Surviving and Thriving Amid the Pandemic: Death to Doom Scrolling

Welcome to Surviving and Thriving in 2021 Amid the Pandemic. This short series explores different aspects that you should consider when going for your goals in 2021 with the world constantly trying to distract, terrifying, confuse and horrify you away from your goals. Today we are talking about Removing Doom and Gloom. https://youtu.be/0wYS5DU2bWA Thinking negatively can really harm not only your mental health but your overall health. This is a hard topic because I know how powerful a message on social media that everyone joins together to fight for the common good. But we know too much of anything isn't good for us. We need a balance. With news and information, we can find that balance of being connected and knowing what's important.

How to Quickly Calm Your Mind and Refocus When You’re Stressed

Do you sometimes feel that the demands of life are squeezing you so tightly that it is hard to breath and regain a calm mind? Problems are cropping up faster than weeds in a garden, and your to-do list is growing exponentially faster than your "it's done" list. All of this can lead to a tsunami of tension. Staying focused, calm, and engaged is a struggle. Many people hear this and just shrug their shoulders. “That’s just life. There is no other way to respond when stress boils over,” they conclude. But there are solutions and effective approaches for dealing with even the toughest stress. It just requires you to learn, and then practice, some basic skills. These are the same skills used by Air Force PJs – and if they work to help these guys stay calm, they will definitely work for you and me. But you are probably asking “What’s an Air Force PJ?” They are part the Special Ops forces, the elite of the elite. Their job is to rescue other military members who are trapped behind enemy lines, thoroughly cut off from support and at risk of being captured or killed. So how do special operators manage to deal with the mental stress of their mission and calmly get the job done? They use an approach that is called Stress Inoculation Training or SIT((Rand Corporation: Enhancing Performance Under Stress)). Let’s take a look at what this is and how you can use it, as well.

Staying Calm Under Pressure

Stress Inoculation Training (SIT)...that phrase is nearly self-explanatory. Just like a medical inoculation that is used to guard against a medical threat (e.g., malaria, the flu, hepatitis), stress inoculation is intended to guard against the impact of intense or prolonged mental pressure. The main components of SIT include the following:

• ONE: Identify the expected circumstances under which you will become distressed and also pinpoint your typical reaction to those stressful situations.
• TWO: Learn specific relaxation techniques that calm your mind and emotions.
• THREE: Develop a short list of statements that trigger a calming response.
• FOUR: Expose yourself to increasingly stressful situations where these techniques are practiced.

Practice the following four step process and you’ll be feeling like a tension busting pro in no time.

1. Know Thyself

The best auto mechanics know each system of a car inside and out. Because of this wealth of knowledge, they are able to diagnose and repair a car with expert skills. The best cardiac surgeons also have a through and intimate understanding of the heart and vascular system. These insights allow surgeons to bring remarkable changes to a person’s health. If you wish to learn how to achieve a calm mind when under stress, it is important that you also develop a thorough knowledge of what makes you stressed. The way to gain these insights is by keeping track of what situations are most stressful for you and what makes them a challenge. Do you begin to immediately assume the worse? Do you imagine catastrophic endings or believe that you will be humiliated? Do you imagine that the setbacks you may suffer will result in permanent failure? Write down the five most common stressors that hold you back. Also write down your typical thoughts or reactions to these stressful situations. If you want to take this first step just a little further, do the following: think about ways that in the past you have succeeded in pushing through the stressful situations you just listed. There are bound to be times that you have successfully dealt with stress in the past. Identify what you did to succeed in those situations. Did you take a step back and put things in perspective? Perhaps you took a few minutes and spoke with a friend? Maybe all it took to calm your mind was taking a few deep breaths.

2. Learn Relaxation Techniques

There are many helpful relaxation techniques from which to choose. We will look at three techniques that most people find useful and easy to employ on a moment’s notice.

Diaphragmatic Breathing

The first of these is called is diaphragmatic breathing. This is breathing where the focus is on using your diaphragm (that sheet of muscle under your lungs). Diaphragmatic breathing is sometimes referred to as belly breathing (versus chest breathing). That’s because when you concentrate on expanding your lungs by contracting your diaphragm, it causes your stomach to move slightly outward. The reason diaphragmatic breathing is important is that it stimulates the vagus nerve. This, in turn, sends signals to the brain that induces a sense of calm. The vagus nerve acts like a brake pedal on the nervous system. When stimulated, it tells the brain to slow things down. The anxiety and stress that were building up then begin to reduce. There are many ways to stimulate the vagus nerve. For example, some meditation practices include reciting a mantra in a way that resembles humming. This stimulates the vagus nerve and increases a relaxed response.

Grounding

This approach is focused on getting someone who is lost in a downward stress spiral to return to the "here and now." By shifting one’s focus to the present, stress about imagined threats begins to fade, and tensions dissipate. Grounding is frequently used to help people who struggle with stress arising from a variety of sources including panic attacks, trauma, work pressures, and more. There are dozens of grounding techniques((TalkSpace: 8 Grounding Techniques for When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed)) to select from to fit your preference and circumstances. We will look at just one approach, a very common technique that most people find helpful and easy to use at a moment's notice. For this to be effective, you need to momentarily focus on the sensory input from your immediate surroundings: colors, sounds, smells, and textures. For instance, if you are in a business meeting and feeling overwhelmed, then you can intentionally draw your attention to the color of the notepad laying on the table in front of you; the hum of the A/C; the smell of the coffee in that mug by your hand, and; the texture of the chair on which you sit. This requires only a few moments. It takes your attention away from the stress, and refocuses on the present in order to get you back to a calm mind. If you add one or two deep breaths, all the better.

Guided Imagery

If you have ever lost yourself in a daydream, then you have a good idea of how guided imagery works. It focuses your mind on a vivid scene that brings about a sense of calm and confidence. To master this skill one need only spend a little time practicing. The first step is to think of a place where you have experienced feeling calm and in control. That may be when you were gazing out over the Grand Canyon, lying on a white sand beach, working out in a yoga class, or reading a book next to a fire. The next step is to close your eyes and begin to vividly fill in that mental picture with as much detail as possible. Once again, you will want to use as many sensory inputs as possible. For instance, if you imagined yourself sitting on the front porch of a mountain cabin, you would include the smell of pine trees, the feel of the breeze against your face, the sound of the wind through the trees, the color of the light cast over the porch, etc. The more vividly you imagine this place, the stronger will be its impact on reducing stress.

3. Select Calming Statements

In this step you remind yourself to put your current stressors in perspective. This is important because stress has a snowball effect. The longer it goes on unopposed, the more momentum it gathers, destroying your calm mind. Small concerns begin to appear larger than they have any right to be. Before things ever get to that point, you need to take control, and you can do this by repeating some well-chosen statements that bring peace and clarity to mind. Examples of these statements include:

• I’ve handled difficult situations like this before, I can do so now as well.
• Is the worse outcome really likely to happen, and if it did would it be the sort of disaster I have in mind?
• I’m stressed but still strong. I’ve got the skills to handle this situation. I just need to take a short break, step back for a minute, then come back and tackle it.
• I’m feeling stressed and need to stop for a second to take some deep breaths. I’ll just use the guided imagery I’ve practiced and things will feel more focused.
• I can feel the muscles in my neck knotting up, and I know that this stress is just going to get worse. I need to get grounded, take deep breath, and prioritize where I will put my energy.

Self-statements serve several functions. They help put things in perspective, and they remind you to use the stress busting skills you have in your mental toolbox (deep breathing, guided imagery, etc.). To get the most out of self-statements, be sure to write them down ahead of time. Make a long list of such statements, then review them a little later on and notice which statements are most helpful. Select four of five of these and keep them on your phone, or a piece of paper. That way they are easily referred to the next time stress begins to build and you need to get back to a calm mind.

