How to Make Bacon Cups

Bacon has long been a favorite ingredient but recently, more innovative ways of using it have come to the forefront of bacon cuisine. And this recipe is one such innovative twist––instead of relying on tortilla or bread as shells for your food, make them out of bacon! Here is how to make bacon cups.

EditIngredients

• 5 to 7 bacon strips per "cup"

EditSteps

1. 1
   Preheat the oven to 400ºF/200ºC.
2. 2
   Turn a muffin pan upside down. To create the cups, you'll need to use the convex mounds of the base for molding.
3. 3
   

    Lay foil over each of the muffin mounds, as many times as you need bacon cups.
   Lay foil over each of the muffin mounds, as many times as you need bacon cups. Cover and crimp the foil as you're laying it, so that it molds around the mound of each muffin space.
4. 4
   

    Make the bacon cups.
   Make the bacon cups. The secret to making sure that this works effectively is to weave the bacon slices into place––don't simply slap the bacon slices on. To weave into place:
   • Make a plus sign, "+", or cross over the top of the first mound.
   • Wrap the sides once, and at the same time, weave the top portion in and out.
   • Lay the next slice on one side of the top slice.
   • Repeat the side weaving with another bacon slice with the new top piece.
   • Lay another slice on the other side on the top. This will then give you a fully-covered bottom cup.
   • Repeat the side weaving with another bacon slice, using the third top piece.
5. 5
   

    Bake the bacon for 10-15 minutes.
   Bake the bacon for 10-15 minutes. You will need to monitor the bacon since the timings will differ on how crispy you want the cups to be.
6. 6
   Carefully remove each cup from the foil. If the bacon sticks to the foil, carefully set the bottom of the bacon pieces in a large pan and move them around so that they loosen up. Wait until they are cooled down before removing them from the foil.^[1]
   • Using the grease from the bacon during the pan cooking process makes it easier to separate it from the foil, rather than pre-greasing the pans prior to cooking. If you spray the pans beforehand, the cups may not hold their shape during the cooking process, thus risking more of a chance of the bacon moving around and shrinking.
7. 7
   

    Fill each bacon cup with your choice of food.
   Fill each bacon cup with your choice of food. One idea is to make easy BLT filling for the cups.

EditVideo

EditTips

• To trap grease, place the muffin pan in a baking sheet with a rim or in a casserole dish.

EditWarnings

• The pans will be extremely hot when you take them out of the oven. Use caution and good oven mitts.

EditThings You'll Need

• Regular muffin pan – ensure that the underside of the pan is properly cleaned before using
• Aluminum foil

How to Identify Braxton Hicks Contractions

Braxton Hicks contractions are false, "practice" or uterus conditioning labor pains that occur before actual labor begins. They're true contractions that occur when the uterus tightens as a result of the hormone oxytocin; however, they're not strong enough to initiate labor. They're a perfectly normal part of pregnancy and can begin to occur as early as the second trimester, although they usually occur more commonly in the third trimester of your pregnancy; also, not every pregnant woman will experience them.

Braxton Hicks contractions are your body’s way of getting ready for actual labor. Initially they may be scary, especially as their intensity increases near the end of the pregnancy and you're not sure if it's the real deal or not. As such, for your peace of mind it's important to know how to identify the difference between false labor pains and the real thing.

