Why Your Creative Mind Works The Best In The Cafe

Getting away from the house, office or regular workspace has an amazing effect on the creative mind. But even for those with the freedom to work from anywhere, creativity soars highest in a particular place- cafes and coffee shops.

Historically, some of the greats artists, writers and musicians frequented cafes to ponder on great ideas and cultivate their creative energy. Now they’ve become a hotbed for modern creatives such as entrepreneurs, graphic designers and even DJ s. Yet most of us are still not completely sure exactly why we gravitate towards our favorite cafes.

Some say it’s the whiff of freshly brewed coffee and getting a caffeine fix that fires up creative juices. While others claim there’s something unique about the atmosphere, an ambiance that compliments the creative mind. In actual fact, science has found some interesting links between creativity and cafes, some of which may surprise you!

In actual fact, science has drawn some interesting links between cafes and creativity, some of which may surprise you!

Silence Sharpens Focus – Ambient Noise Boosts Creativity

You may already be aware that working in silence environments helps you focus. When you are in the midst of complicated problem solving or performing fine detailed work, one annoying noise is enough to break our concentration.

However, when it comes to creative thinking, ambient noise has been seen to improve creativity. Specifically, typical coffee shop ambient noise of 70 decibels was seen to be optimum. Whereas quieter than 50dB and louder than 85dB caused creativity to drop off.

It’s believed this level of moderate ambient noise is just enough to distract us, allowing us to think outside the box. This helps to broaden to thinking and lends itself to the discovery of new ideas. So, the creative magic in the air of your favorite coffee shop is actually the perfect ambient hum for your creative mind.

You should optimize your creativity by choosing your coffee shop wisely, based on how busy or noisy it is. If you are tied to a workspace and it’s particularly quiet, try listening to Creativity background music from Youtube. Otherwise, there’s an ingenious application that can mimic the cafe’s ambient noise called Coffitivity.

Dynamic Environments Stimulate Creativity

Ever noticed how creativity dries up if you remain in the same environment or routine for too long? It’s only when you break the cycle or change your environment that the bolt of creativity strikes.

The mind is naturally inclined to tune out repeat input, while remaining receptive to new information. So, by moving from a static environment to a dynamic one, you flood the mind with new inputs and stimulate creativity. Visiting a cafe is great for firing up inspiration as you watch new faces and interactions happening around you.

Low-level distractions from the bustle of others actually help fuel creative thoughts. Whereas the silence and solitude of home or the office often push us to non-creative procrastination. Cafes strike just the right balance of simulation buzz with the protection of anonymity, interactions are on your own terms.

There’s also a social element that plays a significant role. If you’re open, cafes are a great place to meet and interact with new people. These brief exchanges of ideas, experiences and perspectives ignite creativity.

Your positioning is somewhat crucial, whether in the cafe or your own workspace. The last thing you want to do is position yourself right in a high traffic point, so don’t sit by the cash register or a door. You want the opportunity to observe or interact, but it has to be on your own terms.

Dim Lighting Liberates the Mind and Imagination

Yet again, absolute focus and free-flowing creativity are set at odds. Brighter lighting favors focus-based tasks but research has shown dimmer lighting actually boosts creativity.

The most curious thing is, creatively was seen to increase across six separate studies, even without conscious recognition of this change. So it’s believed dimmer environments make us feel freer to explore and take risks without judgment. It’s so powerful that even recalling an experience of darkness can have similar creativity boosting effects.

So, if your creative workspace is bright, dimming the lights to create a more ambient environment would be very beneficial. You could use light blinds on the windows and shaded lamps for softer lighting. Or if you are visiting a coffee shop, pick the deepest, darkest corner for creative pondering!

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Why Multilinguals Are More Creative And Have Sharper Minds

Good news multilinguals, if you haven’t had the chance to step into the creative world or try your hand in business, maybe it’s time that you consider doing so just because you have the sheer advantage to excel in it. Being conversant in multiple languages not only makes you sound cool like Jason Bourne, it also makes you more creative and have a sharper mind. Here’s why:

1.Enhanced Memory

There are definitely times when we suffer mental blocks and can’t remember an English word we want to use and for most of us, it’s probably the only main language we speak. But for a multilingual, that struggle is multiplied especially when they need to use the right word, grammar rules and structure when shifting in culture and context. So it is no surprise that multilinguals are blessed with better working memory than monolinguals.

2.Better Creative Process

According to a team of experts in Europe, they had concluded that being multilingual helps your brain develop more neuronal connections. By learning a new language, your brain is being worked like a muscle, stimulating and developing more neuronal webs which can lead to a higher capacity for generating more creative processes.

Medical Daily reported on a research done to observe 120 9-year-old students. Half were monolinguals and the other were bilinguals. The children were then tested on problem solving and creative thinking. The results? The children who could speak more than one language scored better at the tests. In terms of creative thinking, the bilingual children demonstrated a difference in the level of detail and richness in description.

3.Better Problem-Solving Skills

Research conducted at the American University of Sharjah had shown that multilinguals approach the same problems with different perspectives compared to monolinguals. This is due to the practice of being exposed to different cultures when learning a new language, therefore they are more open-minded when faced with a situation.

Studies have shown that multilinguals are better at filtering out unwanted information because they use more of the executive function of the brain. By doing so, they are efficient in focusing on the problem and yet bring about new perspectives to tackle the problem at different angles.

4.Masters at Multi-tasking

To be able to handle twice or thrice as many words efficiently, the brain has no other choice but to use more focus and resources to be able to switch between languages quickly. Research has shown that because of this, multilinguals are able to switch between multiple tasks and shift their attention quicker than monolinguals.

Not only that, but because the brain of a multilingual has to look out for mistakes and errors during the task of switching languages, this would also be applied efficiently to reduce errors when switching between tasks.

5.Sharp Decision Making Skills

A study in Chicago University had revealed that multilinguals are more likely to make the right decisions as compared to monolinguals. Being able to speak multiple languages allow multilinguals to see the bigger picture and to understand more complex situations better.

The study also showed that when we speak a different language with a less familiar language, we tend to be less biased when making a decision. What this means is that we become more rational when we speak in a second or third language which in turn, helps us to make a better decision.

Multilingualism makes you smarter

Concrete evidence have shown us that being a multilingual can bring about many benefits and as proven in the workforce, it can also be an advantage when searching for a job. Job applications require us to fill in the types of languages we speak as being multilingual is seen to be an asset by employers.

Being a multilingual truly has its perks, so why not get started on a new language right away?

Featured photo credit: Tom Hiddleston via flic.kr

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This Important Element In You Brain Decides If You’re A Leader Or A Follower

While we all have pre-conceived notions about what distinguishes leaders from followers, these are not necessarily accurate or based on any scientific fact. Much of this stems from a misunderstanding of how the human mind works, particularly in relation to our retention of information and cognitive thought processes.

