Life Hacks

We deal with so much uncertainty in the world – from canceled flights, to shipping delays, to higher prices! So, how can we effectively set goals and move forward in life?

According to time management expert Laura Vanderkam, consider these words when making plans: “Hold the NEAR future tightly, hold the FAR future lightly.” Meaning, if you’re making plans for the next two weeks, Vanderkam says absolutely nail down as many details as possible.

But if you’re making plans for the next six to 12 months, go ahead and take some action – like reserving a wedding venue or buying plane tickets for a vacation, but don’t stress over the specific details just yet. And beyond a year, she says, you shouldn’t make concrete plans at all…… just think in terms of what your long-term intentions are.

Vanderkam says when you adopt this mindset – to hold the near future tightly, and the far future lightly – it allows you to focus your energy on the short-term plans that are the most likely to yield results…… while minimizing the disappointment that comes when plans suddenly have to be changed or canceled!

And that way, you can continue to move toward your longer-term goals, without being caught off guard every time life throws a curve-ball!

Hold the near future tightly, and the far future lightly

Here we go with the latest on speed-learning. 

The next time you need to watch a training video for work, or anything educational, and you’re short on time……Go ahead and speed up the video!

Researchers say you’ll learn the information as well as if you just played the video at regular speed. This is the latest from the journal of Applied Cognitive Psychology.

For the study, they had subjects watch a selection of videos at normal speeds and others at much faster speeds. Then, they were tested on the subject matter. Even they were surprised by the results.

When the videos were played 2 times faster than normal, people scored just as well as when the videos were viewed at a regular speed. The researchers say a slightly faster presentation does NOT over-tax a person’s working memory.

If your morning gets off to a rough start, or you experience a setback during the day, do you find your WHOLE DAY is ruined and derailed from then on?

Well, no more! There’s a new productivity hack that allows us to trick our brains into pushing past setbacks. It’s called the “four quarters method.”

According to behavior expert Daniel Pink, it simply means splitting each day into four distinct sections – and taking a break between each one.

For example: Quarter #1 includes waking up, interacting with your family, maybe exercising and then starting . Then, there’s the late-morning quarter when you’re working from 10am to 1pm and having lunch…… Your 3rd quarter includes working from 2pm to 6pm and then getting home…… And after one last break, you close the day with a final quarter from dinner until bedtime.

And by dividing each day into quarters – and having clear transitions between each one – you give your brain a chance to reset and start each section fresh. It’s like a relay race only you’re the one completing all four legs of the race!

And by tricking your brain into thinking that there are multiple new beginnings throughout the day, you get the momentum that comes with 4 fresh starts.

The 3 Secrets to Instantly Connect with People

How can you create an instant connection with anyone you meet? I love these research-backed suggestions:

First: Instead of thinking “What will I talk about?” Think “How can I get the other person talking?” Because, according to research from Harvard neuroscientist Diana Tamir, when someone gets the chance to talk about themselves it triggers the same pleasurable sensation in the brain as food or money. So how can you accomplish that?

Ask for someone’s advice: According to FBI behavior expert Robin Dreeke, seeking advice is the number one way to build a bond with people because most of us WANT to feel appreciated and respected. And when someone validates us by asking for our opinion or advice, we automatically like them more.

So what’s the biggest turn-off if you’re trying to connect with someone? Correcting or contradicting them. According to neuropsychologists, when people hear things that contradict their beliefs, the logical part of their brain shuts down and their brain prepares to fight.

I’m using this proven memory booster. I’ve started using what doctors are calling a proven way to help SLOW age-related memory decline — even among folks who’ve been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment! 

Ready? Doing crossword puzzles every day. I had heard this before but this new study comes from Columbia and Duke Universities. They recruited adults with mild cognitive impairment, with an average age of 71. Study participants were given cognitive tests and MRIs, followed by a year and a half of weekly sessions in which they did either crossword puzzles or played computer videogames.  A year and a half.  Extensive study!

Here are the results: 
Those who did crossword puzzles had lower levels of memory loss, and less age-related shrinkage of the brain, which can also affect memory. 

The researchers believe it’s because both crossword puzzles and videogames trigger activity in the brain areas linked to strategy, decision-making, learning, motivation and memory.

But crosswords ALSO boost activity in the brain areas that process language, which makes it easier to store and retrieve memories. 
Bottom line: Solving more crossword puzzles TODAY may be the key to maintaining your brain health later in life!

How to Calm Down Quickly and Increase Energy. When you need to calm down or de-stress, you always hear people say “take a deep breath.” But a deep EXHALE may be more important than a deep INHALE.

Physical therapist Dr. Emily Kiberd says most people think, when it comes to deep breathing, it’s crucial to focus on taking more oxygen IN……But scientists have discovered that stress-relieving, energy-boosting oxygen doesn’t get transferred into the bloodstream until we breathe OUT. 

So, here’s a quick way to calm down and increase your energy: Inhale through your nose for a count of four……Hold it for another 4 seconds……Then exhale for 8 seconds. So remember – in through your nose for 4, hold for 4, exhale for 8. That will not only calm your nervous system, but also give you energy at the same time.

How ‘Keystone Habits’ can Transform your Life

Remember when your mom told you to make your bed before you went to school in the morning?  Well I obviously didn’t know it at the time, but she was clearly on to something. And as it turns out, our mom’s morning nagging was fully aligned with the protocol and success of the U.S. Special forces. I’ll explain that in a moment.

But First of all, let’s dig into the research because I’ve interviewed dozens of Psychologists, research scientists  and PHD’s on the topic of morning habits and most, if not all agree that the key to winning your day before noon is something called  “keystone habits.” Those are behaviors that create a chain reaction – influencing other habits and behaviors.

So for example…making your bed is a keystone habit in that a clean and organized bedroom will set the tone for your whole day. So if you leave the house without making your bed, you’re essentially starting the day with a small, but meaningful failure.

That’s according to Charles Duhigg, the author of “The Power Of Habit.” He says, making the bed is our first organizational task of the day. And if we don’t do it, it’s downhill from there. In his research, Duhigg found  that making your bed every morning leads to higher levels of productivity and overall happiness.

It gives us a sense of being prepared and in control.  Again, making your bed every morning is a   “keystone habit.” A behavior that creates a chain reaction that will have a positive effect on the rest of your daily habits and behaviors.