• Fishing shades can often look like your grandfather's cataract sunglasses, but they don't have to.

• Smith Optics' Barra sunglasses ($169) are a subtle hybrid between utilitarian angler and out-and-about urbanite.

• I wore them on my boat, the trout stream, and while driving to see how they fared. They shined through it all.

Any angler worth their quiver of fishing rods knows that wraparound frames are the best bet for saving your eyes, keeping the crow's feet to a minimum, and, yes, spotting your prospective catch. But, let's face it: There's no avoiding them being mistaken for Grandpa's cataract glasses. For just such reason, I keep a pair of much more muted shades in my car so that the second I'm off the water, I'm back wearing my more neutral Persols or Ray-Bans.

But I don't always have room (or forethought) to bring a second pair of more stylish shades along on my outdoorsy exploits, where I've come to learn that a pair of wraparounds is a near-essential piece of apparel. Still, I also just like the idea of paring down my pile of gear a little. That being the case, I'm always keeping an eye out for shades that will do the trick fishing, but won't repulse my city-slicking friends (these New Yorkers, let me tell you ...).

My hunt will likely never end, but this spring I've found a pair that comes close, and that's reason enough to rejoice. Smith's Barra sunglasses are primarily designed for fishing, but will leave your street-faring comrades none the wiser.

Specs

Like many wraparound sunglasses, the Barras have a lot of curvatures (six points, to be exact), and are equipped with Smith's patented ChromaPop technology, which, in lay talk, works to separate confusion between the way light passes information to our brains. If that confuses you as it does me, read here. But, to keep things simple: Fishing, and specifically sight fishing, requires a keen ability to separate shades (specifically between the colors blue, green, and red). Fish will often appear as just shadows, and even more often, slight variations in hue from the waters in which they love. 

Barras come in a classic Wayfarer-style, and 11 different colorways, from mirrored orange lenses down to gray, smoky ones. While mirrored lenses are a dead giveaway for fishing glasses, they do wonders cutting glare, and are a compromise worth considering when buying a pair, depending on how much you plan on fishing with them. For me, it was a simple decision since I have a couple other pairs, but if you're only going to go with one pair of shades this summer, consider carefully.

The other sneaky little fisher-friendly feature on these shades is that, while they're not a wraparound, they do have a little edge which is unnoticeable to most, but makes all the difference in catching not all, but a good portion of the stray light that enters your eyes from the edges of the frames.

They're plastic lenses, so you'll have to be careful with them (they'll scratch more easily than good glass, like what you'd find in a pair of Costas), and clean them especially well (otherwise they're prone to delamination). But they're lightweight, and they're extremely technical (you wouldn't get that much curvature in glass lenses, at least not without paying dearly).

And, if you require a prescription, they're amenable.

My field notes

I took the Barras (in Gravy, Copper, with a mirrored bronze lens) out fishing in several different conditions. First, they came along fly fishing on a bluebird day in New York's Catskill Mountains. Standing atop a bridge over a world-renowned trout pool, I stood with four other seasoned anglers (whom, I might add, are all decidedly better trout anglers and spotters than I), and I was the only one able to note a trout hugging the bottom of the stream. I wasn't getting any reflection at all like I normally do with non-mirrored shades. The mirrors, per usual on just about any pair of shades, were doing their job, but so were the little tabs on the slide of the frames that cut the stray light.

Then I brought them out the next day, which held a mix of fog and overcast skies. They still worked, but weren't quite as effective. I might have ditched the mirrors for such a day, but then I was still impressed with how illuminated everything looked in contrast with how it did when I pulled them away. Green leaves were still popping with near fluorescence, and I kept feeling duped into thinking it was a much sunnier day than it was. It's nice to be able to see in Kodachrome when Mother Nature is edging on the drabber, almost black-and-white side of things.

Finally, I took them out on the salt for sunset, between thunderstorms. We had low light, but it occasionally beamed through the clouds. Still not a hint of glare, and I could still see down into the murky estuarine waters as well as I ever could with any other polarized lenses.

I guess I ought to tell you they're comfortable, too. Very comfortable. I find that when I'm wearing sunglasses for 10 or 12 hours, especially wraparounds, I'll start to get a headache from the temple pieces. Ingeniously, Smith Optics opted to put silicone tips on them so that they give a little, and don't hug your temples so firmly (they'll still stay on nicely, mind you). It's a nice, simple touch that goes a long way on a long day. They've also got automatic locking hinges so you don't have to worry about them wobbling or flinging off.

All in all, these are geared toward brighter days, but they seemed to do the trick for me in all of the conditions I encountered last weekend. Oh, and when I got home to Brooklyn (where the hippest of the hip reside, don't you know), I even received not one but two compliments — something I can't recall ever having happened with even a single pair of fishing sunglasses before.

The bottom line

If you're going to be hopping out of the boat and into a bar and grill or some sort of social setting where style matters, these shades are the most neutral option for anglers that I've found yet. The mirrored lens is a little flashy once you're off the water, at least where my more subdued style sensitivities are concerned, but they make all the difference when you want to put them to work. Your only trouble now is in finding your own preference of colors.

Pros: ChromaPop technology, prescription-friendly, lightweight, suitable in most lighting conditions, somewhat balanced style between outdoorsy and urban (in other words, they're not bug-eyed wraparounds)

Cons: Not cheap (but certainly still reasonable), no option for glass

Buy Smith Barras from Backcountry for $169

Buy Smith Barras from Orvis for $169

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• Windows 10 comes with a program called the Game Bar, which you can use to record your screen in most games and programs. 
• To record your screen on Windows 10 using your Game Bar, press the Windows key + G and then click the record button in the Game Bar.
• You can also toggle the microphone on the Game Bar, to include voice narration or go on mute. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

It's easy to takea screenshot in Windows 10, but if you need to capture a video of a program or game, Windows is equipped with a tool for that as well. 

Despite the name, the Windows Game Bar is a general-purpose program that can be used in most programs, even if they're not games. And the Game Bar has a video recording feature you can use to record the screen, with or without voice narration. 

Here's how to do it. 

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

Windows 10 Home (For $139.99 at Best Buy)

How to record your screen on Windows 10 using the Game Bar

1. Open the program for which you want to record the screen, and make sure it has focus (click on the program window). 

2. Press the Windows key + G.

3. If you see a dialog box asking if you want to open the Game Bar, click the checkbox for "Yes, this is a game."

4. The Game Bar should appear. If you want to narrate while you record, click the small Microphone icon. When you're ready to record, click the Record button, which is the large round, solid black button to the right of the camera icon (which can be used to take a screenshot). 

5. After a moment, the Game Bar will become a small recording bar on the side of the screen, and you will be recording. You can turn the microphone on or mute it from here as well. 

6. When you are done, click the blue Stop Recording button. 

7. Look for the notification in the lower right corner of the screen to tell you where Windows has saved the video clip. You should be able to find your videos in the Videos/Captures folder. 

The Game Bar has some limitations. You can only record video in games and most programs – you can't record the Windows desktop. 

If you need to record the desktop, look for a third-party video screen-recording app in the Microsoft Store (Ultra Screen Recorder is one such free app). 

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• 'How much is Windows 10?': A cost breakdown of all three versions of Windows 10

• How to speed up your Windows 10 computer in 7 different ways

• How to boot your Windows 10 computer from a USB drive

• How to properly uninstall programs on Windows 10, to protect your computer and free up space

SEE ALSO: The best gaming PCs you can buy

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: I cleaned my entire apartment with 4 of Amazon's highest-rated cleaning robots, but I could've done a much better job myself

• You can block or unblock someone on Snapchat easily, but figuring out what exactly happens when you block someone can be confusing.
• Blocking someone on Snapchat not only makes it impossible for that person's account to contact you, but they also can't see your public posts on the app.
• The act of blocking someone on Snapchat will only take a minute to complete, and is the same on both iPhone and Android.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

The ability to connect with people via social media can be great — until it isn't. 

Maybe you're dealing with unwanted messages from someone, or you just don't want that person to be able to see your posts. That's when it's time to block that person. 

On Snapchat, the blocking process is really easy, assuming you're familiar with navigating the app.

Here's everything you need to know about blocking people on Snapchat on your iPhone or Android phone, and what happens afterward.

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

iPhone Xs (From $999 at Best Buy)

Google Pixel 3 (From $699.99 at Best Buy)

How to block someone on Snapchat

Blocking people on Snapchat will only take a minute or so to complete, so here's how to do it:

1. Open the Snapchat app on your phone and sign into your account, if necessary.

2. Swipe to the right to open your Friends screen.

3. Locate the person you want to block and tap and hold their name.

4. Select "More."

5. Tap "Block."

If the person you want to block isn't on your Friends list, search for them by tapping the magnifying glass next to the word "Friends" at the top of the screen and typing their username. Once you find them, tap and hold on their name, select "More," and press "Block."

What happens when you block someone on Snapchat

When you block a person on Snapchat, they won't be able to look at your Story or Group Charms. They also won't be able to send you Snaps or chats.

So, assuming they don't have another way to contact you, and they aren't friends with you on another social media site, blocking will cut them off from you. 

That's the main difference between blocking people and removing friends on Snapchat: Blocking makes it so that people can't even see your publicly shared content, while removing friends would not.

How to unblock someone on Snapchat

If for any reason you want to unblock someone later on, you'll be able to do that from your Snapchat settings screen. 

1. Tap on your profile icon in the top-left corner, then tap on the gear icon in the top-right. 

2. Once in your Settings, scroll to "Blocked" at the very bottom of the screen. You'll find all the people you've blocked in this menu.

3. Tap the "X" next to the username you'd like to unblock. 

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• How to save videos and photos you've taken on Snapchat, and one way to save videos from others

• How to find and add someone on Snapchat on iPhone or Android, in 3 different ways

• How to delete or deactivate your Snapchat account, which you can only do from a desktop browser

• How to delete or block friends on Snapchat on an iPhone or Android

SEE ALSO: The best iPhone for every type of person and budget

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: All the ways Amazon is taking over your house

• In March of 2019, Singapore was ranked as one of the most expensive cities in the world for the sixth year in a row.
• In an effort to avoid the new and increased tax on homes in Singapore that are not used as permanent residences, parents are buying luxury homes in their children's names, Bloomberg reported.
• The trend extends to Canada, where buyers are renting mansions to college kids to avoid a new empty-home tax.
• Visit Business Insider for more stories.

Singapore is one of the most expensive cities in the world.

Unsurprisingly, wealthy buyers dominate its housing market: In July, for example, British billionaire James Dyson bought the country's most expensive penthouse for $54.2 million.

But now, a new trend is emerging: Parents in Singapore are buying expensive homes and putting them in their children's names, and it might be an effort to avoid an uptick in second- and third-home taxes, Bloomberg reports. 

Read more:Singapore is now the most expensive — and most competitive — city on earth

Tax changes in Singapore

Singapore first put an additional buyer's stamp duty (ABSD) — a tax on homes that are not used as permanent residences— into place in 2011. At the time, buyers were grouped into three categories with varying rates: Singapore citizens, Singapore permanent residents, and foreigners or non-individuals.

According to Bloomberg, many Singaporeans accumulate wealth through property investments. For these buyers, the original ABSD on second homes stood at 7% and 10% for all additional home purchases.