If you have ever seen Janet Echelman’s famous artwork, you will see a visual representation of how the human brain works. These pieces rely on subtle intersections and independencies, through which single threads are combined to create an overall visage. Similarly, the average baby’s brain contains 100 million neurons, which are capable of constructing and weaving information patterns that become increasingly complex as cognitive skills develop.

How Reflective Intelligence is Crucial in Leadership

The complexity of the human mind and the impact of environment means that concepts such as leadership and following are not fixed forever. Despite this, there is one central element in the brain which empowers leadership and leader qualities, and this the capacity for reflective intelligence. While human intelligence tends to be reflective in nature, natural leaders show a higher capacity for this and are therefore able to display far greater levels of foresight through their thoughts and actions.

Individuals who showcase high levels of reflective intelligence also have a greater survival instinct and a more innate ability to spontaneously tackle and solve problems, which are crucial leader qualities particularly in a professional environment.

While the way in which reflective intelligence manifests itself in strong leadership is clear, however, how does it work within the human mind? Essentially, reflection is an ability of the brain to consciously manipulate the information that it is provide with, enabling us to process and rehearse options prior to taking action. In the example of positive and decisive problem solving, reflective intelligence allows us to recall and process relevant information that informs our actions, leading to quick and effective resolutions.

How to Nurture Reflective Intelligence in the Human Mind

We have already touched on how our roles as leaders and followers are not set in tone, and this is supported by the fact that we all boast some level of reflective intelligence. There are also exercises that can help to develop this skill, both in ourselves, our children and those around us.

One of the first exercises is to provoke critical and creative thinking in the brain. Actively and deliberately engaging in critical thought and analysis encourages reflection, forcing you to detect the relationships that exist between objects, thoughts and actions (even those that appear to be entirely unrelated). By drawing on your knowledge and a store of information, you can challenge your thought processes before arriving at new, innovative and most importantly informed conclusions.

Leader Qualities can become second nature over time

Interestingly, you can also develop your own level of reflective intelligence by actively teaching your children and those around you. As a parent, for example, you can ask your child’s opinion on specific characters and their actions while reading them a story or watching a film. This not only sharpens your child’s level of reflective intelligence and empowers them as critical thinkers, but it also helps you to ensure that your leadership qualities quickly become second nature over time.

This is the most important thing to remember, as while we all possess natural leadership skills to some degree or another there are certain mental elements that we can develop with practice. The reflective dimension of human intelligence offers an example of this, as this needs to be consciously cultivated and exercised if it is to be developed and realised over time. You will also find that those with true leadership qualities repeat learning activities on a regular basis, as their reflective intelligence grows and its manifestations quickly become second nature over time.

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These 10 Questions Can Foretell If You’ll Be Successful In Life

Success isn’t limited to just how far you’ve climbed up the corporate ladder, but other aspects of your life, too, such as instilling a healthy balance between work and family, pursuing and achieving various goals and dreams, and simply embracing who you are. However, there are scientifically proven signs that will indicate whether or not you will truly be successful in life, in whatever way you choose to define success. Here are 10 questions that predict whether you’ll spread your wings and soar toward your goals and success.

1. Are You Open And Mentally Prepared To Grow?

People, who are opposed to the idea that people’s character, intelligence and creativity can change, tend to have slower development in their personal growth, because they want to avoid failure instead of working on those three areas of their lives. But those people with a “growth mindset” see failure as a learning point from which to leap from as they bound onward and upward toward success. They embrace challenges, survive setbacks, embrace and improve based off of criticism, and will attain their goals. Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck researched how people view their personality’s influence on their happiness and success and found that those positive and open individuals believe their true potential is limitless and so are more willing to work harder and be more dedicated.

2. Are You Private About Your Goals?

Surprisingly, psychologists say that telling someone about your personal goal makes it less likely to materialize. Entrepreneur Derek Sivers, who spoke in a TED Talk Keep Your Goals To Yourself said that to meet a goal, a person must take steps, put in the hard work and not stop until he or she is satisfied. But once you tell someone about your goal and they recognize your mission, that’s called “social reality” where the mind is swayed into feeling that you’ve already met your goal and you’re no longer motivated to proceed.

3. Are You Happy?

Positivity is a key ingredient to success and being happy helps with that upbeat outlook. That doesn’t necessarily mean you should be satisfied and not strive for greater goals and successes, but be happy with you and where you’re at each step of the way. Psychiatrist and author of Heaven and Hell: The Psychology of the Emotions George Vaillant’s research revealed that love is truly the key to happiness. Even if an individual relishes success in work, rakes in a boatload of money and enjoys good healthy, that person will not be completely happy without love and positive relationships.

4. Do You Have A High Level Of Self-Esteem?

It takes confidence to have the competence to grow and gain successes. Authors Katty Kay and Claire Shipman, who penned The Confidence Code, note that low self-confidence leads to inaction, but taking those first steps armed with an action plan will boost a person’s belief that he or she really can succeed.

5. Are You Exactly Who You Want To Be?

Exuding the qualities of successful leaders doesn’t mean you have to be fake, but instead means you’re working toward the new and improved you. In her Harvard Business Review article titled The Authenticity Paradox, professor Herminia Ibarra said that “play-acting” will help you gain confidence and others will feel the same way about you, too.

6. Do You Have Extreme Will Power?

One method to increasing your will power is to select one thing to improve upon bit by bit every day and to not procrastinate things that take just a few minutes to tackle, such as loading the dishwasher after dinner or swapping out the laundry in the washer to the dryer. Author James Clear notes that elite performers in a wide variety of fields, from athletes to musicians to artists and even CEOs, are more consistent than others.

7. Are You A Social Butterfly?

People who are both smart and socially adept tend to earn more. According to a study conducted by Catherine Weinberger, an economics professor at the University of California, Santa Barbara, having both cognitive ability and social skills are one key to success.

8. Are You Ambitious?

One characteristic that repeatedly appears in highly successful people is grit. Psychologist Angela Duckworth has studying both kids and adults and found that those who have grit, or stamina, are hard workers with their minds set on a goal and will work harder than others to turn that goal into a reality. Jason Ma, author of Youth Leaders 3.0: Stories, Insights, and Tips for Next-Generation Achievers, notes that anyone can be ambitious with the right motivation.

9. Are You A Risk Taker?

Ambitious people dead set on achieving their goals also know they often must take some risk, which can be quite difficult for others. Ma noted that oftentimes a breakthrough in the path to success can be spurred out of a well-managed crisis. These people also don’t spend too much time honing their skill set, but rather executing a strategy utilizing those valuable skill sets.

10. Are You Steadfast?

Do not compete with others and let their negativity or successes drag you down. Ma notes that a person’s biggest competitor should be himself or herself. Do not measure yourself against others and do not them steer you off course.

