Category : Wellbeing

Mnemonics: The Forgotten Art of Memory

Though you may have heard of other people referring to mnemonics, there’s a high chance that you’re not entirely sure what a mnemonic is.

Don’t worry if that’s the case, as you’re not alone.

Here’s what you need to know:

What Are Mnemonics?

Mnemonics are an extremely helpful way of remembering certain pieces of information, though they aren’t as commonly used as they should be.

The aim of a mnemonic is to assist us with remembering a piece of information, such as the order of the planets or the colours in the spectrum.

As well as helping us to remember the information itself, a mnemonic often helps to remember the specific order in which the information is given.

Mnemonics are often songs, acronyms and rhymes; this is because they are very easy to remember.

After all, it’s a lot easier to remember a silly little song than it is to remember a list of seemingly random items.

Examples of Mnemonics

A popular example of a mnemonic is ‘My Very Excited Mother Just Served Us Nine Pies’ and this is in relation to the planets in our solar system.

Not only does this help us to remember the list of the planets, it also helps us to remember the order in which they come.

The first letter of each word in the mnemonic refers to a planet.

It tells us that the planets are Mars, Venus, Earth Mercury, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune and Pluto.

Another example of a mnemonic is ‘Richard Of York Gave Battle In Vain’ and this is in relation to the colours on a colour spectrum.

By remembering this mnemonic, it’s a lot easier to remember the order of the colours.

They are Red, Orange, Yellow, Green, Blue, Indigo and Violet.

As you can see, mnemonics are extremely helpful.

However, a lot of people fail to recognise just how useful they can be in everyday life.

Whether you’re teaching a child something for a test at school or you’re trying to remember a key piece of trivia, a mnemonic is ideal.

It’s a fantastic way to remember information in a certain order.

How To Stay Fit While Working An Office Job

There are a lot of people who find themselves working an office job and many of these struggle to stay fit.

Sitting behind a desk for long periods of time is often the case when you’re working in an office, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t simple ways to keep active in the workplace.

Here are some easy ways to say fit when you’re working in an office.

Go for a walk at lunchtime

A lot of people stay in the office at lunchtime, either eating at their desk or sitting somewhere with friends.

However, lunch is a great time to fit in a bit of exercise.

Rather than staying inside cooped up, go for a walk to a nearby park.

Not only is this a good way to stay fit, but it’ll help you to take a break from the stresses and strains of work.

Organise standing meetings

When you think of a meeting you’re sure to think of a lot of people all sitting around a large desk, swinging on chairs and twiddling their thumbs.

Not only is this bad for productivity, but it’s also additional time you’ll spend sitting down during the work day.

Instead, why not organise standing meetings?

Standing around is a good way to stretch your legs and to get your body moving.

Avoid the lift and take the stairs

Though it can be tempting just to jump into the lift and head up to your floor, taking the stairs is one of the most effective ways to stay fit when you’re working in an office.

Simply walking up and down the stairs a few times a day an make a huge difference.

Plus, you won’t find yourself wasting valuable time by waiting for the lift to arrive.

Organise team fitness challenges

If you’re not someone who is easily motivated to stay fit at work, injecting a healthy dose of competition into things may help.

Organising team fitness challenges is a great way to turn staying fit into something fun and it’s something that the entire office can get involved in.

You could see which team does the most steps over the course of a week or you could organise team games at lunchtime.

As you can see, there are a number of quick and easy ways to stay fit while working an office job.

There’s no need to sit still and miss out on being active all day, even if you’re stuck behind a desk.

5 Inspiring Wellness Experts To Follow On Social Media

As more people around the world seek to improve their minds and bodies by living a healthier lifestyle, social media has come alive with specialists and motivational experts.

Platforms like Instagram and Twitter now host a whole range of helpful experts that offer tips and advice.

If you’re on the road to a healthier way of life, here are some of the accounts you need to be following.

Ashley Borden

Instagram: @ashleybordenfitness

Some of you may already recognise this name but you’re not familiar with Ashley Borden, you will definitely have heard of her high-profile clients.

