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Sábado, 11 / 04 / 20

4 Strategies for Overcoming Procrastination, Backed by Studies.

4 Strategies for Overcoming Procrastination, Backed by Studies.

Jamie Logie, B. Sc.

learning-mind.com

April 10, 2020 .

 
overcoming procrastination strategies.

 

 

How often has the inability to get things done held you back in life? Overcoming procrastination can be one of the most significant things to take back control of your life.
Procrastination can throw a wrench in your ability to work, create, and progress. We all know the feeling; the longer you put something off, the worse it gets. It can reach the point where even the simplest task feels overwhelming and monumental. When you learn to overcome procrastination, you can take back your life.
This article will look at 4 strategies for overcoming procrastination that use science to back them up.

Why Do We Procrastinate?

Why do we put off the simplest tasks? It could be doing the laundry or calling about a dentist’s appointment, but when you are faced with these minimal assignments, they feel like having to move a giant boulder. Why are we more likely to put off even the simplest thing?
Procrastination isn’t about laziness, or being bad at time management – it goes a lot deeper. There are many fields of psychology that all look at procrastination in a slightly different way. Neurophysiologists say it can be more about execution function and failing to do that. This basically means you have a mismanaged way of how you plan ahead or prioritize things.
Social psychologists may consider it more related to emotional regulation problems. It could come down to simply wanting to avoid stress. If you peel back the layers on the human experience, everything we do comes down to two approaches:
  1. Gain pleasure
  2. Avoid pain
Calling to make a dentist’s appointment isn’t a massive trauma, but there is still an obligation, expectation, and responsibility to do it. This is enough to create a bit of stress. And even a little stress is still stress. Your body will avoid it at all costs, and this may be why you procrastinate. From an evolutionary perspective, this may all be about self-preservation.

What Does Science Say about Procrastination?

The one good thing to consider when you look at overcoming procrastination is to know you’re not alone. Procrastination impacts almost every person at one point or another. The issue is how severe it gets and if it becomes a debilitating condition.
Procrastination might even be part of our evolutionary makeup. Researchers from the University of Colorado Boulder looked to see if this issue may be genetic. They asked pairs of twins what specific work habits they had. They looked at fraternal twins (who only share some of their DNA), and identical twins (who share all of their DNA).
All the sets of twins grew up together, so the researchers looked to see if genetics had some influence in their procrastination. They found that about half the time, the differences in procrastination could be because of differences in genetics. What this all means is that procrastination might be built right into us.
So how do you start overcoming procrastination? Here are 4 ways:

1. Start Very Small

Have you ever noticed when you start cleaning up something very small, you then realize you have cleaned the whole house without realizing it? This is the importance of starting small with any task, and it’s probably the most important strategy for overcoming procrastination.
Don’t feel you have to take on the whole thing at once, but break it down into smaller, more manageable chunks. When you start with the smallest thing first, it has a spillover effect that creates momentum and motivation to keep you going.
There’s science behind this too: the research shows that when you start a task, your brain continues to process it even when it’s not finished. You’ll be more likely to return to it and complete it. We remember the tasks we haven’t completed more than the ones we’ve finished.

2. Break Up the Tasks into Timed Intervals

They call this the Pomodoro method, and I’m using it right now to write this article. The brain can only fully focus on so much before it needs a break. Francesco Pomodoro invented the technique in the 80s and it uses timed intervals to help keep you on task.
Every 25 minutes you take a break for 3-5 minutes. This gives your brain a chance to “breathe” before stress sets in. After you have done 4 cycles of 25 minutes, you would take a 15-20 minute break before starting again.
Not only does this help you become more productive and improve your time management, but it also makes you more motivated to start. If you know you have breaks coming up very soon, it’s easier to begin a task or assignment. The prospect of having to work 4 hours straight is an easy way to talk yourself out of doing it.
Another benefit of this technique is that it tells your mind that there is a sense of urgency. Because there is a timer, there is the sense that you better get started. If you feel you have endless time during the day, it makes it much harder to start.

3. Overcoming Procrastination by Understand Your Limitations

If you are someone who can read for an hour, that’s working within your limitations. If an hour seems overwhelming, consider the effort you’re willing to commit to that task. They call this “finding your resistance level.” If the hour seems too much, what about 25-30 minutes? Narrow this amount of time down until you get to the point where you feel more willing to undertake the task.

