Friday, June 23, 2017

What Is Your Personal Chronotype And How It Tells When is Your Best Time To Drink Coffee?

Chronotypes

Ah, coffee. Ask anyone who knows me, and they will tell you I cannot function (nor do I want to) until I’ve had my coffee. While most people agree with this mindset, for me it has nothing to do with my energy level. In fact, coffee/caffeine doesn’t seem to do much for me as far as that is concerned. In fact, I had three cups of coffee yesterday and was still able to take a nap. Then I woke up and had more! Most people would have been bouncing off the walls, but not me. To be honest, I envy people who have a cup of coffee and are as hyper as a toddler who just ate an entire cake. So how come some people drink coffee and experience productivity and the feeling of being alert, and others are just as tired and irritable after a cup (or three) as before they had any? It turns out it might not be the coffee or the type of caffeine, but rather when you’re enjoying that java.

I’ve heard before that having a cup of coffee right before a nap is the best way to get that boost of energy because the nap gives your body enough time to really take in the caffeine. Therefore, when you wake up, you’re energetic and ready to face the rest of your day. It never really made a ton of sense to me, but after learning more about chronotypes, it seems there may be something to that advice after all.

Chronotypes and You

A chronoytype refers to the behavior you exhibit due to your circadian rhythm. It essentially determines when you need to sleep at any given time in a 24-hour period. [1] I took this quiz to figure out my chronotype and it was eye-opening. As chronotypes go, I’m a lion. I’m up early, energetic and sharpest in the morning. I don’t take big risks and I focus more on getting goals accomplished. Completing tasks gives me a huge sense of accomplishment. Just like a real lion, I do my best work earlier in the day (between 10 and 12) and I should snack around 9am and wait to eat lunch until after 12. While often times online quizzes can seem a little off, this one is right on the money.

Michael J. Breus, Ph.D. and clinical psychologist specializes in sleep disorders. His book, The Power of When, breaks down the four different chronotypes (Dolphin, Lion, Bear, Wolf) based on morning and evening preferences. The book helps readers understand when they should do everything from running a mile to asking for a raise.

Now real Lions may not drink coffee, but as far as chronotypes go, I should enjoy my cup of joe around 8am to 10am and my afternoon cup around 2 or 4. Dr. Breus, the creator of the Chronotype system says, “If you wake up and put coffee, which is a diuretic, in your system, it will just make you more dehydrated. Plus, when you wake up, your level of cortisol is naturally very high. So essentially you’re just putting a not-so-effective stimulant on top of a very effective one. You want to save your coffee for when you start to slow down. [2]

Coffee and Chronotypes explained

We discussed how lions should enjoy their coffee earlier, but what about the other three types? Dr. Breus’ book goes into extreme detail, but the following can give you an idea of how each type is different.

When it comes to getting caffeinated, Breus says the worst time to have coffee is within two hours of waking and within six hours of bedtime. When you’re sleeping, you breathe out the equivalent of a liter of water. No matter which Chronotype you are, the first beverage you should reach for is H20. And speaking of waking up, there’s an ideal time for that as well.

Dolphins should enjoy their coffee between 8:30-11am or 1-2pm and wake up at 6:30am.

Bears should pour their cup from 9:30-11:30 or 1:30-3:30 and wake up at 7am.

Wolves can sip on their coffee of choice between 12pm and 2pm only and should start their day at 7:30am sharp.

And of course, us lions can drink coffee from 8-10am and 2-4pm. We get the earliest starts to the day at 5:30-6am.

Some of you may be calculating how early you’re going to have to go to bed now if you’re supposed to get up at that time and wait for coffee. But don’t worry, Breus has figured out when you should go to sleep, too!

“The eight-hour rule is a myth. Most people can get by fine on seven hours of sleep, while dolphins can function with six. What’s most important is consistency and making sure you start mentally preparing for bed (by turning off all screens, winding down, relaxing) a full hour before actually climbing into bed. You shouldn’t get into bed for any reason except for sleep and sex. That will help your mind associate ‘bed’ with ‘sleep.'”

