productivity – Hello Doctor

Free yourself from work stress

March 29th, 2023 by The Hello Doctor Team

Is stress about work keeping you from living your best life? Then it’s time to tackle it and let go of unproductive worry.

We are fortunate to live in a country that guarantees our freedoms and yet many of us find ourselves trapped by work stress. It shouldn’t be this way. A job already provides a number of freedoms, including the ability to put food on the table or the opportunity to shape your future. Here are a few tips on how you can do your job without the stress.

Check in with yourself

The first step to becoming free of stress is realising you are stressed in the first place. Stress is such a broad term that it may be hard to realise just how much of an impact it’s having on your health. It’s time to get a handle on stress levels if you are experiencing any of the following symptoms: low energy, headaches, a change in appetite or an upset stomach. Low esteem and a loss of sex drive can also indicate something needs to change.

Create a happy space

Take a look at where you work. Is it a grey little cubicle or a neglected space like a desk in your back room? Simple things like adding a little colour to your desk with framed pictures or bringing in quality coffee for your morning cup can boost your mood. Office workers in Japan found that simply bringing in a pot plant and staring at it for a few minutes a day noticeably improved stress levels.

Step away from your desk

If you find you are stressed, free yourself from your desk by making sure to take a lunch break each day. This is just as important when you are working from home. Use your lunch hour to eat a healthy meal and try to fit in a walk. Getting exercise and eating healthily have been shown to smash stress. When stress hits, you might crave chips and cakes, but what will really make you feel better is loading up on things like vegetables, fish, fruit, eggs and nuts. One study of over 12,000 Australians found that people who increased vegetables and fruits in their diet resoundingly reported themselves as being happier.

Honour your downtime

Quite often work stress is caused by the feeling that we are not up to the tasks at hand because we’re low on energy and inspiration. You might try and cope by putting in longer hours, but that’s counterproductive. In fact, studies suggest that long hours are absolutely devastating to our health and work performance. Instead you’d be better off leaving work at a reasonable time and using your personal hours to hit the gym, walk the dog or meet up with friends – whatever recharges your batteries. If you want to sleep well at night and deliver better work during the day, leave the office on time and close work apps and communication once you are out the door.

Shore up support

The last large contributor to how stressed a person feels comes down to their perceptions of the work environment. One study found that those who were stressed, but believed they had what they needed to complete a task, fared better than teams who felt under-resourced, even if their situations were the same. In short, how you view your work environment will have a lot to do with how you handle work stress. If you are feeling snowed under and alone, it’s important you speak to those around you, evaluate your resources and start building a culture of support.

Get organised

Rather than dive straight into work when you sit down at your desk, take a few moments to plan your day. To make the most of it, you can use a strategy like chunking – this is where you group similar tasks together, for example, setting time aside to answer a bunch of emails. Another organisational approach is to write up a list of things you need to do and quickly do all of those things that only take a few minutes. You will find your list is now significantly shorter and appears more manageable. Now take a deep breath. You’ve got this.

Tech to help you beat stress

Constant beeping from alerts and notifications fraying your nerves? With help from these Android and iPhone guides, you can turn them off and restore calm.
Reset your frazzled mind with a free 4-minute guided meditation from Calm. The Calm App also offers paid-for meditations of various lengths to help you destress.

References

Productivity dwindling? Try “sweatworking”

May 13th, 2021 by The Hello Doctor Team

When you hear the word “exercise”, its natural to think of the physical benefits: the stronger heart, the lower blood pressure, the six pack abs and, of course, the active wear! There is no doubt that exercise has numerous physical benefits, but it also produces a more powerful mental and emotional state. And this benefit is felt almost immediately (certainly sooner than developing that 6 pack anyway).

The link between physical exercise and mental performance

There is a direct link between how active you are and your brain power, and nowhere is this relationship more important than when you are trying to perform your best at work. Studies have found that regular physical activity is associated with:

Improved concentration
Sharper memory
Faster learning
Prolonged mental stamina
Enhanced creativity
Lower stress

What about actual work performance?

Exercise enables you to soak in more information, work more efficiently, and be more productive. One study found that on those days when employees visited the gym, their experience at work changed. They reported managing their time more effectively, being more productive, and having smoother interactions with their colleagues. And something just as important: They went home feeling more satisfied at the end of the day. Seems like a no brainer, doesn’t it? Excuse the pun!