4. Do Hard Things

The more you take on difficult challenges in life the more you develop mental toughness, or “grit”((American Radio Works: Angela Duckworth and the Research on 'Grit')). This allows you to face stressful situations with greater confidence knowing that you have prevailed in other grueling circumstances. For example, when faced with a killer deadline at work, it can be helpful to remember that half marathon you ran, and how you continued to push yourself when it seemed that your legs had turned into cement posts. Even so, you persisted and crossed the finish line. Remember how good it felt when you completed the race? Dwell on that for a moment because that same feeling is what you will have when you don’t succumb to stress and you complete the project within the deadline. Now, use that same grit to face the stressors that press down on you today. You will get through this moment of testing. You’ve proven that you have the "right stuff" to overcome the challenges. By pushing yourself in other areas of life, you not only develop "grit" but change your self-perception. You begin to see yourself as the man or woman who perseveres and gets things done. I remember during a deployment to Iraq when a Special Ops guy asked me to work with one of his soldiers who had gone sideways. I had several stipulations. His response was “Right, Captain. Too easy. Done.” He had faced much greater challenges than the stipulations I had made for granting his request. This soldier was unfazed with the challenges put before him, even though he had numerous other responsibilities that bore down on him. From his perspective this really was too easy, and he confidently moved forward in getting things done so I could then work with his soldier. Doing hard things will develop this same mindset in you. That sort of confidence does wonders to calm your senses when under stress. What sort of ‘hard stuff’ should you do in order to build more grit? The sky is the limit:

• Prepare to compete in a Spartan race or a Go Ruck challenge
• Go to the gym regularly and push yourself to increase your personal best in some area of fitness
• Get into white water kayaking, backpacking, or adventure racing
• Travel to places that sound exciting but that you have avoided due to anxiety
• Take on tasks at work that you’ve avoided because you have feared putting yourself to the test

The main thing is to push yourself to do what is difficult. The specifics don’t matter. What you are looking to do is become toughened to facing challenge. If you succeed at the task you set for yourself great. If you fail, this too can be used to your advantage. You’ll learn that even in failure you are able to pick yourself up and push forward. When you are confident of your ability to persist in the face of adversity the stress will feel lighter, and it will be easier to maintain a calm mind.

Final Thoughts

Staying calm in the face of extreme stress is within your grasp. The skills needed to succeed are simple, but they do require that you intentionally work on building them as part of your tool kit for dealing with tension. Your success in this regard will lead to a greater sense of confidence and freedom. Stressors will no longer be intimidating, but instead seen as simple challenges that you are capable of surmounting on your way to reaching a calm mind.

More on Managing Stress

• 5 Stress Management Techniques That Are Proven To Work
• How to Live a Stress Free Life in a Way Most People Don’t
• How to Relax, Unwind and Reduce Stress

4 Most Critical Motivation Theories to Boost Your Productivity

We all dream big about how our lives should be, but it’s the motivation that drives us to act consistently towards making those dreams a reality. However, despite our best intentions, for a lot of us, this motivation is fleeting. It comes and goes, and the fluctuating drive often takes a toll on our productivity. For centuries, psychologists have been fascinated and intrigued by human behavior and have developed various motivation theories on what drives humans to act a certain way. Let’s look at how you can use these motivation theories to boost your productivity.

Herzberg’s Two Factor Theory

Understanding that there is a direct link between satisfaction and productivity is the easiest way to move towards increased efficiency. Think about it—if your work gave you a sense of pleasure and satisfaction instead of stress, would you complain about work or procrastinate? The question we must ask ourselves then is, "what brings work satisfaction?" Frederick Herzberg’s motivation theory explains two types of factors that can be used to regulate our levels of satisfaction and dissatisfaction—hygiene and motivation factors.((Management Study Guide: Herzberg’s Two-Factor Theory of Motivation)) Hygiene factors are the bare minimum essential aspects that prevent dissatisfaction. While the presence of hygiene factors will not give rise to enormous satisfaction, the absence of this satisfaction will create extreme discontent. Hygiene factors include compensation, job security, social needs, work environment.

How Herzberg's Two Factor Theory Increases Your Productivity

1. Compensation

Being underpaid is the silent killer of satisfaction. If you’re continually feeling undervalued or taken for granted at work, then compensation can be the problem. Observe yourself in a regular workday and assess if your lack of motivation to work arises from not getting paid what you deserve. If so, then it’s time to rake up the courage and ask for a raise or renegotiate the pricing for your services, so you feel rightfully compensated for your time, energy, and efforts.

2. Work Environment

Your environment has to be conducive to your productivity. Whether you work from the office or home, choose a spot where you can work uninterrupted. De-clutter your desk, decorate it to your personal preferences, and set the ambiance right to get you going as soon as you enter your work environment.

3. Socializing Needs

Whether you’re an introvert, extrovert, or ambivert, building harmonious relations is key to developing a healthy state of mind.

4. Security

You cannot be productive or motivated if you’re constantly feeling insecure about your role. If you’re an employer, ensure that security for your team members to flourish and thrive. If you’re employed, reach out to your supervisor to have a conversation on your role, position, and the company’s vision to get that confidence.

Motivator Factors

Once the basics are right, Herzberg identifies another set of factors called motivator factors. These help individuals’ level-up their performance and motivate them to work harder. Here are some examples of motivator factors:

1. Engaging in Meaningful work: We are much more productive if we believe in what we are doing. Find meaning in what you do and be clear on why you’re doing what you do—this is the ultimate way to boost your productivity.
2. Celebrating Wins: Often, we fail to recognize our accomplishments and celebrate what we get right. Being mindful of the tasks on your to-do list and having a small ritual at the end of the day to celebrate accomplishing them can motivate you to work harder to celebrate more often.
3. Identify rewards: Humans are aspirational, and knowing what rewards you’ll get for the work you do can be a great way to keep yourself going. Rewards could be a promotion you become eligible for or a trip to Iceland on hitting that business turnover goal. Defining the reward and visualizing it can be a great way to boost productivity and stay motivated.

Today’s motivators are tomorrow’s hygiene because the latter stop influencing their behavior once they achieve them. So, as you grow, you need to upgrade your motivator factors to fuel the drive that keeps you going.

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is one of the most relatable motivation theories. The theory is based on the fact that nothing motivates us more than our own needs. Here, humans’ needs are bifurcated into a hierarchical manner from a lower order to higher order forming a pyramid. Once a given level of need is satisfied, it no longer serves to motivate a person. Then, the next level of need becomes the motivating factor. The 5 levels of needs, according to Abraham Maslow, are:((verywellmind: The 5 Levels of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs))

1. Physiological needs: This is the primary and most basic need of any human being-the survival need for food, shelter, air, water, etc. Physiological needs are most critical as the human body cannot function optimally unless these needs are fulfilled.
2. Safety needs: Once survival is assured, humans begin to long for safety and security. Examples of safety needs are emotional security, financial security, protection from physical danger, health and well-being, etc. Fulfilling these needs requires more money, and hence humans are motivated to work harder.
3. Social needs: Humans are social beings. Our need to socialize, longing for companionship, and craving to belong comes next in the hierarchy. For example, friendships, love, trust, and a sense of belonging to a tribe or community are required to better quality of life.
4. Esteem needs: We have the need to be respected. Fulfillment of these needs leads to building self-confidence, realizing one’s own strength, capability, and value.
5. Self-actualization needs: Only when all other needs are fulfilled does the self-actualization need comes into the picture. This is the highest spiritual aspiration where one can dive within and become the best version of oneself. Maslow estimated that only 2% of the people would reach the state of actualization.

How Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs Increases Your Productivity

According to the theory, the lowest level of unmet need is the prime motivator of behavior. Figure out where do you stand in the hierarchy, which is your unmet need. That is your motivator. Take steps towards fulfilling those needs so that you can move towards self-actualization ultimately. Begin with making concrete plans to fulfill your fundamental needs—safety and financial security. Then, look at love and belonging. Do you have like-minded people you connect with? If not, find ways to meet new people and form relations. It could be a spin class or a yin yoga session nearby. Be a part of social groups or communities and engage in meaningful conversation. For the self-esteem needs, examine your life and assess if you engage meaningfully across. If your career seems stagnating, explore how you can transition to more challenging job opportunities. If your personal life seems to be slacking, have conversations with your significant other to see how you can make your relationship stronger and meaningful for both of you. When all these needs are met comes the biggest question of finding your purpose. Each of us has unique experiences that make specific work more meaningful to us than others. Finding your purpose is finding that area of work that speaks to you and calls to you and finds expression through you. You can introspect to identify this for yourself or work with a coach to find your true calling and chart out the path towards living that life for yourself.

