Category: Daily Dose

Annie Sneed at the New York Times recently published a piece exploring the findings and opinions of addictions psychiatrist Dr. Anna Lembke regarding our at times addictive relationships with our phones. Whether smartphone overuse constitutes a true addiction is still up for debate and, as with many things, when we feel the relationship is no longer healthy here are always ways to scale down. First we have to appreciate what drives the maladaptive relationship which, according to Lembke is Control (the behavior in questions s considered out of control or more present than it should be) Compulsion (being intensely mentally preoccupied with the behavior / performing it automatically); and Consequences (continued use in spite of negative social, physical and mental consequences). So what do we do with this?

• Take a ‘screen fast’: try  completely avoiding using all screens, not just phones, for anywhere from a few hours, to a do, to a month, whatever your life will allow. This is an especially helpful approach when going on vacation. Take note of which changes you observe in yourself during the fast, even if it lasts only an hour. If you like it, keep going!
  
  
• Set boundaries: Healthy boundaries are important in any relationship, including our relationship to technology. This is a less intense alternative to fasting, and might look like setting aside times of the day or days of the week when you don’t use your phone at all, such as before and after work, or on your lunch break (when many people are most tempted). It may also mean leaving your phone in the other room, keeping it out of your bedroom or putting everyone’s phone in a box outside of the kitchen during dinnertime.
  
  
• Make your smartphone less appealing: You can also make your phone less engaging. This might look like changing the screen to grayscale or turning off notifications, as well as uninstalling some of your more addicting apps (Wordle, we’re looking at you!) In addition you might periodically rearrange the apps on your phone so that they become harder to find and less likely to lure you into a mindless loop of checking and rechecking simply out of habit.

“The big question to ask yourself with screens is: ‘What else could I be doing right now? Is there something I could be doing that would be better for me?’” Dr. Alter said. “That’s important now more than ever because of how much time we’ve been forced to spend on screens during the pandemic.”

To read the full article, entitled “I’m Addicted to My Phone. How Can I Cut Back?” visit https://www.nytimes.com/2022/02/08/well/live/smartphone-addiction-tips.html

Victor Wooten is an American bassist, songwriter, and record producer whose professional career spans nearly 40 years but who has been playing almost his entire life. In that time he has also formed his on record label, published his novel “The Music Lesson: A Spiritual Search for Growth Through Music” and earned five Grammy Awards along the way. How has he been so successful? He has treated music like any other language, which means maintaining a child-like mindset. This means, among other things, staying curious, being open to mistakes and learning from them, and simply learning by doing without judgement. Listen to Mr. Wooten in his own words in this TED-ED video.

What do you learn when you have lived for more than a century? What does it take to make it that long? These are some of the questions put to Cliff Crozier, John Denerley, and Emelia Tereza Harper, three centenarian. Their answers are beautiful and meaningful and, even in the difficulties, full of meaning and joy.

Fully half of U.S. workers are now experiencing burnout (feelings of exhaustion, ennui, and negativity toward one’s occupation, overall symptoms of depression and anxiety). The rise of remote work, mobile email, and other technologies has made it difficult to disconnect but doing so has become more important than ever. Creating rituals that help you disengage from work so you can fully savor your free time is key. Author Markham Heid reviews current research and offers recommendations which include:

• Finding and scheduling 30 minutes in the morning to write replies to E-mails that came in at the end of the previous day as you were preparing to wrap-up. Rather than just letting them linger, you have created a specific task for the next day and, in doing so, swapped out something your brain one categorize as n unfinished task for one that your brain can mark as “handled.”
• Knocking out simple, completable tasks at the end of the workday — and avoiding complicated ones — is another good way to psychologically disconnect.
• Don’t make checking (or worse, organizing) your inbox the last thing you do each day. “In terms of detachment, checking email is really a no-win scenario,” psychologist Brandon Smit says. “If there is nothing to attend to in your inbox, checking email was a small waste of time. If there is something urgent, a new task has now been activated in your mind, which will press for completion.”

You can read Markham Heid full article, “The Best Way to End Your Workday” at https://elemental.medium.com/the-best-way-to-end-your-workday-c91caf4677d5.

