You’re reading The 5 Best Podcasts on Communication, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Communication is a delicate play between speaker and listener, involving so many intricate elements that can either engage or discourage us. There is so much that happens on a subconscious level while we communicate, from body language, tonality of voice, to visual listening. It is difficult to truly engage in communication if one is only listening to hear and respond as opposed to listening to understand. Here are 5 podcasts that help one grow with language and communication:

1. This ‘School Of Greatness’ podcast uses the art and power of listening as its main focus. Chris Lee delivers a message that leads to success in relationships by explaining how emotional intelligence enhances ever aspect of your life. He dives into the ten key principles that will set you on course to achieving the power of listening.

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2. The Communication Diva is a podcast that covers a range of topics, helping people communicate well to improve relationships. One of these podcasts, an interview with Samantha Skelly touches on the whether the millennial generation has the ability to listen versus simply hearing. She has a interesting take on listening, that is that it’s an art, as opposed to hearing which can be flippant, as people seem too absorbed in their tech gadgets to be fully engaged.

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3. This podcast ‘Been there, done that’, interviews Bob Parkinson, and helps one communicate effectively in business. His thought is that one must always write or talk, whether through email, presentation or a face to face meeting toward your audience. Content, packaging and delivery are the most important factors in effective communication in the workplace.

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4. Jeff Shirk’s podcast ‘High Performance Leadership’, discusses the visual communication most people listen with. He believes organizations struggle because we have lost the connection to emotion through of our dependence on technology. He offers tools and principles for leadership, placing a strong value on the art of communication.

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5. This podcast centers in on an interview with Dr. Simone Alicia (NLT), which helps one increase the effectiveness of your communication. Known as the Self Esteem doctor, she posits that changing our own thought patterns about our beliefs and self- esteem, can change how we communicate. Your mindset and your confidence are connected to your value in the workforce. She speaks a lot about tonality and its effect on communication, those being a question tone, a statement tone and a command tone.

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When people have the feeling that they ‘get someone’, it is an indication of a good rapport and connection which entrusts those to you both personally and professionally. Communication is an art, and it is just as much about not saying the wrong thing when tempted, as it is about saying the right thing at the opportune time.

“Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools speak because they have to say something.” -Plato

Do you read a great blog about communication that’s not on the list? Leave a comment on FB!

Larissa Gomes is a breast cancer survivor and single mom to her spirited baby boy! Originally from Toronto turned Angeleno, she has worked in roles from writer, actor and producer for well over a decade. In that time, she’s developed concepts, film and television screenplays, short stories, along with freelance articles, blogging and editing work.

You’ve read The 5 Best Podcasts on Communication, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading The Science Behind Smiling, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Charles Darwin, best known for his theory of evolution which he presented in one of the most important books of all time, On the Origin of Species, explained how populations adapt to their environments over time. In doing so, he laid down the foundation for evolutionary biology as we know it. On The Origin of Species is Darwin’s most famous work, but he also wrote a much lesser known book titled The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals, where he claimed that all humans show emotion through similar behaviors. This view is one that psychologists today generally agree with, affirming that certain expressions of emotion are common to all of us, regardless of race, culture, or age. One of these universal facial expressions is a smile.

Smiling and Happiness

The natural response to happiness is smiling. And according to science, the reverse is also true: smiling can actually create happiness.

Recently psychological scientists Tara Kraft and Sarah Pressman conducted experiments to find the link between stress and smiling. They found that when people smiled while completing mundane tasks, they had lower heart rates and stress levels than those who wore a neutral expression throughout their tasks. This effect was especially pronounced for participants who produced a big ear-to-ear smile, known as a Duchenne smile. The experiment led the researchers to conclude that when faced with stressful situations, it may be a good idea to put a smile on your face, if only for a moment, as this lowers stress. Smiling also tricks our brains into believing we are happy, and one way it does this is by making us think of happier memories, which boost our moods.

Smiling and Stress

Even though the exact relationship behind facial expression and mental state is largely unknown, it has been suggested that smiling reduces levels of the stress-inducing hormone cortisol. Increased levels of cortisol could potentially lead to cardiovascular disease, mental illness, and obesity, so it’s worth every effort to try to decrease our cortisol levels.

Smiling also has a positive impact on the balance of neurotransmitters present in your brain. Neurotransmitters are powerful neurochemicals that are responsible for regulating our physical, mental and cognitive functions such as sleep cycles, pain resistance, weight control and even emotional state. The effect of smiling on neurotransmitters can help stabilize your mood during daily stressful activities ,and help calm your nervous system.

When an imbalance in neurotransmitters occurs, it can trigger a range of complications such as obesity, alcoholism, caffeine or nicotine dependency, depression, panic attacks, bipolar disorder, and many other conditions. Therefore, the simple act of smiling can activate neural messaging in your brain that promotes health and happiness.

