new year new you Archives - London Drugs Blog

4 Organization Tips for the New Year

With the new year comes New Year’s resolutions. If one of your resolutions was to be more organized, we are here with some tips so you can focus on the important things this year. Continue reading for our 4 quick steps to organizing your space.

1 – Make a Plan

The starting point is always a plan. Break your organizing down into manageable steps you can work through. Start with areas or rooms, and go through them one at a time. This will prevent you from feeling overwhelmed, and build up the excitement as you complete each section. Set yourself a goal. Remember, it can be as simple as cleaning and organizing the closet, to a complete makeover with a whole new storage system.

2 – Declutter

We all have items around the house that we don’t use. Some hide in the backs of drawers, others collect dust on shelves. With your plan in hand, go through each section you laid out to find items you no longer use or need. Compile these items into a donate pile. Protip- if you are unsure, box the item up, and store it. If you haven’t gone to retrieve the item in 6 months, it’s time to donate.

3 – Find a Home for Everything

The key to an organized space, is allocating a home for everything. Once you have decluttered, the real fun begins and you can get creative. This is where your goal comes in handy. If you’re planning a full make over, it’s time to account for what type of storage you will need. Remember it’s always better to buy storage bins, baskets, bags or totes, knowing how you will use them. Design your new space with purpose, and it will feel much more Zen. There are a wide assortment of storage solutions available. With options like shelving, drawer liners, closet organization solutions, totes & bins, there is a storage solution for your aesthetic. This can seem daunting, but once all items have a home keeping organized becomes that much easier.

4 – Clean up your Digital Space

Don’t forget your computer. Most of us focus on our living space, but our digital space can become cluttered and chaotic too. Set aside some time and organize your files. Find a filing system that works for you, and be sure to back up your important files on a separate drive in the unfortunate event of a drive failure. Be sure to clean out your phone too. Go through and unload any unused apps, and be sure to back your photos up. For more on cleaning your phone, check out this blog.

Bonus – If you have a lot of old photos and mementos, consider making them into scrapbook or album, or having them scanned. This will ensure your precious memories last forever. See this blog about how our Photolab can help you digitize your old prints.

New Year’s Giveaway

New Year’s Giveaway – Official Rules

To enter:

Whether your New Year’s resolution is to focus on fitness and nutrition, prioritizing your mental health, or even taking up a new hobby, tell us in the comments below and you could win one 1 of 2 $50 London Drugs gift cards!

Participating and entering in this promotion is considered a complete release of Facebook by each entrant or participant. It is also an acknowledgement that the promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by or associated with Facebook.

Contest Dates: Jan 1 – 15, 2021

No purchase necessary. Limit one (1) entry per social network per contest. Limit one (1) prize may be won per household. Entries must be received no later than 11:59 pm Pacific Time on Jan 15, 2021, 11:59pm PST. London Drugs is not responsible for entries that become lost or misdirected.
Contest is open to all residents of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba who, as of the date the prize draw is made: (i) have not won a London Drugs contest since Jan 15, 2020; (ii) have reached the age of majority in the province in which they reside as at Jan 1, 2021 (iii) are not employees of London Drugs, their respective advertising and promotional agencies, the independent judging organization (if any), or any family member living with any such employee.
The winners will be randomly chosen on the day the contest ends (see dates below) in Vancouver, British Columbia, from all eligible entries received per contest. To win, selected entrants must have correctly answered the skill-testing mathematical question on the entry for on the online entry form and must sign London Drug’s declaration and release confirming compliance with the contest rules and acceptance of the prize(s) as awarded, releasing London Drugs from liability in association with the contest and prize and consenting to the use of their name, photograph, voice and statements for promotional and publicity purposes.
There will be 2 (two) prize(s) awarded to 2 (two) winners: each receiving a London Drugs Gift Card valued at $50. Prize(s) must be accepted as awarded, are non-transferable and no substitutions are permitted. London Drugs reserves the right to substitute a prize of equal or greater value should any prize become unavailable for any reason. Prize will be awarded at the closest London Drugs location to the winner.

