找一份好工作? 不如尋找真心想做的事！

 

常常有學弟妹向我請教工作的事，
但我這個人職場表現並不出色，頭腦也很空洞，
還曾經辭職去旅行一年，這可能是社會適應不良的跡象。
哪有資格提供工作或生涯規劃的意見？

但大家之所以找我談工作，倒也不是覺得我這個人有值得學習之處。
很多人只是想知道怎麼被我待過的公司錄取而已。
單單因為我前公司是一間薪水給滿高的公司……
高底薪加上六個月的年終，工時又不會太長，
自然成為學弟妹求職的目標。
現在這份工作，薪水不那麼高，但工作又更輕鬆了一點，
也意外的得到很多的詢問。
我每每不厭其煩的回答待遇如何，工作環境，及怎麼準備面試……
但心裡我總忍不住想：
重要的不是進一家人人說好的公司，
重要的是知道自己真正想要的是什麼。
後來，有些學弟妹真的幸運進了前公司後，
荷包滿滿後，又來找我討論怎麼離職……
我不意外，但覺得有點傷感。
一份很多人渴望的工作，卻也有很多人想逃開。
究竟，什麼樣的工作才叫好？
錢多，事少，離家近。
這是上個世代留下來的一句求職名言指標，
然而如果仔細思考，就會發現這句話多麼的膚淺而且荒謬，
因為如果完全照著"錢多，事少，離家近"的標準，
那最好的工作應該是當尼特族，或者是被包養。
那怎麼可能？
我們都很清楚，賺取金錢是工作的一大重點，
然而我們想從工作中獲得的其實更多。
就好比我們的人生，並不是打算活完就好，不要餓死就好。
而是一直在尋找一種：幸福的可能。
錢是世俗的神，這句話我無從否認。
但是，什麼又會是心裡的支柱呢？
在每個獨處的時刻，在人生每個浮光掠影的片段，
在上下班通勤的捷運車廂，在鏡子前看著自己……
我覺得我們每個人都想過同樣問題。
『我是誰？我是一個怎樣的人？我生命的意義是什麼？』
而我們也都必須藉著不斷與外界互動，探索這個世界，
慢慢的才能拼湊出自己的樣貌。
所以我們會工作，一部分是因為想要錢，一部分也是想要知道自己能做什麼。
而這並不是準時下班，領不錯的薪水就能解答的。
如果沒有熱情，工作會從工作，變成應付，變成負擔，變成忍耐，變成折磨。
最好的工作，就是能夠做著自己真心喜愛的事。
就如同最好的婚姻，就是與真心相愛的人共度一生。
我覺得，一份好工作，
應該要讓人獲得足夠的報酬和成就感。
當然，這不容易。
我以下把我周遭的人分成三種人，並提出一些想法。
1. 幸運兒。
我把這類人稱為： COG ，Child of God. 神的孩子。
這類人的興趣和目標很明確，而在這個時代，他所愛的東西也是很容易謀生的。
比如說，我男朋友的興趣是寫程式，終日想著怎麼寫出更快更簡潔更易維護的程式。
他的休閒是寫程式，他的工作也是寫程式，而現今職場最需要的，
剛好也是會寫程式的人才。
真是可遇不可求的好運，但這類人卻依然有很多困擾。
通常就是一些職場狗屁倒灶的人事物，
但他們也都會用能力和努力來克服一切。
會讓他們一份工作待不下去只有一個原因：
這份工作無法讓他們做自己想做的事，反而都是做一些鳥事。
同時他非常肯定自己想做的事對公司來說才是真正重要的。
可惜的事他有能力卻沒有權力，權力在一些…不予置評的人手上。
於是他會孤獨求去。
幸運兒有三種選擇，
1.離職找別的公司，看看有沒有志同道合的。
因為能力很好，所以轉職沒有問題，但下一家公司可能同樣有上述的問題。
2.自行創業，這比較困難一點，因為有能力不代表可以創業成功。
一個人可以提供公司很多產值，不代表他離開公司後可以獨立賺那麼多錢。
3.不要離職，試著衝撞體制。
很少人會選這個，不過我很鼓勵有能力的人試試看。
失敗了可能被調職，或是灰頭土臉的離職。
但如果成功了呢？那就是改變的開始！
但大部分的人都很溫和，不想與人鬥，不想弄得烏煙瘴氣。
不想變得跟那些討厭的人一樣。
離職就好了嘛……
所以他們離職的交接會寫得很詳細，而離職的理由卻沒有把心裡的話寫出來。
2.糾結兒。


