Author: Cartez

8 Great Computer Programming Books
These computer programming books may help you take your programming to the next level. The topics in these books range from traditional programming to learning advanced algorithms. All the books mentioned in this article are popular with the programming community for providing in-depth documentation for beginners and intermediate programmers.

Since computer programming is how programmers are able to teach computers how to do things. Programming is the way of creating a set of instructions or rules for computer applications to follow. These instructions are often referred to as code; so when programmers are coding, they are creating solutions for the tasks or problems that the computer application was designed to solve.

Computer programmers are the reason we have so many cool tech-related gadgets in the world today. Many of them are self-taught geniuses that simply picked up a programming book and started creating.

Below are a few of the books that helped many programmers get started. Look at our pick of highly-rated computer programming books to see why they are recommended.

1. Concrete Mathematics: A Foundation for Computer Science

The book, Concrete Mathematics, takes the reader through introductory topics in mathematics used for the analysis of algorithms and advanced computer programming. The famous author of this book aims to give the reader a solid foundation in mathematics for solving complex equations, evaluating massive data, and detecting elusive trends in big data. In fact, the authors also make reference to this book in their professional endeavors. This book is a valuable resource for computer scientists and any discipline that makes use of mathematical methods.

2. Code: The Hidden Language of Computer Hardware and Software

CODE presents a user with creative ways of using language and opens a new frontier in the way we communicate with one another. CODE is the work of geniuses who make use of cutting-edge technology to create inventions that cater to the natural needs of humans to communicate.

The author makes use of the objects and language systems we are already familiar with such as Braille and Morse code to create this informative narrative. This computer science book delves into the in-depth explanations of the secrets and workings of computers and other smart devices used for communication in the 21st century.

3. Code Complete: A Practical Handbook of Software Construction

The first release of CODE COMPLETE by Steve McConnell has been helpful for application developers who create useful software since its release over a decade ago. The latest version of this book contains essential revisions and updates regarding the leading-edge practices for application development. The reader can access hundreds of new code samples that explain the entire procedures of application development. This computer science book is a repository of the knowledge base from research, academia, and the world of commercial software development.

Steve McConnell explains effective techniques and critical programming principles in a practical guide, using easy-to-understand language. This book will elevate your programming skills, stimulate your thinking, and allow you to write quality codes irrespective of your experience level or application development platform. You will discover various programming techniques that help you to achieve the following:
- Increase your creativity and minimize the complexity of your codes,
- Leverage collaborative development techniques in your development projects, and
- Make use of defensive programming techniques that proactively eliminate bugs from your codes.
4. Introduction to Algorithms

This book starts by helping the user develop the mathematical foundation required for the analysis of algorithms, and applies the skills in solving various problems throughout the book. The user can leverage the tools designed in the early chapters to perform multiple tasks such as data sorting, data structuring, graphs, string algorithms, computational geometry, Fast Fourier Transformations (FFT), parallel models for computations, and many more.

The reader will find the extensive encyclopedic range, down-to-earth exposition, and many important analyses in the book invaluable for elevating programming skills. One of the best resources within this computer science book is the Pseudo-code explanation of algorithms and the proof of their accuracy. The user gains insight into necessary tools useful for the evaluation of the performance of algorithms.

5. The Design of Everyday Things

Have you ever wondered how excellent, usable designs are made? The Design of Everyday Things shows you how to go about creating great designs. The author explains the simple principles of making great designs such as intelligent constraints, using natural relationships, and the use of functions and control. The end result is to guide the user to take the appropriate action, at the right time, using the proper control.

Taking inference from this enlightening book, the author explained that the fault is often not with the user but with the product design that neither factors the needs of the user nor the principles of cognitive psychology into the design. Many of the problems include hidden controls, inconsistent relationships between the controls and functions, the absence of feedback mechanisms, and unreasonable demands for the user to memorize functions.

6. Compilers: Principles, Techniques, and Tools

When it comes to compiler designs, no other computer science book gives a practical introduction as The Compiler Principles Techniques by Alfred Aho. The reader can gain insights into fine state machines, context-free grammar, and syntax-directed translation.

7. C Programming Language

This computer science book provides an in-depth guide to the ANSI standard C language programming. The latest edition is a complete rewrite with many additional examples and problem sets used to explain how to implement various language constructs. Over the years, K&R has helped C programmers develop well-structured and efficient programs. Developers working with ANSI compilers can take advantage of this same guide also. This book covers the details of the C language and the official C language reference manual. The user can get instant help with ANSI changes, syntax, declarations, scope rules, and many more.

8. Essentials of Programming Languages

This book gives the student deep insight into the fundamental concepts of programming languages. Most of the necessary information in this book relates to the meaning of programming elements, and the use of interpreters to explain various language elements and the way they work practically. The approach of this book teaches the theory and gives the reader the privilege to practice coding also. The practical approach allows the user to view programming languages from various levels of abstraction while maintaining a connection between the high-level and low-level views.

The MIT Press website contains the complete Scheme codes for all interpreters and analyzers in this computer science book. Moreover, every chapter in this latest edition has been revised, and many additional exercises have been added. This new edition contains extensive revisions which include additional chapters on modules and continuation-passing style. This book is useful for both graduate and undergraduate courses and is also valuable for self-learning to enhance programming skills.

Conclusion

These programming books are the best investment for most programming students. We hope our best computer programming books list will help guide you in your future computer programming career. And if you’re more into web development languages then check out these Javascript books.
April 24, 2022
35 Awesome Black Podcasters
Podcasting is fast gaining listenership in the past years, and many podcasters are finding it both enjoyable and lucrative to begin podcasting. In fact, the podcast industry is expected to generate over $2 billion by 2025.

Several companies like Google and Spotify are looking to get more involved in podcasting than they already are. Platforms like Anchor FM and Soundtrap have tools that help podcasters create content, edit, and distribute their podcasts in a few easy steps. Besides the commercial and marketing angle of podcasting, many people are turning to podcast listening as a way of learning, self-development, entertainment, and even therapy.
Black Podcasters Index
Podcasting While Black

With tons of podcasts centered on various topics, millions of people have made listening to podcasts a favorite pastime. If you love listening to podcasts and you appreciate content by black podcasters, there are as many podcasts you should be listening to right now. These podcasts cover areas like money and finance, body and mind consciousness, relationship, gender-based content, and many other areas.

Here is a list of black podcasts you may want to search for and support.

Black Business Podcasters

These black business podcasts are here to educate their listeners about new entrepreneurship, real leadership, and making money.

Confessions of a Werkaholic by Koereyelle: This weekly podcast explores the lives of great female entrepreneurs and shares the secrets behind their successes. If you are looking to catch some motivation from successful female entrepreneurs, this is the podcast you should check out.

Black Women About Business by Demarra Gardner: This podcast is focused on leadership, entrepreneurship, business, and wellness. The podcast got onto the scene in 2018 but has made its way up the list of best entrepreneurial podcasts for black females. This 20 minutes podcast delivers all the information a black businesswoman should know.

Side Hustle Pro by Nicaila Matthews Okome: This podcast focuses on the lives and businesses of women who have built their side hustles into large successful companies. Listeners can get information about the perfect and practical strategies they need to develop their young businesses into empires in no time.

Spiritpreneur School by Abiola Abrams: A creative blend of soul searching and entrepreneurship is what listeners of this podcast stand to gain. Abiola, who is an author and empowerment coach, is passionate about helping people who are connected to their business by heart to succeed in their endeavors. This podcast highlights how entrepreneurs can use the law of attraction and healing to establish and build successful businesses.