Contests dates: Jan 1 – 15, 2021

Draw Date: 12:00 PM Pacific Time: Jan 18, 2021

Selected entrants will be contacted by email, or social network they were drawn from. No correspondence will be entered into except with selected entrants. If the winner does not respond then she/he will be notified for the second time, 3 (three) days after the first notification. If the winner still does not respond within 3 days of the second notification, a new winner will be chosen in the same manner until a winner is successfully contacted.
The chances of winning a prize will depend on the number of eligible entries received. Decisions of the judges in respect of all aspects of this contest including, but not limited to, eligibility of entries and correctness of answers given to the skill-testing question, are final.
London Drugs, their respective advertising and promotional agencies, the independent judging organization, and their respective agents are not liable to an entrant in any manner relating to the contest or the awarding and use of the prize(s).
This contest is subject to all federal, provincial, and municipal laws and regulations. By entering the entrant consents to the collection of all personal information included on their entry and agrees to the use and disclosure of such information by and between London Drugs and their agents. The winner(s) also agrees to the collection, use and disclosure of their name, entry, photographs, voice and statements for London Drugs’ publicity purposes without further compensation. All personal information collected from entrants will be used only for the purposes of administering the contest and for marketing and promotional purposes as contemplated by these rules; under no circumstances will any personal information be sold or rented to third parties. All personal information collected by London Drugs will be kept in accordance with the privacy policy of London Drugs, which can be viewed at londondrugs.com, and in accordance with all applicable privacy laws.
The right is reserved by London Drugs to terminate this contest, in whole or in part, and/or modify, amend or suspend the contest, and/or these rules in any way, should any cause beyond the reasonable control of London Drugs or its agents affect the proper administration thereof.

Statement of Declaration and Release

All selected entrants will be required to sign the Statement of Declaration and Release attached before they can be declared a winner and receive a contest prize.

How to Change Your Bad Habits This Year

We are creatures of habit. We follow the same routines over and over again because it’s easy, it’s comfortable, and it’s often automatic. When habits become ingrained, we barely even think about the actions we’re taking.

This is great if our habits are good for us. But we all have bad habits we repeat consistently, too — not enough exercise, too much screen time, not enough healthy food, too much sugar, not enough rest, too much work, etc.

Once a habit is ingrained, it’s hard to turn it around. Transforming bad habits into good ones takes time, commitment, and patience. Following these steps will make the process a little easier.

Step 1: Start Small

Don’t try to change many habits at once; the difficulty may be insurmountable. Start with one habit and stick with it for 30 days. When it becomes routine and you find yourself doing it automatically, then add in another one.

Start with something small and relatively simple, like replacing your second cup of coffee with a glass of water in the morning, or spending 20 minutes of your lunch hour walking outside. Starting with something small and easy increases your chances of success and will put you in a positive mindset for tackling tougher habits.

Step 2: Know Your Triggers

Understand what triggers your bad habit. Do you eat chips every time you sit down to watch TV? Do you bite your nails when you talk on the phone? Do you drink coffee whenever you’re feeling sluggish?

Knowing what triggers your bad habit allows you to create a plan to help prevent you from engaging in it when the trigger strikes. So, for example, you could keep a bowl of fruit next to the TV, have something to keep your hands busy when you’re talking on the phone, or plan to get up and do some jumping jacks when you’re feeling sluggish.

Step 3: Replace the Bad Habit with a Good One

For every bad habit you want to eliminate, find a good habit to replace it, and make it easy to engage in that habit. For example, say you want to stop snacking on chips; have a healthy snack like a handful of almonds or some chopped up veggies all ready and easy to grab. The impulse to eat will still be there and you can act on it in a healthier way.

Step 4: Be Consistent for 30 Days

They say it takes 20 to 30 days to really cement a new habit, and that’s with consistent practice. The more you practice the new habit, the faster it will become, well, a habit. It will get a little bit easier each time, until one day you’ll do it without even realizing that you have.

Step 5: Use Distractions When You Have Cravings

Habits that are well-ingrained will come with strong physical urges or cravings. Whatever you do, don’t give in to those urges. Ride them out by distracting yourself or using positive self-talk.

Most urges will only last a few minutes before fading away. Resist them and you’re that much closer to creating your new habit.

Step 6: Accept Failure but Don’t Let it Stop You

It’s almost inevitable that you’ll fail at least once when working on replacing a bad habit. It’s only natural to revert to what we’re used to — especially when we’re tired, stressed, or hungry.

Don’t let a lapse in willpower prevent you from forging ahead with your goal. Get back on the wagon and keep going. You’ll soon get there, and you’ll feel so good when you do!

Looking for more healthy habits inspiration and support? Come talk to an expert at the LD Pharmacy anytime.

New Year Fitness Facebook Contest

Kick off the New Year by bringing workout and massage gear to the comfort of your home. Together with PurAthletics and Rejuvenate, we’re giving away a pack of fitness, yoga and massage accessories worth $150 to two lucky winners! See below for full Terms & Conditions and how to enter.

New Year Fitness Facebook Contest Terms & Conditions

To enter: Comment with the answer to “what your favorite fitness workout is and why?”

