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Why Awe Walking is Good for Your Mental Health

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This article explains how to Awe Walk, and why everybody should take time to do it. 

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The benefits of Awe Walking are unlimited! 

What is Awe-Walking? 

Awe-Walking is not your typical stroll around the block. This type of walking focuses on appreciating your surroundings using mindfulness. It’s done to reach a ‘state of awe’.  

The awe state is thought to be a sensation of humbleness. It’s the feeling that you are part of something bigger as you open your mind to the world around you. Like when you stand on a sandy beach, feeling that you are a spec of sand in the vastness of the universe. Or standing on top of a tall building and seeing the night lit up by a city. 

This state of mind, feeling you are in the presence of something bigger, detracts you from your own life. Everyday stresses, work, commitments and responsibilities feel dwarfed for a while.  

Awe Walking is essentially experiencing places and feelings fully. Often, places that make you stand back in appreciation. So something a bit more interesting than the local park! Alternatively, awe walking can give you a newfound appreciation for places you love already. 

How to Awe Walk 

Awe walking is a meditative practice. So, it can ground you, distract you from your worries and make you feel more alive.  

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You can Awe Walk anywhere – it’s a state of mind. But try somewhere beautiful first! 

  • The first stage of Awe Walking is to get into the zone. Switch your phone off, be fully immersed with the moment, the sights and sounds.  
  • Once you have found a state of mind that allows you to be in the moment, focus on your breathing. Breath in for 6 and out for 6 as you prepare to start your walk. Keep an open mind. Continue to use this breathing pattern as you venture on. 
  • Throughout this walk, you will combine breathing with focus, taking in everything around you. Feel the air in your lungs, the smells and sights – big and small. Focus on shapes, colours, patterns.  

Here is a step-to-step guide on exactly how to Awe Walk, to get the most of out the experience: How to Awe Walk. 

The Complicated Bond Between Humans and Nature 

What is your relationship to the earth? Do you feel the urge to see new places, or are you more comfortable staying put? 

What do you do to connect to the earth? 

The current state of the world can make it difficult to feel connected to nature sometimes. And being in nature might sometimes feel like a reminder of the bad that is happening. Like an internal battle of knowing things need to change and feeling out of control. 

Technology has made it easier to see the world’s wonders on screens from our homes. But it’s just not the same! You can’t reap the rewards of being in nature through a screen. It’s a real issue for younger generations, who have been born into this online world.  

New generations may never truly understand what beauty has been lost already. Older generations have witnessed the earth’s decline – species dying, changes in weather etc. Some may even be afraid of nature in all its power. But really, we just need to appreciate it and look after it more. 

The truth is, the more we spend time in nature, and remember its value, the more we care and want to protect it. Being in nature soothes and nurtures us. It is humanity’s free remedy – to escape the stress and feel grounded.  

Why Awe Walking is Effective  

Turning your walks into Awe Walks helps you to notice the beauty in everyday life. Regularly taking time out of your week to do this has many health benefits. It can reduce stress and inflammation, boost creativity and open your mind. You can try awe walking with friends and family as a social event too! 

UCSF researchers conducted a study to assess the power of Awe-Walking. They asked 52 older adults to take a weekly stroll. Some were told to seek out physical vastness and novelty (Awe Walking). The others were told to take a regular walk. The ones who went Awe-Walking reported significant increases in compassion and gratitude. Also, their sense of wonder and appreciation for the outside world grew, among other benefits. 

This research is an example of how Awe-Walking can broaden the mind, heighten the senses and generally lift spirits.  

To Conclude… 

Walking in general has many health benefits. But Awe Walking takes it to the next level. Take fifteen minutes out of your week to try it out! It’s always good to get out of the house and explore the world – it has a lot to offer! 

For more help nurturing your personal growth, contact us at Ceed today! 

Why Being Spontaneous Can Make You Happier

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Be Spontaneous 

Spontaneity can have enormous payoffs for mental health and wellbeing. It can make you feel happier and more creative – it can even rewire our brains. 

When was the last time you ditched your plans and did something completely spontaneous? 

With our overfilled diaries and online planners, our lives are often packed to the brim, leaving little or no time for a sudden whim. But, although routines can help us get through everyday tasks, like cleaning our teeth, filling every single moment with planned activity can badly affect us. 

We often pack our schedules so full that we leave little room for unplanned actions, but doing so means you may be missing out on moments of joy.  

Read Now: 4 Mindful Ways to Help You Live in the Moment 

Wake up feeling happier!

The Benefits of Being Spontaneous 

Being open to spontaneous events and allowing our mind time to reflect on things, rather than rushing from one planned activity to the next, can benefit our emotional health. 

Keep Your Life Fresh 

Spontaneous people are always up to try something new. They’ll spice up the day any way they can. It could be as simple as ordering something new from a local restaurant for lunch. Because they’re always trying something new, spontaneous people never get bored and stay fresh. 

Be More Flexible 

Be ready to try and do something new. And if plans change, adapt to them. Spontaneous people don’t feel tied down to one goal and will be more than happy to accommodate a contingency, as long as it leads to an exciting adventure.  

This “go with the flow” attitude helps them avoid conflict and confrontation. Instead, they can ride the wave of excitement that continuously exists within their life. 

Be More Creative 

Spontaneous people aren’t constantly thinking about their next move – they do whatever comes to mind. This mindset means that they don’t set boundaries for what they can accomplish, and they can be more creative.  

Unlock your creativity today! 