Hawthorne Effect

Another useful motivation theory is the Hawthorne Effect, which suggests that there exists a tendency to work harder and perform better when we are being observed. During an experiment, researchers altered several physical conditions to affect productivity, but employee productivity increased each time.((verywellmind: The Hawthorne Effect and Behavioral Studies)) The study proved that we are motivated to work harder and perform better when we know that our work is being observed.

How the Hawthorne Effect Increases Your Productivity

At work, this happens automatically as we all have supervisors and leaders observing and evaluating our performance periodically. So, we don’t slack professionally. However, since we are not answerable to anybody in our personal lives, we end up dropping the ball. A simple way to implement the Hawthorne Effect in your personal life to boost productivity is to have an accountability buddy. You don’t need a boss or your supervisor to keep an eye on you twenty-four seven. All you need is a buddy.

1. Pair up with your friend or co-worker to be your accountability buddy. If your friend is from the same field, even better.
2. Communicate your short-term—weekly or daily—goals to each other.
3. Design a schedule on how you plan to achieve these goals and monitor each other’s progress
4. For better control, you can even decide punishments if the other one fails to achieve their goals.

Personal growth can be fun and fulfilling with an accountability partner by your side throughout the journey.

Expectancy Theory

This motivation theory states that our behaviors are directly influenced by the results we expect as an outcome of our actions.((ScienceDirect: Expectancy Theory)) The theory proposes 3 elements our motivation relies on:

• Expectancy: We act based on how likely our efforts are expected to deliver favorable results. Our expectations are molded by our past experiences, self-confidence, and the level of difficulty of the goal we plan to undertake.
• Instrumentality: This is the belief that we will receive the reward if we put in the necessary efforts or behave in a particular fashion.
• Valence: This refers to how valuable the reward is to an individual. For some, money could be a powerful motivator while for others, recognition is. Our motivation is higher when the reward is valuable for us.

How the Expectancy Theory Increases Your Productivity

Whenever you set intentions for yourself, spend time actually penning down why you're aspiring for the goal and the results you hope to achieve. This is why vision boards are beneficial because you visualize the outcome of your efforts, which motivates you to keep at it. For any goal you are working towards, write out the outcomes you anticipate, how you will feel when you achieve them, and why the result is crucial to you. As you work towards it, review this document time and again to keep yourself motivated.

Final Thoughts

Motivation theories provide insight into how we can find that motivation in our daily lives and be more productive. As we start a brand-new decade, it is time we make our dreams a reality. Employ the motivation theories that resonate most with you and enhance your drive and energy to work towards your goals consistently, and make it count.

“People often say that motivation doesn’t last for long. Well, neither does bathing, that’s why we recommend it daily.” —Zig Ziglar

More Tips on How to Increase Your Motivation

• Positive Motivation vs Negative Motivation: Which One Is Better?
• 9 Types of Motivation That Make It Possible to Reach Your Dreams
• Why Intrinsic Motivation Is So Powerful (And How to Find It)

What Is Learning by Doing And Why Is It Effective?

The list of teaching techniques is ever-expanding as there are multiple ways for us to gain knowledge. As a result, there are multiple techniques out there that leverage those particular skills. One such technique I want to share with you is learning by doing. This technique has been around for a long time, and it’s a surprisingly effective one thanks to the various perks that come with it. Also called experiential learning, I’ll be sharing with you my knowledge on the subject, what it is deep down, and why it’s such an effective learning tool.

What Is Learning by Doing?

Learning by doing is the simple idea that we are capable of learning more about something when we perform the action. For example, say you’re looking to play a musical instrument and were wondering how all of them sound and mix. In most other techniques, you’d be playing the instrument all by yourself in a studio. Learning by doing instead gives you a basic understanding of how to play the instrument and puts you up on a stage to play an improvised piece with other musicians. Another way to think about this is by taking a more active approach to something as opposed to you passively learning about it. The argument is that active engagement provides deeper learning and that it’s okay if you make mistakes as you learn from those as well. This mentality brought forth a new name for this technique: experiential learning.

What Are Its Benefits?

Experimental learning has been around for eons now. It was Aristotle who wrote that “for the things we have to learn before we can do them, we learn by doing them.” Over the years, that way of thinking changed and developed and for a time was lost once computers were integrated into schools. It’s only been in recent years where schools have adopted this technique again. It’s clear why teachers are encouraging this as it offers five big benefits.

1. It’s More Engaging and More Memorable

The first benefit is that it's more engaging and memorable. Since this requires action on your part, you’re not going to be able to weaken your performance. This is big since, traditionally, you’d learn from lectures, books, or articles, and learners could easily read—or not read—the text and walk away with no knowledge at all from it. When you are forced into a situation where you have to do what you need to learn, it’s easier to remember those things. Every action provides personalized learning experiences, and it’s where motivation is built. That motivation connects to what is learned and felt. It teaches that learning is relevant and meaningful. Beyond that, this experience allows the opportunity for learners to go through the learning cycle that involves extended effort, mistakes, and reflection, followed by refinement of strategies.

2. It Is More Personal

Stemming from the reason mentioned above, learning by doing offers a personal experience. Referring back to the cycle of effort, mistakes, reflection, and refinement, this cycle is only possible through personal emotions—the motivation and realization of knowledge of a particular topic tying into your values and ideals. This connection is powerful and thus, offers a richer experience than reading from a book or articles such as this one. That personal connection is more important as it encourages exploration and curiosity from learners. If you’ve always wanted to bake a cake or cook a unique dish, you could read up on it or watch a video. Or you could get the ingredients and start going through it all yourself. Even if you make mistakes now, you have a better grasp of what to do for the next time you try it out. You’re also more invested in that since that’s food that you made with the intention of you having it.

3. It Is Community-Connected

Learning by doing involves the world at large rather than sitting alone in your room or a library stuck in a book. Since the whole city is your classroom technically, you’re able to leverage all kinds of things. You’re able to gather local assets and partners and connect local issues to larger global themes. This leans more into the personal aspect that this technique encourages. You are part of a community, and this form of learning allows you to interact more and make a connection with it—not necessarily with the residents but certainly the environment around it.

4. It’s More Integrated Into People’s Lives

This form of learning is deeply integrated into our lives as well. Deep learning occurs best when learners can apply what they’ve learned in a classroom setting to answer questions around them that they care about. Even though there is a lot of information out there, people are still always asking “what’s in it for me?” Even when it comes to learning, people will be more interested if they know that what they are learning is vital to their very way of life in some fashion. It’s forgettable if they’re unable to tie knowledge in with personal aspects of their lives. Thus, experiential learning makes the application of knowledge simpler.

5. It Builds Success Skills

The final benefit of learning by doing is that it builds up your skills for success. Learning by doing encourages you to step out of your comfort zone, discover something new, and try things out for the first time. You’re bound to make a mistake or two, but this technique doesn’t shame you for it. As a result, learning by doing can build your initiative for new things as well as persistence towards growth and development in a field. This could also lead to team management and collaboration skill growth. These are all vital things in personal growth as we move towards the future.

How to Get Started

While all these perks are helpful for you, how are you going to start? Well, there are several different approaches that you can take with this. Here are some of them that come to mind.

1. Low-Stakes Quizzes

In classroom settings, one way to introduce this technique is to have many low-stakes quizzes. These quizzes aren’t based on assessing one’s performance. Instead, these quizzes are designed to have learners engage with the content and to generate the learned information themselves. Research shows that this method is an effective learning technique.((Parkland College: Using Low-Stakes Repeated Testing Can Improve Student Learning: How (Some) Practice Makes Perfect)) It allows students to improve their understanding and recall and promotes the “transfer” of knowledge to other settings.

