Beech Tree News Network

Life Hacks!
The idea for this column came from an episode of the Late Show with Stephen Colbert I’d watched a week or so ago.  He did this skit called Late Show Life Hacks.  That got me thinking that I should do something like that.  I thought of two right off the bat.  1) go to bed earlier.  This might sound like a no-brainer but hear me out.
Life Hack! Go to bed early.  I suggest around 11:30.  You may be thinking “but that’s not early”.  Listen, if I go to bed earlier than 11:30, I lay there for a bit.  It’s quite possible I’m still pretty awake.  I used to be a night-owl.  You think 11:30 sounds late? Try 1:30 am (2 am on weekends).  Yes, that’s what I used to do when I was younger.  Why? I have absolutely no idea.  It’s not so much that there’s anything good on television.  If you turn in at about 11:30 you’ll get more sleep(obviously).  You’ll be more rested for the day ahead.  There are a few things I like to do to prepare for sleep, if you will. And, nothing good happens after midnight. 
Life Hack! Read before bed.  Whether it’s a little bit of a book you’ve been reading or a nightly devotional, you maybe feel a little better or more knowledgeable.  Life hack! Say a prayer.  Okay, if you don’t believe and would rather skip this, you can.  These are just suggestions.  They’re not hard and fast rules.  This is just what I do.
Life Hack! Keep light out of your room at night.  Turn the laptop off.  I usually shut mine down about 10-20 minutes before bedtime.  Here’s a new Life Hack that I’ve recently implemented.  I believe I was watching GMA.  Turn your phone face-down.  That way, if you get a late-night text or alert from twitter or whatever, the display light won’t wake you up.  Most things can wait until morning.  It really helps! I can’t tell you how many times in the past year I’ve been awakened by my display lighting up.  You really do sleep better, truly.  You could just get it out of your room altogether.
Life Hack! Don’t watch television in your room at night.  I do have one in my room but it’s basically on an hour a day-GMA on weekdays and CBS Sunday Morning on, well, Sunday mornings.  Years ago, before the advent of the digital converter box, I had a PlayStation in my room.  If you are a gamer, have a room solely for your console ala Frank Underwood(House of Cards plug). 
Before I leave you this week, hoping these life hacks have been helpful, a little plug of my own.  Last week, I had the opportunity to take photos for friends of mine who have started a fashion blog.  Their website is http://sokystylediaries.com.