Read Now: How to Better Your Mental Health by Getting Creative 

Less Stress 

People that are spontaneous tend to not stress out over much. They understand that life goes on, whether it goes as planned or not. And, of course, when life gets stressful, as it does every so often, spontaneous people know how to shake things up to relieve the stress and get over the hurdle they’re currently facing. 

Read Now: 4 Effective Ways to Clear Your Mind of Stress 

Be Happier 

Spontaneous people have a mindset that allows them always to see the bright side of things which optimises their ability to maintain a positive outlook on life, making them happier. 

How To Be More Spontaneous 

Becoming a more spontaneous person is certainly not easy, so here are simple things that you can do to live a more spontaneous life. Hopefully, these steps will encourage you to do something more when you’re finally ready to. 

Shake Up Your Routine 

It doesn’t have to be something drastic. You could start with something simple, like going somewhere else for your morning coffee or taking a new route home from work. 

When you do something different, you open your eyes and mind up to new possibilities. You’ll then feel more inclined and less afraid to try new things.  

Do Something New Everyday 

Whether placing a different order when you’re out at your favourite café, or putting on that shirt that you never had any confidence to wear, you need to break out of your comfort zone. There’s no need to plan for it; go with the flow. When the opportunity presents itself, don’t hesitate and do it. 

Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone!

 

Do What You Want 

Forget the rules, and do whatever makes you happy. Life is for living, so live it loud and proud. Focus on what makes you happy, and incorporate it into your life as much as possible. don’t get stuck doing things that don’t work for you just because it’s become your routine. Just be sure you don’t hurt yourself or anyone else. 

Start Saying Yes 

Whether it’s an invite to a party where you don’t know many people, an invitation to have drinks with co-workers you’re not very close with, take a risk and say yes. Something as simple as this can make a big difference to your day-to-day lifestyle. Once you start saying yes, you will notice more great opportunities arising that you otherwise might have rejected.

Stop Doubting Yourself 

The more you feel like you can’t do things, the more likely you won’t. When you psych yourself out to try something new that you’re uncomfortable with, you’ll likely break out of your monotonous routine. Spice up your life by telling yourself that you can do it, and you will. 

Read Now: How to Overcome Fear of Failure 

Turn Off Your Gadgets 

When you don’t have any distractions in the way, you will be more willing to get up and get something done. Taking a break from your phone or computer can force you into new situations that are likely to be more rewarding.

Speak To a Stranger 

More often than not, we tend to retreat into our comfort zone when we’re in unfamiliar territory and faced with unfamiliar faces. Don’t hesitate to speak to a stranger. You’ll be surprised at what you may gain.    

Your life is meant to be lived and not wasted doing things that bring you no joy. Despite your responsibilities, there’s no reason why you can’t inject some spontaneity into your life to make it that much more worthwhile.  

For further advice from our professional lifestyle coaches, contact us at Ceed today!  

Burnout: What is it and How to Avoid it

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It’s easy to feel stress in our daily lives, whether it’s from work, school, or relationships. But when that stress becomes unrelenting, you might be suffering from burnout instead. 

What is Burnout? 

Burnout is the combination of emotional, physical and mental exhaustion, often caused by prolonged stress. It’s particularly common in the workplace when employees are overworked and don’t have time to relax. Burnout can reduce productivity and decrease energy, and create a complete lack of motivation. Signs of burnout include: 

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  • Anxiety 
  • Fatigue 
  • Lack of commitment 
  • Low mood 
  • Headaches 
  • Difficulty concentrating 
  • Cynical outlook 

Read Now: How to Regain Your Lost Motivation  

Burnout or Stress? 

Whilst there are some similarities, burnout is not the same as just being stressed. Stress comes when you are still trying to cope with all your responsibilities; burnout hits when you have given up. Burnout is a more gradual process, which makes it harder to control. 

Burnout can make you feel hopeless.

Stress often feels like a state of panic, when you feel you don’t have enough time to get everything done. By the time burnout hits, you might feel like giving up on your responsibilities, as they begin to feel unachievable.  

Burnout can be caused by lots of different things, but it is usually a combination of factors, including: 

  • Taking on too many responsibilities 
  • Lack of recognition for hard work 
  • Overly demanding expectations 
  • Feeling like you have no control  
  • Not having time for socialising or relaxing  
  • Not getting enough sleep. 

Read Now: 4 Effective Ways to Clear Your Mind of Stress 

How to Avoid Burnout 

The best way to tackle burnout is to notice the signs before it becomes overwhelming. If you can work to prevent burnout before it hits, it will be much easier to manage daily stress. There are lots of different things you can do to prevent reaching burnout. 

Find the Source 

The easiest way to prevent burnout is to figure out what specifically is causing it. It’s different for everyone, so take time to evaluate your stressors, and see what often leads you to becoming burnt out.  

Finding what causes your burnout is the best way to stop it!

Once you know where the source is, it becomes a lot easier to create simple day-to-day changes. If you know where to look, you can prevent burnout and manage stress. This gives you space to set boundaries and identify areas in your life that can be improved.  

Organise Your Priorities  

If you don’t organise your priorities, you can easily end up spending too much time on less important tasks, and falling behind on the important things. Take time to assess where you should be putting your energy – you want to use it in the most efficient way possible.  

Don’t be afraid to set boundaries either. If you know your workload is too much for you, delegate tasks to someone else or ask for extensions. Becoming overwhelmed by your priorities is an easy way to end up burnt out. Prioritising the important stuff doesn’t mean you are lazy; it means you have a stronger understanding of your abilities.   