2. Type of Mental Doing

Another approach is one that Psychologist Rich Mayer put together. According to him, learning is a generative activity.((ResearchGate: Learning as a Generative Activity: Eight Learning Strategies that Promote Understanding)) His knowledge and the research done in his lab at Santa Barbara have repeatedly shown that we gain expertise by doing an action, but the action is based on what we already know. For example, say you want to learn more about the Soviet dictator Stalin. All you need to do is link what you do know—that Stalin was a dictator—and link it to what you want to learn and retain. Stalin grew up in Georgia, killed millions of people, centralized power in Russia, and assisted in the victory of World War 2. This technique even applies to the most simple of memory tasks as our brain learns and relearns.

3. Other Mental Activities

The final method I’ll share with you is taking the literal approach—getting out there and getting your hands dirty so to speak. But how you go about that is up to you. You could try reading an article and then going out and applying it immediately—like you could with this article. Or maybe you could find further engagement through puzzles or making a game out of the activity that you’re doing. For example, if you wanted to learn about animal behavior patterns, you can read about them, go out to watch animals, and see if they perform the specific behaviors that you read about.

Final Thoughts

Learning by doing encourages active engagement with available materials and forces you to work harder to remember the material. It’s an effective technique because it helps ingrain knowledge into your memory. After all, you have a deeper personal connection to that knowledge, and you’ll be more motivated to use it in the future. With that in mind, I encourage you to take what you’ve learned from reading this article and apply that in the real world. It’s only going to benefit you as you grow.

More Articles About Learning by Doing

• 4 Learning Styles to Help You Learn Faster and Smarter
• 6 Common Types of Learners (With Learning Hacks for Each)
• Effective Learning Theories (and How to Benefit from Them)

Why Can’t I Focus? 8 Reasons and Possible Solutions

Information once came at a premium. The Internet and smartphone changed all that and leveled the playing field. What separates those uber achievers from the average person is their ability to use that information. The Elon Musks and Steve Jobs of the world have figured out that one thing is the key component of success in a world inundated with knowledge: focus. What we need to be asking ourselves as we start off 2021 is “Why can’t I focus?” In dealing with clients in different industries with all different backgrounds, I can say that many people know what they should be doing, but there is a big difference between knowing what to do and actually doing it. Moreover, many people make the mistake of thinking they are using their time most effectively when they really aren't. People have difficulty gauging time accurately. People tend to overestimate how much time they are actually being productive. In his book The Compound Effect, bestselling author Darren Hardy talks about the day when he actually decided to calculate how much time he spent selling in front of his clients when he was young. He assumed it was a few hours when, actually, the number was closer to 20 minutes. Focus is not something we can see or feel, making us guesstimate a lot of what we do. Even the best of us is derailed by obstacles that prevent us from focusing. So, the million-dollar question is why can’t we focus? Our once silent world has been replaced by constant buzzes from emails, messages, notifications, and reminders. Statistically, it has been said we get distracted on average every four minutes. The problem with that is it takes 23 minutes to regain focus((Inc: It Takes 23 Minutes to Recover From a Distraction at Work. Here's How to Minimize Calls, Emails, and Alerts)). Essentially, we are, by and large, never in a state of focus. Instead, we are moving between one task and another. To fix this we must first understand where the roadblocks are. Once we know where we are falling short, we need to implement shields to keep the noise out and allow us to focus on the tasks at hand. One of the points on the list below is likely the reason you can't focus. If it resonates with you, we have possible solutions to help.

1. Your Smartphone

Our greatest tool is also our greatest enemy when it comes to productivity. Like any tool, the smartphone can be used for good or evil. For every person that uses their smartphone to listen to personal development material, there are 100 that will listen to their favorite jams or play video games. Every successful person I have met understands the dangers that come with their smartphone and adjust accordingly. Possible solution: Turn your smartphone into a smart business tool by only installing absolutely necessary apps.

2. Notifications

This goes hand in hand with reason number one. We are connected to everyone via email, social media, and SNS through our smartphones. That results in hundreds of notifications a day. Every like, response to your post, email, chat message, app notification, and news update results in a buzz. Possible solution: You are not a doctor. Turn off all unnecessary notifications.

3. Lack of Motivation

2020 was one for the ages. COVID-19, masks, and lockdowns hit many businesses hard. It’s been well documented by news outlets, but what is not talked about as much is the incredible effects the lockdowns are having on our mental health, specifically our motivation. Suicides and anxiety are skyrocketing as a result, but we won’t know the true tally for some time. In dark times, it’s easy to lose motivation, to ask ourselves why bother? But in the grand scheme of things, it’s nowhere near the Spanish flu or the Black Plague. We survived those at a time when medicine was nowhere near what it is today. With vaccines being introduced, things will get better, and we need to be ready for the opportunities when they do. Possible solution: The best way to fight a lack of motivation is brute force. Grab yourself a copy of Zig Ziglar’s How to Stay Motivated or listen to the master motivator himself Tony Robbins with his Get the Edge or Personal Power audio programs. Shove them on your smartphone and then listen to them over and over.

4. Multitasking

People love to think they can do two things at the same time, but that’s the exact opposite of focus. It's tempting to want to move onto another task when we get struck doing another. When it gets hard, we look for easy solutions, but moving onto another task will inevitably leave you with two unfinished tasks. Single-minded focus is about working on one until it's done, or a predetermined time is met. Possible solutions: Avoid the temptation to do more; instead, single-task everything. It might seem like you’d do less, but single-minded focus gets tasks done in less than half the time.

5. Health Issues

There’s no getting around the fact that poor health will affect your ability to focus. Having sciatica personally, I can say that pain is a serious impediment to focus. That’s why I like to say, “The better you feel, the better you do.” As an added bonus of making health a priority in life, you'll save yourself tens of hours spent out of bed or visiting clinics. Possible solution: It's pretty much everything we know we should do: eat better, exercise regularly, and stay away from alcohol and caffeine. The best advice is to tackle this one step at a time. Cold turkey is not the answer. First, introduce a very light stretching routine. Slowly reduce your Starbucks visits. Most of us can't handle change overnight, but by doing it slowly we can achieve incredible results over time.

6. Poor Sleep

Sleep is often the first thing to go for people who want to get ahead or enjoy their lives more. The logic is that they can manage on five or six hours of sleep a night, so those extra two hours can be out to better use. While I understand there are times we need to burn the midnight oil, sleep is when our body and mind get to recharge. Chemical imbalances, stress, anxiety and more can often be tracked back to poor sleeping habits. Running on less than six hours for most people will result in a lack of focus and lower productivity. When our brain is tired, errors increase, which can lead to lengthy corrections. Possible solution: Make sleep a priority. Schedule it into your daily routine. For those days when we have to cut our sleep short at night due to a big project or presentation, try and grab a nap sometime during the next day. Lebron James, one of the elite athletes in the world today, gets eight hours of sleep a night and takes naps when he feels he needs a little more rest. Let that sink in.

7. Screens

Sadly, we live in the Information Age. I am typing this article on my iPad. Most people today spend between eight and ten hours a day looking at one screen or another. If it’s not their smartphone, it’s their tablet or TV. Pick your poison, but our eyes suffer because of it. There’s no getting around needing screens. Possible solution: Use the KitKat strategy and have a break. We need to constantly remind ourselves that screens are not real life. Just as we must schedule sleep, we must schedule our breaks as well. I once heard someone say that an optometrist told him 20-20-20 was the key to dealing with screens. Every 20 minutes, look at something 20 meters away for 20 seconds. You can also try blue light glasses. Modern screens are seriously bright. They take color to the next level, but that's not good news for everyone. Some people get headaches and eye-strain from sitting in front of screens for too long. If that's you, a $50 investment into blue light glasses could be the answer you're looking for.

8. Social Media

I personally don’t use social media to keep in touch with friends and followers, but more as a business tool. I share information with clients, offer services, and gather new ideas for articles or presentations. That's not what most people do. They get sucked in spending hours upon hours going through their Twitter feed. Possible solution: Set a time limit to spend. It's amazing how little time you really need to do everything you want on social media if you try.

The Bottom Line

If you find yourself asking, "Why can't I focus?" it's time to do some self-reflection and figure out what may be causing your lack of focus. At least one of the above probably struck a nerve, so try to tackle that one first. You may find that one change is all you needed to be productive again.

