Much has been said about monitoring screen time and restricting smartphone usage to the minimum. However, the judicious use of mobile phones is associated with incredible convenience and several benefits. Besides ensuring hassle-free communication, they facilitate essential daily activities, from shopping to entertainment and on-the-go research. Consequently, life without mobiles is impossible to fathom. That said, you must follow a few healthy phone habits to make the best of your gadget. Set reminders to perform healthy daily habits You can use your smartphone to remind yourself to perform the essential tasks that are easy to miss on busy workdays. For example, you may set reminders to drink water at fixed intervals, apply sunscreen in the mornings, take breaks from work to walk about and stretch, or have meals on time. Such habits can help you establish a healthy routine and allocate time for personal well-being. Track screen time Mobile phones now have software that help you track how much time you spend with your gadgets. You can even track how much time you spend on individual apps. Moreover, apps like Facebook and Instagram have settings that let you lock them automatically after browsing them for a fixed period each day. Such settings prevent phone overuse while ensuring you enjoy the gadget's benefits and features. Use fitness apps Today, there is an influx of fitness apps with built-in features that help you with everything, from calorie counting and meal planning to setting an exercise routine and getting started with different workouts. Such apps help incorporate health and wellness activities into everyday life and prevent potential lifestyle diseases like cholesterol and heart problems. Use apps for mental health and meditation The importance of mental health and well-being cannot be emphasized enough. With increasing awareness of the need for good mental health, several apps have emerged to help individuals take a breather from their hectic schedules and follow essential mental practices. For example, several apps have guided meditation audio and mood trackers to help you boost your emotional and mental well-being. Such apps can also ensure better sleep and lower stress levels. Integrate your smartwatch with your phone Gone are the days when watches were used only to tell the time. Today, they help people track fitness parameters, such as their average daily number of steps, sleep duration and quality, and heart rate. Such features help you ensure optimal physical fitness and track abnormalities like irregular heartbeat, ensuring a doctor is promptly consulted in such cases. Capture the little moments Life is full of precious little moments, which most of us often overlook amid the hustle and bustle of daily life. The market has many smartphones with exceptional camera features and lenses, which you can use to capture these little moments, creating a vibrant album of precious memories. Indulging in nature photography, clicking pictures with family and friends, and capturing the places you visit (even the local ones) are just some ways to utilize the camera feature of your smartphone. Video call loved ones regularly Interacting with loved ones over the phone is not restricted to audio calls. FaceTime, Duo, and other apps have facilitated undisturbed video calling, bringing individuals from different corners of the world face-to-face. So, make connecting with family members and friends over video calls a part of your daily routine. Such calls can help you stay in touch with your loved ones far away, ensuring fruitful relationships. Download brain games Brain games have been shown to enhance cognitive function and reduce the risk of mental health conditions like dementia. Both Android and iOS users can download and play brain games like Sudoku, crossword puzzles, chess, and checkers. Many websites also offer innovative and fun brain games that broaden your horizons. It helps to use these resources on your phone to challenge yourself and boost your problem-solving capability. Use the phone to manage your finances Managing multiple bank accounts and tracking your transactions can be a hassle. The good news is that mobile phone users can now integrate their bank accounts using banking apps for easy monitoring. These apps can also help you carry out various financial activities, including payment transfers, credit-card bill payments, increasing card limits, activating card features, and electricity and phone bill payments. Online payment apps also offer gift vouchers, cashback, and several other perks, motivating you to continue using these apps. Use note-taking apps effectively Note-taking apps can prove helpful in carrying out several everyday tasks, such as preparing grocery and to-do lists and maintaining a diary. Specialized note-taking apps also have advanced features like adding pictures and videos to your notes, fostering creativity. Compare different note-taking apps and download the one you like. Nowadays, most phones come with a built-in note-taking app, so ensure you try that before downloading another option. Besides incorporating these healthy phone habits into your routine, avoiding certain practices, such as using the phone just before sleeping and not using the "dark" mode while viewing the phone at night, is vital. While giving up such habits can be challenging in the initial phase, it proves incredibly beneficial in the long run.