Read Now: 5 Essential Habits to Help You Stay Organised  

Ask for Help 

Tackling burnout alone can make your problems feel impossible to solve. Talking to others can help to ease the pressure you might be feeling, as it’s likely they’ve experienced something similar before. Co-workers can help you to pick up parts of your work that you don’t think you can complete, whilst friends and family can listen to and validate your concerns.  

Don’t be afraid to ask others for help.

Like the team at Ceed, life coaches can help you find the best ways of managing your workload to avoid burnout in the future. Different techniques work for different people, so it’s important to find what is best for you.  

Exercise Regularly 

Exercising on a frequent basis can help to improve your mood and boost productivity. It helps you to get better sleep, which in turn sets you up to have more energy for the working day. This can decrease emotional exhaustion, psychological distress and perceived stress.  

Exercising outside can help to boost your mood!

Even exercise like taking a short walk in your lunch break can help to relax your mind and get your blood flowing. Especially if you have a job where you are sitting in the same spot all day, it is easy to get overwhelmed and discouraged. Exercising can improve your wellbeing, and in turn, fights off burnout. 

Read Now: How Exercise Improves Productivity at Work  

To Sum Up… 

Dealing with burnout can be difficult, especially when it sneaks up on you. The best way to deal with it is to prevent it. Following these simple ideas will make it easier to avoid reaching a state of burnout, and can help improve your day-to-day stresses.  

If you want further help on how to tackle burnout, contact the team at Ceed today! We can provide lifestyle coaching experts to help you grow.  

How to Improve Your Productivity with Neuroplasticity

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Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to adapt, rewire and change shape with new experiences.  

At any age, the way the brain works can totally transform. We can become more optimistic, joyful, productive and better at learning without ever returning to our ‘old ways’.  

Find more productive habits with neuroplasticity!

With the myth that we use 10% of our brains debunked, we now know that our entire brains are neural real estate, forming and strengthening different neural pathways throughout the day. 

Understanding neuroplasticity can unlock a clear pathway to more productive habits. By tapping into neuroplasticity, we can achieve:  

  • Better time-keeping 
  • Improved short-term memory 
  • An efficient work life 
  • An overall more dynamic brain.  

What is Neuroplasticity? 

Neuroplasticity is the “plastic” nature of the brain – its ability to shift and change layout.  

All our habits, thought processes and beliefs – the way we think – are physically represented by neurons and neural pathways. Different neural pathways get stronger with use or waste away, much like a muscle.  

It’s easy to imagine that if we had the technology, we could understand everything about someone just by looking at the physical map of their brain, looking up close at the neural pathways and seeing which are stronger and used more than others.  

We already understand a lot, like how to use brain examinations to detect dementia and determine the cause of a stroke. 

Using certain parts of our brains more strengthens those neural pathways. This is what behavioural therapy taps into – mental muscle memory. 

Read Now: Neuroplasticity: Better Your Brain with Positive Thinking

How Can We Use it? 

The future is bright. The more we dig into the science of neuroplasticity, the more we can see the limitless ways to harness and use our brains for the better. 

Below are just a few things we can achieve by strengthening new pathways and weakening old, unhelpful ones: 

1. Changing Our Habits 

Struggling to be productive is a difficulty most of us can understand. Getting started on new projects, staying motivated and working in a consistent, efficient way are all things that don’t always come easy, but can be developed with practice.  

An understanding of neuroplasticity is a great place to start when thinking about changing your habits. This way, you can make the change as easy as possible for your brain to take on.  

Try switching up your habits for better productivity!

For example, if you want to totally overhaul your work ethic and methods, start with a small change. Instead of putting pressure on yourself to fix the problem in one fell swoop, try breaking other habits in your life first by trying new things, or even doing something you know how to do already, differently. 

Even breaking and changing habits unrelated to the big one you have your eye on will help you to eventually make the change. This is because taking on new habits and experiences strengthens neural pathways responsible for learning, making your brain more dynamic and flexible.  

Changing a habit could be as simple as taking a different route to work or shopping for food somewhere different. And when it comes to making a bigger change, try doing something a different way before replacing it altogether. Your brain can learn to adapt. 

Read Now: 3 Reasons to Step Out of Your Comfort Zone and Into Your Growth Zone 

2. Communicating Better 

Communicating well is key to being part of a productive, efficient team. With good communication, skills can be shared, tasks can be completed quickly and everyone feels inclined to work well to get goals achieved.  

Using neuroplasticity to communicate better once again comes down to identifying and changing a habit. What gets in the way of feeling like we are on the same page with someone? More often than not, it is defensiveness of our own view and not understanding the view of the person we are talking with. The angrier we feel, the less inclined to connect we feel. 

This makes active listening – the act of truly trying to understand what someone is saying – impossible. In breaking this habit, the first thing to practice is checking in on whether you are actually listening to the other person.  

The second thing to do is to return to focusing on connecting and listening. While this is easier said than done, it is possible to make this a habit through practice. 

Read Now: How to Practice Active Listening 

4. A More Dynamic Brain 

The happiest brains are flexible and open-minded, open to learning and taking on new information. The more our brains experience changing and developing new skills, the more flexible and agile they become – and the more able to cope with any challenge. 

A brain that has recently been learning a new language and improving at sudoku will be developing strong neural connections in the parts of the brain responsible for learning. This makes it now more equipped to learn other new skills more easily. In other words, the more we change the brain through neuroplasticity, the more able to change the brain is.  

When it comes to productivity, the ideal brain can:  

  • Learn new skills 
  • Remember important details 
  • Switch between tasks easily.  

Try learning a new skill – no matter what it is, you will see benefits in how your brain processes information and takes on new challenges. 

Trying new things can create a more adaptable brain!

