PAPERmaking! FROM THE PUBLISHERS OF PAPER TECHNOLOGY Volume 5, Number 1, 2019
“Research from Ohio State University found that sniffing lemon improved people’s moods and raised levels of norepinephrine, a brain chemical linked to executive decision-making and motivation. Another study found that students exposed to a citrus-scented cleaner were more likely to clean up after themselves, while in a Japanese study the scent of lemon improved typing accuracy, with workers making 54 percent fewer errors.” 56. Meditate As mentioned in a previous Calendar post, “Meditation at its simplest form is the ability to focus on a single point typically your breath. In order to truly meditate you need to remove everything else from thought.” 57. Strike a power pose. “Strike Power Pose for More Productive Day: A 'Power Pose' is a method of telling your body to start moving,” states Murray Newlands. “Productivity is all about telling the brain: 'I am in charge, I feel good to go.' A 'power pose' actually can cause a burst of testosterone, that's responsible for feelings of dominance. Having a power pose in place for around 2 minutes may assist with confidence, decrease stress, and encourage a gr eater tolerance for risk.” If you want to learn some awesome power poses, then check out Murray’s 7 body positions and gestures that can improve productivity. 58. Take a nap. When you feel like you’re dragging, go ahead a take a short nap - preferably in the afternoon. This doesn’t just recharge your batteries, napping can improve your memory, alertness, and creativity. 59. Set the right temperature. Productivity decreases when you’re either too hot or too cold. That makes sense since you’re focused on h ow much you’re sweating or shivering. While there are several factors to consider, keeping the temperature between 70º – 72ºF (21 – 22ºC) is usually ideal. 60. Soak up the sun. Natural light increases your energy levels, helps you focus, reduces stress, and assists in better sleep. 61. Smile! According to A Life of Productivity, smiling makes you more productive because it boosts your immunity, makes your happier, handle stress better, and helps you focus on the big picture. 62. Bring your dog to work. Studies have found that we “become more trusting, relaxed and nicer towards each after interacting with a canine.” Furthermore, playing with your best friend reduces stress. This isn’t a problem if you work from home, but what if you can’t bring your dog t o work? Looking at pictures of animals can have similar effects. 63. Standing and walking meetings. Some meetings are essential. But instead of sitting - like you’ve been doing all day - start having standing or walking meetings. It’s not just better for your health, these types of meetings reduce distractions, promote collaboration, and saves time. Success requires being equally fit physically and mentally. Try these mental productivity tips: 64. Have a plan. Let’s say you’re building your dream home. Obviously you would have an architect design your home. This ensures that it’s built correctly and that you have all the materials needed to get the job done on time. Start by identifying a daily mantra, your short-term goal, and your long-term goal. 65. Take five. This isn’t taking a five - minute break. It’s actually taking five minutes before any call or task to determine what you want to attain. As noted in Entrepreneur, "This will help you know what success looks like before you start. And it will also slow time down." After the call or task, decide on whether or not the desired result was achieved. If not, figure out what’s missing for the next time around.
Article 12 – Time Management
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