The winter of 2018 has come in with a bang, leaving most of East Coast of the USA blanketed in snow and freezing temperatures. This can be a time of stress, especially for older adults who may be wondering how they will cope with the hazards of the extreme cold and icy weather. You do not have to be overwhelmed regarding how you will remove the snow from your property. If there is no one else to do it for you and you find you must tackle the situation yourself, there are three shortcuts that you can utilize which will save you time and money. These lifehacks may bring peace of mind and also be easier on your health by preventing injury, heart attack, and even death.

A report by Boston.com relayed most of the information used in this post.

Don't shovel and let nature take its course

The first suggestion is to simply not shovel if you absolutely do not have to. It may take longer than you like, but eventually, nature will run its course. The sun will come out, the temperature will rise and the snow and ice will melt all on its own. You can use the time to relax, read a good book, make phone calls, or spend quality time with family members. There is no reason for risking life and limb for extreme weather that will, in time, take care of itself. By allowing the elements to play out, you may be protecting yourself from cold, flu, pneumonia, an ER visit, or hospital stay.

In addition, you will be saving time and also money on the bills, as well as any medication that may be prescribed.

If you must shovel snow use nonstick cooking spray

If you find that you have no other choice and absolutely must brave the cold weather and shovel the snow, please consider using a nonstick cooking spray. This will prevent snow and ice from sticking to the tool and will make it much easier for you to do the job.

Remember to go slow and take your time. The winter of 2018 should not cause anxiety, so if you need to take a break and return to the task then do so. A good rule of thumb is to keep in mind the Alcoholic's Anonymous slogan of "Easy does it" in mind. The cooking spray will lighten your load and decrease the energy you need to exert to get the job done.

Make sure you shovel the right way

The Missouri Department of Transportation made a video showing motorists how to shovel in the correct manner. It's easy if you keep Beyonce's lyrics of "to the left to the left" in mind. Always shovel the snow to the left of your driveway and leave a 10-foot gap so the street plow has somewhere to push the dirty snow. There is nothing worse than spending your time shoveling only to find that the street crew has covered up all of your hard work. These three simple Life Hacks should help you get through the remainder of winter 2018 just a bit easier because this is the purpose of shortcuts