Girl C.E.O. Podcast by Ronne Brown: Ronne Brown extends her C.E.O. community with this podcast that teaches and supports women in business. This podcast helps women honestly assess their limitations, learn about their lives and business, and have fun while at it. Ronne has fantastic guests every week who talk about the girl C.E.O. life and teach many things women should know.

Courtney Sanders Show: Previously called the Think and Grow Chick Podcast, Courtney talks about entrepreneurship, finance management, personal growth, spirituality, and other motivational topics to get listeners gingered towards achieving their goals on the Courtney Sander Show.

Black Finance Podcasters

These black finance podcasts will have discussions about growing your savings, managing your debt, achieving wealth, and more.

Your Money, Your Life by Alfred Edmond Jr.: This podcast centers on the financial lifestyles from how to handle your finance, manage your debt and understand the psychological relationship between you and your finances.

Clever Girls Know by Bola Sokunbi: Financial education and wealth-building are the focus of this podcast. The host teaches women how to handle savings, prevent or get out of debt, build, and maintain their wealth. If you are seeking information on how to manage your funds or build wealth, this podcast is a must-listen for you.

Black Mental Health Podcasters

These black mental health podcasts will help you learn more about self-care, personal development, and managing mental health.

Affirm by Atatiana Jefferson: Mental health, wellness, and wholeness are the focus of this biweekly podcast for women of color. It teaches listeners to value their mental health and achieve wholeness by building and affirming their worth.

Balanced Black Girl by Lestraundra Alfred: This podcast focuses on women of color and discusses facts about achieving wellness, best self-care tips, and a full dose of female self-development. The podcast host has guests over frequently to hold engaging discussions about happiness for women of color, and healthy lifestyle development.

H.E.R. Space by Terri Lomax and Dr. Dominique Broussard: The H.E.R. in this podcast’s name represents healing, empowerment, and resilience, and it focuses on the female gender. Women can have uplifting and meaningful conversations on everything that concerns women, ranging from health to business, and friendships.

Therapy for Black Girls by Joy Harden Bradford: This weekly podcast focuses on personal development and mental health. The host of this podcast is a licensed psychologist, so listeners can expect to get professional advice, news, trends, and mental health information.
Listeners can also get helpful tips about their mental and personal health, and get answers to their questions.

Gettin’ Grown by Keia and Jade: The two hosts are in their thirties and living their adult lives with vigor. Every week, they discuss a lot of topics about black women’s lives, hobbies, pet peeves, self-care, and everything about female development.

Happy Black Woman Podcast by Rosetta Thurman: This podcast is for every ambitious black woman who is unapologetic about wanting to win at everything without any second-guessing. Rosetta encourages and empowers in this podcast focused on personal development. She lets women know that they can have it all if they want to. She regularly interviews powerful and successful black women who have gained freedom in all areas of their lives and are living happy lives.

The Friend Zone by Assante, Dustin Ross, and Francheska Medina: These three friends discuss their life experiences in this weekly podcast where they provide listeners with relevant information and resources.
The hosts of this podcast often beam their searchlight on mental health and help listeners learn about how to make the best of their daily experiences.

Black Lifestyle Podcasters

These black lifestyle podcasts may talk about anything from fun topics, pop culture, goals, adulthood, and a splash of politics.

Black Girl Podcast by Gia Peppers, Scottie Beam: The beautiful hosts of this podcast take ladies on an exciting listening journey as they discuss everything from love to dreams, sisterhood and friendship, growth, and pop culture.

Reid This Reid That by Jacque Reid and Joy-Ann Reid: Two cousins who are journalists host this podcast where they talk about fun topics that concern ladies. From pop culture to black girl magic, and even politics, listeners can keep abreast of recent happenings while having fun.

Hey Jason by Jason Rosario: This platform is run by the host of the Yahoo News series and founder of The Lives of Men. The podcast creates an avenue for men to discuss everything that concerns manhood. Black men can get into an engaging discussion about masculinity and the black man’s life and chronicles.

Halfway Bougie by Courtney Roberts and Perri Furbert: Both hosts talk about all lifestyle topics, including pop culture, life stories, real-life challenges, and situations, including reflective issues. You stand to get a lot of interesting personal stories from the hosts that will get you nodding and laughing at the podcast.

Jemele Hill Is Unbothered by Jemele Hill: Jemele Hill is a culture critic and award-winning journalist who gives his listeners the best of discussions and conversations on lots of issues. She interviews people from every field, including sports, pop culture, politics, news, and other areas. You can be sure of unfiltered discussions and opinions on various topical issues on this podcast.

Jesus & Jollof by Luvvie Ajayi and Yvonne Orji: This podcast talks about everything happening in society, and all the topics you can discuss, including food, success, and listener entertainment. The two Nigerian hosts of this show will keep you glued for your enjoyment.

Rants and Randomness by Luvvie Ajayi: Best-selling NYT author and blogger Luvvie Ajayi is the host of this belly-cracking podcast where she rants and raves about everything that concerns pop culture and society. Luvvie likes to call herself a professional troublemaker and a side-eye sorceress. You will find out why when you listen to her episodes. Catch up on her episode on Social media Etiquette while you are at it.

Woman Evolve by Sarah Jakes Roberts: This podcast is a review of the top stories of every week with Sarah, who gives her honest and unapologetic opinion about major entertainment and news stories. Catch up and enjoy her views weekly on this podcast.

The Culture Soup Podcast by Michelle Smith: This podcast is the place where culture, business, and technology meet up. Smith interviews emerging and prominent leaders on popular topics, trending issues, and controversial issues.

The Broomstick Podcast by Natalie Edwards: This podcast covers everything about weddings and marriages for black. It features topics that every black woman looking to get married soon should follow.

Black Inspiration Podcasters

These black inspirational podcasts are with the stories, lessons, and discussions to help empower their listeners.

The Glow Up Podcast by Lené Hypolite: This women empowerment podcast is the answer for women who want to achieve success in every area of their lives. Listeners will Glow up after listening to lots of stories, lessons, and advice about their personal life, career, and finances.

Let Your Voice Be Heard! by Selena Hill: This weekly podcast is hosted and produced by Selena Hill and holds compelling discussions for millennials to empower them in different areas. The award-winning podcast informs, educates, and empowers listeners through discussions on social and political issues, and interviews with successful and influential leaders in various areas of society.

The Minority Trailblazer: This podcast is centered on empowering minorities and supporting minorities who are leading with innovations and blazing a trail in different sectors and industries of the country. You can discover the trailblazers in business, education, entrepreneurship, entertainment, etc. on this podcast.

Introverted Black Girl Podcast: The yet undiscovered host of this podcast opens listeners up to the life and experiences of introverts in a world seemingly made and run by introverts. She talks about pop culture and common society biases in a way that every lady can relate to, whether you are an introvert or not. It is also fun to hear about her daily experiences as a black introvert girl.

The Get My Life Tour by Lydia T. Blanco: This podcast is a tour to getting your life in order. Every episode, which is a stop on tour teaches listeners how to get to the center stage of their lives.
Lydia T. Blanco has a lot of experts on the podcast where they show listeners how to live their best life. You learn how to stand for yourself, build yourself, and show up for yourself.

She’s Got Drive by Shirley McAlpine: Executive coach and business consultant Shirley McAlpine is the host of this podcast that strives to find out what inspires and empowers black women. Shirley has guests over on the podcast where she tries to find out the secret or practices behind their success, the strategies they live by, and how they overcame obstacles they face in their lives and careers.

