9 Mind Hacks for Avoiding Procrastination

By YUMI SAKUGAWA

Are you dreading a big, tedious task on your to-do list? Commit to only doing 10 minutes of it or only the very first minimal step. By lowering the hurdle for getting the task started, it is very likely that once you start doing it, you won't feel so bad about getting the rest of the task completed.

Another mind hack to avoid procrastination is to project how you will feel in the future when you complete the task, and compare it to how bad you will feel if you don't complete it. You can also scare yourself into getting the task done by projecting what you would be losing in your life (income, your job, your self-respect, etc.) by not getting it done.

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12:30:00 - By Vincent 0

A Pint Size Plan to Help Your Kids Study Public Speaking Skills

By Definis

The last thing anyone wants is to raise a child who suffers from glossophobia – the fear of public speaking. Today, as many as 75% of people have glossophobia, and studies show that many people fear public speaking more than death!

None of us want our children to contribute to these statistics. Rather, we want them to feel strong and comfortable whenever they are speaking and especially when they are speaking in front of a group. In case you doubt that children can be poised and confident in front of a group take a look at this famous video clip of Severn Suzuki who spoke at the United Nations Earth Summit when she was just twelve years old. 

In addition to her powerful message, which is still relevant today, did you hear the strength of her vocal delivery including her word choice, clear enunciation, strong inflection and pauses? Did you see the passion in her delivery?

While you may not want your children to be quite as assertive as Severn, you do want them to be confident and poised and to hold their own on issues that are meaningful and important to them. Children who feel comfortable speaking to groups tend to speak out more often, volunteer for leadership positions and meet challenges head on. In fact, developing public speaking skills is just as important as learning to read and write. That’s why “show and tell” is such a popular activity in the early grades. But there is more that we can do to help our children master this all important skill.

When teaching young children the fundamentals of public speaking there are two important areas you can work on every day: Vocal skills and body language.

Here are a few pint size tips I have used as an actress, teacher and parent. I am delighted to pass these on to you.

Vocal Skills

·         Read out loud to your child: Research tells us that there are many benefits to reading to your children. When it comes to public speaking, reading is a hidden resource. If you enunciate clearly, vary your pace from slow to fast and use expressive pitch and inflection you will heighten your child’s interest in the story and teach these important vocal skills by example.

·         Emphasize key words: When words in the story are colorful, descriptive and emotional, use added stress to make them sound dramatic. Change your volume (speak louder and stronger or softer and lighter) depending on the word and context. Vary your pace and alternate speaking fast and slow. Pauseoften and make those words come alive!

·         Have your child read to you: When children are old enough most love reading to their parents. When they do read to you encourage them to speak carefully and say each word clearly. Then, ask them to “play” with the words in the story and bring them to life. Ask your child such questions as, “How can you say this like Max would say it?” or “How can you sound happy, sad, excited or afraid?” Encourage your child to say a word the way it sounds (buzz, swish, cool) and to explore variations of expression for each word.

·         Add sound effects: Vroom, chug, boom, screech! Sound effects are a natural means of expression for many children. They love hearing and making sounds. And making many different kinds of sounds gives them an opportunity to practice creative expression and build confidence. So tune up your inner Thomas the Steam Engine or Roary the Racing Car and bring the story to life by using sound effects. Invite your child to play with sounds whenever they read out loud.

Teach Body Language

·         Take turns standing up and reading a page out loud: This is a wonderful activity to do with your children but it may be too stimulating to do right before bed. Start early in the evening so there is plenty of time to unwind. Select a favorite story and play “round robin” by taking turns and having each member of the family read a page of the story with dramatic energy and flair. Just this simple practice of standing in front of one or two people will give your child the experience of being in front of a group.

·         Play “public speaker”: Children love to role play. They play doctor, ballet dancer, truck driver and chef, so why not encourage them to play “public speaker”? Ask questions to help them learn how public speakers behave when they speak to a group. Encourage your child to stand up straight and not fidget or pull at their clothes or hold onto their hands or arms. Ask them to open their arms away from their body and use big gestures. And make sure youencourage them to smile.

·         Use everyday conversation to teach body language: Remind your child to make eye contact whenever they are speaking to someone. The dinner table is a great place to help them learn to do this. When they learn this skill at any early age they will not be uncomfortable using it as they grow.

Teaching public speaking skills to your children requires a great deal of commitment and consistency over time, but it doesn’t have to be a chore. You can teach the fundamentals in a seamless, playful and loving way…and have fun doing it. Before you know it, your children will grow up to be confident and competent young adults capable of standing in front of any group… even at the United Nations.

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12:00:00 - By Vincent 0

Why Leaving Your Comfort Zone Can be so Rewarding (Backed by Science)

BY Ashley Read

“Anything you to do to stretch yourself out of your comfort zone will ultimately enable you to take larger risks and grow.”

I’m sure we’ve all read plenty of quotes and articles about the importance of escaping your comfort zone, but what exactly is a comfort zone? What are the benefits of escaping from our comfort zone? And, how do you actually escape from it?

What is a comfort zone?

Your comfort zone is an artificial mental boundary, which gives you a sense of security and feelings of — well — comfort. Within this artificial comfort zone, everything is routine, familiar and safe.

Inside our comfort zone we rarely seem pushed, unlock our full potential or achieve what we’re capable of. Often, people will stay in a job or relationship just because of its familiarity, security and the fact that the unknown can seem extremely daunting. After all, why break a routine if it’s comfortable?

