Category: Life Hacks

12 Nov 2023, Samaria: From the peer-reviewed journal, “Substance Use & Misuse:”

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I was studying this article a while back, and I thought my readers may enjoy it as well. I think you’ll like #4:

1. Memorize the following sentence: “What is a different way of looking at my situation?” Ask yourself this question every time you start to feel overwhelmed.  Getting out of habitual patterns of over-reacting to stress and uncertainty is key for regarding yourself as a capable problem-solver.

Source:  https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/anxiety-zen/201909/17-things-curb-your-anxiety-don-t-involve-therapy

2. Walk your dog for 30-minutes daily, or go for a hike. Movement is a wonderful metaphor for getting unstuck. Not only are you getting out of your home, but you’re getting out of your head. Especially if you have a wily breed like a Siberian Husky to keep you on your toes.

3. Drink a lot of water. Staying hydrated is a simple way to improve mental health. Studies show water facilitates the delivery of nutrients to the brain, removes toxins and inflammatory markers, and improves brain function.

4. Drop and do 10 pushups when your heart starts racing because your boss just bombed your inbox with unreasonable requests. Short bursts of heightened physical activity help you get rid of excess nervous energy.

5. Silently repeat, “I’m not the cause and I’m not the cure” whenever someone around you is being unreasonable. Many anxious souls are overly responsible for others’ feelings. If Bob in Accounting goes on a rant because the numbers aren’t adding up, that’s his problem. Don’t make it yours.

6. Fall in love with emotional regulation. Successful people are self-aware people. They also know how to reign in their emotions and maintain composure while warding off impulsivity during trying times.

7. Think of a person you admire who sees a glass as half full. When you’re stumped about a problem ask yourself what this person would do. Anxiety can cause you to feel alone and isolated, even when you’re around others. When you aren’t getting the feel-good vibes of those in your purview, think of your admired person for inspiration.

8. Practice the Pomodoro Technique when you’re demotivated and stressed about looming work or school deadlines. There are various iterations, but the classic version is to set a timer and work for 25 minutes, followed by a 5-minute break. Repeat this cycle three or four times, and then take a 15-20 minute break. This method is especially helpful when you’re daunted by a huge project. Working in small batches of time is a wonderful productivity hack.
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9. Leave work on time. Unless your job involves researching a cure for cancer or other terminal illness, let it go. A healthy boundary means respecting your obligations just as much as your “me time.”

10. Choose a mindfulness activity to ease yourself into transitions. For example, let’s say you have a hard time leaving work stress behind, and you emotionally vomit on your spouse upon arriving home. Before walking through the front door, spend a few minutes in silence to make peace with what’s happened during the day. Take a few cleansing breaths and open the door with presence and intention.

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“Altogether You” – fantastic book – very helpful for the path.

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A Great spot for vitamins and health product deliveries, and competitive shipping rates:

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Brio-PU100 Universal Manual Drinking Water pump:

Compatible with most bottles between 2 and 6 gallons (7.5 to 22.7 liters):
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You know those giant water bottles? We don’t need the extra expense of a dispenser if one has a pump. 

This pump mounts right on top of the jug.

So I don’t have to buy or rent one of those special bottle stands with spigot, heater, cooler, etc.

Cheaper pumps out there probably break quickly, so they have bad reviews.