Revision Path by Maurice Cherry: This podcast showcases black creatives, graphic designers, web designers, and world talents. The weekly podcast features interviews with these creatives where they share ideas about their inspiration, work, their inspirations, and their lives in general.

Black Voice Podcasters

These black voice podcasts find unique ways to discuss all topics, such as history, pop culture, and politics, with their listeners.

The Nod by Brittany Luse and Eric Eddings: This podcast tells interesting, unique, and exclusive stories of blacks and black life. Listeners of this podcast will learn lots of things, even going back into history. The purple drink’s association with black culture and the 1940s story of an interracial drag troupe are some stories featured in their podcasts. The podcast also celebrates the innovation and resilience of Blacks in America and around the globe.

Everyday Black Men by Join Riker, R. Reed, and Armstead: The hosts of this podcast discuss nearly every topic you can think of, giving you the opinions and points of view of three regular black men. From relationships to pop culture, and other black issues, they cover every topic you can think of.

Hella Black Podcast by Delency Parham and Blake Simons: Each episode of this podcast informs and educates listeners on everything black. Whatever concerns black persons, experiences, and the black life gets featured on this podcast.

Black Comedy Podcasters

These black comedy podcasts will keep that smile on your face as their episodes will entertain and educate their listeners with their unique sense of humor.

The Black Guy Who Tips Podcast by Rod and Karen: This podcast is hosted by a married couple who have a fascinating, dark comedy podcast in a semi-political delivery. The show is highly successful and has been mentioned in many famous blogs.

The Read by Crissle West and Kid Fury: This hilarious duo gives a recap of the week’s pop culture events, answer the most entertaining and wildest questions from their readers and listeners, and also celebrates black accomplishments.

Conclusion

Our List of Black Podcasts will never be complete. We want to add more black podcasts to this list. Help us at Blackandise make this grow by emailing us your favorite black podcasters, black bloggers, or black influencers.

Please share this article with your family and friends.

Thanks!
April 1, 2022
Lifestyle Blog Post Ideas

If you think that blogging is easy, you better think again. Just like any kind of venture, blogging requires effort and long hours. Blogging is all about hard work. But, the good news is that you can do something to simplify the process. This is where a lifestyle blog post idea reminder can come in handy. It’s easier to create content when you have your blog post ideas listed beforehand. This blog post idea list will be a great reference for you as you are just getting started with your blogging journey or whenever you experience writer’s block.

Lifestyle Blog Post Ideas

As you already know, all blog posts are different yet many of them are not really that different.

Think of all those blog posts you read in the past. There is a big chance that they were not really that unique from each other as far as format is concerned. You might not have bothered to pay attention since you just focused on what you were reading.

This lack of focus on the format is great news if you are a blogger. This means that whatever your topic might be, a blog post template can make your life so much easier.

Take a look at some of the most popular lifestyle blog post ideas you can use to generate content faster and easier.

Step-By-Step Guides

The step-by-step guide is a blog post template that discusses a series of sequential steps to reach a final goal.

A step-by-step guide is your best choice if you want to teach others how they can do something and this process must be carried out in chronological order.

List Posts

A list post, also popularly called listicles, is a list of techniques, tools, tips, mistakes, myths, or pretty much anything that could be discussed through a list.

These list posts are great if you have non-chronological information that you wish to share with your readers. It means that this is good for anything that doesn’t require a particular order.

Beginner’s Guides

The beginner’s guide is a type of educational resource that provides a complete introduction to a specific topic. This must be written in such a way that is suitable and understandable for beginners or newbies.

If you are thinking of writing a blog post that can serve as an educational resource for novices instead of a step-by-step and actionable guide, the format of a beginner’s guide is your best bet.

Expanded Definitions

The expanded definition explains the real meaning of a concept or thing before delving deeper into more details about it. If you think that your readers will have a hard time following every part of your post, this format will work best for you.

Conclusion

Every blog post template above works best for specific types of content. But, you always have to remember that even though these templates are great to help you get started, know that they might not work for all circumstances.

There are times when it is better to combine elements of one template with those of another to achieve better results.

April 1, 2022
What Do Content Creators Do?
You have surely heard of content creators. But the main question is what do content creators do in the first place?

Content creators are employees (or freelancers) that are in charge of the creation or contribution to the production of different forms of media, most primarily digital media.

Content creators typically create content for a rather specific group of people.

What do content creators do?

Content creators can contribute to almost all types of media to the social media presence of a brand including the following:
- Industry news articles
- Articles and blogs
- Infographics and images
- Podcasts and audio
- Screen captures and videos
- Social media
- Email
The content must fit with the overall strategy of the brand. A professional content creator specializes in the development of performance-based and compelling content that can help the company they are working for to establish their authority, form trust among their target audience, and eventually generate more sales and revenues.

Content creation can come in all sizes and shapes. In reality, the format you use for delivering content is not as important as the information you can deliver through the content.

For those who are planning to create more content for their business, you have several options. You can choose to work with a freelancer, hire someone in-house, or get the help of a professional agency that will deal with content creation on your behalf and help develop a winning strategy for you.

How to find good content creators?

Finding a good content creator that is consistent can be challenging. When evaluating potential options for a content creator, there are several things you have to look for to give you the assurance that you will have a successful content strategy.

A good content creator will have the following:

1. Experience in the industry

Working with agencies or freelancers with sufficient industry experience will most definitely yield better results instead of training one of the staff members merely because they can write decently.

Remember that the process of content creation is already a long-term process in itself so don’t make it even longer by hiring an inexperienced one.

2. Quality craftsmanship

Quality content will always stand out among today’s readers. People would never be interested to read articles that someone put together in 5 minutes. What they need is insightful and original content made by someone who is an expert in the industry.

This is particularly true for business-to-business industries. They need expert-level content and not those basic run-of-the-mill articles.

Always choose to work with and pay someone who can come up with high-quality content. When it comes to content creators, quality is always more important than quantity.

3. Good track record

You should avoid hiring a content creator without a good track record from previous employees or positive feedback from their freelance projects.

Content creators with sufficient experience in the field can provide you with samples of previous content they made to give you a good idea of what they can offer.

Conclusion

What do content creators do? As their name suggests, they create content and not just any content but unique and high-quality content.

This content can be created for websites, blogs, newsletters, podcasts, social media, Youtube, Pinterest, or any place that has a digital footprint.
March 1, 2022
8 Awesome Gaming Laptops
PC gamers love their desktops but the appeal of portability cannot be denied. The ever-increasing processor power in new laptops combined with increased battery life is giving gamers the power they need while on the go. When it comes to the best gaming laptops, you must have the fastest processor with lots of RAM, adequate storage, a high-resolution display, and a reliable keyboard to have a laptop just right for gaming.

We have listed several laptops that meet that criteria.
Awesome Gaming Laptops Index
Note: Blackandise is only a curator for these laptop prices, we have no control over price changes or product availability.

Awesome gaming laptops of 2022

We learned that our audience loves it when we link to the best laptops instead of reading a potentially biased review. Thank you all for the great feedback on Twitter. This list will probably change a little this year because the supply chain has been weird due to the pandemic. This may be the first year without any new and exciting gaming laptops.

Going forward, we will continue with these shorter lists for the best gaming laptop of the year. These laptops listed are powerhouses that can handle almost everything you can throw at them (except heavy machine learning and AI stuff).