In July of 2018, in an attempt to cool its market, Singapore increased the ABSD and added two buyer categories to the existing three: entities and developers.

For Singapore citizens, the ABSD jumped to 12% for second homes and 15% for all additional home purchases.  

Since the revised ABSD was first put into place a year ago, industry professionals told Bloomberg there has been an increase in properties being bought for wealthy children, and it's likely an effort to avoid paying the tax. 

In order to claim ownership of a property in Singapore, you have to be 21 or older. But that doesn't mean parents with underage children are out of luck. Bloomberg reports that another potential way for parents to avoid the ABSD is to open trust accounts in their children's names. That way, even though the trust is in the child's name, the parent is able to hold the property for them, according to Bloomberg. While opening a trust is expensive, and there is no concrete data to prove it's being done to avoid the ABSD, industry professionals told Bloomberg there has been a rise in trust-fund inquiries. 

But Singapore isn't the only place where kids are living in luxury homes thanks to tax changes. In 2017, in an attempt to increase Vancouver's rental housing supply, Canada implemented an annual 1% Empty Homes Tax based off a property's assessed taxable value from the previous tax year. As a result, owners began renting their mansions to college kids for shockingly low amounts.

In April, Bloomberg's Natalie Wong and Natalie Obiko Pearson reported that a Vancouver mansion worth around $3 million was being rented out for $3,378 a month. Another Vancouver mansion with nine bedrooms, a steam room, and a billiards room is being rented by fourteen students who each pay $825 a month.

Read the full report at Bloomberg »

SEE ALSO: Wealthy Manhattan residents dished out $11 million to keep a new building from blocking their views of the Empire State Building

DON'T MISS: Step inside the tallest building in Singapore, where the country's most expensive penthouse just sold for $54.2 million and a 39th-floor infinity pool looks out over the city

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: What El Chapo is really like, according to the wife of one his closest henchman

• Hydro Flask's 128-ounce Oasis water jug is the steel tank to keep yourself hydrated for the summer.
• Double walled and insulated, this jug keeps cold things cold all day.
• With the reckless adventurer in mind, Hydro Flask's Oasis is also nearly indestructible. (Trust me, I've tried.)
• If you're not particularly rough on things, you might just as soon consider the classic Igloo Red Legend or a Coleman Beverage Cooler— both of which are gallon-sized, but about one-sixth of the price.

A 5-pound (when empty), 1-gallon water jug might seem like overkill to some, but if you spend a lot of time on the move and, like me, regularly neglect to hydrate, it might just be your five-pound reminder to do so. I like to think of Hydro Flask's 128-ounce Oasis as my guardian angel, the patron saint of my kidneys and my future, hopefully healthier self.

Gone are the days when I'd fill a couple of 18-ounce water bottles, slip them into my ditty bag, and call my H2O situation secure, only to forget I'd even packed them and not have even a drop of water pass my lips. With this double-walled, vacuum-insulated 18/8 stainless steel jug, I am considerably more hydrated these days, especially when I'm out on the water. It rolls and clanks all over the deck of my boat, offering a constant reminder to keep drinking water. And that I do.

Design and specs for Hydro Flask's 128-ounce Oasis water jug

By and large, this is a standard double-walled, vacuum-insulated water bottle like most you'd find on the market (Hydro Flask calls its proprietary version "TempShield"). It's made with high-grade 18/8 stainless steel, and yes, it's heavy as all heck. This is not necessarily the water container you want to bring on a six-mile hike. The trade-off, though, is that it'll keep cold things cold in excess of 24 hours, and hot things hot for about 12 hours (though I haven't yet tested the latter claim).

Two integrated lids make filling, drinking from, and cleaning the Oasis a cinch, and the silicone carrying handle is sturdy but also comfortable to hold, unlike a solid plastic handle. It might not last as long, but then Hydro Flask has a notably generous limited lifetime warranty program; if you were to manage to break the strap, they'd likely replace it. Still, I've swung mine around for a few months and I haven't noticed any signs of stress or give.

In the field

Apart from boat and beach trips, I also toss it into the back of my car for road trips, where, again, it's constantly rolling and clanking, and impossible to ignore. Thankfully, it can take a beating. Note the few white scratches near the base of my Oasis above. Those, mind you, came only after repeated accidental drops from the seats in my boat to the deck — about a 2.5-foot drop. With the Oasis full, though, that's about 13 pounds total, hitting the dance floor, as we in the boating world often call it, with momentum. You should see my poor deck, though, which I'm sad to say took the brunt of the repeated blows.

But then I can paint over that. What would be the real tragedy, as has been the case with more delicate (but still pricier) water bottles I've owned, is if the Oasis were to have dented, or cracked. But that's why we pay such premiums for overbuilt gear, is it not?

The bottom line

If you're extremely rough on things, or if your profession demands it, the Hydro Flask Oasis is an easily justifiable expense. Boaters, campers, van lifers, wilderness dwellers, and construction workers, especially, can all put it to good use, and it will outlast any lightweight plastic or steel jug several times over.

If, on the other hand, you're just looking for something to get you and yours through Sunday morning soccer practice, go for the classic Igloo Red Legend or a Coleman Beverage Cooler— both of which are gallon-sized, but about one-sixth of the price of the Oasis.

Pros: Durable, easy to clean, easy to pour (and drink) from, keeps cold things cold for 24-plus hours and hot things hot for about 12 hours

Cons: Expensive, heavy (4.95 pounds when empty)

Buy Hydro Flask's 128-ounce Oasis at Hydro Flask for $124.95

Buy Hydro Flask's 64-ounce Oasis at Hydro Flask for $94.95

Join the conversation about this story »

• Worrying is often seen as a negative thing, breaking your concentration and taking up your time. Especially for entrepreneurs, worrying is rampant.
• If you're constantly worrying, there may be a more productive way to tackle those concerns.
• Scheduling a worry break means that you're making your mental health a commitment, offers an alternative to unhealthy repression, and allows you to have the focus of knowing you'll have time to worry again soon.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Worrying all the time is a reality for many entrepreneurs. Long hours working alone, increased pressure to succeed, and the rigorous demands of running a business often result in concerns that multiply and go unchecked.

Whether it's one or two big problems that nag at you consistently throughout the day or a host of little things that zip in and out of your head and break your concentration, there's one simple way to manage them: take a worry break.

The benefits of worrying on a schedule

A worry break is a scheduled time that you set aside on a regular basis to focus on the anxieties or problems that are preoccupying you.

If that sounds like a recipe for more stress, consider this: spending 15 to 20 minutes a day on a worry deep-dive can ultimately reduce your worries and help you cope more effectively with the challenges thrown at you. When you focus intensely on your concerns at a designated time instead of letting them run wild and interfere with your day, you're more equipped to create constructive solutions.

If you're ready to try a worry break, here's how experts recommend you start. 

SEE ALSO: 7 habits of the luckiest people you can start copying right now

1. Schedule a time for your worry break

Pick a time when you are usually alone and are less likely to be interrupted. Ideally, you would take a worry break on a daily basis, making it part of your routine. This also makes you less prone to skipping it on hectic or stressful days (which is when you need it most). Proactively tending to your mental well-being should be a habit, not an afterthought. Set a calendar reminder, write it in your planner, and commit to it.

2. Channel worries elsewhere until it’s time to focus on them

Trying to fight off negative thoughts and emotions backfires. They will just pop back up like trying to hold a beach ball under water.

Instead, capture your worries in a document, journal, or note. You may find it helpful to jot down stressful thoughts as they occur to you, especially if you feel worried about so many things that you can't even keep track of them. (It happens – especially to us perfectionists.)

This serves a few purposes: it keeps you organized, gives you peace of mind you won't forget anything important, and means worries stay out of sight, out of mind until you're prepared to tackle them. This may be difficult at first, but it gets easier.

3. During your worry break, worry intensely, but worry well

When your scheduled worry break arrives, don't do anything but worry. Free write about your fears and concerns. Be as detailed and specific as possible. Don't censor yourself. If any new ideas or next steps occur to you as you worry, jot those down too.

When problems meet the light of day, you'll probably find that solutions often come more naturally than you ever expected. It makes perfect sense: when you resist negative emotions like worry, they only become stronger. But when you confront them head-on, we diminish their power and often find ways to tackle them productively.

You might find the quiet time for reflection and deep concentration allows you to think more clearly. Or you might try setting a timer to brainstorm possible options to run by your team or a trusted mentor. Asking yourself questions like the ones below can also unlock your creative thinking:

• What story or limiting thoughts am I telling myself about this situation?
• What would I do if I had unlimited time and resource or if X wasn't a barrier?
• What would I like to happen?
• What will I do first?

4. Worry break over? Time to move on

When your worry break is over, switch gears. If you feel fixated on a problem, remember that you'll have another worry break on the calendar. In the meantime, you're now free to focus your energy elsewhere, without the powerful cognitive toll that round-the-clock stress takes.

So, worry away — when the time is right.

• Michel Falcon has gone from working as a call center agent for 1-800-GOT-JUNK? to advising billion-dollar brands. 
• Falcon left college to work for 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, fielding 100 calls a day. He was intrigued by the company culture, and became friends with the CEO.
• After getting promoted five times in five years, he struck out on his own in 2012. He found himself struggling. 
• But then he became a traveling speaker, helped launch restaurants, and wrote his own book.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Michel Falcon went to college like his parents wanted him to. But he wasn't an academic, and accumulating debt to get through school felt like a waste. So when another opportunity presented itself, he jumped at the chance to take a different approach to learning.

It was a call center job for a junk-removal business. Eyebrows were raised when people assumed he left school to be a garbage man, but Falcon didn't care. He was confident it would teach him the skills he needed to launch his own business someday.

Next, he needed to find his niche. Sales or marketing were logical choices, but he didn't want to go the popular route. As he searched for his calling, a Harvard Business Review article about a successful company caught his eye. That was all he needed; he was off to the races.

Taking 100 calls a day 

Falcon went to Capilano University in Vancouver, where he grew up, to study business administration. While he did well in courses he liked, he didn't excel. "I was paying for my tuition and decided I'd rather work for a company I could learn from while getting paid at the same time." 

After a friend raved about his new job with a company called 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, Falcon researched them and liked what he saw. Its founder, Brian Scudamore, grew the venture from a $1,000 investment to a nine-figure international company with no funding or co-owners. They had just been named one of the best workplaces in Canada — after all, their motto was "It's all about people."

Falcon applied for a job in the call center and experienced the culture in the interview. "They were so hospitable, and it seemed like everyone genuinely wanted to be there."

Falcon was hired; and to appease his mother, he told her he was "postponing his degree." He was assigned the 4 a.m. shift and was answering 100 calls a day. "There were many things I would have rather been doing than going to bed at 6 p.m.," says Falcon. "I hated it sometimes, but that's when I remembered my purpose. I would use this company as a springboard to success and contribute to theirs along the way."

Read more: I'm a wife and mother who works from home. My family acts like I don't have a job — and I'm tired of it.

An MBA from a junk-removal company

How does an entry-level employee get to know the CEO? "It was actually the other way around," says Falcon. "Brian introduced himself to the call center team, a department often overlooked at other companies. That was something I learned from him: he's a servant leader."

Falcon and Scudamore developed a friendship, even boxing together over lunch. "I'm sure lots of people tugged at his cape and asked for his time. I took a different approach. I put my head down, did good work, and gained attention that way."

