Allstate Community

Since moving our family of four from two bedrooms to five, it’s been great having the extra space to stretch out in. But I never thought we’d have this much trouble filling it all. We turned one of our extra bedrooms into an awesome guest room, yet we were lost on what to do with the other. I was already planning the mancave of all mancaves, but my wife wanted something more practical—so we settled on a home office. Here’s how I transformed our plain space into a professional sanctuary:

Set it apart

A home office is more than just a bedroom with a desk shoved in the corner. To help you stay on task while hard at work, make the room feel separate from the rest of your house. If you use a landline for business calls, consider getting a separate phone line for your office. And save typical distractions, like spare TVs, for your basement or rec room. (That is, unless the Bears are playing.)

Keep it bright

Bad lighting can strain your eyes, make you tired and limit your productivity. Construct your office in a room that gets good natural light, or invest in some quality lamps. If all else fails, try painting the room a bright color to help you stay alert and focused. Bright lights have definitely helped me cut back on my desk naps.

Divide it up

Staying organized and preventing your office from turning into a catch-all room is a top priority, so try splitting it into distinct parts. Mine has three – the workstation, recharging zone and reference area. My workstation contains my desk, computer, phone and the ridiculously awesome ergonomic chair my wife and I splurged on. Across the room, I have a La-Z-Boy that I use to get away from the computer and relax for a minute or two. And along the far wall, we installed shelves that hold all of my books, reference materials and work files.

Establish some office rules

If you work from your home office full time, setting hours for your workday – say, from 9 to 5 – can keep you from hitting the couch for an afternoon snooze or taking a 3-hour lunch. You may also want to create some rules for your family’s use of the office. A friend of mine uses this strategy to help him stay in the zone: When he leaves the office door open, his wife and kids are welcome to interrupt, but a closed door means he’s on a client call or doing something else that shouldn’t be interrupted unless there’s an emergency.

Having a dedicated space to get work done has been great. And it especially comes in handy when I need a few minutes of me time: I can sneak away, shut the door and check the latest score on my smartphone in peace – La-Z-Boy included. In addition to creating a quiet, efficient workspace, it's extremely important to make sure all of the stuff to cram into your home office is insured.

Snagging the perfect parking space it’s a quest that inspires endless frustration, parking lot rage, drivers stalking shoppers back to their cars, and has even spawned YouTube parodies. Mall developers are responding by trying to take the headache out of parking, introducing new smartphone apps that use data from parking lot cameras to identify and route drivers to open spaces. Increasingly, malls are also installing overhead electronic signboards that use red or green lights to mark rows with open spaces. Also, websites and mobile apps are popping up that can assist you in finding the perfect spot.

But even if your mall’s parking lot lacks technology savvy, a little insider parking knowledge can save you from stalking drivers back to their cars -- and have your car parked in just minutes. Whether you’re battling Black Friday crowds or simply trying to survive your regular weekend shopping rush, follow these parking tips to take the pain out of your next trip to the mall.

“All the spots are full!”

Master the art of hovering: If the parking lot is full, you’ll need to “hover” to find a space. Just last weekend, I found myself hovering in the middle of a long row of cars, trying to keep a sharp eye out for folks who were about to leave. One mad dash for a vacant spot later, another driver swooped in and stole it, leaving me irritated, angry... and still hovering for parking! Here’s how to avoid a similar fate:

• Hover from a location where you can see at least 20 spaces. That’s typically the back of a row. Why 20 spaces? If you assume a shopper’s average time at the mall is three hours (180 minutes), then divided by 20 cars, probability says you’ll get a space in nine minutes.
• The more cars you can “watch”, the shorter your wait time. Watching 25 cars, for example, reduces the average wait time to just over seven minutes.
• Don’t try to watch more than 25 cars. Watching beyond this number makes it difficult to beat out another car to a far away spot, just like what happened to me.
• Never wait behind another hovering car – doing so effectively “doubles” your waiting time from nine minutes to 18 minutes.

“I need to park now!”

Know where to look: According Tom Diamond, the president of Chicago-based Remote Sensing Metrics, parking lots tend to fill up in the shape of a bell curve, with the greatest vehicle concentration in front of store entrances. If you’re in a hurry and need to park immediately, follow these tips:

• Diamond says that mall parking lots are rarely full, the key is knowing where to look. Avoid the spaces immediately in front of store entrances – these are invariably full or packed with folks hovering for an open space.
• Look for spots in locations that are equidistant between entrances, which is the “bottom” of the bell curve. The spaces are generally free, and actually a shorter distance to the entrance than parking at the very back of the main entrances' parking row.
• In crowded parking garages, head straight to the top (or bottom, if it’s an underground garage) rather than waiting it out on the first few levels. Taking a flight of stairs is great exercise, and you’re more likely to find immediate open spaces on the top levels.

Pedestrian accident fatalities are on the rise, school crossing guards play a critical role in ensuring child safety. Stationed at busy intersections, crossing guards are the ultimate public safety multitaskers, juggling oncoming traffic and pedestrians with ease. Many crossing guards also keep an eye out for strangers loitering around the school, and help ensure a general safe environment for students.

Crossing guards come from all walks of life, although many are retirees who enjoy the excitement of serving as a part-time guard. If you’re a grandparent, there’s no better way to spend time with your grandkids and get to know their friends than safely guiding them to and from school each day. Spending time outside in the fresh air also makes part-time work as a crossing guard a popular choice, especially in a sunshine state like Florida.

The Duties

Most crossing guards serve two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon, depending on the school district’s hours. Guards typically receive compensation for their hard work ($25 to $35 per day, on average), and some may even receive retirement benefits depending on the number of years served.

Crossing guard assignments vary based on the state, but assignments are normally busy intersections. These intersections see at least 40 school pedestrians or more in a two-hour period. Guards need to be in good physical shape, and be capable of standing for up to two hours at a time. Guards wear a reflective vest, carry a stop sign, stand in the middle of the intersection, and safely escort children across the street.

The biggest challenge faced by a crossing guard is the inclement weather. From thunderstorms to snowstorms, crossing guards work in all weather conditions to protect children’s safety. Some even give a hand to stranded motorists, helping to push stalled cars to the nearest gas station. As any crossing guard will tell you, there’s never a dull day on the job.

Making the Grade

Think you’re up for the challenge of serving as a crossing guard? Becoming a crossing guard may require a background investigation, pre-employment drug screening, and the successful completion of a polygraph test, depending on state regulations.

Candidates will also likely need to complete a crossing guard training course, depending on state requirements. For example, Florida residents will need to complete an eight-hour crossing guard and child safety course from the Florida Department of Transportation. This course includes six hours of classroom instruction and two hours of field training. The course is designed to help crossing guards become familiar with standard safety protocol and gain real-world experience. Other states, such as California, provide training through the local police department.

What is the best part of the job? According to Anne, a crossing guard in Palm Beach, it’s receiving a big hug from students at the end of the day. Nothing beats a heartwarming hug as a “thank you” for a job well done.