4. Look at the Costs of Your Procrastination

Some procrastination doesn’t have significant repercussions – but some can be extreme. If you’re putting off bigger tasks, make a list of the things that will happen if you do not get this thing done. When you see this list looking back at you, the consequences of not completing it appear more clearly.
This can work on a small scale too, such as not doing your laundry. Issues from this could be:
  1. The build-up of more and more clothes to wash and more time to have to commit
  2. Nothing clean to wear to work
  3. Having to wear the same thing on multiple days which can lead to embarrassment
  4. Wearing clothes that smell which is even more embarrassment and shame
A simple task can spiral out of control. So take a few minutes and write a list of how not getting started on something will hurt you in the long run.

Final Thoughts

Overcoming procrastination won’t happen overnight, but it is very achievable. Another bonus tip is to free yourself from distractions before starting a task. There are so many things vying for our attention, so make sure you limit what can reach you. This could mean turning off your phone or turning it to airplane mode to avoid distracting notifications that prevent you from starting (I’m also doing this right now while writing this article).
Procrastination is nothing to feel bad about. It’s natural, part of the human experience, and also appears to be genetic. By getting a better understanding of procrastination, and using these strategies, you will be more likely to overcome and conquer it.
References:
  1. https://www.psychologicalscience.org/
  2. https://www.psychologytoday.com/
  3. https://www.researchgate.net/
  4. https://hbr.org/
 

About the Author: Jamie Logie, B.Sc.

Jamie Logie is a certified personal trainer, nutritionist, and health & wellness specialist. He holds a bachelor of science (B.Sc.) degree in Kinesiology from the University of Western Ontario, studied sociology and psychology at Western University and has a counseling diploma from Heritage Baptist College. He has run a blog and top-rated podcast on iTunes called "Regained Wellness". Jamie is also a contributing writer for places like the Huffington Post, Thrive Global, LifeHack and has an Amazon #1 book called "Taking Back Your Health".

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No religious or political creed is advocated here.

Organised religion is unnecessary to spirituality.

Excellent teachings of the masters have been contaminated by the dogmatic control of these religions.

Discernment yes; judgement does not.
If you use discernment you are free to research with an open mind. 

With discernment it is possible to reach the spirit of the letter of any writing and it is also much easier to listen to the voice of the soul that comes from the heart.
Individually you can be helped to find your Truth that is different of everyone. 


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publicado por achama às 04:29
Quinta-feira, 11 / 07 / 19

The Art of Divided Attention and How to Master It to Boost Your Productivity ~ Francesca F.

The Art of Divided Attention and How to Master It to Boost Your Productivity.

By Francesca F.

July 9th, 2019

 

 

We view divided attention or multitasking negatively, but it can be greatly beneficial to boost productivity.
Divided attention has a negative connotation of not giving tasks your full focus. Although this can be true, there are ways to hone your multitasking skills to increase your productivity. All it takes is a little bit of practice to understand when and how to use divided attention properly.

There are a few things you can do to perfect the art of divided attention so that you can improve your efficiency.

As with anything, practice makes perfect

Practicing is the key to mastering any skill, and the key to mastering divided attention is no different. Multitasking is difficult and stressful at first because a lot of things are going on at once. However, with enough practice, you will begin to sharpen your instincts and reactions.
Start with two or three tasks and once and build yourself up to several. By starting small, you will also train your brain to retain information better. This is essential to mastering the art of divided attention because you need to remember what you were doing before you switched tasks.
It will take time before you can perfectly multitask so give yourself time and patience to get it rightThe goal is to develop a certain amount of muscle memory to so your brain can retain information whilst knowing how to quickly respond to an email.

Recognise tasks can be done with divided attention

Not all tasks are suitable for multitasking and you need to differentiate between those that are and those that aren’t. Even though you’re speeding through tasks, your brain is a little bit slower when you’re doing lots of things simultaneously.
Some tasks need more focus than this, especially if they are important. Make sure to set aside time for tasks which need your full attention. It may be useful to use a grading system to set aside more important tasks from less important ones.

Write it all down

Writing things down will take a little pressure off your brain simply because it won’t have to remember as much. If you need to come back to something, take a note of it. If you are in the middle of thought before switching tasks, write it down so you don’t forget it. Nothing is more annoying than forgetting where you left off.

