Work – Page 6

Five Signs That Your Computer Use is Affecting Your Health

We all spend way too much time on our computers. Our bodies are suffering. In this post I want to tell you about a few signs that can pop up to alert you that your computer use is affecting your health.

1. Sore wrists
If you have sore wrists it can be a sign that you have a nice case of carpal tunnel or RSI coming on. Sore wrists are extremely common but can be quite serious as many computer related wrist injuries can take years to heal, if at all.

If you are getting sore wrists you need to stop working every 10 minutes and shake them around, tense your fingers and give them a break. It is very important.

2. Sore back
The most common complaint that computer users get is that their back is always sore. This can be caused by bad posture, poorly set up desk height or the wrong type of chair. Take a look at this post on sore backs at work for some simple ways to fix the problem.

3. Sore eyes
Sore eyes come about for a few reasons. The most common one is that you are staring at the screen far too much and your eye balls are drying out and losing the essential moisture. This can cause damage over time. The other cause is having your computer screen light incorrectly. For example, you do not want to have sunlight shining directly on to the screen.

If you are getting sore eyes try to re-asses where your desk is placed and take regular breaks to give your eyes a rest. Try looking at some big views or some duller colors for a short time. [Read more…] about Five Signs That Your Computer Use is Affecting Your Health

Originally posted on June 5, 2008 @ 4:34 am

Work Causes Depression Says Study: What Do You Think?

Mental Health, Mind

Today I was watching the news and they had a story about a recent study that has shown that about one in six Australian’s can attribute their depression to their work. You can read the news article here.

I found this pretty interesting. I have never really considered that work would cause people to spiral into clinical depression. But I could be wrong.

I would love to hear what your opinions on this study are. Have you ever been seriously depressed because of work? Or has work magnified something that was already there?

What do you think?

top image: photo credit: azharc

Originally posted on June 2, 2008 @ 7:35 am

35 Easy Ways to Improve Your Work Day

Life

Here are 35 random things you can do to improve your work day. Some of them are short term solutions for entertainment while others are about creating a deeper sense of satisfaction.