How To Be Successful In A Nutshell

As you work on the “new you” with an eye on the prize of success, remember Maslow’s hierarchy of needs that explains how you cannot be the best you can be until your first tier needs are met. These are the basic needs, such as food, financial ability to pay your bills, and support and self-esteem that buoys your self-worth. Once you have a game plan mapped out for meeting those basic needs, then begin working on the next levels and charge ahead down that path to success. Be sure to surround yourself with other ambitious, driven, goal-setting people and support each other as you work toward attaining those goals.

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8 Science-Backed Secrets You Should Know To Make A Great First Impression

Someone’s first impression of you can be difficult to sway after that initial sighting or interaction, whether it’s in a professional setting or social setting. Unfortunately, a negative reaction can be damaging to your career or social life.

In fact, Vivian Zayas, a psychologist at Cornell University, said many people still “judge a book by its cover,” and surprisingly, their first impression of a person usually ends up being quite accurate. So here’s what you can do to make sure that the vibes and first impressions you exude end up wowing everyone you encounter.

Aiming For Success?

One surefire way to push through that glass ceiling or break into a circle of friends is to simply look successful, or rather, dress for success. In a British-Turkish study, people rated men in tailored suits as more successful than men in regular suits. The study participants had just five seconds to make that decision, illustrating that clothing communicates superficial, yet important, information about a person.

Are You Trustworthy?

It takes just a tenth of a second for someone to determine if you’re trustworthy. A lack of trust can inhibit your ability to form relationships and network successfully within your career. A Princeton research project shows that people drew trait inferences from others’ facial appearances. In the study, when the length of time was extended for someone to infer a person’s trustworthiness, the observer’s opinion became even more negative. So make sure you’re open, approachable and trustworthy with everyone who crosses your path.

Are You Intelligent?

Everyone knows that eye contact is crucial to establishing a positive connection with someone, but it also attributes to their perceived opinion of your smartness. A study by Loyola Marymount University professor Nora A. Murphy revealed that eye contact directly correlates with a person’s opinion of another’s IQ. The study showed that wearing glasses and speaking expressively helps boost your intelligent image, too. This will help both in the workplace and in social settings, particularly if you are hoping to climb the corporate ladder.

What’s Your Socioeconomic Status?

People tend to gravitate toward those who are of a higher socioeconomic status and dressing for that role has a positive impact on others’ first impression of you. A Dutch study found that people who wore well-known name brand clothes appeared to be of a more affluent status that those who did not wear designer clothes. The study revealed that such a perceived first impression of a societal status has its benefits in social settings, incurring preferential treatment and financial perks for those people.

Do You Like To Take Charge?

No one likes a bossy person, but being a strong, dominant person can pay off at work or in a social setting. For men who are bald, the odds are in their favor. A University of Pennsylvania study discovered that men with shaved heads were rated as more dominant that other men with full heads of hair.

Does Attire Equal Promotions?

Business attire shows that you, well, mean business. In a Canadian study, participants rated male models dressed in business attire as earning a higher income and more deserving of a promotion than men dressed in casual attire. This could have a significant impression in the workplace and outside the office, too.

Are You Adventurous?

It’s not just how you dress or smile, but the way you move that also makes an impression on others. In a Durham University study, people’s gaits were observed and it was determined in just a few steps that people with looser gaits were considered extroverts and adventurous, while those with shortened, clipped paces were seen as neurotic. If someone can’t see your face and expressions, the next thing they’ll judge is your body movements and attire. While how you walk may not be truly accurate of who you are, keep in mind when entering a party or walking into a meeting that people are watching how you carry yourself and move.

Do You Come Across As Having Poor Morals?

In one quick glimpse, people will perceive you as someone who might make poor life choices based upon whether or not you have a tattoo and are a heavy drinker. According to a British study, women with visible tattoos were considered to be less attractive and more promiscuous than women who did not have any ink on them. While this perception may not hold as true in the U.S. where body art is more and more common, this British study based negative first impressions off of how extensive someone’s tattoos were and the amount of alcohol consumed in one sitting.

Want To Make A Good First Impression?

While not everyone with a tattoo or lack of hair is a shady friend or unsuccessful co-worker, studies show that some of the factors that form people’s first impression of you do have an impact on your career path and social circle. So keep in mind this checklist the next time you head off to a party or into work.

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Creativity Is Not Only About The Left Brain, Here’s Why

What do you recall hearing about the right and left brain? Did you learn that the right brain is all about logic and reason, and the left side is all about creativity?

As most of us think, the brain is made up of two parts, the left side being connected to analysis, and the right side being connected to creativity. Well, scientists are here to tell us different. There are actually a complex set of reasons as to why some people are more creative. Scientific evidence tells us that creativity is triggered in many different areas of the brain.

Do you want to be more creative? Here are reasons why you can be! It isn’t just about what you were born with.

It’s Not Just About IQ

When we think about the people with the best ideas we often think of the geniuses – the Albert Einstein’s, the Amelia Earhart’s, the Picasso’s, and the Jane Austen’s. We think of the utmost masters of the craft. However, the realm of creativity falls under an enormous umbrella. Being intelligent actually has far less of an impact on creativity than people think. Contrary to popular belief, it is not down to our IQ levels when it comes to sparking creative thought – at least not as much as we were probably led to believe.

Creativity is Made Up of Many Factors

Creativity is actually due a to a whole range of factors, including emotional characteristics, your personal morals, your levels of motivation, as well as where you stand intellectually. It isn’t IQ that is the common denominator between creative minds, but in fact a general sameness in certain character traits. These include how open they are to their inner selves, their high level of tolerance regarding chaos and disarray in their surrounding areas, their ability to be in such chaos and not only function within it, but also find a way to organize and structure it. Creative types are genuine risk-takers who thrive on individuality and independence. They are masters of the unconventional. They prefer to discover. They enjoy ambiguity. They thrive on uncertainty, for it is there that they can search for answers, or maybe even make an answer of their own.

It is a mixing pot of traits perhaps, but within this lies a bundle of oxymoronic characteristics, and possibly the reason why the brain is healthy when we exercise creativity. Creative personalities are both constructive and deconstructive. They find use in being both cultured and primal. They are sane, but they are also crazy!

The Whole Creative Brain

It seems that creative types are much more introspective about their inner selves. When they tap into creativity (or when anyone sits down to take part in a creative task) they are using many different parts of the brain as a whole, not just the right or left side. Although creative types seem to be (and probably describe themselves) as an “individual”, they are actually better described as a “multitude”. They are complex because of the different parts of the mind they tap into when exploring their inner selves.

A Healthy Imagination Means A Healthy Mind

It is very important to keep using your imagination and let your mind wander into daydream, so that these parts of the brain are being engaged. The brain is an interplay of different triggers when we are creative. It is a processing system that is activated in the inside surface of the brain, engaging the temporal, frontal, and parietal lobes.

Our imagination (or our “imaginative network” in our brains) allows us to recall things easier, understand stories, have compassion for others, reflect on life, and better understand emotions that people have. Our imaginative network operates in conjunction with other brain networks, so it’s integral that we keep it as active as possible.