Who has time for exercise during the day?

Everyone really. When you say, “I don’t have time”, what you’re really saying is that you don’t consider it a priority. Given the significant impact exercise has on your physical health and mental performance, it’s a good time to start shifting your priorities around. Instead of viewing it as a personal indulgence, or something you’d like to do if only you had time, consider exercise as an integral part of your working day.

The concept of “sweatworking”

You’ve heard of networking, but sweatworking takes things to a whole new, healthy level. Besides the stress-buffering impact of activity; simply walking and talking gets your creative juices flowing, giving a whole new spin to the idea of “…giving your idea some legs”. Studies have found that creativity can be increased by up to 80% following some activity, and even a 30-minute lunchtime walk can be effective in helping employees feel less stressed, less fatigued and more alert, improving their ability to cope with their given workload. Essentially any time lost by exercising during the day is made up for with improved productivity. You start working smarter, rather than longer!

Sit less, move more

If the concept of enjoying a lunchtime workout is out of reach, embrace the idea of simply sitting less and moving more. Even amongst those employees who are regularly active, spending hours of their day sitting is linked to lower work productivity and decreased mental well-being. Research shows that in work environments where employees are encouraged to take regular movement breaks, the typical indicators of lost productivity were reduced – so clearly productivity improved.

Tips to ensure your workday activity works for you:

Pick an activity you enjoy. You’re far more likely to stick with something you look forward to doing.
Dress appropriately – a walk around the block at lunchtime isn’t the best idea in heels, so pack your takkies!
Avoid making your ‘reward’ that of having an unhealthy treat. Any health benefits would quickly disappear as fast as the doughnut.
Have FUN. One of the benefits of exercise is a boost in happy hormones which in turn adds to both health and productivity.

Regardless of how you go about incorporating exercise into your routine, reframing it as part of your job makes it a lot easier to make time for it. Remember, you’re not abandoning work. On the contrary: You’re ensuring that the hours you put in have value.

REFERENCES

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23795769/

https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28511642/

http://dx.doi.org/10.1108/17538350810926534

https://www.apa.org/pubs/journals/releases/xlm-a0036577.pdf

https://doi.org/10.1111/sms.12398

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-015-1447-5

Want to realise your dreams? Then this step is critical…

January 21st, 2021 by The Hello Doctor Team

It is tempting to read articles and see stories about success and believe it happened overnight. Not to say that never happens, but unfortunately, the idea of instant success is often more myth than fact. The truth behind success – be that in improving your academic performance, your physical health, your mental health, or your financial well-being – is a lot less glamourous. It involves a lot of hard work, and more importantly, a lot of planning.

Think about it – if you go away for a weekend, you plan your travel. Having a party? You plan the event. Each element is covered in minute detail. Living a life of success filled with meaning, happiness and fulfilment is no different. Yet many neglect to plan their lives and land up feeling disappointed and discouraged when they don’t achieve what they would like.

Why plan?

There is no doubt we’re living in uncertain times. Each day seems to bring with it a new challenge. The worrying, the wondering and the anticipating of what that next challenge is going to be can cause your mind to start spinning. While there is so much in the world that you can’t control, there is one thing that you can: yourself, and your actions.

Sure, you have a goal for 2021, and in theory it seems “easy” to achieve. If your goal is to improve your fitness, you may commit to being more active. If your goal is to be better with your money, you may commit to budget better. That’s a good start, but without planning on how exactly to achieve these targets, your goals may become another New Year’s resolution that falls quickly by the wayside.

How planning can help you reach your dreams:

It helps you to identify your goal more clearly. Improving fitness is a general goal, but planning to do this would include more specifics, like “I need to exercise 5 days a week”
It helps you to make sure that we understand your goal and what we need to do to reach it. To exercise 5 days a week, you will need to make the time to do so
It helps you to see in advance those things that can help you achieve your goal and those things that can prevent you from achieving it
It helps you to become accountable for what you do
It supports your decisions on how best to use your resources (energy, people, time, money, information, equipment) so that they make the most significant contribution to achieving your goal.
It allows you the opportunity to clearly assess and evaluate your achievements
It gives you back control of your life in the middle of a pandemic!