In 2008, Falcon read an article about Zappos, a billion-dollar shoe and clothing company with a renowned customer experience, which was heralded as one of the next secrets to success. "I realized you can't have a great customer experience without company culture and engaged employees. I decided to build my career on those three things."

Thanks to Scudamore's connections, Falcon spent a day with the Zappos executive leadership team. He turned the internet inside out studying his craft. "I contacted people who worked for customer-focused companies like Apple, Amazon, and Southwest. Sometimes I read case studies for six hours a day."

Falcon's dedication paid off. He was promoted five times in five years and moved to the operations team after three years, which helped build and manage the company's customer experience efforts. The department was responsible for creating customer-centric training materials, deploying a complaint resolution system, and managing the Net Promoter Score program, which measures customer relationships and loyalty.

"My time at 1-800-GOT-JUNK? was my MBA. They got a lot of value from me too, but I couldn't believe I got paid to learn so much. I believe organizations should offer so much learning and development that employees think they're getting the better deal."

Robbing Peter to pay Paul

In 2012, Falcon was ready to strike out on his own. At 26 years old, he gave a month's notice and started Falcon Consulting Group to advise companies on customer experience, employee engagement, and company culture strategies. With a month of savings, he moved home to work from his parents' dining table.

Falcon's first clients were small local companies. He took out payday loans and maxed out credit cards to get the business going. "It was tough," he says. "There were times when I quietly cried to myself because creditors were calling; I was stressed, and I seriously doubted my ability to succeed.

"I don't know if there was a single friend I didn't borrow money from. It was like robbing Peter to pay Paul. I couldn't get more credit because I didn't have any verified income. I was in debt and on my last financial lifeline."

After a year of struggling, there was a tipping point. During his free time, Falcon blogged about the value of customer experience, employee engagement, and company culture. Verizon Wireless found his blog and asked him to speak at their western region's retail conference.

"I thought it was a joke at first," Falcon admits. His next thought? "I hope I can figure out how to write a proposal and submit an invoice."

Falcon leveraged the project to work with international clients like Electronic Arts, Alfa Romeo, and Lush cosmetics. Over the next year, he traveled to countries such as Israel, Australia, and Saudi Arabia to speak at events. To hone his speaking skills, he watched Jerry Seinfeld's stand-up comedy. "Comedians have the best opening, closing, and delivery," he says.

Read more: I'm a recruiter who's placed hundreds of senior professionals. Here are 5 things hiring managers know that job seekers don't.

Hiring 100 people in 45 days

But it wasn't all laughs. "Traveling was cool, but it got lonely," says Falcon. "I missed the collaborative atmosphere of 1-800-GOT-JUNK? I was depositing five-figure checks, but I was hollow."

In 2016, his friend Brandon Farmer called for help launching a large venue with a restaurant, snack bar, cocktail lounge, speakeasy, event space, and rooftop patio. Falcon says the business would do $10 million its first year and required 100 employees from day one.

Falcon relocated to Toronto to consult for them and was offered a partnership in the restaurant group after six months. While he continued to speak and host workshops, he dissolved the consulting company to focus on the new venture's culture, employees, and customers.

Before the venue opened, Falcon built about 20 initiatives to enrich the lives of customers and employees. For example, someone from every department would be elected to the employee advisory board to meet with him monthly and discuss company culture. 

In the interview process, his team asks, "What is an indulgence that you can't live without that costs less than $20?" Whether it's a bottle of cabernet or dark chocolate with sea salt, that item would be waiting to surprise the employee on their first day of work. "If you want your employees to deliver unique customer experiences that grow your company, you must do that for your team first," he says.

The restaurant, Baro, opened in December 2016. In less than two years, the group opened another large bar-restaurant in Toronto, Petty Cash. Falcon says their Net Promoter Score is between 70 and 80, compared to an industry average around 40. At one point, the employee retention rate was 2.5 times higher than the industry average, according to Falcon — but he doesn't believe in monitoring retention anymore.

"A great company helps their team follow their passions as individuals, not employees," says Falcon. "If that means they eventually leave to follow their dreams, it's your responsibility to get them there. As former Netflix chief talent officer Patty McCord taught me: 'Be a great company to be from.'"

Never a thought leader

Falcon attributes their success to a people-first philosophy, and he's building an online course to help other companies implement his strategies. In 2018, he released his book, "People-First Culture: Build a Lasting Company by Shifting Your Focus From Profits to People," which became an Amazon bestseller. That year, McDonald's Canada asked him to be the spokesperson for their National Hiring Day campaign.

Falcon continues to advise businesses, speak at events, and host workshops across various industries. "I believe every industry could be a little more hospitable."

As a 33-year-old, Falcon understands younger customers and employees; but he also has the experience. "I cringe at the idea of being called a 'thought leader.' I've built our business with the strategies I talk about. I want to be recognized as someone who has done it."

Once a week, he talks with someone who wants to pick his brain. "That's what I was asking for in my early 20s," he says. "Shame on any leader who won't reserve time to help others."

Falcon often works 14-hour days, so finding that time is no small task. Every hour of his day is planned, including weekends. "People tell me I'm too busy, but that's how I want to be," he says.

Falcon still makes time for friends and family, his girlfriend, Sophia, and his Rottweiler, Maggy. He is also training to win a sanctioned boxing fight, one of his goals for 2019. 

Though he says he can't share what's next, Falcon has even bigger goals. "I'm launching my billion-dollar idea next year. It will become a globally recognizable brand."

How is he so sure? "It's been done before, so why can't I do it?" he asks. "Why not me? Ask yourself that question. That's the best advice I could give anyone."

Connect with Michel on LinkedIn or visit his website to order his book, "People-First Culture."

SEE ALSO: Richard Branson on the 'million-dollar lesson they don’t teach in business school' — plus 12 more secrets from highly successful people

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: Ray Dalio shares what he's learned from his succession plan at the world's largest hedge fund

• Adam Sebba is the CEO of Cookson Adventures, an ultra-luxury experiential travel company.
• In this role, he says that he'd rather work with outsiders — including former military officers and a one-time fashion director — than typical travel industry insiders.
• He also never sends employees to industry conferences; instead, they attend science lectures, film screenings, and art exhibitions.
• Here's why: The travel industry is stagnant and ripe for disruption — and to stand out in the noise of any crowded marketplace today, you have to be unique and eclectic.
• Take calculated risks when you hire people, he says.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

I work in luxury travel — and yet I don't hire anyone with a travel background to work here.

Ok, you caught me. One of our directors, Nick, does come from a travel company. But one travel guy in the entire company isn't bad. 

We also have ex-documentary makers, a round-the-world sailor, a private jet executive, a submarine pilot, a yacht broker, former military officers, a scattering of polar explorers — including one who lived on Antarctica — not to mention a finance director who worked in fashion and healthcare. 

I started my business career at a well-known management consulting firm. "It always helps to bring fresh insight," a partner advised me, "if you have one person from a completely different industry on a case." This mantra stuck with me, and now later in my working life, I've found the tactic working again. 

The traditional travel industry, like so many other sectors, is stagnant and ripe for disruption. Even experiential travel companies can suffer from a lack of imagination. Originality is sacrificed for scalability and trips become off the shelf, 'one size fits all' packages. To stand out in the noise of any crowded marketplace today you have to have a differentiated customer offering. 

So, not only does our unique and eclectic mix of backgrounds work, it's essential. Because the three things that make our team different all boil down to this mix of people.

SEE ALSO: I run an adventure travel company. Here's what you should do instead of Everest

1. We’re breaking the mold

We don't send people to travel shows; instead, they attend science lectures, film screenings, archaeological seminars and art exhibitions. And that's how we source the truly different. "There are unexplored and breath-taking cave paintings in China," an art historian imparted to us at the Venice Biennale. "There's a lost city," a South American archaeologist confided "deep in the Colombian jungle that used to be controlled by the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia."

And last year, a scientist told us that he believed that there was an undiscovered species of killer whale circling the Southern Ocean. So, we designed an experience with these scientists at its heart; and it led to the almost unbelievable discovery of a new species — the 'type D killer whale' with a pointer dorsal fin and a smaller white patch by its eye — during one of our trips to Antarctica.

2. We evoke emotion

One of our mantras is "location is subordinate to experience" or in other words, it's not about where you go, but how you feel when you're there. What emotions does your experience evoke in your family; what lasting memories do you create with your friends?

To think like that, you have to behave differently — and we've found that when you've been indoctrinated into the traditions of an industry, it's hard to break out. 

3. Making the impossible possible

I joined the Army the day before 9/11 and served in Iraq, Afghanistan, and Northern Ireland. During my service, I learned that the military teaches you how to execute missions with scarce resource and creative planning. To build a luxury camp in the middle of primary rainforest requires complex logistics and a mission-focused approach. That's why we have two former army captains on our projects team.

So, what have we learned from hiring such eclectic and talented people? Three things.

• If you want to truly do something new, there's no cookie-cutter person you can hire ready to hit the ground running.
• Take calculated risks when you hire people. Prize transferable skills above industry experience.
• Above all, invest time in developing and training people.

We've found that when you get these things right, the "power of difference" can be transformational.

Adam Sebba is the CEO of Cookson Adventures, which crafts travel experiences that mix adventure and luxury for its global client base.

• Online clothing-rental services like Rent the Runway are becoming more popular as shoppers realize the benefits of a rotating wardrobe. However, many unlimited services cost more than $100 a month. 
• I tried Haverdash, a new clothing-rental subscription service that only costs $59 a month and lets women rent three items at a time, as many times as they'd like during the month. 
• The online shopping platform was clear and easy to use, and I was able to make my summer wardrobe more fun and interesting. 
• Though not every piece worked out and I would like to see a larger selection of clothing options, I still loved my experience because it made experimenting with my personal style more affordable and convenient. 

If the success of retail unicorn startup Rent the Runway is any indication, the future of consumer fashion is in rentals.

Companies like Rent the Runway, founded in 2009, and Le Tote, founded 2012, proved to be ahead of the curve at the time of their founding. Armoire joined the fray in 2016, and in 2019, the most affordable clothing rental subscription service launched: Haverdash. 

Haverdash offers women unlimited fashion rentals (three pieces at a time) for a flat fee of $59 a month.

It's part of CaaStle, a "clothing as a service" company that also works with traditional retailers such as American Eagle that are launching their own rental services. CaaStle was created by Christine Hunsicker, the founder of another clothing rental service, Gwynnie Bee. 

While more established services like Rent the Runway cost more than $100 a month for unlimited clothing rentals— and granted, do offer a huge repository of designer styles to choose from, among other benefits— Haverdash allows shoppers to dip their toes in the world of online clothing rental and see how they like it, without having to spend a lot of money. Haverdash accomplishes this in part by offering clothing of a somewhat more accessible retail value, rather than expensive designer pieces.

Here's how Haverdash works

Once you make an account, you can jump right into browsing Haverdash's clothing selection. Since Haverdash just launched in May 2019, the options are still a little limited compared to those of other services, but you'll be able to shop tops, skirts, pants, and dresses from brands such as Vince Camuto, J.O.A., Adrianna Papell, and Calvin Klein. 

