Dark Chocolate is good for you

Guess what? Scientists have found out why chocolate is good for you.

Eating one and half ounces (42.5 g) daily for two weeks reduced stress hormones in the body, and also helped to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer. It also helps with the production of serotonin (the happy neurotransmitter in the brain) and endorphins (enjoyment). It has also been shown that savouring dark chocolate stimulates all part of the brain more intensely than passionate kissing.

It might also be helpful in providing relief from chronic fatigue syndrome.

Read more from the article here.

Improve your memory and reduce stress by doodling

Have you ever watched someone doodling while they were in a meeting or on the phone and thought that they weren't paying attention?

I was reading Dr Dave Hnida's blog and came across his post about a study from the journal, Applied Cognitive Psychology, that found doodling may improve concentration.

He wrote, "People who daydreamed during boring meetings, classes and phone conversations, actually retained less of what was going on around them."

Doodling may also have an added benefit of being a stress-beater. It was also suggested that doodlers tend to be more organized than day-dreamers.

Some famous doodlers include US Presidents, John F. Kennedy and Barack Obama. The only downside might come from leaving one's doodles in a place where others can see them.

Dr Hnida concludes, "...doodles...offer insight into personalities; some of the most common doodles include circles which indicate self-protection; arrows show a strong personal drive; and boxes reveal the mind of a logical organized person."

So the next time you feel like doodling during a meeting or phone call, don't hold back! It may be just the thing to remember a key point and in turn help you regain Calm from Chaos.

Find doodle interpretations take a look at Dr. Dave Hnida's blog.

Productivity Tips No. 1

From time to time I will post some productivity tips - things to assist us to get more from our busy lives. Here is Tip No 1.

Enjoy what you do...
How many times have you dragged yourself painfully through tasks - struggling to finish, and begrudging every moment "wasted"?

I recently had a conversation with a colleague who mentioned breaking her golden rule of not working on weekends. She was happy to spend extra time on a project with a tight deadline because she thoroughly enjoyed what she was doing and was excited by the project. In fact, she had energy to burn and completed other tasks as well.

Do you enjoy your paid and unpaid work?
How can you make your work fun?

In Summary:
People go the extra mile when they enjoy the task.
Think of ways to make your work fun.
Mix it up and break it up.
Play music you enjoy - get up and dance for a change.
Reward yourself and your staff when they achieve a milestone.
Watch your productivity soar.

Christmas - blessing or curse?

Do you love or hate Christmas? It is such a strange time of year.

On one hand it is a time of joy, happiness, forgiveness and sharing - along with gift giving and shopping, planning, anticipation and STRESS!!

There is so much pressure on people to be filled with love and joy, with heart felt happiness and family and community spirit that it is often hard to find what this time means to each of us, personally.

And it should be a personal experience.

Finding time for our own sense of peace and fulfilment, to reflect on our challenges and triumphs through the year can be bittersweet. So much depends on how we view our successes, and whether we can find the positive in any seemingly negative experiences.

So, some tips for getting the most out of this season: Try this -
Note down the major experiences in your life over the last year.

• What have you gained from each, what have you learned from each?
• Who are the outstanding people you have met, worked with, loved or shared time with over the year?
• How would your life be different if these experiences had not occurred?
• Is there anything you would dearly love to have different? Is there some way you can safely (and legally) bring some of this into existence for you?
• Is there something you could do to help someone else? It is often the simple things that mean the most.

On a practical note - it is a season of indulgence, for those of us lucky to have the opportunities. Take care not to over-indulge! Some tips to help you through...

• Eat smaller amounts - tasting each item of food means you can enjoy variety in your diet without eating too much.
• Drink alcohol and sweet beverages in moderation - make sure that the only drink you drink a lot of is water.
• Get some regular exercise - even if it is only walking up and down stairs or escalators in shops.
• Take time to smile and appreciate the beautiful things around you - it might be something in nature, it might be a floral arrangement in a shop, the way a Christmas tree is decorated or the way some families arrange their Christmas lights in their homes.
• Get enough rest - if this means having a catnap in the afternoon - then do so. Your mood and ability to cope with stressful situations improves when you are rested and refreshed.

To all my readers, I wish you a joyful, peaceful Christmas and festive season, and a wonderful, prosperous and healthy 2008.

Calm & Collected - Tribune-Review

While searching the web I found this article on helping children to cope with bullying and stress at school. The article makes the point that skills we often suggest and provide to assist our children with their challenges are equally appropriate for us.

Calm & collected - Tribune-Review