35 Easy Ways to improve your day at work

Smile: Smiling makes you feel better as it releases endorphines and triggers happy thoughts in the brain. It also makes others more likely to smile back
Eat fruit: Fruit is what mankind was supposed to eat. Full of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients it is a sure-fire way to make you feel better
Drink green tea: Last week we had a look at the benefits of tea. Feeling happier is one of them
Talk to a friend: Go and see someone in the building that you like to talk to. Conversation is one of the best ways to pick yourself up
Get fresh air: Sometimes being indoors all day can be pretty depressing. Go outside and breathe some deep breaths of fresh air. If you work in the inner city try and go up to the roof as the air is better there.
Get sunlight: Sunlight is one of the best ways to beat depression. The vitamin D that is produced when we get some sun is a natural anti-depressant. Get some sun.
Leave the computer: The PC will be fine without you for a few hours. Turn it off and do some paper work or something a bit different. I sometimes think that the computer with all its electricity and heat is not good for the body. Get off it for a while and see how you feel.
Run the stairs: Something I used to do at University when I was feeling a bit sleepy was go outside and run up the four flights of stairs. It gets the heart racing and the blood pumping and makes you feel a bit more alive.
Watch Borat: Sometimes when work is a bit boring I go over and watch 10 minutes of Borat clips on Youtube. Nothing too deep but it always makes me smile.
Talk in Borat’s voice: That always makes other people smile! “Sexy time!”.
Meditate on the breath: Breathing meditation is incredibly relaxing. This is often all I need to make my work day better. I talk a lot about this in my free eBook Enlightening Stress Relief.
Get a fresh juice: Take a look at the benefits of freshly squeezed juice. Take note of what someone says in the comments – this stuff makes you feel awesome!
Lift weights at lunch: Lots of executives go to the gym in their lunch break. This is a great way to improve your day as it gives you something to look forward to as well as all the usual health benefits of working out.
Exercise before work: A great way to pick yourself up for the whole day is to exercise before work. This gets your body and mind fresh and in a state ready to tackle the day.
Get a motivational daily calendar: I got given this book for Christmas. It has amazing photos of buddhist temples and Tibetan landscapes and each day has a new quote. This is the best one I have seen on the market and it is a great addition to your workdesk. Read a quote at the start of the day and try to implement it into your work life.
Do something for someone else: Sometimes doing something kind for someone completely out of the blue is a good way to make yourself feel better. I know it might sound a little selfish but at least you are doing something helpful. Why not?
Make friends with someone you don’t like: It always feels good to make up with someone you have had a fight with or make friends with someone you don’t like. Give it a go. It will be one less stress on your shoulder.
Try some organic coffee: Try replacing your regular brew with some organic fair-trade coffee. It tastes better and is good for the struggling people in Africa.
Bring your Ug Boots: I know someone who brings their Ug Boots to work and leaves them under her desk and then when she gets to work she changes her heels for the warm sheepskin comfort! A little thing like that can make some people’s day a lot better.
Delete all your emails: Something I try to do every few days is delete everything in my inbox. For some reason this makes me feel a lot less stressed.
Reply to all your emails: Before you can delete them, however, you need to reply to them all. Set aside 30 minutes or however long it might take to reply to everyone and then delete them. See if you feel less weighed down.
Clean your desk: A clean workspace is a much happier workspace. Try cleaning up some of your clutter and see if you feel a little less cramped in. It always works for me.
Buy some flowers: The Buddhist masters always say that flowers in a room makes your mind feel light. My mother always puts fresh flowers around the house and it does make the area feel more friendly and warm. Try it on your desk.
Watch Buddhist masters on Youtube: I like to watch videos of great Buddhist teachers on Youtube when I feel in need of a bit of inspiration.
Stop thinking so much: Westerners think to much. That is what the monks in India tell me. You will be a lot happier and more content if you stop thinking about everything so much.
Meditate on compasson: The Dalai Lama always says that if you want others to be happy, practice compassion. But, if YOU want to be happy, practice compassion. You can learn how to meditate on compassion in my free ebook which you can download here.
Download FireFox Plugins: If you are still using Internet Explorer to browse the web you are way out of touch! Check out FireFox as it has so many plugins and addons that you can download to make your work day more efficient. There is a list of good ones here.
Cut out foods that make you depressed: Take a look at some foods that make you depressed and try cutting them out of your diet while you are at work. It might be a good way to lift the mood of your day.
Work harder: Sometimes I find that when I procrastinate I get a little down because I feel like I have not achieved anything important during the day. If I work harder I challenge myself and can go home knowing I’ve really done the best that I can.
Discover Ask a Ninja: Need I say more. Ask a Ninja.
Eat lunch with friends: Quite often at work everyone takes their lunch break at different times. However, if you can organize to have it at the same time with your friends and all go out for lunch it can be a great mood booster. I know someone who meets five other people from different firms around the city at China Town everyday for lunch. They all look forward to it and they all love it.
Meet your spouse for lunch: It is always really nice when the two of you make time to meet each other. Suprising the other person is also a really nice way to cheer them up on a crappy work day.
Open the window: Fresh air and some new noises always makes you feel less cooped up and can wake you up a little bit too. Get rid of the carbon dioxide and get some fresh oxygen.
Forget Facebook: I do not really like Facebook. I think people spend far too much time on their looking at things that they don’t need to know. I also think it creates a lot of anxiety in people. If you cannot function unless you look at Facebook every two minutes then I think you have Facebook Syndrome.
Add to this list: Of course!

Got any more to add?

Originally posted on May 30, 2008 @ 1:51 am

Concentration Boosting Foods: 5 Foods That Help You Concentrate and Focus at Work

Body, Mindfulness, Nutrition

Ginkgo biloba, ginseng, caffeine… there are a whole range of foods out there that are supposed to help us concentrate more. But do they really do anything? Do these substances really affect how well you can concentrate or how well you can retain information?

In this article I want to take a look at some foods that are commonly thought to help improve concentration and then look at whether they do anything at all.

Foods that help you concentrate and focus at work

1. Ginkgo Biloba

photo credit: rosmary

Ginkgo Biloba is probably the most famous concentration food around. It is actually from the oldest tree species on the planet and is used to treat concentration problems, dementia, etc. The good thing about Ginkgo is that there are quite a few solid scientific studies that show that Ginkgo actually does work as a “brain herb”. The way it does this is by increasing blood flow to the brain and nourishing the cells and so on.

2. Ginseng

photo credit: Jean-François Chénier

Ginseng is probably the most famous Chinese herb and is derived from a Greek word which means “all healing”. According to ancient literature this herb will work wherever it is needed. If someone has a high temperature it will lower it. If you have a low temperature it will increase it.

Ginseng is also supposed to be good for concentration and memory function. Some studies have shown that the properties in some ginseng strands increased protein synthesis in the brain and thus concluded that it is good for memory and concentration. However, these studies were carried out in the 60’s and many believe they were flawed. Recent studies have shown that ginseng does absolutely nothing for energy, concentration or memory.

Ginseng has been used for thousands of years in Chinese medicine. I have a lot of respect for this discipline and feel that there must be some benefits if these doctors continue to use it. Scientific studies are often very narrow and limited. If you are going to use ginseng I would suggest only doing so on a Chinese doctors recommendation.