She is a specialist fitness coach and lifestyle consultant for the stars and has worked with big names like Christina Aguilera and Ryan Gosling.

As a long-time industry specialist, she has years of experience creating fitness plans, designing diet regimes and helping people reach their goals.

Dr Oz

Twitter: @DrOz

After a long and successful stint as the resident health expert on Oprah’s show, Dr Mehmet Oz has become an icon in his own right.

If you’re trying to stay motivated and looking for advice on common health issues or dietary problems, you’ll find a treasure trove of useful tips on his Twitter page.

The daily updates include everything from health food suggestions to improving mental health.

He also now has his own TV show so be sure to check that out.

Liz DiAlto

Instagram: @lizdialto

Liz DiAlto has become a source of inspiration for women all over the world and has helped countless people improve their minds and bodies by changing their perspectives and improving their lifestyle.

Liz is well-known for founding the Wild Soul Movement in New York which helped promote her positive message.

Follow her on Instagram for a daily dose of inspiration in the form of quotes, tips and photos.

Helene Mikanovic

Instagram: @myweightlossfr

If you’re trying to change your life and improve your health by shedding all of your excess weight, the incredible story of Helene Mikanovic is sure to give you some inspiration.

The now popular social media icon set herself a target and documented her weight loss process on social media.

135lbs later, she now aims to help others realise their goals by posting healthy recipe ideas and inspirational advice.

Shay Mitchell

Instagram: @shaym

This actress is best known for her part in the TV show Pretty Little Liars but she has also found fame on social media thanks to her series of lifestyle tips and health advice.

As a successful actress and health icon, Shay Mitchell aims to inspire others by showing that it is possible to achieve all your goals while staying happy and healthy.

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10 Daily Habits To Improve Your Overall Wellbeing

Staying positive and optimistic every day can be difficult, especially if you have to worry about things like work, finances and home life.

If you’re trying to improve your overall wellbeing and life a healthier lifestyle, here are a few simple tips and suggestions that can help you feel happy every day.

Eat more fresh food

Your diet is one of the most important aspects of your life and it can have an impact on things like your ability to focus and your energy levels.

Eating more natural foods like fresh fruit and vegetables will give your body and mind the nutrients it needs to get through the day.

Get some exercise

It has been scientifically proven that regular exercise promotes a healthy release of endorphins that keep you happy and motivated.

Regular exercise will also keep your body healthy, improve your fitness and extend your lifespan.

Take in the sunlight

It can be difficult to get outside and enjoy the breeze, especially if you work long days in an office or factory.

However, making time to get outside and soaking up the sun can help keep you feeling fresh.

Sunlight increases vitamin D levels and can help reduce your blood pressure.

Create a to-do list

Sometimes, things can get overwhelming and the everyday grind can become too much.

Creating a list of aims and targets will help you stay on track and meet your goals, thereby reducing stress and anxiety.

Socialise

Humans are social creatures and we always work best when we are part of a community.

Although you may not be best friends with everyone you work with, it’s always important to spend time throughout the day talking with people.

This helps you vent and create friendships.

Try meditation

If you find yourself feeling stressed at the end of the day or full of anxiety when you wake up in the morning, meditation is a great way of clearing your mind and helping you stay focused.

Drink more water

The majority of our bodies are made up of water and it’s important that you keep it well hydrated throughout the day.

Dehydration can cause you to feel tired and can cause things like headaches and stress.

Create a daily routine

The fear of the unknown and the inability to account for surprise occurrences can cause many people to feel stressed or anxious.

If you often feel this way, it can help to gradually develop a daily routine to help yourself stay focused and positive.

Learn something new

Whether you love reading or you prefer watching videos online, there are plenty of ways to soak up new information and learn new lessons.

Try to learn something new every day, even if it’s just a new word or an interesting fact.

Get some fresh air

When it seems like the world is moving at a thousand miles an hour and everything is piling up on top of you, a breath of fresh air can often be the best remedy.

Make time to get outside and breathe in the fresh air to calm your mind.

