Reduce stress and help boost productivity and performance
We’re coming up to that glorious time of year, when schools are wrapping up, exams are over, the sun is meant to be shining and freedom awaits. But truth be told, this time of year usually also comes with homework or coursework that needs to be done before September comes around. With more schools catching up on lost time, and students saturated with studying from home, it’s a challenging time after an already difficult academic year. For adult learners who have spent the past 15 months balancing studies and working from home, this feels like the time to be easing up, instead of ramping up the pace.
To cope with this shift and stay on top of that increasing to-do list, we’re sharing our favourite gratitude practices and the science behind them.
Why is gratitude important?
- Increases motivation. Gratitude increases your brain’s production of dopamine. Abnormally low levels are associated with impaired thinking and memory, slower reaction times and lack of motivation.
- Achieves goals. Gratitude is shown to encourage greater than average patience and self-control, leading to being more future-oriented
- Keeps overwhelm at bay. Gratitude boosts serotonin, the other feel-good neurotransmitter responsible for our emotions.
- Helps focus. Gratitude promotes creative thinking and breaks through inertia. Great for those slow-going days when everything feels foggy.
- Optimizes performance. It improves sleep, boosts your immune system and decreases the risk of disease.
Quick ways to increase gratitude!
- A gratitude journal: this is the best and easiest way to create a regular gratitude practice. Indiana University Bloomington conducted a brain-imaging study, splitting respondents into 3 groups. The first wrote letters of gratitude every day, the second wrote their deepest thoughts and feelings down and the third did nothing at all. While initially there was no change from any group, after 3 months the gratitude group showed better mental health scores than the other two.
- A 10 minute thank you: How have people helped you? Take 10 minutes and write down all the big and small ways people have helped you: today, yesterday, last week, this month, this year. Who helped you with a problem? Who shared a kind thought? Look for the good in all of your interactions.
- Spring clean your social media: unfollow any accounts or people that are bringing you down. Don’t forget, you can also mute anyone without unfollowing and they’ll be none the wiser. Make sure to follow feel-good accounts (such as @tanksgoodnews or @humansofnewyork) and keep up to date with the world with Positive News or a selection of other positive news outlets. Everytime you reach for your phone, it’ll help remind you to focus on the good. For your Swiss news, be sure to check out our monthly round-up of Good News: Swiss Edition!