在升學主義掛帥的這個時代，很多人大學念了自己一點都不喜歡的科系，
接著投入了自己一點都不喜歡的職場領域。
工作時非常不開心。
雖然有喜歡的事，也有夢想，但無法轉行，因為無門可入。
畢竟自己完全沒有相關的能力基礎。
這種人，稱為重度糾結。
另一種人，有想做的事，也有能力去做，
但是那份喜愛的工作待遇沒有正在做的工作好。
而且現在的工作自己也是游刃有餘。
這種人，稱為輕度糾結。
就我個人的經驗，重度糾結反而很容易解決，
只要用潤髮乳破釜沉舟，就能不再糾結。
下定決心後，利用下班時間學習，慢慢的就能培養新的技能。
有些人更是存夠了錢，毅然離職，扎扎實實的從頭學習。
只要確定幾件事，
要轉換過去的領域自己是真心喜歡的嗎？對那領域了解足夠嗎？
自己手上的資源夠嗎？會不會給親人造成困擾。
如果有了不後悔的勇氣還有撐一陣子的能量那就衝吧。
因為我們已經是成人了，有權利選擇自己要的人生，
當然，也願意為自己的人生負起全部責任。
就算結果不盡如理想，最差也不過回到原路，
起碼也是多一個經驗，多一項才華。
不要為了不曾嚐試而後悔。
輕度糾結的人問題反而難解決，
因為他的路不是走反了，只是微微走偏，
好像也還可以接受，而且工作待遇又不錯，實在沒必要冒險。
這樣一輩子可能也可以吧？
這份工作確實不是自己的最愛，也無法從中獲得成就感。
可是偏偏又是一份錢多事少的 Dream Job，捨棄了多可惜？
或許有些人會有點驚訝，
但做著一份簡單卻高薪的工作，給人的心理負擔其實是很大的。
因為沒有辦法從工作中成長。
每個人都還是想成為更好的自己，能有更多的選擇。
若是工作讓人原地踏步，怎麼可能不慌張？
輕度糾結者，有兩個選擇。
1.一樣是潤絲，一樣是破釜沉舟，
因為已經了具備轉職的能力，所以其實只需打開104或註冊 LinkedIn 。
但接著要忍耐一個陣痛期，可能薪水沒那麼多但卻又更操，
讓人一時有點懷疑自己真的做了正確選擇嗎？
但起碼日子是真的不再無聊了。
但如果是一份學得到東西的工作，相信撐過去之後，
會有更高的待遇在等待……可能會有更高的待遇在等待……
2.留在原工作，找到新生活。
工作上無法成長，就利用下班時間成長，一樣不怕沒有競爭力。
一邊慢慢等待機會的降臨，不管是內轉或是被挖角。
認真的工作，或許某個瞬間，看似 Routine的工作，
也會被你找到改良的方法，成就的來源。
其時我覺得，能把一份原本沒那麼喜歡的工作，徹徹底底的做好，
變得真心喜歡上這一份工作，就是最了不起的人。
3.徬徨兒。
有很多人是這樣的，只知道自己不要什麼，卻不知道自己要什麼。
前陣子我有一個客戶，他拿著產品來說要照 SEM (電子顯微鏡)，
我們確實有這項服務，利用SEM，可以看到組織，可以測量膜厚，判斷有沒有熱處理….
價格是五千塊起跳。
我說：『你想看什麼？』
他說：『我可以看什麼？』
我就把我知道的告訴他：『看是什麼組織呀，看是怎麼加工的呀……』
他問：『你覺得我應該看什麼？』
這你要決定的幹嘛問我呀！
但我還是禮貌的回他：『看你想看什麼呀？』
他問：『那大家一般都看什麼呢？』
『每個客戶都不一樣阿，別人需要的不一定是你需要的阿。』
在這痛苦的客戶諮詢無窮迴圈裡，
我心想，你還是把五千塊省下來吧……
不知道自己要的是什麼，對自己和旁人來說都是件痛苦的事。
但自己的路別人不會幫你走，不如好好靜下心來想一想。
試著回憶人生的道路，有時候不是沒有答案，只是不想面對。
如果真的沒有夢想，也沒有想做的事，那也不用太難過，
姑且就找一份穩定的工作，試著看淡職場的不愉快，
存點錢，上點才藝課，為可能的未來做準備。
開開心心的過日子吧。
好像也挺不錯的？
後來我大概可以理解，學弟妹們為什麼喜歡找我談工作的事。
正因為我沒有在工作上獲得成就，一直跌跌撞撞，所以想了很多很多。
也才會對工作和人生有一些想法。
這才發現到，有時候幸福快樂固然很好，不順遂也一樣會使人成長。
在人生的路上，每一件事都有他的意義，只是當時的我們不一定明白。

