Wellness

[bebe777]

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@VaBelle35 wrote:

Day 15!  This one speaks to me.  I am ALL ABOUT doing 3 things at once.

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I’ve got a question for you today. Do you ever feel like you’re being a “slacker” if you’re only doing one thing at a time? If so, you’re a lot like me, I’m confessing here. We kind of feel like we’re slacking when we’re only doing one thing, but here’s the physiology of multitasking: It will actually increase your cortisol. It will increase your stress. When cortisol levels rise; our memory centers get whacked. Our serotonin levels go down. Inflammation increases, and we actually put ourselves at risk for many diseases. Makes being a slacker sound a bit more attractive, don’t you think? I’d like to share a little more with you here. Be sure to leave me some feedback and spread the word on single tasking.

Here’s to Single-tasking!

Dr. James

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VaBelle, once again, thank you for sharing this great information. 

While I agree with everything he said about cortisol, I have a feeling that there may be genetic differences between men and women with regard to effective multitasking. 

I'm just going to preface my remarks by saying that I come from a maverick, radical feminist perspective (I was reading the newspaper bound 10-cent edition of the very first "Our Bodies, Our Selves" when I was nine, and I still have the old copies)... 

From hundreds of thousands of years of natural selection, I do believe that there are any number of general genetic predispositions that differentiate men from women. I'm in no way advocating a "glass ceiling" approach, especially because our modern, knowledge based education system creates so many opportunities for everyone to grow. 

Now back to men/women multitasking and cortisol... 

Everything that I see/experience ofmen tells me that they are much better at being single minded, focusing on a single task, and seeing it through. 

What I've experienced with myself, and seen with many other women is that they frequently have a kick a** ability to multitask. -- Men frequently do not have the patience and/or ability to do this.

If there is indeed a genetic component to this I wonder if this might also affect cortisol production levels between men and women.

I don't know much in the way of specifics about how most of the cortisol level studies have been done. But what I do know is that until very recently, with regard to clinical studies on Rx medications, is that studies have frequently been done using all male populations. The excuse has been that women's monthly cycles create unreliable test results. -- In recent years, they have found that some of these approved medications react differently in women versus in men. Big problem. 

Of course, I'm not saying that when women (over) multitask that their cortisol levels won't shoot up. -- I'm just wondering if it's necessary for women to stop multitasking all together. 

I know about the studies that show you actually get more accomplished when you focus on one task at a time. Based on this information, I try to analyse my effectiveness when I am multitasking. Sometimes I can see that doing one thing at a time is more effective but, at other times, I feel as though I'm being more effective by multitasking. 

I also really enjoy multitasking a lot of the time especially when I'm just doing it for the fun of it and I'm not under a time crunch. I take great pleasure in moving my thought process quickly form one task to another: there's never a boring moment. And I enjoy the fact that I'm darned good at it. It's so much fun!!! lol, there have got to be feel good endorphins exploding all around me.... and that's got to be good for my health!!

Now that I think of it, I think it's when I'm under a time crunch -- and cortisol levels have already gone sky high -- that my multitasking is not effective. 

-- bebe... who is multitasking right now

[VaBelle35]

I've known, anecdotally, that men cannot multitask since birth. LOL  I don't need science or a tax-payer research study to tell me this.

I can tell them for free.  Ha!

[VaBelle35]

Nothing much to report as each day is basically something I know or am doing already.  Yesterday was the benefits of a little bit of dark chocolate each day ;o)

Day 19 is interesting.  I'm not sure I can explain it as well as Dr. James in the video, but basically most of us hide our light under a bushel and if we were to use our "signature strength" to serve and share with the world, research says we'd be happier.

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Today, we're talking about identifying your signature strength. Your signature strength is that special gift that you have and came here to express.

Link to Video of Day 19 - Your Signature Strength

[VaBelle35]

Day 23 is interesting.  And I can see using it in the way Dr. James suggests, but also using it as just a reminder for something.  For example, I was listening to the Happier podcast and one of the guests (AJ Jacob I think) talked about an app to remind you to stand up straight (which he said didn't really work out). But what if you used doorways to remind yourself to stand up straight?

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I’ve got another one for you today and it’s one that I have used frequently over the past few decades.

I call it my doorway ritual. I’m inviting you to participate as you are creating this incredible life that you love.

Link to Video of Day 23 - Doorways

[VaBelle35]

Day 29 - Another in the "think" category.

It's about 5 things to ask youself at the end of the day (back in the beginning you start your day with something you are grateful for so it's similar to end your day in this way.

1.  Did you serve?

2.  Did you do anything to move toward your large goal?

3.  What did you learn?

4.  What can you do differently tomorrow?

5.  What are you grateful for from this day?

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It's me again. And today's a good day because we get to talk about the five questions you’re going to ask yourself at the end of the day.

I want to invite you to get a pen and some paper because you’ll want to write this down.

Link to Video of Day 29 - 5 Things

[MaggieMack]

I tried to post this comment earlier and hit "cancel" by mistake, so here goes again (and I will try to be more purposeful when I look for the "post" button.

@VaBelle35, thank you so much for posting your experiences on your journey, most enjoyable to read about your insights.

I found the post on "signature strength" so interesting. I have gotten down on myself for not writing the great American novel or finding a cure for cancer or founding an orphanage like Mother Teresa did. Surely I am smart enough? Then, like happened last week, someone said to me, "I love it when you show up, you always know just what to say, and you always make me feel better about myself." Therein is MY signature strength, to bring love and light into this often dark world with spontaneous words of kindness.

We are all spiritual beings temporarily housed in these dense physical bodies. Each day brings its own lesson if we have eyes to see and hearts open enough to let the love flow in and out. Blessings.

[VaBelle35]

@MaggieMack What a wonderful post.

We all absolutely have that one gift or signature strength.  We sometimes don't appreciate it ourselves or don't recognize it in ourselves.

[VaBelle35]

Day 31!

The final installment is about sleep.

One interesting part is about what you eat for dinner and if you have a snack before bed.  He talks about all the regular environmental stuff to do, but I've never heard anyone talk about starting at dinner, what to eat. 

So, I learned something new today

Link to Video on Day 31 - Sleep

[MaggieMack]

@VaBelle35, it's that "learning" stuff that keeps our minds agile, our spirits eager, and our hearts young. (Exercise does it for our bodies). 

[VaBelle35]

To quote my favorite singer, John Mellencamp, "when I was 18 I knew everything.  When I turned 35 I realized I didn't know [squat]."