Take regular breaks

Multitasking is hard work on the brain and you can’t maintain divided attention forever. Make sure to take regular breaks in the process, every two or three hours, so that your brain has time to rest.
Take a walk to refresh yourself and get the blood flowing again and your brain working at peak capacity. Let yourself stop thinking about what needs to be done and allow your mind to wander. Giving yourself a good break will reduce stress and allow you to focus when you come back to work.

Give certain things your full focus

Multitasking and divided attention can be helpful to get lots of things done at once, but your brain also needs to practice full attention. By swapping between divided attention and full attention, your brain gets stronger at both.
This means that even when you are swapping between tasks, your brain still knows how to give a task proper focus. Even though you are working on several tasks, your brain will give the task at hand its full attention before jumping to the next.

Prioritize and group tasks

It is important to prioritize important tasks which require your full attention to make sure that they get focussed on. However, it can also be helpful to group tasks together which can be tackled simultaneously; things like correspondence can all be done in one large chunk.
By grouping these things together and spending an hour on them twice a day, you will limit distractions from the more important tasks. This will improve your productivity when tackling larger and more urgent projects.

Set time limits

You can’t use divided attention all the time. However, by setting aside an hour twice a day, you can use this time to get through all of your menial tasks which don’t take the same concentration.
If you know you have time set aside for them, when emails and calls come through, you won’t lose focus when correspondence comes through. This increases your focus on the task at hand.
We can’t constantly be in a state of divided attention, and we certainly can’t multitask everything. It is important to know what you can and can’t do in tandem and what needs your whole attention.
By using divided attention on menial tasks such as correspondence, you can improve your productivity. Divided attention can help efficiency on the more important tasks by limiting distractions during periods of focus.
It is important to know when you can multitask and on what you should focus on. Trying to use divided attention with everything will decrease productivity. Yet, harnessing the art of divided attention at the right time and with the right tasks can improve your efficiency overall.
References:
  1. https://cardinalatwork.stanford.edu/

 

 

  1.  

 

 

 

 

About the Author: Francesca F.

Francesca is a freelance writer currently studying a degree in Law and Philosophy. She has written for several blogs in a range of subjects across Lifestyle, Relationships and Health and Fitness. Her main pursuits are learning new innovative ways of keeping fit and healthy, as well as broadening her knowledge in as many areas as possible in order to achieve success.
 
 
 
COPYRIGHT © 2018 LEARNING MIND. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. FOR PERMISSION TO REPRINT, CONTACT US.
 

 
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No religious or political creed is advocated here.

Organised religion is unnecessary to spirituality.

Excellent teachings of the masters have been contaminated by the dogmatic control of these religions.

Discernment yes; judgement does not.
If you use discernment you are free to research with an open mind. 

With discernment it is possible to reach the spirit of the letter of any writing and it is also much easier to listen to the voice of the soul that comes from the heart.
Individually you can be helped to find your Truth that is different of everyone. 


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publicado por achama às 00:48
Sábado, 06 / 07 / 19

3 Ways Waking Up at 5:30 Every Morning Has Changed My Life ~ Veronica Baugh

3 Ways Waking Up at 5:30 Every Morning Has Changed My Life.

By Veronica Baugh.

Posted July 4, 2019 by Edward Morgan. 

Being productive in the early morning can make every day feel like a success.
 

.

 

 