EditSteps

Spotting the difference between Braxton Hicks contractions and the real thing

1. 1
   Recognize how Braxton Hicks contractions feel. These contractions are not typically painful and they don't occur at regular intervals. Unlike true contractions that can bring on labor, Braxton Hicks contractions will fluctuate in an inconsistent pattern. They occur as a tightening in the abdomen and they will come and go without getting closer together. On the other hand, when you're in true labor, contractions will occur closer together, increase with walking and will last longer each time you have one as the labor progresses. Braxton Hicks contractions don't behave in this way, but instead, tend to go away when you walk, lie down or change positions.
2. 2
   Be aware of how true labor contractions will feel. Since contractions can feel different for each woman, the following indicators are general observations drawn from other women's experiences, and you may or may not experience each or any of these reactions:
   • Real contractions generally cause discomfort or a dull ache in your lower abdomen and/or back.
   • They cause pressure in your pelvis.
   • It is common for some women to have pain in their sides or thighs.
   • Women have described true labor contractions as being very similar to severe menstrual cramps or diarrhea cramps.
   • True contractions occur at regular intervals and can last 30-70 seconds (on average, about a minute). Some signs that you're experiencing true labor and not Braxton Hicks are contractions every 5 to 10 minutes or less, having more than five contractions in an hour, regular ongoing pain in your back or lower abdomen, pressure in your pelvis or vagina, menstrual or diarrhea-like cramps, bleeding, fluid leak and nausea, vomiting or diarrhea.

What to do if you're concerned

1. 1
   Remember that it is okay to contact your health care provider with any concerns.
   • It is important to contact your doctor immediately if you are showing any signs of true labor.
   • If you're not certain, it is best to err on the side of caution and call. Your doctor will usually be able to tell just by speaking with you on the phone and analyzing your voice if you're experiencing Braxton Hicks contractions or the real thing. During true labor contractions, it's highly likely that you won't be able to speak calmly.
2. 2
   Don't be reticent to ask questions. Your doctors are available at all times and are there to answer your questions and ease your concerns. Do not worry about bothering them with too many questions. When it comes to your safety and the safety of your baby, it is always better to be safe than sorry.

Relieving any discomfort of Braxton Hicks contractions

1. 1
   Try to relieve any discomfort associated with Braxton Hicks contractions. Some simple methods to relieve discomfort include:
   • You can take a walk or change positions. This is a good way to know if you're having true or false contractions because walking or changing positions won't get rid of true contractions.
   • You can also try getting some sleep, relaxing, drinking or eating something or getting a massage.
   • It is also believed that a warm bath can help to relax your body and calm the uterus. Be sure that it is only lukewarm though, and not hot, for the sake of the baby.
2. 2
   Note that any pain experienced on the side of your stomach is probably not true labor. These pains are called round ligament pain and they travel into your groin. They can be caused from stretching ligaments that support your uterus. To ease these pains, try changing your position or activity level.
3. 3
   Drink plenty of fluids every day and make sure you are getting enough rest. This is important whether or not you're experiencing discomfort of any sort during pregnancy.
4. 4
   Stay calm. Pay attention to the feeling of your belly when Braxton Hicks contractions first begin to occur. Some women recognize them as contractions and understand what is going on as soon as they feel them. This is especially true if it is a repeat pregnancy. If it is your first pregnancy, you may not know what to look for. A good way to figure out what is going on when your stomach is tightening is to gently place your hands on your belly while one of these contractions is occurring. When you touch your stomach it will feel like a tight drumhead and it will usually pass within a few seconds. Try to control your breathing and change positions or drink some water until it is over.

EditTips

• These contractions are usually just uncomfortable but not painful. They can be triggered by something trivial such as your baby moving or someone touching your stomach. They can also be triggered when your bladder is full, after you have sex or when you're dehydrated.
• Even though people tend to call them practice contractions, they do not dilate the cervix like real contractions do. Most doctors believe that Braxton Hicks contractions help tone the uterine muscle and promote flow of blood to the placenta.
• Most doctors say that although some women describe Braxton Hicks contractions as being very painful, the majority of these women are first time mothers who have not experienced labor pains yet and pain response is very subjective. Anxiety can contribute to the intensity of pain a woman may feel. Make sure you're resting adequately throughout the pregnancy and minimizing the stress in your life, for both your sake and that of the baby.

EditWarnings

• It's important to understand that there is nothing wrong with contacting your doctor at any time.
• It's essential to call your doctor if you have any vaginal bleeding, continual leaking of fluid, contractions lasting every 5 minutes for an hour, contractions that do not go away by walking or changing positions, a decline in noticeable baby movements or if you feel less than 10 baby movements every 2 hours or any symptoms of contractions if you are less than 37 weeks along in your pregnancy.

