Posts Tagged ‘time management’

Alarm Clocks And Collaboration On Line

October 21st, 2010 by Owen Jones

Have you ever purchased an item of equipment that you thought would come in very useful only to leave it lying around for months because you could not figure out how to set it up? Or not set all the features up, because it would have cost hours to read through the handbook, which looked as if it had been translated by a machine anyway?

Most people have experienced the situation at some time or another. I had an alarm clock once that had dozens of features like waking me up at diverse times on the weekend to during the week and randomly selecting a radio channel every day to wake me up. It also had a feature with which I could train it to understand some voice commands, but I could not be bothered with all that.

I just wanted it to wake me up whenever I set it. Video recorders are similar devices. How many times do you hear of individuals setting their video recorder to record a film only to get a soap opera on another channel? It used to occur a lot, didn’t it?

The aspect that I am getting at here is that the designers of these instruments have been told to put as many functions as possible into them up to a price in order to be all things to all people. However, in making their machines so convoluted, a lot of people decide not to bother using them at all and will avoid that make in the future, which is the exact opposite of what the manufacturers wanted.

The next time you go out looking for some electrical implement, you will say to yourself: “Oh, So-And-So, you need a degree to use one by So-And-So. I’m not getting one of theirs”.

So how can this affect you? Well, if you have to organize anything that you want others to take part in or be animated about, try not to make it excessively complex. I am not saying ‘dumb-down’, just don’t show off by putting all the bells and whistles on it simply to show that you can do that. People will not thank you for it, they will ignore your project.

This has a great deal of implications for on line projects where individuals can be hundreds of miles apart but still be collaborating on a joint development from home. Open source programming is a good example of this type of work. The team leaders should keep everything as simple as possible if they want the utmost co-operation.

One technique that you can use to test to see if your venture is being understood is to ask. It sounds obvious and it should be, but a lot of team leaders will not ask because they think that it makes them look weak and unknowledgeable. Again, in fact, the opposite is the case. A good team leader is not a tyrant; a good team leader is a good organizer and is considerate.

Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on a range of subjects, but is currently concerned with Bose alarm clocks. If you would like to kcurrently more, please go to our website at Bose Digital Radio.

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Why Choosing The Right Ironing Board Is Important

July 23rd, 2010 by Hamish Hayward

An ironing board is, without doubt, a mundane item of household equipment to which the majority of people give very little thought. However, it is an essential item for any household and, if you choose the wrong one, then you might end up with badly pressed garments, take more time than you need to when ironing and even put unnecessary strain on your back.

Most people today use steam irons – or even steam generator irons, which are becoming ever more popular. In this case you definitely want to get an ironing board which has a mesh construction. This allows the steam to pass through the fabric of the garment being ironed, through the cover of the ironing board and through the top of the board itself. It helps to prevent the ironing board cover becoming soggy due to condensation after a few garments have been ironed.

The ironing board cover should be as smooth as possible to make ironing easier. It should be well secured and have no tendency to slip. An elasticated cover which incorporates one or two cross ties will usually suffice and will not slide around on you when you’re doing your ironing. A nice shiny metalised cover will also reflect heat from the iron back into the garment and will help to remove creases from the underside of the material whilst the top surface is being pressed.

The shape and size of the board will depend upon what you generally iron. A smaller board may be easier to manipulate and store – but it will generally require more repositioning of the item being ironed. A good taper on the pointed end will be useful for getting into corners – the shoulders of shirts and blouses for example – and will also be good for collars.

Height adjustable scissor action legs are pretty standard these days. Make sure the range of height adjustment is suitable for you and set the board at a height which doesn’t cause you any pain or discomfort in your back, neck or shoulders. If you prefer to iron sitting down (many people do) then it’s a good idea to choose a board which has curved legs. That way your knees won’t bump against the legs when you’re seated. A broad T-piece type of foot, or splayed feet with a connecting bar, will provide a good solid platform for you to iron on.

The support for the iron itself should be sturdy enough to take the weight of the iron. Wire type extension platforms are usually okay for standard steam irons. The extra weight presented by a steam generator iron may mean that a longer board which just features a heat resistant plate on a slightly extended surface is better. Alternatively, the base unit of steam generator irons may be positioned on the floor – as long as the connecting hose between base unit and iron is long enough to permit this.