Dolphins should sleep as close to 11:30pm as possible, while lions need to hit the hay at 10pm. Wolves get to stay up until midnight and bears need to start snoozing at 11.

Coffee overload is still dangerous

If you’re like me, you’re feeling inspired to start some new routines with this knowledge, but remember to listen to your body. If you have certain health conditions or medications that make caffeine intake dangerous, don’t go against your doctor’s knowledge because of your chronotype. Instead, adjust your habits accordingly. Maybe you can’t have coffee, or as much as you’d like, but you can still change what time you go to bed and when you wake up. The book is filled with when to do just about everything, so feel free to grab a copy if you’re feeling inspired!

Share your chronotype with us. In the meantime, I’m off to get a cappuccino!

The effects coffee has on your health

Coffee is delicious, helpful and depending on where you purchase it, an art form! But what is it doing for your body aside from hopefully energizing it?

Coffee Fights Cancer

At one point in time, coffee had a bad reputation for potentially being a carcinogenic. Thankfully, this myth has been busted. In fact, the World Health Organization has determined there’s a 15% reduced risk of liver cancer for each cup of coffee consumed per day. [3]

Coffee can reverse liver-damage

I love a craft cocktail as much as I love a beautifully crafted cup of coffee. Thankfully, drinking coffee may reduce the kind of liver damage over-indulging in alcohol can cause. A recent study found that drinking two additional cups of coffee a day lowered the risk of liver cirrhosis by about 44%!

Coffee burns fat

Remember, we’re talking about real coffee here, not a thousand calorie frappucino from your favorite coffee chain! A 2013 study found that drinking coffee before physical activity like a workout helps your body burn more fat.

Coffee helps your recover faster, post-gym

Feeling sore after a workout can provide a great sense of accomplishment. But when you’re so sore you can barely get out of bed, it’s time for coffee! Another 2013 study found that muscle soreness was lessened by ingesting coffee an hour before working out.

Coffee boosts your endurance

Multiple studies have shown that coffee consumption can help you work out for longer periods of time with better results!

Coffee improves memory

A 2014 study proved that coffee can help you recall details more easily and even enhance the brain’s ability to create long-term memories! Just one strong cup a day can help your memory retention.

Coffee can boost your mood

Drinking coffee may be just as good as drinking an anti-depressant! A 2013 study found that coffee drinkers were less likely to commit suicide or have suicidal tendencies.

Featured photo credit: Chevanon via stocksnap.io

Reference

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How to Worry Less: 90% of What You Fear Won't Happen

What if? What if it doesn’t work out? What if I’m wasting my time? Everyone will know I failed, and then everyone will hate me. Do any of these debilitating questions sound familiar to you? You’re not alone. Anxiety disorders [1] are on the rise, and unfortunately it’s our own fault. The way that we process information and expectations has taken a negative toll on our mentalities, filling up our heads with disastrous scenarios that will never play out.

Worrying is normal, but not if it’s keeping you up at night.

If nothing phased you at all, then that would be a totally different issue. But many of us torture ourselves with thoughts and scenarios that just aren’t in touch with reality.

Example: You just started a new job as a waitress. You don’t fully know the menu, so you rang in some orders incorrectly. To make things worse, you broke a few plates, and now all of your coworkers are annoyed. After you go home that night, you consider never returning to avoid humiliation. But you need the job, so you go in anyway, bracing yourself for ridicule. Much to your surprise, everyone is pleasant and carrying on as if yesterday’s disasters never happened. No one is mad at you, and they certainly don’t hate you. Now that you know the protocol better, you’re less likely to make those mistakes again. So it’s all good.

My motto: prepare for the worst, but hope for the best. Notice how I didn’t say EXPECT the worst, because then you’re already setting a foundation for negativity. Overly enthusiastic optimism can be unrealistic and annoying, but you need to keep an open mind. Don’t worry about something unless it’s actually happening. Don’t concern yourself with what might be, because it hasn’t happened.

