Kenzelmann suggests some things you can do “in-the-moment” when you’re feeling stressed: * Take three deep breaths: Deep breathing can really help reduce stress symptoms or prepare for a situation that you know will be stressful, like a meeting with your boss. Be conscious of letting your belly expand and contract as you breathe. Roll your shoulders and rotate your neck gently, too. * Make a daily break part of your workday: Working through lunch and for long hours has become routine for many of us. But it’s not a healthy habit and can even reduce your productivity. If you’re feeling stressed or know a stressful day is coming, schedule a short walk or bike ride, have lunch in a park, visit the gym or take a break with a co-worker at a local coffee shop. Write it into your schedule, too, so meetings can’t interfere. * Seek optimism: How you think about and interpret events as they unfold can turn the dial up or down on your stress. When faced with a stressful day, allow yourself to take a moment to find the good: What makes you lucky to be there? What are you enjoying right now? Take a few moments to savor what’s good about your situation. Stress prevention Dr. Kenzelmann recommends using these stress-prevention techniques to help change the way you approach and think about certain situations: * Value relationships: Positive connections with other people are a great remedy for life’s daily challenges. Each evening, think about the three best social connections of your day and how connected and in touch you felt. Doing this little “mental check-in” with yourself can increase positivity almost as effectively as doing regular meditation. * Find and use your strengths: People who have the opportunity to act on their strengths and do what they do best every day are far more likely to be resilient and energized. Take some time to clearly understand your own strengths, and then make sure you have ways to use them in your daily life. The boost in positivity that comes from finding new ways to apply your strengths is significant and lasting. * Practice mindfulness: This can take some practice for most people, but there are many short, easy guides and even mobile apps to walk you through the practice of mindfulness. When you are mindful, you are focusing on your thoughts, emotions and sensations at the very moment. If this all sounds too “new age-y” for you, don’t knock it until you try it – mindfulness is a proven stress reducer! HELPFUL HINTS 6 things you can do to be more productive this year (BPT) - Time. You never seem to have enough of it. Whether it’s work, family commitments, your kids or your spouse, there’s always someone or something that needs your time. And imagine the chaos if you were to actually want a little time for yourself as well. You can’t create more time, but you can ensure you make better use of the time you have. To help you be more productive this year, Hyatt Place Seamless Travel Series productivity expert Lindsey Pollak offers these tips. * Wake up earlier. Yes, it’s that simple. Waking up 30 to 60 minutes earlier gives you a great jump-start on your day. You can exercise, catch up on email or just relax in this newfound peace and quiet. Just don’t forget to go to bed earlier at night to ensure you’re awake to enjoy the morning. * Make a plan. Even the busiest of days will flow more smoothly if you are following a predetermined plan and schedule. So before your next busy day, week or season, take time to jot down a list of everything you have to do. You’ll be more efficient in accomplishing these tasks and you won’t waste time panicking about how you’ll complete it all. * Decide which decisions you’ll make. Research has shown that the more choices you make during the day, the harder each one becomes for your brain. Eliminate routine decisions whenever possible by having the same breakfast each morning, putting out your clothes the night before or parking in the same space each day, for example. By cutting these decisions out of your daily itinerary, you’ll be saving brain power for the truly important choices. * Delegate. You aren’t afraid to ask for help at work, so why not speak up at home? Ask family members to help you complete household projects or hire someone to help you maintain the yard, run errands or do the shopping. Any assistance you receive will save you time for other responsibilities. * Be selective in what you commit to. Want to do more in 2015? Start by saying no. Life pulls you in all different directions, and every request you commit to eliminates time you could spend doing something else. Instead of committing to everything offered to you – including the things you don’t really want to do – don’t be afraid to say no. You’ll be more productive when you can focus on the few things you actually want to do. You can’t turn back time or make more of it, but by implementing these productivity tips, you can make the most of it. So go out and get ready for a productive 2015, and remember, time is ticking. RECIPE OF THE MONTH Baked Penne with Italian Sausage Makes 6 servings and ready in 50 minutes! Ingredients: 1 (12 ounce) package dry penne pasta 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 pound mild Italian sausage 1 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup white wine 1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce 1 (14.5 ounce) can diced tomatoes with garlic 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain. Heat oil in a large, deep skillet. Place sausage and onion in the skillet and cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain excess fat. Pour in wine, and cook for 1 minute, stirring, to deglaze the pan. Stir in tomato sauce, diced tomatoes and tomato paste. Simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Toss with cooked pasta, and place in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle top with mozzarella. Bake in preheated oven for 20 minutes, or until cheese is melted.  View my website  Email me  View Featured Listings  Property Search Compliments of: David Burke Realty Executives Desert Lifestyles 78065 Main St. Suite 101 La Quinta, CA 92253 Tel: 760-250-2570 Cell: 760-250-2570 Fax: 800-774-5902 David@LaQuintaRE.com e-Pro Household Tips Paint Splatters Small paint splatters on windows can be removed by applying polish remover to them and wiping it off. Painting Doors Apply a coat of petroleum jelly to locks, hinges, knobs, etc., to prevent scraping Storing Paint Store paint containers upside down with lids tightly fitted to prevent skin from forming on the surface. Paintbrushes Soak brushes containing hardened paint in hot vinegar. Then wash in warm, sudsy water. Popsicle Sticks When painting, dip a popsicle stick into the paint. Later it will make a handy color guide to match colors when you shop. Washing Paintbrushes Use fabric softener in the final rinse of water when washing paintbrushes to keep them soft and pliable Non-Yellowing White Paint Add a drop of black paint to white to keep the white paint from turning yellowish. Ridding Room of Paint Smell A tablespoon of ammonia in a pan of water banishes paint odor form a room. Paint Remover For Skin Apply cooking oil to skin to remove paint. DID YOU KNOW? Did you know white cats with blue eyes are usually deaf Did you know small dogs usually live longer than larger breeds Did you know a cats urine glows under a backlight Did you know domestic cats dislike citrus scents Did you know cats can jump up to 7 times their tail length Did you know tree hugging is forbidden in China Did you know the film 'Mary Poppins' was filmed entirely indoors Did you know the human body of a 70 kg person contains 0.2mg of gold Did you know Pearls melt in vinegar Did you know giraffes and rats can last longer without water than camels Did you know the dot on top of the letter 'i' is called a tittle About Us Whether you are looking to buy or sell, we are here to assist you in accomplishing your real estate dreams. Burke and Associates has been awarded the "Top Listing Agent, 2011, and 2012" by Keller Williams Realty. Call today and let us put our tools, techniques and skills to work for you! Also, be sure to ask us about our monthly specials for our new construction developments! P.S. Referrals are the highest compliment a sales professional can receive from a client. Please pass my name around to your friends, family, and acquaintances so that I can provide them with the best real estate experience possible! If you wish to unsubscribe to this newsletter, please click here