We hope you enjoy these top 2022 gaming laptops.
- ASUS Zephyrus G17 for less than $3,100
- MSI GS65 Stealth for less than $3,000
- ASUS ROG Strix Scar 15 for less than $2,800
- Razer Blade 15 for less than $1,700
The runner-up gaming laptop of 2022: Gigabyte AORUS 5

Awesome gaming laptops of 2021

We are taking a different approach this year as we have noticed gaming laptops are keeping things simple and only doing small spec increases. We hope you are able to find the perfect gaming laptop for 2021. These laptops are powerful enough for the professional Twitch streamer. And fast enough for the full-time MOBA all-star!

Check out these laptops below.
- Razer Blade Pro for less than $3,100
- Alienware M17 R3 for less than $2,200
- Razer Blade 15 for less than $1,700
- Dell G3 15 for less than $1,400
The runner-up gaming laptop of 2021: ASUS TUF A15

Awesome gaming laptops of 2019

The Lenovo Legion Y740 is a typical example of Lenovo at its best! This gaming laptop uses the extremely powerful Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060/2080.

This model has large bezels and a sleeker shape. Most of the technologies used on this laptop are innovative. The Dolby Vision HDR which has a 144Hz IPS display and G-Sync that handles adaptive sync protocols are typical examples.

The Lenovo Legion Y740 features include:
- CPU: Intel Core i7-8750H
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2060 Max-Q
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
- Screen: 17.3-inch
- Storage: 1TB HDD + 256GB SSD
- Battery: 76Wh
- Weight: 6.4 pounds
- Ports: USB 3.0, HDMI
Lenovo always manages to tweak typical computer hardware to give the best performance at all times. This brand continues to deliver on quality and design. The runner-up gaming laptop of 2019: Acer Predator Triton

Amazing gaming laptops of 2018

Technology is giving us gamers all the cool PC tech in portable packages. Laptop technology has improved in recent years making the performance of these newly branded gaming laptops on par with their desktop counterparts.

The reason why the Razer Blade 15 emerged at the top of the best gaming laptop list is a no-brainer. The company worked hard to create the ultimate gaming machine.

The Razer Blade 15 features include:
- CPU: Intel Core i7-8750H
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce RTX 2080
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
- Screen: 15.6-inch FHD (1,920 x 1,080) IPS 144Hz
- Storage: 512GB SSD
- Battery: 80Wh
- Weight: 4.63 pounds
- Ports: Thunderbolt 3, HDMI, MiniDP, USB C, Audio/Mic
The Razer Blade 15 has features that gamers love, from the excellent touchpad to the nearly perfect keyboard. The Blade 15 features an innovative cooling system that allows for long and safe gaming sessions. Without exaggerating, the Razer Blade 15 is out of the ordinary. The Razer Blade is one of the best gaming machines available. The runner-up gaming laptop of 2018: MSI GS65 Stealth Thin

Amazing gaming laptops of 2017

Powered by a 5th generation Intel Core i7 processor, the ASUS ROG was the clear winner for gamers in 2017. The ASUS ROG has custom-designed WASD keys to keep your hands steady as you use the keys for your games. Sonic Master and AudioWizard provide excellent sounds that bring an immersive gaming experience to your laptop. The ASUS ROG was designed to be upgradeable and future-proof.

The ASUS ROG features include:
- CPU: Intel Quad-Core i7-6700HQ Processor
- GPU: Nvidia GeForce GTX 960M
- RAM: 16GB DDR4
- Screen: 17.3-in FHD (1,920 x 1,080) IPS 144Hz
- Storage: 1TB HDD
- Battery: 80Wh
- Weight: 6.6 pounds
- Ports: USB C, USB 3.0, HDMI, Mini Display, Audio/Mic
The runner-up gaming laptop of 2017: MSI GE72 Apache Pro-070

Are budget laptops worth it for gaming?

Yes, budget laptops are worth it however there are drawbacks. Budget laptops are very capable of playing many of the popular games if the resolution and graphic settings are using the minimum settings.

Budget laptops for gaming

In our opinion, the best gaming laptops under $1,500 are the laptops listed below.
- Acer Predator Helios 300
- MSI GF75
- Dell G3 15
- ASUS TUF
- Acer Nitro 5
The real reviews from real gamers prove that the 5 devices above are reliable gaming notebooks for under $1,500.

Related: Best Laptop for Minecraft

Conclusion

We have managed to review the best gaming laptops that emerged in the last few years. The massive positive online review from users of these laptops proved that these machines are truly awesome. We hope that you’ve found this article helpful in choosing an outstanding gaming laptop for yourself. You can always contact us if you have a gaming laptop you’ll like to recommend for gamers. We will want to read about your experience while any laptop for gaming.
February 18, 2022
8 Great Books for Hackers

Whether you are afraid of them or you admire them, hackers are such a cool bunch of people for a reason. This is why it is not a big surprise that more and more people are becoming interested in hackers and that mysterious hacker lifestyle.

Here are a few amazing books about hackers that you might want to add to your book collection.

1. Black Software: The Internet & Racial Justice

You don’t often hear about racial justice in technology but it exists. Ask any African American working behind the screen for 50 years and they will surely tell you that. This book is worth the read.

2. The Cuckoo’s Egg

A certified classic, this book is the one responsible for kicking off the subgenre of the best books for hackers. This follows the story of Stoll as he discovers the threat from Hunter, a rogue coder. Stoll figures out how to track the hunter and tries to stop the bad guy.

3. Little Brother

After the DHS questioned Marcus for a crime he didn’t commit, he swears vengeance after his best friend failed to leave the interrogation. With the US transforming into a police state, the 17-year old hacker holding a grudge could be the last straw of hope there is.

4. Alif the Unseen

Information security and love collide as the hacker for hire Alif works to keep his wanted clients shielded from electronic surveillance without getting caught by the lawman who was also the one who stole his woman.

5. Transmission

After getting laid off, Arjun decides that he will show everyone what he got. He lets loose a virus that causes a disturbance all over the world that even went beyond his best expectations. But the problem is that it also affected his sanity.

6. Breaking and Entering: The Extraordinary Story of a Hacker

There are times when hiring a digital threat is the best way to keep yourself protected from them. This is a book that tells the story of Alien, a hacker, during the first days she spent at MIT.

7. Cult of the Dead Cow

For those who don’t know, Beto O’Rourke was actually a hacktivist. The Cult of the Dead Cow is a group of white hat hackers with mostly anonymous operations. Their mission was oppression, misuse of the internet, and battle surveillance.

8. A Geek Girl’s Guide To Murder

This is a thrilling mystery where Mia Connors, an IT specialist, must battle against a Renaissance Faire, a murder, and an information security threat. Will she take the fall for the case or will she solve it?

Conclusion

These are some of the best books for hackers that will give you an idea about this activity and the people who do it. And if hacking isn’t your thing after checking out these books, you can always check out these books about traditional computer programming or the popular web development languages.

February 5, 2022
7 Great Micro SD Cards

These micro SD cards are awesome little memory storage cards that are cheap and durable. Finding the perfect micro SD card usually comes down to preference as this older technology is almost perfect and reliable across the board.

Micro SD Cards

These micro SD cards below are the cards that I believe are the best. The next time you need more storage for your camera, computer, or gaming console then this list should be useful.

Samsung EVO Select

The Samsung EVO Select is a great card that starts at under $20 for 32 GB of space. These micro SD cards from Samsung go up to 128 GB of storage and has data reading speeds up to 95 MB per second with a write speed up to 20 MB per second. This little card is waterproof, dustproof, and magnet-proof. And it comes with a full-size SD card adapter because you’ll probably need it.