Developing an action plan

Think of planning your life as setting the destination on Google Maps on your phone. Unless you have already been to the place you want to go numerous times and already know how to get there, you’ll need step by step instructions, including bus, taxi times and distances. Planning for your goals is no different.

To start your planning process, start by writing down these three simple questions:

What is to be done?
How should it be done?
When does it need to be done by?

Then, under each item, write down all those things that you will need to do to complete each of the steps. These items will become your checklist, a tangible way of checking how you are progressing towards reaching your goal destinations. Make sure you include your action points on a calendar so that you have definite dates on which to do things.

The real power of a plan is that it will make it easier for you to say “no” to things that are not as important to you. It can be difficult to say “no” sometimes, but once you have learned to say “yes” to your goals as outlined by your plan, it will be easy to decide which opportunities are the really important ones.

There is no right or wrong way, or time, to start planning to achieve your goals. Don’t wait until things get back to “normal”. Accept that today is today, and if you want to achieve something, it’s as good a day as any to start planning!

Why boredom is good for you

August 31st, 2020 by The Hello Doctor Team

There’s something to do, even when there’s nothing to do.

We’re all busy and constantly on the go; so, it’s a strange experience when you’re suddenly at a loose end with nothing on your list. And, with most of us stuck in our homes this year, we either find ourselves panicking about the state of the world. or bored out of our skulls.

Strange as it might seem, boredom has wonderful benefits for your wellbeing. Cindy Strydom, a clinical psychologist based in Johannesburg explains:

Why do we get bored?

Boredom describes a state of “down time” or mot being preoccupied at a specific moment in time. As a society, we have come to celebrate and promote “busyness” and frown upon a state of not being preoccupied or engaging in down time. If you think about your interactions with others, we tend to wear the fact that we are busy as some form of trophy of importance. We also associate being busy with being productive.

Why do people consider this a bad thing?

In the same breath, we shun the idea of being unproductive, or our concept of boredom. We’ve been conditioned to think this way since childhood. We’ve been told in many shapes and forms that boredom is a bad thing and we should keep busy. To an extent, this is understandable because boredom may be directed into destructive behaviours and actions rather than constructive ones.

As human beings, we’re designed to get bored when we’re not stimulated or preoccupied. The period of being bored should serve as a time to regroup our senses, thoughts and ideas. Unfortunately, because of our societal concept of boredom and the celebration of being busy, we tend to create a life of being “on” all the time, which creates anxieties and burnouts.

The benefits of boredom

Boredom allows us to re-experience our environment, to think out of the box, to be creative and process information differently than we may when we’re busy. Being ‘un-preoccupied’ also allows us to problem-solve, without the urgency of deadlines and other demands. It allows us time to reflect and process events and emotions in our lives, which is considered healthy from a psychological perspective.

More life, less listlessness

Allow yourself time to be bored, structure “boredom” and have moments that are unplanned.

Try out meditation and mindfulness exercises.
Learn how to breathe deeply. Big, deep calming breaths can send you into a relaxed trance-like state.
Let your mind wander aimlessly from thought to thought. If something strikes you as interesting or bizarre, write it down.
Spend time in nature, taking walks, playing in the ocean and so on.
Disengage from life and engage with yourself. This includes switching off your phone!

References:

https://www.crs-med.co.za/

How to stay productive (even when working from home)

March 19th, 2020 by Content Editor

Just like any activity, concentration takes practice. If you want to be good at something, practice makes perfect!

It’s time to banish old habits and adopt new ones to stand a better chance of achieving your goals.

Here are a few science-backed tips and tricks to help you hone your concentration skills to learn and perform better.

1. Set goals

This should be a daily routine. Organise your day and divide it into goals, each with a clear timeline, purpose and intention. Keep a to-do list to ensure you stay focused and increase your productivity. Set reasonable daily targets. Write them down or use an app on your smartphone.

2. Prioritise

Take a moment and identify your most important task, then get it off your plate first thing. Not everything on your list is urgent.

3. Set deadlines and stick to them

Having a set deadline can be a great way to control procrastination, but research suggests that self-imposed deadlines don’t work very well for procrastinators. What’s more effective are hard deadlines that are evenly spaced out. Speak to your lecturer or tutor to help you with this.

