If you work with raw data on a daily basis, you are probably more than familiar with Microsoft Excel. But do you really know how to use Excel to its fullest extent? My goal is to be a master of efficiency, and many of Excel’s native features allow me to achieve that and are only a click away.
I would like to make a habit out of posting Excel tips, so if this first installation seems rudimentary to you (it is Excel 101, after all), make sure you check back for more advanced tips over time. But don’t run off too fast, even Excel 101 might teach you a thing or two.
Continue reading “Excel 101: 4 Tricks Everyone Should Know”
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Lately I have been having a difficult time falling asleep. It takes me anywhere from 1-3 hours to actually fall asleep and I cannot figure out how to force myself to sleep any sooner. This has been going on consistently for about a month now, maybe more. Because of this I have had plenty of time to test different solutions I’ve read online, but to no avail. Some of the techniques I have tried are:
- Opening the windows. Apparently being a bit cold is supposed to trigger sleep functions in our brain. I always sleep with the windows open, so this didn’t help.
- Work out sooner/later than normal. Some people say you shouldn’t work out right before bed, some think it wears you out so you sleep better. I find neither to be helpful.
- While laying in bed, tense up the muscles in your body. Tensing the muscles releases something that is supposed to physically calm you. Again, no luck here.
- Count sheep. It isn’t a rare occasion when 1000+ sheep have jumped over my fence. Actually, most of the time I get to about 100 and then my mind wanders elsewhere so I have to start all over. Hrm.
- Think about relaxing different parts of your body, one at a time. This sometimes helps a bit, but only after I’ve been laying in bed for at least an hour, so I don’t consider this a solution.
- Take time before you go to sleep to think about everything on your mind so you do not stress over it while you are trying to fall asleep. What I think about while trying to fall asleep is the most random string of thoughts imaginable. It seems impossible to clear my mind.
The list is longer, but I think you get the idea. I’m not sure what to do here, and my lack of good sleep is starting to add up. I am against the idea of taking any kind of sleeping pills or putting any other kind of relaxants (see: alcohol) into my body to help me sleep. Even if they aren’t physically habit-forming, I know I will not be able to sleep without them if I feel they are my only solution.
So, helpful readers of automaticable, do you have any suggestions for me? Have you had sleeping problems that you were able to solve? What are your creative ways of calming your mind and body so you can sleep during the nights?