The Science Of Positive Thinking

The mind is one of the most powerful forces in the universe.

If you need proof of this, just look out the window.

There’s so much going on and all of it was created by the mind.

Therefore, when we talk about the importance of positive thinking, even the most sceptical of people should pay a bit of attention.

There’s a science behind positive thinking, and we’re going to be taking a look at it here.

The impact of negative thoughts

Positive thinking can impact our lives in so many ways, and to understand how important it is we need to talk about negative thinking.

As an example, imagine you’re walking along a street at night, and you hear a strange noise.

The first thing you feel is fear.

That fear becomes what you focus on.

Your only thought is going to be getting away from the street and to a place you feel safe in.

This negative thinking distracts you from other thoughts and feelings and takes your focus away from anything positive and towards something negative.

Science has proven many times that your thinking is tied to your emotional state.

When you experience negative emotions, you start to have negative thinking, and vice versa.

An effect you can sometimes see is that you don’t want to do anywhere near as much when you’re dealing with negative thoughts.

They paralyse you and prevent you from doing anything.

You start to feel hopeless, and that’s when you find yourself no longer interested in taking action and doing anything.

The impact of positive thinking

On the flip side, positive thinking seems to do the complete opposite of negative thinking.

People who have positive thoughts are often blessed with a desire to do more.

They’re more inclined to get up and work or tackle that reorganising of the cupboard.

They’ve got more energy for what’s important, and this shows in their demeanour and their attitude to things.

When you experience emotions that are positive, like love and joy, you find yourself more inclined to look at the possibilities in your life and see the potential in things.

You’ll be more encouraged to see the good and to ignore the bad and work around it.

The connection between positive thinking and positive emotions is one which spurs people on to do great things and isn’t something which should be dismissed out of hand.

Overall, the science of positive thinking refers to the connection between positive and negative emotions, and their impact on emotions.

When it comes to positive thinking, the key is to put yourself into situations where you’re going to experience positive emotions.

This will help to move your mind into considering positive thoughts, which will help to give you the right frame of mind to do more.

It’s no secret that when we’re feeling and thinking positively, we’re in the right frame of mind to get up and do all the things we’ve wanted to do for ages.

Wellness Trends To Look Out For In 2018

This year we have seen mindfulness take centre-stage when it comes to wellness, but just like fashion and beauty trends, there are always new kids on the block when it comes to wellness.

We’ve compiled a list of the biggest wellness trends that are going to be taking the industry by storm in 2018 so you can see which ones you want to get on board with.

Wabi-Sabi

It might sound like something you’d order at a Japanese restaurant, but this new thought-process and way of life actually has a much deeper meaning.

Wabi means transient beauty while sabi refers to seeing things through appreciative eyes.

When combined, these two words refer to the act of appreciating and taking pleasure in the small things in life.

It can be easy to get bogged down in the minor details of life and spend too much time striving for unattainable perfection.

Wabi-sabi is encouraging people to instead celebrate flaws and not sweat the small stuff.

An ideal sentiment in today’s society that places a lot of pressure on achieving flawless results.

Stress pebbles

Much like stress balls, these small oval-shaped stones are going to be used for a number of different reasons in the coming year, mainly to combat stress and anxiety.

If you’re a nail-biter, a smoker trying to quit or just someone that is generally fiddly with their hands, this latest trend is likely to be helpful to you.

By rubbing on the stone you will be able to soothe, distract and release all of your negative energy.

Mind Trackers

You know that fitness tracker you have on your phone that helps you count calories and see how far off you are from reaching your goals?

Well, there is now going to be something similar for your mind, with the introduction of a number of apps that will monitor your breathing in order to help identify what it is that is stressing you out.

Digital detoxes

In our increasing digitised society where we spend more time than ever plugged into our phones and other devices, the thought of going cold turkey from these things most likely fills a lot of people with dread.

How will you possibly survive without checking your friend’s latest Snapchat story or seeing what is being discussed in your WhatsApp group chat?