• 
  
• 作者：摸泥可
• 來源：這就是人蔘
• 
  

 http://read-life.com

How to Know If You Talk Too Much

• Mark Goulston 
  You may have heard the saying, “When you’re in love, smoke gets in your eyes.” Well when you’re talking, smoke gets in your eyes and ears. Once you’re on a roll, it’s very easy to not notice that you’ve worn out your welcome. You may not even realize that the other person is politely trying to get a word in, or subtly signaling that they need to be elsewhere (possibly, anywhere else if you have been really boring).
  There are three stages of speaking to other people. In the first stage, you’re on task, relevant and concise.  But then you unconsciously discover that the more you talk, the more you feel relief.  Ahh, so wonderful and tension-relieving for you… but not so much fun for the receiver. This is the second stage – when it feels so good to talk, you don’t even notice the other person is not listening.
  The third stage occurs after you have lost track of what you were saying and begin to realize you might need to reel the other person back in.  If during the third stage of this monologue poorly disguised as a conversation you unconsciously sense that the other person is getting a bit fidgety, guess what happens then?
  Unfortunately, rather than finding a way to reengage your innocent victim through having them talk and then listening to them, instead the usual impulse is to talk even more in an effort to regain their interest.
  Why does this happen? First, the very simple reason that all human beings have a hunger to be listened to. But second, because the process of talking about ourselves releases dopamine, the pleasure hormone.  One of the reasons gabby people keep gabbing is because they become addicted to that pleasure.
  Not long after my book, Just Listen, came out, I too succumbed to ignoring signs that I had started to annoy my friend and fellow coach, Marty Nemko,
 host of a radio show about work on KALW, NPR’s San Francisco affiliate. He and I have been coaching each other for some time.  He hit a nerve when he told me, “Mark, for an expert on listening, you need to talk less and listen more.”
  After I recovered from the embarrassment, he pointed out a nifty strategy that I have been using. It’s helping me and it might help 
you. Nemko calls it the Traffic Light Rule. He says it works better when talking with most people, especially with Type A personalities, who tend to be less patient.
  In the first 20 seconds of talking, your light is green: your listener is liking you, as long as your statement is relevant to the conversation and hopefully in service of the other person. But unless you are an extremely gifted raconteur, people who talk for more than roughly half minute at a time are boring and often perceived as too chatty. So the light turns yellow for the next 20 seconds— now the risk is increasing that the other person is beginning to lose interest or think you’re long-winded. At the 40-second mark, your light is red. Yes, there’s an occasional time you want to run that red light and keep talking, but the vast majority of the time, you’d better stop or you’re in danger.
  Nemko says that following the Traffic Light Rule is just the first step in keeping you from talking too much. It’s also important to determine your underlying motivation for talking 
so much. Is it that it just feels good to go on and
 on and get more stuff off your chest? Do you talk to clarify your thinking? Or do you talk because you often have to listen to other people, and when you’ve found someone who will let you have the microphone you just can’t help yourself?
  Whatever the cause, filibustering is usually a conversational turn-off, and may result in both of you deteriorating into alternating monologues. And that certainly will do little to move the conversation or your relationship forward.
  One reason some people are long-winded is because they’re trying to impress their conversational counterpart with how smart they are, often because they don’t actually feel that way underneath. If this is the case for you, realize that continuing to talk will only cause the other person to be less impressed.
  Of course, some people who talk too much simply “may not have a sense of the passage of time,” Nemko says. If this is the case, the cure is not to look inside yourself for psychological insight. It’s just to develop a better internal sense of how long 20 and 40 seconds are. Start to use a watch to catch yourself, for example, when on the phone. You’ll get in the habit of stopping an utterance when your light is still green, or at least yellow.
  Finally, remember that even 20 seconds of talking can be a turn off if you don’t include the other person in the conversation. To avoid that, ask questions, try to build on what they say, and look for ways to include them in the conversation so it is a genuine dialogue instead of a diatribe.
  Well I think my 40 seconds is up, so I’ll stop here.