More on Regaining Focus

• How to Focus Your Attention and Improve Productivity with 7 Simple Tips
• 15 Quick Ways To Focus on Work Easily
• How to Not Get Distracted: 10 Practical Tips to Sharpen Your Focus

How To Go Above And Beyond At Work For Career Success

Long days, short deadlines, and never-ending workplace demands will take their toll. And with the transition to remote work this past year, no doubt you’re feeling the impact. Still, with all that's changing in the world of work, your career success depends on whether you go above and beyond or settle with mediocrity. Let's start with your "Why?" If you prioritize career success, you need to build career capital. This is what you exchange for the career of your dreams. For example, if you want more balance, greater opportunities, more earning potential, work that is rewarding and fulfilling, and the power to design a career that works for you, you need career capital. And you build this capital by going above and beyond. But if investing in your capital and, ultimately, your career success isn’t enough reason to go above and beyond, here are three more reasons why:

1. First, jobs are highly competitive. Recruiters and decision-makers are searching for candidates who stand out from the pack and have a history of going the extra mile.
2. Secondly, budgets are tight. when leaders evaluate their team for cutbacks, they lean toward retaining the most valuable employees—high potentials, hard workers, strong expertise, and those willing to go above and beyond.
3. Additionally, and by no means finally, going above and beyond comes with the satisfaction that you are building your skills, career reputation, and self-respect.

So, how do you build your career capital? Well, it isn’t rocket science, but it does take some foresight and effort to garner the aforementioned benefits and more. As success expert and legendary motivational speaker and author Jim Rohn said, “Do more than what you are paid for as an investment in your future.” Those who do stand out and make it a daily habit will soar. To help you identify and formulate the practice of going above and beyond for career success, here are a few simple strategies:

1. Embrace Work Ethic

Buckle up friends, because going above and beyond is not a "one and done" activity. Rather, it’s a honed habit, nurtured over time that helps you stand apart from your colleagues and competition. Why? Because it’s a rare quality these days. Going above and beyond is commonly known as "work ethic," and work ethic means valuing and demonstrating good, quality, and hard work—sought after traits by employers. Too often, people look for shortcuts, the easy way, the magic bullet, and the path of least resistance. Unfortunately, this has become the norm. It takes effort to embrace work ethic, but if you show that you are willing to put in the work to get great results, your possibilities are endless.

2. Demonstrate Your Leadership

As Mark Sanborn’s book aptly puts it “You Don’t Need a Title to Be a Leader,” and true leaders are people others want to follow. Since leaders understand the importance of having a vision, they do the work necessary to realize that vision. When you know what your goals are—even if they are a little fuzzy—you have a target to shoot for. This not only helps you become more focused, productive, and more likely to achieve your desired outcomes but working on goals also demonstrates your leadership acumen. Other leaders like that. They are drawn to it and when you can align your goals with those of others, there is no stopping you.

3. Take the Initiative

If you prioritize career success, then you will never utter the phrase “That’s not my job.” Ambition is all about stepping in when the opportunity presents itself. Look for ways in which you can make contributions to your team and your supervisor. This may require putting in some extra hours or even spending some time on projects that are not your own. Regardless of what it is you offer to do, helping others succeed is the hallmark of a great leader, and it’s also a behavior that gets noticed for all the right reasons. While this altruistic behavior is always welcome and certainly bodes well for your career reputation, let’s be honest—it’s more inviting when it aligns with your goals. Say that your boss is working on developing their strategic planning report. Knowing that you have an interest in moving up the ladder and that this may eventually be something you’re asked to do, why not offer your help, even if it’s just to listen and offer feedback or brainstorming support? In doing so, you are learning a valuable skill and demonstrating to your superior that you are a leader who’s willing to go above and beyond for your career success.

4. Communicate Like a Pro

The one skill we all need to continually hone is communication. Written, verbal, and non-verbal, presenting, sales, negotiation, are all critical career success skills that fall under the umbrella of communication. And when you go above and beyond, you're communicating like a professional. In other words, you've taken the time necessary to build this skill and ensure all your communication is clear, brief, timely, and professional. A perfect example of this is how you handle emails. Brief and direct with outlined expected outcomes is the rule of thumb. While this may take extra time to prepare a well-written message, all your communication should serve a purpose and garner intended results. Another way to go above in beyond is to be responsive. Most texts, emails, calls, and messages all warrant a response. Your reputation is not only tied to how thoughtfully you communicate but also on how you can always be counted on for a professional and timely reply. Even better, make your response in person or pick up the phone and give someone a call. By doing so, you are not only demonstrating your professionalism but also that you're willing to go above and beyond and handle matters confidently and directly. A “live” encounter offers the opportunity to add tone and clarity and shows that you are willing to put in the effort to create a win-win.

5. Develop Your Expertise

Success-minded individuals know the importance of continually honing their skills and expertise. If you want to go, you’ve got to grow. Don’t wait for your supervisor to outline what training and conferences that you should attend. Go above and beyond by seeking opportunities for yourself. Start each month outlining what you will learn and the skill you plan to develop. Create a list of books, webinars, conferences, Ted Talks, courses, and mentoring opportunities to invest time in. The good news is that most of these are free. Another compelling reason to create and engage in your own professional development plan is that it is a great way to build your network and impress your boss in your annual review.

6. Build a Valuable Network

Routinely connecting with your network, meeting new people, attending networking events, and engaging in informational interviews are all activities required for career success. And all of these interactions should be a mutually-beneficial interaction. It’s not about what these folks can do for you but how you can serve one another, even if it’s just listening, brainstorming, or lifting someone’s spirits with a check-in call. Remember that your network is the lynchpin for elevating your career. These are the folks that will help you open doors. And being a gracious connection, you should do the same for them. Building your network will also help you go above and beyond at work. When you can bring people together, it not only helps solve a problem but it also makes you look pretty good. People appreciate the extra effort and thought and will return the favor. So, be a power connector—leveraging your network in ways that help others and connect like-minded individuals in the process of going above and beyond. Take your supervisor. If you know a key decision-maker whom they should meet or a vendor that could help them with a project, this effort will not go unnoticed. Recently, I was connecting with my mentor regarding a project that he was working on and needed help with. Thankfully, I had someone in my network who could assist him and that introduction opened the door to an offer for collaboration. It’s not about exchanging a name for an outcome, but rather, building your reputation as someone who goes above and beyond.

Final Thoughts

Opportunities abound to build your reputation as a leader, expert, connecter, communicator, and trusted colleague. And these are the competitive character traits in demand today. While it's not hard to hone these skills, they do require work and one small effort of going above and beyond each day will compound over time and increase your capital. After all, it's the only way to grow and sustain a successful career.

More Tips on How to Go Above and Beyond at Work

• Why Self-Improvement Leads To Career Success
• How to Commit, Achieve Excellence And Change Your Life
• 16 Everyday Habits of Highly Productive People

How To Log Your Daily Activities And Manage Your Time Better

Go to business school, and you’ll hear it over and over again: What gets measured gets managed. Often attributed to Peter Drucker, this maxim also applies to time management.((Harvard Business Review: What Can’t Be Measured)) The best way to improve your time management is to log your daily activities. Simply seeing how your time is spent empowers you to be more productive. Before you begin recording your daily activities, you have two choices to make—where to do it and how to do it. Let's discuss them both.

Where to Log Your Daily Activities

Generally speaking, you have two options for logging your daily activities: physically or digitally. Although there’s no “right” answer, there are reasons why people choose one over the other.

Digital Logging

For a few reasons, many people prefer to log their tasks in a calendar or productivity software:

1. Accessibility

Who wants to carry a planner everywhere they go? Digital tracking tools can be accessed from your phone, which is probably in your pocket from when you wake up to when you hit the hay. They can also be pulled up on your computer, where you’ll analyze the data.

2. Customizability

Do you like to view your tasks as a calendar or a list? Do you like to categorize them by type, participant, timeline, or something else? Do you color-code them? Digital activity logging tools put you in the driver’s seat. If you change your mind about a layout or color choice, you can always adjust it later.