Read Now: How to Tap Into Neuroplasticity in Your Daily Life 

To Sum Up… 

These are just a few ways harnessing neuroplasticity can help to improve your productivity. With an understanding of how the brain makes and stores connections, we can develop any skill or ability we like more easily and effectively.  

With intention and an awareness of neuroplasticity, you can build an open-minded and flexible brain able to take on any challenge and navigate the unexpected. 

For help with making lifestyle changes, contact one of our coaches at Ceed today! 

How To Get Out of a Creative Block

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Sometimes we just don’t feel creative. That’s fine if what we’re putting off is a personal project, but if we need to be creative to meet deadlines at work, things can start to feel stressful. 

We might start to feel anxious about our futures, or even question whether we’re in the right line of work. 

The good news is that writer’s block is more common than you’d think, and doesn’t indicate a lack of talent. Herman Melville, Ernest Hemingway and even Adele have all documented their struggles with it. 

Unlike Melville, you don’t have to give up on being creative altogether. Here are a variety of easy steps you can take to get those creative juices flowing again. 

Read Now: How to Get Out of a Funk 

Stop Working on Ideas That Don’t Motivate You 

No, really. 

If you’re trying to work and nothing’s coming to you, take some time off from trying to solve the problem as a first step. 

This might seem counterproductive, but studies show that solutions to creative problems are often solved subconsciously during periods of rest. If we try to do something else with our time, such as go for a walk, we open ourselves up to inspiration that we wouldn’t have gotten otherwise. 

Sometimes this can lead to a sudden eureka moment, clarifying in a split-second what you need to do to fix your project. Often, though, this inspiration plants a seed that takes the time to grow into an idea or solution. 

If you find yourself in need of a break on a tight deadline, ask for the deadline to be moved. If you’re able, know that it’s okay to postpone your own deadline, and to not be creating things all the time. 

If you can, drop an idea that isn’t working.  

Drastic changes to the direction of a work-in-progress can keep your productivity up!

It can be tempting to feel as though we have to finish an idea, thanks to the sunk-cost fallacy reminding us of how much work we’ve already put into it. But it’s important to note that if, for example, you’re struggling with writing something, then ploughing ahead will probably mean that your readers will struggle with reading it. 

Switch focus to an idea that you find more interesting, or that you’re finding easier to make creative connections for in your head. This keeps you enthusiastic about your work, which in turn allows you to maintain a period of being creative and reduce your anxiety. 

But if you’re at a loss for ideas, there are different techniques you can use to generate lots of them in a short space of time. 

Read Now: How to Live With Anxiety 

Look for Ideas in Unconventional Places 

Typical places we look to for ideas are the authors, artists, and type of content we want to produce. However, ideas really can come from anywhere. If you find yourself at a loss for ideas for a new or current project, don’t be afraid to look outside your comfort zone when searching for inspiration. 

Whether it’s a book, podcast, piece of music, or artwork that you wouldn’t normally think about, looking in unusual places for inspiration is a great way to make connections between words, images, ideas, that you might miss normally. 

The subject matter doesn’t have to be similar to the work you’re doing. Think about the content as separate to its context. Just taking the time to consume something new can encourage your mind to make those unconscious decisions which can lead to fresh ideas. 

Idea-Dump and Free-Associate 

Rather than pressuring yourself to come up a perfectly formed idea, consider setting a period of time, such as ten minutes, or up to an hour, to document every idea that comes to your mind, regardless of quality. 

Having ideas to discard is better than having no ideas. 

You can also take off the pressure to produce ideas even more by only writing random words and phrases that come to you in this time, or that you’ve found in media you’re consuming. 

From there, you can try combining some of the things you’ve written down into one or more coherent ideas. You might find that two or more separate ideas lacking in dimension find depth when brought together. 

Throwing two separate ideas together can create new ones with exciting depth.

Stop Second-Guessing Yourself While Writing 

Once you have an idea that you feel enthusiastic about finishing, the important thing is to finish it. 

Our brains have a filter for quality. We know what good art looks like, and we want to know that our own efforts meet these standards. Which is why it’s worth remembering that Rome wasn’t built in a day.  

The famous Hemingway quote goes as follows: “the first draft of everything is s**t”. 

The important thing is to get the idea down, even if you know that what you’re doing lacks focus. Then, refine it. Once you have a functional draft in place, you can get outside perspectives from colleagues and friends. They will be able to offer advice that will feed your subconscious.   

Use what they like or don’t like to guide the direction of the next draft, and the next one, and the one after that. But always trust your gut feeling when trying to get the draft written as fast as possible. 

Read Now: How to Stop Being Obsessive Over Things 

Wrapping Up 

Above all, getting over a creative block requires you to stop expecting the first draft to be perfect. It also takes accepting that you won’t be able to be creative all of the time. 

Whether you’re on a deadline or not, removing these expectations and reconsidering how you generate ideas are some best ways to get out of a creative block. 

If you’re interested in learning more about how to drive creativity, or other ways to improve your life, contact Ceed today. 

How to Get Better Sleep

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The quality of your sleep affects every aspect of your life, from how you cope with stress to your relationships and your productivity. 

Feeling like you aren’t getting enough sleep can make you anxious, which in turn can keep you awake at night, making you feel exhausted and disconnected during the day. 

Stick to a sleep routine to get better sleep!

Insomnia can feel like a vicious, endless cycle, but there are changes you can make to your daily life and mindset to try and beat it.  

Here are some of the most effective changes you can make to your lifestyle to help you get enough sleep. 

