Health is not merely the absence of diseases; it is a state of optimal well-being and wholeness. This includes the food you eat, the relationships you build, the jobs you fulfill, and your life experiences.
Aiming for balance in your mind, body, and soul is a good place to start. Below are seven ways to help you begin the process.
#1: AVOID SITTING FOR EXTENDED PERIODS OF TIME
Given our current situation, many Singaporeans are working from home. Try to stand or walk around while you work. Take a few minutes to refresh your mind and body. Sitting for extended periods of time was linked to diabetes and heart diseases.
#2: READ AND LEARN MORE
Learning does not stop once you get out of school. Open your mind to new possibilities by taking online classes, reading books, watching documentaries, and attending workshops. Cultivate a heart that yearns for lifelong learning.
#3: MEDITATE ON A DAILY BASIS
Meditation improves concentration, memory, mood, sleep, and creativity. All it takes is a few minutes per day to start reaping its benefits. You may even ask your friends to partake in a 30-Day Meditation Challenge with you.
#4: EXERCISE REGULARLY
Apart from meditation, regular exercise offers benefits for both your mind and body. A complete fitness plan includes exercises to develop cardiovascular conditioning, strength training, and flexibility. Get at least 15 to 30 minutes of moderate to fast-paced exercises each day.
#5: DISCONNECT FROM TECHNOLOGY
Our society heavily depends on technology such as laptops and smartphones. Our busy lifestyles glued to our devices can cause detrimental effects on our overall health. Which is why people are tapping into the concept of mindfulness. Try unplugging for the weekend. Start by giving yourself an hour of mindfulness (i.e., no devices allowed).
#6: TAKE A RESTFUL SLEEP
Restful sleep is vital to having energy and optimal well-being. Take a restful sleep of about 7 hours per night. When you are well-rested, you can approach stressful situations in a calmer manner.
#7: CREATE LOVING RELATIONSHIPS
Research showed that a good social network has numerous physical and mental health benefits. Social support can keep you from feeling isolated, inadequate, or lonely. Your friends and family can give you advice on how to manage your problems.
On your way to a job interview for a company that you care about, you brought a C.V. that highlights how perfectly you fit in the position you applied for. You are more than qualified for the position, and the team would be lucky to have you. The hiring manager said so himself!
However, you start questioning whether you are capable of the job as you meet the company’s supervisor. Self-doubt can cripple you and hinder your success.
WHAT IS IMPOSTOR SYNDROME?
Impostor Syndrome is the overwhelming feeling that you do not deserve success. You become convinced that you are not talented, attractive, intelligent, or capable as you may seem. You suspect that your achievements are due to luck, good timing, and other external factors.
Particularly in male-dominated environments, impostor syndrome has been thought to affect women more than men. However, recent study showed that it affects both genders equally.
A person with impostor syndrome (impostor) has a sense of being a fraud, a difficulty internalizing his or her success, and a fear of being discovered. Usually, the stressor triggering impostor syndrome involves getting a new opportunity such as a new job or an advanced degree.
“The person who achieved this level of success begins to have negative thoughts that the success was not really earned. These negative thoughts, which are often referred to as ‘cognitive distortions,’ are based on fear and anxiety and not based in objective facts.” – Ms. Cara Maksimow, LCSW
HOW CAN IT AFFECT WORK?
An impostor may procrastinate or put off assignments due to the fear of being unable to complete the necessary ambitious standards. On the other hand, the imposter may over-prepare by spending too much time on the task. If his or her behavior creates a successful outcome, it will be written off as luck or fluke in the system.
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Success can create a cycle of self-doubt for imposters. Even when they achieve important milestones, they are unable to recognize their own achievements. Instead of celebrating these, the impostors are worried that others will discover the “truth” about their abilities. This is an irrational thought.
HOW CAN YOU MANAGE IT?
There are many ways to manage the impostor syndrome. Here are just some of them:
a. Create a list of your strengths and prior accomplishments at work. Refer to this list when you are questioning yourself.
b. Talk to mentors who are more experienced in the field, when you feel like you do not belong in the situation.
c. Set realistic goals. Often, a fear of failure and a need to be the best can lead to overachievement.
d. Acknowledge what you are feeling. Do your best to keep a journal. Whenever you experience feelings of self-doubt or inadequacy, write your thoughts down. Be specific about why you are feeling this way.
e. Handling with Impostor Syndrome takes long-term effort. You need to employ strategies to deal with it at particularly stressful situations. When the negative self-talk takes over your mind, try to confront it by distancing yourself from the “emotional power” of the voice.