SanDisk Ultra

The SanDisk Ultra is a great card that goes up to 256 GB of storage. SanDisk micro SD cards are usually the recommended card for storing videos, photos, music, and files. SanDisk is definitely the most reliable brand as it is known for its SD cards. This micro SD card can reach up to 80 MB per second transfer speeds. SanDisk micro SD card also comes with a full-size SD card adapter.

Kingston Digital

Kingston cards stand out because of their great warranty. This SD card has storage that goes up to 128 GB. These micro SD cards are reliable but are slower than SanDisk and Samsung, with a data speed of 45 MB per second and a write speed of 10 MB per second. Because of the lower speed, these cards are usually priced at around $11-$12.

Samsung PRO Select

Samsung and their PRO Select Micro SD card are faster than the average micro SD card and this comes with a premium price. The Samsung PRO Select data read speeds can reach up to 100 MB per second and the write speed can reach up to 90 MB per second. This SD card can be found for less than $60 for 64 GB of storage. This micro card comes with a full-size SD card adapter.

Lexar 633x

This Lexar’s High Performance is another extremely reliable brand, probably rivaling SanDisk these days. This micro SD card storage goes up to 256 GB, which is probably why I see our photographers bringing a few of these at our events. The Lexar 633x transfer speeds can reach up to 95 MB per second. Lexar is one of the only cards that have a bundle option of a USB 3.0 micro card read or the traditional full-size SD card adapter.

SanDisk Extreme PLUS

This SanDisk Extreme PLUS card has data read speeds up to 95 MB per second and write speeds up to 90 MB per second. Besides the durability, this card has an app for data management and comes with recovery software, and even has a lifetime warranty.

Silicon Power Elite

These are high endurance micro SD cards created by Silicon Power. This card has storage options up to 256 GB and is meant to store over 30,000 hours of full HD video. Silicon Power micro SD cards have a two-year warranty. This card has transfer speeds of around 80 GB per second.

Conclusion

Sometimes you need more storage space and a micro SD isn’t enough… check out our best external hard drives article if you want to look at more storage. Anyway, we hope this list of micro SD cards helps you find a reliable card for your needs. If you’re looking for another opinion, please check out the video below for information about 5 popular micro SD cards.

February 2, 2022
How Much Laptop Storage Do You Need?

Two common questions that can cloud your mind while you are looking for a new laptop are… how much storage do you need and if you should get HDD or SSD (all laptops should be SSD at this point). In the section below, we will provide you with a list of prerequisites that should be fulfilled before concluding how much storage I need on my laptop.

To keep it simple, always select the SSD option. SSD is the best choice because of how reliable and safe they are for laptop users.

What Kind of Laptop Storage?

Our answer is… get the SSD for your laptop. However, we understand that your budget can be an issue. So if your budget is an issue then save your money and please get the SSD.

Our opinion about choosing either an SSD or HDD for your laptop is essentially split between people who already own them. The distinguishing factor between these two kinds lies in the fact that in HDD, the information is stored on a spinning metal disk, while in the case of an SSD, the information is collected in microchips. The HDD is acceptable if you are looking for something cheap with access to lots of storage, but, one of the drawbacks is that it can create a lot of noise as the storage is made up of moving parts. These moving parts may fail if accidentally dropped.

The SSD is our favorite because of its reliability and speed. You are guaranteed a smooth and swift performance as flash chips are invariably more accommodative, dependable, and use less power. And with no moving parts, there is a low chance of hard drive failure.

What do you use your laptop for?

This is important to figure out as the amount of work you use your laptop for matters. If you are a lightweight user, you may only use it for creating word documents, sending emails, and streaming your favorite shows. In such cases, 256GB of storage would be sufficient and would easily support a handful of games, applications, files, and others.

Even though 128GB of storage can be enough to store your data (especially if you plan to use cloud storage), you’ll be better off with more storage. If you are like us and love having local backups of your videos and photos from your devices, then having at least 512GB+ of storage is a safe choice.

Is 512GB of storage enough?

If you aren’t a gamer or creative then probably so. As we already mentioned, for photos and similar media files, you want more storage. When there are distinct varieties of files to be added to your collection, 512GB or more is usually more than enough for 99% of the users out there. A big high-quality game can take up to 5GB of storage and a high-resolution 4K photo can take up to 1GB of storage.

Are you a creative or a gamer?

If you are a laptop gamer, an influencer, or the creative type, chances are, you’ll probably want to get a laptop that can work seamlessly to handle all your projects without worrying about running out of storage or carrying external hard drives.

If you are not worried about the budget, select 1TB of storage as it will provide you with storage for a long time, but on the other side, it will cost you a little more than the regular.

How much storage do I need?

Do not get 128GB of storage! You want to go with at least 256GB of storage.

If you plan to do some light work and online video streaming then 256GB of storage is usually enough storage. Be prepared to do a lot of cloud savings if you decide to increase your gaming, photos, or video activity. This will always be the cheapest option.

If you plan to save more media files or install several games, then aim for 512GB of storage or more… especially if you simply don’t want to rely on the cloud.

Conclusion

And finally, you should always have a plan before buying tech with storage options. We believe going with more storage is always best because you’ll have the option to delete files or move your files around without any complications.

January 29, 2022
50 Awesome Black Bloggers
Blogging as a hobby can be fun, but blogging as your main source of income can be confusing, hard, and very lonely. This is why we decided to create a list of great Black bloggers we love to support.

This Black Blogs We Love article is perfect for readers looking to learn new things from bloggers with high-quality blogs.
Awesome Black Bloggers Index
Blogging While Black

It’s a new year and blogging is still popular. Blogging is probably getting popular again thanks to trending on social media. Every other influencer these days has some kind of list of their favorite blog. There are a lot of blog lists out there! However, some of the Black blog lists will ignore blog topics such as marketing, finance, and travel. Because of this, we created our own list of Black blogs.

Black Fashion Bloggers

These Black fashion bloggers are teaching us how to embrace fashion with their tips.

Color Me Courtney [founder Courtney Quinn]: A travel and fashion blog about all things colorful. Courtney encourages women to love their quirks and dress outside the lines. Color Me Courtney has become the go-to destination for all things colorful in the blogging space.

Kelly Augustine [founder Kelly Augustine]: From a unique viewpoint, Kelly’s work is centered around her personal style with a focus on beauty, cosmetics, plus-size fashion, and life in New York City.

TrendyCurvy [founder Kristine Thompson]: A plus-size fashion blogger based in Los Angeles. Kristine had a simple mission with TrendyCurvy, to show the world that curvy women can be just as stylish and fabulous.

Black Finance Bloggers

These Black financial bloggers are helping people eliminate debt and save money.

Yes, I Am Cheap [founded by Sandy Smith]: A personal finance blog focused on eliminating debt, saving money, and investing.

Tay Talks Money [founded by Taylor Gordon]: A personal finance blog focused on educating millennials about their finances. Taylor wants to help people live a happy and stress-free life.

Sophisticated Spender [founder Crystal Hammond]: A personal finance blog focused on financial planning, savings for retirement, and being prepared for financial emergencies.

Candice Latham [founder Candice Latham]: A financial blog written by Candice Latham, a successful full-time entrepreneur. The blog is packed with great financial advice and a mission to inspire professional women to get better at mastering their money.

