How Old Are Your Magazines?

Have you ever gone to a doctor’s office for the first time and been shocked when you find outdated magazines? I don’t mean one or two months old. I mean over a year old. You would think that a doctor could afford to keep their magazines updated. My dentist does not like this and always keeps them current. I can go in and read all the gossipy magazines and know they are current. It makes me feel valued and I am impressed that they are concerned about how they are perceived. Hospitals are notorious for outdated magazines. Then, they put those labels on the cover “Enjoy here but do not remove”. Some should say, “Please take—then maybe we can get some new magazines”.

Recently, I had a career appointment with my son and his high school guidance counselor (that will make you feel old). I was in the waiting area and decided to read a magazine. There is a big stand with lots of choices. Well…you can guess where this is heading…I saw one dated 2006 AND had a label listing the date. I’m not sure why except maybe someone was trying to shame them into getting rid of these. (Later, I found out they get the old magazines from the school library which get dated).
Keeping outdated items such as magazines when you run a business leaves an impression. An impression you don’t want the public to have. I would rather see ONE current magazine then five that are more than a year old.

On the flip side, if you are drowning in magazines because the deals were too good to pass up, donate some of yours to organizations such as schools, hospitals, clinics, and group homes which don’t have the funds to purchase magazines. If you make it a regular thing to one group, they would probably welcome you donating the new and discarding the old (on a regular basis). It will take you a few minutes at home, a few minutes there and travel time. Believe it or not—it’s volunteering—you can feel good about giving your magazines away, know that others will appreciate them, and you will be appreciated clearing out the old stuff. A win/win for everyone!

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