Read Now: Why Rest is Important for Productivity 

Make Small Changes to Your Diet 

There are obvious ways to eat healthier. Working more fruit and vegetables into your daily intake, moderating your portion sizes, and cutting down on your sugar intake can all help. 

What you may not know is that exactly when you eat is important for your sleep pattern. 

Late night snacks, sugary or not, have been shown to impact sleep. The science is simple: eating at night gives you a burst of energy that you’ll struggle to burn off before bed. 

Focus on making your regular meals throughout the day more filling. If you eat sugary treats, distribute these amongst meals so you’re not tempted to reach for a box of chocolates at 11PM to fill a hole in your stomach. 

This way, you’ll be eating better, valuing your body and how food affects your mood. But you’ll also be sleeping better, giving you the positive mindset that you need to make and sustain these changes long-term. 

Reconsider your diet to get a better night’s sleep!

Read Now: A Happy Diet: 9 Foods Proven to Lift Your Mood 

Exercise More 

Tiredness brings sleep. To be tired is to have used more energy during the day than you’ve put into your body via meals or snacks. If you’ve made the above adjustments to your diet, and kept to them long-term, you’re already prepared for better sleep in the evenings. 

If you can, one of the easiest (and cheapest) ways to get some exercise is to go for a brisk walk, ideally in the afternoon, or at the end of the working day.  

According to the NHS, even a ten-minute brisk walk every day can improve your health by improving your circulation, especially if you work sitting down during the day.  

Analysts predict that the shift to home working will be a more long-term change to work culture even after the pandemic ends. This means many people will lack the opportunity to walk to and from work. So, it’s more important than ever to make a conscious decision to go for a walk.  

While walking contributes to the recommended 150 minutes of weekly exercise for adults, getting to burn off excess energy and decompress after a long day are happy side-effects. 

But whatever exercise you do, don’t do it right before bed. You won’t be in the calm state you need to be in to fall asleep while you’re full of adrenaline. 

Keep a Sleep Routine 

We’ve all been sat in front of the television, late on a weekend, awake for no reason. Our free time is limited, and we want to know that we’re making the best use of it, even if we aren’t. 

So, rather than staying up as late as humanly possible on a Friday or Saturday, keep close to your weekday bedtime and wake time. If you don’t have a sleep schedule for your weekdays, create one and stick to it. 

You might feel as though sleeping in on weekends is a good way to catch up on sleep missed during the week. 

However, people who keep a regular bedtime and alarm clock routine across a seven-day period are more refreshed throughout the whole week than people who eschew the routine on weekends, by being free from social jetlag. 

Block Out Distractions 

Turn off all your devices at least an hour before bed, and keep away from your phone. Place it on ‘do-not-disturb’ if you have the option, and keep it out of your reach until morning. Across the room, if necessary.  

Resist the urge to check devices at night!

To avoid being disturbed by light sources, make sure any electronic devices that emit light while charging are charged during the day. Get a blackout blind for your window if needed, or wear an eye-mask. 

If noises inside or outside of your room are disturbing you and can’t be dealt with directly, consider wearing ear plugs or noise cancelling headphones.  

Some might recommend putting on a dry podcast, nature sounds, or a music app on a sleep timer before bed. 

However, these will fill your mind with thoughts and ideas when it should be empty. Keep your room silent. Make a conscious effort to clear your mind at night. If you must, think in images, like counting sheep. 

Many things bothering us in our day to day lives can only be dealt with during work hours. You put unnecessary stress on yourself by thinking about these things at night, and increase the likelihood of starting the day tired. 

Read Now: Why Understanding Sleep is Crucial to Your Wellbeing 

To Sum Up… 

The good news is that getting enough sleep, for most people, is a matter of routine and psychology.  

Build routine into your life, pay attention to what you put into your body, and train yourself to clear your mind at night. This way, you should finally get some sleep.  

As a final note, while these techniques are proven to be effective in a lot of cases, they aren’t guaranteed to work for everyone.  

If, after following this advice for 4 weeks, you feel you still aren’t getting enough sleep, see your GP. They will have insight, advice, and treatment personally tailored for your situation. 

Improving your sleep pattern can improve all aspects of your life, but if you need just that extra nudge in the right direction, contact us at Ceed. 

How to Deal with Procrastination and Executive Dysfunction

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Everyone procrastinates from time to time – sometimes it’s more appealing to watch another episode of your new favourite TV show than it is to get started on a daunting piece of work.

But for some, procrastination goes far past avoiding tasks you’re worried about. Instead, it can make it difficult to do anything, even things you want to do. To be able to combat procrastination, it’s important to distinguish it from its more severe counterpart: executive dysfunction. But how can we tell the difference between the two? 

Are you distracted because of procrastination or executive dysfunction?

What are Executive Functions? 

To understand executive dysfunction, we first need to understand what executive functioning is itself. Executive functioning is the process of the mental abilities that help people to achieve actions. 

Executive functions control your working memory, your self-control, and your cognitive abilities. They are vital for everyday life, helping with processes such as:  

  • Productivity 
  • Memory 
  • Flexibility 
  • Scheduling 

Executive dysfunction is essentially the opposite of executive function: it is the inability to control such mental processes. It is often caused by a mental disorder such as depression or ADHD, stress, a traumatic brain injury, or a form of addiction. These are not the only causes, but it is more likely that someone with an underlying condition would also struggle with executive functioning.  

So, is it Procrastination or Executive Dysfunction? 

The main difference between procrastination and executive dysfunction is intent. Procrastination is a form of avoidance through delaying or putting off a task for as long as possible, usually because it can be daunting, or can induce anxiety.

