SPEAKINGAn Easy Audience
If giving a public speech makes you so nervous you can’t even do it in front of friends or family, you may want to try a dog. American University is trying such an approach to help anxiety-prone students. “Addressing a friendly and nonjudgmental canine can lower blood pressure, decrease stress and elevate mood — perfect for practicing your speech or team presentation,” says a brochure for the project. “It makes you smile looking out at the dogs,” one student told the New York Times.
ACTION Shout Out (Some of) Your Goals
You’ve probably heard advice that you should tell your friends your goals for the year, because such a declaration will motivate you to achieve them. But according to a recent study in the journal Psychological Science says “identity goals” are less likely to be achieved if made public. Tell everyone you’re committed to being a better boss, a great pet parent or a more active citizen, and you may slack off because your brain confuses telling people with taking action.
WANTS You Can’t Do It All
According to business writer Greg McKeown, questions such as, “How can I fit everything I want to do into my schedule?” are fundamentally dishonest. They’re based on the false premise that trade-offs are avoidable. The honest question, he says, is: “What is it I really want?” Knowing you can’t possibly have everything or get everything done spares you the anxiety of trying to figure out how you could.
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LIFE FUEL Rekindle the Joy
Do one thing every day that you loved as a kid. “This is usually the fuel that can power your life,” writes entrepreneur and business author James Altucher on his blog.
CHARITY Round Up
Want a way for your customers to leave your business feeling they’ve done some good? Take your lead from Urban Tails Pet Supply in Minneapolis, MN, and offer a register round-up. “Customers can round up to the nearest dollar, with the difference going to a (different local rescue every month),” explains manager Megan Trombley. “It has been really helping the animals in our community.”
ROUTINE The Golden Hour and a Half
Research shows that starting the day on a good note has an enormous positive effect on productivity. To actually get things done in the morning, “Four Hour” productivity guru Tim Ferriss suggests having the first 90 minutes of your workday vary as little as possible. “I think that a routine is necessary to feel in control and non-reactive, which reduces anxiety. It therefore also makes you more productive.”
JUDGMENT Time Decisions
Can’t make a decision? Use a timer, suggests Oliver Burkeman in his Guardian column on lifestyle optimization. For everyday matters, set it to allow yourself a few minutes for deliberation, and then, when your time is up, make a decision. “Often, what we think of as deliberation is really hours of indecision, followed by a snap judgment,” he notes.
ENCOURageMENT Wow, Wow, Wow
“Everybody likes a compliment,” Abraham Lincoln famously observed. But most humans are weirdly parsimonious about handing out kind words. To keep the good feelings flowing at New Jersey eyecare practice Focus Eye Care, management installed a “WOW Box” in the back office and encouraged staff to write something positive about another staff member that motivated them. “Often the notes contain funny messages and inside jokes that go over our heads, but the point is we enjoy it,” manager Vlad Cordero told PET+’s sister magazine,
INVISION.