Known for its prestige and diversity, the 2020 Summer Olympics is an ongoing international multi-sport event. It is currently being held from 23 July to 8 August in Tokyo, Japan. The Olympic athletes that represent their countries are no strangers to pressure. These athletes spend almost their entire lives to train for their events. Can you imagine their overwhelming emotions moments before the competition with the world watching their every move?
Olympic athletes know that challenges and setbacks are natural parts of life. However, the way we handle stress sets us apart. Physical training and mental toughness are crucial to success. Fortunately for us, mental toughness can be developed over time.
On that note, here are some strategies that you can employ to cultivate the “winning mindset”.
#1: MANAGE YOUR MINDSET
Olympian and Sports Psychologist Nicole Forrester studied how some Olympic athletes achieve their aspirations while others fall short. She observed that differences appear through mental skills training. She describes mental skills as the key to help athletes elevate confidence, manage stress, and block distractions. In fact, mindset was listed as the reason why Canada’s swimmer Penny Oleksiak secured the Olympic gold medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics.
“If you dream and you allow yourself to dream, you can do anything.” – Clara Hughes, one of Canada’s most decorated Olympians
#2: GROW YOUR TALENT
Do not rely on talent alone. Steve Canal, author of The Mind of a Winner, once said: “We all are good at something, but a winning mindset understands that the difference between making it a hobby, or a business is the discipline and work you put behind it.” Growing your talents involve discipline and hard work. You need to pour your attention and efforts to improving and applying the talents that you have.
Consistent top performers do not rely on mere talents. They continuously work on their craft and investigate their weaknesses. Then, they find ways to target and improve these weaknesses.
#3: SEEK MOMENTUM
To become successful, you must be aware of the factors that involve your path. Moreover, you must be willing to pour all your resources to achieve it. You need to create a strong momentum to keep developing a winning mindset.
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This momentum can start by having a great purpose. For instance, a businessman can stay motivated by the idea that achieving a specific goal would help the business flourish.
“This moment is not about me, it’s really for my country, it’s about all my coaches, my friends, my family that believed that when I was a six-year-old kid that I could do it.” – Joseph Schooling, Singaporean swimmer & Olympic athlete
#4: TAKE ACTION
No matter how strongly you envision something, you cannot think your way to success. You must act! Many business leaders spend their time analyzing their next move that they become risk-adverse and stagnant. As a result, these people can miss out opportunities to learn from their mistakes. Innovation and upgrades are necessary to keep up with the contemporary world.
Pushing yourself beyond your perceived limitations will help you become a better (tougher) version of yourself. After all, most winners take risks and step out of their comfort zones.
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Remember that winning mindsets are not innate. They are developed!
Ministry of Education announced that lower primary and lower secondary students will continue with home-based learning (HBL) after June holidays. These arrangements were made to “ease into full resumption of school” when Term 3 starts on June 28.
Studying from home can be challenging! All of us have study habits that we would like to break and others that we would like to develop. People often blame these unpleasant habits to laziness or unhealthy personality. However, Behaviorism dictates that we can learn and unlearn these habits.
Effectively reinforcing a positive behavior and not rewarding a negative one can help change various areas in one’s life. With this principle in mind, here are 4 things that you can do create better study habits at home.
#1: SET YOUR STUDY GOALS
It is not enough to say that you want to study more! You must set quantifiable and realistic goals to meet your objectives for the day. Setting your study goals includes two things – identifying your goals and knowing which resources you will need.
For instance, you want to study for 3 hours daily (i.e., quantifiable and realistic). You successfully meet this study goal by utilizing a conducive study space and by having school supplies on-hand.
#2: TAKE ACTION
After clearly setting your goals, you must bravely take your first attempt. If it is too much to drastically start with 3 hours of study time per day, you can start with at least 45 minutes daily. Gradually increase your study time as the weeks pass by.
Having a physical boundary between your study area and your relaxation area could be very helpful. This can also help you to contain your academic stress within the study space. Furthermore, you can stay focused when studying from home by following a routine. Establishing a routine will provide more structure to your life and more cues to your brain.
#3: MONITOR YOUR PROGRESS
Monitoring your progress includes tracking your milestones and altering your goals based on your evaluation of the current situation. To illustrate this, you can have a study log to record your study time and daily assignments.