Executive dysfunction often occurs as a symptom of another disorder. In this case, it stops you from completing tasks that you have no reason to avoid, as it becomes difficult to transition between activities.  

In this case, you aren’t ignoring it in the way you might when procrastinating. Instead, you just can’t make yourself do it.

Whilst it is normal to be a bit forgetful, or to lose focus on a boring task, this does not mean you necessarily struggle with executive dysfunction. It becomes an issue when it impacts your life on a day-to-day basis.  

Procrastination can make it difficult to stick to schedules!

So how do you know if you are just procrastinating, or if it is something more? Whilst there are overlaps, there are some signs that suggest you may be experiencing executive dysfunction instead: 

  • Regularly losing concentration  
  • Difficulty with time management  
  • Inability to stay on one task  
  • Trouble regaining focus after being distracted  
  • Problems with organisation  
  • Struggling to set and stick to schedules.

Fortunately, there are a number of ways you can combat both procrastination and executive dysfunction, many of which overlap. 

Read Now: Overcoming Procrastination: Breaking a Bad Habit 

How to Overcome Procrastination  

Forgive yourself 

Everyone procrastinates at some point, so there is no reason to beat yourself up over it. By removing the guilt associated with procrastination it removes the negative feelings that arise, making it easier to move on from a period of procrastination. 

Read Now: How to Overcome the Fear of Rejection  

Use chunking methods 

Divide your workload into manageable chunks. Sometimes a task can feel too daunting to begin, so by breaking it up into chunks it becomes more manageable. Focus on completing one chunk at a time, and you will feel more motivated as your goals are more achievable. Five to ten smaller tasks can often feel easier than one large task. 

Set rewards  

Giving yourself rewards when you complete a task helps to keep you motivated. It gives you something to work towards, and creates a positive association with completing work, which in turn makes it easier to focus.  

Use apps  

Anti-procrastination apps and websites like Cold Turkey or Forest help to create a focused environment. If you are the kind of person that likes having your phone with you, but constantly gets distracted or side-tracked, these can help you stay on task by blocking leisure websites for a specified time. This allows you to focus on the task at hand. 

Apps are a useful way to help avoid distractions.

How to Combat Executive Dysfunction 

Create a workspace  

Have a clear area that is separate from relaxation areas like your sofa or bed. It will put you in the right headspace to complete a task when you separate work from comfort.  

It is all too easy to work from your sofa and end up watching tv, or work from bed and fall asleep. By separating these areas, your mind will begin to associate your workspace with productivity, and it might even help you sleep better when your bed is only associated with resting. 

Read Now: 5 Essential Habits to Help You Stay Organised  

Use the 5-minute method

Starting a task is often the hardest part. By committing to doing it for just 5 minutes, it makes it less daunting. By the time 5 minutes are up, it’s likely that you will be able to keep going as you will have found a flow.  

Even if you do not feel motivated after 5 minutes, you still will have made a start, and that’s already progress! 

Reframe your thinking about deadlines 

The phrase ‘deadline’ can be quite scary, and it can lead to a lot of anxiety about finishing a piece of work. It is hard to find motivation when there is so much pressure surrounding the date it is due.  

Try referring to deadlines as ‘finish lines’ instead – it is a goal you want to achieve but not the be all and end all, and it can create motivation. Deadlines are terrifying, but finish lines can be exciting and rewarding. 

Reframe ‘deadlines’ as ‘finish lines’ instead!

 

Try Cognitive Behavioural Therapy  

CBT can help to treat executive dysfunction by finding out what triggers it. A therapist can create personalised methods of coping by addressing and changing thought patterns. It can target executive functions, and help you adjust your behaviour, which can lead to an increase in focus and motivation.  

To Sum Up… 

Whether you struggle with procrastination, or find yourself dealing with executive function, these tips and tricks can help to give you some control over your workload. Remember, the sooner you start that dreaded piece of work, the sooner it is over!  

Related Articles

If you’d like more help dealing with procrastination or executive dysfunction, please feel free to contact us at Ceed today.  

5 Essential Habits to Help You Stay Organised

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Almost everyone wants to improve their lifestyle and become more organised, but are unsure where to start.

Do you feel stressed and disorganised but unsure how to improve yourself? Most people tend to be reactive as opposed to reactive when they identify things that require reorganisation in their lives. To break this cycle and become an organised person, you must first develop healthier habits. 

So even if you believe that you are a very messy person, you can learn to be organised. From noting things down, to discarding unnecessary clutter and organising things based on their importance, as long as you’re willing to learn and practice, you will become an organised person. In this guide, we will share with you six habits on how to organise your life to increase productivity and success so that you can live peacefully without stress and chaos. 

1. Create Schedules and Deadlines 

Keeping things organised is closely related to remaining productive. It’s best for you to establish and maintain a daily and weekly schedule. Set deadlines and goals and most importantly, stick to them!  

If you live a chaotic lifestyle, you will not have the time or space to meet your deadlines and thus achieve your goals. As an exercise, you could look at your wish list or create one and write what you want to achieve this year or later in your life. Then write down what you need to do to achieve them. There are unpredictable twists and turns in life. By scheduling everything on a calendar and adding all your tasks to a list, you can work within the boundaries of your week and focus on everything that is important to you. 

Scheduling your day can help you achieve your goals!

2. Declutter on a Regular Basis 

If you want to be a highly organised person, you need to make some time every week or more to organise your affairs. Things will not organise themselves; they must be reorganised continuously and consistently.  