Smiling and Attraction

Research shows that when you smile, people treat you differently. Smiling instantly makes you appear more reliable, relaxed, sincere, and attractive. The Face Research Laboratory in Scotland conducted a study by asking a group of men and women to view images of people and rate their attractiveness. The study found that people who smiled more were rated as more attractive than those who avoided eye contact and didn’t smile at all.

Perhaps this is why celebrities invest in perfect smiles, often opting for porcelain veneers to give them flawlessly straight, white teeth. According to a cosmetic dentistry practice in Boston, broken and stained teeth can make a person look older, while a brighter smile gives a look of health and youthfulness. Anyone you spot on television will more likely than not have a perfect smile. This gives them a youthful glow while simultaneously making them look more attractive.

Smiling and Endorphins

When the smiling muscles in our face contract, it sends a signal to the brain to stimulate the reward system that further increases our levels of endorphins, or happiness hormones. This triggering of the reward system can have the same effect on our happiness as eating chocolate or receiving a monetary prize. According to science, it really is possible to have a “million dollar smile!”

When it comes to happiness, children clearly have an advantage over adults—they smile 400 times a day on average, as compared to 20 times a day for adults. If you find it hard to smile, try being around people who tend to smile a lot. According to a Swedish study, it is difficult to keep a straight face when constantly faced with people who are smiling at you.

So not only does smiling reward our brain’s feel-good system, it also makes us look more attractive and lowers stress levels. In stressful situations, smiling is a great way to temper extreme levels of stress and to keep your cortisol levels under control. Smiling is an act that many of us may have to practice in order to make a regular habit. However, it’s a habit worth investing in, as smiling, happiness, and health have a scientifically proven link to one other.

You’ve read The Science Behind Smiling, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading 5 Easy Ways to Decide Priorities in Life, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Life is made up of a lot of things.

A lot of relationships, work, pains, dreams and – well – there’s a lot.

You become stuck while trying to give your time to all that matters to you. Circumstances get out of hand. Time management doesn’t seem to work. Your chaotic life makes you restless. Your determination of accomplishing more fades away when you lose enthusiasm and see your plans fail.

It happens to everyone.

You can’t always calculate how you spend every moment in life. It’s impractical, since you can’t make more time by being too cautious about how you spend your time either.

To be honest, productivity too has its own limits. There’s always a threshold point beyond which nothing works for you – no matter how hard you try and what you change.

Wisdom lies in accepting this truth and not being too hard on yourself. It’s alright if your plans aren’t happening. You cannot control everything. Once you’ve done what you need to do, let go. Don’t stress out or feel low.

It’s your dissatisfaction and self-critical attitude which makes you insecure. Otherwise most of the time, life is fine, the way it should be.

What makes us restless?

We often feel anxious and worried about how we do things.

Like something in life is missing or is yet undone.

There are several reasons to it.

However, one major reason is that we’re already dealing with several activities in life. Managing everything at once turns out to be overwhelming experience. In some way, your life becomes disorganized and the ups and downs become harder to face each day.

I don’t wish to sound smart or pretend like life is perfect for me, but I’ve learned that one reason which makes harder for us to live peacefully is our indecisiveness due to which we fail to resolve our priorities in life.

Life isn’t a mathematical equation. You don’t treat all your work calculations. Still, you possess an ability to decide what’s right for you. This is your inborn tendency of deciding priorities.

You’ve developed this ability over years by teaching yourself what’s right or wrong for you in life and intentionally making some aspects of life more important than the rest.

Each one of us has his own priorities. Based on way our own ways of living, we can decide priorities to make life easier.

How to decide priorities in life

Although it’s completely up to you to decide what matters the most to you, there are certain parts which you cannot ignore if your want your life to be peaceful. They’re common in all stages of life. If you take care of them, everything falls into place.

Here are some ways to decide priorities in life – they aren’t any form of advice but genuine ways which can help you overcome you indecisiveness and assist you in reordering you priorities in life.

1. Free yourself from what causes you pain

This should be your first priority.

End what doesn’t let you live your life to the fullest.

A normal life is a blessing as compared to the one in which you need to survive the constant blows of pains with each passing day. You don’t deserve that suffocation.

Free yourself from all that drags you down or breaks your self-esteem. You’re worthy of every bit of happiness which exists in this world, but you can only have it when you try to escape from the place which you’re living in against your will.

Are you in debt? Pay it off slowly until you can live in peace.

Stuck in a bad relationship? There’s no point in suffering; find a way out of it.

Stay away from negative people if they suck your life out of you. It’s your job to take a stand against everything out there which can make you timid. Do it at your own pace, but find a way to end your sufferings.

2. Fix what went wrong                                                        

Sometimes, life’s more about mending the past than it’s about than it’s about building the future – but it’s sort of the same thing.

Fix your life.

Take charge of what you think shouldn’t be like what it is. Focus on things that can make your life better and do them often.

The unsolved business of the past can keep you restless forever, so make peace with your past before you move on, otherwise your past will follow you everywhere.