So, spend time with children and draw with their crayons right alongside them! It will quite literally open up your mind.

Featured photo credit: Vulcan Post via az598155.vo.msecnd.net

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Why “Be Yourself” Is Advice You Shouldn’t Truly Believe

We often hear the advice “be yourself” when it comes to personal and professional situations, but how much should we really show our true colors? Authenticity and showing our honest thoughts and feelings are seen as a positive thing so why is the advice to “be yourself” not entirely appropriate or true?

The Art of True Authenticity and Sincerity

The advice to be yourself isn’t about manipulation, as well as showing your true thoughts and personality at the right times, while taking into consideration and respecting others. It’s a fine balance of keeping your authenticity and using it in an appropriate manner.

Authenticity is all about our ability to be self-aware. It’s about knowing who we truly are, as well as knowing our values, emotions, and our competencies. It’s also about how we come across to others and having the self-knowledge to act in a certain way that shows tact and diplomacy.

In the workplace, being authentic takes on the notion of being completely honest even if that means being ruthless. The problem with this is that there is such a thing as being too honest. Furthermore, this can harbor your ability to be an effective leader and influencer. True authenticity goes beyond showing your true personality as there are so many varieties of personality that don’t necessarily match with good leadership. Imitating the person we want to be is a more effective way to pursue success, but we also need to keep a sense of sincerity.

The Risks of Being Yourself

1. Losing credibility with others. If we show our true feelings there will undoubtedly involve fears; however, revealing your fears to others can lead them to lack confidence in you. Being yourself means being transparent in your thoughts and even worries which can have a negative effect on morale. It’s important to think about how your influence ultimately affects others. Fear is the number one honesty factor that devalues ourselves in the minds of other people. As a manager, if you make a decision but mention your fear for the outcome; while being honest about it, there is a danger that a lack of confidence will prevail in your team.

2. You create a fixed mindset rather than a growth mindset. Being our true self is abstract because we evolve according to our experiences. Acting in a way that shows our “true self” keeps us in a fixed mindset with a sense of introspection which stops us from evolving and growing as a person. A growth mindset is how we ultimately gain new perspectives and become a more worldly, rounded person. So, by sticking to being yourself, you are hindering your growth and staying in your comfort zone.

3. There’s a chance you could make bad decisions. Acting by your values is important but sometimes this will lead you to make choices based on emotion rather than true information and data. By doing this, you are potentially open to making bad decisions without fully taking on all sides and perspectives. We are governed by past experiences and opinions that may not always be supportive in the here and now. While you are being authentic, in a way that may not fully fit with current important decisions. For example, not taking a certain path because you’ve had a bad experience with something similar in the past will cut off any potential success.

How To Be Effectively Authentic and Sincere

1. Allow yourself to grow. Adopting a growth mindset means accepting that your opinions and thoughts will change over time through experiences. Acting in ways that help you flourish in all areas of life will help towards making better informed decisions while staying authentic and genuine. Anything that gets you out of your comfort zone and the ability to see other perspectives will go towards better judgement.

2. Timing and relevance. Being self-aware and understanding the importance of timing and tact is key when dealing with others. Being yourself can lead to opinions that may not be relevant or just bad timing. When we’re being ourselves, we are essentially self-promoting and can sometimes deflect from the task at hand. Make sure your timing is in line with your aims and question, whether it is relevant to the outcome of the task or not. Personal information should be kept to a minimum. Ask yourself if what you’re saying is a benefit to the job.

3. Understand contexts. We need to adapt to different cultures because we are all different. It’s important to acknowledge and respect each other’s actions and opinions. Understanding this, and making decisions while taking into account cultural contexts, will help you become more successful and generate more respect from others. Do your homework before working or talking with people from different countries so as not to accidentally offend.

4. Don’t get personal. By this, I mean don’t disclose too much personal information or emotion. While this can help you bond with others, if you don’t know the person (or people) yet, this can cause you to come across as trying too hard, being awkward, or even needy. Your aim might be to break the ice but this can backfire, so disclose personal stories or information for when you have established more of a relationship.

Conclusion

While being yourself is important, be careful with the amount of information and opinions you express around others. Be mindful of different perspectives, ideas, and cultures. Think about tact and timing. This isn’t about being fake or being insincere, it’s about showing a tactful intelligence that demonstrates a willingness to grow and evolve as a person and as a leader. Being aware of how you come across brings success on both a personal and professional level.

Featured photo credit: Daria Nepriakhina via stocksnap.io

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Curiosity Killed The Cat? No, It Can Save Your Relationship

What makes a great relationship? Having things in common? Having the same goals and aspirations? The ability to keep a sense of humour in adverse times? Many things make up a well-oiled relationship but let’s get curious for a minute.

Curiosity is something we don’t often put down as a positive trait when it comes to relationships – after all, it killed the cat which indicates that sticking your nose in where it shouldn’t be will only cause a nasty shock. It’s often believed that ignorance is bliss and what you don’t know won’t hurt you, but when it comes to relationships, is this hindering your ability to bond and truly get to know each other?

Curiosity is a major part of communication between a couple and without it, it can cause us to jump to conclusions, judge the other person, and make assumptions. In essence, without curiosity we are stopping ourselves from seeing the whole picture and this causes unneeded animosity.

Why Curiosity Paves The Way For A Great Relationship

Curiosity is how we learn. It’s how we gain knowledge of the world and the people around us – it’s how we form good relationships with others. It also brings a sense of being humble by asking the questions and listening to what a person’s response is. All this helps us to form and build close friendships and romantic relationships. Continuing curiosity is important to keep up that special bond.

1. Curiosity Increases Compatibility

Having a sense of curiosity in a relationship increases compatibility because, not only does it enhance your own self-understanding, but it also creates a mutual understanding with the other person. In other words, you are both on the same page which allows forward moving growth and open communication as well as creating intimacy between you.

If you use curiosity in the right way, then situations when, for example, your partner comes home late, won’t end in accusations and assumptions being made about why they’re late. It will create an understanding between you both that carries on into all situations therefore creating a deeper compatibility in your thinking and positive reactions.

2. Curiosity Opens Up Your Relationship To New Avenues

Actively being curious of each other and the world around you will stop the relationship from entering into a boring dead end routine. If you are both willing to explore more of the world and the people in it, you are both more likely to explore possibilities with your relationship. Curiosity keeps your relationship exciting, fresh and open to new understandings of yourself and the other person. This gives you the chance for you to evolve together.

3. Curiosity Helps With Problem-Solving

It’s easy to make assumptions about someone or a situation and when problems arise, it’s these assumptions that can stop you from being able to problem-solve effectively. Being curious opens up a way of brain-storming and allows you to solve problems together even without realizing it. By adopting a curious nature, you open up a dialogue between you and you’re more likely to navigate away from conflict as well as strengthening your connection.

Preventing misunderstandings, arguments and resentments can all be solved by bringing that curious aspect into your relationship.