Over the course of the past few months, I made a drastic lifestyle change: I am getting up at 5:30 a.m. instead of sleeping until 9 a.m. Lots of coffee was involved. But on the whole, the innumerable benefits I’ve experienced from early rising have far outweighed the losses (such as the loss of my ability to form coherent sentences after 10 p.m.)
Here is how getting up early has changed my life.
My personal theory is that morning hours are just better suited towards meaningful work.
When I stayed up till 2 a.m. every morning, my brain was far from thinking of those extra hours as ultra-productivity time. Usually, I would spend my bonus four-plus hours a day on the internet or binge-watching a favorite show. As my brain anticipated its coming rest, it wasn’t exactly helpful in motivating me to begin a new project or finish a lengthy task.
As it turns out, scientific research done by Dr. Christoph Randler supports my personal theory.
On the other hand, after I shifted those extra hours into a morning slot, I found they magically became five times more productive. As my brain anticipated the coming workday, I felt very motivated to get as much work done as possible (sometimes before the sun even came up) in order to claim more free time during the later parts of my day.
As it turns out, scientific research done by Dr. Christoph Randler supports my personal theory. In a case study of 367 university students, those who rose earlier more frequently expressed personal agreement with proactive statements such as, “I spend time identifying long-range goals for myself,” and “I feel in charge of making things happen.”
While even Randler admits that “night owls” are often more creative, funny, and social, “morning people” steal the show when it comes to career and scholastic productivity and efficiency.
Even though I still get roughly the same amount of sleep as I once did, the net effect of early-rising is that I spend far less time feeling like a zombie at work. My “zombie-time,” still takes up the same few hours of my day, but now it has shifted to night hours instead of work hours. I can be a zombie while watching Netflix at night and a rational person while taking a test during the day. Win-win.
Also, being productive in the early morning just makes every day feel like a success before it has fully started.
This increased wakefulness has also decreased my stress a great deal. I am better able to approach problems clearly, logically, and without the disturbing knowledge that “I was up so late last night,” hanging over my head.
Also, being productive in the early morning just makes every day feel like a success before it has fully started. As I write this, it is currently 6:15 a.m. Already, and before any of my social/work obligations have begun, I’ve ticked something off my list for the day—and that just feels good.
As a night-owl, my workday seemed to have no beginning or end. Now that I wake up very early, the first few productive hours of my day have a sequential and logical flow that pretty much remains the same every weekday.
I have a set plan for the first few hours of my day. Not only does this allow me to accomplish tasks in a cleaner and more organized manner, but it also allows me to arrange (or not arrange) the rest of my free time as I please.
Understanding how to organize my work-time has increased my ability to be spontaneous during my downtime.
When my work was scattered in sporadic bursts throughout the day, I would often find that I had no time to fulfill my random desire for recreational activity. Understanding how to organize my work-time has increased my ability to be spontaneous during my downtime.
It’s often suggested that schools and businesses adjust their schedules to make compensations for “night owls” whose genetics make it difficult to rise before 9 a.m. This is a nice gesture, but does such coddling cause many to miss out on the beauties of rising early? Beauties that they, like myself, never even realize they’re missing?


 

 



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No religious or political creed is advocated here.

Organised religion is unnecessary to spirituality.

Excellent teachings of the masters have been contaminated by the dogmatic control of these religions.

Discernment yes; judgement does not.
If you use discernment you are free to research with an open mind. 

With discernment it is possible to reach the spirit of the letter of any writing and it is also much easier to listen to the voice of the soul that comes from the heart.
Individually you can be helped to find your Truth that is different of everyone. 


Please respect all credits.

 
Discernment is recommended.
 

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publicado por achama às 14:53
Quinta-feira, 30 / 05 / 19

What Is Time Management Matrix and How It Helps You Be More Productive ~ Francesca F.

What Is Time Management Matrix and How It Helps You Be More Productive.

By Francesca F.

May 30, 2019

 
 
 
The time management matrix is one of the best tools to help you prioritise and get productive.
Productivity is something we all struggle with and we can end up procrastinating even when we’re trying to be productive. It might be that you end up spending too much time on the less important tasks. It might be that you end up giving more attention to a small part of a task than is necessary.
Whatever the problem, there is a solution: the time management matrix. It helps you to figure out what you need to be doing with your time as opposed to what you want to be doing with your time.
By utilising the time management matrix, you will be able to prioritise your work so that you keep on top of everything.

What is the time management matrix?

The time management matrix was popularised by Stephen R. Covey and is based on the theory that our time is spent on a four-quadrant matrix. These quadrants are:
  1. Urgent and Important
  2. Urgent and Not Important
  3. Not Urgent and Important
  4. Not Urgent and Not Important
Each of these quadrants has its own characteristics and should be dealt with differently. Once you know where tasks fit, it will be much easier to use the time management matrix to improve productivity.

How will the time management matrix benefit me?

time management quadrants
The most obvious answer to this question is that the time management matrix will boost productivity. However, there are a number of added benefits which make it even more beneficial.

Better Performance

By implementing the time management matrix, you will learn how to more effectively manage your time. This is because you will be learning which tasks are important and which tasks just seem important.
You will also be able to spend more time on important, urgent tasks so you can work to a higher standard. This allows us to take more pride in our work and reap more substantial benefits from the time we spend.