Do you have any regrets? Get over them. If regrets still hurt, then do something which won’tyou’re your regrets affect you anymore. Your regrets are already a thing of past.

Are you living in guilt? Apologize to the ones you feel you’ve done wrong to – it doesn’t make you weak. Forgive yourself and release the past. Step out of the dark place you’re living in.

Once you take a stand for making your life better, nothing can affect you much. Eventually everything gets better.

3. Do more of what’s right for YOU

Be a little selfish.

It’s quite easy to forget your own identity while you’re living by the rules of the world.

How long are you planning to be a puppet of this world? No, the world isn’t a complete miserable place either – but you need to think about yourself in it. Give less damns, be a bit careless regarding how others treat you and start thinking of yourself.

Act on your dreams and risk if your feel like doing so – it’s you who has to deal with the consequences, not the world. It’ll clap when you’re done. Till then, don’t let others make you a coward.

Also, find what makes you happy. Pick up the tiny reasons which can make you smile. Sometimes, it’s just the small things in life which can make you happy in spite of being insignificant.

Always find time for these little, even if it isn’t much, whether it’s about having a meal with your family or talking to your old friends. They’re a priority.

4. Work on creating the new

While you’re busy with life, keep stepping out of your limits.

Engage yourself in new activities. Explore new parts of your work. Those things help you think beyond your limitations and get you new opportunities.

Life can be still, but that stillness is a responsibility to prepare for the future. You might be content and happy. Yet, do what will pay off in the future for your own welfare.

Starting a new business to ensure your financial safety, buying a home for your family, changing your diet for a better health – all take all these steps not only for the present but for a better future.

When you work for your future, you can be more assured about what your life is going to be life. So you worry less and feel at peace.

5. Get used to change

Be prepared for a change and accept what’s coming. That’s the only way to not let life break you.

Nothing always happens as per your expectations. Life’s uncertain. You cannot control every aspect but only find ways to recover and bring your life back to normal.

Life doesn’t suddenly become easy because you set certain priorities and work on them.

It’s your ability to adapt to change can improve your life even when the odds are against you.

What do you think should be our main priorities in life? How do you decide yours? Let me know in the comments below.

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I’m Vishal Ostwal. A writer, blogger and the kind of person whose name rhymes with his surname. I write about making life worth living on my self-help blog. Follow me on Facebook for my newest updates.

Also read:

• The Best Way to Make Life Easier
• 17 Ways to Inspire Others and Add Some Sparkle to Their Lives

You’ve read 5 Easy Ways to Decide Priorities in Life, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading 6 Reasons Meditation Is More Important Than Your Job, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Those who have maintained a consistent meditation practice for some time understand that the benefits are self-evident, and really need no explanation.

For many of us, though, there is a constant struggle to ‘find’ time in our days to simply sit down and meditate, particularly if we work stressful jobs or long hours.

This, however, is just a mindset.

What we need to begin to see is that meditation is actually more important than our work lives. We know we have to make meditation a priority, we need to convince ourselves why.

What follows here are 6 reasons why meditation is actually more important than your job.

When you reflect on these ideas, you’ll start to understand exactly why a meditative practice should be one of the most important priorities in your life.

1. It makes you happy

A 2014 study by the conference board found that 52% of workers are unhappy at work. Other studies have had similar findings, with a leaning towards more unhappiness amongst the millennial generation. The reality is that most people aren’t actually finding much satisfaction from their work.

If we compare that to studies of long to meditators, we see that those who are happier because of meditation practices are effectively 100%. However, hundreds of short-term studies of 8 to 12 weeks have shown a similar trend.

2. It genuinely improves your social skills

While a job may introduce you to a lot of people, it often won’t truly improve our social skills. This is because it puts us in an unnatural environment (often competitive) in which we stand to lose something if we don’t maintain a particular image.

Meditation reduces (and can completely eliminate) any social anxiety you have, it also improves your ability to empathize and notice subtle social cues, as well as your listening skills, by allowing you to be more engaged in the moment.

3. It makes you a better leader

Most hierarchical jobs will not teach you the skills required to be a good leader unless you are fortunate enough to reach an executive position.

Meditation, on the other hand, will naturally lead you to develop the psychological resilience, detachment from outcome, and decision-making capacities that are necessary for leadership positions.

A number of high profile CEO’s from Richard Branson to Steve Jobs and Mark Echo have highlighted the enormous impact that meditation has had on their businesses.

4. It exercises your brain

One common issue with many jobs is that there are repetitive and not engaging enough.

While most people mistakenly think that you need to find your passion to find fulfillment in your work, the reality is that you just need to find the right degree of challenge. This means something that pushes you, but not enough to cause lasting stress. Unfortunately, most jobs struggle to offer us the right balance, and therefore we either end up bored or stressed.

Meditation not only exercises our brain enough to keep us engaged, it increases our resilience over time, allowing us to enjoy a progressive challenge that – according to the reports of meditators with over 50,000 hours of practice – is essentially limitless.

