Regards,
DJ

No one can ever say it enough. The human body is mostly water, the human brain being about 80% water. Keep a water bottle with you at work. Don't just use it for decoration either. Drink it.

Also, cut back on the alcohol, coffee, and soft drinks. Caffeine and alcohol are diuretics, which draw water from your body and make you urinate more. Urine is actually a good indicator of your hydration level. First, you should be going regularly. If you went the entire day without needing to use the bathroom, you should be a little concerned. Second, your pee should be clear, or very light yellow. If its bright or dark yellow and has a strong odor, you're dehydrated. If it's brown... get yourself to an emergency room.

Melanoma is not. Yes, everyone's freaking out about skin cancer. You know what? The sun's effects increase each year as the ozone layer depletes and our atmosphere gets thinner. Ultraviolet rays (UV) are damaging to your skin and eyes, so you need to protect yourself.

However, your body does need sunlight. Why? Most people don't want to look like Gollum. Also, exposing yourself to sunlight encourages a chemical reaction in your body that allows it to utilize calcium. And we all need strong bones. So get some sunscreen, some shades (you need to protect your eyes, too), and if you're really gung-ho, get a wide-brimmed hat. Try not to be outside too much between the hours of 10am and 4pm, when the sun is at its hottest.

Fatty foods in general aren't very good for you. But when it's boiling hot outside, eating (saturated) fat is just going to make you feel bloated and sluggish. Keep your meals as light as possible. Eat a lot of fruits and veggies, and meats like fish and chicken. Try to grill or bake your foods instead of frying them. This is summer, for crying out loud! Go outside and cook!

A quick way to cool down on a hot summer day is to kick back with an icy cold smoothie. Throw some fresh or frozen fruit in a blender, add some ice and milk (or yogurt), and in a few seconds, you've got brainfreeze in a glass. Drink up.

Constantly looking for where you threw your keys last night? Wallet gone AWOL? Designate a single spot in your house/room/apartment to put all of your daily effects, and make it a habit to throw your crap there every time.

Look over your schedule and prepare the things you'll need - whether it be books for school or reports for work, make sure you have your papers in order so that you'll be less likely to forget something in the morning.

While you're looking over your plans for the next day, you can also figure out what you'll wear. You might feel like a little kid again, but lay out your clothes (or hang them on your closet door) for the next day. At least you're doing it yourself now, instead of having Mommy do it for you. And it does save a considerable amount of time.

Keep your morning rituals simple. Ladies, you really don't need to put on ten layers of makeup before you go out the door. It may be shocking to you, but the majority of the world really isn't going to care if you have a couple of pimples. Besides, the plastic look is so last season.

Use your brain. Brushing your teeth in the shower doesn't save you more time, it just wastes more water. It's not like you can brush your teeth and wash your body (or your hair) at the same time, so just keep them separate. Don't get fooled into thinking that you can trim minutes just because you do some things together.

Eat a simple breakfast. It doesn't have to be anything fancy - a bowl of cereal, a bagel, waffles, some yogurt or cottage cheese with fruit. There are tons of things you can stuff in your face in the morning that will give you some reasonable nutrition to start your day without having to take a lot of time to prepare. Keep a stock of these easy morning meals in your fridge or freezer. Hell, if you're really tight on time in the morning, you could eat this on your morning drive. Handheld foods like bagels are a lot less hazardous because you can stuff your face while keeping your eyes on the road. Which is more than I can say for a mascara wand or eyeliner pencil. Besides, its healthier for you anyway.

Perhaps the first step in looking your best is to be clean. Beyond the obvious implication of taking a shower at least once a day, this also means keeping your overall appearance neat. Even if you have a dirty job, you can still maintain something of a decent appearance.

Keep hair trimmed or neatly styled. Your scalp should be flake-free, and your hair should be free of dry, split-ends (at least for the most part). This means washing your hair regularly to remove dead skin from the scalp, but not too much as to completely strip your hair of all of its essential oils. If you have longer hair, use conditioner for extra nourishment. The goal is to be clean and healthy-looking; no need to get neurotic about it.

Brush your teeth and keep that breath fresh. There's nothing like going for a job interview and having garlic breath overpower your potential employer. Keep those pearlies white by brushing and flossing at least twice a day. Antibacterial mouthwash (such as Listerine) helps with anything you missed, and can be used for a quick midday freshen-up. Carry some sugar free mints with you (gum chewing is bad for your jaw, and can be rather distracting and considered less professional). Nobody likes funky morning breath.

Do your laundry. Pay attention to the care labels on your garments. All clothing should be wrinkle- and stain-free. Life happens, and during the course of the day you may have a coffee stain running down your pantleg, but for the most part, it shouldn't be too much of a problem.

Deodorize. This does not mean drench yourself in cologne. Use a simple anti-perspirant stick or spray, and a spritz of fragrance if you'd like. You aren't trying to change your smell, you're simply enhancing your own.

Fingernails (and toenails, if you're going barefoot or in slippers/sandals) should be kept trimmed and free of dirt. Avoid the claw effect by not letting nails grow more than 1/4" past the tip of your fingers.

Being able to pull off any kind of style requires you to be comfortable with it and yourself. If you feel good, it shows. Style should come off as effortless. And really, it's not that hard.

Make sure your clothes fit you. While it is important that your clothing fit you well in a physical sense, this also means it should suit your character. You know what I'm talking about. Little old ladies do not belong in neon tights and leather miniskirts. Even if you have a great body, if you wear jeans two sizes too small, you're going to look like a fucking sausage. Just say, "No." Others should not be able to see your undergarments because your clothes are so loose. You also shouldn't have to inhale and contort your body into a pretzel just to get dressed. Dress appropriately for your age and the occasion, and make sure everything fits the way it should.

Your shoes should be comfortable. You can rock those stillettos, but if you've got blisters after an hour of wear, they're not worth it, honey. Guys, tie your fucking shoelaces. It's not that hard. Your shoes should fit you well - a well-fitted shoe doesn't have to be "broken in".

Confidence will make or break you. If you seem unsure of yourself or self-conscious, it doesn't matter what you're wearing, your look will fall flat on its face. The same is true in reverse - you could be wearing a bright pink jumpsuit and glow-in-the-dark sneakers; but if you rock it hardcore (you may get a few odd looks), you could pull it off. Confidence comes a lot easier when you've satisfied the previous two elements of style. If you feel clean and comfortable, it's easy to feel good. And when you feel good about yourself, it shows.