Add the items you want to try to your virtual Closet, which must contain at least eight items in order for your next box to ship. To ensure you have the smoothest experience, Haverdash suggests maintaining at least 20 items to your Closet, which does not have an item limit. 

Depending on availability, Haverdash picks three of these pieces to send to you. If you would really love a certain item in your next shipment, you can mark it as a "Priority," and you'll likely receive it. However, it still ultimately depends on availability and is not guaranteed. 

Once you receive your box, you can wear your items as many times as you'd like before sending them back in the pre-paid return bag. You don't have to wash or dry-clean them. Haverdash takes care of that for you. 

Why you should try clothing rental through Haverdash

I loved using Haverdash to incorporate more summer dresses and jumpsuits into my wardrobe. I have plenty of the basics, but what I really wanted was something fun and different for things like picnics, day outings, and dates. Not having to commit meant I was more willing to take risks and try items I wouldn't ordinarily wear. 

And even if they didn't work out, at least I could still wear them out in the real world (instead of trying to hide the tag of a dress I'm considering buying) and return them without worrying about maintenance or clean-up. 

I thought Haverdash's assortment of dresses and jumpsuits was the best of all its clothing options, so that turned out well for my mission of improving my summer wardrobe. Many of the styles and brands caught my eye and that made me excited for each box I received through the service. 

If you love a piece, you can purchase it at a discounted price. I really liked a lightweight, split-leg jumpsuit (pictured above on the right) and could see myself wearing it often this season. After thinking on it, I bought it for $45.

Again, not everything I tried from Haverdash was a hit, but because of the low cost and unlimited nature of the service, I didn't mind at all, knowing that future boxes could be better. In your account, you can alert Haverdash when you're about to return your current box. It'll start preparing your next shipment so you'll always have something new to wear.  

For its $59/month price, Haverdash is an excellent intro to the benefits of online clothing rental. It gives you stylish clothing options, a convenient and easy-to-use online platform, and, as General Manager Jessica Kahan Dvorett emphasizes, "permission not to wear the same thing twice." 

Start your clothing rental subscription at Haverdash for $59/month

Join the conversation about this story »

• Mirny is a diamond mining town in Siberia, Russia, about 280 miles (450 kilometers) from the Arctic Circle.
• Most of the town's roughly 40,000 residents work for Alrosa, the world's largest diamond miner by volume.
• On a recent trip to Russia, I spent three days in Mirny with Alrosa.
• I saw the world's second-largest manmade pit, experienced 20 hours of sunlight each day, and saw how the town's buildings are built elevated above the ground because it's not feasible to dig into the permafrost, which can reach up to 450 feet deep.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Deep in Siberia, about 280 miles from the Arctic Circle, is a town that's been called a "mono-city" because so much of the population works for a single company. That company is Alrosa, the world's largest diamond miner by volume.

Mirny is a town of about 40,000 people that's home to Alrosa's headquarters and close to several of its diamond mines.

Diana Petrenko, an Alrosa spokesperson who referred to Mirny as a mono-city, said the company doesn't release the exact number of its employees that are based in Mirny. But Petrenko did confirm that most of Alrosa's 35,000 employees are based in Yakutia, the region where Mirny is located. In 2011, the BBC estimated that about 70% of the population worked for the diamond company.

I recently traveled to Russia and spent three days in Mirny. Here's what the town looks like.

SEE ALSO: I ordered the same meal at a McDonald's in Moscow and New York City, and the Russian location was a step up from the American one

DON'T MISS: I toured a gated estate outside of Moscow that was built by the 'Trump of Russia.' From its golf course to the mansions I was forbidden to photograph, it wasn't hard to see its appeal for the country's billionaires.

Mirny is a Russian town located deep in northeastern Siberia, about 280 miles (450 kilometers) from the Arctic Circle.

It's part of the federal Republic of Sakha, also known as Yakutia, which is the largest republic in Russia, according to Brittanica.

The Sakha Republic is known for its extreme climate. The average temperature in January is -46 degrees Fahrenheit (-43.5 degrees Celsius).

Underlying the entire region is a thick layer of permafrost. It reaches 450 feet, or 140 meters, deep in the capital of Yakutsk.

Mirny has been a diamond mining town since the 1950s.

It's the headquarters of Alrosa, the world's largest diamond miner by volume, as well as one of the largest manmade open pits in the world, the Mir mine.

The Mir mine is the second-largest manmade pit in the world.

It's about 1,722 feet (525 meters) deep, and 3,900 feet (1.25 kilometers) across. It's no longer in use after it flooded in 2017, but it's expected to reopen in 2032.

Mir is one of two main mines in the town of Mirny itself, the other being an underground mine called International.

Alrosa operates eight more mines, both underground and open pit, throughout Yakutia.

On a recent trip to Russia, I traveled to Yakutia to spend three days in Mirny.

I was guided by employees from Alrosa, including Diana Petrenko, who served as guide and translator in a region where few people speak English.

I flew to Mirny from Moscow. It was a five-and-a-half-hour journey — about the time it takes to fly from New York City to Los Angeles.

The Mirny airport is an important hub for the diamond mining activity in the area, Petrenko told me. The diamond company's own airline, Alrosa Air, operates out of the airport.

The Mirny airport was one of the smallest I've ever been in.

Many of its flights were going between Moscow, Krasnodar, and Novosibirsk, the largest city in Siberia.

When I left Mirny to fly to Novosibirsk, I had to wait in line for about 30 minutes to check my bag. But after that, it took me less than 30 seconds to pass through security. There was no line, and I didn't have to take off my shoes or take out any liquids or electronics. I just set my carry-on bag on the conveyor belt and walked through the full-body scanner.

Mirny has been called a "mono-city" because most of its 40,000 residents work in the diamond industry.

Alrosa doesn't keep count of its employees by where they're based, but most of Alrosa's 35,000 employees are based in Yakutia, the region where Mirny is located, Petrenko said.

As only two of Alrosa's diamond mines are within driving distance of Mirny, many miners get on a plane to go to work for a two-week shift in the mine.

The 25-seat planes fly to the mine every day. To get to Alrosa's Nakyn ore field, for example, is about an hour's flight.

But not all of Alrosa's employees are miners.

Other Alrosa employees in Mirny include office workers and those who work in the diamond sorting centers.

Although I mostly saw families in Mirny, I did see a few people who appeared to be in their 20s. Some may have been students at the Mirny Polytechnic Institute, a branch of Russia's North-Eastern Federal University, where students can prepare for future careers in the diamond industry.

Majors include Underground Mining of Mineral Deposits, Electrical Engineering and Automation in Mining, and Mining Machines and Equipment.

Buildings in Mirny are built elevated above the ground because it isn't feasible to dig into the permafrost.

A gap is left between the house and the ground so the house doesn't get too cold, I was told. 

When I visited in June, Mirny had about 20 hours of daylight each day.

This time of year is called "White Nights" because it barely gets dark. When I was in Mirny, the sun set at about 11:25 p.m. and rose before 3:30 a.m, but it never got completely dark.

As a traveler, it was fascinating and disorienting — but even those who permanently live in Mirny struggle with the long hours of daylight. An Alrosa employee who moved to Mirny from another town in Yakutia told me she can sometimes only sleep three to four hours a night during this period.

"Locals that were born here take it easier but also use blackout curtains and eye masks," she said. "That's the main life hack — make it as dark as possible when you go to sleep."

In my hotel room, the curtains did little to block out the bright sunlight.

It didn't help that the room was also unbearably hot, which I hadn't expected from Siberia.

The sun started to set around 11:00 p.m., but it never really seemed to get dark.

I kept jumping up in a panic every hour or so, thinking I'd overslept.

Mirny didn't seem particularly well equipped to accommodate tourists.

According to Booking.com, the only hotel in Mirny is the Azimut, where I stayed.

I paid $88 per night for my room, and that included breakfast.

Mirny does have some vacation rentals, most of which seem to be under $100 per night for an entire apartment.

Mirny has a handful of restaurants, ranging from traditional Yakutian cuisine to pizza, Thai, and sushi.

In Yakutia, typical meats eaten include beef, reindeer, bear, and horse, and sliced frozen fish is a popular dish.

Mirny has a diamond mining museum and a sports center, but I didn't notice much else in the way of cultural activities or entertainment.

Danil Solovev, a local diamond miner, described the town as very calm and quiet, comfortable for families, and a place where people are usually either at work or at home.

I did see some playgrounds and quite a few children in town.

Alrosa reportedly built several kindergartens in Mirny.

Mirny displays its diamond mining heritage in the form of sculptures. This one portrays pioneers of the diamond industry in Mirny, one riding a reindeer.

Built in 2005, the memorial was meant to mark the 50th anniversary of the diamond industry in Mirny.

I also saw a sculpture of a woolly mammoth, the Ice Age creatures that once roamed Yakutia.

Woolly mammoths went extinct about 4,000 years ago.

Mirny is surrounded by forests, rivers, and lakes.

The Sakha Republic is home to some indigenous, nomadic people who survive by herding reindeer, hunting squirrels and foxes, and fishing.

Growing up with an image in my mind of a perpetually frigid Siberia, I was surprised by how warm it was in Mirny. It got well above 70 degrees Fahrenheit every day I was there, and if I hadn't worn sunscreen, I would've gotten burned.

Although Siberia is known for its bone-chilling winter temperatures, the average high temperature in Yakutia in June is 73 degrees Fahrenheit.

As Mirny is the center of Russia's diamond industry, I was surprised to see that much of the infrastructure appeared quite old.

Many of the buildings and some of the cars made me feel like I'd traveled back in time to the 1950s or '60s.

Despite my trouble sleeping in bright sunlight and the occasional biting fly, spending a few days in Mirny offered a fascinating look at a Siberian mono-city shaped by Russia's massive diamond industry. 

• I've bought the same pair of Soludos espadrilles ($99) five times. It's my hands down favorite summer shoe. 
• The espadrilles are amazingly comfortable, perfect for travel, and not too expensive.
• It was a risky move, but I wore my very first pair of Soludos for the very first time to JFK's Terminal 4 and didn't get a single blister in the walk-run to my flight's gate.
• Soludos makes espadrilles for women ($65-$159) and men ($42-$99) in tons of fun designs to fit your personality, from lemons to flamingos to cacti. I'm partial to the leather platforms.

John F. Kennedy International Airport's Terminal 4 is one of the biggest airport terminals in the US, so naturally, I decided to break in a new pair of shoes the morning of a flight out of said terminal. 

This was an incredibly risky move since there's often a lot of walking to get to your gate (read: high blister potential for someone like me in new shoes). The walking is all worth it if it takes you past one of the terminal's two Shake Shacks, but we were already running late and weren't even sure we had the time to spare in line for breakfast sandwiches.

I shouldn't have worried since 1.) we got lucky with a short security line and had time for Shake Shack, and 2.) as it turns out, Soludos makes some of the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn right out of their box, specifically the $99 leather platform smoking slipper espadrilles that I've now bought five times. 

Soludos was founded nine years ago in 2010 by travelers, for travelers on the principle that "you shouldn't have to sacrifice price, quality, or comfort for style."

I couldn't agree more. 

The company's espadrilles are basically really comfortable, slip-on travel shoes that go with everything. My go-to pair is a super-classic, solid-color leather style, though the company makes its best-selling smoking slipper in tons of fun, hand-embroidered canvas designs — from lemons and peaches, to flamingos and piñatas, to messages we can all get behind (that also give back 10% to the ACLU with each purchase): equality and feminist. There's even a option to customize a pair for $95. 

