Procrastination
In general in life I am very self-motivated, which is essential when you are self-employed. However this is the time of year of my annual bout of procrastination kicks in. Each year I promise myself its going to be different, I will fill out my tax form early and every year, like ground hog day, I leave it as late as possible. So this year I decided to research options for helping me tackle my procrastination around doing my accounts and filling out my tax form.
I read the reason most people procrastinate is that they consider the task unpleasant or boring or they associate unpleasant feelings with the task. To me this is blatantly obvious as no on every puts of anything they enjoy. For me tax forms manage to be both unpleasant and boring. So I decided that this year I would try a new approach to tackle my procrastination.
Firstly I decided to focus on the end goal. As filling out a tax form leaves me cold, I decided that focusing on the fine for not doing it on time would motivate me, after all my money is on line. As in life I tend to prefer more positive options, I decided to pencil in a treat for myself when I finished, so I am going to arrange a girlie lunch for a specific date so I have something positive to look forward to.
In the past I have dedicate one sold lump of time to doing my accounts and tax form and plodded through it. This year I decide that I would split it down into little chunks as this should help me do it with a smile on her face.
In addition some experts recommend roping a friend so that you have a buddy to help motivate you and also making a public commitment to completing something helps motivate you. So this is my public commitment.
So now its just a case of taking the first step and staring.
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Here are some top tips on how to live to 100. These tips are from Dr Claudia Kawas at the University of California, on of the world's leading scientific researchers into longevity and scientists at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine in Chicago and the scientists working on the Blue Zone project. Scientists studying lonevity are tyring to answer the question why doesn one person live until they are 94 while another dies at 75. Dr Claudia Kawas has spent 15 years studying "super-agers" - those who live until into their nineties and beyond while keeping their minds sharp. By studying the lifestyles of these "super-agers" scientists have discovered some common lifestyle habits and traits including:
- Drinking two cups of coffee a day
- Don't over eat
- Get out and socialise including talking to strangers
- Drink two glases of wine a day
- 15 mins of light exercise a day
- Positive thinking or optimistic outlook in life
- Resilience when bad things happen
- Having a purpose/ belief in life
- Put others including family first
- Be with the "right" people for you
- Healthy eating i.e. more plant based diets
How to prevent gallstones
Although no definite preventive technique for gallstone development has been discovered yet, research shows that there are ways people can lower their risk for these stones.
Refrain From Taking These Medications
If you are taking any of these medications, remember that the following can increase your risk for gallstones:Cholesterol-lowering drugs: Medicines like gemfibrozil (Lopid) and fenofibrate (Tricor) can increase your gallstone risk. Although they may decrease your blood cholesterol levels, these medicines can also increase the amount of cholesterol released in bile. Hormone therapy: HRT is a general term referring to the administration of estrogen or a combination of estrogen/progestin therapy. Increased estrogen levels can cause the body to produce more cholesterol and raise the levels of it in bile. As such, if you are a woman who is undergoing HRT or is taking high-dose birth control pills, talk to your doctor about your gallstone risk and ask if there are other hormone-related medications that are better for you.A Healthy Lifestyle Can Lower Your Gallstone Risk
Decreasing your risk for gallstones begins with a healthy lifestyle, specifically by following these habits:Maintaining a healthy weight: People who are overweight or obese have a higher risk of gallstones. Boost your diet with these foods:ReferencesThe following common practices can also raise your gallstone risk, so it's best to avoid them:- Unlimited amounts of fresh, organic and vegetables, especially fiber-rich options (just make sure to introduce these foods slowly into your diet, since they can prompt digestive discomfort, especially in those who have had gallbladder surgery).
- Moderate quantities of high-quality protein from meat ideally organic.
- High portions of healthy fats from sources like avocados, coconut oil, organic butter, pastured egg yolks and raw nuts like macadamias, pecans and pine nuts.
• Exercising regularly: Research shows that moderate physical activity can help with increasing the body’s levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) or “good” cholesterol.- Skipping meals or fasting for long periods of time. As much as possible, try to stick to your usual mealtimes.
- Following diets that promote rapid weight loss. By rapid I mean aiming to lose more than 1 to 2 pounds, or 0.5 to 1 kilogram, per week.
“What to Do About Gallstones,” Harvard Health Publications Harvard Medical School, March 2011 Marks and Bass, “4 Ways to Prevent Gallstones,” Everyday Health, January 26, 2010 Stöppler and Shiel, “Hormone Therapy (Estrogen Therapy, Estrogen/Progestin Therapy),” MedicineNet, August 23, 2016 “Gallstones,” National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, November 2013 Mayo Clinic Staff, “Gallstones Self-Management,” Mayo Clinic, August 18, 2016 Mayo Clinic Staff, “Top 5 Lifestyle Changes to Improve Your Cholesterol,” Mayo Clinic, June 19, 2015
How to stay healthy at your desk
This week the daily mail reported that three in four office workers blame desk for sickness: badly set up desks and chairs cost companies 7bn each year. Rather than sitting in silence or popping pain killers to ease headaches or back pain, here are my top 7 tips for staying healthy while working at your desk.
- Sit up straight. As you read this post, if you’re not running to an appointment or standing, how are you sitting? Really take notice of how you are sitting and poised. Are you legs crossed? Is your back hunched over as you read this? Or are you sitting up straight? If you are sitting ensure that you are sitting up straight, not slouched, with your head directly over your torso and your feet on the ground, using a foot rest if necessary.
- User a wrist support. Repeatedly bending your wrists up and down (extension and flexion) compresses structures inside the carpal tunnel in the wrist. This can cause pain and lead to injuries like carpal tunnel syndrome. Place the heel of your palm on a wrists pad to minimise wrist pain.
- Use a headset. If you spend a lot of time on the phone user a head set rather to avoid holding the phone to your ear by raising your shoulder which may cause neck & shoulder pain.
- Don't bang the keyboard instead use a light touch. Try to use the minimum amount of force necessary to depress the keys. The tendons from your fingers connect near your elbow, so striking the keys too hard can lead to problems you might not associate with your keyboard-for example, pain and inflammation in your elbows (Epicondylitis).
- Look straight ahead. Maintaining proper eye level with your computer monitor is essential. This helps you avoid straining your back, neck, shoulders, and arms. In addition, proper eye level reduces unnecessary eye strain. To accomplish this sit in your office chair and stare straight ahead. You should be looking directly at the center of your monitor. If you are not looking at the center of the screen adjust the monitor until you have the correct measurement and use a monitor riser where necessary.
- Save your work, save your shoulders. Working as a massage therapist who specialise in Acupressure Neck & Shoulder massage withing an office environment, I know muscular tension in shoulders causing neck and shoulder pain is a common problem. To minimise the build up of muscular tension in your shoulders, every time your save your work or send an email simply circle your shoulder three times clockwise and then three times anti-clockwise.
- Book a massage. If you are feeling the stain and pain for working long hours at your desk then book a massage which are highly effective at relieving neck pain, shoulder pain, back pain and tension headaches.