With the phrase ‘disconnect to reconnect’ coming to the forefront of wellness trends next year, maybe it’s time to do just that.

The Importance Of Rest & Relaxation

The world we live in can be extremely demanding at times.

Have you ever been so caught up in projects and reports at work, or family obligations such as taking the children out or visiting in-laws, that you forget to take some time out for yourself?

You’re not alone; many people all over the world are rushed off their feet and put their own wellbeing to one side.

Doing this can be detrimental to you in many ways, and it’s a bad habit you should look to remedy as soon as possible; it’s not selfish to take time out to simply relax!

Read on to find out why rest and relaxation is important and why you should never forego a bit of ‘me time’.

Your sex life will be better

The bane of men all over the world is that their wives and girlfriends aren’t in the mood because they’re feeling stressed out.

The reality is, however, that men often lose their sex drive when they’re stressed out, with research proving that around 30% of men have a reduced libido when they aren’t relaxing enough.

If there was ever a reason to relax more then surely this is it?

It’s good for your heart

Being constantly stressed out puts up your blood pressure to unhealthily high levels, which in turn creates a greater risk of you suffering from heart attacks and other heart problems.

This can be combated by simply taking a break and chilling out rather than forcing yourself to carry on working.

When you think about it your health really is all you’ve got; why risk it?

You’ll make better decisions

Decisions made when we’re stressed out rarely turn out to be good ones.

Studies show that if you try to make a choice when you’re under pressure you may tend to focus on the positive possibilities of the decision you’re about to make rather than weighing up the negatives.

Naturally, this can ultimately lead to further negative or stress-inducing situations down the line, reinforcing the fact that you should only ever make big decisions when you’re nice and relaxed.

You’ll be guarded against depression

Not relaxing and constantly exposing yourself to stress results in the prolonged presence of the stress hormone cortisol, and the reduction of feel-good chemicals such as serotonin and dopamine.

This imbalance can lead to harmful depression which can affect every outlet of your life, with severe cases often leading to tragic outcomes such as self-harm and suicide.

There’s never a time when you should overlook the importance of relaxing.

Understand The Mind-Body Link

Very few of us truly understand the connection between the health and wellbeing of our minds, and how this can have a knock-on effect, influencing the health and wellbeing of our bodies.

However, the link between the two is surprisingly strong.

How emotions impact health

Doctors have regarded this link as an important one for centuries, most recently in the treatment of stress and stress-associated conditions.

Even good changes in your life can bring about emotional turmoil which then presents itself physically.

Your body responds to your emotional state – the way you feel, think, and act.

We can’t control everything that happens in our lives, but thankfully we can learn ways of ensuring that any impact to our physical health is lessened by keeping a close eye on our emotional state.

Improving your emotional health

Maintaining healthy emotional wellbeing requires close monitoring of your thoughts, feelings and reactions to events in life.

Stressful situations are sometimes a part of life, and learning to cope with them as they occur is a valuable skill which can also help to maintain a healthy body.

Some useful tactics include:

1. Pursuing a balanced life

Carefully moderating your lifestyle and surroundings to minimise damaging emotions and situations can help to alleviate stress and anxiety-induced conditions.

Adopt a feeling of gratitude, and try not to concern yourself too heavily with things which are outside of your control.

This doesn’t mean avoiding all negative feelings, but it does mean you will have to develop coping strategies to ensure you maintain a generally positive outlook on life.

2. Remaining open

Keeping your emotions bottled up can cause your feelings to present themselves in physical ways, as well as making you feel much worse.

Remember that it’s okay to let your loved ones or a medical professional know if you’re going through a lot of stress or strain.

If you feel that you could be burdening your friends and family and need unbiased practical advice, contact someone outside of the situation, such as a counsellor, family doctor or your chosen religious advisor.

3. Practicing relaxation techniques

There are so many options for helping to restore a sense of balance and equilibrium to your life.

Whether you would like to try meditation, guided imagery, tai chi or affirmations, find the method which works best for you and work it into your daily routine.

Approach your mental wellbeing as you would your physical health, understanding the links between the two.