The $99 leather platform smoking slipper I have features a 1.2-inch platform sole made from an eco-friendly natural fiber called jute and a thin layer of rubber beneath the jute for durability; a soft, tan leather upper; and traditional blanket stitches that have enough give to mold to your foot. I love the platform sole since I'm only 5-foot-3 and will take all the height I can get from my shoes, plus the jute is very breathable! Soludos says the first few wears should feel a little snug (and they have in my experience), but the espadrilles stretch for a custom-like fit that's all-day-long, for-miles-on-end comfortable. I've never gotten blisters from wearing them.

That's, in a nutshell, why I keep buying them. 

I wear mine at least four to five times a week in the summer, and I typically get one-and-a-half summers out of a pair. That's pretty great for $99 shoes. 

My only complaint is that jute espadrilles are not water-friendly. The thin layer of rubber on the sole of the shoes adds some protection in light rain, but you'll want to avoid wearing them in heavy downpours or through puddles because water will absorb into the jute. I tell you this as someone who's accidentally waterlogged a pair of her espadrilles, and had to buy a replacement.

Pro shopping tip: Though I will and have bought the espadrilles for full price, I always search off-price retail sites like Nordstrom Rack and 6pm for past-season styles to see if they're carrying my size in one that I want. I've scored pairs for as much as 70% off this way!

If my glowing review of these espadrilles hasn't convinced you to give the company a try, maybe Soludos' sustainability efforts will win you over.

As a company, Soludos is also striving to be as earth-friendly as it can be. In April 2019, Soludos announced that it is committed to removing single-use plastic from its supply chain by 2020, being a carbon-neutral company by 2021, using chrome-free leathers by 2021, and using at least 50% upcycled yarn by 2021 in all its cotton footwear. 

Soludos may have started with espadrilles, and still be best known for that shoe style, but the company now also offers sneakers — including the new $129 Ashore Sneaker that's made of post-consumer recycled plastic bottles (stay tuned for the Insider Pick review at a later date) — sandals, bags, boots, heels and more.

My feet and I are excited to see where the next nine years take the company. In the meantime, I'll continue recommending Soludos espadrilles to everyone I know.  

Shop the Soludos Leather Platform Smoking Slipper Espadrilles in black or tan for $99

Shop all men's and women's Soludos espadrilles here

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• Laura Miele is one of the highest-ranking executives at Electronic Arts, where she's worked for 23 years.
• Miele now leads EA's studio organization of about 5,400 employees.
• In an interview with Business Insider, Miele shared her three biggest keys to being successful at work.

Laura Miele has been with Electronic Arts, the one of the largest gaming companies in the world, for 23 years.

Miele has worn many different hats at EA over the past two decades, within marketing, analytics, and publishing. In April 2018, she was named chief studios officer: She currently leads about 5,400 employees in EA's studio organization, which spans over 20 studios around the world.

"It's an amazing collective of creative people and creators that I get to work with everyday," Miele told Business Insider.

I had a chance to sit down with Miele when she visited Toronto for the 2019 Collision Conference this year. We had a lively discussion about technology, video games, and what it takes to be a leader at a multi-billion dollar company. Through that interview, Miele shared with me her three biggest keys to everyday success in her line of work; many of these tips could apply to just about every workplace.

SEE ALSO: 'First, best, and must': PlayStation boss Shawn Layden shares the secret recipe behind Sony’s global gaming empire

Get yourself a good note-taking and organization tool, like Evernote.

Miele praised Evernote for its ability to handle note-taking and project organization, which is crucial in her current role where she needs to manage over a dozen different studios and projects at any given time.

"I meet so many different teams, we have so many different creative projects, and the scale is so large, I need to take really good notes as I'm having conversations and having insights," Miele told Business Insider.

Miele also recommends Evernote since your notes can sync across devices.

"The ability to actually access those notes from my iPad, or my phone, or my laptop is pretty powerful," she said.

Don't allow laptops in meetings.

While Miele said she will often attend meetings with an iPad and Apple Pencil, which can recreate that feeling of note-taking on a physical notepad, she said she objects to people relying on laptops in meetings.

"The teams [that I manage] worked really hard to prepare for a meeting — they're talking about a creative idea. We're in the entertainment business, and people are there putting their hearts on their sleeve. They're emotionally invested in what they're presenting. For a bunch of people to have their laptops up ... it's a thing for me."

Miele said she isn't a fan of how laptops can shield people's faces in meetings.

"I think some people are engaged in meetings, and some people aren't, you know?" she said.

Try to keep your email inbox as close to zero as possible.

Miele says she uses two email apps for work, Microsoft Outlook and Exchange, but that she often spends a lot of time to get both of her inboxes down to zero.

"That is something I am very emotionally committed to," Miele said. "I will admit, the Marie Kondo-type phenomena is big for me. It contributes to me. I like to keep my inbox clean and tidy and free."

While clearing out her emails is helpful on a personal level, Miele says the biggest motivator of being a "zero inboxer" is to ensure that she, and the organization, is not holding up decisions or communication, and keeping both of those things flowing. This also ensures that messages don't get lost.

"The sense of responsibility that I have, around all the people that are in our organization, is that we are keeping things moving as quickly as possible," Miele said. "We're making decisions fast. We're not slowing things down. And so, for me, that's what zero inbox means."

• I took a 7-hour walking tour of the ancient ruins of Pompeii and Herculaneum during Europe's deadly heatwave in June.
• While both towns were buried by the same volcanic eruption, visiting them in the 21st century couldn't have been a more contrasting experience.
• Despite the sweltering heat, Pompeii was abuzz with tourists, while Herculaneum was like an oasis of calm in comparison.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Despite its population's annihilation almost 2,000 years ago, Pompeii's streets still swell and hum with life every day of the year.

Instead of Roman citizens, Pompeii now plays host to a constant flow of camera-snapping tourists from all corners of the globe. The ancient ruins welcome some 15,000 visitors a day, but archaeologists are worried about the strain tourism is placing on this fragile site.

Pompeii is undoubtedly the most famous of Mt Vesuvius' victims, but Herculaneum, located just 15 kilometers away, has all the appeals of antiquity that makes its larger relative so appealing.

I decided to book a 7-hour walking tour of the two cities on Airbnb Experiences to see how they compared. Unfortunately, I elected to do so in the midst of Europe's deadly heatwave.

Read more:I visited Pompeii in the middle of Europe's deadly heat wave, and I couldn't believe how many tourists braved the sweltering temperatures

While both towns were home to similar societies and got buried by the same volcanic eruption, in the 21st century, they couldn't be more different from one another.

SEE ALSO: 2 restaurant views show how different visiting the glittering island of Capri is if you're not loaded with cash

As an under-24 with a European passport, I got a massive and totally unexpected discount on my entry fee, paying €2 ($2) instead of the standard €15 ($17). As an under-24 with a European passport, I got a massive and totally unexpected discount on my entry fee, paying €2 ($2) instead of the standard €15 ($17).

I'd booked a tour through Airbnb Experiences with Michele (pictured), who was an archaeologist as well as a guide for Pompeii and Herculaneum. I would fully recommend booking a guide when visiting these sites as, frankly, they're big, and Michele was able to efficiently take us around the most interesting areas and illuminate their significance in a way that a pamphlet never could.

It's hard not to notice just how busy Pompeii is at the entrance. We crossed the first bridge into the ruins amid a cacophony of foreign languages, dodging selfie sticks and large backpacks.

On a good day (depending on how you want to look at it), the ancient ruins welcome some 15,000 visitors. While the city's population boasted similar numbers in its prime, those residents weren't all coming and going on the same day, crowding around one artifact or drinking from the same water fountain.

I would later be told that archaeologists were worried about the strain tourism was placing on this fragile site.

The first big stop inside the city walls is the forum, a vast piazza which was the center of social life in Pompeii.

Centuries after its inception, the forum is still the nucleus of Pompeii. When I visited, it was a hubbub of tourists waiting for their guides, taking photos, and sheltering in the shade.

The forum is also home to some artwork. That statue behind Michele is not a period artifact, but a piece of modern art designed by Polish-French artist Igor Mitoraj who passed away in 2014.

Ancient ruins provide very little shade, and I had the misfortune of visiting Pompeii in the midst of Europe's deadly heatwave at the end of June, when temperatures were hitting close to 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit).

Read more:I visited Pompeii in the middle of Europe's deadly heat wave, and I couldn't believe how many tourists braved the sweltering temperatures

Some prudent tourists had the foresight to bring umbrellas along with them ...

... While others weren't prepared to let the heat stop them from snapping the perfect photo.

Fortunately, Pompeii is dotted with water fountains where thirsty tourists can line up to refill their depleted bottles for the umpteenth time.

Despite the oppressive heat, Pompeii was jam-packed with tourists. I couldn't believe how many people had decided to brave the sweltering temperatures in the name of culture. If I wasn't working, I certainly would have taken the day to hit the beach.

Michele told us that many animals were able to sense the eruption before the humans and thus escaped. However, some animals, like this dog, were not so fortunate, as they were kept by Pompeiians. You can still see the evidence of a collar around the neck of the dog, meaning it was chained up at the time of its death.

While as many as 17,000 Pompeiians may have managed to escape the eruption, around 3,000 were either not able to or decided to try and stick it out. This man was evidently a slave due to the belt visible around his waist.

Pompeii was conquered by the Romans in 89 BC and, as far as conquerors go, the Romans were pretty popular ones. That's because living conditions usually vastly improved under Roman rule, Michele told us. For instance, the Romans introduced public baths like the one below, which had separate areas for men and women ...

... And these thermopoliums, which are basically ancient fast food stalls where workers or those who could not afford private kitchens could stop for a quick fix.

The Romans also made Pompeii a lot cleaner via the introduction of a drainage and sewage disposal system. These stepping stones from one sidewalk to another allowed Pompeiians to cross the streets without stepping in the sewage below.

Not all Roman innovations had a positive influence on the city. There was at least one brothel or Lupanar, meaning wolf den, which you can still see today.

Michele told us that the beds were designed to be uncomfortable so that clients wouldn't overstay their welcome.

Frescos depicting erotic scenes are still clearly visible on the walls.

Pompeii was a wealthy city in its heyday with plenty of large, stately houses. The largest is the House of the Faun, named after the statue in the front courtyard.

Mosaics were a great indicator of wealth back in Roman times, so it's only fitting that the House of the Faun had one of the most impressive, depicting the Battle of Issus between Alexander the Great and Darius III of Persia.

Some things haven't changed much since the Roman era. This entrance mosaic depicts a fearsome dog with the inscription 'Cave Canem' — Latin for 'beware of the dog.'

After 3 hours exploring Pompeii in the oppressive heat, it was time to break for lunch.

The restaurants near Pompeii's exit were unsurprisingly crammed with tourists, many of whom were just sheltering from the sun. Despite the abundance of tourists, the restaurants were unexpectedly good value — I had a freshly-made pizza nearby for $5 that easily surpassed some I could have bought back home for three times the price.

After lunch, it was finally time to make our way to the second destination on the itinerary: Herculaneum.

Herculaneum welcomes about a tenth of the visitors that Pompeii does every year — and the difference was immediately noticeable.