5. It improves your relationship with money

While a job will provide you money, it won’t fix any unhealthy relationship you have with money. In fact, what it will likely do is make it worse.

It’s natural that the more time you spend invested in a job, the more your brain will become wired to value the rewards of the work. This is why we so often see people who are close to retirement age and unwilling to stop working and let go of income, even though they are a lot more financially comfortable than they were in their 20’s and 30’s.

Conversely, Meditation decreases your attachment to money, and all the stresses and fears that go along with it. Ironically, this may actually result in you increasing your earning potential.

6. It improves your immune system

Whereas most jobs, particularly if they are desk jobs, take from your health – while providing a salary that can cover medical costs – meditation actually improves your health, eliminating the need to go to the doctor in the first place.

There are a number of studies that suggest that mindfulness can help with a variety of health-related factors, one of which is the management of glucose levels and protection against diabetes.

Though we all need to earn an income to keep food on the table, if we begin to see meditation as a real priority in our lives, the benefits we experience can be truly life-changing.

 

Attention Pick the Brain Readers!

Would you like to learn strategies to help you bring mindfulness to work?

Then grab our new FREE eBook:

The Mindful Workplace: 27 Simple Ways to Declutter Your Mind, Defeat Distraction, and Find Your Focus at Work

We’ve found simple mindfulness practices can make a huge difference, and we want you to benefit from them the same way we have!

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Ben is a freelance writer, and the co-creator of Project Monkey Mind – a blog for the 21^st-century worker who wants to take control of their mind, smash through their limitations and lead a life worth living.

 

You’ve read 6 Reasons Meditation Is More Important Than Your Job, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading 5 Important Life Goals You Need To Accomplish Before 30, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

You’ve probably heard your Mom or Dad use the expression -“Youth is wasted on the young.” When you’re young and time seems to drag its feet, a minute feels like an hour and whatever your parents say really doesn’t strike a chord. But once you’re out of college and are settled in that great first job you landed, you come to the realization that there might be something to what they were saying.

Once the thrill of the new job wears off, you begin to realize you spend over eight hours a day doing underpaid work on a job you don’t even love. What happened to all that “me” time you used to have? Those minutes that seemed to last forever now fly by and all you’re left with (if you’re lucky) is a measly four or five hours after work.

It’s time to set some goals. You have to plan your future. This is no time for idling, because what you do in your 20’s can affect a huge part of your future. Not sure where to start or what to do? Here’s a guide to help you live life fully before you turn 30.

1. Pay Off Your College Loan

If you want to enjoy your life and live out your dreams, you need to have money. And the sooner you pay off your student loans and all your other debts you might have incurred, the faster you can use that hard-earned money to enjoy whatever makes you happy.

Most millennials today have trouble being financially independent. And this is because they’re still having a hard time repaying their college loans. According to Mark Kantrowitz, publisher and vice president of Cappex, the average student debt for 2016 records to $37,173, and this is more than 5% high from last year.

Here are some things you can do to easily pay off your college loan:

• Cut the principal down quickly to get lower interest charges. For example, instead of paying around 300$ a month, double it down to $600 if you can afford it.
• Work part time on a job you love and use the money to pay for your student loan.
• Live cheaply and give up a few luxuries during the years you’re paying your debt.
• Work for a company that offers student loan paydown plans.

2. Invest Your Money

Once your debt is paid off, it’s time to think about investing your money. Financial experts believe that during your 20’s is the best time to invest aggressively. This is the phase where you can take huge risks and start building your wealth.

Try learning about investing your savings and how to make your money grow while you sleep. I recommend reading Suze Orman’s The Money Book for the Young, Fabulous & Broke or If You Can : How Millennials Can Get Rich Slowly by William J. Bernstein. With the money you earned from your investments, you could improve your wealth a few years down the line. Here are some tips to help you get started:

• Start saving. If you’re just 22, you probably won’t have enough money to invest in something big. But you have the opportunity to do so. Even if you set aside 10-20% of your income every month, that amount can grow in time.
• Invest in your 401k. Don’t miss this golden opportunity to save for your retirement.
  Invest in yourself. If you haven’t yet – go to college. Take up courses to hone your skills and improve your financial situation.
• Or you can start a business or a money-making blog about things you’re passionate about. Make sure that you consulted experts before setting up your business and you’ve armed yourself with useful tools to manage your blog.

3. Take Steps To Improve Your Health

Now that you’re “adulting”, take a good hard look at your eating and exercising habits. Staying healthy can save you tons of money and you’ll thank yourself when you reach your golden age.

Easier said than done, getting into a healthy routine can be hard for most of us. But it doesn’t have to be. Here are ways to manage a healthful lifestyle:

• Commit to a regular exercise routine so you can maintain a healthy weight. If you’re having a hard time you can start off by simple half hour walks every afternoon or early morning jogs before you get to work.
• Start learning how to cook your own meals. Use more healthy ingredients instead of preservatives.
• Maintain a circle of supportive family and friends. Good emotional health is as much important as physical wellness to your overall well being.