3. Coffee

photo credit: pokpok313

Coffee. The most popular drug in the world. Millions of people around the world enjoy a cup of coffee every morning because they believe that it wakes them up and helps them stay alert and awake at work. And they are right. Coffee has caffeine and antioxidants that, when combined, improve alertness and as such concentration and better information retention.

However, recent studies have shown that the more often you drink coffee the less effective it can become. Doctors now say that it is better to have a cup when you feel like you need it and not have it every day just because it is a habit. This will ensure it wakes you up when you need it to.

4. Brahmi (Bacopa Monnieri)
Now this is one herb that I personally vouch for. I am not saying it is safe or effective for everyone, but it has worked for me.

Bacopa monneieri is an Indian Ayurvedic medical herb that is used to treat anxiety, stress and as an intelligence booster. It is said to improve concentration as well as nourishing the brain. And scientific studies (although rare) have supported this information. It has been shown to improve brain function.

I have been using it for about two month and have noticed a tangible difference in my stress levels, concentration ability and general wellbeing. Perhaps if you are after some of these benefits you might want to give it a go. Here is the brand I have been using.

5. Fish
The omega-3 fatty acids in fish as supposed to help improve your brain function over the long term. Like most of these substances, the effects usually take a long time to build up. Some foods will help you concentrate in the short term (coffee) and others take a long time (fish, brahmi, etc.).

The downside on eating fish is that the omega-3 rich fishes usually are those that live in the deep sea. These fish are nowadays often laced with mercury thanks to the pollution of the sea and are thus not all that healthy. For this and a few other personal reasons I rarely ever eat fish.

Conclusion

The subject of concentration foods is really tricky. Some people swear by them and other people say that it is all nonsense. The hard part is that the science is conflicting – there is no right or wrong answer. In situations like this we often have to turn to experience – testing it for ourselves.

Have you got any experience with these foods? Let us know.

top image: photo credit: Electric Spam

Originally posted on May 12, 2008 @ 3:29 am

8 Hacks for When You Are Sick at Work

Body, Natural Medicine

The weather just got chilly here and now everyone seems to have a cold. But how do you survive the flu season when you can’t afford to take the day off? Here are 8 hacks for when you are sick at work.

1. Use your lunch break to sleep
When you are sick it is actually a good idea to eat less. You see digestion takes up a lot of vital energy and when you are sick you need that energy to go to fighting off the germs. Now I am not saying don’t eat anything. Fruits and vegetables are great. But, keep the heavy foods to a minimum.

You may need less food but you also need more sleep. Usually we get an hour lunch break and this is the perfect time to go and have a power nap. Science has shown that a 20 minute nap taken during the middle of the day is the same as getting over two hours of sleep during the night. However, you do not want to get more than about 30 minutes at nap time because then it will be too hard to wake up.

I suggest going down to the park (if it is warm) and having a sleep in the sun. The sun has a very physical impact on how well we feel and a few moments of rays can make a massive difference. At least get outside and clean your airways out with some fresh oxygen.

2. Drink green tea
Green Tea has been used by the Chinese and the Japanese for thousands of years. They have long considered it a medicine – not just a tea. And modern science is starting to back this up. Recent studies showed that those who drank green tea were up to 60% less likely to develop cancer. Green tea is fully of antioxidants and is a very relaxing way to detox your body everyday. When I get sick I try to drink two or three cups per day and it always makes me feel a little better.

photo credit: ms.Tea

3. Drink a lemon, ginger and honey tea
In this post I introduced the Lemon, Ginger and Honey Tea. It is a hot drink that I learned when I was in Bodhgaya in India. I was told it was an ancient Indian combination and it was a powerful cold and flu fighter and preventer. They were right. It fixed my cold up a lot faster than normal and I haven’t had a bad one since – even when everyone else is sick.

4. Take a load off
Throughout the years at work you have probably clocked up a lot of favors. Every now and then we do things for people and they say “I owe you one”. Well, now is the time to call in that favor.

Go and look around the office and find someone who owes you a favor and ask them to help you with some of your work. Nine times out of ten they will be happy to lend a hand. It is a good way to make friends as it is a mutual helping – explain that you will help them next time they get sick.

5. Make a deal with the boss
One of the best things you can do is go to your boss and STRATEGICALLY explain to him/her why you need some of your work load assigned to someone else. Here is how you do it.

Go to your boss and explain that you are really quite sick but didn’t want to miss a day of work because you didn’t want to let the team down. Explain that you know how much pressure everyone is under and couldn’t live with yourself if you had a day off and left them in the lurch. Then explain that despite coming into work you underestimated how sick you really were and really would appreciate some help because you don’t want to produce poor quality work.