Source: The Local.

The quiet entrance was a stark contrast to the crowds queueing at its sister town.

I could have spent all afternoon in the cool, air-conditioned gift shop. The mosaic on the floor reading 'have' means welcome in Latin.

While Pompeii was a living, breathing metropolis, Herculaneum was a resort town for the Roman elite, Michele explained.

It was immediately obvious how much deeper Herculaneum had been buried than Pompeii.

Unlike Pompeii, Herculaneum had been buried under a vast mudslide caused by the eruption, not ash and lava, which was much more destructive. As a result, Herculaneum was much better preserved — just look at how vivid this fresco is ...

... And this one depicting Neptune and Amphitrite.

Even some multi-story buildings like this one survived.

After more than 5 hours walking around in 105-degree heat, half of our tour group decided to call it a day, and I couldn't blame them.

In contrast to the streets of Pompeii that bustled with tourists, Herculaneum's streets were totally tranquil, with just a few people pottering around.

There were some similarities between Pompeii and Herculaneum. Herculaneum also boasted public bathhouses, divided by gender with stunning mosaics.

Our tour of Herculaneum ended on a dark note at the town's boathouses.

Since Herculaneum was built on the sea, it was initially thought that almost all inhabitants had managed to escape, but this wasn't the case. In the 1990s, more than 300 skeletons were found in the boathouses, seemingly awaiting a rescue that never came.

80% of Herculaneum still lies undiscovered, because modern-day Ercolano was built on top of it, and the government lacks the resources to buy residents out of their homes in order to continue excavations. There may be countless other lost treasures lying in wait beneath that town.

VERDICT: Herculaneum stood out as the better tourist experience, but there's a reason Pompeii is so popular.

It's hard to compare Herculaneum and Pompeii when the two were such different places — the former a resort town for the Roman elite and the latter a bustling metropolis with people from all walks of life.

On the day, Herculaneum was the better tourist experience. It was quiet, peaceful, and a much smaller area to cover in the sweltering heat. The superior preservation also brought you a tiny bit closer to feeling what life might have been like all those years ago than Pompeii did.

However, if I could choose to visit only one, I'd choose Pompeii. It may be crowded, but it's crowded for good reason.

While Herculaneum shows you how a specific sector of Roman society liked to spend their vacations, Pompeii offers a full cross-section of society, from the slaves to the nobilis.

While it's possible to visit both sites in a day, I wouldn't recommend it, especially at the height of summer — I finished the day exhausted, dehydrated, and sunburned, though with considerably more knowledge of ancient civilizations than when I started.

• Reality TV couple Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag blew through their $10 million fortune from MTV series "The Hills" in two years while they were in their 20s, the couple told People in 2016.
• Pratt said he made up to $175,000 per episode, and the couple was making up to $2 million a year from paid appearances and photoshoots.
• By the end of "The Hills," the couple was broke after spending their fortune on things like $30,000 shopping sprees and $4,000 bottles of wine, according to Money.
• Now, the couple is staging a comeback with something called "crystal therapy."
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag, made famous by MTV's six-season reality series "The Hills," blew through their multimillion-dollar fortune in two years while they were in their 20s.

In 2008, the couple was worth more than $10 million. Just two years later, by the time of "The Hills" finale, they were broke.

"We were immature and we got caught up," Pratt told In Touch Weekly in 2014. "Every time we'd go out to eat, we'd order $4,000 bottles of wine. Heidi was going to the mall and dropping $20,000 to $30,000 a day. We thought we were Jay Z and Beyoncé."

Here's a look at the reality TV couple's spending, controversies, and how they're trying to stage a comeback with something called "crystal therapy."

SEE ALSO: Heidi Montag and Spencer Pratt have been together for more than 10 years — here's a timeline of their dramatic relationship

DON'T MISS: How 'The Hills' cast has grown up since the reality show first aired 12 years ago

Spencer Pratt and Heidi Montag starred on MTV's "The Hills," a six-season reality series about a group of young people living in Los Angeles that ran from 2006 to 2010.

The show's cast also included Lauren Conrad, Audrina Patridge, Whitney Port, Lo Bosworth, and Brody Jenner.

Montag and Pratt reportedly built up a $10 million fortune from their time on "The Hills" and related engagements.

In addition to their salary from the series, the couple made up to $2 million per year from paid appearances and photoshoots, People reported.

Pratt once wrote on Twitter that he was bringing in up to $175,000 per episode.

Montag and Pratt met at a club in Hollywood while Montag was filming the show in 2007.

Montag later told VICE's Broadly that she knew when she met Pratt that he was the one.

"I pretty much told everyone I was going to marry him and that I loved him," Montag said. "[Everyone] thought I was crazy."

The couple eloped in November 2008 and held a wedding in California the next year.

Their April 2009 wedding at the Westminster Presbyterian Church in Pasadena, California, was held in front of 200 guests and MTV cameras. It later appeared in an episode of "The Hills."

Over the next few years, their relationship weathered scandals including a fake divorce and a sex tape.

In June 2010, Montag filed for a legal separation from Spencer, citing irreconcilable differences. She told People she had moved out of their shared home.

A month later, Montag filed for divorce and Pratt said their marriage was "a show" solely for "The Hills." During the divorce proceedings, Pratt said he was going to sell a sex tape featuring Montag.

Two months later, in September 2010, the couple called off the divorce and got back together. In November 2010, they renewed their wedding vows. 

But in July 2011, the couple admitted the whole breakup and divorce was a publicity stunt to make money because they were broke. 

The couple went on to be caught up in several controversies, including a feud with NBC journalist Al Roker.

After an interview with NBC Today's Al Roker about the couple's appearance on NBC reality show "I'm a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here!," Montag accused Roker of being hostile toward women, according to NBC.

"C'mon. I've interviewed hundreds of woman on this program, never had a complaint … They are so unused to people actually asking them a real question that they didn't know how to handle it," Roker told Today's Meredith Vieira at the time.

In 2016, Pratt and Montag admitted to People magazine that they had blown through their entire $10 million fortune.

"We were keeping up with the Joneses, but we were going against Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes," Pratt told People at the time. "We should have stayed in our reality TV lane."

Montag told the magazine that the couple's business managers told them to stop spending, but the duo ignored them.

The couple spent their millions on $30,000 shopping sprees and $4,000 bottles of wine, they told In Touch Weekly.

"It's really easy to spend millions of dollars if you're not careful and you think it's easy to keep making millions of dollars," Pratt told Money in a 2018 interview. "The money was just coming so fast and so easy that my ego led me to believe that, 'Oh, this is my life forever.'"

Pratt said he "probably spent a million dollars" on clothing.

Pratt told The Daily Beast that he "probably spent a million dollars on suits and fancy clothes. My whole million-dollar wardrobe — I would never wear that again. They're props."

The prospect of the apocalypse also contributed to their lavish spending, according to Pratt.

"The thing is, we heard that the planet was going to end in 2012," he told OK! Magazine in 2013. "We thought, 'We have got to spend this money before the asteroid hits.'"

Montag spent thousands on plastic surgery.

In late 2009, Montag had 10 procedures done in a single day, including breast augmentation, neck liposuction, and a chin reduction, People reported at the time. 

People estimated that the operations cost "upwards of $30,000."

Following the procedures, the reality TV star told the magazine said she'd "never felt more beautiful and sexier. I didn't know I could have this much confidence."

Years later, however, she expressed different sentiments about the work she had done. 

"I was way too young to make such a life-changing decision," Montag told Cosmopolitan in a recent interview. She said she "was under so much pressure because it was the beginning of comment sections and negativity and hate on the internet."

Now, Pratt and Montag are staging their comeback.

The couple welcomed a son in October 2017, and they're appearing in MTV's "The Hills: New Beginnings."

The reality TV couple is promoting something called "crystal therapy."

Pratt's interest in crystals first appeared in the final season of "The Hills," when he famously pressed a quartz crystal to his forehead in an episode.

Pratt went from collecting crystals to making a business out of them.

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On his website, Pratt Daddy, he sells crystal pendants, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and apparel. An Africa citrine pendant is selling for $160 and a cropped Pratt Daddy hoodie sells for $50.

He boosts his crystal business by posting on Snapchat 30 to 50 times a day, according to a recent interview with Money.

Pratt told the magazine that if he announces a new crystal drop on Snapchat, the collection will sell out within the hour.

In April 2018, the Shorty Awards named Pratt the Snapchatter of the Year.

"I have closer relationships to my Snap DM people than I do to actual people in my life," Pratt told Money. "People write me essays, like longer things than I've written in college. I'm like, 'God, this is incredible. You just spent this much time to write me?'"

Montag models various products on the company's website and Instagram account.

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Pratt told INSIDER in 2017 that he believes crystals hold "energy," and that crystals can amplify emotions in people who interact with them.

Pratt told Money that he sells between 200 and 300 pendants a week.

He said he's also launching a Pratt Daddy coffee brand and partnering with a vineyard to create Pratt Daddy wine bottles with crystal glasses.

Pratt and Montag are not alone in believing in the healing power of crystals.

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Doctors and scientists say that crystal healing is pseudoscience, as INSIDER's Abby Jackson previously reported, but Wall Streeters and celebrities including Kim Kardashian and Gwyneth Paltrow have touted the benefits.

In fact, Pratt considers Paltrow, who sells crystals on her website, Goop, to be his competition.

"My new competitor is Gwyneth Paltrow selling her $85 medicine bag of tumbled rocks," Pratt told INSIDER in 2017. "While I was shopping real crystals."

• Even the most expensive, extravagant homes can fall into disrepair without proper care.
• These mansions were likely worth the equivalent of millions of dollars when they were built.
• Years later, they sit abandoned in varying states of deterioration. 
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

When they were built, these lavish homes were likely worth today's equivalent of millions of dollars. Now, they're falling apart.

Read more:Inside one of the oldest and most expensive mansions in Charleston, which is selling for $15 million and was once owned by Abraham Lincoln's granddaughter

From a villa that's been sitting empty for 70 years on an island in upstate New York to a Gothic manor in Scotland, here are 12 abandoned mansions around the world that were once worth millions of dollars.

SEE ALSO: The most expensive home for sale in every US state

DON'T MISS: 10 abandoned underwater sites and the history behind them

The Carleton Island Villa, a dilapidated mansion that sits on an island in Cape Vincent, New York, hasn't been inhabited for 70 years.

Source: Realtor.com

The 11-bedroom mansion was constructed around 1895 for William O. Wyckoff, who made his fortune from the Remington firearm and typewriter company. Around the World War II Era, contractors went in and removed the interior and doors and windows.

Source: Realtor.com,Curbed

The mansion is now for sale for $495,000 — but whoever buys it will certainly need to spend much more than that on repairs and restoration.

Source: Realtor.com

Halcyon Hall in Millbrook, New York was built as a luxury hotel in 1893 and became part of Bennett College in 1907. The women's college closed down in 1978.

Source: Untapped Cities

The now-decrepit mansion was purchased in 2014 with plans to demolish it and replace it with a park.

Source: Poughkeepsie Journal

But in August 2016, the owners reported that the mansion would stay standing for "a few years" while they untangled property rights issues.

Source: The Millbrook Independent

The Swannanoa mansion in Lyndhurst, Virginia, was built in 1912 by railroad millionaire James H. Dooley, who reportedly built it for his wife.