Contest is open to all residents of British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba who, as of the date the prize draw is made: (i) have not won a London Drugs contest since January 9^th, 2018; (ii) have reached the age of majority in the province in which they reside as of January 4^th, 2019; (iii) are not employees of London Drugs, their respective advertising and promotional agencies, the independent judging organization (if any), or any family member living with any such employee.

No purchase necessary. Limit one (1) entry per person per social network per contest. Entries must be received no later than 11:59 PM Pacific Time January 9^th, 2019. London Drugs is not responsible for entries that become lost or misdirected. All entries become the property of London Drugs Limited and will not be returned.

One (1) winner will be randomly chosen on the day the contest ends (see dates below) in Vancouver, British Columbia, from all eligible entries received per contest. To win, selected entrants must correctly answer a skill-testing mathematical question and must sign London Drugs’ declaration and release confirming compliance with the contest rules and acceptance of the prize(s) as awarded, releasing London Drugs from liability in association with the contest and prize and consenting to the use of their name, photograph, voice and statements for promotional and publicity purposes.

There will be two prizes of

ONE (1) fitness, yoga and massage accessories prize pack (valued at $150)

See details and contest date below. Prizes must be accepted as awarded, are non-transferable and no substitutions are permitted. Prizes will be awarded at the closest London Drugs location to contest winners.

Contest date – Friday, January 4^th, 2019 – Wednesday, January 9^th, 2019 at 11:59 PM Pacific Time

Draw date – Thursday January 10^th, 2019

Only one prize may be won by any one person and household. In the event that any selected entrant incorrectly answers the skill-testing question or is otherwise unwilling or unable to comply in full with these rules, a new entry will be drawn.

Selected winners will be contacted by email or on the social network they were drawn from. No correspondence will be entered into except with selected entrants. If the winners do not respond then they will be notified for the second time, 3 (three) days after the first notification. If the winners still do not respond within 3 days of the second notification, a new winner will be chosen in the same manner until a winner is successfully contacted.

The chances of winning a prize will depend on the number of eligible entries received. Decisions of the judges in respect of all aspects of this contest including, but not limited to, eligibility of entries and correctness of answers given to the skill-testing question, are final.

London Drugs and their respective advertising and promotional agencies, the independent judging organization, and their respective agents are not liable to an entrant in any manner relating to the contest or the awarding and use of the prize(s).

This contest is subject to all federal, provincial, and municipal laws and regulations. By entering the entrant consents to the collection of all personal information included on their entry and agrees to the use and disclosure of such information by and between London Drugs, an independent judging organization, and their agents. The winner(s) also agrees to the collection, use, and disclosure of their name, entry, photographs, voice, and statements for London Drugs’ publicity purposes without further compensation. All personal information collected from entrants will be used only for the purposes of administering the contest and for marketing and promotional purposes as contemplated by these rules; under no circumstances will any personal information be sold or rented to third parties. All personal information collected by London Drugs will be kept in accordance with the privacy policy of London Drugs, which can be viewed at www.londondrugs.com, and in accordance with all applicable privacy laws.

The right is reserved by London Drugs to terminate this contest, in whole or in part, and/or modify, amend or suspend the contest, and/or these rules in any way, should any cause beyond the reasonable control of London Drugs or its agents affect the proper administration thereof.

How to Set Smart Health and Wellness Goals for an Awesome 2018

It’s that time again – New Year’s Resolution season. Let’s admit it: we always start off strong with motivation and enthusiasm to eat healthier, exercise more, get more sleep and take better care of ourselves, but come mid-January, that enthusiasm starts to wain. Sometimes we just need that little extra spark to keep the fires of motivation burning, and we’ve got some super-handy tech gadgets to add some fuel to your smart health and wellness fire.

Eat Better

Prep It: Of course preparing your own meals is far healthier than take-out or pre-packaged food, but cooking at home takes extra time and creativity that we don’t always have. Luckily, The Panasonic Steam Microwave will make your meal prep even easier with easy, oil-free dishes that taste great. The steam function can also be combined with microwave, grill, and convection cooking to give you limitless options for making “healthy” synonymous with “delicious.”

Kick Sugar: Everyone snacks. It’s inevitable—that yawning chasm of time between lunch and dinner will find you eventually. In fact, healthy snacking can actually be good for you, as it fends off swings in blood sugar and prevents binge eating when you’re reaaally hungry. Unfortunately, most store-bought snack foods have a shocking amount of sugar in them, so we’ve got some easy tips for cutting down on sugary snacks here.

Move More

Pump It: The perfect playlist can make or break an intense workout. If you’re addicted to the energy that music gives you, make sure you’re taking full advantage of your tunes with a great set of headphones. Skullcandy’s XTFree Wireless Sport Headphones eliminates the hassle of cords and and keeps you free to pump it up. The lightweight buds have a tight comfortable fit, and you’ll get up to six hours of battery life on a charge to keep you going longer.