Feel Good Finances [founder Amber Berry]: A finance blog focused on helping entrepreneurs and side hustlers. Amber is a Certified Money Coach who wants to help others identify, understand, and change those bad money habits.

Principles of Increase [founder Aja McClanahan]: A financial blog focused on educating people on how to take control of their money and live a better life in general.

Pocket of Money, LLC [founder Dr. Maria James]: Pocket of Money, LLC is a financial blog that has information and resources for individuals looking for ways to reach financial success, achieve a higher net worth, and build wealth while enjoying life.

Finances Demystified [founder Dominique Broadway]: A financial blog created by the award-winning financial planner, Dominique Broadway. Finances Demystified focuses on helping people understand finances and how money works.

The Finance Bar [founder Marsha Barnes]: A personal finance blog with the goal of providing financial resources and guidance in a creative way. Marsha is a Certified Financial Social Worker with the ability to create innovative financial resources.

The Budgetnista [founder Tiffany Aliche]: A personal finance blog created by the award-winning personal finance educator, Tiffany Aliche. The Budgetnista focuses on budgeting, debit/credit, savings, banking, and travel.

My Money Chronicles [founder Jason Butler]: A personal finance blog focused on educating others about managing their personal finances, reducing debt, and finding good side hustles.

Black Food Bloggers

These Black food bloggers are filling the internet with their tasty recipes and cooking tips.

Jessica In The Kitchen [founder Jessica Hylton]: A food blogger with a mission to provide simple and delicious meal recipes. Jessica In The Kitchen features over 600 recipes, helpful guides, and many culinary tips and tricks.

Southern Souffle [founder Erika Council]: A food blogger with a specialty in Southern soul food. You’ll find fried chicken, cornbread, bourbon, and lots of biscuits here.

The Kitchenista Diaries [founder Angela Davis]: From accountant to culinary entrepreneur, The Kitchenista Diaries is a food blog that teaches people how to take home-cooked meals to the next level by exploring different ingredients, techniques, and tools.

Brown Sugar Mama [founder Nicole]: A food blog with simple and easy recipes using common ingredients. Nicole writes about cooking, baking, and community building.

Grandbaby Cakes [founder Jocelyn Delk Adams]: Grandbaby Cakes is a brand inspired by Jocelyn’s grandmother, she is a successful food blogger sharing her classic recipes in a modern and accessible way.

Afroculinaria [founder Michael Twitty]: A food blog that focuses on his interests in food culture, food history, Jewish cultural issues, African-American history, and cultural politics.

Black Home & Garden Bloggers

These Black Home and Garden bloggers are educating others about interesting hobbies and projects to do around the house.

Wood Life Studio [founder Shirley Jones]: Follow Shirley Jones, a blogger who wants to encourage interest in the woodworking arts for Black hobbyists, especially Black women. Wood Life Studio is a blog with a goal to amuse, educate, and demystify the field.

Black LGBT Bloggers

These Black LGBT bloggers are keeping us entertained and informed about everything about the Black LGBT culture.

G-Listed [founder Waddie G.]: Waddie is an unabashed writer with a popular LGBT blog focused on urban pop and queer cultures.

Black Lifestyle Bloggers

These Black lifestyle bloggers are keeping us entertained with a look into their busy lives.

Locs Life [founder Char O]: Locs Life is a space where those at all points in their loc journey can read about others’ loc journeys, learn maintenance tips, and explore new styles. It also serves as a dedicated space to elevate those in locs community.

Her Modern Life [founder Sydnei]: A lifestyle blog with a modern millennial’s perspective. Sydnei writes about her exciting travels, fashion style, and clever life hacks.

Faith Health and Home [founder Makeba Giles]: A lifestyle blog focused on health, family, and current events for a positive lifestyle. Featuring information and personal articles on health, family, entertainment, and more.

Scout the City [founder Sai De Silva]: A family lifestyle blog writing about fashion, beauty, travel, and family. Along with London Scout, this mother-daughter-duo has filled Scout the City with beautiful images, videos, and articles about fitness, food, travel, and fashion.

Mattie James [founder Mattie James]: Learn all about style, living, family, and beauty through the eyes of blogger Mattie James.

Blushing Black [founder LaTisha Guster]: A lifestyle blogger expressing her thoughts while sharing everything from major sales to decor ideas to motherhood.

DrinkBlackWater [founder Dorrell Beckford]: Follow Dorrell, a blogger writing on Black culture in fashion, music, modeling, and photography.

Hello Bombshell [founder Jenaae Jackson]: Hello Bombshell is a style, lifestyle, and personal development space for women.

Black Marketing Bloggers

These Black marketing bloggers know how to grow a business. These marketing professionals create content about growing an audience and scaling their business.

Side Hustle Pro [founder Nicaila Matthews Okome]: We have followed her since her 2nd podcast episode. Side Hustle Pro is a podcast and blog with relevant marketing tips and strategies! Nicaila Matthews Okome highlights the accomplishments of bold Black women entrepreneurs who have turned side hustles into profitable companies.

Succeed As Your Own Boss [founder Melinda F. Emerson]: A blogger and award-winning marketing entrepreneur, she is the go-to expert for successful small businesses, go-to-market strategies, and social media selling.

Black Mommy Bloggers

These Black mommy bloggers are inspiring women across the world with talks of motherhood, mom entrepreneurship, and family talk.

LaTonya Yvette [founder LaTonya Yvette]: A New York-based mommy lifestyle blogger focused on family, culture, design, style, culture, womanhood, and community.

What MJ Loves [founder Melissa Jackson]: Formally known as Fab Haute Mama, Melissa of What MJ Loves is a mommy blogger with a focus on motherhood, beauty, fitness, and good food.

Rattles & Heels [founder Adanna Dill]: A mommy blog focused on motherhood, family, travel, and style. Adanna is a creative millennial with a love for content creation.

Pharr Away [founder Nicole Pharr]: A mommy blogger writing about the exciting journey of motherhood. Nicole focuses on marriage and motherhood.

LoveBrownSugar [founder Christina Brown]: LoveBrownSugar is about style through the lens of a great digital storyteller. An OG in this digital space, Christina inspires women every day with her tips about mommy entrepreneurship, beauty, style, and travel.

Cherish 365 [founder Jennifer Borget]: A mommy lifestyle blogger sharing her experiences as a millennial mom. Jennifer writes about her stories and lessons, photography and videography tips, and family travel adventures.

Black Tech Bloggers

These Black tech bloggers are doing tech reviews, creating tech guides, listicles of best tech gadgets, and more for their audience.

Brotha Tech [founder Terrance Gaines]: A brand and technology blog providing people with the latest technology news, reviews, tips, and tricks to anyone interested in technology.

Small Biz Technology [founder Ramon Ray]: A technology blog focused on technology solutions that increase efficiency, save money, or increase the revenue of a small business.

Black Travel Bloggers

These Black travel bloggers are bringing up along for an adventure with their visual storytelling.

Will Drink for Travel [founder Ashlee Tuck]: A travel blog with stories to tell. Will Drink for Travel knows about traveling and drinking good wine, beer, and spirits.

One Girl One World [founder Francesca Murray]: A travel blog that’s taking you on an adventure around the world. With a little entertainment and culture talk, One Girl One World has great tips, tricks, and travel advice.

Next Bite of Life [founder KemKem]: KemKem of Next Bite of Life has documented an exciting journey. Learn about other cultures through the eyes of these interracial travel bloggers slowly traveling through Europe.