The Rules for Quitting Your Job Like a Lady

Keep it classy 

 Peace out, Doug from accounting. You just landed a new job and you're ready to blow this Popsicle stand. 

Here’s how to do it like the refined lady that you are.

Give notice

Two weeks is customary.

But not too much notice

Nobody wants you lolling around the copy room in sweatpants while they’re trying to reassign your deadlines and hire your replacement.

ADVERTISING

Keep it Quick and Classy

Tell your manager in person and be sure to thank her for the experience. Remember, you’ve basically just dumped her, so give her some time to grieve before you start planning that Mexico-themed good-bye party.

Don't tell every other employee, one by one

Once you’ve dragged the third assistant into the conference room, everyone will know anyway.

Don't cry

So you sucked at ad sales and you’re going back to culinary school. No need to get emotional.

Offer to continue working on your projects

But understand that your manager might not want your help.

Send a note to your team

On your last day, draft a short, sweet email to your colleagues thanking them for your time together (even if they were A-holes) and letting them know how to reach you in the future. Avoid jokes about the broken elevator or client from hell; you may not work there anymore, but they still do.

Steal no more than five office supplies

You can have the stapler. You can’t have the philodendron from reception.

http://www.purewow.com/money/The-Rules-for-Quitting-Your-Job-Like-a-Lady?utm_source=realsimple&utm_medium=syndication

What if……… 假如我失业了

一直以来我很是焦虑。

害怕自己一旦失业该怎么办？

没有定时的收入时该怎么办？

现在我把假如我失业了，写成文字。

理性的看待到底我失业了，那有会怎样。

第一：缺了收入。这是首要。每个月月底，看见工资汇进银行户口，数目虽然不大，还是给我很高的安心指数。一个人生存在世上都得用钱。開門七件事，柴米油鹽醬醋茶，缺钱绝对不好应付。这分工作作了几十年，如果找新工作，又得从基薪算起，我很不是味道。

第二：有着焦虑感很强的我，一直害怕不能适应新工作，所以到现在还是把自己困在这里。

继续骂人

前面骂人后，还是觉得不够。

还是想继续骂人。

乌龟王八蛋的死A。

在他背后比中指。

上个星期通知他我下午要缺席一个下午。

死A竟回我，回的这样的理直气壮。

假如真的要算的话，他天天上班7小时，四小时的时间一直在外浏哒。

那又算什么？

亏当初K市总公司来电找他时，我替他挡了多少次。

真正好心还被雷劈。

乌龟王八蛋的死A。

迟到早退，上班时间偷溜，这些他可以作。

年尾，员工表现表上，他还可以写自己都是A等级。

不知耻的王八蛋。

3 Tips for Getting a Real Night's Rest

... and the Number One reason you may be having trouble.

Post published by Colleen E Carney Ph.D. on May 04, 2015 in Quiet Your Mind and Get to Sleep

 Have you ever had a night of light, disrupted sleep because you couldn't stop thinking about work? Or have you fallen asleep but dreamed about work and all the potential disasters that could occur there? While in university, I worked nights at a restaurant. After getting off work, I felt wide awake and when I had work-related dreams, they felt so real that I would wake up feeling exhausted. Over the years, I heard this story from countless others. Does it sound familiar to you? Are you unable to leave work behind and so you end up feeling like you clock an imaginary (and unpaid) shift overnight?
When we are unable to leave work behind to initiate or maintain sleep, we suffer from poor sleep quality, leaving us unprepared for the actual work day ahead. This phenomenon signifies that we need to engage in some "counter-arousal strategies," strategies that more clearly delineate the end of the work day and the start of relaxation and refueling.
Some have ambivalence about drawing this line, for a few key reasons:

1. They may have an insight during a dream that allows them to solve a work-related problem they were unable to crack during the day.
2. They falsely believe their body does not need a break and that rest is an unproductive waste of time.
3. They want to “stay on top” of issues via their smartphones so that they will have less to take care of when they return to the office the next morning.