The best way to stay organised is to allocate specific times of the day for tidying and cleaning. You don’t have to spend a lot of time doing this either, 15 to 30 minutes a day is enough. Doing this every week will help in reducing stress and keep you more productive.

3. Get Enough Sleep 

Getting enough sleep is crucial. While this can seem counterintuitive or that it has nothing to do with living an organised life, lack of sleep can affect your mood and eventually lead to problems with keeping your life running smoothly.  

For example, if you want to organise your finances by saving or investing, you will probably procrastinate on that decision due to lack of sleep. When you feel tired and exhausted, it affects your ability to make better decisions. You will end up making unnecessary purchases, rather than saving or investing your money. Additionally, lack of sleep affects all other aspects of your life. You cannot get organised, be productive, or achieve exceptional success, if you cannot think clearly due to constant fatigue. 

Never underestimate the power of a good night’s sleep.

4. Delegate Tasks 

Delegating and outsourcing tasks that can cause you problems to others is another important tip to help you organise your life. For example, if you find it challenging to look after your garden, and you constantly procrastinate doing it, then just ask someone else to do it for you. If you have a budget, you can always outsource your work to others to maintain your productivity.  

Many of us want to do too many things every day. And we can’t just stuff everything into our day and try to do it ourselves. If you look at successful entrepreneurs, they certainly don’t do everything by themselves. They formed a team and hired professionals to help them complete their journey. Likewise, you have to think in the same way as you spend a lot of time working every day, and then catering to daily needs and routines. Therefore, the best way is to outsource and delegate your tasks. Start by identifying tasks which can be a nuisance, and delegate them to people specialised in these fields; as it can not only save you time but also get the job done well. 

5. Take Time Off and Rejuvenate 

One of the biggest mistakes most people make when trying to live an organised life is that they only focus on decluttering and organising and forget that they need to rest and recharge. Not only do you want your space to be organised, but you’d also want your mental space to be equally organised. The best way to manage your mental space is by spending some time relaxing and rejuvenating.  

When you are in a relaxed state, your thinking becomes sharp, allowing you to make better decisions. Similarly, when you’re fully charged, you can continue to follow through on your plan. Whether you are planning to clean up and organise your life, or work on a project that you have worked on for many years. The key is to maintain balance to avoid exhaustion. 

Self care is important when it comes to living a more organised lifestyle.

To Wrap Up 

Now that you’ve discovered these five tips on how to organise your life, one thing to remember is that living an organised life isn’t simply about delegating tasks or decluttering your home. Being organised is a principle, a way of life.  

If you’re looking to improve your productivity and organisational skills, Ceed is here to help you unleash your full potential! Speak to one of our life coaches to find out more. 

How To Become a Good Problem Solver

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Problem-solving is a fundamental part of society. Without it, nothing would get done. As easy as it may be to just throw in the towel and do something else when a difficult situation arises, that is not something employers wish to see in employees or possible ones. Being a good problem solver is a major advantage, and not just in the line of work. Have you ever encountered a problem at home, or even at a relative or friend’s house? Knowing how to navigate those complex interactions is a skill that we all must master. 

If you find yourself struggling to solve problems and want to better yourself, here are 5 tips to help you improve yourself: 

1. Identify the problem. 

This may sound simple, but it can be a complex issue to identify what it is that is causing a problem. By knowing what the problem is, you’ll know what it is you’re trying to solve. For example, let’s say you have a door that’s broken; that itself is the problem. What you’re trying to solve is how this could have potentially been avoided. 

The key thing you’ll need to do is review the situation and closely inspect all the variables involved. Once you have done this, you’ll then need to ask why the situation happened. However, don’t do this just once; ask it five times. Going back to the example of the door, you’d probably be asking: 

  • Why didn’t I oil it? 
  • Why didn’t I fix the lock? 
  • Why didn’t I replace the handle/door knob when I knew it felt loose? 
  • Why didn’t I replace the window on it? 
  • Why didn’t I buy a door that was of a better condition? 

By finding the cause of the problem, it will make it easier to determine what went wrong and how a repeated incident can be avoided. 

2. Find obstacles. 

Now, you’re probably thinking “but I already am experiencing an obstacle”. As true as that may be, the answer to the problem you are trying to fix could have consequences in return. This can go 2 possible ways: the solution is the only one and will lead to another problem that requires solving afterwards, or there are multiple solutions, which will either have little to no repercussions or repercussions that will be considerable in size. 

3. Solutions. 

That’s what you’re after, after all. Referring back to the two consequences in the previous point, the latter is the one where you need to think clearly, analysing your options, and make a decision if there are going to be ramifications. 

It’s important that you do indeed have more than one solution so, if one doesn’t work, you’ll have another to try. Always have an alternative. Another important thing that you must do is to take notes regarding the successes of your solutions; how successful were they? Were they not successful at all? Why was this? What could you do next time if you wish to try that method again? 

Remember – focus on the solution, not the problem. Research has shown that you’ll have difficulty coming up with a solution if you focus too much on the problem itself. The problem will be a distraction. 

4. Be creative.

Think outside of the box. Don’t limit yourself to what you already have at your disposal. Go that little bit extra. Don’t have that particular tool or item that can help resolve the problem in your possession? Buy it or, even better, find an alternate cheaper (or free) solution. Be resourceful with what you already have; repurpose that particular item for something else or give it a dual role. Creativity, let alone thinking outside of the box, will give you a new approach to solving problems entirely that will come in handy now and in the future. 

5. Keep it simple. 

It can be very easy to come up with complex answers to a problem, clearly because you’re looking very closely into the situation itself. You may be deconstructing it to the smallest detail or even reverse engineering the problem itself to see how it came about. While there is nothing wrong with using reverse engineering to fix your problems, it’s important to focus on keeping the solution simple. 

