How to take a true break within 10-15 min?

Major point: take an activity that use different region of your brain. Not web surfing as it use the same region of brain for energy.

1)  Breathing Exercises: hear your breath, oxygenate your blood, relax your muscle, quite your mind, and connect to your inner being.


Karate Breathing Meditation 

basic breathing exercise 

2)  Meditation:

http://www.yogajournal.com/meditationrevolution/

3)  Walk for 10 min

4)  Dance for 10 min

5)  Yoga stretch Apps


6)  Take a nap


7)  Eye message with soothing music

8)  Read a poem/motivational book


9)  Read a job-- you need a sense of humor


10) Smell of the flowers


11) Human interaction


12) Avoid information overload

Relax NOW List

Visualize yourself in a tranquil place.
Gain control of your breathing .
Repeat a helpful quote or word.
Get away from the noise .
Use your imagination .
Use good scents .
Laugh.
Cry.

Relax Thoughts List

See problems as opportunities--This too shall pass.
Don't take it personally--Refute negative thoughts.
There is no right answer--Stop overgeneralizing.
It's not a perfect world--Control yourself, not others.
Let go, and let God--Be yourself.
                                                                  

Compulsive Internet Behavior- How to Quit Mindlessly Internet Surfing?

Mindless internet surfing and other compulsive internet behavior at work place will decrease your concentration and focus and lead to lack of productivity. We have to be really conscious about this. How to get out of this addition and get things done, try some of these to see whether it will work.

1 )   Sheer willpower alone - Congratulations, you are a giant with a strong inner being.

2)    Change your mind, change your heart-- connect to your inner wisdom, careless of the external news.

3)   Track your time using gmail  or other Time tracker software.

• Download Time Tracker for Firefox
• Download Time Tracker for Chrome

  WasteNoTime is a browser extension which is designed to help you manage your time spent on the Internet more efficiently.     http://bumblebeesystems.dyndns.org/wastenotime/


4)    Use a timer.


4)    Block sites at work computer:



     Permanent: Windows (Windows 7/Vista/XP)

1. Open Notepad and click File –> Open
2. Open up the following file:  C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32\DRIVERS\ETC\HOST
3. To block your time-wasting sites, type in the following: 127.0.0.1 facebook.com  www.facebook.com
4. Repeat step 3 until you’ve entered all your time-wasting sites
5. Save the file and close

     Browser Plugin
     Download LeechBlock  (firfox)
     Download StayFocused   (chrome)
     Download Concentrate  (block, timer, etc).

4)  Offline Day- Internet diet

5)  Don't browse first thing in the morning and evening--Morning (set the wrong tone for the most productive time of my day); Evening (send the wrong signals to my brain- stimulate the sleeping brain from natural downtime, suggesting praying, reading books or listening radio as alternatives)

5)  Take a "true" break every 50 min-- get up and stretch and talk (for me go to lab).

Reduce Information Consumption Overload and Meditate

Filter the Noise, Reduce Information Consumption Overload, Increase Productivity

1)      Productivity Loss – In the face of too much information, we can easily get lost in the details. We waste time  focusing on unimportant information and lose sight of our goal and purpose. 

2)      Mind Clutter – The junk information clutters our mind and takes away from our inner peace. But we tend to addict to it like fast food.

3)      Lack of Time – Live less, laugh less, and get tired so easily.

4)      Lack of Personal Reflection – I found that if I am constantly consuming information, then I forget to connect with myself. I have found that valuable personal reflection comes when we create a ‘space’ for it in our lives.  If there is always noise, then we won’t have the mental capacity to reflect within.

5)       Stress & Anxiety – We use the same region of the brain to process the information (work related or surfing web), our minds do not get a real break while we are surfing web for recreation purpose.

How to reduce the noise and maintain the brain clarity? 

Let’s see how this goes…

1)      Purpose – “Start with the end in mind”. I want productivity and inner peace. To much online time limits my ability to tune in to my inner wisdom, and all the valuable knowledge and insight that dwells inside of my heart. We become addicted to outside “information” vs. inner wisdom.

2)      Planning – Weekly planning, Monthly planning, Summer planning, Semester planning..... Routine! Create to do list.

3)      Set Time Limits, use a Timer – I have my information weaknesses, such as checking the latest news, blogs, twitter, email, watching too much TV, or carrying a smartphone. I could be doing it ‘mindlessly’ for hours and hours if I’m not conscientious about it. Set the timer for important things and my brain will work really efficient. 

4)      Take breaks from “connectivity” – take time to go for a walk or some other physical activity during the day, without mobile device. This renews blood flow, clears your head, and invigorates you, getting you ready for the rest of the day.Don't use these information weaknesses as treats for break time, they consume my brain's energy from the same neurocognitive area, make it drowning and dumber. Try to read a paper book instead of browsing news on line. 

5)      Try An Information Diet –Low-Tech Days, email fast, web-surfing free period.

6)      Be flexible, but not too flexible-don't get drifted during working hours, remember your focus.

7)      Connect with inner self- even if just 5 mins, thank your life.

I don't want to be a sad academic. I want to be a happy one!

Today, May 24/2012, I decided to start blogging-seriously.

My academic job filled with some frustrations, like grants not funded, triaged; my papers got rejected.... I have been in the current AP post for 4 years.... hard to believe that long. but my passion for my work is at historically low--yes, I want to admit that, face that, and hopefully fix that, be a happier academic!

My mom was diagnosed with bladder cancer recently, I took some time off from work to be there for her surgery. I wondered what the use of my work? so far away from helping a real patient and family.

My head has a void for more than half a year. In the past, I was too busy to even notice that. Now I'm depressed and have to face and fix it--- in order to move on.

I filled my void with other people's news, things, development, etc.... haha, I spent a lot of time on wxct and weibo, etc. My void was not filled, instead, it's getting bigger and emptier.

I have to face my life bravely. Yes, grants were turned down one by one, low yield work. I have to be persistent. Maybe for the time being, I should be focusing on the manuscripts, which eventually can be published somewhere, someday..... Maybe I should spend more time in the lab, to do some concrete hands-on things, the instant satisfactions may help me avoid some low quality writing hours in front of computer.

I have to do something. Gosh, I love my family, my daughter especially. If I'm a mess, I can't be a good mother, I have walk out this mess, bravely and firmly.

Dear Lord, help me do this, give me strength, wisdom, love, and peace in mind.

I want to be happy academic!

I want to enjoy my job.

Shirley

05-2012

victoria's new outfit

first blog

hello victoria!