How To Create Curiosity In Your Relationships

Curiosity is all about asking questions but make sure they are open-ended – let the other person talk, listen intently and ask other questions. Doing this will encourage the other person to do the same for you.

The key is to keep your ego in check when you ask them and by that, I mean be genuine and sincere and not asking questions in a demanding or interrogating way. An example of this would be asking how your partner is feeling even if you have an idea of what the answer may be – let them talk and listen. Your aim is to learn and grow from the information you share in a loving way.

By adopting curiosity as part of your communication, you eliminate the assumptions, the judgements we can tend to cultivate about others’ habits and behaviours, misreading situations, misunderstandings, and ultimately reduce unnecessary conflict. It’s about letting go of your ideals and being willing to open up your mindset to a different perspective – one where you don’t know everything about someone but the want to find out is ever-lingering and present.

We are constantly growing and developing as individuals, so it’s important to keep up with each other. What may be right or wrong for you, may not be the same for someone else and it’s important to always keep this in mind. Believing the person you started a relationship with years ago still has the same feelings, thoughts and ideas is a major misconception and can cause major contention. Curiosity should always be a major factor in friendships and relationships and should be used to find out how your loved ones are changing and developing as individuals.

Curiosity may have killed the cat, but it’s time to treat curiosity as a positive way of living rather than a guarded, cautious one.

The post Curiosity Killed The Cat? No, It Can Save Your Relationship appeared first on Lifehack.

5 Signs You Need to Further Boost Your Curiosity

Imagine one day having to wake up with powers of absolute knowledge and what you could do with it. You can probably become a very powerful investor due to the knowledge you posses, or get that dream job immediately after acing the first round of interviews. With absolute knowledge, you will be able to help those in need during times of crisis and be looked up upon.

We know that absolute knowledge is impossible; however, high levels of curiosity can still help us get to where we want to be in life. Take a step back today and ask yourself whether you’re where you want to be as planned a year ago. If the answer is no, then maybe it is a sign that you need to be more curious in your life. Here are five signs you need to further boost your curiosity.

1. You don’t have good memory and learning is ineffective

Always forgetting where you put your car keys or to do the things your boss asks you to do? Studies have shown that people with bad memory may be lacking in dopamine, a chemical in the brain that strengthens people’s memories.

A research study done on college students by a neuroscientist from the University of California might shed light on how natural curiosity can improve our memory.

Using an fMRI scanner, each of the student’s brains were monitored while being asked a bunch of trivia questions. They started with interesting questions that the students were highly curious about, and then a list of questions that were boring. The students were then asked to do memory tests on remembering the answers. In all, the students remembered 35 answers out of 50 when they were curious and 27 out of 50 when they were not.

2. You don’t have good health

A 2005 report published in the Health Psychology journal did a two-year study of more than 1,000 patients and found out that people with higher levels of curiosity also had a lesser likelihood of having hypertension or diabetes. Though it is not definite that it implies causation, its relationship however, suggests that being curious can bring about positive effects on our health.

In 1996, there was also another study to observe more than 1,000 older adults over a five-year period. Those who survived at the end of the five years were found to be more curious than the others who didn’t outlive the period of study. Another surprising finding was that among those who still lived, there were people who were smokers, who had cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

So if you think you’re not in the best of health physically, try regenerating mentally first by keeping an open mind and developing a habit for questioning things. One example could be questioning the mechanisms of everyday items that we come in contact with and how they work.

3. You have difficulty in developing intimate relationships

Difficulty in developing intimate relationships can also be a sign of poor levels of curiosity as researchers have pointed out that the highly curious experiences more interpersonal outcomes compared to the less curious.

Researchers at the University of Buffalo (UB) carried out an experiment with 90 students at UB, before which, they were first put through a test to measure their levels of curiosity. The students were then put in two conversations settings with their partners: one casual and the other intimate.

Looking at the results, the researchers concluded that individuals with higher curiosity levels are more approachable, and they exhibit more pleasure-seeking behaviors which increases shared feelings of intimacy between strangers. For example, researchers realized that people with high curiosity tend to approach the questions with wit and humor to liven up conversations.

4. You easily feel unhappy

If you’re getting frustrated problems that seem like small issues to others, then it’s probably due to the fact that you are lacking the two important components of achieving happiness in life. Polls conducted by the Gallup organization realized that the two components are “being able to count on others for help” and “learning something yesterday” — all of which leads to how high a person’s curiosity level is.

Another finding by researchers in Harvard University will surprise you. Researchers stated that we actually find less joy in anticipated events which we think will make us happy in the future because rather than stumbling on it — which will give us more joy — a planned pursuit of joy is less pleasurable. They then went on to add that cultivating curiosity helps us remain open to new experiences, which helps to increase our likelihood for stumbling upon satisfying activities.

5. You desperately want to find the meaning of life

Curiosity is the gateway to many foundations of our lives; hobbies, interests, and passions are all results of our curiosities being piqued. However, lacking curiosity later in our lives will have us desperately looking for new meaning for what we live for.

It could also be said that curiosity itself is a purpose of life and as long as we live, we’re motivated to find the answers to the big questions in life. And as long as you can muster curiosity levels and keep an open mind, the more you will uncover mysteries and hence, life will naturally become more meaningful.

Easy Ways to Cultivate Curiosity

Keep questioning

Look around you and you’ll realize that there are many things which you do not have the answers to. For example, how does one make designs in leather? How does an air conditioning unit work? Do we really know how much sleep we require?

Keep your mind open

As adults, we have been molded to assume everything based on life experiences. But try the approach of an open mind, and you will be amazed at the many mysteries you will uncover.

Diversify your life experience

Try new things everyday and it doesn’t matter how difficult it is. As adults, we always assume things like learning a new language is hard because of what we listen from other people who have tried it. Brilliant people have diversified backgrounds because of their high levels of curiosity, and you should too.

Featured photo credit: people window via pexels.com

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Want To Improve Your Memory? Have A Busy Schedule!

Our lives are overfilled with things to do. And the more driven, ambitious, and connected we are, the busier we stay.

We are bombarded with messages to “unplug,” get away, take a break, slow down, and engage in “me” time. While these things are absolutely necessary and essential to our mental wellbeing, busyness does have its benefits.

Researchers have found that staying busy improves mental processing and reasoning skills, helps improve memory — both long and short term — and improves overall mental functioning.

Busy people have sharper minds and better memories, plain and simple.

In a study conducted by researchers in Texas and Alabama, 330 healthy men and women ranging from age 50 to 80 were quizzed about their daily schedules and put through a battery of mental tests.

The results showed that no matter how old they were or how well educated, a busy lifestyle was linked to a healthy brain.

In this particular study, researchers began with the hypothesis “that a busy schedule would be a proxy for an engaged lifestyle and would facilitate cognition.” They were able to determine that greater busyness was associated with better processing speed, working memory, episodic memory, reasoning, and crystallized knowledge.

How does staying busy improve memory?