A home loan, or a home equity loan, is the fixed lump sum amount borrowed against your home’s built-up equity. The lenders allow you to borrow 85 percent of the home’s equity. The usual repayment period is between 5-30 years, and there is a fixed interest rate applicable. So, let’s find out who are the best providers of home equity loans.  PenFed Credit Union PenFed has been in the running for over eight decades and has an open charter. This implies that there is zero military affiliation needed. For joining, you will have to open and maintain a savings account with a minimum of $5. Residents of all 50 states can avail themselves of their home loans facility. Some of the loans that you can seek are VA mortgage, jumbo, and fixed conventional loans, along with refinancing and home equity loans. Your minimum credit score should be 700.  Bank of America This lender offers conventional loans, Federal Housing Administration, jumbo, Department of Veterans Affairs, mortgage refinancing, and home equity lines of credit. The maximum loan amount that you can avail of is $2.5 million. For qualifying Merrill Lynch and Bank of America clients, the bank provides origination fee discounts. Discover Home Loans Discover Home loan is renowned for its transparency when it comes to the fee on home equity loans. Interest rates are fixed and are usually within the range of 3.99-8.99 percent for first liens and 11.99 percent for second liens. To apply for a loan with Discover home, you must have substantial equity in your home and a good credit score.  Regions Bank When subscribed to autopay, Regions Bank provides you with home equity loans starting at 3 percent APR. You get loans at a fixed interest rate and zero closing cost. You can get the loans for a term of 7, 10, 15, or 20 years. A line of credit for this home equity loan is available at an introductory rate of 0.99 percent for the initial six months. After the introductory period, the interest ranges from 3.75 percent to 10.75 percent.  PNC Bank Residents from all 50 states can avail of this firm’s services. At present, PNC serves over eight million customers and can provide you with all kinds of mortgages, such as FHA, ARM, home equity line of credit, fixed-rate, medical professional mortgage program, USDA, PNC Community, refinancing, jumbo, and VA.  

If you have been waiting to buy an Amazon Fire tablet, now is the best time to do so. The budget tablet is cheaper than ever before. This makes the Fire tablet one of the cheapest tablets available at present which is a deal worth considering. The Fire tablet is no way comparable to the iPad's functionality, but it is a fantastic device for your everyday needs. It makes a perfect birthday gift for your children, with its rugged build and high level of parental controls. So, pick up the Fire tablet for yourself or for your loved ones. You may ask what makes the Fire tablet so special. This tablet is loaded with features. Amazon is known for offering a world-class shopping experience; but also for their e-reading devices and tablets. Previously known as the Amazon Kindle Fire, the Fire tablet has 16 GB storage and powerful battery backup. Here is a detailed breakdown of each aspects of the Fire tablet. Overall performance When the tablet was launched, it had an 8 GB of storage and there was a micro SD slot through which you could improve the storage. This was a handy device, particularly if you inserted a 32 GB memory card. But now, you can buy the Fire tablet with in-built 16GB storage which is enough for light usage and browsing online. Loading new apps takes no more than a few seconds and it is smooth while using different apps and switching between them. The Fire tablet also offers more than 8 hours of video playback. Design Besides offering a powerful battery and extensive storage, you can get the tablet in blue, magenta, and tangerine colors. These colors are bright and they look fantastic. This plays an important role if you have chosen to buy the Fire tablet for children. The back panel has a matte finish which is preferable to the gloss which is prone to fingerprints and scratches. Camera and display Given its cheap price point, you cannot expect the device to have an amazing screen. But the 59.3 percent RGB coverage is going to surprise you with its high performance of color display. The images and videos have an amazing amount of depth and accuracy. The rear camera is 2-megapixel and the sensor is perfect for taking snaps in broad daylight. There is also an HDR mode but it takes about a second to capture images. There is no flash, which is understandable if you consider the low price point. You will have to rely on natural light while shooting indoors. These few features make the Fire tablet a perfect purchase. If you had been looking for a tablet for quite some time, this is the best option to invest in.