Source: Atlas Obscura

When the couple passed away, the 52-room house was used as a country club for a time. Then, a scientist couple leased the mansion and turned it into a museum while continuing to live there until their deaths. Nobody has lived in the house since 1988.

Source: Atlas Obscura

The mansion is occasionally still open to the public for weddings and other events, but local residents have complained that the estate has been mismanaged and that its condition is deteriorating.

Source: News Leader

The Cambusnethan House in North Lanarkshire, Scotland, is one of the last remaining Gothic mansions in the country.

Source: Register for Scotland

The mansion was built in 1819 to replace an early 17th-century house that burned down in 1810. In the 1970s, the house was used for mock medieval banquets, but it was further damaged by fire in the 1980s.

Source: Buildings at Risk Register for Scotland

Cambusnethan House is on Scotland's Buildings at Risk Register at a "critical" risk level. A group called "Friends of Cambusnethan Priory" was established in 2014 to try to save the building from any further deterioration.

Source: Canmore National Record of the Historic Environment, Friends of Cambusnethan Priory

Lynnewood Hall, a 110-room, century-old Gilded Age palace just outside of Philadelphia, was designed by Horace Trumbauer in the late 1890s.

Source: Curbed

It cost an estimated $200 million to build in today's dollars. Although it's still in relatively good condition, it could cost up to $40 million to restore the hall and its grounds to their former glory, according to David B. Rowland, president of the Old York Road Historical Society.

Source: Terrain.org

Despite its state of disrepair, Lynnewood Hall is actually still worth millions — it's on the market for $15.5 million.

Source: Fox & Roach Realtors

Pidhirtsi Castle in the Lviv region of Ukraine was built as a leisure home for a high-ranking Polish military commander between 1635 and 1640 by Italian architect Andrea dell'Aqua.

Source: World Monuments Fund

The mansion prospered for years, but in the 19th century, new owners took over and neglected the castle, so that by the end of World War II, it had massively deteriorated.

Source: World Monuments Fund

Pidhirtsi Castle has been damaged by fire and flooding over the years. The Lviv Art Gallery foundation aims to restore the mansion, but a lack of funds seems to have hampered progress. The foundation is calling for investors to help with the restoration while local students volunteer their time to try to repair the estate.

Source: The Vintage News

The McNeal mansion, which sits along the Delaware River in New Jersey, was built by industrialist Andrew McNeal in 1890 after he founded a pipe plant and foundry.

Source: Burlington County Times

U.S. Pipe bought property in 1899 and used it as its headquarters until 1953, after which it was abandoned.

Source: Burlington County Times

In 2016, the city bought the property and approved a redevelopment plan for the mansion that might include a restoration of the Victorian home, but the plan has since stalled and the home continues to sit empty.

Source: Burlington County Times

This "Swingers Tiki Palace," as it was dubbed by one photographer, in Chattanooga, Tennessee, was built in 1972 by strip-club tycoon Billy Hull to be the ultimate party palace.

Source: The New York Post, Abandoned Southeast

The unique structure felt into decay after Hull was arrested for tax evasion. The now-abandoned mansion is known for its Playboy bunny pool and its dramatic history.

Source: Abandoned Southeast

The owner got 20 years in prison, and the mansion, including an empty pool, is also now home to graffiti.

Source: The New York Post

The Villa de Vecchi, known as the "Ghost Mansion" of Italy, was built between 1854 and 1857, meant to be the summer home of a Count named Felix De Vecchi, who was head of the Italian National Guard. The home had all the modern amenities of the time, including indoor heating pipes and a large pressurized fountain.

Source: Atlas Obscura

But it was home to a mysterious family tragedy. In 1862, the Count killed himself after he came home and found his wife murdered and his daughter missing. Relatives continued to live at the mansion until World War II, but the mansion was left uninhabited by the 1960s. The home's grand piano is said to be played at night by "a ghostly entity."

Source: Atlas Obscura

A 2002 avalanche destroyed nearby homes, but the once-lavish and now battered "Ghost Mansion" remains standing.

Source: Atlas Obscura

These ruins that resemble an ancient European castle actually sit just outside of Kansas City, Missouri, and are the results of a dream of businessman Robert Snyder, who wanted to build a European-style castle in Missouri.

Source: Atlas Obscura

Snyder started building in 1905, but the next year he was killed in a car accident and never saw it finished. His sons took over construction and lived there until the family ran out of money because of several lands rights lawsuits surrounding the castle’s property.

Source: Atlas Obscura

After the youngest brother was forced to leave the home in poverty, it was turned into a hotel until 1942, when it was destroyed by a fire. In the 1970s, the state of Missouri bought the property and did some restoration work, but the former mansion remains largely in ruins.

On Pollepel Island in New York's Hudson River sits the Bannerman Castle. It was built by Scottish entrepreneur Francis Bannerman VI in 1901.

Source: The New York Times

However, instead of using it as his home, Bannerman used the castle to store military weapons for his business.

Source: The New York Times

After the powder house exploded in 1920, the upkeep of the castle dwindled. It was eventually acquired by the Hudson Highlands State Park Reserve.

Source: The New York Times

In 1992, the Bannerman Castle Trust was started in an attempt to repair the ruins. Since then, it has raised over $1 million to refurbish the castle, which is now open to the public for tours.

Source: The New York Times

The Pineheath House in Harrogate, England sat abandoned for 27 years.

Source: Independent

It was purchased in 2013 by a local businessman after spending over a quarter of a century untouched.

Source: Independent

The mansion dates back to the 1920s and was originally owned by wealthy aristocrats Sir Dhunjibhoy and Lady Bomanji.

Source: Daily Mail,Independent

After Lady Bomanji died in 1986, the home remained untouched with the couple's items still scattered around.

Source: Daily Mail

The mansion was left to Lady Bomanji's daughter, Mrs. Mehroo Jehangir, who left the home as it was prior to her mother's death. She passed away in 2012.

Source: Getty Images

A doll that appears to have been left behind by the couple was found in one of the home's 40 bedrooms ...

Source: Getty Images

... and a playlist of songs was left in the ballroom.

Source: Getty Images

The couple lived in the home during the colder months of the year and spent their summers at their home in Windsor, England.

Source: Daily Mail

The current owner has vowed to turn the mansion back into a luxury home.

Source: Independent

• I consider myself to be mildly obsessed with rugs. I collect antique ones, but I prefer to layer them over more modern, neutral ones to help ground my space.
• RugsUSA is my go-to place for affordable rugs that aren't vintage. However, the site is huge, and can be a little difficult to navigate.
• Below, I'll walk you through my tips for sorting through the RugsUSA website, and show you how I styled some of its rugs in my own apartment.

I love rugs. I love them enough that my partner is probably considering getting the phrase "No more rugs!" tattooed on her face. I keep buying them anyway.

We moved into a new apartment in February, which gave me a perfect opportunity to acquire more rugs (oops, but not really) — and to switch them from room to room one hundred times before I got it right.

Pretty much all of the antique rugs in our apartment have come from small hole-in-the-wall shops in Brooklyn, but all the base layers have come from RugsUSA, a purveyor of what seems like one million styles, sizes, and shapes of rugs.

I'm more inclined to spend serious money on a unique antique rug than a brand-new one, so I turn to RugsUSA for the more affordable (sometimes downright cheap) base layers that help to ground a room. Of course, you can also find bold and eclectic styles there, but I personally lean toward simplicity when ordering online.

I recently got two rugs for our new apartment from RugsUSA; the Chunky Loop Maui area rug in off-white for our bedroom, and the Monochrome Texture Dunescape rug for our office (which only has one size currently in stock). Both are textured, neutral rugs that make great base layers in any room, and neither one was priced over $350; the cheaper of the two was under $200 — pretty good for a roughly 8-by-10-foot size if you ask me. Not to mention that they both look way more expensive than they really are.

How to efficiently sift through the tens of thousands of options

The overall shopping experience of sorting through styles at RugsUSA is made a lot less overwhelming by all of its clever filters. You can select everything from shape to size to color to material to patterns, and can even filter by best-selling rugs, ones with videos, and plenty of other features. Since there are tens of thousands of options on the site, you'll do well to apply as many filters as you can.

I found that searching terms like "textured white rugs" and "woven white rugs" yielded relevant results, and then I used additional filters from there to narrow down my choice. Just don't let the enormous number of rugs paralyze you! It's easy to get overwhelmed, but the more distinct a vision you have for your space, the easier it'll be to pinpoint the right rug for you. The surprisingly large numbers of customer reviews also help.

Even if you don't know exactly what you like, the site has really nicely staged lifestyle photos that let you see the rugs in an actual home setting, so you can envision what it'll look like in your space a little better.

How have the rugs I've tried held up?

As far as the rugs I chose go, I have some advice. If you have a pet who likes to chew things or a robot vacuum, a rug with chunky fringe probably isn't your best bet. I should have considered this when ordering since I have both of those things, but I just loved the look of the Chunky Loop Maui rug so much that I risked it. And while it does, in fact, look great in our bedroom, it also traps a lot of dust underneath since the weave is loose enough for small particles to fall through. It's also worth noting that the fringe has unraveled a bit because of the vacuum.

If you're willing to put in a little extra time to clean under the rug every once in a while, I think the Chunky Loop Maui rug is worth it simply for how gorgeous it is. It comes in a variety of colors and sizes, and it's the perfect base layer for enclosed rooms like bedrooms or large open areas like dining rooms that could use a big rug to ground the space.

As for the rug we put in our office, it has held up beautifully over time. It gets a ton of traffic since we have to walk through that room to get to the balcony, and it still looks brand new. There's only one size left of this particular rug, but I would recommend looking for other rugs specifically made by RugsUSA (over the third-party brands it carries) that are made with wool. I have a feeling that it's the durability of the materials that has kept it looking so nice all this time.

The bottom line

If you want to know whether or not RugsUSA is a solid place to shop for nice rugs that don't look cheap, the answer is that yes, it is. The rugs are great quality for the price, the sales are plentiful (never pay full price!), and the options are endless.

However, it's understandable that you may be skeptical of the quality when the site offers approximately one million styles. If that's the case for you, know this: I'm exceptionally snobby about rugs (thanks, Dad), and I feel confident that this is where I'll continue buying my non-antique rugs for as long as my partner doesn't kill me. As long as you go in with a general vision for the type of rug you want, you'll have an easy time sifting through options.

Cream Monochrome Texture Dunescape Area Rug, $185.02-$502.17 (price varies depending on size)

Chunky Loop Maui Area Rug, from $16.82

Shop all styles from RugsUSA

Join the conversation about this story »

• It's possible to delete Instagram private messages if you no longer want them in your inbox.
• You can delete Instagram messages by deleting an entire conversation, or by simply choosing to unsend any of the Instagram messages you've sent.  
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

While Instagram is mainly a platform to post photos and videos with your followers, and to check out what's going on in your friends' and favorite celebrities' lives, the social media platform also offers a feature known as Instagram Direct, which serves as Instagram's own private messaging system.

Whether you want to reply to a friend's Instagram Story or just want to have a quick conversation with someone you follow or who follows you, Instagram Direct lets you do it. 

That being said, if you use Instagram Direct a lot, chances are your inbox might get a little full. If a conversation is finished and you no longer want it in your inbox, it's possible to delete Instagram messages in a few simple steps. 