4. Keep tasks manageable

To improve productivity, break big projects down into manageable chunks to allow you to focus on one area or one subject at a time. This way you’ll stay motivated and avoid distractions.

5. Train your brain

To fully activate the full power of your mind, you need to train your brain. Set aside a couple of hours every day where you can completely focus on one task without interruption. When you do this, you fully engage your brainpower making progress on critical tasks more likely.

6. Sort your time

Set aside some ‘focus time’ to minimise interruptions. Tell your friends that you won’t be available for anything during this time. Compartmentalising your time allows your brain to isolate a task, so you can completely focus on that one thing without constantly breaking your concentration for something else. Identify when and where you are able to focus best and then invest your time there.

7. Put away your cell phone

Simply by putting your phone away for periods of time, or at least turning off notifications, you’ll gain hours of improved productivity and focus.

8. Monotask

Multitasking isn’t for everyone, so why not giving monotasking a try. Look at your calendar at the beginning of each week and assign yourself a single, specific focus each day.

9. Be mindful

Practising mindfulness meditation has been shown to increase the ability of the brain to focus on a task while at the same time, enhancing learning and memory.

10. Know your body clock

We all have natural rhythms that influence our ability to focus and produce. The key is to match your highest priority work with your most productive hours of the day. Pay attention to your body clock. Most people tend to be most alert in the morning, with concentration dipping in the afternoon. Find out what works for you and stick to it.

References:

The link between brainwaves and your health

August 9th, 2019 by Content Editor

Your brainwaves are linked to your state of consciousness, and this can influence your mood, energy, sleep and general health. Whether you’re at rest or doing an all-consuming activity, your brain is always active. Brainwaves are produced when electrical pulses from your neurons within your brain communicate with each other.

Brainwaves could also be considered a continuous flow of your consciousness. The flow can be fast or slow, depending on what you’re doing and how you’re feeling. For example, if you’re tired or dreamy, your brainwaves will be slower. And if you’re alert, they’ll be faster.

The five kinds of brainwaves

Your brainwaves are grouped into five different categories. Each one is associated with specific tasks and mental states. The speed of brainwaves are measured in Hertz (cycles per second) and are either slow, moderate or fast.

Here are the different brainwaves in order of their frequency (highest to lowest):

Gamma waves

The brainwaves with the highest frequency at 34 to 42 waves per second are called gamma waves. You’re in a gamma state when you are hyper-focused, learning new information for example.. In this state, you also store memories and become more aware of yourself and your environment. Musicians often experience gamma brainwaves as sharp concentration is necessary for their field of work.

Beta waves

When your brain is active and engaged in mental activities, it’s in a beta state. The beta state means you’re probably alert, focused, trying to solve a problem or making a decision. For example, a teacher would all be in beta when they’re working. Anyone engaged in a conversation would also have beta brainwaves. The frequency of beta brainwaves ranges from 15 to 40 cycles per second.

Alpha waves

When you’re in an alpha state of mind, your brainwaves begin to slow down. For example, if you’ve just completed a task and you sit down to take a break. These brainwaves are also present when you have quiet, slow thoughts and are generally calm; or if you take a walk after a meeting or meditate. The frequency of alpha waves is 9 to 14 cycles per second. These waves are important for alertness, learning and mental coordination.

Theta waves

When you’re asleep, at rest, in deep meditation or if your senses are generally withdrawn from your surroundings, you’re experiencing theta waves. For instance, when you’re driving for a long time, the repetitive nature of the task can put you into a theta state. The same thing happens when you take a shower, comb your hair or read a book. In this state, the frequency of your brainwaves is slow and normally ranges between 5 and 8 cycles per second.

Delta waves

Your brain is in a delta state when you are in a deep sleep or deep meditation. Delta brainwaves are important because they help your body reach a state that allows you to wind down. Winding down is necessary so you can experience deep, dreamless sleep that will heal and restore your body. Delta brainwaves have the slowest frequency at one-and-a-half to four cycles per second.

Brainwave training

If you’d like to tap into different brainwaves to achieve something specific, there are ways to train yourself.

Here are some tips:

If you want to use certain brainwaves to achieve a certain task listening to binaural beats can help. Binaural beats are sounds at different frequencies (but lower than 1000 Hertz so your brain can detect them).