You’re sabotaging yourself by worrying too much.

If you let your fears get the best of you, then it’s going to hold you back. You may pass up opportunities or act irrationally because of what could happen, or you have the wrong idea. Either way, you’re setting yourself up for failure.

Let’s look at this from a romantic perspective. You may lose out on a great relationship because you’re too afraid of getting burned again. Or let’s say you’re already in the relationship, and you become paranoid because you jump to the worst case scenario if they don’t answer their phone for 5 minutes.

People tend to expect disaster because they ignore the probability.

Here are a list of things that probably won’t happen even though you’re scared to death that it will:

Plane crash: Car crashes are way more common

I’ll be honest, when I let the reality sink in that I’m hovering thousands of miles above ground, it is a bit unsettling. I feel so exposed, vulnerable. My sister actually helped to console me on this by pointing out that anytime there is a plane crash, it makes national news. Why? Because it’s so uncommon. There are thousands of people who work to route the airways to ensure that there aren’t any collisions. How many car crashes make the paper? Unless there was a celebrity inside one of the vehicles, not many. That’s because they’re so common. So next time you get freaked out about flying just keep in mind that plane crashes are incredibly rare.

Judgment: The truth is, no one really cares that much

This is a big one. We think that everyone is watching and taking note of our every move. The truth is, no one really cares that much. Not to be harsh, but the fact that you said something offbeat in a conversation three weeks ago is probably never going to come up again. In fact, at the time it may have been humiliating for you. But the people you were speaking to probably snickered, shrugged it off, and forgot about it entirely. So stop worrying. You are your own worst critic, and you’re only shining a spotlight on your own flaws.

Abandonment: By avoiding being abandoned, you probably push people away

Unfortunately this one is a bit deep-seeded and difficult to kick. Generally, if you’ve been abandoned or let down by someone you look up to and respect, it’s going to cause a huge blow to your ego and expectations of others. But you need to realize that not everyone is out to hurt you, and  . In both cases, you’re going to end up alone. So give people a chance to show you that they want to be in your lives. If they don’t, just let them go.

Reference

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Hauntingly Beautiful Sculptures by Harn Kae ChoeHong Kong based...













Hauntingly Beautiful Sculptures by Harn Kae Choe

Hong Kong based artist, Harn Kae Choe, brings to life surreal characters from another place and time. Although seemingly alien in their physical form; their emotions, reactions, and expressions somehow feel hauntingly familiar.


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Hauntingly Beautiful Sculptures by Harn Kae Choe

Hong Kong based artist, Harn Kae Choe, brings to life surreal characters from another place and time. Although seemingly alien in their physical form; their emotions, reactions, and expressions somehow feel hauntingly familiar.


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How to Differentiate Between Real Love and Superficial Love

One of the many things human beings seek during their lifetime is a loving companion. In other words, find real love instead of superficial love. This is hard to come by depending on who you ask, and each person will tell you a different story.

But the truth of the matter is love finds you instead of the other way around. Real love is about genuinely giving someone compassion, comfort, trust and most of the time telling the truth. These are some of the core principles of real love, but superficial love is a mortal enemy. It masquerades itself as true love, and will discuss in the next sections ways to possibly identify it.

It’s hard to differentiate at the beginning

When we go through love the first time, we need to maintain to a certain extent some objectivity, and have our feet grounded. Because all of these changes will make it more difficult to evaluate the person we are supposedly in love with.

Having love is different than being in love or breathing it. It is essential to recognize the three stages of love. They are the following: lust, attraction and attachment.

The lust stage is characterized as hormone-driven and leads to desire. Afterwards, attraction on the other hand has blood flow to the pleasure center of the brain. This leads to an increased fixation on the person becoming an attachment.

“Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction”

So, how do we know if it’s real love or superficial love? The answer can be deciphered based on circumstances you will live through. They may end up being a determinant factor of success or the failure of a relationship.

It is important to point out that as a person you will experience change, and will be presented with choices to make during your lifetime. Your personal growth will undergo transformation, and unravel the person that you are.

Naturally, new events in your life will test you as a person including your significant other. This means whether you like it or not it will shed light on whether you have real or superficial love.

When you are confronted with an opportunity like a new job offer, working for a company in another part of the country, or going to a university or college for a period of time it will test whether, or not you will remain with your partner.

There is an old saying that by Antoine de Saint-Exupery that says “Love does not consist in gazing at each other, but in looking outward together in the same direction”. It is about complementing each other’s goals, and accepting personal growth over time.

Psychology Today [1] makes a very important observation about how each partner should approach love with one another. It is the following: “Ideally, our partners love us for who we are intrinsically: our personality, character, and values, all foundational elements of our selves which are less likely to change as we find new opportunities for growth and development.”

To summarize, when it comes to love we should utilize the previously mentioned foundational elements of who we are as a person, as a human being. Sure there are differences that include your ethnicity, culture, tradition, birthplace, etc. The heart of the matter is to really explore and learn about who we are first, and then seek out a partner that fills your heart and not an empty void instead.

Takeaways and conclusion:

A difference between real love and superficial love is accepting who you were, are and will be. It is more than idolizing or buying expensive gifts. It is about each person integrating into each other’s lives, and growing magnificently.

Change along with many challenges to any relationship are a positive thing. Life is not a destination, it is a journey. We all must find a partner who loves, enriches and supports us in every situation. When the contrary happens it simply means it was superficial love, and not the other way around.

Reference

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How Not to Give up at the Most Difficult Time

Think back to the last time you looked for a job. Chances are, you were on the hunt because the job you were currently in wasn’t fulfilling. You made the choice to start putting in applications, even though you knew you would face some rejection. With every “thank you for your application, but we’ve hired someone who better matches the skills required” letter you receive, it gets harder and harder to submit applications without self-deprecating. You may even contemplate staying miserable in the job you have because “at least it’s a job” rather than continuing to look for something better and more worthy of your time.

Whenever we face a difficult challenge or choice on the way to achieving something we want, it feels easier to give up than to carry on. This happens because we feel like we can’t do anything to make things easier. But once we get through it, we look back and realize it wasn’t as bad as we thought. In fact, we usually stress ourselves out far more than is necessary.

It’s only a moment of frustration, don’t give up.

When we feel like we are losing any and all motivation we had to begin with, it can be nearly impossible to get it back.

In keeping with the example of looking for a new job while stuck in a difficult one, it’s sad to think so many of us would allow our emotions to drown out our optimism. We were not born to go to work, pay bills and die. If you spend a majority of your time at work instead of at home, why in the world would you settle for a career that makes you miserable? Yes, there are risks and hardships included any time you try to achieve a goal, each stressor is worth it in the end. But it can be so challenging to remember that when you’re going through it.

When we face a really difficult challenge – like constant rejection from companies – we can develop tunnel vision and lose sight of the optimism all around us. All we see is the failure and heartache of not succeeding. We completely disregard the notion that this will one day be a memory and we could be recalling the memory from a corner office!

So how are we supposed to take those blinders off and push through, even when we feel anything but motivated? Let’s explore it in the next section.

If we give up, the same problem will come back again.

The thing we tend to forget when all we want to do is give up is that failure doesn’t fix anything. If you allow the rejection to stop you from finding a job you’re happy with, all you’ve done is indefinitely prolonged your suffering. Maybe for a moment you’ll feel relief because you no longer have to send out applications, but that satisfaction will be fleeting. That misery you were experiencing will be back, one way or another.

See, the real challenge you’re experiencing in that moment is your own weakness manifesting in a physical form. When you accept that you aren’t worthy or good enough, that’s the mind set you will keep. No matter what challenge your facing (be it work or play) you will struggle with maintaining your optimism, dedication and will power because you haven’t addressed the real issue: yourself.