The brain, like any other muscle, needs exercise. Engaging in mentally stimulating activities is mental exercise. Scientists believe that the amount and types of stimulation directly affects cognitive processes — especially in the area of memory improvement.

Some of the mental processes involved in having a hectic schedule are:

• Multi-tasking
• Problem solving
• Reasoning
• Analyzing
• Interruption and re-engagement of thought
• Planning
• Strategizing
• Linear thinking
• Global thinking
• Computation

Researcher Dr. Sarah Festini of the University of Texas at Dallas said, “We show that people who report greater levels of daily busyness tend to have better cognition, especially with regard to memory for recently learned information.”

Busyness improves episodic memory — the ability to recall specific events and working memory — which is the part of short-term memory concerned with immediate conscious perceptual and linguistic processing.

The study reported a surprising correlation: the busier the individual, the higher he or she seemed to score on the cognitive tests. It’s possible, the researchers hypothesized, that the daily workout of completing task after task is building our brains up and improving mental skills.

The performance gap between the busy and the free was even more pronounced among older participants.

Before you run out and overfill your schedule with random activities, consider this:

The results of this study are one-sided, and therefore not entirely conclusive.

Keep in mind the study only examined how mental engagement works to improve memory and mental cognition. It did not study the negative effects of a harried and mentally taxing lifestyle. Having a crammed mind does not automatically equal a sharper one.

“In our fast-paced, wired world, many of us live our lives in chronic stress,” says Gary Small, MD, director of the UCLA Longevity Center and author of The Alzheimer’s Prevention Program. That means our brains are being perpetually bathed in stress hormones like cortisol.

The result?

Studies done in mice show that chronically elevated stress hormone levels shrink the hippocampus, so while your memory may be improving, you’re less likely to form new memories.

Even though the research does prove that staying busy helps keep the brain honed, a hurried life could carry less positive consequences for our hearts and metabolisms.

Using busyness responsibly:

For those who may have some additional mental bandwidth and room in their schedules for another activity, try to engage in tasks that will improve memory and your overall brain function, such as:

• Take a class — nothing too stressful but be sure it is something that genuinely interests you.
• DIY projects — these are fun and challenge your brain in different ways.
• Learn a new skill — any activities where your brain is engaged in the learning process will stimulate and improve all cognitive processes.
• Try something new and different — such as resturants, recipes, activities, routes home, or grocery stores.
• Plan an event from start to finish.
• Work out — physical exercise is scientfically proven to be just as beneficial as mental exercise.
• Volunteer — spend your time engaging in an activity that you connect with. This will improve your mind, body, and soul.

Featured photo credit: Mickey970 via pixabay.com

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Instant Video

Whether you are intrigued by the idea of personality types or believe them to be nonsense, it’s always interesting to see which type you supposedly fall into and perhaps gain a little more knowledge about yourself. This test is devised using Carl Jung’s and Isabel Briggs Myers’ definitions of sixteen varying personality types. I’m going to see which I am and you can take the test here!

So, I am an INFP type which means I am introvert, intuitive, feeling and exploring according to this test. The celebrities with my personality type are writers mostly, so it looks like I’m in the right profession. Which personality type did you get? You can see below which famous people have the same traits as you do:

Whether you are intrigued by the idea of personality types or believe them to be nonsense, it’s always interesting to see which type you supposedly fall into and perhaps gain a little more knowledge about yourself. This test is devised using Carl Jung’s and Isabel Briggs Myers’ definitions of sixteen varying personality types. I’m going to see which I am and you can take the test here!

So, I am an INFP type which means I am introvert, intuitive, feeling and exploring according to this test. The celebrities with my personality type are writers mostly, so it looks like I’m in the right profession. Which personality type did you get? You can see below which famous people have the same traits as you do:

Whether you are intrigued by the idea of personality types or believe them to be nonsense, it’s always interesting to see which type you supposedly fall into and perhaps gain a little more knowledge about yourself. This test is devised using Carl Jung’s and Isabel Briggs Myers’ definitions of sixteen varying personality types. I’m going to see which I am and you can take the test here!

So, I am an INFP type which means I am introvert, intuitive, feeling and exploring according to this test. The celebrities with my personality type are writers mostly, so it looks like I’m in the right profession. Which personality type did you get? You can see below which famous people have the same traits as you do:

Whether you are intrigued by the idea of personality types or believe them to be nonsense, it’s always interesting to see which type you supposedly fall into and perhaps gain a little more knowledge about yourself. This test is devised using Carl Jung’s and Isabel Briggs Myers’ definitions of sixteen varying personality types. I’m going to see which I am and you can take the test here!

So, I am an INFP type which means I am introvert, intuitive, feeling and exploring according to this test. The celebrities with my personality type are writers mostly, so it looks like I’m in the right profession. Which personality type did you get? You can see below which famous people have the same traits as you do:

Whether you are intrigued by the idea of personality types or believe them to be nonsense, it’s always interesting to see which type you supposedly fall into and perhaps gain a little more knowledge about yourself. This test is devised using Carl Jung’s and Isabel Briggs Myers’ definitions of sixteen varying personality types. I’m going to see which I am and you can take the test here!

So, I am an INFP type which means I am introvert, intuitive, feeling and exploring according to this test. The celebrities with my personality type are writers mostly, so it looks like I’m in the right profession. Which personality type did you get? You can see below which famous people have the same traits as you do:

Whether you are intrigued by the idea of personality types or believe them to be nonsense, it’s always interesting to see which type you supposedly fall into and perhaps gain a little more knowledge about yourself. This test is devised using Carl Jung’s and Isabel Briggs Myers’ definitions of sixteen varying personality types. I’m going to see which I am and you can take the test here!

So, I am an INFP type which means I am introvert, intuitive, feeling and exploring according to this test. The celebrities with my personality type are writers mostly, so it looks like I’m in the right profession. Which personality type did you get? You can see below which famous people have the same traits as you do

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How To Be Smarter In The Age Of Information Overload

Remember the movie Forrest Gump and the scene when he was focused on just running that he ran across America several times? Yes, we know that he’s just a fictional character but if there’s anything to learn from this, it is to stay focused amidst distractions.

How many times have you been assigned a challenging task only to have your focus broken by intermittent distractions from your friends, colleagues, smartphone notifications, and even your bosses? Steve Jobs once said that the single most important trait when developing a product is Focus, and the only way to do that is to learn to say no.

The age of information overload comes naturally with advances in social media and communications technology, and we will fall victim to it if we let it change our way of thinking to one that is shallow and fragmented. Don’t let yourself devolve under the age of information and check out these tips to emerge smarter among the information clutter.

1. Keep the bigger picture in mind

By constantly keeping the bigger picture in mind, it is less likely for our minds to wander off and give attention to other less important details. By having a top down thought process instead of one that is bottom up, we will be able to stay focused on the main objective and not be bogged down by a countless number of small details.