Your boss will love it.

Showing that you are a team player is a big advantage but also knowing when to ask for help counts for some points. This strategy allows your boss to see that you are trying but need some assistance.

6. Make use of “toilet” breaks
Sometimes you need a break when you are sick but you can’t exactly lay down at your desk. My girlfriend mentioned that she uses up her toilet breaks when she is sick by heading down to the cubicle, placing a rolled up jumper against the wall and having a short nap. You could probably get away for ten minutes at a time like this.

7. Give yourself an allotted time to be sick
One of the best things you can do when you are sick at work is take a short break and give yourself an allotted time to be sick. Just sit there for five minutes and groan and moan and feel awful. After the allotted time is up you should compose yourself, take a few deep breaths and head back to work revitalized and full of bravery.

8. Meditate on compassion
His Holiness the Dalai Lama often says that if you want to have the inner strength of a warrior you need to develop compassion. One of the best times to meditate on compassion is when you are sick.

If you are feeling lousy you can think about the fact that there are people out there who are feeling a lot worse than you are. This should give you a renewed sense of energy and vitality – a sense that you should keep working hard because things aren’t that bad.

The next way you can meditate on compassion is by the using the buddhist practice of Tong Len. Tong Len means “sending and taking” and is where you use your breath as a tool to increase compassion.

Firstly, breathe in an imagine that all the suffering in the world is coming in to your body and dissolving. You take on all the suffering of others so that others don’t need to experience it. Secondly, when you breathe out all your happiness and health goes out to others and makes them all healthy and joyful. Finally you make the aspiration that buddhist makes whenever they are sick:

“May all sentient beings’ sicknesses ripen on me right now while I am sick. May this sickness purify all sentient beings of their illnesses right now.”

top image: photo credit: Lost in Scotland

Originally posted on May 1, 2008 @ 5:03 am

Boring Meetings: How to Survive Those Long Board Meetings

Mind, Mindfulness

We all know those meetings at work where you are so bored you think you might just cut your own ears off so you don’t have to listen any longer. However, instead of going to that extreme there are some things you can do to help you survive those long and boring work meetings.

How to survive those long and boring meetings at work

1. Don’t say a single word
One of the best pieces of advice I have ever heard came from a Tibetan Buddhist Lama I know. He was forced to attend management meetings at the local buddhist center which he really did not enjoy. He disliked the politics and the petty bickering and he was frustrated by the fact that nothing ever got sorted out.

One day a friend of mine who equally disliked the meetings asked him for some advice. His response was priceless:

“Don’t say a single word. Not one. I have noticed that the meetings finish much faster!”

He then sat in the meeting with a wry smile on his face. It soon finished. This advice has served me very well. Sometimes people seem to call meetings for the sake of having meetings. Nothing gets done so why drag it on? Say nothing.

2. Get interested
On the flip side of number one it can be a good idea to get involved and interested in what is going on in the meeting. Often times we really don’t care about what is being discussed so we sit there waiting for it all to be over.

However, if we do a little preparation before hand and take a bit of an interest in the meeting it can become a wonderful opportunity to make some changes around the office. If you present things in the right way you can often get the ball rolling on something exciting and new. It might be a new water cooler or it might be a new process for doing a task that is presently outdated and slow.

Try getting interested. Force it!

3. Don’t go
One thing I have done once or twice is send a note to the meeting organizer explaining that you cannot attend because you have another important meetings scheduled for that time and there is no way you can change it.

Missing meetings like this is wonderful. You avoid all the boredom. However, it is not a strategy that you can do every single time there is a meeting or sooner or later someone will realize that something is up.

Give it a go every now and then and see what happens.

4. Meditate
Here at The Daily Mind we are all about making the daily grind more meaningful. And we know that one of the best ways to make work meaningful is to meditate while you are working. It could be a breathing meditation or it could be a meditation on concentration. Whatever it is board meetings actually present a great practice opportunity.

One of the best meditations to do in a board meeting is that of “awareness”. The idea is to keep your mind focussed on the task at hand without wavering. This is hard to do at the best of times but even harder when the subject matter is boring and dry. However, try listening very hard to everything that people say. Don’t let your mind wander onto other topics like what they are wearing, how yellow their teeth are or what you are going to eat for lunch. Every time your mind wanders simply bring it back to the topic at hand.

As you progress you will find that you can focus a lot easier and boring subjects will not seems as dull because you are focusing on them fully.

After all… the reason we find meetings boring is because we are thinking about being somewhere else!

top image: photo credit: stovak

Originally posted on April 22, 2008 @ 2:17 pm