Though the comfort zone is an artificial boundary, there’s plenty of research and science to back its existence and effects on human performance.

Reaching Optimal Performance

Have you even been in a situation where the pressure has been on you? Maybe a presentation to your boss or a potential client; a first date with someone you really want to impress or an impending deadline you see as impossible?

I think we’ve all been in one of those situations (or similar) at some point in our lives. Just when you feel the last thing you need is a bit of anxiety or some last minute nerves, they kick in; you start to question yourself and fear the worst; What if I don’t finish this work in time? What if she doesn’t like me? It may feel like the end of the world is approaching, but actually, a little anxiety is a good thing.

Just outside of our comfort zone lays a space called “optimal anxiety,” it’s a sweet spot of human performance and place where we’re motivated to succeed. Similar to an athlete who has just prepared and warmed up for a big game, optimal anxiety is the space where we are ready to perform at our best.

Yerkes Dodson Law Graph

The theory that anxiety can aid performance is not something new, the idea goes back to at least 1908 when Robert Yerkes and John Dodson released a study showing that arousal (anxiety) increased performance. The study also shows that only certain levels of arousal are good for performance, too much has the opposite effect and is detrimental to performance. Therefore, pushing ourselves too hard, too often can also create a notion that challenging ourselves is a negative thing and re-enforce our desire to stay within our comfort zone.

Why Leave Your Comfort Zone?

Your comfort zone isn’t a bad thing; it’s far from it. We all need a space where we can relax, feel at ease and comfortable. So why should we push ourselves outside of our comfort zone from time to time?

You can achieve more than your wildest dreams:

Sometimes a dream can seem a step too far and unachievable. Often this will put us off chasing the dream and we’ll settle for the mediocre (or what is achievable within our comfort zone).

As illustrated by this inforgraphic from Marcus Taylor, as we push ourselves outside of our comfort zone into optimal anxiety and our ‘growth zone’ challenges will become easier and our comfort zone expands.

Ben Tremblay / Growing the Comfort Zone

Eventually, things that previously scared us will become part of our growth zone, then move into our comfort zone, thus helping us achieve more than we previously thought possible.

You’ll lead a more fulfilled life

Comfort can lead to laziness, and as we’ve already touched on stepping outside of our comfort zone can lead to heightened activity and optimal performance.

Comfort may feel good in the short term, but as Ran Zilca, explains on Psychology Today, sacrificing productivity for comfort may lead to regrets in the long run.

“We live in a society where comfort has become a value and a life goal. But comfort reduces our motivation for introducing important transformations in our lives. Sadly, being comfortable often prohibits us from chasing our dreams. Many of us are like lions in the zoo: well-fed but sit around passively stuck in a reactive rut. Comfort equals boring shortsightedness, and a belief that things cannot change. Your comfort zone is your home base, a safe place not to stay in, but to return to, after each exhausting and exhilarating expedition through the wilderness of life. Take a look at your life today, if you are enjoying a shelter of comfort, break through it and go outside where life awaits.”

You’ll deal with change better

Sometimes we’re forced to leave our comfort without any choice. The more you push yourself to do things you wouldn’t normally do and experienced uncertainty in a controlled manner, the better you’ll be able to deal with un-expected situations as they arise.

You’ll be more creative

Pushing our boundaries, new experiences and learning new skills are great ways to inspire and educate ourselves. With new experiences and leanings behind us we can start to look at old problems in new ways and come up with new creative solutions.

How to step outside of your comfort zone

Whatever goal you’re trying to achieve there’s no doubt at some stage you’ll have to make a move that feels uncomfortable and step out of your comfort zone at some point. There are plenty of ways to step outside of your comfort zone and extend your boundaries. Here are some ways you can do so, and help yourself become more productive and escape whatever has been holding you back:

Change your daily routine

Most of us have a set daily routine, by making small changes to this we can push ourselves to step outside of our comfort zone. You don’t have to make huge changes; small subtle differences in your day-to-day routine can be enough to change your perspective.

If you run everyday, you could push yourself to go an extra mile tomorrow. If you get a coffee every morning before work, why not try a new flavour or get a fresh fruit juice instead.

Think big, but take small steps

Maybe you want to start your own business or quit your day job to pursue your passions. These may seem like unattainable goals, you may fear making a bold move, but if approached in small steps you can slowly push the boundaries of what you feel is possible.

As Lewis Howes explains in this Forbes article, “If your goal is to “start a business” — change it to “interview one business owner.”” By taking an initial step outside your comfort zone will help you move towards your greater goal.

Look forward to the outcome, whatever happens

Fear of failure can be a big reason we stay within our comfort zones. If you want to achieve something go for it, if you dream of climbing a mountain, then give it a try. As Noah Kagan explains in his interview with Internet Marketing Party, “Roughly 86% of what we do fails. But eventually the 14% works, and that’s what everyone else sees.”

Leaving your comfort zone isn’t about getting something right first time, it’s about extending your horizons and allowing yourself to grow — no matter what the iniatial results may be.

Try new things

Over at Physcology Today, Alex Lickerman explains, “New things or a new way of thinking is often frightening. But if you think about it, most of the things we fear don’t actually come to pass. What’s more, we’re often unable to anticipate the good things that do occur as a result of our trying something new.”

Try new things can be as simple as new foods or bigger things like travelling to new places, taking a new class or learning a new language.

What have you done that’s taken you outside of your comfort zone?

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14:59:00 - By Vincent 0