3. Cost

Have you priced planners recently? A nice, hardback one can cost you a pretty penny. If you go this route, don’t buy online. “One of the best things you can do is go out to a store and touch the planner, feel it and really look at it,” explains Jackie Reeve, who writes for The New York Times’ Wirecutter project. Most digital tracking tools are free. Some offer paid versions with more features, but even these are competitive with bound paper planners. Still, not everyone uses software to log their daily activities. So, what do the paper-planner folks like about them?

Physical Logging

Just as some people prefer print books to e-books, some would rather log their daily activities on paper. This option has a few advantages.

1. Memorization

Research suggests that writing things down helps us commit them to memory. If you’re trying to memorize a new routine, a paper activity planner might be your best bet.

2. Privacy

Although software companies spend a lot on data security, the reality is that breaches happen. If you worry about your schedule or activities leaking out to the wrong person, a paper planner could be the right choice. Remember that paper logging puts more of the responsibility on your shoulders. Nobody is going to read your activity log if you keep it in a safe deposit box. But at the same time, how are you going to access it?

3. Visibility

To access your digital activity tracker, you need to think about it, pull up the app on your phone or computer, and log in. If you post a paper log in the right place, all you need to do is take a glance at it. This is why many business professionals still keep a paper calendar on their desk, despite also maintaining a digital one. Nothing jogs the mind like a visual reminder. Once you’ve decided where to put your activity data, you need to actually log and analyze it. Practice by clocking how long it takes you to review my six tips for doing so.

How to Track Your Daily Activities

Some activities are easier to log than others. Digital ones, like videoconferences, might already be on your calendar by virtue of the invite you sent out. Others, like that wilderness hike you took on a whim, may require some planning and estimation. Here’s where to start:

1. Check Your Calendar

Does what’s on your calendar match how you actually spend your time and how you want to be spending your time? It should, says Breakout Blueprint author Doug Foley—“If you learn to own your calendar instead of letting it own you, that’s the first step to building the life you want.”((Author Hour: Breakout Blueprint: Doug Foley)) If it doesn’t, clean up your calendar. Remove activities and events that are no longer relevant. Say “no” to things you don’t want or can’t do. Fill those slots with activities that get you closer to your goals.

2. Use a Time Tracker

To track digital activities, use activity tracking tools like Toggl or Harvest. They can pull event details from your calendar and prompt you to log the amount of time you actually spent on each activity. These tools are easiest to use with a widget, a miniaturized version of a program that displays only its essential tools. Time-tracking widgets let you start, pause, and stop the activity timer as you work. If you’d prefer to use a physical activity log, get a stopwatch. Your phone has one built-in, or you can carry one on in your pocket if you prefer the track-coach experience. Either way, remembering to press “start” and “stop” after each activity takes practice. Expect to spend about two weeks building the habit.

3. Get Time Bounds Down to the Minute

When tracking your time, it’s easy to round. Perhaps you forget to click “start” on the timer, so you call it 3:25 p.m. instead of 3:23 p.m. Maybe your log from yesterday has a gap at 4 p.m., so you assume that you started the next task listed then. While that might not seem like a big deal, think about how it skews your activity log. Not only is your time for that task now inaccurate, but it may also cause you to shift the start or end times for tasks adjacent to it. Sloppy logging becomes an even bigger issue when you need to analyze how you’re spending your time. If every five-minute “review email” task is off by two minutes, your analysis may lead you to believe that you’re spending barely half as much time in your email as you actually are.

4. Take Notes

Was your son or daughter distracting you while you were finishing up that proposal email? No wonder it took twice as long as the previous ones. Make note of the reason why in your activity log. If you go the paper route, don’t do this in pen. Rarely does a day go by that I don’t make some sort of correction to my planner (more on that in a moment). Digital trackers allow you to not just attach notes to each activity, but update them as you wish. When it comes to logging your time, the “why” matters just as much as the “when” and “how long.” You need to know why certain tasks took more or less time than expected if you want to become a better time manager.

5. Ask for Corrections

No matter how meticulous you are, everyone makes mistakes. If you’re logging a group activity—whether it’s a marketing campaign at work or cooking dinner at home—ask others in the group to periodically check your activity log. Chances are good your time log will differ slightly from that of your partners. What’s important isn’t whose time is right, but identifying the types of tasks where discrepancies are common. Tasks that aren’t being logged correctly can’t be analyzed or acted on with confidence.

6. Back It Up

How good is your memory? Could you recite the last month of your activity log if it were lost or stolen? Probably not. If you use a paper activity tracker, take a photo of it each week. Upload the photos to a cloud storage solution like Google Drive. If you use a digital one, back up your activity log on a local storage device. You never know when the company behind your tracker is going to go bust.

7. Dig Into the Data

Once you have a month or more of activity data—and are confident it’s logged correctly—the fun begins. You can make better use of your time by analyzing how you’ve been spending it. How you slice the data depends on what you want to do with it. Maybe all you need is a billable hours figure at the end of each month. That’s easy—just add up all the activities you did on behalf of your clients in the past four weeks. Using your activity log to improve your personal life requires you to think about your interests and ideals. Does your morning routine consistently leave you enough time to eat breakfast? If not, you might need to start waking up earlier. Is your salaried job forcing you to work well beyond 40 hours per week? Then, it might be time to start looking for a new one.

Do More, Do Better

Your routine might not seem like anything special. But if you log your daily activities, you’ll see that you do a lot each day. To better manage your time—either by cutting out unnecessary tasks or completing your existing ones more efficiently—you need to track your time. Opportunities for optimization are there—you just have to get started in identifying them.

More Tips on How to Manage Your Time Better

• How Logging Your Day Can Lead To Higher Effectiveness
• 20 Time Management Tips to Super Boost Your Productivity
• Powerful Daily Routine Examples for a Healthy and High-Achieving You

5 Proven Risk-Taking Tips To Take More Chances In Life

Most of us want to have better experiences than we might have had in the past or be currently experiencing today. This can often involve needing to step into situations we haven’t navigated before. It can involve uncertainty and hold opportunities for us to have unpleasant and/or pleasant experiences. Our brains are primarily designed to keep us safe and balanced, physically mentally and emotionally. However, most of us know deep inside that repeating the same patterns and expecting a different result is nonsensical. There comes a tipping point when it’s time to take a chance. Taking more chances involves taking risks. This can be scary! Traditionally, taking risks is only for the bold and courageous. We associate there being a higher chance of having negative experiences; pain, disappointment, failing, getting injured. Because our brain is wired for safety and survival, these perceptions often hijack our decision-making so are drawn back to maintain the status quo. Despite our instinctive human behavior and thinking, there are ways we can prevent this hijack so we can take more chances in life. Whether or not you are a leader of a team or wanting to make progress in one or more areas of your personal life, these 5 proven risk-taking tips will maximize your capacity to move forward further and faster.

1. Routinely Review Your Circle of Control to Help You Plan What Risks to Take

In his best-selling book, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen R. Covey explained how our point of greatest effectiveness will be when we are operating from our sphere of direct control. When we dedicate our energy and attention to trying to change things that aren’t in that sphere, we experience discomfort and pain we may not be equipped to manage. We can also become vulnerable to a far longer recovery process as a result. The inner-most circle is the circle of control. It represents what you have direct and ultimate jurisdiction over:

• Your thoughts
• Your choices
• Your decisions
• Your behavior and actions
• Your mood
• Your mental state
• Your responses and reactions
• Your mental, emotional and physical states

The second outer circle – the circle of influence – represents exactly that; what you influence. You don’t have direct control over the following, but how you operate from your own circle of control can have ripple effects on people and situations around you:

• Your relationships, your children’s happiness, safety and wellbeing
• How others respond to you, how they perceive you
• Your work productivity, whether you get promoted or not
• Who follows you on social media
• Who you vote for
• Your development of skills, improvement of competency
• The success of your business

The outermost circle represents the ‘circle of concern’. These are situations and relationships for which you hold in your mind and heart as important. They are things you often have little control and influence over, however, they impact you:

• Systems and institutions (e.g. your employer, governments)
• Environmental issues
• The economy
• Natural events and disasters

If you don’t naturally self-identify as a risk-taker, start by taking risks where you have the highest level of control. You are more likely to succeed, increase your ability to assess, plan and executing taking risks. This in turn fuels your motivation and readiness to take risks and chances in the future. How much can you truly control and/or influence when addressing how you are being bullied at work? Look at the different aspects of your situation and see which circle each aspect resides in. Referring to Covey’s concentric model can help you determine what risks are in front of you and which ones are better for you to take.