More Effective Work

As you begin to use the time management matrix on a regular basis, you will start using your time more effectively.  This also minimises the frustration we can sometimes feel at the end of a busy day when we feel as though nothing has been done.

More Time

By categorising tasks according to the time management matrix, we spend more time in the right places. This frees up a lot of extra time to spend on more important things.
When urgent tasks are complete, we lower our stress levels and can enjoy other things. This might be ticking some tasks off the important and non-urgent to do list, or maybe freeing up a little more personal time.

Health Benefits

Our day to day lives can be stressful, especially when we feel we are making little progress. Stress can lead to a number of negative side effects on our body. Not only does it negatively affect our mood, but it can be seriously detrimental to our health.
Boosted performance and spending time more effectively has a positive effect on mood and stress which, in turn, benefits our overall health.

The Four Quadrants

time management priorities matrix
The time management matrix splits our time into four quadrants, each with their own characteristics.

1. Urgent and Important


The urgent and important items are those which must be dealt with immediately. Any time you spend on this quadrant is non-optional. Most of these tasks should be reactional and not due to poor planning.
The use of quadrant 2 will significantly minimise these tasks so that you are only acting in this area on an emergency basis.
Examples of tasks which fall into this category are family emergencies or emergency work deadlines.

2. Not Urgent and Important


Not urgent and important tasks are those which do not need your attention right now but should be planned for.  According to Covey, this is the quadrant which we should spend most of our time in. This quadrant allows for long-term achievement of goals and the proper planning of deadlines.
Use of quadrant 2 significantly limits the use of quadrant 1 so that you can reduce your stressand work at your own pace.  When you are aware of deadlines, make sure to properly plan for them. To maintain your health, factor in a little bit of time for exercise or planning healthy meals.
Don’t be fooled by these tasks, as they may seem urgent, but are really only important.
Examples which fall into this category are things like exercise, maintaining relationships, working towards a goal or deadline.

3. Urgent and Not Important


Urgent but not important tasks are those which need to be seriously limited or eliminated altogether. These kinds of tasks usually come from other people who may be asking for help or wasting time in a meeting.
They may also be very simple tasks which take more time than they are worth. These tasks add no value to your day but can still take up a lot of time. To limit these tasks, it is useful to learn how to say no to people in order to prioritise your time.
Examples for this category are useless phone calls, interruptions and other people’s emergencies.

4. Not Urgent and Not Important


Another quadrant which should be severely limited is that for non-urgent and non-important tasks. These are tasks which don’t have to be done within a certain timeframe and add little or no value to your day.
These tasks are often trivial and are the primary contributor to procrastination. These tasks usually completely waste time but are surprisingly the tasks we can spend the most time on.
Examples which fall into this category include scrolling on social media, watching too much TV and general bad habits.

How to use the time management matrix

Now that you have a better understanding of the four quadrants, you can start to categorise your tasks and plan for your goals. By spending a little bit more time in quadrant 2, you can begin to plan for things properly.
When we have our goals and deadlines planned and we can spend a little bit of time on them each day. This reduces the last-minute rush and improves performance overall.
By reducing the rush caused by leaving these projects too late, we reduce the stress they can cause when they become urgent. Then, by reducing the time spent on tasks of little value, we increase the time we have for more important things.
This can take a little bit of time to get used to, and it takes a lot of practice of self-control. Remember that you are the best judge of what is important to you.  Once you get into the swing of it, however, you will find your productivity increased and your stress reduced.
With proper use of the time management matrix, you can improve your productivity and spend more time on the things that matter. With a little self-control and reflection on different tasks, you will quickly be able to differentiate between importance and urgency.
The time management matrix helps to make more time for what counts and free up the time we spend on tasks of little value. It is a great tool to have in your arsenal to get into the flow of working better and working smarter.
References:
  1. https://oaa.rice.edu
  2. https://extension.uga.edu
 

About the Author: Francesca F.

Francesca is a freelance writer currently studying a degree in Law and Philosophy. She has written for several blogs in a range of subjects across Lifestyle, Relationships and Health and Fitness. Her main pursuits are learning new innovative ways of keeping fit and healthy, as well as broadening her knowledge in as many areas as possible in order to achieve success.
 
