Category: Practices

Put Your Thanks in Writing!

Social Fitness Challenge #4: Write down 3-5 things every day for which you are grateful.

The definition of gratitude is the quality or feeling of being grateful or thankful and appreciative.

Keeping a gratitude journal, where you write down five things each day you feel grateful for has been associated with greater well being according to the research of Robert Emmons, described in his book, Thanks!. You may be grateful for particular colleagues, loved ones, or what you found to be fun or meaningful during the day. Examples may also include the color of the sky or your first cup of coffee, or how your morning exercise routine left you feeling refreshed and alive.

You may notice, as you do this, that you are more likely to acknowledge a colleague or friend, or a member of your family. According to the research, you are also likely to notice within weeks that you feel happier and healthier.

Find Value in Someone Everyday!

Social Fitness Challenge #3: Write down what you find interesting and valuable about a different person each day.

The judgments you make about others depend not only on their behavior but also on your interpretation of their actions within a social context. By taking a few minutes to acknowledge the unique qualities of an individual you can learn to see past stereotypes and develop appreciation for those who are different from you.

Look for What You Want to Find!

Remember when you are hiring new people this truism: “past behavior is the best indicator of future performance.” The study below reflects what happens when giving too much credence to the interview process.

Although conscientiousness is the personality factor that predicts better performance in medical school and physician practice, a new study has found that extroversion is the only personality type associated with better performance in the Multiple Mini-Interview (MMI) process.

Find the study “Do Med School Interviews Favor Extroverts?” at Futurity.org.

We Have Lost 93% of Our Food Variety in 80 Years via IdeaFeed @ Big Think

In the last 80 years, we have lost 93% of the diversity in our food seeds, according to National Geographic. The industrialization of agriculture as well as our current trend toward genetically modified foods has steadily put emphasis on a seed’s ability to generate the highest yield per acre. “In 1903, we had almost 500 varieties of lettuce. By 1983, we had just 36. Radishes, peas, and beets have fared no better. In fact, the most steadfast of the crops has been the tomato, which, probably due to the popularity of strange and tasty heirloom varieties, only lost about 80% of its seed diversity.”

via Big Think

I have never been a culinary expert of any kind, except for an occasional dip into coffee snobbery, but this should make all of us stop.

 

For Better Health, Build Your Work around Your Play via IdeaFeed @ Big Think

New research reveals that losing sleep could be a significant contributor to obesity. In a study at the University of Munich, surveyed the sleep habits of more than 65,000 adults and found that “people whose weekend and weekday sleep schedules differed were three times more likely to be overweight than those who went to bed and awoke at the same time each day.” When people are low on sleep, they tend to eat less healthily and rely more on alcohol, caffeine and tobacco to keep them going. And those who eat while their body should be sleeping will be met with a slower metabolism, contributing to weight gain.

via Big Think