04 August 2016

Use the AIM Method to Take Control of Your Happiness

https://lifehacker.com/use-the-aim-method-to-take-control-of-your-happiness-1784614093

The AIM method is designed less to help you achieve something that will make you happy, and more to help you learn how to be happy no matter what.

Attention: Where you focus your attention is where your emotional energy goes. If you’re constantly seeking out things that stress you out - like hate-reading bad reviews for a movie you like or negatives news stories about a person you can’t stand - then you’ll train yourself to be unhappy. Instead, spend your time and attention on the things that make you happy.

Interpretation: Contrary to how we think, most things are really up for interpretation. Maybe your partner left the dishes out because they don’t value you enough to care, or maybe they just forgot. You can’t choose what happens, but you can choose your interpretations.

Memory: You can also choose which memories you focus on most. Many unhappy people choose to relive the bad memories over and over, constantly thinking about what they’d say to the person that hurt them or relishing how bad their life is now. If you want to be happy instead, focus on the positive memories you have and let the bad ones go.

01 August 2016

Five Ways to Optimise Your Workspace for Productivity

https://lifehacker.com/five-ways-to-optimize-your-workspace-for-productivity-1784310012

Kill the Clutter Before It Kills You
That’s exactly what neuroscientists at Princeton University found when they looked at people’s task performance in an organized versus disorganized environment. The results of the study showed that physical clutter in your surroundings competes for your attention, resulting in decreased performance and increased stress.

Find Places That Inspire You
... look for a spot with natural light from a window or skylight, take a walk outside when you feel stuck, or simply explore a new location.

Use Different Places for Different Places of Mind
If you can set up multiple workspaces for different tasks you’ll also be able to force your mind into a certain flow, just by physically being somewhere.

Set Yourself Up for Success
We may think we have the willpower and control to push through harder tasks, but deep down we’re all lazy. But it’s not entirely our fault. Our brains have been taught to conserve energy at all costs and make subconscious decisions for us based entirely on how hard or easy it is. So if you want to create a workspace that’s productive, focus on making it easier to do the things you want to do, and harder to do the tasks you don’t.

Curate Your Senses
Beyond the physical layout and mental associations of your space, there are some auxiliary things you can also control. The sounds around you and the music you listen to can have a huge impact on your productivity. Studies show that of all things, intermittent speech—hearing small snippets of conversation, can have an incredibly negative impact on your ability to concentrate.