Coping During the Festive Season

It's not unusual to feel a bit ambivalent about the festive season. For many, the heightened expectations and pressure of holiday events make this time of year a bit stressful. But if you plan ahead and focus on what you really enjoy about this time of year, you can get the most out of it with the minimum amount of distress. Here are some tips on keeping your cool during the festive season:

• Have realistic expectations: Let go of your ideas of perfection and notions of what your celebrations "should" be like. Things go wrong, family members argue, kids spill things on valuables, it happens. Rather live in the moment and focus on the meaningful moments.
  
• Accept your feelings: If you're not feeling joyful or relaxed, don’t be too hard on yourself. These feelings are completely normal. If you are feeling persistently sad or anxious, however, it’s best to consult a counsellor or mental health professional as soon as possible.
• Identify your stressors: Try to identify what is stressing you out and how you are dealing with it. Then find a way of dealing with it or reframing it so that it doesn’t cause so much stress.
• Prioritise your time: Make two lists of everything you want to accomplish, from chores to leisure time. Put the less pleasant activities that you must do on one list and more enjoyable activities on the other. Then combine the two lists, interchanging "must do's" with "want to do's". This way, you can be productive and have a good time.
• Set limits: Be realistic about what you can do, and schedule time for breaks. It's important to make time for yourself.
  Don't feel obligated to accept every party invitation - be choosy! Spend time with people whose company you enjoy.
• Share responsibility: Don't take responsibility for everything. Delegate some of the shopping, cooking, party planning, and other holiday activities.
• Exercise: Exercise will not only help you manage the stress, but will also help you ward off the weight gain that normally accompanies the festive season.
• Limits: Limit your alcohol, caffeine and sugar intake. It might make you feel better in the short term, but will only increase your stress after the initial "high". It also induces fatigue.

(C) https://www.healthinsite.net/

What motivates you?

There are two types of motivation: extrinsic motivation and intrinsic motivation.

Extrinsic motivation involves doing something as a means to an end. While extrinsic motivation might help you focus on a task or project in the short-term, it is likely that your motivation will disappear once you get the reward.

Intrinsic motivation comes from within. It is simply the satisfaction or pleasure of doing the activity or being challenged. Research shows that it positively affects behaviour, performance and wellbeing. Here are some types of intrinsic motivation:

• A sense of purpose or meaningfulness – the passion you have for a task’s purpose or the feeling that you are on a path that is worth your time and energy; that you are on a valuable mission and that your purpose matters in the greater scheme of things.
• A sense of choice – this is the opportunity you feel to select activities that make sense to you and to perform them in a way that seem appropriate; the feeling that you are able to use your own judgement and act out of your own understanding.
• A sense of competence – the accomplishment you feel in skilfully performing the activities you have chosen; the feeling that you are doing good, high-quality work.
• A sense of progress - the accomplishment you feel in achieving the purpose; the sense that your work is moving forward and your activities are accomplishing something.

Which type of intrinsic motivation describes what makes you tick?
(C) https://www.healthinsite.net/

How to Stay Focused

It's here! The excitement has reached its peak and years of planning have come to fruition. We are on the brink of experiencing a time like no time before and everyone is feeling it. But you still have to go to work. How will you manage?

• Plan each day. Write a to-do list, putting the most important tasks at the top Delegate. Take a look at your to-do list and consider what you can pass on to someone else or eliminate altogether.


• Take the time you need to do a quality job. Doing work right the first time may take more time upfront, but errors usually result in time spent making corrections, which takes more time overall.


• Say no to non-essential tasks. Consider your goals and schedule before agreeing to take on additional work.


• Break large, time-consuming tasks into smaller tasks. Work on them a few minutes at a time until you get them all done.
  Practice the 10-minute rule. Work on a dreaded task for 10 minutes each day. Once you get started, you may find you can finish it.


• Get plenty of sleep and exercise. Improved focus and concentration will help improve your efficiency so that you can complete your work in less time.


• Take a break when you need one. Too much stress can derail your attempts at getting organized. When you need a break, take one. Watch a game. Do some quick stretches at your workstation.


• Drink in moderation. Don't use this once-in-a-lifetime event to lead into recklessness. In addition to the dangers of binge drinking and the devastation of a hangover, you don't want your memories to be a blur.


• Be patient. It's likely that some of your projects will be delayed, especially those that involve many role players. Be patient, remember the context and plan for delays.
  

MAKING TIME FOR BREAKFAST

For most people, mornings are a frantic rush to get to work (or and/or school) on time, and regular morning meals are a fantasy rather than a fact.
The fact is, breakfast really is the most important meal of the day. Your body relies on glucose (blood sugar) for energy in much the same way your car requires petrol. Without a constant supply of energy, your body will tire and stop functioning.
Breakfast supplies you with an initial boost of energy that not only speeds up your metabolism, but provides you with enough glycogen reserves to see you through the morning as productively as possible.

There are many quick breakfast options that can be eaten on-the-run or prepared in less than 5 minutes. Here are a few ideas:
•Stay away from cereals high in sugar as they are burnt quickly in the body, resulting in a sudden drop in blood sugar levels. Cereal companies are now producing low fat, delicious sustained energy release cereals.'
•Make cereals more interesting by adding low fat flavoured yoghurt or fruit.
•Instant oatmeal (it comes in different flavours) is a good option for chilly mornings.
•Sprinkle oat bran, wheat bran or flax seed meal on cereal for extra fibre and more slow release of energy.
•Cut up different fruit and for fruit salad drizzled with yoghurt.
•Fruit smoothies are made in a blender by mixing fruit, yoghurt and milk. Add some
oat bran if you want a slower release of energy. They are delicious and can be eaten (drunk) even in the car.
•Keep a few breakfast bars and small yoghurts around for panic stricken mornings.
Breakfast is all about being prepared, having a routine and not compromising on your or your family's good health.