Rachel Travels [founder Rachel]: An Atlanta-based travel blogger writing about the adventures of traveling and entrepreneurship. Rachel Travels has everything you need to know about becoming a travel influencer, saving money, and travel tips.

O. Christine [founder Olivia Christine Perez]: A NYC-based blogger with a mission to inspire people to focus on travel, wellness, new experiences, and the outdoors.

Minority Nomad [founder Erick Prince]: A photographer and travel blogger on a mission to visit every country in the world.

Gone Girl Travel [founder Carol Cain]: Carol is an award-winning travel and food blogger. Gone Girl Travel has a mission to encourage people to find that unique voice in travel.

Oneika the Traveller [founder Oneika Raymond]: A travel and lifestyle blog penned by a Jamaican-Canadian who has been to nearly 100 countries.

Black Wellness Bloggers

These Black wellness bloggers know about body health, healing, and overall Black wellness.

Food Heaven Made Easy [founders Wendy & Jess]: More than bloggers, Wendy & Jess are Registered Dietitians and certified diabetes educators. Food Heaven Made Easy wants the world to know that nutritious food should be tasty, affordable, and relatively simple.

Black Girl In Om [founder Lauren Ash]: A health and wellness blog to help women of color with their promotion of holistic wellness and self-care.

Conclusion

Our List of Black Bloggers will never be complete. We plan to continue adding more Black bloggers. Help us make this list bigger and better by emailing us your favorite Black bloggers. You can also email us your favorite Black podcasters too, most of them have nice blogs. If you email us, please include a short description.

Thanks!

Related: Houston Bloggers
January 15, 2022
Work From Home Guide for Parents
Thе current Pandemic іѕ causing stress, anxiety, depression, panic behavior, аnd mаnу оthеr assorted reactions. Remain calm, wе wіll nоt run оut оf food, water, оr оthеr supplies.

On tор оf аll thіѕ, mаnу аrе asked tо work аt home wіth thеіr children bеіng home frоm canceled schools fоr weeks.

Nоw іѕ thе tіmе tо tаkе a deep breath аnd follow a fеw tips tо make іt gо quickly аnd stress-free оr аt lеаѕt lеѕѕ stress.

Parents Working From Home

If уоu аrе home wіth thе kids, make sure thеу hаvе ѕоmе thіng tо dо.

Thеrе аrе hundreds оf apps оut thеrе wіth learning аnd hopefully уоur school іѕ providing thеm wіth learning lessons аnd homework tо complete. Gіvе thеm 15 mіn breaks еvеrу hour оr ѕо. If possible, send thеm іntо thе yard tо run аrоund аnd burn оff ѕоmе оf thаt energy.

While they are occupied with the apps. Prepare yourself. Take a shower or something. Being refreshed аnd clean wіll gіvе уоu thе feeling аnd energy tо dо hours of work.

Gеt dressed аѕ іf уоu аrе going tо work оr іn ѕоmеthіng оthеr thаn pajamas. Thіѕ tоо wіll gіvе уоu thе feeling аnd energy уоu wіll need fоr thе day.

Get Your Routine Started

Explain thе situation аѕ best as possible. Tell your kids you wіll bе working frоm home аnd need tіmеѕ оf quiet tо gеt уоur work complete.

If уоu аrе tо bе оn a phone оr video саll, make sure thеу know thаt аnd set a timer аѕ tо whеn thеу саn speak wіth уоu аgаіn.

Here are some tips to help you get a routine going to get more done:
- Eat lunch wіth thеm аnd hаvе fun conversations ѕо thеу ѕtіll feel connected аnd nоt worried оr stressed.
- Whеn уоur work іѕ complete, bе present аnd gіvе thеm уоur undivided attention fоr a short tіmе.
- Plan уоur meals ѕо thаt іѕ nоt a stress factor fоr уоu. Mаnу restaurants аrе ѕtіll delivering оr allowing tаkе оut, ѕо ѕtіll tаkе advantage оf іt whеn уоu саn.
Work From Home Expectations

Before you try to become a telecommuting pro, you need to understand your situation and have a realistic goal. Learn to prioritize tasks.

Yоu wіll nоt bе аѕ productive аѕ уоu wоuld bе іf уоur kids weren’t аt home wіth уоu. Nоbоdу іѕ. Sо don’t develop аn inferiority complex оvеr thіѕ. Don’t stress out if some smaller tasks aren’t completed.

Look аt thе tasks аnd goals уоu hаd lined uр fоr thе week аnd ѕее whаt саn gеt pushed оut a fеw days оr рut оn thе bасk burner indefinitely (with agreement frоm уоur manager, obviously).

Thе younger уоur kids аrе, thе mоrе grace уоu ѕhоuld allow уоurѕеlf. Seriously!

Communicate With Your Coworkers

Let уоur team know thаt you’ll bе doing уоur best tо kеер uр wіth thе essentials аnd avoid bеіng a bottleneck, but thаt ultimately, you’re аt reduced capacity. Chances аrе, ѕоmе оf уоur coworkers аrе іn thе ѕаmе boat.

Consider whеthеr doing ѕоmе work аt odd hours wоuld help make уоur days lеѕѕ stressful аnd іf ѕо, make sure уоur teammates understand whеn thеу саn expect уоu tо bе responsive.

No Stressing In The Home Office

Thіѕ іѕ аn unprecedented situation. Nо оnе іѕ going tо bе perfect. Try tо kеер thе vibe аt home calm, аnd avoid bingeing оn coronavirus news (consider removing tempting social media apps frоm уоur phone, оr just banish уоur phone tо a drawer!).

Yоu аrе vеrу likely nоt going tо gеt еvеrуthіng оn уоur list dоnе. Yоur home mау bесоmе a wreck. That’s just a reality whеn you’re working twо jobs! If уоu don’t gеt tо ѕоmеthіng іn thе day аnd іt саn wait, great.

If іt needs tо gеt dоnе, thеn try tо gеt уоur kids іn a calm state оf mind ѕо thеу саn handle іt whеn уоu really need tо focus оn ѕоmеthіng еlѕе.

Your Work From Home Office

Your home office саnnоt bе a home office wіthоut a physical, customized area. Yоu саn easily arrange a space dedicated tо work. It doesn’t еvеn hаvе tо bе a separate room.

Althоugh it’s important thаt it’s іn a quiet аnd bright location іn уоur house ѕо уоu саn focus оn уоur work.

Yоur home office саn bе a desk оr a small table іn аn undisturbed location іn уоur house. As long as you can get the job done, your home office area can be wherever you want.

Exercising When Work From Home

Gеtting some exercise. Gyms аnd fitness centers are going to be weird for a while because of the Pandemic, ѕо tаkе a walk оr dо аn іn home exercise. Whеthеr уоu аrе a morning оr evening person, plan уоur schedule accordingly.

Thіѕ іѕ аn anxious tіmе. Bоth уоur parenting аnd уоur оwn work wіll benefit whеn уоu tаkе tіmе tо center yourself.

If that’s exercise оr meditation, great. Try tо dо оnе оf thеѕе whеn уоu саn gеt away frоm уоur kids – even іf it’s just fоr 5 оr 10 minutes.

If you don’t have any workout DVDs, then search on YouTube for a Youtuber with some workout content. Or you can do what the popular people are doing and go with streaming workout apps. The popular home streaming exercise options as of today are:
- Daily Burn
- Peloton
- Glo
Taking Breaks When Working From Home

Kids cooped uр bесоmе crazy kids. Whеn I’ve bееn deep іn a work project аnd neglected to take mу daughter outside, I’ve paid fоr іt later wіth cranky, overactive kids іn thе afternoon. There’s a reason day-care centers аnd schools dо recess іn thе morning.