2. Adopt a Gamified Perspective to Increase Risk-Taking and Make It More Fun

The mental and emotional pressure we put on ourselves to achieve certain outcomes inflates our perception of risk consequences. We can often feel the stakes are higher. However, what if you applied a different set of expectant outcomes when you are in risk-taking situations? Gamification has become a more widely used approach in a variety of settings where growth and improvement in performance are desired or required. The application of game dynamics, mechanics and frameworks into non-game settings has demonstrated effectiveness in encouraging risk-taking behavior along with changed perceptions toward the meaning and experience of risk-taking itself. When researcher Itamar Shatz reviewed the risk-taking behavior of participants learning a foreign language, he found gamification methods increased their risk-taking behavior as well as their performance and self-confidence.((Shatz: Using Gamification and Gaming in Order to Promote Risk Taking in the Language Learning Process)) Similar research was undertaken by Ignacio Garcia exploring the effectiveness of popular language-learning application Duolingo identified that using gamification approaches enhanced users’ learning.((Ignacio Garcia: Learning a Language for Free While Translating the Web. Does Duolingo Work?)) Learners are driven to advance to higher levels by being awarded points for providing correct answers and being given a couple of opportunities to attempt each question. They feel freer to fail. When considering risks you might take, ask yourself: Is there a way I can gamify this? If I am feeling high pressure and angst about this risk, how can I inject more fun into the process of taking the risk? Could you engage others to also engage in this risk-taking activity with you? Can you create your own reward system of celebrating your taking chances in the first place? Reward yourself and celebrate your experiences of taking risks regardless of whether you achieve your main goal. You develop a different emotional attachment to risk-taking exercises and increase your confidence to take more chances in your life.

3. Take Risks Where You Have the Resources to Manage the Consequences

You wouldn’t jump out of a plane without wearing a parachute, nor would you skydive without knowing and following safety protocols. You equip yourself as best as you can for the situation that you are unfamiliar with. Then there is always risk remaining where events can unfold in ways you (and even experts) are unable to predict or foresee. We are going to be more likely to take risks where we perceive fewer negative consequences are possible and/or we have greater confidence to manage these consequences. How can we then minimize the negative consequences? Assess the level of risk and close the gap between the resources required and the resources you have. Do a simple needs analysis based on what you identify taking the risk requires and what you have available to you, to meet those needs. Where you identify a gap between your resources and what is required, look to see what is within your control to help you close the gap. Physical

• Do you have enough knowledge to tip you in favor of success in taking the risk?
• What equipment do you need to maximize your chances of success?
• What skills and technical competencies do you need?
• What else do you need to learn or acquire to tip your probability of succeeding to 51% or higher?

Emotional

• As you think about the risk, how are you likely to react/respond if negative consequences result?
• What support options and strategies do you have in place to help you take the risk as well as catch you should you be unsuccessful?

Mental

• How are you currently perceiving the risk?
• What mental state are you in as you think about taking it? Do you need to first manage negative emotions or need to diffuse heightened anxiety?
• What mental strategies and exercises do you have in place to help you prepare for taking the risk, experiencing the process of taking it? Do you feel this enough or could you strengthen your approach?
• Can you anticipate how you will be mentally affected should you fail? What mental strategies do you have in place should you be unsuccessful?

Having answers to these questions above won’t only help you determine what risks to take. You will feel greater confidence and control of being able to maximize your chances of succeeding in taking them. It’s essential you assess your risk-taking capabilities holistically: physically, mentally and emotionally. Because we know through research how our mental and emotional states and past experiences highly influence our perceptions, aptitude and approach to taking risks we must consider all three angles. Doing so will springboard you toward taking more chances toward experiencing a more fulfilling and satisfying life.

4. Regulate Your Emotions Beforehand to Help You Assess What Risks to Take and Prepare to Take Them

In the absence of enough metrics or a frame of reference against which to measure if a chance poses more risk or not, we unconsciously rely on our emotions. In fact, our emotions dictate our self-belief and self-efficacy in situations we perceive to be risky, far more than we may realize. A recent study conducted at the University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Poland revealed two incredible results:((University of Social Sciences and Humanities in Poland: The Affective Bases of Risk Perception: Negative Feelings and Stress Mediate the Relationship between Mental Imagery and Risk Perception))

• a) That our emotional state impacts our perception of risk;
• b) That when we focus on the negative consequences of taking a risk, we perceive the risk to be greater

When participants were asked to imagine negative risk consequences, they reported more negative mood states and perceived risk as higher compared to the control condition. The researchers also found that the type of visualizations participants were guided to create, influenced their mood and their perception of whether the risk was higher or lower. In the third experiment, the researchers found that stress that was irrelevant to the risk itself swayed participants to perceive the risk as greater. So, the more stressed we are in general, the greater risk we will perceive. This means we need to know our own unique stressors, how they can impact us and how to manage this first. We need to undertake risk assessments and development management strategies from as balanced and regulated emotional and mental states, as possible. Consider what stressors might be influencing your mental and emotional state when you are undertaking any stages of planning, preparing for or undertaking a risk. Can you reduce or remove them? You may need to recalculate the timing of taking certain risks. You always want to be in the best mindset possible. Attention might need to be given to other things first to allow you to have a clear enough mind to maximize your success. Just as you wouldn’t go trekking on a high difficulty mountain trail when a tornado is forecasted, nor might it be the best time to look at changing careers if your intimate relationship is in dire straits. Don’t rush. Choose your timing wisely embracing the fact that there also may never be a 100% perfect time to take a chance. Simply be considered with it.

5. Always Celebrate All Aspects of Risk-Taking

Taking a risk is also setting a goal. If rewards exist only on the condition of that goal being achieved, this leaves many steps and opportunities for us to balk and opt-out when we feel the risk is too great. We need to insert strong enough reasons for us to stay the course. Because we know emotions have a strong influence over our decisions, we can cleverly inject positive emotional experiences toward all stages of taking any risk:

• a) Assessing the size and type of risk
• b) Planning and preparing
• c) Undertaking the risk
• d) Experiencing the consequences

Learning what resources you currently have is a validating start in itself. You may well discover you are more equipped than you thought! Congratulate yourself (and your team) when you have completed a certain stage in your risk planning. Celebrate this milestone regardless of whether you go ahead with taking the risk past this point or not. When it comes to undertaking the risk itself, celebrate the fact itself that you are nudging yourself to step into discomfort to grow. You’re testing and trying. At the very least, you are discovering your current capabilities are in this particular experience. You have applied yourself in ways you might not have before. You’re progressing and learning whether you succeed or not! In April 2020, NASA celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 13 mission. This mission is referred to as the ‘successful failure’ with the crew returning safely to Earth despite an explosion that foiled their aim to land on the moon. Whether we succeed or not, we must deliberately emphasize rewarding the effort we’ve made to go on the journey in the first place. Review all the parts of your journey; the good and the bad. Proactively look for the benefits of undertaking the experience. Engage processes to work through the pain, hurt and disappointment you might feel should you have failed. And then, stand up. Look up. Look ahead. When you look closely enough, every aspect of risk-taking holds a benefit to you. As you rewire what risk-taking means for you, you may start to feel you’re not taking risks at all. You’ll be rubbing your hands together with child-like excitement to take more chances in life.