 
 
COPYRIGHT © 2018 LEARNING MIND. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. FOR PERMISSION TO REPRINT, CONTACT US.
 

 
Compiled by http://violetflame.biz.ly from: 



Please respect all credits.

 
Discernment is recommended.

 

All articles are of the respective authors and/or publishers responsibility. 

 

No religious or political belief is defended here. (Investigate yourself)

 

Individually you can be helped to find your Truth that is different of everyone. 

If you use discernment you are free to research with an open mind. 


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publicado por achama às 19:23
Sábado, 11 / 05 / 19

Essential Oils for Focus, Productivity and Cognitive Functions

Essential Oils for Focus, Productivity and Cognitive Functions.

By Guest Author.

May 10th, 2019

 

essential oils for focus.
 

 

Did you know that essential oils can help you boost your cognitive functions, such as focus and memory, and improve your productivity?
In the modern, hectic world that we inhabit, many of us will have had moments in our day where our frame of mind does not match what is needed at the time. It could be the feeling of ‘fogginess’ in the first few hours of the morning once we have risen from our slumber, or the afternoon sluggishness felt after a heavy lunch.
Either way, your mind simply refuses to get into the correct gear required. For some, this can seriously hinder the productivity of a day at work, or in the more serious cases, affect someone’s mental wellbeing in the long term.
We all want to be productive, and we all want to be able to relax too when the time is right. So how can we give ourselves the best chance of achieving these goals? Well, essential oils can certainly help boost your focus and other cognitive functions.
For those who are new to the world of essential oils, one of the key aspects of their appeal is the fact that they are totally natural. Also knows as volatile and ethereal oils, essential oils are obtained from their specific plant by distillation, most often using steam.
Products that often contain them are perfumes, soaps, and other cosmetics. Due to the fact they are derived from a whole plethora of different plants, they have some very different effects.
While one may invigorate, another may make the user feel a sense of relaxation. Because of this, it is important to make sure you know which oil is most likely to garner the required effect.

Boosting your focus with essential oils

For those looking to get their brain into a more focused state, there are essential oils available that will help you do just that.
Feeling a little frazzled in the morning? Simply add a few drops of lemon or peppermint to your oil diffuser, let the fragrance fill the room, and see how your concentration manifests. If lemon or peppermint isn’t your thing, there are countless other options out there for those who would prefer a different fragrance.
Amongst the more popular options are frankincense, rosemary, or clary sage, so if you find one flavour a little overpowering, simply move onto another and see if it suits you better.
Such is the sheer volume of essential oils on the market, finding one that helps you focus and is also appealing to your sense of smell is all part of the fun.

Sleeping well helps you work well

Once your working day is done, you may find it difficult to unwind in the hours before you go to bed. This, in turn, can lead to a bad night’s sleep and difficulties concentrating when back at the office the next day.
Many of us have trouble ‘switching off’ in the evenings, partly due to hectic work-lives and partly due to issues with modern phenomena such as mobile phone and tablet usage. If you fall into this category, essential oils can yet again be the answer to your problems.
Oils such as cedar wood can help you unwind naturally, letting your stresses and strains melt away, and allowing you to fall into a relaxing and beneficial slumber.
Other oils such as lavender can also help you fall asleep faster, while many users have also reported that some oils can even help those of us who suffer from the dreaded and much-maligned problem of snoring.
If you are finding yourself drained and tired throughout the working week, start to address this problem by making sure you are getting enough rest.

Tired and forgetful? Essential oils might help

Another issue that plenty of us suffer from, especially as we get older, is memory loss. Now, serious memory loss can be a symptom of something quite serious, but if you are simply finding yourself becoming a little forgetful during your workday.
At least one experiment conducted by the University of Northumbria found that rosemary can have a positive effect on people over 65 years of age in regards to their memory function. Other tests have shown evidence that rosemary could stimulate brain tissue due to various compounds found within the plant itself.
This shouldn’t be taken as a ‘complete fix’ for memory loss (especially if it is severe or degenerative), but rather a useful tool for tasks that may require you to be a little more ‘on the ball’ when it comes to recalling information.
Pair the use of rosemary with a healthy diet of fatty fish (full of wonderful Omega 3 oils which are known to aid the building of brain and nerve cells), and you should be well on your way to boosting your memory.
At the very least, you will put yourself in the best position to improve your performance in this particular department.