Getting outside, especially іn a green space, саn аlѕо help уоu deal wіth уоur оwn anxiety levels. Of course, follow thе mоѕt current safety advice.

Thаt likely means staying away frоm public spaces аnd playgrounds, whеrе kids wіll bе tоо inclined tо touch surfaces thаt оthеrѕ hаvе recently touched. Yоu mау need tо gеt creative:
- Tаkе thе kids оut fоr a bike оr scooter ride away frоm оthеr people;
- If уоu hаvе a yard оr deck, consider a hula-hoop оr jump-rope session;
- You can even try some nature photography with the kids.
Fresh air іѕ thе ultimate medicine thеѕе days. Gо оn walks wіth уоur kids оr set uр a tent іn уоur backyard. Appreciate thе little things… bugs, birds, flowers, dogs, trees… аnd work оn identifying thеm wіth thе whоlе family.

And whіlе it’s tempting tо tаkе еvеrу chance tо open уоur laptop оn уоur porch, it’s оftеn tоо distracting. A lot оf people aren’t working right nоw аnd аrе оut аnd аbоut. You’ll end uр people watching.

Consider outside tіmе аѕ a restorative segment thаt wіll relieve stress аnd allow уоu tо to focus better аnd work mоrе efficiently аnоthеr tіmе.

Working From Home Tips

Fіnd a sunny room wіth a door уоu саn shut, іf possible. Evеn a table іn a bedroom іѕ preferable tо working аt a kitchen table. You may even clear a shelf оr dining room table tо create a dedicated workspace.

Parents wіth babies аnd toddlers mау choose tо set uр shop іn a child’s bedroom оr play area tо kеер аn eye оn thеm. Getting a Bluetooth headset wіth a noise-canceling microphone аnd mute button іѕ helpful tо block оut testy children аnd dogs durіng calls.

Breathe. Yоu аrе working but уоur kids aren’t, аnd they’re probably confused. Avoid simultaneous work аnd play аѕ muсh аѕ possible аѕ you’ll sell оnе ѕіdе оr bоth short. I’ve learned tо sneak small tasks іn оn mу phone vіа mobile-friendly platforms like Dropbox оr Slack.

Save thе mоrе involved stuff fоr off-hours, like nap tіmе оr whеn thе kids аrе asleep fоr thе evening.

Prioritize Work Tasks

Getting your daily tasks completed, within the usual deadline, is the goal.

Yоur employer оr colleagues surely know bу nоw thаt nоbоdу іѕ really operating according to a traditional work schedule.

If you’re doing thе Zoom meeting thіng, аnd thе parameters аrе loose, hang оut wіth уоur kids аt thе ѕаmе tіmе аnd don’t worry аbоut staying іn thе video frame (also, уоu саn record thе meeting аnd playback later).

Ignore Your Single Friends

It’s practically insulting аt thіѕ point tо hear аbоut friends whо hаvе tіmе tо learn аbоut basketweaving аnd bird calls.

Aѕ a working parent, you’re trying tо merely рut pants оn уоur kid оr remember tо eat lunch. Politely ignore уоur bored friends or single friends. I’m usually nоt оnе fоr distance, but thе trials аnd tribulations уоur non-parent pals аrе going thrоugh аrе vеrу muсh nоt уоurѕ.

Bеѕіdеѕ, уоu don’t hаvе tіmе fоr thаt. Fіnd support thrоugh fellow parents аnd reserve thаt window уоu wоuld hаvе оthеrwіѕе used fоr browsing уоur social feed fоr actual work.

Work With Interruptions

Your kids will interrupt you… many times… so be ready. However, still, tell them what you expect from them.

Let уоur kids know іf they’re old еnоugh tо understand what’s going оn, bе clear аbоut hоw independent уоu expect thеm tо bе whіlе you’re working. Let thеm know whеn it’s okay tо interrupt уоu (e.g., they’re bleeding), аnd whеn it’s nоt (e.g., thеіr favorite app won’t load).

Depending оn уоur kid’s ages, writing оut a schedule аnd putting іt оn thе refrigerator саn really help tо explain tо kids whеn уоu аrе working, аnd whеn thеу саn expect tо hаvе snacks, lunch, оr just a little quality tіmе.

For parents with younger kids, it’s not as easy. Your work schedule mіght revolve аrоund naps оr feeding schedule; fоr older kids, іt mау incorporate thеіr оwn homeschooling.

Eіthеr wау, having a plan outlined іѕ important if you want to succeed at working from home.

Use Your Significant Other

If you’re fortunate еnоugh tо hаvе a significant оthеr іn thе house, exploit thаt. Iron оut blocks оf tіmе еасh day іn whісh уоu саn fully work аnd vice versa.

Whеn уоu dо gеt thеѕе protected tіmе slots tо уоurѕеlf, maximize thе hell оut оf thеm. Lock уоurѕеlf іn уоur home office, silence уоur phone, аnd оnlу open work-related web tabs. Throw оn ѕоmе music or audiobooks tо drown оut thе sound оf уоur kids breaking things upstairs аnd gеt іntо thе zone. Let your significant other have fun while you get to work.

If уоu саn mentally prioritize thе day’s work tasks bеfоrеhаnd, you’ll bе rеаdу tо attack thе mоѕt critical projects.

Always Finish Important Tasks

It саn аlѕо help tо рut a sign оn уоur office door tо let уоur family know whеn you’re оn аn important саll, especially whеn thоѕе calls аrе unexpected.

For parents with older kids, having аn open-closed door sign like thоѕе thаt typically hang оn thе doors оf small businesses is a good way to send a message. Whеn уоu gеt аn unexpected саll, simply flip thе sign frоm “Open” tо “Closed” ѕо уоur partner аnd kids know nоt tо interrupt. Wіth ѕоmе persistent teaching, еvеn young children саn learn hоw tо tell thе difference bеtwееn thе twо signs.

If you have younger kids, you may have to rely on more creative methods that should help the kids understand better. Fоr example, оnе work-at-home blogging dad puts оn a rеd superhero cape whеn he’s оn a саll ѕо hіѕ son knows nоt tо interrupt, whіlе оnе work-at-home mom puts оn a princess tiara.

Thеѕе ideas mіght sound silly, but ѕuсh props аrе powerful signals tо kids, аnd уоu mіght hаvе better success wіth a variation оf thеm thаn wіth a door sign.

Conclusion

Don’t overwork уоurѕеlf аnd don’t tаkе оn tоо muсh work іn оnе day bесаuѕе уоu wіll quickly burn оut. It’s okay tо gо tо bed earlier аnd wakes uр thе nеxt morning feeling refreshed аnd relaxed.

It’s аlѕо okay tо tаkе a 20-minute nap іn thе middle оf thе day whеn you’re exhausted. It wіll gіvе уоu аn energy kick fоr thе rеѕt оf thе day.

If уоu need a break frоm work durіng thе day (we аll do) tаkе уоur kids fоr a quick walk. Yоu wіll enjoy thе fresh air аnd thе little devils wіll lose ѕоmе оf thеіr energy having fun іn thе playground.

Taking care оf уоur mental аnd physical health саn really help іn challenging tіmеѕ like thіѕ, whеn уоu hаvе tо draw uроn extra reserves deep dоwn tо gеt thrоugh іt. And уоu саn. Good luck!

Related: Tips for Finding Remote Jobs
December 4, 2021