To put it into practice, you can write out the top 5 things you would like to focus on just before you start the day. For instance, the CEO of Get Satisfaction, Wendy Lea emails her team the top 5 things she will be focusing on for the week, to keep everyone in line and focused.

2. Picking out the best bits

We always seem to have this misconception that putting a 100 percent effort to every detail will make us better managers or workers. In fact, so much time is wasted on processing 97% of the material we are reading, when only 3% are of use to us.

Learn to pick out the best bits of information by constantly asking yourself about what you want to get out of the information. For example, if you are reading an article on staying focused, go straight to the best bits and constantly ask yourself, “what is the best way of staying focused that will work well for me?” instead of getting lost in all the filler.

3. Stay Objective

It is easy for us to be too subjective when we apply selective reading, especially during busy times. When we are on a roll, we wish that all the information is favorable to us, so that we wouldn’t have to pause to think much about it. Because of this, we omit the negative yet important details out, to a certain extent.

Always keep an open mind to never leave out any information that is beyond our perspective and learn to seek out new points of view.

4. Meditate

Meditation is being frowned upon because of some underlying misconceptions about it. Firstly, because humans are all result driven, we tend to expect something out of everything we do, and most of the time, meditation doesn’t allow you to reap instant rewards. Secondly, we give up too easily when we hit a brick wall or if something we do seems futile.

Instead, learn to use an object of attention such as your breathing, chanting or an image, and if a thought interjects, embrace it, refrain from being frustrated and slowly refocus on the object of attention. The purpose of meditation is to find the quiet between thoughts, which is pure silence and concentration, and with much practice, it can be more frequently achieved.

5. Never Multitask

Studies have shown that it takes about 25 minutes for the average human to refocus on a challenging task and to get back into the “flow” after getting distracted. Especially in the age of information overload, multitasking is counter-productive and tiresome. In fact, a study was conducted by Stanford University researchers showing that multitasking kills your performance and even damages your brain.

Learn to say no if the distraction is a subordinate job, and also learn to close your doors when focusing on a challenging task at hand. You can always come back to the smaller issues that are not too urgent after the primary job of the day is done.

Featured photo credit: Suit Wedding via pexels.com

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8 Simple Google Tricks You Need To Know

Omg I think this can save me a lot of time when I do my research :D Love it!

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How Handwritten Notes Make You More Influential

Remember the days when you’d sit down and write out all your thank you letters? Picking out the nicest writing paper and carving out the perfect response? Maybe you even had a pen pal you wrote to on the other side of the world.

The art of handwritten notes has fallen short in today’s quick-and-easy methods of communication. Text messaging and social media messaging has numbed the excitement and personalisation of conveying that special response — it’s all too easy and sterile with no real sense of character and thoughtfulness.

To show how handwritten notes are so effective, a U.S. company called HEX decided their customer loyalty could go one step further. Gone were the automated thank you emails to each customer and in came 13,000 handwritten thank you notes from the employees themselves.

How does this make a difference? Well, handwritten notes can actually make us more influential at work, in business, and in our own personal lives. It evokes positive communication and has great influence on those both sending and receiving a handwritten note.

How Handwritten Notes Can Make Us More Influential

Rarity Creates Value

Handwritten notes are pretty rare these days. Can you remember the last time you sat down with a pen and paper and really thought about what to write? This is why handwritten notes are so influential — the rarity of writing and receiving a letter adds to its value. It means someone has put thought and effort into something that could easily be written in a 30-second text message.

Genuine And Edit-Free

When we send a text message, the ease at which we can deliberate and edit the message creates the sense of a lack of authenticity and genuine intent. When we handwrite a letter, editing is less occurrent, so the notes are deemed a better reflection of our genuine feelings.

Material Keepsakes

A physical note can be cherished and kept, making them more memorable for the receiver, unlike text messages that just become another number in our inbox. How many of us have those letters from friends and relatives in a shoebox stuffed at the back of a drawer? How nice is it to look back and reread them? Memories come flooding back and smiles appear across our faces. A text message years from now will be long gone to the invisible messaging graveyard.

Evoke An Impression On The Receiver

Research has found up to 100 instant messages can be sent by one person alone each day, with corporate email accounts receiving and sending 100 emails a day. We are so used to receiving this daily wash of words that, as stated earlier, we devalue the meanings. Receiving a quick email thanking you may initially rise a sense of warmth but it’s quickly lost and forgotten in the sea of emails and messages.

A handwritten note shows deeper investment as paper, stamps, drafting, and visiting the mailbox indicates costliness in both time and effort — the appreciation is perceived as greater and leaves a lasting impression. It can show a person is not forgotten, follow up on previous conversations, or even include a gift; all of which show care and thoughtfulness.

Positive psychology research shows the importance of gratitude on our wellbeing and happiness and it shouldn’t be underestimated how little shows of appreciation can have a massive effect on someone. Creating this in handwritten form is a powerful influencer, upping the wellbeing of both you and the receiver. Leaving a stronger emotional impression on the receiver gives us the power to be more influential.

How To Make Use Of Daily Handwritten Notes

So, how can we bring back the art of handwriting our notes instead of sending off a quick text? Writing has always been seen as expressing our personality, so it’s a perfect way to get creative.

Personification

Making your note unique and personal will always be a winner. Whether you leave a note for your other half when you leave in the morning or say thank you to a friend or neighbour, don’t be afraid to put your stamp on it. Go back to your childhood when you’d draw doodles and smiley faces (the original and best emoji!). Make it personalised for them.

Make It Longer Than A Standard Text Message

Short notes are great, but to really influence and make an impact, particularly at work, make sure the note is longer than what you would write in a standard text message. This shows you’ve really put effort and thought into it — especially if it’s involving your customers.

Emotional Expression

When we write text messages, the fast nature of writing and sending them detracts from emotional sentiment. To make a handwritten note that’s much more special, take the time to express how you feel through gratitude, thanks, warmth, and a sense of connection. These are things we tend to leave out when we know it will end up in someone’s trash inbox almost straight away. Take the opportunity to really get those feelings across.

Time Intervals

Unfortunately, as humans we adapt to things very quickly, which is why we tend to devalue something the more we have it and the same can be applied to receiving handwritten notes. Make sure you don’t send them too frequently to one person or there could be a danger of adaptability. Make it a special one-off every now and then and catch people by surprise.

So, why not make that special impact on someone — be different from the rest and stand out. Let’s bring back the art of handwritten notes and rise against soulless text messages and keyboards!

Featured photo credit: Aaron Burden via stocksnap.io

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One Small Game To Improve Memory

So now I can train up my memory anytime anywhere I want.

This would be so helpful to improve my productivity! Love it!!!!

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Why You Should Spend More Time Alone In The Oversocialized World

Does the thought of spending an evening at home alone sound boring or maybe even a bit scary? Or does it sounds absolutely wonderful and refreshing? Because we are constantly plugged in, we are connected digitally 24-7 and sometimes surrounded by people in the day and night. However, having some alone time actually is healthy for you.