By keeping things simple, it means your solution will be easier to follow through and to understand. You must take on board that the definition of ‘simple’ varies from person to person, so what might be straightforward for you might not be for another person. Instead of saying “you’ll need to do this and this, but then follow it up with this, that, and the other”, you should rather have an approach that’s more like “all you have to do is this.” Notice how subtle the difference is? If anything, an overly complex solution might mean it’ll take longer to apply it to the problem in the first place! 

In Conclusion 

Problem solving is certainly something we can’t live without. These five tips are just some of the ways you can improve your own problem-solving skills and abilities. If these weren’t enough, or you just want to know more, contact Ceed today. 

How Exercise Improves Productivity at Work

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Maintaining good physical health will, of course, improve your overall health. But, staying active during the day can also increase productivity and make you a more efficient worker. If you find yourself feeling tired or overwhelmed at work, getting into an exercise routine might be able to help you! 

A paper published in the academic journal, Frontiers in Psychology, found that exercise has clear benefits towards cognitive function and, as a result, increases productivity rates.  

Many modern corporate environments have begun to promote exercise, both on and off site. Employer might offer free or discounted gym memberships to employees or, in some cases, may even build gyms in the office where employees can work during office hours. 

Exercise doesn’t just benefit employees – it benefits the employer, too. The more awake and energized you feel, the better you’ll perform at work. The better you perform at work, the greater your return on investment for the employer! Increased productivity might even lead to promotions and a general improvement of your mood. It could be the start of a really fruitful cycle! 

More and more employers are beginning to recognize the importance of exercise and its positive effects on brainpower.  

So, let’s take a more in-depth look at how exercise can benefit your productivity rates! 

A few minutes of exercise during the day can help you be more productive!

Does exercise really make you more productive?

A recent study by Leeds Metropolitan University found that after going to the gym during work, employees returned more driven and productive than before. Researchers also found that exercise during the workday can improve office workers’ ‘mood and self-reported performance’. There was a clear benefit to exercising at work, not only to employee wellbeing but to competitive advantage and motivation. 

Remember, fifteen minutes exercise is better than nothing! Just because you don’t have the time to do a full hour workout, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t bother at all! Getting the heart pumping might be all you need to give you that head-start during the working day. 

Stress

It might sound strange to say that exercise helps reduce stress because some exercises can be vigorous and tiresome. When you exercise, your body releases chemicals called endorphins that help you rest and relax. So, if your work life is feeling tense, some exercise might do the trick.  

Think of a stress ball – the more you squeeze and tense your muscles, the more relaxed you become! Exercise is no different. By getting your body moving and your blood pumping, you can purge yourself of all the built-up stress. Some of us like working out ahead of the day, whilst others like to get in the gym after work and let all their frustrations go! 

Whether it’s cardio or weight-lifting, get the blood pumping!

Mental Health

When you feel overwhelmed or stressed with work, your mood and mental health can be greatly affected. It’s easy to let work get on top of you – missed a deadline or just got one too many things on your mind? Exercise helps with symptoms of depression because the release of endorphins can help lift your mood. Moving your body promotes changes in your brain that create feelings of well-being. 
 

When your brain releases endorphins during exercise, they act as your body’s natural pain reliever. These chemicals are responsible for the happiness boost you feel after exercise.  

By incorporating exercise into your work schedule, you can help tackle those overwhelming feelings and boost your mood! 

Exercise, like yoga, can help improve mindfulness.

Increased Energy

Exercise can also help you combat tiredness or fatigue by increasing energy levels. Whilst it’ll certainly be difficult at first, the more you exercise, the more your energy levels will gradually increase. Working out allows you to build muscle strength and endurance over time, making you physically more resilient. By improving your body’s resilience, you’ll inevitably have a more positive outlook on life, too! 

The increased energy from exercising can also help improve your mental alertness. This can help keep you aware and focused on your tasks throughout the day. The more energy you have, the better your performance!

Concentration

As anybody who works in an office knows, concentration can sometimes be hard to come by – that’s just another benefit of exercise! Work can sometimes feel as though it is moving very slowly, causing us to lose focus as the day goes on. Exercise improves our ability to get through busy workdays whilst maintaining focus and improving the quality of our work. 

Exercise can also help sufferers of illnesses that affect concentration. It has even been shown to improve symptoms of ADHD. Exercise works similarly to ADHD medications such as Ritalin because it releases chemicals that improve focus and attention.  

Improved concentration will increase your productivity rates!

Memory and Learning

Exercise doesn’t just improve the size of your body – it also improves the size of your brain! A study at the University of British Columbia found that forms of aerobic exercise were shown to increase the size of the hippocampus. The hippocampus is an area of the brain integral to improving memory learning and retention! 

You might not have thought it, but exercise can have a positive effect on your capability to learn as well as your mood! By exercising, you not only allow your mind to let go of stress, but also free it up to soak in other information! 

Our Conclusion

Exercise has many physical benefits that most of us are well aware of. But, as you might not have known, exercise also has countless benefits for the mind, too! It has been proven to be an effective method for improving productivity, raising concentration and even increasing memory retention! Whether you’re an employer, or an employee, gently encouraging exercise amongst your colleagues – whether in group activities or otherwise – could really revitalize your workforce! 

Sticking to an exercise routine, on the other hand, can be difficult! If you need help sticking to your goals and targets, take a look at our other articles for some advice. If you would like to learn more about how Ceed can improve your productivity, you can contact us today. 

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