4. Get Serious About Your Love Life

Remember those minutes that seemed to drag on forever? Well, they aren’t now. And, there are several other clocks ticking too. If you’ve neglected your relationship status, or just haven’t had the time to look for a partner, it could be the time you made a serious commitment to being committed. Time flies you know, you don’t want to be that little old lady with a bunch of cats, now do you?

Learn to focus and appreciate the positive aspects of your partner or the guy you’re dating. Practice open-mindedness. Stop being a Negative Nancy and see good in people.
Allow yourself to be vulnerable and to trust your partner. If you want an intimate emotionally connected relationship, you have to open your heart to your special someone.

5. Explore and Live Life Fully

You’ll be surprised at how many people are so busy trying to get ahead that they forget to have fun. It’s important to enjoy your life as you’re trying to build it. Don’t forget to do the things that make you happy. Whether it’s a hobby, a sport, traveling, go out and explore the world and enjoy every minute of it.

Make time for things you love doing every day. Plan your time so you can schedule days for having fun with friends or traveling with your partner. Once you start having kids, it’s going to be hard to find time for yourself.
Whatever goals you have, make sure you set an achievable timetable to them. Being over ambitious and over-reaching will just make you anxious.

You’ve read 5 Important Life Goals You Need To Accomplish Before 30, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading The Truth About Dealing With Your Busy Lifestyle: 9 Healthy Habits You Must Adopt, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Nowadays the tempo of life is speeding up, reaching new records every moment. Many people think that is almost impossible to have healthy habits while coping with their busy lifestyle. To some degree this is true, but, if there is a will, you can transform your active lifestyle into a healthy way of life.

We know the routine – You need to get up early in the morning, prepare the kids, finish some little work you delayed, make lunch for the kids, accompany them to the bus stop and then the working day just starts, meetings here and there. It’s quite a busy lifestyle. We get it.

The good news is that you can still develop healthy habits while dealing with a hectic way of life. We came up with nine natural and extremely healthy habits which won’t allow the busy lifestyle to get on your health’s way.

1. Keep in mind that you need to drink water

Your body is 70% water. Surround yourself with water, literally, do that. Get a bottle in your car and on your office desk. If you are drinking water from a coffee mug, fill it with water after you finish your latte. Make a statement that you will fill your cup three times a day with fresh water.

2. Break out the crock pot

Make it a routine in the morning, throw some meat and seasonings in the pot. When you come home, you will have a ready meal. We know that there isn’t a shortage of crock pot recipes you can find some if you google it.

3. Make extra food for dinner

We do not mean to fill yourself at the dinner over. Just eat the amount you are eating regularly and save the leftovers for tomorrow. They can be handy in the morning when you are in a rush to work. You can just pick up them, and you have lunch.

4. A simple plan is better than no plan at all!

Plan your meals during the day, and you’ll prevent yourself from making unhealthy choices. Only you’ll stick to the plan and eat what’s written there. Remember, if you fail to plan, you probably plan to fail.

5. Be prepared for emergencies!

When it comes to adopting healthy habits, this one is a must. When you are in crisis for food, the emergency snacks are the best option. Have some healthy and delicious meals in reserve, and when the trigger is activated, you’ll have your savior in your hand.

6. The best time for exercising

You must figure out time in the morning and put your exercising there. It can boost your energy plus you can spend the jogging time planning your day. All you need to adopt these healthy habits is to get up a half hour earlier.

7. High-intensity interval training (HIIT)

Did you say a hectic lifestyle? No worries, we have the appropriate workout for you. HIIT. With this kind of exercising, you’ll burn much more calories in a shorter period than the long steady workouts. It’s your choice.

8. Squeeze the gym time

Instead of taking rest days try supersets. This alternative will significantly shorten the time set aside for the gym and also will deliver nearly the same results as HIIT. It’s simply a beneficial habit you should give it a try. Meanwhile, practicing it your heart rate will grow, and that means more calories burned.

9. Don’t be ashamed to ask for help

If you need help with your healthy habits and be more efficient with your workouts seek help from professionals. They will create a personal schedule for you accompanied an eating plan. Next all you need to do is to be consistent, the results will follow after.

This a short list of healthy habits for dealing with a busy lifestyle. The idea is to do more with the time you have. As you can see these tips are easy, just they need to become your habit to enjoy the benefits of them. Nothing comes easy and fast, so stay committed and give yourself credit for the accomplishments by now, but promise yourself that you will engage more and accomplish more. There is always a room for improvement if you eliminate all the excuses like I don’t have time for that… No one will do it for you so do yourself a favor and start living healthy.

You’ve read The Truth About Dealing With Your Busy Lifestyle: 9 Healthy Habits You Must Adopt, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading Why 10AM Is the Most Magical Time to Be Productive as Adults, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Good news, fellow late risers: no need to feel guilty about NOT getting out of bed until 8.30AM. According to an English sleep scientist, it’s ideal to start the day at 10AM for most working adults and even students.