Get Up: New studies have shown that there’s a direct relationship between time spent sitting and your risk of early mortality. Doctors suggest that for every 30 consecutive minutes of sitting, standing up and moving or walking for five minutes at brisk pace will reduce the health risks from sitting. If you work at a sedentary job, a standing desk is a great way to avoid sitting for long periods of time. Our Certified Data Standing Desk easily changes from sitting to standing position and has a large surface area to accommodate all of your work activities.

Get Down: Fitness is more fun when it’s a family affair! Get the whole gang grooving with Just Dance, available for Nintendo Switch, PS3 & PS4, Wii & Wii U, and Xbox One and 360.

Track It: Some people need a little bossing around to stay on track with their fitness. If you don’t want to hire an expensive personal trainer, go for some wearable tech to keep you accountable. London Drugs has a wide range of Fitbit fitness trackers in lots of different styles and price ranges that can help you reach your goals. With the Fitbit app, you can track your daily steps, caloric intake and output, heart rate, sleep habits–all while looking sleek and stylish.

Get more sleep

Light It: Everyone knows that getting enough sleep is essential support for good health: it helps our bodies repair damage, clean out waste products, balance hormones, renew cells, and so much more. New studies have even shown that a good amount of sleep helps you form memories, solidify learning, reduces your risk of depression, increases fitness levels, and helps to avoid weight gain. If the thought of trying to get more sleep seems intimidating, there is some great technology available to help create optimal conditions for a good night’s rest, like the Sleepace Nox Music Smart Sleep Light. It can help you fall asleep easily with soothing light and sound and wakes you up naturally with a smart light alarm. It also collects data from your bedroom environment that impacts your sleep quality and makes smart suggestions on how to improve your sleeping experience.

Hear It: If you like to listen to music or podcasts as you fall asleep but wake up in a tangled mess of headphone wires, the Furo Bluetooth Sleeping Mask helps you rest in comfort while listening to whatever sounds are needed to take you to dreamland. A soft micro-fibre sleeping mask with built-in Bluetooth speakers and a 6-hour battery life will give you a comfortable, tangle-free sleeping experience.

More self-care

De-Stress: Ideally, we’d all have a live-in massage therapist to help us work out the knots after a stressful day or a hard workout, but alas, most of us aren’t so lucky. The next best thing could be the Homedics Neck & Shoulder Massager with Heat. This invigorating vibration massager adds heat to soothe tense muscles, and the portable design flexes and shapes to your body, providing the perfect fit for the perfect massage. Makes you want to let out a big “ahhhhhhh” just reading that, doesn’t it?

Breathe In: It’s amazing how scent can affect your mood and well-being. Just ask any of your friends who have jumped on the therapeutic essential oils bandwagon recently: lavender can help you sleep, pine can alleviate stress, citrus can help you feel more energized, and peppermint may boost concentration, just to name a few. An aromatherapy diffuser will help fill your home with whatever scent and mood you crave.

Hopefully, with a little help, we can all stick to our goals for the year (and stay off the road that they say is paved with good intentions), and make 2018 into twenty-GREAT-teen!

4 Organization Tips for the New Year

1 – Make a Plan

2 – Declutter

3 – Find a Home for Everything

4 – Clean up your Digital Space

New Year’s Giveaway

New Year’s Giveaway – Official Rules

How to Change Your Bad Habits This Year

Step 1: Start Small

Step 2: Know Your Triggers

Step 3: Replace the Bad Habit with a Good One

Step 4: Be Consistent for 30 Days

Step 5: Use Distractions When You Have Cravings

Step 6: Accept Failure but Don’t Let it Stop You

New Year Fitness Facebook Contest

How to Set Smart Health and Wellness Goals for an Awesome 2018

Eat Better

Move More

Get more sleep

More self-care

Archive

Categories

Pages

Newsletter

4 Organization Tips for the New Year

1 – Make a Plan

2 – Declutter

3 – Find a Home for Everything

4 – Clean up your Digital Space

New Year’s Giveaway

New Year’s Giveaway – Official Rules

How to Change Your Bad Habits This Year

Step 1: Start Small

Step 2: Know Your Triggers

Step 3: Replace the Bad Habit with a Good One

Step 4: Be Consistent for 30 Days

Step 5: Use Distractions When You Have Cravings

Step 6: Accept Failure but Don’t Let it Stop You

New Year Fitness Facebook Contest

How to Set Smart Health and Wellness Goals for an Awesome 2018

Eat Better

Move More

Get more sleep

More self-care

Archive

Categories

Pages

Newsletter

Tags