If you listen to these sounds for a time, specific parts of your brain are activated. This can help you switch to different brainwaves. Find binaural sounds easily online.

Meditation can also help. Regular meditation has been shown to increase alpha activities in your brain and decrease beta brainwaves. This can be particularly helpful if you’re struggling to sleep.

References:

Am I depressed, or just lazy?

June 16th, 2019 by Content Editor

Occasionally, we all go through waves of feeling lazy. When you get home from school, you might neglect a few tasks like your assignments or household chores.

Crawling into bed makes more sense at this point, right? Yes, we all need the rest. But what does it mean when one or two lazy days turn into a few lazy weeks? Is it laziness or could it be depression?

Laziness and depression do have some similarities, but a few key differences too. Many who suffer from depression will initially feel like they’re just lazy for not wanting to get out of bed.

The main difference between laziness and depression is that while you can choose to be lazy, you can’t choose to be depressed. Depression is an illness which comes on gradually over time. It can start slowly and before you know it, it’s taken over your mindset and life.

Being lazy shouldn’t be confused with a serious mental illness. Usually, if you’re just feeling lazy, it’s a passing mood that lasts a day or two. Soon enough, you get up, and gather the energy to go to classes and catch up on your tasks.

People with depression don’t have that ability. They’ve lost all concept of meaning in their life, of time, and responsibilities. It just doesn’t matter. Nothing matters.

What is depression?

On a global scale, around 450 million people currently suffer from mental health conditions, making them one of the leading causes of poor health and disability. According to the World Health Organization, 300 million people around the world have depression.

Depression causes distress for the person suffering from it, but also for their loved ones and friends.

Symptoms of mild depression may include:

Sadness or feeling “empty”.
Loss of interest in hobbies.
Irritability or frustration.
Hopelessness.
Changes in sleep pattern.
Changes in appetite (depression and weight gain, weight loss).
Anxiety.
Tiredness, loss of energy.
Low self-esteem, guilt.

Symptoms of severe depression may include:

Inability to make decisions.
Obsessive suicidal or thoughts of death.
Persistent, unexplained physical pain like headaches, digestive problems, or joint and muscle pain.
Inability to feel pleasure or contentment.
Difficulty in thinking and memory.
When you first ask yourself “Am I depressed?” it’s natural to feel uncertain, confused, and overwhelmed. Figuring out if you’re experiencing depression, and what to do about it, is the first step. Remember that you’re far from alone; there is help available.
A doctor is the best person to talk to if you think you may need to see someone about your mental health. They’re likely to refer you to a specialist like a psychologist who will be able to help you manage problems like stress, anxiety, and phobias.

References:

How to boost your attention for better performance

January 23rd, 2019 by The Hello Doctor Team

The best way to power through any task or goal is to understand your brain’s limitations and figure out ways to work around them.

Your friends may work well with music in the background, but for you, it could be a distraction. Perhaps a quiet room works best and helps you concentrate. There are a few tips and tricks to help you develop excellent concentration and focusing skills; which is what will help you learn and perform better.

Like any activity, concentration takes practice. If you want to be good at something, you must practise…. and you know what they say: practice makes perfect!

Breathe in and out

Start by waking up early and exercising. This will help set the tone for the day as it keeps the oxygen flowing to your brain. Every now and then while working or studying, get up and walk around the room to get your blood flowing and to send new supplies of oxygen to your brain.

Define your task

To help increase your productivity, have a clear understanding of what you need to do and when it should be done. This will help you plan your time accordingly.

Manage your time

It’s not always about how much time you have; it’s how you use it. Once you’ve lost it, you can never get it back and it’s at times like these when you’re likely to start panicking and lose focus. This leads to poor concentration. Use your time efficiently and have a detailed planned schedule ahead of time.

Banish distractions

Put that phone away! Take a hiatus from social media for a couple of hours. Social media is a thief of time and leads to serious procrastination. Find a quiet space where you can be alone or if you’re working in a noisy space, invest in noise-cancelling headphones. Don’t forget that “do not disturb” sign on your door if you’re at home or in res.

Meditate

Meditating keeps you cool, calm and collected. Plus, it can significantly boost your attention span.

Improve your work environment

The more you get the hang of being organised, the easier it will become to concentrate. Jot down the items that need your attention and hang them around your desk as a reminder. Create a filing system for each task. This will also help you find your material more efficiently and won’t waste your time shuffling through a bunch of papers.