But such beliefs get in the way of healthy sleep and may warrant new long-term strategies for health and well-being. Feeling well-rested and relaxed are important states during non-work hours—and are useful states for work as well.
If sleep is so critical, what’s the secret to avoiding the unwanted, imaginary shift while in bed? Here are 3 top strategies to clock out for real:  
1. Create a buffer zone.
Create a pro-sleep environment with a buffer zone—"protected time" one hour before bed devoted to winding-down and relaxation. This should also be your electronic devices’ bedtime, for these reasons:

• Devices can deliver emotionally charged material that can subsequently delay sleep.
• Devices keep us in work mode, a mode incompatible with deactivation and sleep.
• For some, devices can delay melatonin release and delay falling asleep.

Engaging in things that make you feel happy, content, or relaxed are compatible with successful disengagement from work. These could include relaxation practices such as yoga, deep breathing, guided imagery, or another technique of your choice.
2. Implement a mindfulness practice.
Thinking ahead while in bed promotes alertness and often, worry. The person we are at work is a “doing” person, a person who thinks ahead and solves problems. The “doing” person mindset is productive for work but counterproductive for sleep. Sleep needs to be effortless; efforts to produce sleep have a paradoxical, sleep-interfering effect. Thus, the ideal sleep state is in a state of “being” rather than “doing." Transitioning from our “doing” self to our “being” self is an important skill. I call it a skill because it is something we can learn and practice. Those with a mindfulness meditation practice often are able to switch into a “being” mode more readily.
3. Leave the room when you're awake.
Regardless of the cause, always get out of bed and go into another room when you find yourself awake and/or upset. Pairing the bed with upsetting thoughts, problem-solving, worry, or wakefulness will increase the likelihood that in the future, merely getting into bed will elicit wakefulness or a negative state of mind.
Some unwanted thoughts are a result of transitioning in and out of a light stage of sleep. Often, people are unaware of how they are drifting in and out. By getting out of bed to go into another room, you end the transitional state of light sleep and become lucid—a state with less susceptibility to problem-solving and worrying about work.
There is a hidden benefit to the sleep deprivation incurred by getting out of bed. Some sleep deprivation tonight may result in deeper sleep tomorrow. Further, you unpair the association of the bed with wakefulness and worry, which makes worry and sleeplessness less likely to recur in your bed.
Investing in good sleep habits will help you to sleep and be a more focused employee during your “actual” shift. Moreover, an investment in good sleep habits pay dividends for better health and well-being.
Sleep Well.

你的人生是不是卡住了？

February 24, 2015

套一句柴九经典名句：人生能有多少个十年？时间总是过得比想象中还要快，年轻时就应要懂得把握时间，你所做的一切，将大大影响未来的成年生活，别等到老了才后悔莫及。趁年轻一定要懂的7件事，别让你的人生卡住了。




01  自己就是最好的资产
我们每个人都有个身份统合资本（Identity Capital），就像是学历、工作经验、说话的方式、解决问题的技巧以及外貌等，这些将会随着年龄增长而累积的个人技能资源，一点一滴打造出我们现在的 身份。趁年轻就应该必须先了解自己，分析出自己的兴趣、期望目标，专注在自己需要和想要的，所以投资于自己才是永远最值得的资产，别等到老了才发现会的东 西太少而才开始想学习就太晚了。

02  把路人变贵人
过度依赖亲友的人多半较孤立，无法得到有价值的资讯，因而难以改善生活。人脉就是钱脉，很多事情的发展都会出乎意料之外，而通常在重要关头帮助我们的往往 都是跟我们不太熟的人，多尝试、多行动、多请教、多认识其他人，多替自己创造人脉，因为你不知道哪一天某个人会成为你的贵人。

03  寻回你遗忘的特长
总有些事情是你做得特别好的，你也总能在该领域发挥良好的能力，做得比别人突出，即使没有其他人的督促，你仍然可以在这件事上默默付出。试着找出你的天赋与专长，那才是你真正应该做也最能发挥的。

04  别让Facebook影响真实生活
问问自己：每天花多少时间在Facebook上？大家在Facebook常常表现出状况比较好的自己，例如出国旅游、吃大餐等等，吸引大家目光及满足自己 的小小虚荣。然而这也造就了人们逐渐对自己的生活感到不满，不甘落后于人，结果把自己陷进比较中。记住，Facebook并不是真实生活，所以没有必要因 此引发妒忌，别把自己的内在生活和别人的外在表现作比较，对自己所拥有的一切知足就好，当一个开心满足的人。

