Hows the Serenity
“Ask yourself, ‘Am I trying to do my best or be perfect?’” says Rich Fettke, author of Extreme Success. “Excellence is a great quality; perfectionism is dangerous.” Don’t fall into the trap of wanting every little thing to be “just so”.
For many, problems of the day can linger in the brain at night. Rachel Manber, insomnia expert from Stanford University, US, advises patients to schedule “worry time” well before they go to bed so they can set priorities. Stay focused when you’re doing it – multi-tasking during worry time is forbidden!
A survey by health insurer MBF found the average Aussie adult slept for less than seven hours a night, below the recommended eight hours that you need to stay healthy. And sleep deprivation can turn small issues into gargantuan problems. A study by Harvard University, US, found that people who snoozed for up to an hour in the early arvo performed much better on tests than those who didn’t nap.
Researchers at the University of Northumbria, UK, studied people munching gum and found chewing improves short- and long-term memory by up to 35 per cent. This may be because it triggers the brain’s uptake of blood sugar, and increases oxygen flow.
Open your blinds as soon as you wake and, if you work in an office, get outside a couple of times a day – natural light boosts serotonin levels. A study by the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory found workers were more productive and satisfied with their work when exposed to natural light.
Concentrate on what it is that you want – not what you want to escape from
Editorial content courtesy of Women's Health