How to Get Through Sugar Withdrawal

The thought of "sugar withdrawal" may seem like nothing more than an excuse for people with a sweet tooth (or who simply refuse to give up sugar) to indulge in sweets-eating. But nutritionists and scientists are discovering that when the body is accustomed to high levels of sugar consumption, it can respond to sugar deprivation with the same kind withdrawal symptoms experienced by a drug abuser. The symptoms of sugar withdrawal can, in fact, be very painful and debilitating.

If you're conscious of your sugar intake, and are attempting to limit the amount of sugar in your diet, or eliminate it altogether, be aware of the possibility of experiencing sugar withdrawal symptoms. Understanding the symptoms, and preparing to deal with sugar withdrawal, can help you permanently reduce your sugar intake.

EditSteps

1. 1
   Taper off your sugar intake over several weeks. One of the most common problems that many sugar addicts make is attempting to eliminate sugar from their diet all at once. This method often results in failure in just a few days.
   • A body that is accustomed to receiving sugar on a daily basis cannot quickly adjust to the elimination of sugar, which has served as an energy source.
   • Be aware that if you attempt to quit eating sugar all at once, you'll likely experience profound and severe withdrawal symptoms. The withdrawal symptoms may manifest themselves in severe and intense cravings for sugary foods, or they may include more serious conditions such as headaches or nausea.
   • By gradually reducing your sugar intake over several weeks, you can greatly reduce the severity of these sorts of sugar withdrawal symptoms.
2. 2
   Trick the body with sugar substitutes. If your body is craving something sweet even after you have gradually reduced the amount of sugar in your diet, you may be able to trick your body by using sugar substitutes in lieu of real sugar, although this is considered effective only as a short-term strategy because ultimately your body needs to get used to simply having less sweet food.
   • The mind and the body are linked, and if you can convince your mind that it tastes sweetness, the body may believe that you're ingesting sugar.
   • Many sugar substitutes have no calories, and these substitutes can be used to deal with withdrawal symptoms without spoiling a sugar-free diet.
   • Opt for natural sugar substitutes such as Stevia and Xylitol rather than artificial sugar substitutes. Do some research into artificial sweeteners before contemplating using them––there is enough concern surrounding many of these chemically derived sweeteners to give you pause for thought.
3. 3
   Respond to cravings with physical activity. Instead of standing at the refrigerator or the pantry when a sugar craving hits you, you can respond by participating in some type of physical activity. Exercise releases endorphins in the body, which may help to regulate the mood changes associated with sugar withdrawal symptoms.
   • If you're experiencing headaches or nausea because of sugar withdrawal, an exercise routine may help to boost your energy and eliminate your symptoms through increased oxygenation to the body.
4. 4
   Drink lots of water. Sometimes people eat sugary foods when their bodies are actually craving liquid, so often, simply drinking a glass of water can stop a sugar craving. Indeed, individuals who are addicted to high levels of sugar may have difficulty identifying the difference between a sugar craving and thirst. Whenever you experience an intense bout of sugar cravings, try drinking a glass of water to curb the urge.
5. 5
   Rid the house of sugar when you eliminate it completely. If you want to improve your chances of successfully eliminating sugar from your diet, it is important to rid your house of sugary foods and beverages.
   • If the food is easily accessible, you will be more likely to give into temptation. However, if you do not keep sugary foods in your home, you will be more likely to find another, healthier way to deal with the sugar urge. See above for approaching others in your household about the issue.
6. 6
   Keep a food journal. One great way to improve your chances of successfully navigating through sugar withdrawal symptoms is to keep a detailed journal about your daily diet, your hunger and sugar cravings, your sleep habits, your weight and your energy levels. A journal like this will provide you with motivation and clarity regarding the effects that sugar has had on your life and overall health.
   • Keep details on what feels good about being sugar-free. The more you focus on the positive aspects of curtailing sugar in your life, the more you will see the benefits.
   • Add recipes that are sugar-free to your food journal. Turn it into a place where you feel free to explore new things to eat, variations of your own experimentation and general thoughts on how to share your sugar-free ideas with others.
   • Consider writing a blog if you enjoy sharing information and details on your experience. You'll meet others trying to go sugar-free and as well as sharing your tips on coping without sugar, you'll get lots of supporters who can share their experiences too.