05  爱情宁缺勿滥
不要因为短暂的单身，就急急忙忙找一个人陪伴在自己的身旁，年轻时，应该慎选自己的另一半，而不是还保持着交往看看的心态。谨慎选择你的伴侣，就像你挑选工作一样，因为都是要陪伴你度过下半辈子的。

06  用理性回应情绪
认真把生活中每一件事情做好，就是对自己负责，并选择用理性的态度处理生活周遭所发生的不好事情，因为你已经不再是未成年人了，应该多几分成熟的态度。

07  熟能生巧累积自信
卡内基曾说：“什么都不做只会滋生恐惧和怀疑，行动则能产生信心和勇气。如果你想克服恐惧，别只坐在家裡担心，走出去，让自己忙起来。”自信往往都是来自于过去成功的经验与所拥有的知识，当你对一件事情愈熟，就能让你更有自信。

 http://nuyou.com.my/features/career/0224-01/

13 Tips To Help You Fall Asleep Faster [Infographic]

by CureJoy

 Many people look into how to fall asleep faster because getting adequate sleep is critical for optimal health and function. Thankfully, there are a number of ways to relax and help your body to fall asleep naturally each night. Use a variety of techniques so that you are improving your overall health while also promoting restful sleep.
















Now that you know how to fall asleep faster, you can easily incorporate the right lifestyle changes. When you are sleeping better, you will find that you have more energy throughout the day and things like aches and pains, headaches and other minor issues also start to go away. Overall, you will enjoy a happier, healthier life.

5 Super Small Changes to Make for Better Health

All of these can be achieved in 30 minutes or less.

By Laura Schocker

 

1  Move around an extra two minutes an hour.

You’ve heard the reports: Sitting all day is terrible for you. It’s been linked to increased heart disease, colon cancer, and mortality risk, among other scary health effects—it’s even been called the new smoking. But maybe you don’t need to dramatically overhaul your day, or convert to a standing desk to fix the problem. Recent research from the University of Utah Health Sciences suggests that adding just two minutes of walking (or other “light intensity” activities, like gardening or cleaning) every hour might be enough to counteract the negative effects of sitting all day. In fact, trading off these activities in place of “low intensity” activities (read: sitting and even standing) for two minutes or more each hour was linked with a 33 percent lower risk of dying amongst the study participants. Walking meeting, anyone?

 

2  Replace one sugary drink a day. 

Sugary drinks can contribute to obesity (and they’re the top calorie source for teens, according to Harvard School of Public Health). The ideal solution would be to cut them out entirely, but if that’s too daunting to start, try reducing your intake by one. You’ll see results: Recent research published in the journal Diabetologia suggests that swapping out just one serving of sugary drink per day with water, unsweetened tea or coffee can slash the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes by between 14 and 25 percent.

 

3  Look out the window for 40 seconds.

Losing focus at work? You don’t have to overhaul your workspace or take a long break to renew it. Research published in the June issue of the Journal of Environmental Psychology showed that study participants made fewer errors and had higher concentration levels on a task after they spent just 40 seconds staring at a green roof space.

4  Walk 20 minutes a day. 

Sure, ideally you’d incorporate regular, vigorous exercise (plus strengthening) into your routine for maximum health benefits. But while you’re working toward that, start by taking a walk every day. Research released earlier this year from University of Cambridge researchers showed that a daily, brisk 20-minute walk might be enough to stave off the risk of early death. “This is a simple message: just a small amount of physical activity each day could have substantial health benefits for people who are physically inactive,” lead author Ulf Ekelund, from the Medical Research Council (MRC) Epidemiology Unit at the University of Cambridge, said in a statement.

5  Take a 30-minute nap.

Sleep is indisputably the third pillar of health, along with diet and exercise. And too little shuteye has been linked to serious conditions like obesity, diabetes, and depression. But sometimes it’s just impossible to clock the recommended seven or eight hours. The good news? A short nap can help. Recent research published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism showed that two 30-minute naps helped to reverse the adverse hormonal effects of a night of only two hours of sleep in men. Added bonus: Short naps can also boost performance and alertness. We’ll see you in 30.