Nourish your brain with real food

Add Omega-3 rich foods to your meals. Your brain uses Omega-3s to build brain and nerve cells. These fats are necessary for learning and memory. Find these health helpers in fish, walnuts and pumpkin seeds.
Stock up on blueberries, which can help improve learning while protecting your brain from free radicals.
Choose whole grain options. Wholegrains regulate glucose and improve blood flow.
Snack on dark chocolate. Cocoa is rich in flavonoids, which are compounds that are linked to boosting cognitive performance.

Sleep for a winning mindset

The biggest factor that affects concentration is lack of sleep. If you don’t get enough sleep, your mind tends to aimlessly drift, unable to retain information. But, beware: too much sleep is not healthy either.

References:

Motivate yourself to study!

September 18th, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

Between juggling your assignments, social life and attending classes, it can be difficult to keep up the motivation to study. A key to keeping your motivation on track is to set realistic goals, and changing your mindset. Here are some key pointers:

Keep the end in sight

Before you get started, know what you’re working towards. Choose realistic goals which still challenge you. For example, if you’re bad at maths, you can’t expect to be a numbers whizz within two days. Instead, an accurate goal would be to work for a full week at improving at a specific section of maths. Post your goal somewhere you can see it every day to keep yourself motivated. You could hang a list of your goals above your bed, your desk or create reminders on your phone.

Visualise your success

A great way to encourage yourself to stop procrastinating is to think about how it’ll feel to achieve your goals. For example, picture yourself seeing distinctions in your next exam results. Imagine how happy it’ll make you feel to finally graduate. Your loved ones will be proud of you, you’ll have a chance at the career you want and you’ll finally be successful. You can also try this when you’re feeling demotivated.

Perfect your study space

A comfortable place to study is the best way to avoid procrastination. Having everything you need within reach gives you a head start on study sessions and a clutter-free environment means you won’t waste time picking up after yourself. A clean space also means fewer distractions, so tidy up and stock your desk drawers with enough pens, paper and snacks.

Set a schedule

To ensure that you don’t study in random bursts or procrastinate, set study times and stick to them. This means you’ll have enough time to study for your exams and complete assignments in-between. Best of all, you can include downtime in your schedule which will be seen as a treat. This way, you’re less likely to skip out on studying and will have a break to look forward to, which will keep you on the study straight and narrow.

Get going

The most difficult part of most things is getting started, and particularly when you don’t find something enjoyable. Set yourself a small goal at first, like hitting the books for 15-20 minutes without a break. You’ll see that it’s not as bad as you thought and you may find yourself committing to more time.

Play some tunes

Ever noticed how you’re more focused at the gym when you’re listening to music? The same can apply when you’re studying. Play music that pumps you up before you start studying, then switch to something more soothing to help you focus. Avoid songs with lyrics when you study and rather choose instrumental music.

Reward yourself

It’s difficult to work at something you don’t particularly enjoy or struggle with, so if you make progress, treat yourself! Do this when you’ve reached a milestone like getting a better grade, studying every day or finally understanding something you’ve struggled with. Treating yourself could be anything from having your favourite meal, a trip to the movies or playing video games.

References:

10 Ways to improve your concentration

August 10th, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

A song plays in the far distance, and you’re instantly distracted. A text notification pops up on your phone; you get side-tracked from your job.

Someone chats to you while you’re working and you can’t concentrate…

Why is it so easy to lose focus?

The good news: there are ways to improve your concentration.

1. Make a plan

Find a way to structure what you’re about to do. Set a time target to achieve your task. This will help you feel a sense of accomplishment and increase your drive towards your goal.

2. Choose your environment

Finding a suitable spot to focus is important. It needs to be an environment that is calm and has the least distractions. Temperature is just as important, it can be distracting if your room is too warm or cold. Don’t forget proper lighting and definitely sit in a comfortable chair. Have all the essentials you will need around you, like water or snacks. You’re less likely to get up and go to the kitchen, saving you time.Hunger can be distracting and it signals that your brain isn’t getting the energy it needs to fuel your focus and concentration.

3. Avoid multi-tasking

Multi-tasking doesn’t allow you to focus on the most important thing at hand. Handling one job at a time will ensure that you give your best.