Essential oils are another string to your bow

It should be said that essential oils are not a ‘one size fits’ all miracle cure. Instead, these wonderfully useful oils should be used in conjunction with other tactics, to achieve the desired results.
If you have trouble sleeping, cutting out alcohol and sugars before bed garners huge benefits, while essential oils could be the icing on the cake for giving yourself the restful recuperation you need.
Different oils have vastly different properties, so if you are new to the essential oils game, grab yourself a few tester bottles, and see just how useful each of these oils can be.
Having a selection at your disposal means that you can adjust the oil to suit your needs hour by hour. Wake up with some peppermint, add a few drops of rosemary in your diffuser during the day, and when it comes to bedtime, move into cedar wood territory.
Pairing these essential oils with a healthy lifestyle, eating well, and exercising should put you in the best possible position to counter any issues like poor focus or memory loss. This, in turn, will help you work more effectively and efficiently.

 

 
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Articles from guest authors who contribute their writings to Learning Mind.

 

 

 

 

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publicado por achama às 08:21
Terça-feira, 30 / 04 / 19

How the Flow State Supercharges Your Brain and How to Get into It ~ Francesca F.

How the Flow State Supercharges Your Brain and How to Get into It.

By Francesca F.

April 29, 2019

 
 
 
We all want to be a little bit more productive and we’ve all experienced the extreme focus of flow state, but most of us don’t know how to utilise it.
Productivity can fluctuate for a number of different reasons. Maybe you’re tired, hungry, or stressed. It might just be that you struggle to find your focusFinding your state of flow is the best way to counteract this lapse of productivity. It will help you banish the temptation to procrastinate so that you can start making positive progress.

What is the flow state?

First, we need to understand what the state of flow actually isIt is a term from positive psychology, which is essentially the study of what makes life good, worth living, and how we can flourish.
This state of mind is commonly known as being ‘in the zone’. It is the state where we feel completely immersed in the task at hand, with complete concentration and even enjoyment in the task. When you’re experiencing it, it is common to lose track of your surroundings, even the time.

Flow state and hyperfocus

Flow state can sometimes be confused with hyperfocus, however, the two are entirely different. Hyperfocus is an intense mental concentration or imagination, which often distracts individuals away from tasks.
Although the two are similar in terms of concentration, hyperfocus is concentration on the wrong things, such as videogames and focussing only on a small part of a task. For these reasons, hyperfocus is a common symptom of ADHD and has been proposed to be linked to other conditions.

How to know if you are in the state of flow?

While this state of mind is a somewhat abstract concept, some psychologists have proposed some indicators of experiencing it:

1.Intense and focused concentration on the present moment

When you are experiencing the flow, you are entirely focused on what is going on right there and then. You lose sight of future commitments and past events.

2.Merging of action and awareness

Again, somewhat of an abstract concept, the merging of action and awareness essentially means that your actions feel like an extension of your mind.

3.Loss of reflective self-consciousness

A key indicator of flow state is that we lose the awareness of ourselves in some way. Simply put, it means that we feel less self-critical and self-aware.

4.A sense of personal control over the situation or activity

We may not be in control of the result of a project, but when we are experiencing this state while performing a task, we often feel in complete control.

5.A loss of sense of time

The most common indicator of flow state is a complete loss of time. We’ve all looked up from the clock and wondered where the time went.

6.Experience of intrinsic reward

We don’t even need to know the outcome of a particular task and project. When we are in the state of flow, we receive an intrinsic reward from simply performing the task in the first place. We typically feel as though we have more potential to succeed in the task at hand.

7.Other needs become less important

When experiencing the flow, it is common that we forget about other needs. We may forget we are hungry, thirsty, or tired. We might even come out of flow realising we desperately need the bathroom!