In a 2015 speech for the British science festival, Dr. Paul Kelley noted that working later instead of the usual 8 or 9AM should help boost cognitive performance, battle against sleep deprivation, and enhance productivity. That’s because late mornings are typically in line with our natural circadian rhythms, or the body’s own internal clock.

10AM is in fact, the most magical time of the day to do your toughest cognitive work. Not only is your body temperature warmer, you’re also more fully awake. Think of all the costly mistakes people do because they’re still groggy from sleep (e.g. road accidents, errors on reports, lower exam scores, etc.).

Want to shift into a 10AM schedule? Here are more reasons why it’s the best time to be productive – at anything.

Why 10AM Is the Best Time to Start Work for Adults

Sleep is a complex matter. More than simply plopping yourself on a pillow, this is the time when your body restores itself and analyzes the memories of the day. Thus, getting the required hours is essential for overall health and optimum performance.

It’s long been known that our bodies follow what is known as a circadian rhythm. Think of it as internal biological alarm clock that tells us when to sleep and wake up. For children for example, their wake-up time is usually before 7AM, while adults at around 10AM. But as we age, our sleep patterns reverse. This explains why folks older than 55 feel sleepy before 8PM, but can wake up before 6AM.

Going against your circadian rhythm will affect your mood once you wake up. It’s not really HOW LONG you slept, but more of HOW WELL you did. That’s why most adults struggle to the office even at 9AM. It’s because their bodies are not supposed to be awake yet.

Another issue for setting wake schedules is our current society. We no longer just go home after 5PM. We’re out with friends, investing on hobbies, or networking way into the night. Some have second (or more) jobs they still need to attend to. Then there are family and personal matters to take care of.

With so much going on, a lot of adults today don’t sleep until midnight. It’s no wonder many are feeling irritable at the office by 8 or 9AM. Not only is it hard to be productive around this time, many people also spend the early hours on mundane tasks, such as opening emails.

Caffeine alone is NOT going to be a fix. The best solution to combat fatigue and be productive is to follow your circadian rhythm. For adults, this means starting the day preferably at 10AM.

Do you wake up at 9AM? Then you have at least an hour to have breakfast, exercise, and plan your to-do list. Don’t need to be at work until noon? Use that time to catch up on world news or meditate. Once you reach the office, you’ll feel more alert and ready to tackle any task.

 

Successful People Who Start the Day at 10AM

You may think that all successful people are early risers – but that’s NOT true. Here’s proof that you CAN be productive even at 10AM.

Believe it or not, the likes of statesman Winston Churchill, fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld, and Buzzfeed CEO Jonah Peretti, start their day at 10AM (or much later).

Winston Churchill was known to wake up at around 7.30AM, but didn’t get out of bed until about 11. After having breakfast and reading national news, he’ll be dictating to his secretaries until it was time for a bath (which was usually noon). This odd routine certainly didn’t stop him from becoming Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.

German fashion designer, artist, and photographer Karl Lagerfeld on the other hand, doesn’t get up until he’s had seven solid hours of sleep. So if he sleeps at midnight, he gets up at 7AM. If he sleeps later than that, you can expect that he’d be up once the seven hours are over.

Jonah Peretti likes to sleep in until 8.30AM. Now most people won’t consider this ‘late’, but in terms of business, it is. The Buzzfeed CEO and cofounder of The Huffington Post also has the habit of bringing news with him when he takes the subway to work.

Other popular figures who are late risers include: New Yorker writer and TED speaker Kathryn Schulz, New York City mayor Bill de Blasio, Box CEO Aaron Levie, writer and poet Gertrude Stein, and author J.R.R. Tolkien.

 

Find YOUR Own Magical Time To Be Productive

Are you at your best at 9AM? Or do you prefer to brainstorm with coworkers at 10AM? Not in the mood until 11?

Find your best times to be productive. It’s different for everybody. While 10AM is ideal for most adults, it’s not a fixed rule. Feel free to discover your own rhythm based on your body clock and habits. What matters is that you use the hours in things you truly care about.

 

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Cristina Antonio is the EIC of scoopfed.com and a writer of all things related to world news, movies, real estate, health, or social media. She’s currently focused on helping healthcare workers find better career opportunities through Locum Tenens. Cris also enjoys painting, collecting toys, reading German novels, and lurking the Web.

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You’re reading The 7 Best Blog Posts on Leadership, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Are you a leader or a follower? That question can only be answered if you choose to believe that the two are mutually exclusive. A follower can just as easily become a leader, as leadership resides in your attitude. Leaders have qualities that influence and inspire. Some believe leadership is about control and authority, however, true leadership leads not with demands or expectations, but with discovery, responsibility and potential. One important attribute to emphasize when discussing leadership is failure, many great leaders throughout history faced massive obstacles, yet have persevered, despite it. Leadership begins within you, its effects on others can create positive change by helping one realize their greatness. Here are 7  blogs that are helpful in releasing your own potential leader.