4. Cut the noise

Put your phone on silent or switch it off for a few hours. Alternatively, get earplugs, or if you concentrate better with music, try concentration music. There’s music that’s known to calm your brainwaves and can put you in a mode for better concentration.

5. Understand the task

To successfully do anything, you must understand it. Start with a basic and generalised view. This is a good way to get a running start at completing what you intend to do and not become discouraged.

6. Divide the tasks

Divide your tasks into manageable, bite-sized chunks. Tick each one off your to-do list for a sense of accomplishment.

7. Beat procrastination

We’re all guilty of procrastinating. Motivate yourself to finish your tasks by telling yourself to not leave your chair until you’ve finished your work. Once you’re halfway through it, you will find the motivation to finish off the rest. Keep sticky notes at your desktop, encouraging you to keep going.

8. Know your peak times

Everyone has certain peak times during the day or night when their concentration is better. Identify your optimum working time and get going!

9. Support your focus

Eat nutritious meals for brain support:

Omega-3 rich foods like fish, walnuts and pumpkin seeds.
Leafy green vegetables like spinach.
Avocados have healthy fats that support healthy blood flow.
Wholegrains help improve blood flow, regulate glucose (balanced glucose levels make it easier to concentrate), and decrease the risk of plaque building up in the brain.
Blueberries can improve learning while protecting the brain from free radicals.

10. Get enough sleep

Get proper sleep. If your sleep cycle is reasonable, the quality of your day will improve.Your mind also needs rest and proper sleep. You need to concentrate the most when you have something important to accomplish. So, if you deprive yourself of sleep, you can say goodbye to a productive day!

References

Need more confidence? Here’s how to get it

August 3rd, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

Picture this. You’ve studied hard for a test and aced it. But a little voice in your head tells you that it’s not good enough because some of your classmates received higher marks. Within seconds, you’ve talked yourself into a slump and all your motivation is gone!

If this sounds familiar, you may lack self-confidence, but don’t worry. Many people think that confidence is just “something you have”, but it’s not a fixed quality. The outcome of the thoughts you have about yourself plays a big part in whether you have self-confidence or not. Therefore, if you change your mind about yourself (i.e. have positive thoughts about yourself), you can build up self-confidence.

Having a belief that you are capable and resilient also plays a role in your level of self-confidence. For example, this may refer to your belief in your ability to speak in front of an audience, learn a new technology, lead a team, make a change in your life (with studies, a career or relationship), and manage conflict.

Stop limiting yourself

When you’re a child, almost everything seems possible. Once you’re an adult, this may change because of how other people have imposed their beliefs on you – about what you can and can’t do! There are ways to stop limiting yourself and it starts with being positive. Hold onto the belief that anything is possible and don’t allow negative thoughts to creep up and ruin your plans. For example, if you’d like to start a part-time business, push away thoughts about whether you’re capable, and give it your best shot. Visualising your success can help boost your confidence, too. Try to imagine yourself as a successful entrepreneur wearing a suit, in your own office, with your own staff.

Don’t confuse memory with facts

Your memory doesn’t store information exactly the way it’s presented to you. Instead, it stores it in a way that’s easiest for you to understand and recall. It also stores information in such a way that it aligns with your internal belief system. This means that your brain has a confirmation bias. This can affect your self-confidence negatively. For example, if you have low self-esteem, your brain may store information that confirms your lack of confidence. Avoid this by using facts to build up your confidence. For example, if you’re worried about failing your driver’s license test, remind yourself that you’ve learnt how to drive and studied hard, instead of allowing your mind to convince you to think you’ll fail.

Face your fears

When you have a fear of something, you’re likely to let it control you and prevent you from doing certain things. This is because when you feel out of control, your brain takes the driver’s seat because your emotions run wild. But when you face your fears, you’re taking back control and becoming more confident in yourself. Take one step at a time. Break the fear down into pieces until you’ve reached your goal. For example, if you’re afraid of flying, start by taking a trip to the airport to become comfortable with being there. Next, take a short flight with a loved one. Later, you could try taking a short flight on your own. Continue like that until you’ve conquered your fear.