How can the flow state benefit you?

flow state focus
The most obvious benefit you will get is boosted productivity. We all want to get a little bit extra done, improve our focus and make progress on our goals. Finding your flow state is an incredibly useful tool in getting things done, but it also has some unexpected benefits.
A surprising, but not entirely unexpected, result of reaching this state is greater happiness. This is because of two reasons. First, when you are experiencing the flow, you are not necessarily happy or unhappy, you are simply neutral. Then, once the project is finished, you receive the personal reward of finishing a project.
Secondly, the state of flow also tends to give you better performance because your brain is more relaxed, similar to post-meditation. This allows you to achieve greater insight with a project. Moreover, the flow state allows for the release of dopamine, which enhances your ability to notice patterns by heightening our attention and decreasing distractions.
This aspect of being in the flow allows us to also the external rewards from bosses, or project completion. All in all, this gives you a greater proportion of positive emotions and studieshave found that those in flow also tended to improve in levels of self-esteem and self-image.

5 elements of reaching the flow

productivity and happiness
There are five aspects which fit together to create a state of flow:
  • self-control
  • environment
  • skills
  • purpose
  • reward

Self-control is a key element of being in the flow.

To be able to utilise flow more often, we need to be able to gain control of our willpower. Nathan DeWall, a psychology professor who utilised the science of self-control to become a marathon runner, suggests three ways to develop our self-control:

1.Find your standards and set some goals.

These may be big or small, but are usually things such as hitting a word count, running a certain distance, or drinking a certain amount of water. They are the small goals on the way to the ultimate goal.

2.Set up how you will monitor your goals.

Self-control works best with immediate feedback, and this comes in the form of tracking your goals. Find ways to constantly track your goals, but be flexible enough to alter them if you need to.

3.Be aware of your energy levels.

Our energy fluctuates throughout the day and, with it, so does our willpower. Typically, we will have more self-control and willpower when we have more energy, and these are the times we should practice getting into the flow state.

Environment is an interesting feature when finding your flow.

Although it may seem counterintuitive, the best way to practice flow is to push yourself slightly out of your comfort zone. This allows your body and mind to adapt to more challenging environments. As a consequence, when you do reach the state of flow, you will be less distracted by more challenging environments.

Skills allow us to begin the task in the first place but should be well matched with a good level of challenge.

To experience the flow, we need enough knowledge to complete a task and feel as though we are deliberately using them. That is to say that we must be present when applying our knowledge and do it on purpose, rather than just going through the motions.

Purposeful work is much more likely to get you into the flow state.

When we feel connected and passionate about something, we pay much more attention to it. Consider what you are creating, who you are creating it for, and what is the expected outcome. The more something stimulates us, the more motivated we become, and this is an essential element of finding your flow.
If a task doesn’t feel so important to you, find ways of making it important. Maybe it will help your job performance, improve your physical capability, or just make you feel good about yourself when you finish.

Reward is the last element of finding the state of flow.

In its essence, reward simply a by-product of flow state but links all of the rest together. Understanding the reward of your work will almost always help you find your purpose. It will also motivate you to apply your skills, develop self-control and put yourself out of your comfort zone. The reward is the motivation to see a task from start to finish.
Finding and practising these elements will help you successfully enter flow more often and reap the incredible benefits. Not only will it boost your productivity, but it will also holistically improve your life.
References:
  1. Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
  2. Find Flow: The Psychology of Engagement with Everyday Life – Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
  3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5855042/
  4. Scientific Secrets for Self-Control – C. Nathan Dewall
  1.  

 

 

 

 

About the Author: Francesca F.

Francesca is a freelance writer currently studying a degree in Law and Philosophy. She has written for several blogs in a range of subjects across Lifestyle, Relationships and Health and Fitness. Her main pursuits are learning new innovative ways of keeping fit and healthy, as well as broadening her knowledge in as many areas as possible in order to achieve success.
 
 
 
COPYRIGHT © 2018 LEARNING MIND. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. FOR PERMISSION TO REPRINT, CONTACT US.
 



Compiled by http://violetflame.biz.ly from: 
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Please respect all credits.

 
Discernment is recommended.

 

All articles are of the respective authors and/or publishers responsibility. 

 

No religious or political belief is defended here. (Investigate yourself)

 

Individually you can be helped to find your Truth that is different of everyone. 

If you use discernment you are free to research with an open mind. 


More @ http://violetflame.biz.ly and 
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publicado por achama às 15:43
A Luz está a revelar a Verdade, e esta libertar-nos-á! -Só é real o AMOR Incondicional. -Quando o Amor superar o amor pelo poder, o mundo conhecerá a Paz; Jimi Hendrix. -Somos almas a ter uma experiência humana!

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