More Tips on Taking Risks in Life

• 6 Ways to Be a Successful Risk Taker and Take More Chances
• How to Take Calculated Risk to Achieve Success
• 10 Ways To Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone And Overcome Your Fear

7 Science-Backed Ways To Stay Sharp, Alert And Focused

The average American drinks three cups of coffee per day. If you’re anything like me, that morning (and afternoon) pick-me-up is a lot like an “on button” for your brain. Maybe you’re more of a tea person. Either way, a caffeine jolt can certainly help you stay alert, and some studies even link coffee consumption to improved health outcomes.((Johns Hopkins Medicine: 9 Reasons Why (the Right Amount of) Coffee Is Good for You)) But if your goal is to improve your work performance, there are better ways to stay sharp than simply brewing a fourth cup of your drink. Adopting long-term strategies for a more focused, alert brain can equip you to be more effective and productive on the job and in life. You're not sure where to begin? Here are 7 science-backed tips to flip your “on” switch at work and stay sharp—and keep it that way.

1. Allow Your Mind to Wander

Staying focused is essential for getting work done and doing it well. So, why would you allow your mind to wander? As counterproductive as it sounds, occasionally letting yourself get off track can actually improve alertness and, as a result, productivity.((BBC WorkLife: Five Ways Science Can Improve Your Focus)) All tasks require brainpower, but full-blown concentration takes up a lot of headspace. If you’re always focusing on just one task, your brain will have to work harder to resist thinking about (and doing) other things.((Nature Communications: Controllability of structural brain networks)) As a result, your mind may grow fatigued, which will result in declining focus and productivity. Before you start planning what’s for dinner tonight, consider this caveat. Psychology researchers say that while intentional, planned mind-wandering can improve the ability to stay alert, accidental daydreaming can have the opposite effect.((ScienceDirect: Individual variation in intentionality in the mind-wandering state is reflected in the integration of default-mode, frontoparietal, and limbic networks)) So, the best way to leverage a wandering mind is to use it as a strategic tool. For example, if you’re struggling to stay focused, take a break to do another problem-solving task, then go back to your original project. Along with gaining a fresh perspective on the task at hand, you’ll also free up mental space by checking a separate item off your to-do list.

2. Stop for a Break

Breaks don’t always come naturally to me, especially if I’m buried in work. (Ask my wife, who’s been known to tantalize me away from my desk with a delicious meal.) The problem is, working for a long time without stopping isn’t always as productive as it sounds. Your brain needs the occasional break to stay sharp.((BBC WorkLife: Five Ways Science Can Improve Your Focus)) That doesn’t mean, of course, that you can sneak away from the office any time the desire strikes you. What it means is that being intentional about when and how you take breaks can drastically improve your alertness and focus. Studies show that alertness occurs in cycles, and most people can’t concentrate for longer than 90-minute increments without requiring a 15-minute break. Scientists agree that the key to a focus-inducing break is to totally distract your mind from what you were doing before.((PubMed.gov: Brief and rare mental "breaks" keep you focused: deactivation and reactivation of task goals preempt vigilance decrements)) Instead of pivoting to another work task or even scrolling through your emails, do a puzzle, take a walk outside, or hop on a phone call with a friend.

3. Train Your Brain

The good news about your brain: It’s malleable. If something doesn’t come naturally, including focus and alertness, you can train yourself. Focusing on cognition-enhancing activities (translation: playing games that require strategic thinking) is one way to do that. According to one 2015 study, adults who spend 15 minutes a day, five days a week, on brain-training activities such as crossword puzzles experienced improved concentration.((PLoS One: Enhancing Cognitive Abilities with Comprehensive Training: A Large, Online, Randomized, Active-Controlled Trial)) Practicing mindfulness and meditation is another way to train your brain to focus. While scientific research confirms it comes with a slew of health benefits, a 2011 review suggests mindfulness can improve attention, focus, and memory.((PubMed.gov: Does mindfulness training improve cognitive abilities? A systematic review of neuropsychological findings)) If getting away with a yoga mat for full-blown meditation practice isn’t realistic, start small. I like to take a few deep breaths at my desk while I focus on the sensations in my body. You could also simply notice your surroundings with all five of your senses—smell, touch, sight, and so on. Even micro-mindfulness exercises like these can equip your brain to keep your brain alert and focused when it matters most.

4. Get Some Exercise

Your brain and body are intimately connected, which means that what you do physically has a direct effect on how you feel mentally. Routine exercise—even going for a brisk walk or practicing yoga a few times a week—is a fast and simple way to improve your brain function so you can stay sharp at work. Research consistently shows people who exercise routinely and are more physically fit are also more effective at completing cognitive tasks that require sustained attention.((PLoS One: Cognitive Performance and Heart Rate Variability: The Influence of Fitness Level)) Another study found that older adults who exercised more than 75 minutes per week had better attention spans and abilities to focus.((PLoS One: Dose-Response of Aerobic Exercise on Cognition: A Community-Based, Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial)) But those aren’t the only ways exercise equips your brain for productivity. The endorphins released when you work out can also help you get better at controlling your impulses, which in turn can help you block out distractions. You’ll also notice that staying active boosts your overall physical energy levels, so you can dodge falling asleep at your desk.((Psychology Compass: A Sustainable Formula to Improve Concentration and Focus))

5. Declutter Your Office Space

If I’m having a tough time staying engaged and on a task at work, one of the first things I do is look around me. More often than not, the cluttered state of my desk and office directly reflects the cluttered state of mind. A few minutes spent tidying up your surroundings could make a big impact on your cognitive abilities, according to scientific research. One group of researchers found that having too much clutter in one’s environment actually decreases the brain’s capacity to focus and process information by creating an additional distraction.((Princeton Alumni Weekly: Your Attention, Please)) Next time you catch yourself fighting to focus, consider your immediate surroundings. Don’t worry—you don’t have to overhaul your entire office. Instead, equip your brain to stay on task by minimizing visible clutter. You might be surprised about the impact of spending 10 minutes cleaning up!

6. Improve Your Sleep

A poor night’s sleep is a surefire way to sabotage your alertness, no matter how many cups of coffee you consume. According to one study, even one night of sleep deprivation can interfere with self-control and attentiveness.((NCBI: Interactions between sleep habits and self-control)) Cutting out of work early to get some rest might not feel productive to you, but ensuring you get ample sleep will only benefit your brain and work in the long-run. Remember that a well-rested body is a well-rested brain. So, if you want to stay sharp on the job, don’t burn yourself out logging hours that interfere with your ability to rest. If a full eight hours simply isn’t possible, sleep for a bit during the day. Studies show short power naps can improve focus and energy, which contribute to your ability to stay sharp.((Wiley Online Library: Benefits of napping in healthy adults: impact of nap length, time of day, age, and experience with napping))

7. Don’t Rush

We’re all guilty of powering through our piles of work, myself included. But if you have a lot on your plate, rushing through your to-do list won’t do you any favors. To effectively work through everything that needs to get done, be as deliberate and slow as you can. Not only will you save time on cleaning up mistakes, but you’ll also sustain your ability to stay focused. The scientific case for slowing down traces back to basic neuroscience. Our brains have two systems for thinking: an automatic and fast one, along with a slower, more logical system. As you can imagine, the faster way is linked with a more anxious state. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s adaptive to be frantic when you’re being chased down by a saber tooth tiger, but hurrying away from your predator also compromises your ability to focus.((NCBI: Stress signaling pathways that impair prefrontal cortex structure and function)) On the other hand, slowing yourself down activates your parasympathetic nervous system, which alleviates those anxious feelings and turns on the logical part of your brain.((Psychology Compass: A Sustainable Formula to Improve Concentration and Focus)) So, you’ll not only be able to focus on the task at hand when you intentionally slow your mind and body down, but you’ll do a better job at coming up with creative ideas and solving problems, too.

Final Thoughts

If you’re struggling to stay sharp, alert and focused, don’t be discouraged—even the most productive people find themselves in a rut from time to time. The important thing is to catch yourself veering off track so you can intervene as early and effectively as possible. By implementing science-backed strategies to stay sharp, you’ll not only become more effective in your work, but you’ll also reap mental and physical benefits that could improve your entire life.

More Tips on How to Stay Sharp and Focused

• 7 Most Common Distractions at Work (And How to Tackle Them)
• The Price of Distraction Is Far Beyond Your Imagination
• How to Focus and Maximize Your Productivity (the Definitive Guide)