5 Ways Meditation Can Improve Your Life

Meditation has boomed in popularity over recent years, and it’s easy to see why.

This ancient art form has been proved to improve our lives in a variety of ways, from enabling us to better empathise with others to causing physical changes in our brains that make us less stressed out.

No wonder some of the most successful people in the world, such as Rupert Murdoch, Kobe Bryant and Arnold Schwarzenegger, all practise meditation to help them perform at their best.

Check out these five ways that meditation could improve your life.

Increased empathy

A well-known benefit of meditation is its ability to imbue people with a sense of empathy for others.

Practicing meditation will grant you a greater ability to understand the situations and viewpoints of others you may have previously struggled to understand, paving the way for you to have better interactions with the people you meet and thus lead a more positive lifestyle.

Enhanced creativity

Another way that meditation can change your life for the better is its ability to improve the output of your creative faculties.

Studies show that those who practise meditation are able to better come up with new ideas in order to solve tasks presented to them.

The reason for this is that meditation encourages divergent thinking, helping you to (excuse the cliché) think outside the box.

Heightened focus

Do you find yourself constantly being distracted from the important things in life?

Do mundane worries tear you away from things that really matter, such as work or relationships?

Another way that meditation can improve your life is by increasing your ability to focus.

Students of meditation are able to live in the moment rather than having their mind somewhere else, granting them a zen-like focus that allows them to concentrate 100% of their attention on what’s in front of them.

Overcoming addiction

If you’re a smoker who just can’t seem to put the cigarettes down then meditation could be the tool you need to make your breakthrough.

Schools of meditation such as Vipassana have been proven to help addicts overcome powerful drug and alcohol addictions that have plagued their lives for years.

How amazing is that?

Reduced anxiety

One of the reasons many people turn to meditation in the first place is to reduce anxiety that stems from everything from work related stress to relationship troubles.

Practicing meditation will empower you with the ability to think more calmly when faced with scary or worrying situations and allow you to lead a more stress-free life as a result.

The Importance Of Peace Of Mind

Before considering why peace of mind is so important, it’s helpful to determine what peace of mind is and what it means for an individual.

Peace of mind is a state of being, a state achieved out of mental and emotional calmness.

In order to achieve peace of mind a person must have no fears, no worries and no stress.

In short, peace of mind is thinking about nothing other than feeling happy and relaxed in the moment.

Most people achieve peace of mind when they are completely absorbed in a relaxing activity enough to put all other thoughts and feelings aside; for example, when reading a book or enjoying the company of someone they care about.

Different people achieve peace of mind in different ways.

How to achieve peace of mind

Achieving peace of mind is all about taking the mind away from its usual thoughts and feelings, and replacing them with the feeling of being relaxed and centred.

With the worries, stresses and strains of daily life removed a person is able to focus on enjoying the moment.

It’s unusual for peace of mind to last for long periods but there are ways to achieve it more regularly.

Peace of mind can be achieved by:

Limiting the amount of time you spend watching television, reading the news and checking social media.

All of these can cause stress and anxiety, so reducing the amount of time spent on these tasks can make it easier for peace of mind to be achieved.

Understanding that some things in life cannot be changed.

Rather than worrying about the things that are out of your control, focus on the parts of your life you can improve.

Slight irritations and inconveniences can be annoying, but being letting them bother you won’t change anything.

Practicing focusing your mind.

Peace of mind is achieved by shutting out everything other than the task at hand, but doing so requires practice.

Take the time to learn how to block other areas of life out using techniques such as meditation.

Trying not to focus on the things you don’t have and instead focus on the things you do have.

This includes not being jealous of others, improving your self-esteem and appreciating the smaller things in life.

Removing negative people and negative influences in your life.

Surrounding yourself with those who are stressed or unhappy can increase your levels of stress and unhappiness.

Peace of mind is a great way to reduce the stresses of day to day life and can help you to become a calmer, more relaxed person overall.

This can lead to a happier existence. Everyone achieves peace of mind differently, it’s just about finding what works for you and the techniques you respond to best.