Looking for a novel approach to improving your wellness? Consider the healthy habit countdown challenge! Health behavior change is usually most successful when done gradually. Below you will find a countdown to guide you in that gradual change. In the coming weeks, consider focusing on one of these goals (steps, sleep, water intake, etc.) and only that goal for a period of two weeks. Once you have worked toward and maintained that goal, move on to the next. The order below will work for some, but if starting by upping your steps seems too much, and reducing electronic usage before bed is more feasible, start there. Reorder the list as needed, and then start your countdown to better health!

Whether it’s taking fruit to work or being polite to rude strangers there are countless ways to make your life better in the new year with little effort involved. The Guardian recently summarized this in their article “100 ways to slightly improve your life without really trying.” Below are the top 10, but check out the article for the full list at https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/jan/01/marginal-gains-100-ways-to-improve-your-life-without-really-trying

• Exercise on a Monday night (nothing fun happens on a Monday night)
• On the fence about a purchase? Wait 72 hours before you buy it.
• Tip: the quickest supermarket queue is always behind the fullest cart (greeting, paying and packing take longer than you think).
• Bring fruit to work, bring fruit to bed!
• Consider going down to four days a week. It’s likely a disproportionate amount of your fifth day’s work is taxed anyway, so you’ll lose way less than a fifth of your take-home pay.
• Everyone has an emotional blind spot when they fight. Work out what yours is, and remember it.
• Plant spring bulbs, even if they’re just in a pot.
• Send a voice note instead of a text; they sound like personal mini podcasts.
• Keep a bird feeder by a window, ideally the kitchen. It’ll pass the time when you’re washing up.
• Always bring ice to house parties (there’s never enough).

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2022/jan/01/marginal-gains-100-ways-to-improve-your-life-without-really-trying

As we continue to round out the year we can acknowledge but the difficulties and challenges that we have faced individually and as a group, and also at the same time give some attention to the good things that have happened. To that end, the folks over at informationisbeautiful.net have put together an interactive graph of the most beautiful and inspirational news of the year. Whether you are interested in the environment, health, or community there were many good things. Check it out!

The folks over at The New York Times have provided many pieces of practical advice for getting and staying healthy this year. This week they provided a best-of their recommendations. Several are featured below; the full list is at NYTimes.com. Want a printable copy to inspire the office? Click here!

Jancee Dunn of the New York Times recently wrote: “Last winter, with the Covid-19 pandemic in full force, some families sat out the festivities, keeping celebrations with friends and family small or virtual. Some even admitted that the slower pace worked for them, said Thema Bryant, president-elect of the American Psychological Association and a professor of psychology at Pepperdine University. Now, with nearly 60 percent of the country fully vaccinated and restrictions loosened, all the things we took a pass on last year seem to be roaring back — and many are feeling uncomfortably out of practice when it comes to social situations. Not everyone, it turns out, is ready to party like it’s 2019.”

Whether you think you are completely ready for the holidays, are dreading it, Dunn offers the following advice that can help you get through the season. You can read her full article at, “It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Holiday Social Anxiety,” at NYTimes.com.

• Reflect on What You Missed (and Didn’t) During the Pandemic: We all only have so much social energy these days, so be sure to reflect on what you did and did not miss throughout the pandemic, and spend your social energy wisely only on those things that you truly missed.
• Leaving the House is a Win: If you have committed to leaving the house to socialize for even just a little you have already won. But be sure to prepare yourself before hand, have some tools to cope if you get overwhelmed during, and plan some self care afterward. For example, listen to music that matches you want to be in for the party before going, know where to sneak away to during the party to takes some deep breaths and reset and, when you get home, get right into your bedtime routine.
• Know the Difference Between Pre-Party Jitters and Anxiety: Nervousness before coming into a social setting is common, said Itai Danovitch, an associate professor and chair of the department of psychiatry and behavioral neurosciences at Cedars-Sinai in Los Angeles. “But if you find that your anxiety is distressing and disproportionate and interferes with your daily living, and is preventing you from doing things that you would otherwise be doing, then that impact on function is an indicator that there’s a problem.” If this anxiety is persistent and recurs in multiple settings, Dr. Danovitch added, “it’s a good idea to be evaluated by a professional to determine if you have an anxiety disorder.”
• If You’ve Ventured Out, Be Present: Have a review of the wellness programs “Minute to Arrive” exercise and apply these principles as you get to your gathering, and keep them in mind if you need them throughout to stay present and focused on what is actually in front of you.