Socialization is indispensable for our career success and interpersonal connection nowadays. However, oversocialization will actually deprive your of the time to so something concrete, drain your energy, and put you under unnecessary comparison which may lead to low self-esteem, a sense of powerlessness, and other negative feelings. Having a slice of time to yourself to deprogram doesn’t mean you should abandon all social activities. Instead, allot time in your schedule for “me time.” Here’s why you should try sneaking more alone time into your life and how you an do it.

1. Solitude Boosts Your Creativity

When you spend time alone, you will find yourself with your own thoughts. You can reevaluate life, your day, and your schedule. This solitude also allows you to tap into your creativity, solve problems in new ways, and expand your mind. You won’t have outside sources or other people intruding into your schedule and will find yourself with new channels of creativity to explore.

2. Solitude Enhances Self-Understanding

Being one with your own thoughts means you’ll gain valuable insight into who you really are. Too much outside influence from others can cloud your self-perception, but spending time getting to know yourself will benefit you in many ways, helping you become a better person. You’ll also be able to zone in on issues that may be negativity impacting you and find ways to resolve them.

3. Solitude Improves Productivity

Alone time often equals a vastly heightened productivity pace. For example, when you aren’t interrupted by people, phone calls, or notifications on your phone, but instead hole up alone to focus solely on the task at hand, you’ll find yourself able to dedicate your full attention to the project set out before you and not only be more efficient, but will also simply do a better job.

4. Solitude Helps With Recuperation

Periods of solitude allow your mind, body, and soul to relax and recover from the stresses encountered every day. You can meditate and think deeply, categorizing what’s really important to you. Simply sitting still and enjoying the peace and quiet will work wonders on your psyche. This also refreshes you and prepares you for when you return to your regular routine.

Ways To Get More Alone Time:

So, now you may be wondering how you can carve out alone time and benefit in the aforementioned ways? Here are some tips:

Close your office door for an hour. Close your eyes and meditate, or take a nap. Engage in deep breathing techniques. Just be you. Alone.

Rise and shine. Go to work earlier than usual, so it’s just you in the office. You’ll get a huge jumpstart on your day.

Eat on your own. While lunch breaks are great for socializing, you also can decompress from a stressful morning by dining solo.

Exercise alone. Physical activity is a great way to recharge. Doing so alone allows you to rid yourself of negative energy and boost your outlook.

Turn off technology. It’s insane how often your phone will beep, ring, chirp, or make whatever noises your alerts and notifications make. Carve out quiet time by turning off your phone and other devices.

Sneak away. If you are able to take a hike or take a trip; do it. Cherish the alone time.

Conclusion

Don’t be afraid to take the time to be alone, unplug, unwind, and recharge. Your body, mind, and soul will thank you for it.

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Day 7: Take Regular Walk Breaks At Work

Day 7 Secret

When someone needs help with moving things, try to help.

Why it matters?

Of course, offering help to other colleagues shouldn’t be something that will actually affect your work progress. While this can help you move around a bit, you’re actually helping colleagues and building closer relationships with your team members.

What’s Next?

Practice what we’ve suggested and make taking regular walk breaks at work a habit! Here’s a recap of the suggestions:

• Set an alarm to remind you to walk for 2 minutes every hour
• Whenever you feel tired or get stuck, stand up and walk about for a few minutes.
• Grab some fresh water from the cooler every two hours
• When using your cell phone, use hands free and walk about.
• When at work, ask colleagues some questions or exchange ideas with them.
• Clean your work area twice a day during office hours.

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Day 6: Take Regular Walk Breaks At Work

Day 6 Secret

Clean your work area twice a day during office hours.

Why it matters?

Keeping your workspace clean and tidy is always a good idea, but most of us tend to ignore it until things are totally unkempt. However, getting into the habit of doing this twice a day, every day, gives you a good reason to get up and walk about. It will refresh your mind too since you’ll be focusing on something mundane for 5 to 10 minutes.

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Day 5: Take Regular Walk Breaks At Work

Day 5 Secret

When at work, ask colleagues some questions or exchange ideas with them.

Why it matters?

Gossiping too much at work is usually frowned upon, but asking colleagues work related questions is encouraged. It’s also a nice excuse to get up and walk about unhindered by the boss! That said, it’s not advisable to do this too often – your colleague might think you’re an idiot and find you annoying for asking so many questions. But on occasion it won’t do any harm, just be smart when you’re asking questions and exchanging ideas with your colleagues.

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Day 4: Take Regular Walk Breaks At Work

Day 4 Secret

When using your cell phone, use hands free and walk about.

Why it matters?

When at work, it’s likely that you spend a lot of time on the phone, often while sitting. Instead, try to stand when making or receiving calls since most people naturally move about when on the phone. Also, even if you remain motionless, you’ll still be burning more calories than if you were sitting. In fact, many say standing is almost as beneficial as walking itself.

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Day 3: Take Regular Walk Breaks At Work

Day 3 Secret

Grab some fresh water from the cooler every two hours.

Why it matters?

Drinking water at work keeps our body ticking, encouraging digestion and giving us much needed energy. However, it’s also a great habit to get into because you will have to walk to get the water! Once you’re accustomed to drinking water regularly you will automatically be getting some exercise. Don’t solely walk just to get water; try to do it in between water breaks as well.

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Day 2: Take Regular Walk Breaks At Work

Day 2 Secret

Whenever you feel tired or get stuck, stand up and walk about for a few minutes.

Why it matters?

We all slump or get stuck sometimes after performing tedious tasks for extended periods of time – it’s in our nature – so try to take a break when this happens. You’ll find that something small like walking from one side of the room to another sparks your brain back into action, increasing your productivity and creativity. If you have time, go outside and get some fresh air.

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Day 1: Take Regular Walk Breaks At Work

You risk harming your health if you sit all the time at work. You should try these tricks if you want to remember to take a walk breaks at work always.

Research suggests that adults spend between 50-70% of their lives sitting, which will lead to serious medical complications sooner or later. Heart disease, diabetes, and obesity are the main three problems we need to be conscientious of, but there are many more issues associated with sitting too often, too many to name here.

Benefits of regular walk breaks at work

• Your body feels rejuvenated after just a short walk, especially after prolonged sitting
• Blood circulation gets jolted into action, increasing energy levels
• A change in activity refreshes you, increasing productivity
• A short walk can clear your mind and give you a new perspective on your work
• You lower your risk of catching a life threatening, long term illness
• Improves your mood and lowers stress levels

Day 1 Secret

Set an alarm to remind you to walk for 2 minutes on the hour, every hour, while at work.

Why it matters?

Sometimes when at work it can be difficult to find the time to take a 10 minute walk, so compromise by taking two minute walks every hour. Brief walks can be just as useful as longer ones, and your boss isn’t going to complain if he sees you walking for two minutes! Taking them at specific times also adds some regularity to the process so you know exactly when it’s time to recharge and go for a short walk.

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