One Simple Way to Get a Better Night's Sleep

Want to start your morning without a full pot of coffee? Try this trick.
 

Forget tossing and turning. Getting a full night's sleep might be easier than you think: According to new research, mindfulness meditation may help improve your sleep quality.
The study, which was published in JAMA, followed two groups of adults, 55 and older, who suffered from a self-reported moderate amount of sleep disturbances. Half of the participants were assigned at random to participate in a mindfulness meditation intervention. Those in the meditation group took a six-week class that focused on teaching them to track what they were feeling, both physically and mentally, from moment to moment. The other half of the participants took a six-week sleep education program, which taught proper sleep hygiene. Both programs came with homework to practice the new techniques at home and rate how well they were sleeping on a scale from zero to 21.
At the end of the study, those in the sleep education program improved their scores by an average of 1.1 points. Those who focused on meditation improved by 2.8 points—about a 13 percent gain. The bottom line? Learning mindful meditation techniques benefited sleep quality more than learning about how to get a better night's sleep.
While the study focused on participants over age 55, there is evidence that meditation can help people of all ages. Mindfulness mediation might ease anxiety, according to Harvard Health Publications. It may also help with depression symptoms, increase focus, and help people quit smoking. Research suggests that meditation may even slow age-related brain deterioration.
Ready to start meditating at home? Follow these five-minute mediation techniques for a clear, calm mind.

5 Ways to Deal with Anger

... including what you need to stop doing (because it doesn't actually work).

Post published by Ryan Martin Ph.D. on May 27, 2015 in All the Rage

 Why do people get angry? Anger is a common emotion that's important to understand. How one responds to provocation can vary from suppression to appropriate assertion to violence. In my previous post, I outlined how anger follows a fairly predictable pattern based upon one's mood, the provocation, and one's interpretation of that provocation, which is influenced by mood. If you find yourself getting carried away with anger emotions, understand the patterns that trigger it. It's possible to intervene in lots of different ways at various points in the anger experience to manage the emotions more effectively.
Here are five different ways to manage your anger that target different points of the anger process.
1. Sleep
Manage your mood before a provocation, often called the “pre-anger state." Getting regular, healthy sleep is an important part of managing anger. Being tired makes negative experiences feel worse than they would otherwise. Plus, lack of sleep diminishes activity in the frontal lobe, which is associated with impulse control. Consequently, sleep deprivation makes it harder to control your angry impulses—and you are more likely to do something you regret when you get angry.
2. Consider Alternative Interpretations
We have little control over the things that provoke us (though I will explore ways we can exert some control upon those in a later post). We can control how we interpret those provocations, though. Consider alternative interpretations of the provocation to alleviate anger. And ask yourself what evidence you have to support your angering interpretation.
Imagine, for example, that someone cuts you off on the highway. You can interpret that a couple of different ways:

• It was intentional—"He saw me and did it on purpose."
• It was unintentional—"He must not have seen me."

While both might be frustrating, the former belief (that it was intentional) will likely fuel greater anger. Try to consider other ways of looking at the situation and maybe even try to test those alternative interpretations.
3. Take Deep Breaths
Sometimes, the angering interpretation is correct, and you get angry. When you are angry, you become physiologically aroused (your heart rate is increases, your muscles tense up, etc.). Respond by taking long, slow, deep breaths, using the diaphragm rather than the just the chest. Deep breathing is one of the best ways to relax when in a tense moment.
4. Know That Catharsis Does Not Work
The “Catharsis Myth” posits that venting anger, acting with aggression, viewing aggressive content, etc., releases our anger in a way that is beneficial, healthy, and safe. Unfortunately, catharsis does not work and is counterproductive. Research on catharsis shows that it increases anger rather than decreases it. According to Bushman and colleagues (1999), it increases cardiovascular disease risk and the likelihood that you will become aggressive toward those around you, including innocent bystanders.
5. Know That It is Ok to Get Mad
Anger is viewed negatively; people talk about anger as though we should never feel it and we should certainly never act on it. But neither of those is true. There are times when it’s not only reasonable but also correct to feel angry. If you have been wronged, treated unfairly, or provoked, you should get angry. In fact, I would worry more about someone who did not feel angry in those circumstances. That said, we all know that anger can get out of hand. How you handle it is different from whether or not you feel it (link is external). It is OK to act on anger. But be polite; assertive rather than aggressive; and calm when you do.