Imagine the Great Challenge as a big rock in front of you. If you choose to give up, you work around the stone just to go around it. Yet the fastest way to get over it is to break this big rock and go right through it.

It’s the same with your weaknesses. You could continue to adjust your life to fit your fears (i.e. no longer job-hunting because you’ve accepted you will always fail), or you could keep sending out applications and calling to follow up and schedule interviews.

No matter how great the challenge is, breaking it down is a must.

In order to truly stay motivated, no matter how great the challenge is, you’ve got to learn to break the Great Challenge down.

Remember that big rock? How can you break it down into smaller pieces and deal with the small stones piece by piece in order to truly overcome? The tips below can help you take those first steps in keeping your chin up and truly facing the difficult choices in your life.

Yes, right now it may seem impossible. It may seem like this is the hardest thing you will ever go through. But remember how often your threshold changes. I remember when I used to think the hardest thing I would ever face was not getting tickets to see The Spice Girls. I remember later in life thinking I would never love anyone like I loved my first boyfriend. It’s laughable how much things change. One day you’ll look back and realize this wasn’t as bad as you thought.

Figure out what you lack.

No matter what the challenge you’re facing may be, there’s a reason it’s challenging to you. If it’s a job, why is it you aren’t getting hired? Go back through the job listings and skills required and find the common thread your resume doesn’t have. Is it not listed because you don’t have it? If so, work on doing something to give you that skill. Be it an online course or a volunteer project, do something to help push you closer to the “perfect candidate.”

Be patient with yourself.

No one becomes a CEO overnight. If you have big dreams, you’re going to have to do big work to accomplish them. It’s okay to take time figuring out the best way to proceed, but it’s not okay to walk away because it’s challenging.

Be proud of yourself for every small win.

Have you ever noticed how a small mistake can weigh on you for days? Whether or not you categorize yourself as a dramatic person doesn’t matter when it comes to the guilt we so often put upon ourselves. But when we make small strides in achieving our goal(s), we never seem to give ourselves much respect. When we fail to pat ourselves on the back for little victories, it decreases our motivation and makes it much harder to achieve big goals.[1]

Remember that you aren’t the first to feel this way.

When we face difficult choices or events in our lives, we often forget that we are not the first/only/last to experience this. Everyone faces hard decisions – be it deciding to end a relationship, changing careers, moving to a different place and leaving friends behind…we all go through it. So don’t be afraid to reach out to your friends or family for a sounding board. In some cases, they may even be able to offer you advice you wouldn’t have thought of otherwise.

Know that you will grow as a person just from going through it.

Another thing we forget when overwhelmed with a challenging situation? That we build character through those hard times. The old cliche, “what doesn’t kill me makes me stronger” is true. When you go through something challenging, you learn from it, regardless of the outcome. Recognize the opportunities for learning and personal development.[2]

Remember that you have choices.

No matter how hard the challenge you’re facing may be, one of the best things you can focus on is that you have choices. Only you can decide how you handle something and the steps you take. More so, only you can decide how you take the next step. You have the power to stand in your own way and to get out of it. Allow yourself to stay motivated by choosing to be stay motivated.

You’ve SO got this.

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Reference

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How To Climb Up Your Career Ladder Faster Than Others In A Big Corporate.

When you are working for a large company, it’s easy to feel like a little fish in a big pond. Perhaps despite your best efforts, you aren’t advancing along your career path as quickly as you would like. There are so many people vying for top positions that showcasing your talents can be a struggle. It might seem like an uphill battle, but you’ll never get a promotion if you don’t try.

Being successful in your career path takes time and grit.

It can be a long journey to the top of the corporate ladder. Maintaining drive and creativity when your superiors dictate a project’s direction can be challenging. After you’ve successfully completed a task, you may be pigeonholed into doing to same type of work over and over. Proving your worth is tough when you are not allowed to demonstrate your capacity to take on challenges.

