4 Breathing Exercises Scientifically Proven to Calm Anxiety, Fight Stress, and Help You Focus 60 seconds is all you’ll need.

4 Breathing Exercises Scientifically Proven to Calm Anxiety, Fight Stress, and Help You Focus 60 seconds is all you’ll need.

What’s one simple thing you can do anytime, anywhere that is scientifically proven to reduce your stress level, improve your mood, and make it easier for you to concentrate? A breathing exercise. Scientists have shown that by slowing and controlling your breath, and in particular, making your exhalations longer than your inhalations, you can automatically slow your heartbeat. And doing a breathing exercise for 60 seconds is long enough to achieve these benefits. Source: Inc Health.com recently put together a list of nine breathing techniques for reducing anxiety. I’ve tried most of them myself, among many others. Any of them should create a feeling of calm and clear your mind to help you tackle […]

A company replaced all of its managers with coaches. Employees became 20% more productive–and much happier

A company replaced all of its managers with coaches. Employees became 20% more productive–and much happier

There’s a crisis developing in workplaces everywhere. According to an annual survey by Gallup, employee engagement dropped to a seven-year low in 2022. Only a third of workers reported feeling engaged at work, while almost a fifth (18%) described themselves as “actively disengaged.” Source: Forbes Gallup’s measure of engagement is made up of several elements, which employees are asked to rate. Those that have declined the most include: clarity of expectations, opportunities to learn and grow, connection to the purpose of the company, opportunities to do what employees do best, and feeling cared about at work. Employee engagement began to fall in 2021, the same year the “great resignation” was coined as […]

A Neurologist’s Secret Weapon for Keeping Your Memory Sharp as You Age: Novels

A Neurologist’s Secret Weapon for Keeping Your Memory Sharp as You Age: Novels

Reading fiction doesn’t just boost emotional intelligence, concentration, and critical thinking. It also helps prevent memory loss. If you’re a busy entrepreneur, sitting down with a novel might seem like nothing more than a light and enjoyable way to unwind. But science suggests fiction offers our brains a lot more than just distraction and stress relief. Source: Inc Research suggests that deep, concentrated reading–the kind we do when we sink deeply into a great novel–builds key mental skills like focus and empathy as well as the ability to sift through complicated information and analyze conflicting arguments. Reading doesn’t just fill our brains with images and ideas. It actually rewires how we think about them. All of which adds up […]

4 Clear Signs That You May Be Smarter Than You Think

4 Clear Signs That You May Be Smarter Than You Think

True intelligence extends beyond the acquisition of knowledge. Conventional wisdom may point to smart people with advanced cognition, creativity, or high IQ. Still, if you ever wondered whether you belong with the brainy bunch, these four signs may confirm what you already know. For others, it may be a pleasant surprise that you are, indeed, smarter than the average bear. Source: Inc 1. You’re highly curious Harvard Business Review reports that people with a higher curiosity quotient (CQ) are more inquisitive and generate more original ideas, and that this thinking style leads to higher levels of knowledge acquisition over time. CQ, the author states, “is the ultimate tool to produce simple solutions for complex problems.” Now imagine a corporate […]

TOP 10 DESK ACCESSORIES TO CREATE A DESK SETUP THAT SUPPORTS + ELEVATES YOUR DAILY PRODUCTIVITY

TOP 10 DESK ACCESSORIES TO CREATE A DESK SETUP THAT SUPPORTS + ELEVATES YOUR DAILY PRODUCTIVITY

Whether you’re working from home, or in a corporate office, the one thing that’s pretty much consistent in both these scenarios is a desk! A desk is probably one of the most important pieces of furniture in our modern lives, only because we spend the majority of our day on it. You may be typing away to glory, munching away on a snack, or simply fidgeting with a random object – you do end up spending hours on your desk. And hence, it’s really important that your desk be neat, tidy, and uncluttered. Not only will this improve your work routine and productivity, but it will also help you maintain […]

5 Best Exercises To Maintain Lower-Body Strength as You Age

5 Best Exercises To Maintain Lower-Body Strength as You Age

These moves will keep your lower body strong and powerful.As you grow older, preserving strength in your lower body becomes more important than ever. To help us learn more about the top-recommended exercises for lower-body strength as you age, we spoke to Tonal coach Tanysha Renee.When it comes to lower-body strength, Renee explains, “Evidence has linked leg strength with longevity … One thing to note is that it’s not simply the mass of a person’s leg but, specifically, how strong the muscles are that lend to a longer lifespan.” Source: Eat This, Not That! According to Harvard Health Publishing, if you don’t incorporate strength training into your exercise routine, you can lose anywhere from four […]

Mindfulness Vs. Meditation: What’s The Difference?

Mindfulness Vs. Meditation: What’s The Difference?

Meditation and mindfulness are popular techniques used to boost mental health and clarity. Even better, science backs them as viable therapies for various mental wellness concerns including anxiety, stress and depression. The two concepts are often conflated, but while they are similar, mindfulness and meditation are practiced differently and can have varying functions. Learn more about how they differ, how they can benefit you and how to start your own mindfulness or meditation routine. Source: Forbes What Is Mindfulness and Meditation? Mindfulness and meditation are similar and linked; mindfulness is sometimes referred to as a type of meditation, and vice versa. The exercises “work hand in hand,” says Peter Brooks, […]

The 80/20 Principle and How It Can Change Your Life

The 80/20 Principle and How It Can Change Your Life

In 1906 there was an Italian economist named Vilfredo Pareto. One day, strolling through his garden, Pareto noticed that every year, 20% of the pea plants in his garden produced approximately 80% of the peas. This got him thinking about economic output on a larger scale. Sure enough, he began to find that in various industries, societies and even companies, 80% of the production often came from the 20% most productive portion. This became known as the Pareto Principle, or what is now often referred to as the 80/20 Principle. Source: Mark Manson The 80/20 Principle states that 80% of the output or results will come from 20% of the […]

5 Morning Habits That Will Make You Super Productive All Day

5 Morning Habits That Will Make You Super Productive All Day

If waking up at 4 a.m. isn’t for you, there are other ways to set yourself up for a fast start. Source: Inc. Would you like to get a jump start on your day and keep yourself in a high state of productivity all day, every day? Before you start your work routine at your normal earthly time, consider this: many of the world’s most successful founders and CEOs (think Apple’s Tim Cook) have an edge because they’re starting their day at a time when the rest of us are still asleep. How early are we talking? As I covered here, 4 a.m. may be the most productive time of the day, because there are minimal distractions before […]

Work Damages Your Brain Health, But 4 Strategies Can Improve It, Study Finds

Work Damages Your Brain Health, But 4 Strategies Can Improve It, Study Finds

Your brain health is just as important as the health of other parts of your body. We know that professional football players and boxers suffer brain damage from constant punches to the head. But research also shows that work stress causes structural changes in the brain circuitry that can cause long-term harm on the nervous system. Chronic job stress such as an abusive boss, sexual harassment, a bully coworker or a work culture that thrives on crisis, chaos and pressure are examples of stress that can cause atrophy of the brain mass and decrease in brain weight. Source: Forbes The 2022 Brain Health Report It’s a no-brainer that most people, whether they […]