Ironing is a thankless task at best. Cut it down to size with a Tefal steam generator iron – you’ll be delighted at just how much time you can save.

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Is The Efficiency Of Your Domestic Appliances Influenced By A Hard Water Supply?

July 20th, 2010 by Hamish Hayward

The large majority of households will be fed with a domestic water supply which is defined as “hard water”. This is just a definition which is applied to signify water which has a fairly high concentration of minerals in it. Magnesium and calcium are the two most important minerals. According to the World Health Organisation, there are no health problems associated with hard water supplies – but it can affect the effective operation and lifespan of a variety of different domestic appliances.

As a consequence of hard water, mineral deposits can be laid down in water pipes and a range of household appliances. Household appliances which use hot or boiling water are especially at risk as heating the water frees the minerals it contains which then solidify as “scale”. Coffee makers, kettles, steam irons, dishwashers and washing machines are all prone to this effect – as are household central heating systems and boilers.

There are a number of different variables which influence how much scale is generated. The temperature of the water is one of the strongest influencing factors on this process. More scale is produced at higher temperatures. Running dishwashers and washing machines at a lower temperature setting will reduce the amount of scale produced and help to ensure that these appliances continue to operate efficiently and have an extended working life. Using soaps and detergents which have an anti-scaling agent included will also help.

Using a lower water temperature with appliances such as steam irons, kettles and coffee makers isn’t very practical. Some kettles come with filters built in these days, which can prevent or reduce the incursion of harmful minerals (as well as improving the taste of hot drinks). Some modern irons incorporate specially designed, removable scale traps which make it easy to wash away any scale under a running tap. Other alternatives include periodically cleaning your appliances with special anti-scale chemicals.

Although there are no health problems associated with a hard water supply, many people will dislike the resulting taste of hot drinks or boiled and steamed food. On the other hand, some people actually prefer the taste of tea that is made using hard water to that made using soft water – it is, in the truest sense of the word, a matter of taste. If you don’t like the taste of your hot drinks and food, then you can make use of a water filter. A simple, but effective, jug filter will work – or you could install an under sink or whole house filter if you prefer.

It may seem like an inconvenience, but it’s well worth the effort to counter the effects of a hard water supply. In addition to the improved operational efficiency of your domestic appliances, use of the correct detergents and the selection of a lower operating temperature, combined with scale removal from time to time, will save you money by extending the life of your appliances.

Discover how you can cut your ironing time by fifty percent by using a Tefal steam generator iron – it’s a lot faster and the end result is better as well

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How To Choose A Steam Generator Iron

July 12th, 2010 by Hamish Hayward

On the face of it, steam generator irons and traditional steam irons appear to be pretty similar. However, steam generator irons have a different construction and a different mode of operation. They use a larger base unit as both water tank and boiler – unlike a traditional steam iron there is no water in the body of the iron itself. Steam generated in the base unit is supplied to the body of the iron via a hollow tube.

As a rule, steam generator irons cost a little bit more than conventional steam irons – but they offer the user a number of advantages. It’s worth taking a few moments to review the important points before you decide which iron is right for you. The main items to consider when making a comparison of different steam generator irons are the steam pressure, the water reservoir capacity, the soleplate, ease of cleaning and overall usability.

STEAM PRESSURE: The steam causes heat and moisture to penetrate the fabric of the garment being ironed. This makes it more flexible and facilitates the removal of creases and wrinkles. The greater the pressure of the steam, the deeper it penetrates the garment being pressed and the better the finished result will be.

As a rule, steam generator irons will have their output capacity noted in terms of grams of steam per minute (g/min). The higher this number is, the more steam is produced and the easier (and faster) it will be to use the iron. Typical values will range from 70 to 140 grams per minute.

You will also see some irons with their steam pressure quoted in bar. Again, the higher this number is, the more steam that will be produced and the better the finished results will be.

CAPACITY OF THE WATER RESERVOIR: As a rule, steam generator irons tend to have a well sized water tank. This means that you will be able to iron for quite some time before you need to refill it. The exact time will vary according to the type of fabric that you are ironing – but a 1.4 litre tank should be fine for at least two hours of ironing.