You can also analyze the factors that hinder you from studying, such as distractions from external noises or social media. Then, add another goal that is fit to counteract these distractions such turning your handphone off for 3 hours. Use this time to take down notes during your online classes.
#4: REWARD YOURSELF
Positive reinforcement such as entertaining or monetary compensation can increase the repetition of the desired behavior. Therefore, different companies use positive reinforcement to attract you into purchasing more of their products.
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You must figure out a well-deserved reward for successfully studying during the allotted amount of time. You can indulge in your favorite dessert, have a relaxing bath, or call your friends via Zoom. For optimum results, keep the reward scheme consistent each time you reach a study goal.
In these uncertain times, waking up and going to work is an achievement on its own. We have gone through a lot and we continue to adapt to our dynamic environment. Much like your personal life, your professional life is a work in progress.
When you start a job, it is all new and exciting. Do not get me started with the honeymoon phase! As time passes by, the job that once seemed so flawless may lose its luster. You may become complacent or disinterested without even noticing it. Before you call it quits, give yourself the opportunity to reconnect with your current job.
#1: FIND THE ROOT OF THE PROBLEM
If you find it challenging to drag yourself out of the bed for work every morning, the first step is to admit that your motivation to go to work is slowly dwindling. You are not as passionate as you used to be. Similarly, you may want to know the root cause of having unpleasant days at work. That said, this is nothing to be ashamed of! There are many factors that can affect your feelings such as the significant changes brought by the COVID-19 restrictions.
Instead of lamenting over it on your Twitter or Facebook feed, sit down and reflect. What are the possible causes of the issues you have at work? You must first examine the things contributing to what you are feeling in order to change for the better. Once the root of the problem is clear, you can start making small changes in your personal workspace and within yourself.
#2: PERSONALIZE YOUR WORKSPACE
Whether you are staying on a partially enclosed office workspace (i.e., a cubicle) or sitting in your home office, filling your workspace with special items can help boost your mood. Gather your favorite souvenirs, your favorite family photographs, your favorite indoor plants, or anything that sparks joy into your life. In those moments when you are feeling down and frustrated, being surrounded by things you love can help lift your spirits.
Do your best to make your personal workspace comfortable. If permitted, you may even collaborate with your colleagues to decorate the communal areas of your office. Fill it with items that everyone enjoys.
#3: LEARN NEW THINGS
Learning does not stop in school! You can broaden your knowledge and skills to ignite the curiosity from within. Sometimes, people feel frustrated at work because they lack certain skills that are necessary to succeed. On the other hand, you may be well-versed at your current job and still lack the knowledge to take on a desired new role. Not knowing how to approach an obstacle at work can affect your motivation levels.
The best way to tackle this roadblock is to invest in continuing education and to update your skills. Talk to your boss about the available trainings or certifications that will benefit you and the organization. Does the company offer in-house training? If not, you can search for online training programs that interest you. Look for online courses, in-person workshops, international conferences, and other training programs.
#4: PRACTICE GRATITUDE
One of the profound ways to reframe your relationship with your work is to identify all the good things about it. Practicing gratitude may seem hard at first, because you must see through the unpleasant circumstance and recognize the positivity. However, you have to realize that what you focus on – grows.
The good things are there, you just have to keep digging deep. For example, you appreciate your respectful supervisor, or you simply value the paycheck that keeps a roof over your head. What made you fall in love with the position in the first place? Go back to that moment. Writing down all the positive aspects of your job can remind you that these things exist. Use its positive energy to keep you going.
#5: MIX THINGS UP
“Habits can save us time, but they can also make us feel stagnant,” said Helen Godfrey of The Authentic Path.
Thinking outside the box or doing things beyond your usual routine can help you approach the day in a different light. If you always eat lunch in the same place, consider ordering food from a different store. If you rarely leave your desk, try taking a 5-minute exercise break. Approach tasks through new lenses to help you shake things up. Perhaps, a little variety or a change in perspective is what you need to refresh your relationship with work.
#6: TALK TO SOMEONE YOU TRUST
As we search for the elusive “perfect job”, we often lose sight of the good things in our current position. It is easy to get stuck in a loop of negativity and internalize frustrations during difficult times. Acknowledging that frustration exists can prevent it from being bottled up. Talking to someone who understands where you are coming from can help.
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You can approach a mentor, a peer, a friend, a family member, or significant other. Your trusted confidant can offer a different perspective or a shoulder to lean on. It helps to pause and reflect.
Anna Agoncillo