EditTips

• Sugar-free juice is a great alternative to a sugary soft drink. Keep sugar-free juice boxes in the refrigerator to serve as a quick grab and go snack when a sugar craving hits.
• Avoid foods with simple carbohydrates that turn quickly into sugars after consumption. These foods may have the same negative health effects that foods with high sugar contents have. Many of these foods are processed, so the more processed foods that you avoid, the better. As Professor Michael Pollan, food author and critic says, if your grandmother wouldn't have recognized it as food and there are more than five ingredients on the package, avoid it.
• Secure support from family and friends. Similar to a drug addict or alcoholic, an individual with a sugar addiction needs the help and support of family and friends. While it may sound silly, including your loved ones in your decision to eliminate sugar from your diet can do wonders in improving your chances of success.
  • Ask a family member or friend to attempt a sugar withdrawal diet along with you to improve your chance of success even more.
  • Your family and friends can help support and encourage you through the symptoms of sugar withdrawal. They can assist you by removing sugary foods from your house and by refraining from consuming sugary foods in your presence, as well as adjusting their menus when hosting you for meals.
• Research the nature and symptoms of sugar withdrawal. Education and preparation are your two best allies in your attempt to reduce the amount of sugar in your diet. Cutting sugar out of your diet is not likely to be a simple task undertaken just with sheer willpower––you'll quickly discover that sugar cravings are the simplest of the many different sugar withdrawal symptoms, which can include headaches, lethargy, emotional distress, anger and even nausea can all be symptoms of sugar withdrawal. These symptoms are not easy to ignore and cannot be eliminated through willpower alone. By understanding the symptoms and preparing to deal with them, you can improve your chances of successfully reducing sugar intake.

EditWarnings

• Individuals with diabetes may have difficulty regulating their blood sugar. These individuals may cause serious damage to their overall health by eliminating sugar from their diet completely. It is important to consult a physician before beginning any new diet regimen.
• Be aware that while people close to you may want to support your choice, this doesn't mean they'll decrease their own sugar intake. It's hard to be surrounded by sugary treats when you can no longer have them. Ask family members to be considerate of your choice, to keep these items out of your sight and to not ask you to share any of it. If a family member loves to bake cookies and cakes, ask him or her to look for sugar-free versions––a new challenge may be all it takes to excite this person's baking endeavors in a way that actually helps you!
• As with any dietary change, advise your doctor of your intentions first.
• If you are eliminating sugar from your diet because a spouse or parent forced you into it rather than on your own decision, look at your relationship. Question how many habit changes are being forced on you, it's not healthy to be in a controlling relationship.
• If you are eliminating it only to support a spouse or family member who's doing so, you don't need to do this entirely. Just don't consume sugar foods at home or keep them in reach of the person who's quitting. Look for healthy sources of sugar and keep them in places like work that they're not around.

EditThings You'll Need

• Safe sugar-free sweeteners
• Naturally sweet foods in small amounts
• A sugar clean-out in your house
• Recipes for sugar-free food
• Food journal and marker (or make a digital one)

How to Stop Covering for a Lazy Coworker

Regardless of the reason, covering for a lazy coworker can result in burnout and ultimately a great deal of resentment toward this worker on your behalf. Unfortunately, once you start covering for your lazybones coworker, you may end up creating a vicious cycle in which you may just place your own job in jeopardy while trying to juggle too much. If you cease to pay enough attention to what needs doing in your own pile of work, you're overstretched and at risk. Even if the covering up initially started out as a way of ingratiating yourself or being super friendly and helpful, it has to come to a stop. Here are some ways to stop covering up for a coworker's laziness.

