How to Improve Your Penmanship at Any Age

Having good penmanship is an invaluable life skill, and even if it’s been decades since you first learned to write in cursive, it’s something that you can always try to improve. Here are a few helpful tips to help you improve you handwriting or teach your children the proper way to write.

  1. Point out the flaws. Write a few sentences and evaluate them to see where you’re going wrong. Is the slant uneven, or are the letters spaced too far apart? Do you write with straight, bold lines or are they shaky and fine? Deciphering where your handwriting needs improvement will help you to make it better.
  2. Use the right muscles. Most people with less-than-perfect handwriting draw the letters on the page with only their fingers instead of using their full arms to write properly. Try writing with your entire arm and shoulder in order to put the right amount of force behind each letter.
  3. Go back to the basics. Many bad habits begin when people start writing letters in a way that is different than the proper formation. Using a kindergarten-style alphabet worksheet, re-train yourself to write each letter the way it should look. This will help you to make your writing more consistent and, in turn, more legible for those who have to read it.

How to Improve Your Handwriting [wikiHow]
8 Easy Tips to Improve Your Handwriting [Matador]
Improve Your Handwriting by Writing With Your Shoulders, Not Your Fingers [Lifehacker]

Facing a Deadline? Here’s How to Break the Procrastination Habit

It seems like every time you’re faced with a big deadline for work or school, your brain instantly goes into procrastination mode. Suddenly the house needs to be cleaned, that new television show looks a whole lot more interesting than it did before, and even just staring at the wall seems more appealing than doing your work. If this sounds all too familiar, these three tips will help you to stop procrastinating for good.

  1. Break things up. A huge project may seem daunting, but once you break it down into smaller steps, it'll seem much easier to manage. Create an outline of the project with each part broken down into its own step, and the tackle each step one at a time. Crossing off those items will feel so good that you’ll look forward to moving on to the next one.
  2. Get a change of scenery. If you work from home, the amount of distractions in your living space can start to feel overwhelming. Set up a home office area that’s completely separate from your bedroom, living room, or other recreational areas, or even take your work to a coffee shop when you feel the dreaded procrastination bug coming on.
  3. Hold yourself accountable. Whether this means telling a friend or colleague about your goals or marking them down on a calendar, many people work more efficiently if they’re held accountable for their actions. Over time, this may even translate into better work habits altogether.

11 Practical Ways to Stop Procrastination [Lifehack]
How to Stop Procrastination in 4 Simple Steps Even if You’re Lazy [Digital Bloggers]
15 Ways to Stop Procrastinating Right Now [Business Insider]
8 Ways to Not Procrastinate [Relevant Magazine]

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