1. “Character is the real foundation of everything worthwhile.” Lolly Daskall’s blog presents the concept of leading from within. To be able to lead others you must lead yourself through change, acknowledgement and taking risks. To lead others you must understand their needs and offer support to develop and cultivate their goals.

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2. This blog offers a path to introspection regarding leadership and growth. Using the mindfulness practice of ‘Mussar’ to find your promise as a leader. He offers us 3 traits that will set us on course: humility, patience and order.

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3. A blog that centers on the necessity for compassion and empathy in leadership values. He rounds up his top ten leadership lessons from his ten years of experience, such a doing the unexpected and avoiding inertia.

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4. In 300 words or less, Dan Rockwell’s blog helps one navigate the terms that apply to leadership and highlights nuanced differences toward recognizing the authentic curiosity of a leader versus a manipulative one.

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5. Ted Bauer’s blog is a very entertaining read, he manages to debunk the concept of ‘thought leaders’ as having anything much of value to add to ideas on leadership. It is refreshing and begs us to travel from the realm of the deliberation of thoughts and into the world of action.

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This blog is interesting in that it challenges the sex role stereotypes that permeate our lives, even in the subtlest of ways, believing that they indeed can inform how we think and act. As a leader, if these stereotypes are in fact always bubbling in our subconscious, can they hinder our success? The only way to eliminate them is to do some regular self-reflection when faced with these stereotypes .

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A blog that helps us see the importance of a great story. Why does this matter for a leader? The answer is simple, no one is likely to resonate with anything that is devoid of emotion. Here we dive into the essence of great storytelling for presentations, etc.

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Leaders must first and foremost persevere. With the conscious effort to maintain long term vision through whatever may hold one back from persisting, leadership can thrive. There is no one right way to lead, still, there is one common trait, that is wanting to empower yourself and others. Leading is not the be all end all, one cannot force someone to do something by just pointing them in the right direction equipped with tools and inspiration, the motivation to act must also be present. Leadership is about sharing knowledge that can benefit others that are open to it, as is exemplified by this popular quote: “You can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink.”

Do you read a great blog about acceptance that’s not on the list? Leave a comment on FB!

Larissa Gomes is a breast cancer survivor and single mom to her spirited baby boy! Originally from Toronto turned Angeleno, she has worked in roles from writer, actor and producer for well over a decade. In that time, she’s developed concepts, film and television screenplays, short stories, along with freelance articles, blogging and editing work.

You’ve read The 7 Best Blog Posts on Leadership, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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You’re reading 4 Tips for Finding a Job that Matches Your Personality, originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

Considering that most of us spend the better part of our adult lives at work, identifying and pursuing a career that matches our individual personality and personal interests is important.

But figuring out what types of jobs will mesh well with our personality type can be easier said than done. Research shows that we tend to be bad at predicting how much we’ll like something in the future, which may account for the fact that so many of us are unhappy in our current careers.

With that said, though, finding the right work environment is possible. So whether you’re changing careers after years in the same profession or are just starting out, here are a few tips for finding a job that matches your personality.

1. Consider your personal values

Although things like salary and opportunities for advancement are important to consider when choosing a career path, you should also consider your personal values and preferences.

For instance, some people may value flexible working hours and the ability to travel. Others might place more importance on having a fixed schedule and making a lot of money.

If you’re not sure what is important to you, a personal values assessment can help you identify your priorities. To do this, find a free work value checklist online and then rate the different intrinsic, extrinsic and lifestyle values on a scale of 1 to 10.

Once you’ve done this, you’ll be able to narrow down the highest scoring values. This will give you a much clearer picture of what your personal values are and what you should be looking for in a job.

2. Take a career personality test

Although you shouldn’t base your career decisions on the outcome of a personality test, the truth is that taking a career quiz will give you a better insight into your professional interests and work style as well as your strengths and weaknesses.

In fact, research shows that more than 60 percent of hiring managers are now using personality tests to screen applicants.

Keep in mind, though, that if you want to get an accurate result and find a job that truly matches your personality, it’s important to answer the questions as honestly as possible rather than providing the sort of answers you think employers would want to see.

3. Are you an introvert or an extrovert?

Although there are as many types of personalities as there are people, the two main personality types are introvert and extrovert. Taking into account whether you are introverted or extroverted will help you find a job and work environment that suits you.

For instance, introverts tend to avoid the spotlight and prefer working on their own or in smaller groups. Extroverts enjoy work environments where they have a chance to interact with lots of different people and be at the center of attention.

Once you know what your personality type is, check out this infographic to learn more about the best careers for both introverts and extroverts.

4. Get input from those around you

Sometimes, the people who are closest to you have a better insight into your personality than you do yourself. They’ve had a chance to observe you in a variety of social situations and can shed light on your strengths as well as areas that might need improvement.

So when narrowing down your job options, try asking some of your closest friends, family members and teachers you trust for advice on what types of jobs they think you’d do well in.