EditSteps

1. 1
   Identify the ways in which you're covering up for your coworker. There is a difference between being a supportive team member and enabling a team member's laziness. If you've become so deeply mired in always covering your lazy coworker's tracks, it might have been so ingrained, you're barely noticing what you're doing anymore. Here are some key signals that you're being too helpful in covering your lazy coworker's tracks:
   • You end up finishing projects he or she is responsible for because you don't want the team to look bad. Sure, he or she promised to get it done on time, but as the deadline loomed, it was patently obvious that this wasn't going to happen.
   • You're finishing projects because his or her performance impacts your own job. Your coworker is slacking off but his or her inability or refusal to do a good job has direct ramifications on your performance.
   • You're making excuses for when your coworker comes up short on a project or deadline. Rather than specifying the real reason as to why the deadline went whooshing by and the work remained incomplete (your coworker didn't provide what he or she promised), you fudge around the edges and blame it on everything from lack of printer ink to unverifiable information that has to be chased down from some archival vault halfway across town. This makes the entire team look bad, not just you.
   • You find you're constantly having to micromanage your coworker in order to get tasks accomplished. From keeping the coworker on schedule to sending reminders of an important meeting, you’ve become his or her assistant without applying for the job. And guess what? He or she is loving it.
   • You're lying to your boss about your coworker’s whereabouts every time he or she goes missing in action. Although it may not take a lot of time to make up a story about where Janet may be (you tell the boss she is in transit from one office to the other, but she’s really having a three martini lunch), this is a breach of trust and it's going to wear you down quickly. By lying to your boss you are just as culpable as your lazy coworker, and when the truths begin to surface (and they will), your lies may jeopardize your job.
2. 2
   Consider how covering for the coworker interferes directly with your job and even your personal life. Whether you're pulling double duty and doing his or her job and yours too, or you're having to make excuses or even lie on a daily basis, covering for a lazy coworker will take its toll. Some indicators of the toll covering up for a lazy coworker can have on you include:
   • Time with your family dwindles down to next-to-nothing because you're too busy working two shifts––yours and your coworker's. If you're working two jobs, you most likely have no time for family or a social life, or you're squeezing everything pretty hard.
   • You feel burned out and anxious. All work and no play creates an anxious individual. Plus, if you're lying for the coworker, guilt may be taking hold. Your health is starting to be impacted, with tension, stress and guilt mounting up.
   • Your own work performance has started to suffer. With one job, you likely have the time to brainstorm and think of creative ideas. However, when time is limited, you can only attend to the bare necessities.
   • Your boss has started to make negative comments about the quality of the work you're producing. Be wary when there are comments prefaced with "You used to be more careful than this..." or "I'm really surprised that you didn't pick up on that/made that sort of mistake... it's not like you to be so careless", and so forth. And you just know that your less-than-usually-stellar performance is all down to trying to juggling two workloads.
3. 3
   Acknowledge your stress and the impacts on the quality of your own work and home life. Based on this honest assessment, make a decision to put a stop to the covering up and running around for the sake of your lazy coworker. It's time this person pulled his or her weight or found something else to waste time on. There are a few things to face before you move on to telling your coworker what's what from here on though. Consider the following:
   • Why are you covering up for this coworker? For some people it's all about perfectionism. It starts when said coworker turns in sub-standard work which you know you could churn out at much higher quality "just like that". And so, you do, instead of returning it to your coworker with a suggestion to redo it. The pattern is set and over time, the complexity increases and your lazy coworker has become ever more reliant on you fixing everything. Does this sound familiar? If so, you'll also need to tackle your perfectionism.
   • Another reason may be a lack of assertiveness, especially if you were new to the team when this started. Lazy coworker eyeballed you and spotted your for a hard worker, got the praise in and once you were buttered up, sent everything your way and you just couldn't say "no". Now that the always accepting your coworker's botched jobs has become routine, you've never learned to say no and it just keeps on getting worse. In this case, you'll need to focus on building your assertiveness skills.
   • One more difficult reason is fear. If your lazy coworker is a bully or has made threatening remarks about undermining you in front of the team or your boss, you may feel too afraid to say no to covering up for your lazy coworker. In this case, as hard as it is, you must find the courage to talk to either your boss or human resources to explain how you feel. If you are being intimidated or harassed, it's time the workplace took action to prevent this from continuing. Do not feel bad for your coworker––he or she should have known better.
4. 4
   Consider talking frankly but politely to your coworker from this point on. The next time your coworker comes to you with work half done or expecting you to make major fixes to vaguely thought through proposals, tap your hand on the chair next to you or wave him or her through to a private meeting room, and say very sweetly: "Have a seat. We need to talk."
   
