Business Boosters

Magnets belong on the fridge, not on the computer. A magnet on a computer case can cause it to malfunction because many hard drives and floppy disks store data magnetically. A magnet could erase or rearrange the data, making it impossible to read.

If interruptions on the job are driving you crazy, try some of these tips from Steve Kaye of Personal Quality, Inc.:

1. Schedule your interruptions. Let people know you are available for visitors and phone calls during certain hours - and that time only.
2. Let co-workers know at the start how much time you can spare. This encourages concise speaking and focusing on relevant information.
3. Tell the visitor that you are working on an important project with an imminent deadline. "I have to complete this project by noon."
4. Convey urgency. Standing when anyone enters your office signals the conversation should be short, and it keeps the visitor from sitting.
5. Create physical barriers. Make it difficult for wandering time-wasters to stop by. Close your door. Or if you work in an open space, position your work space so it faces away from the entrance.
6. Make your work place less friendly. Stack books, boxes, or heavy equipment on the chairs.
7. Be honest. If someone asks you, "Got a minute?" or "Is this a good time?" just say no.

Wearing perfume and cologne, particularly musks, is not appropriate in the work force," says Sandra Morissette, an etiquette consult- ant in New York, N. Y. "There are too many romantic and sexual overtones to wearing scents, and it's distracting at work."

In addition, Morissette points out that many people are allergic to chemicals used in scents, especially less expensive varieties. The syrnptoms they develop include difficulty breathing, headaches, sinus irritations, and - in extreme cases - hives. Even people who wear a small amount of perfume can compound the effect by using other scented products, such as hair spray, lotions, and laundry detergent.

"If you insist on wearing a fragrance at work, choose something on the more expensive side and change it frequently because if you wear it every day, you lose your ability to smell it and wind up adding more and more," she says. "Also, never apply perfume or cologne in public - it's better to do that in the restroom."

Management consultant William Bridges recommends asking these questions to serve your customers better:

• Do my company's products and services solve your problems or meet your needs ?

• How can I provide better services or products for you?
• What are the company's best and worst products and services?

Bridges also recommends asking non-customers why they are not customers, and asking existing customers why they remain loyal.

Health

If the dark mornings at the start of Daylight Savings Time make it harder to get out of bed, try this yoga move to wake up and get moving, suggested by Lorin Roche, Ph.D.

• Sit up in bed.
• Close your eyes
• Stretch by raising your arms up over your head for a full minute, inhaling and holding each breath for 10 seconds.
• Twist from side to side.

Still sleepy? Get out of bed, stand, and repeat the process.

Help Your Child Breathe Easy

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, one in ten children suffers from asthma. You can learn to spot an asthma attack by watching for one or more of these tell-tale signs:

• Difficulty in breathing
• Breathing faster than usual
• Complaints of wheezing, coughing, shortness of breath, or tightness in the throat.
• You can help your child avoid attacks by avoiding such asthma triggers as:
• Infections in the trachea or the ear, nose, or throat
• Cigarette smoke
• Air pollution
• Particularly cold or dry air
• Allergens, such as pollens or dust mites.

If your eyelids are blinking more than normal, opthalmologists say that your eyes are proba bly re-moistening the cornea, which dries as a result of too much reading, irritation from contact lenses, or a lack of sleep. To combat the dryness, get more sleep and close your eyes from time to time while reading. If the problem persists (and you don't think contacts are to blame), ask your eye doctor to recommend eye drops.

Canker sores -small, white ulcers inside the mouth -are typically brought on by stress or smoking. It's possible to ease the discomfort by sucking on ice or dabbing the sore with milk of magnesia or an over-the- counter ointment with benzocaine. They usually go away within a week to 10 days, but see your doctor if they last longer than two weeks.

Personal Finance

The Philanthropic Advisory Service (PAS) of the Council of Better Business Bureaus reminds us that you can get a tax deduction on clothes donated to charity. To assess their value for tax purposes, it recommends pricing comparable items at a thrift store. Most stores run by charities let you estimate the amount of your donation and give you a receipt for your records.

If you estimate that you are donating a tidy amount - say, several hundred dollars' worth - you are advised to price each item and get the total figure notarized. The PAS notes that you cannot deduct clothes given to consignment stores where you are given a percentage of the final sales price.

The Athletic Footwear Association of North Palm Beach, Fla., recommends matching the sneakers you buy to your exercise routine:

Runners and walkers - Choose low cut sneakers with wide soles at the toe for balance.

Aerobic exercisers - Opt for sneakers with narrow soles to allow quick, easy pivots and turns. Also, look for extra cushioning to soften high-impact jumps.

If you do a bit of all three, your best bet is cross-training sneakers, which offer extra support and deep grooves to avoid slipping.

Remodeling Magazine compiled the chart below to show the national averages of costs of 10 common home improvements and the returns these "investments" will yield on the sale of a house. You may still want to enjoy the improvement, but you will at least have an idea of what it will cost if you go ahead.