When you introduce yourself to somebody for the first time, you make sure you look and smell good. Hence, the first thing you need to do is to have a great smile, which can only be achieved with healthy teeth and good oral hygiene. Bad, stinky breath is the result of bad bacteria stored inside your mouth, which concludes to a morning disaster. So how do you know that the process of daily mouth cleaning you are following is correct or not? Well, to be on a safer side, you can use an antibacterial mouthwash twice a day. If you delve deeper, you will realize that not only bad breath, but also gum problems are one of the primary concerns faced by most people. Periodontitis is one of the gum problems that most people face. It is a disease where bacteria grow inside the mouth, and if it is not treated properly, it destructs the tissues around the teeth, thereby causing weak teeth. Gingivitis is another gum problem, which causes gums to turn red, swollen and bleed easily. It happens due to inadequate oral hygiene. To overcome such issues, you need to find out the do's and don'ts for oral health, and even use a mouthwash for gums. Knowing about them in detail will help you to prevent any future dental issues. Tips for selecting a proper toothbrush A toothbrush that is half-inch wide and one-inch tall is the easiest to use for everyone. When it comes to bristles, the soft-bristled toothbrushes are the safest and most comfortable ones. Antibacterial mouthwashes An antibacterial mouthwash is often prescribed by dentists to reduce microbes in the mouth that cause gingivitis. Some versions of these mouthwashes use high alcohol content instead of antibiotics and hence, have more an antiseptic effect. While most of these oral drugs are safe, side effects can also occur. Antiseptic non-prescription rinses are available for those without serious conditions and who wish to avoid alcohol. You can even use an antibacterial mouthwashes to treat cough. The menthol content in most mouthwashes helps to treat an inflamed throat. Not only that, the antibacterial ingredients present in these mouthwashes disinfect the bacterial buildup that occurs in the throat area. Hence, on rinsing your mouth with a mouthwash, you get instant relief in case of cough. Expert advice According to experts, for problems like gum bleeding, bad breath and plaque, people should go for an antiseptic mouthwash. Many people make their own mouthwash for gums at home with bleach or hydrogen peroxide. However, this is considered harmful as hydrogen burns the gums and tissues, whereas the bleach not only kills the bad germs, but also the good ones. Coconut oil is a better alternative for swishing. In a nutshell, brush your teeth every morning for at least two minutes, floss them for about one minute, followed by 30 seconds of swish using a standard mouthwash.

If you are planning to construct a warehouse, workshop, barn, a church, home, or a garage, you will probably need a to hire a steel building company that would build the place for you. There are different steel buildings like General Steel, Olympia Steel Buildings, Curvco Steel Buildings, Armstrong Steel, and more that you can choose from. When it comes to choosing, there are many different factors that you can consider before you hire anyone steel building company. Types of buildings offered by the steel company The type of buildings a company offers to build is an important factor to consider. Most steel building companies specialize in size, function, and custom construction. Depending on your personal or business requirement, you can choose the company that specializes in the type of building you want to construct. Customer service When you are buying a steel building, you will need assistance in the purchase and choosing specifications, and during and after assembling the building. It is important for the steel building company to be available to their customers whenever they need assistance. Therefore, while choosing a steel building company, you can check if they have support available online, through telephone and in-person. The range of services offered While most steel building companies primarily manufacture and sell steel components, they also offer other services that include building components, finished structure, and other additional services like custom design and temporary building rentals. Therefore, looking for a steel building company that also offers other services can be useful for you. Certification Most steel companies get a certification that certifies the quality of their products; therefore, you can choose the ones that have either of these three certifications.

• Metal Building Manufacturers Association
• American Institute of Steel Construction and
• LEED certification

Building materials use There are different materials that steel building companies use for the exterior envelope of the building. These materials are heavy-gauge steel, alloy-coated steel, and recycled content steel. Each material has its own pros and cons, therefore, only upon assessing them you can choose the steel building company. Engineering capabilities Each steel building company has its own technical ability for the designs they make. Some companies have engineers as consultants for manufacturing components while others have a staff of engineers that verify specifications and custom designs. As per your requirement, you can choose between the types of engineering capabilities of different steel companies.