   
   
5. 5
   Tell your coworker that you have something important to discuss with him or her and that you'd like his or her full attention. Don't waffle on about friendship or anything of that ilk, this is a professional talk and you need to get to the point as quickly as possible.
   • Explain how you feel personally impacted by having to finish his or her work or cover for him or her. Give a few facts that demonstrate concrete examples of such occasions so that your coworker doesn't think you're just generalizing.
   • Feel free to pepper some of this discussion with praise for the things you know that your coworker is good at and actually gets done. Indeed, use these occasions to prove to your coworker that you know he or she is capable and that it'd be great for the whole team if everyone got to see more of that capable side of your coworker.
   • Ask him or her if there are specific impediments to getting the work done well or in a timely fashion. Probe gently and let your coworker lead with information about any issues that might be hampering his or her ability to contribute more fully. Don't agree with his or her statements, simply acknowledge that the experiences must be hard for him or her.
     • You might like to suggest that both of you look into finding solutions that will help your coworker to be more productive, such as talking to the boss about doing a course, or sitting somewhere quieter, etc. However, don't too caught up in nannying their way out of it––there is a certain level of expectation that every employee is capable of asking for help with productivity issues.
   • If your coworker is glib and refuses to divulge anything that might be causing lackluster work efforts, avoid getting confrontational. Simply acknowledge his or her point of view but stick to your story of the impacts on you of the inadequate work performance. This allows you to continue on with finding solutions rather than focusing on the coworker's challenging attitude.
   • At all times during the discussion, relay your observations in a manner that is non-confrontational or non-aggressive. Don’t say, “You’ve made me lie to the boss” or “You made me finish the projects.” Instead, make it clear that you own your behavior in response to his or her laziness, remarking that you shouldn't have let things get to this state and that you've decided that it is no longer tenable.
6. 6
   State that you can no longer cover for your coworker's inefficiency or ineptitude. Avoid judging their behavior but instead, use the impacts on you to make it clear why it can't continue this way anymore. For example, you might say that because of "X, Y, Z failing to materialize on time, I was not able to attend my grandmother's funeral and I am never going to let that happen to myself again." Then proceed to discussing the way forward.
   • Avoid discussing any personal issues of the coworker, such as marital or childraising problems. Divorce the work performance from personal things.
   • State clearly that from today, you will no longer be covering for your coworker's efforts. This means that should he or she wish to slip out early today, your coworker's input will remain undone until your coworker returns the next morning to complete it.
7. 7
   Refuse to be your coworker’s cover in the future. Now it’s up to you to stick to your guns. It may be difficult at first if this has become a bit of a habit between the two of you, but if you don’t follow through, the cycle will not stop and your coworker will keep pushing the same buttons.
   
