5 Tips from the experts to help you end the year strong
The year is fast coming to an end.
You’re tired.
I’m tired.
We’re all dreaming of a summer holiday.?
But we all have so much left to do.
Don’t worry, I’m here to help. I’ve collated some of my favourite bits of advice, from the Macquarie University Academics, to help you stay productive and motivated.
They’re the experts, so read on??
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1.???? Make sure you’re getting proper sleep
Yes, even if you're busy.
Sleep is one of the three pillars of health (diet and exercise are the other two), but it seems to be the one that gets the least attention. There are links between lack of sleep and whole raft of problems including poor memory and cognitive decline.?
The good news is though, we can all learn good sleeping habits.
Associate Professor Christopher Gordon from the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research , Australia’s leading sleep research centre, has these tips to help you get a better night’s sleep:
?? Designate the bedroom for sleeping only
?? Avoid stimulating activities like eating, exercise etc before bed
?? Avoid bright lights before bed. That means no phones
?? Set the mood, make your room dark and set the right temperature
?? Additional tips in the link at the end
2. Watch what you eat?
If you’re anything like me, you’ll be going out more than normal as you celebrate the end of the year. Or maybe, in the mad rush to get things done you’ve got less time to cook, meaning you’re looking to Uber Eats for tonight’s dinner.
But that doesn’t mean you can’t still make healthy choices, at least some of the time.?
Dietitian, Valentina Duong , from our the MQ Health Healthy Weight Clinic suggests you still allow yourself the occasional treat but encourages us to limit our portion sizes.
“A good rule of thumb for any meal is to have a balanced plate: half vegetables, a quarter lean protein and a quarter carbohydrates,” Valentina Duong.?
??If you’re ordering take away after a long week, Valentina has given a full list of what to order for Mexican, Japanese, Lebanese, Indian, Italian, Thai, Vietnamese, even the local Fish and Chip Shop (??Check it out at the end, reference link #2).
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3. If you really need to get it done, put some music on
Whether you’re working from home or in a busy office, there are going to be distractions.
Plugging your favourite Spotify playlist into your headphones can be a great solution. Listening to quiet music can mask the sources of distractions and replace it with a predictable and enjoyable source of simulation.
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“People experience background music in a similar way to soft lighting – it can be relaxing and help you focus on your primary task without significant distraction,” Dr Kirk Olsen , Music psychologist
??It also gives people in your office (even your home) a clear message that you don’t want to be disturbed.?
Now this won’t work in every scenario, but you’ve got nothing to lose by trying it do you?
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4. Ditch the car and jump on the train
In your rush, are you forgetting to make ‘me’ time?
‘Me time’ is that time where you can lose yourself in your own thoughts and let your mind wander. We need this time, because it can be the time when we solve some of our biggest problems.
We’re giving our minds the opportunity to come up with a solution. ??
??Ask yourself, when was the last time I just sat there and daydreamed, not looking at my phone, watching TV or listening to a Zoom .
“Letting that mindless drift occur can spark creativity and it’s an unexpected benefit of the commute as it is probably the only time in the day when we can let ourselves drift off,” Rebecca Mitchell , Management Expert from Macquarie Business School.
So, look out the window as you head home for the day. You’ve got permission from an expert.
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5. Plan some no phone time
Toxic positivity, insincere positivity, or an overly positive bias, can kill creativity and empathy and even encourage feelings that being sad is not ok.
And often, that’s what we expose ourselves to when we log onto our favourite social media apps.
We see Instagram influencers without a worry in the world as they holiday around the world; LinkedIn connections sharing how they overcame life’s biggest challenges all by smiling more and waking up at 5am everyday; and Facebook friends celebrating how easy it is for them to be a parent and work full-time.
“Social media can be a breeding ground for toxic positivity, because the unrealistic depictions of picture-perfect lives can leave us feeling like we need to be happy all the time,” Professor Jennie Hudson, from Macquarie's Department of Psychology.?
??So, this summer consider setting up a daily limit on your social media time, or even planning a day where you don’t check it at all.
And that's it, five tips from 澳大利亚麦考瑞大学 experts on how you can stay productive and motivated as we end the year.
The thing that stood out for me was none of these five things are that difficult to implement. In fact, most of them you could start doing today.
So, as the year comes to a close, make sure you're looking after yourself so you can enjoy your summer holiday and not need to use the time to recover.
Did any of these tips stand out to you? Let me know in the comments??
References:
?????Trusted IT Solutions Consultant | Technology | Science | Life | Author, Tech Topics | My goal is to give, teach & share what I can. Featured on InformationWorth | Upwork | ITAdvice.io | Salarship.Com
9 个月Benjamin, thanks for sharing!
Provisional Psychologist @ La Trobe University
1 年Brilliant tips :)
Communications Partner at Macquarie University
1 年Great piece, Ben!
Marketing Communications | Amplifying voices in Education
1 年Do you read LinkedIn articles? I'd love to hear what LinkedIn features you're using when you log in.