Here's how to do it on your iPhone or Android.  

Check out the products mentioned in this article:

iPhone Xs (From $999.99 at Best Buy)

Google Pixel 3 (From $699.99 at Best Buy)

How to delete private Instagram messages by deleting a conversation

1. Locate the Instagram icon on your iPhone or Android's home screen and tap to open the app. 

2. In the upper right-hand corner of your screen, tap the Instagram Direct icon, which appears as a small paper plane. 

3. Locate the conversation you wish to delete. On your iPhone, swipe left to reveal the Mute and Delete options. On your Android, you can reveal these options by tapping and holding on the conversation. 

4. Tap Delete on the conversation. A pop-up will appear asking you to confirm your wish to delete the conversation. Tap Delete again to remove the conversation completely. 

It should be noted that deleting a conversation only removes it from your inbox. The person you had the conversation with can still see it in their own inbox unless they also delete it. 

You can also unsend a message on Instagram Direct rather than deleting the entire conversation. Here's how to do it. 

How to delete private Instagram messages by unsending them 

1. After tapping the Instagram icon on your phone's home screen, open your Instagram Direct inbox by tapping the small paper plane icon in the upper right-hand corner of your screen. 

2. Locate the conversation in which the message you wish to unsend appears and tap to open it. 

3. Tap and hold the message you wish to unsend. The option to Copy or Unsend will appear above. 

4. Tap Unsend and the message will disappear from the conversation. 

Note that if the recipient of your message has Instagram notifications turned on, they will receive a notification when you unsend a message. Otherwise, the person you're messaging may still have seen your message before you unsend it, but it will no longer appear within the conversation for either side. 

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• How to delete your Instagram account on an iPhone, or temporarily disable it

• How to get your account verified on Instagram using the mobile app

• How to make your Instagram private and hide your account from everyone except the followers you approve

• How to delete a comment on Instagram from your computer or mobile device

SEE ALSO: The best iPhone for every type of person and budget

Join the conversation about this story »

NOW WATCH: 5 things wrong with Apple's lightning cable

• When looking for a wealth manager, high net worth individuals value customer service over the firm's past performance, according to Capgemini's 2019 World Wealth Report.
• A full 79% of the ultra-wealthy individuals surveyed reported being satisfied with their wealth managers, and 82% reported being satisfied with their management firms, according to Capgemini.
• A wealth manager's fees and reputation are also important to potential ultra-wealthy clients, Capgemini found.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

It's not easy to manage a billion dollars.

That's why so many ultra-wealthy people think carefully about choosing a wealth manager to help them maintain or grow their fortunes. Choosing the right wealth manager can be a highly personal decision, but there is one factor that billionaires value in wealth managers over any other, French technology consulting firm Capgemini found in its 2019 World Wealth report: good customer service. 

In the ninth edition of its annual World Wealth Report, Capgemini examines how high net worth individuals manage their wealth. The researchers surveyed 2,500 high net worth individuals worth over $1 million across the globe.

Customer service has only been a primary focus of the ultra-wealthy for about three years, the Deputy Head of Capgemini's Global Financial Services Market Intelligence Strategic Analysis Group Chirag Thakral told Business Insider. Over 90% of the ultra-wealthy people surveyed reported that they considered how they were treated by potential wealth managers and management firms when making a decision, according to Capgemini. Customer service ranked above all of the other factors studied, which included fees, referrals from peers, the firm's past performance and geographical location.

"Wealth management is a personal touch business," Thakral said. "End of the day, [your] value proposition is the way that you maintain personal connections with the client."

As a result, more wealth management firms are giving their managers technological tools to minimize their administrative work and maximize the time they can spend with customers, Thakral said.

The ultra-wealthy are good at picking wealth managers that fit their needs, Thakral said, as 79% reported being satisfied with their wealth managers and 82% reported being satisfied with their management firms. 

Read more: China's new tech market just minted 3 billionaires in a single day, and it might be a turning point after a rocky year for the country's wealthiest people

Peter Mallouk, the chief investment officer of Creative Planning, the largest wealth management firm in the US, credits his success to his skill at tailoring each client's portfolio to their specific needs, Business Insider's Marley Jay previously reported. Mallouk's clients often ask him to do things like diversifying their portfolios while minimizing their tax bill or adopting risky strategies like using loans to buy stocks.

"Having to build and to customize really allows you to sit down with somebody and say two things: What is it you need and when do you need it?" Mallouk said, "And then, two, how do we do that in a way that's consistent with your values?"

SEE ALSO: Wealth tax explainer: Why Elizabeth Warren and billionaires like George Soros alike are calling for a specialized tax on the ultra-wealthy

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• It's possible to find stored Wi-Fi passwords on a Windows 10 computer, if you need them to connect another device. 
• Windows 10 can store Wi-Fi passwords, and uses them to automatically connect to networks of your choosing.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

If you own a laptop, tablet, smartphone, or even a desktop computer, chances are you connect to the internet via Wi-Fi. 

Wi-Fi frees you up to move around while using your device, instead of being tethered in place with an ethernet cable. Plus, if you choose to allow your device to save the Wi-Fi password of the network you regularly use, you can be online at all times since you'll be automatically connected.

If you're running Windows 10 and don't know or remember your Wi-Fi password, but need it to connect another device or computer to the same network, it's easy to find that Wi-Fi password within your PC. 

By following a few simple steps, you can find the Wi-Fi passwords stored on your Windows 10 computer. Here's how to do it. 

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Windows 10 Home (From $139 at Best Buy)

How to find your stored Wi-Fi passwords on a Windows 10 computer

1. Using a PC that regularly connects to the Wi-Fi network you're attempting to locate the password for, select the start button in the lower left-hand corner of your screen. This button appears as four white square boxes stacked 2x2. 

2. Select the Settings button, which looks like a small cog. 

3. In the Settings screen, click on the Network & Internet option.

4. In the Network & Internet menu, click to select the Status option on the left-hand side of your screen. 

5. Scroll down until you see the Network & Sharing Center option and click it. A new pop-up window will launch.

6. In the Network & Sharing Center, select the Wi-Fi network you're trying to locate the password for. This will be located next to the Connections menu.

7. Under Wi-Fi Status, click Wireless Properties. 

8. In the Wireless Network Properties menu, click the Security tab to select it. 

9. Next to "Show characters," click the small box to check it. The password for your selected Wi-Fi network will then be displayed. 

Related coverage from How To Do Everything: Tech:

• 'How much is Windows 10?': A cost breakdown of all three versions of Windows 10

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• How to boot your Windows 10 computer into 'Safe Mode,' to diagnose and troubleshoot problems

• How to properly uninstall programs on Windows 10, to protect your computer and free up space

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• Where you attend college can influence how much money you earn.
• In its latest report, Wealth-X ranked the top 20 US colleges with the most ultra-high-net-worth alumni.
• Ivy Leagues, private universities, and California schools comprise much of the list.
• Visit Business Insider's homepage for more stories.

Pick the right college, and you might just set yourself on the path to wealth.

Wealth-X ranked the top 20 US colleges with the most ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) alumni in its new report, "The University of Ultra High Net Worth Alumni Rankings 2019." The report analyzed the Wealth-X database to look at the relationship between education and wealth levels across universities worldwide.

Wealth-X reported the actual number of UNHW individuals known to hold a degree from each institution and then calculated a projected estimate to predict the number of alumni with the total global UHNW population. Wealth-X defines ultra-high-net-worth individuals as those with assets exceeding $30 million and included both undergraduate and graduate alumni with degrees. 

Six Ivy League universities made the top 20, while private universities dominated the list overall. California has the highest number of universities out of any state on the list, with four universities in the top 20.

Of course, earning potential doesn't just boil down to where one attends college  — it can also be related to major and the field or industry of work that leads to, among other factors. And it's completely possible to build wealth no matter what college you attend — or if you don't attend college at all.

Consider Bill Gates, who dropped out of Harvard, and Richard Branson, who never attended college at all.

See below for the top 20 universities in the US known for producing UHNW individuals, ranked by the number of total UHNW graduates.

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20. Boston University is located in Boston, Massachusetts.

Estimated ultra-high-net-worth population: 1,640

Estimated combined wealth of all UHNW graduates: $277 million

19. University of Virginia is located in Charlottesville, Virginia.

Estimated ultra-high-net-worth population: 1,650

Estimated combined wealth of all UHNW graduates: $246 million

18. University of Miami is located in Coral Gables, Florida.

Estimated ultra-high-net-worth population: 1,700

Estimated combined wealth of all UHNW graduates: $309 million

17. The University of California Los Angeles is located in Los Angeles, California.

Estimated ultra-high-net-worth population: 1,945

Estimated combined wealth of all UHNW graduates: $375 million

16. The University of Michigan is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Estimated ultra-high-net-worth population: 1,970

Estimated combined wealth of all UHNW graduates: $691 million

15. The University of Notre Dame is located in Notre Dame, Indiana.

Estimated ultra-high-net-worth population: 2,085

Estimated combined wealth of all UHNW graduates: $179 million

14. Princeton University is located in Princeton, New Jersey.

Estimated ultra-high-net-worth population: 2,180

Estimated combined wealth of all UHNW graduates: $1.1 billion

13. The University of Texas at Austin is located in Austin, Texas.

Estimated ultra-high-net-worth population: 2,195

Estimated combined wealth of all UHNW graduates: $463 million

12. Cornell University is located in Ithaca, New York.

Estimated ultra-high-net-worth population: 2,245

Estimated combined wealth of all UHNW graduates: $483 million

11. University of California Berkeley is located in Berkeley, California.

Estimated ultra-high-net-worth population: 2,385

Estimated combined wealth of all UHNW graduates: $760 million

10. Yale University is located in New Haven, Connecticut.

Estimated ultra-high-net-worth population: 2,400

Estimated combined wealth of all UHNW graduates: $777 million

9. The University of Chicago is located in Chicago, Illinois.

Estimated ultra-high-net-worth population: 2,405

Estimated combined wealth of all UHNW graduates: $707 million.

8. The University of Southern California is located in Los Angeles, California.

Estimated ultra-high-net-worth population: 2,645

Estimated combined wealth of all UHNW graduates: $548 million.

7. Northwestern University is located in Evanston, Illinois.

Estimated ultra-high-net-worth population: 2,725

Estimated combined wealth of all UHNW graduates: $389 million

6. Massachusetts Institute of Technology is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Estimated ultra-high-net-worth population: 2,785

Estimated combined wealth of all UHNW graduates: $990 million

5. New York University is located in New York, New York.

Estimated ultra-high-net-worth population: 3,380

Estimated combined wealth of all UHNW graduates: $712 million

4. Columbia University is located in New York, New York.

Estimated ultra-high-net-worth population: 3,925

Estimated combined wealth of all UHNW graduates: $1.5 billion

3. The University of Pennsylvania is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Estimated ultra-high-net-worth population: 5,575

Estimated combined wealth of all UHNW graduates: $1.7 billion

2. Stanford University is located in Stanford, California.

Estimated ultra-high-net-worth population: 5,580

Estimated combined wealth of all UHNW graduates: $2.8 billion

1. Harvard University is located in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Estimated ultra-high-net-worth population: 13,650

Estimated combined wealth of all UHNW graduates: $4.7 billion