Many people are competing for the same things that you want, and when they get those coveted positions, they do not give them up easily. Even when you do get a chance to shine, it is a constant battle to stay ahead of all the other workers who also want to be plucked from anonymity.

When you couple these concerns with self-doubt, the picture looks even more grim. About 32% of workers feel that they don’t have the skills that they need to earn a promotion.[1] If you don’t believe that you are a good candidate for advancement, how can you expect that your boss will see your potential?

It’s time to get out of your own head and try these 7 strategies to snag that promotion.

All these frustrations about competitiveness and lack of control are valid, but if you want to get ahead, you’ll need to devote your energy to things that are within your control. Advancing on your chosen career path requires you to take your fate in your own hands and trust that you have what it takes.

Getting ahead at work involves going above and beyond what is expected from you. Work output algorithms,technological advancements, and high expectations can make the prospect of taking on additional responsibility daunting. If you want to be a cut above the rest, you will have to demonstrate your ambition.

  • Put yourself out there. If your boss doesn’t know that you exist, they aren’t going to be able to go to bat for you. This also means that you should make an effort to develop a good working relationship with your manager.
  • Ask to take on jobs that will challenge you. You won’t grow if you are standing still. Stay on your manager’s radar by demonstrating your eagerness to grow and doing high-quality work.
  • Keep track of what you do. If you save the company money or spearhead an initiative, document it. When you have to make a case for why you would be a good fit for a promotion, you’ll have numbers to show your supervisors.[2]
  • Spend time with colleagues in casual settings. Having an excellent rapport with your coworkers will not only make work a lot more fun, but it will also help you build collaborative relationships. Upper level management like to see team players. Of course you want to stand out, but you don’t have to be cutthroat to show your mettle.[3]
  • Value your time. When employees value their time, they are also showing the boss that they value the company’s time. Stay organized and develop a workflow for your day. Managers are more likely to give you more opportunities if they see that you are efficient.[4] Asking a manager what steps you can take to make a project run more smoothly shows that you are open to mentoring and care to maximize your time.
  • Think about the big picture. Find out what problem you can help your boss solve. When your manager knows you are willing to take the initiative to troubleshoot an issue, you show that your vision goes beyond the stack of papers sitting on your desk.
  • Always keep it professional. You may have heard that you dress for the job you want, not the one that you have. Avoid gossip, sloppiness, and negativity at all costs. If you look and act like a leader, you’re more likely to be treated like one.

Your managers want you to succeed.

Approximately 22% of workers who do not receive promotions look for work at other companies so that they can continue to move forward on their career path.[5] When a company loses a good worker, they must work to fill the gap, and they lose the time and money they invested in you. Managers know that promotions are an important part of employee retention.

Don’t be afraid to ask for more mentoring and training. Undertaking development opportunities makes you more valuable to the company. They are making an investment in you so that you can provide a return on that investment with improved skills.

Leadership want to have a mutually beneficial relationships with their employees. When you excel in your career path, it makes them look better, increases their profit, and makes their work easier. Promotion for you means more recognition, a higher salary, and more opportunities to continue on your chosen career path. In an ideal scenario, everyone wins.

Speak Up and Go for it!

Letting your manager know that you are willing to take on new responsibilities is the first step in developing a dialogue around career advancement. Seek opportunities that showcase what you do well. You and your boss may be able to work together to find assignments that will help you build skills in your specialty. Projects that align with your career path will be more meaningful and serve your development better.

If you ask for additional responsibilities and fail to deliver, it sends the wrong message. You want them to know that you take this work seriously. Finding responsibilities that make use of the many skills that you already possess can keep added work from becoming overwhelming.

No matter how long and treacherous the path to advancement can seem, don’t let the challenge defeat you. Embrace the struggle, stay positive, and stand firm in your desire to move forward on your career path.

Your playing small does not serve the world. -Marianne Williamson

Reference

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