If you do a good deal of ironing then you may wish to consider getting one of the larger tanks available. If you have an ironing board which is relatively small, then you might want to make sure that the tube which connects the reservoir to the iron is long enough for you to work with the base unit positioned on the floor rather than on the ironing board itself.

Consider also how easy filling the reservoir is. A lot of the better steam generator irons come with water reservoirs which are detachable, and this makes topping up a lot easier. It’s certainly better than fussing about with jugs of water. Other irons have the option of topping up the reservoir whilst the iron is being used – avoiding the need to disconnect it and then having to wait for it to heat up again after being refilled.

THE SOLEPLATE: The design and material of the soleplate should be such that it glides smoothly across the surface of a variety of different fabrics. It should be durable, scratch resistant and easy to clean. Soleplates with ceramic coatings are very popular these days and are always a good choice.

EASE OF CLEANING: Most modern irons, whether standard steam irons or steam generator irons, use plain old tap water. Depending upon the water supply in your area, this will usually contain a number of different mineral – including both magnesium and calcium. This can cause scale deposits which will reduce the efficiency of your iron if left untreated.

If your house is in a hard water area, then you will definitely want to go for an iron which has some type of anti-scale system. Some iron use a special detachable anti-scale cartridge – others use water to loosen the scale and then flush it out.

USABILITY: As already discussed, you may find it preferable for your iron to be positioned on the floor rather than on the board – which needs a long enough hose connection.

Most people will find a removable water tank to be a convenient feature.

Other features, which may be appealing, include fast heat up systems, easy clean soleplates, auto-rewind power cords etc.

SUMMARY: Be sure to choose a high enough steam pressure for your requirements. Select a water reservoir which is large enough so that you don’t need to keep stopping in order to top it up. Ensure that the soleplate is of a suitable material and design. If you live in a hard water area, make sure that some anti-scaling system is incorporated.

Cut your ironing time in half with a Tefal steam generator iron – you’ll wonder how you managed without one.

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What To Look For In A Steam Generator Iron

June 28th, 2010 by Hamish Hayward

For most people, ironing is considered to be a necessary evil. It’s a thankless – and seemingly never ending – task. Watching TV or listening to music can reduce the boredom a little – but it’s still a less than appealing household chore which few enjoy. Any method of minimising the amount of time devoted to ironing would be welcome in the majority of households.

Of course, you could send your clothes to the dry cleaners – or even employ a maid. There are even professional ironers who will pick up your freshly washed clothes and return them crisply pressed should you wish. However, these are all rather expensive options.

Thankfully, there is a way to make use of modern technology to cut the amount of time that you spend ironing – simply by using a different type of iron. A steam generator iron looks quite similar to a conventional steam iron at first glance – but it has a different construction, which offers a number of benefits.

Steam generator irons, unlike traditional steam irons, contain no water in the iron itself. They have a large base unit which doubles as both heater and water reservoir and they produce a lot more steam – at a higher pressure – than a standard iron.

The steam is fed to the iron using a hollow connecting hose and, because it is at high pressure, it penetrates deep into the fabric of the garment being pressed. This makes it easier – and faster – to iron. The fact that there is no water in the iron also means that it is lighter and easier to use. The net result is an improvement in the quality of the finished garment and a reduction in the amount of time spent ironing. Most users report a reduction in ironing time of around about 50%.

Be sure to pick an iron with a high steam pressure – a value between 4.5 and 5.0 bar is best. You may also see irons whose capacity is stated in grams of steam per minute (gpm) – in which case you will probably want to pick one with an output of somewhere between 70 and 120 gpm.

The water tank size is another important consideration. You don’t want to have to keep stopping to refill the reservoir with water. Some irons feature a removable water reservoir to ease filling – others have the facility to top up even when the iron is in use, and this avoids any waiting for the iron to heat up again.

Other factors to consider include the length of the connecting hose between the base unit and the iron, the material of the soleplate, the ease of use and the inclusion of some form of anti-scale system.

Steam generator irons do cost a little more than standard irons. However, considering that they can cut the time you spend ironing in half – whilst simultaneously giving a better quality end result – they really do represent great value for money.

Discover how you can cut your ironing time in half by using a Tefal steam generator iron – it’s a lot quicker and the end result is better as well

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