Create boundaries

To have self-confidence, it’s important that you define yourself and not allow others to define you. Teach others to respect your personal boundaries. Start by being assertive and learning to say no when you want to. It’s fine for others to have opinions, but it’s not acceptable for them to force their beliefs on you. Spend time with people who are assertive or take classes on how to be more assertive. The more control you have over your own life, the more self-confidence you have.

References

Could you have undiagnosed dyslexia?

August 3rd, 2018 by The Hello Doctor Team

Dyslexia is a lifelong neurological condition that makes it difficult for you to read. It’s a common learning issue which usually develops in children. Those who are diagnosed usually struggle with answering questions about anything they’ve read. Dyslexia can create difficulty with other skills too, like spelling, writing, mathematics and reading comprehension.

The condition can be difficult to diagnose until a child goes to school and even then, a teacher may not be able to accurately pick up the signs. This is because they may blame early signs on children not applying themselves or not paying attention. Many people who aren’t familiar with the condition often believe that dyslexia is only a spelling problem. Due to this, older children who are diagnosed later may struggle socially when they reach higher grades as it will become harder for them to communicate and cope with their studies.

Common symptoms of dyslexia

Struggling to read
Children with dyslexia have normal intelligence but they often struggle to learn as they find reading difficult.

Reaching milestones later
Kids with dyslexia may take longer than others to learn to crawl, walk, talk and ride a bicycle.

Coordination
It may even be hard for children with dyslexia to do activities like catching a ball, as they may struggle with hand-eye-coordination and clumsiness.

Struggling with speech development
A dyslexic child may take longer to learn to pronounce words and may mispronounce words. They may take longer to learn how to speak. They find rhyming and separating different sounds difficult.

Low concentration span
Children with dyslexia commonly find it hard to concentrate. This usually happens after they’ve been struggling with symptoms which leaves them mentally exhausted.

Spelling
Although most children take some time to learn new words, eventually they retain them. On the other hand, dyslexic children may learn to spell new words then completely forget them within a day.

Reversal
Dyslexia can cause a child to confuse left from right and reverse numbers and letters unconsciously.

How is dyslexia diagnosed?

A doctor will ask questions about your child’s development, educational issues, medical history, and home life. To diagnose dyslexia, a child will be given questionnaires, tests (vision, hearing, academic and neurological) and psychological assessments.

Adults who suspect they may have dyslexia should ask themselves the following questions. If you check more than seven of these you should talk to your doctor.

Do you read slowly?
Did you struggle to learn how to read when you were at school?
Do you often have to read something two or three times before it makes sense?
Are you comfortable reading out loud?
Do you omit, switch, or add letters when reading or writing?
Do you find spelling mistakes in your writing even when using Spell Check?
Do you find it difficult to pronounce uncommon multi-syllable words when reading?
Do you choose to read magazines or short articles rather than longer books and novels?
When you were in school, did you find it difficult to learn a foreign language?
Do you avoid work projects or courses that require extensive reading?

Treatment

Early diagnosis and support can lead to long-term improvement in dyslexic people.

Treatment may include:

Psychological testing. This helps the teacher develop an appropriate programme for the child. Tests may involve using senses like touch, vision and hearing.
Guidance and support therapy. Counselling aims to minimise any negative effects (like a low self-esteem).
Ongoing evaluation. Adults with dyslexia may benefit from an evaluation to continue developing coping strategies and identify areas where more support is necessary.

Give yourself a hand

Along with treatment, there are ways to help ease some of your struggles as a dyslexic adult.

Make extra time
or tasks that you struggle with or take longer to complete, put in extra time. Come in earlier, start your work ahead of schedule, or get easy tasks out of the way before tackling the difficult ones.

Use visuals
You may find it easier to process information if you use visual tools like charts, diagrams and text instructions. At work, ask your boss if you can present audio reports or audio summaries instead of text, and use colour paper when making visual charts.

Stay organised
Certain tasks can be difficult and even more so when you have a learning disability, so it’s important to plan. To avoid feeling overwhelmed, manage your tasks. For example, if you have a difficult project to do in the morning, take your full lunch break or do easier tasks in the afternoon to allow your brain to recover.

Create awareness
Remember, dyslexia has nothing to do with how intelligent you are, so don’t be ashamed to tell people about your condition. Let your boss and colleagues know about your condition so that they can understand about certain difficulties that you may have.