Of course, you shouldn’t make your decision based solely on someone else’s opinion. But getting input from others just might spark an interest in an area you hadn’t previously considered. In fact, research shows that over half first-year undergraduates became interested in a particular career through somebody they knew.

Finally, if you’ve researched which jobs might match your personality type, have taken career quizzes and even talked to your friends and family but still feel unsure, you may want to consider seeking advice from a career counselor.

Career coaches or counselors specialize in helping job seekers understand their strengths and weaknesses, identify their career goals, and develop a realistic plan to get there. So if you feel stuck, a career coach might be just what you need to move forward.

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Marianne Stenger is a writer with Open Colleges. She covers career development, workplace productivity and self-improvement. You can connect with her on Twitter and Google+, or find her latest articles here.

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You’re reading Observations on Fear (and how to manage it), originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’re enjoying this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

A daring person standing on the edge of a glacier. The image captivated me as I browsed through a magazine. He contemplated a chasm of beautiful, but undoubtedly frigid water that stood between him and his destination. Poised on the edge of the ice, there was a sense of wanting, wanting to get beyond the water coupled with reluctance and no idea how to get past the expanse. It struck me that this is fear, the icy chasm we cannot get past, filled with risks invisible below the surface.

I related to the man; as I sat there, my perception of his desire and his adrenaline subtly aligned my body to a faster clock. It felt familiar, like when I see a snake at the zoo or when I want something but cannot muster the courage to ask.

Fear is often the element that stands between the life we have and the life we want—where we are and where we want to go. Like an invisible wall, it holds a line in the sand (or water if you are on a glacier) that prevents us from going forward to reach beyond our current position. We either stand still or make efforts to circumvent our fears. Sometimes we find ourselves on different paths that, though maybe no less fulfilling, are not where we wanted to be.

With some of the great transformational thinkers of our time such as Dr. Brené Brown, Tony Robbins, Dr. Jerald Jampolsky, and many others talking about fear, shame and vulnerability—three elements inextricably tied together—we are able to understand fear and address it in ways we never could before. This information and conversation can help us untie the knot, get to the heart of our personal fears, and then figure out strategies to open ourselves up to greater vulnerability, allowing us to be more connected, less stressed, and happier.

Fear is a battle we fight mostly with ourselves. While events or circumstances may trigger a fear, it is our internal response based on a lifetime of experiences that we must shift to fully embrace the life we want.

Fears are learned, and we all have them. Some are simpler like fear of the dark, perhaps abated with a night light or companionship, but it is the deeper fears, the emotional stops, that really keep us from fully living. They appear and look like something else, visible when we:

• Control others’ behavior to create a safe, predictable outcome, even when the outcome is unhealthy.
• Fail to trust.
• Deny ourselves what we most want e.g., a new career, better relationships, children, new experiences, or education.
• Withhold our feelings, dreams, desires, and our true selves.
• Create unrealistic expectations for ourselves and others.

And the results can be life limiting such as:

• Depression, anxiety, and overall ill health.
• Anger, resentment, or martyrdom.
• Isolation and loss of joy.

Overcoming our fears is a process. There are many tools and paths to achieve a more loving way of being in the world, but the common elements to most paths are:

• Focus on yourself, not other people. Know your story and your triggers. When you know yourself, it is possible to create awareness and strategies that support moving beyond fear. Delving into those with a professional, a friend, spiritual advisor, coach or class can be invaluable.
• Define your core values or beliefs for your life. Evaluate how your behavior and life circumstances fit and what needs to be adjusted.
• Change how you see a situation or how you perceive someone or something. When we practice forgiveness, especially to ourselves, the possibilities in life expand.
• Allow yourself to be vulnerable. Ask for help. Be real. Be honest. Be open.
• Practice empathy and reach out to others. When we look through a lens of love and compassion, we can see each other differently. Recognize that we all struggle, and nurture the ability to sit with others in discomfort and vulnerability without judgment.

I personally am not of the belief we can ever live fear free. After all, it is an inborn response that protects us from dangers in our environment. Following our intuition and responding to the fear signal is important in keeping ourselves safe. Knowing the difference between good fear and limiting fear is the key, and being able to work through the limiting fear is essential to a happy, healthy, well-connected life.

“There are two basic motivating forces: fear and love. When we are afraid, we pull back from life. When we are in love, we open to all that life has to offer with passion, excitement, and acceptance.” John Lennon, musician

SANDRA FISCHER is the creator of Relationship Reveal: 64 Cards for Discovery, Skill-Building, and Growth, a new card game that gets to the heart of what matters in happy, healthy relationships. Sandra consults in communications, people development and optimizing organizational effectiveness with 25 years of experience working for companies including Microsoft, Amazon and AT&T. 

You’ve read Observations on Fear (and how to manage it), originally posted on Pick the Brain | Motivation and Self Improvement. If you’ve enjoyed this, please visit our site for more inspirational articles.

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