Dealing with today's enormous challenges may have led us to act out in ways that are not characteristic of our behavior, especially toward others. We may find that we are a little more impatient, irritable, and intolerant of others. However, allowing ourselves to go down this path is not good for our mental or physical health. It is certainly not good for our relationships. A powerful antidote for these feelings is injecting kindness into our thoughts and deeds.
Read MoreIt’s incredible how much research is coming out on the psychological impact of Covid-19. Today alone, I found twenty new peer-reviewed studies. A helpful study in the Behavior Analysis in Practice offered straightforward advice for successfully dealing with the pandemic's psychological effects. Here are some of the highlights.
Read MoreDuring this pandemic, we have all been subjected to a higher level of boredom. Often boredom is associated with consuming higher quantities of fats, carbohydrates, and proteins (Moynihan et al., 2015). When we are stressed, many of us look for sugary or comfort foods to help soothe ourselves. So, what can we do about it?
Read MoreBefore a vaccine, the two most promising strategies to reduce the risk of Covid-19 are: 1) practicing mitigation strategies of social distancing, hand washing, and wearing a mask, and 2) adopting lifestyle practices aligned to good immune health (Simpson et al., 2020). Let’s take a look at how regular physical activity boosts your immune system.
Read MoreJust a few short weeks ago, we were asked to stay at home and not go out unless we absolutely had to. Decisions were made for us about what we could or could not do. We may not have liked it, but our decisions were easy. That’s because we understand “on/off” thinking or “dichotomous thinking”. But, what is it really and how does this type of thinking hold us back when it comes to positive behavior changes?
Read MoreResearch shows that only about half of us are satisfied with either the quality or amount of sleep we get (Lau et al, 2018). And this was before Covid-19. With so much going on in the world and in our personal lives, it is understandable that we may be experiencing even more difficulty with our sleep habits. So, what can we do about it?
Read MoreRecently, I integrated a 45-50 minute walk into my daily schedule. And if it’s a particularly stressful day, I sometimes walk two or more times. My primary motivation was to get some exercise and a change of scenery from being at my desk. But quickly, I began to experience benefits well beyond what I have ever experienced during my daily gym visits. Let’s learn why…
Read MoreEveryone seems to be talking about the need to establish “our new normal”. You may have noticed that people have a lot of ideas on what activities we should include in this new normal. There are two concerns with this broad-based approach. Let’s learn what they are and how to successfully establish our own personal “new normal”.
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