   
   
   • Stop lying for your coworker when your boss asks you questions. However, instead of completely throwing him or her under the bus, consider acting as though you don’t know where your coworker is or how many clients he/she has seen during the day. Just say something like: "Sorry boss, I know the report's due at 5 and it's already 3 but I really haven't a clue where she is right now. I saw her at 10am in the tearoom though, so I do know she came to work today."
   • Don’t cover for him or her, even if it to do so would only take a few minutes. One small cover-up will lead to another, and then you are back to square one (remember how you got into this in the first place). Hold firm and stand your ground no matter what.
8. 8
   Embrace some failure in this process because, in all likelihood, it's going to be an issue. This means allowing your coworker to fail––even if it impacts your job. The only way your boss will discover who the weak link is, is to expose him or her through work performance (or lack thereof). If you're part of a creative team and your lazy coworker is the one who is supposed to write the copy, but up until now you’ve been writing it so the projects are completed, allow the copy to be absent. When the client or your boss asks, make sure he or she knows who is responsible for copy writing.
   • If this seems too daunting to you, consider talking to your supervisor in confidence. Explain what has been happening, and how you have personally enabled some rather non-constructive behavior to grow within the team and that you're now putting a stop to it by making everyone own their piece of work. Your boss will be informed and may even be impressed at your honesty and willingness to take responsibility. Even if not, your integrity stays whole.
9. 9
   If you have the time and expertise, offer to assist your lazy coworker with anything he or she seems particularly stuck on. Perhaps the laziness is just a cover for feeling inadequate, incompetent or overawed. By offering to help with learning new skills, you can acknowledge the value of this coworker without unearthing his or her insecurities and take hold of his or her willingness to learn and make something good come out of this.
   • Don't assume your coworker wants your help. Ask first.
   • Be open to offering tips as you feel they're needed. Don't overdo it though and be friendly, not bossy. And be conscious of your coworker's reactions––sometimes it will be more than apparent that you've offended rather than assisted––be ready to apologize for overstepping any mark.
   • Send links to helpful things on the intranet or internet that might open your coworker's understanding a little more––self-directed learning is often the most effective and doesn't smack of teaching the person how to crack eggs.
   • Don't play psychologist. Your lazy coworker's work inefficiencies or personal problems are not your personal challenges. Avoid falling into the role of playing agony aunt or unctuous uncle. You can help with anything work-skill related but you can't be his or doctor, so don't try.
10. 10
    Return to improving your own work performance and restoring organization to your life. Whenever you feel tempted to cover for a coworker, remind yourself of where this leads and make strict boundaries for such situations. Obviously, covering for a coworker who is away sick for a week is a necessity but covering for an ongoing lazy coworker is never going to be part of your job description again.

EditTips

• Explain organizational methods that have worked well for you. Tips may be as simple as not looking at a new project until the one you are working on is complete. Make sure your ideas apply directly to what he or she is struggling with in order to make a difference.
• Use your coworker’s goals and dreams to make things a little clearer. If he or she wants to be promoted or get a better job, point out how leaving work at 3:30 every day works won't be doing anything toward that goal.
• In some cases, even after you’ve discussed how your coworker’s inability to do his or her job has impacted your career and how you're no longer going to enable this, you may feel that you have no choice but to discuss the issue with the boss. Don't go directly to the boss without first trying to remedy the situation yourself but equally, don't keep silent where you've tried your best and it's clear that only upper management can really make a difference.
• Let your coworker know that if asked, you'll be honest and truthful with your boss with regard to the coworker’s whereabouts next time.
• Be sure to point out your coworker’s good qualities that could allow him or her to shine when discussing the issues. You don’t want to stir up animosity, especially if you work in a close knit environment. If at all possible try to keep it positive and upbeat and always focus on the problem, not the person.
• Look carefully at the situation. If your coworker is just coming in on time and leaving on time without doing overtime, but you've let the excess work on the team expand to the point that you're covering for a real need for another person, don't just bring it to the coworker. Bring it to upper management. Sometimes a person who holds boundaries and refuses to just go along with every unreasonable demand can look lazy compared to someone who doesn't. Listen when you talk to your coworker for whether this is the case. Especially in salaried jobs, it becomes very common because the company doesn't have to pay any more for you to work two jobs and get only one check.

EditWarnings

• Never take the fall for a coworker in order for him or her to save face. Stay focused on your own career and work, as in all likelihood, this coworker may not return the favor should you ever need it.