Think Tank: The Neuro Blog
6 Unconventional Tips for Decreasing Screen Time
There’s no denying that screens, whether mobile phone or TV/computer screens, are already a huge part of peoples’ lives. You use it from the moment you wake until you tuck yourselves in for the night. You use it to connect, to enjoy, to be productive and to be always on the go. However, amidst these wonderful things that your screens provide for you, there’s a downside. Constant use of social media was actually proven to have a connection to a person's decreased well being. Whether you know it or not, you go into a social comparison. Because you only see other peoples’ lives as told by their social media timeline, you tend to believe that their life is so much better, and way cooler than yours. But this shouldn’t be the case. No matter how much you think you depend on our phone for everything, today is always a good time to start “unplugging” and decreasing your screen time, and for good reason. There’s growing evidence that decreased screen time leads to improved physical health, enhanced mood and better relationships. So how can you decrease your screen time? Here are some unconventional tips for you to try: 1. Know your “why” There’s a very good reason why you’re here reading this along with multiple tabs in your browser that tell you how harmful uncontrolled screen time is. Whether you have trouble sleeping, you’re developing anxiety, you’re fatigued or you over all do not feel well, that’s your “why” and that’s important. Know it and take it to heart because it will help you stay on track. Everytime you feel the urge to grab your phone and mindlessly browse your social media accounts, your “why” will be a powerful reminder to keep your focus amidst distractions. 2. Use your phone against it Use the settings on your phone to set a time limit on how much you use it and the specific apps that are in it. If you’ve used all the time you’re allowed for the day, put it down. Start with a number that seems doable for you, then very slowly decrease it as you develop the habit of spending time away from your phone. Don’t you always say you’re going to just “quickly check” Facebook and before you know it you’ve fallen very deep down the rabbit hole of YouTube videos. Turn off all notifications! Hearing that “ding” is enough to send you spiraling down and checking everything else. If you must, only switch on notifications from very important people. While you’re at it, it would be good to tell people that you might only be able to respond until a certain time of the day because you have a life outside of your social media accounts. 3. Share the struggle (and the wins) Difficult things become easier when you do it with someone, right? Like working out or dieting, it’s always easier when there’s someone who’s on the same journey with you. They make you accountable for your actions and nudge you along when you feel stuck with nowhere to go. A partner, a friend or a family member who shares your “why” and knows your struggle would be a good partner to share your wins as well. 4. Options, options, options! Most often than not, you grab your phone and tinker with it because you feel like you don’t have anything else to do. How many times have you watched an episode of a series you’re into while waiting in line or while riding public transport? The thing is, that’s not true! This generation is big on options and that goes true for almost everything, including killing time. Try reading a book while waiting in line, or listening to a podcast to give your eyes a break. Stuck at home like most of us are in this pandemic? Try out a new hobby, work out, grow a garden, play a sport, bake cookies, organize your closet, clean out your garage, and when the pandemic is over, spend time with friends and talk to them! The possibilities are endless, you just have to acknowledge them. 5. Don’t “capture” the moment, live in it How many times have you watched a concert and got annoyed at those screens waving in front of your face? While it’s totally understandable to want to have a memory of an event that you can look back to, won’t it be better if that memory is embedded in your mind complete with all the small details that you may have missed because you’re too busy adjusting exposure? It’s not to say you shouldn’t take photos or videos because that’s totally fine! It only becomes a problem when you become too focused on your screen and the 1000 photos you took from different angles, instead of what’s right in front of you. Never be too preoccupied preserving the moment that you become too busy to live it. 6. Going old school won’t hurt Mobile phones are popular because they don’t just allow you to call and message someone, they also allow you to do a whole lot of other things! However, this multi functionality is what gets you hooked. You use your phones for almost everything you need that you can’t get it off your hands anymore. How about you stop using your phone to do things that you have “real” things for? Using a real clock for an alarm clock will stop you from checking your phone the moment you wake up. Using your once discarded kitchen timer when you’re cooking will discourage you from browsing mindlessly on the kitchen counter while you wait for your food to cook. Try reading an actual book instead of using an ebook reader so your eyes can get a little rest. This way, you can break the habit of being too dependent on your phone to the point of almost feeling naked without it. Doing these unconventional tips may help you decrease your screen time to a healthy amount. Technology is designed with the goal of improving the way you live your life and not reduce its quality, so it’s good to use it and keep it that way. The key is finding the balance between having onscreen and off screen activities. Try it for yourself, and see what happens.
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3 Habits to Improve Your Reaction Time
Reaction time is defined as the amount of time it takes for a person to detect, process and respond to a certain stimulus. The faster your reaction time is, the better chances you have of getting your desired outcome out of a situation. How fast one person’s reaction time is may differ from another because it depends on several factors. The ability of the senses to see, hear and feel the stimulus clearly and the ability of the brain to process and make sense of the information received are essential components to having a shorter reaction time. In addition, the ability of the body to physically respond to a stimulus is crucial as well. It can’t all just happen in your head, you have to move. While reaction time may seem similar to “reflex”, it’s actually not. The difference lies in the intentionality of each action - reaction being voluntary, while reflex being involuntary. Does it matter? Absolutely! Whether you’re playing a physical sport, an online game or just basically doing everyday mundane things, your reaction time plays a huge role in getting you from one end of a situation to the other. Imagine a runner getting ready for a marathon - he’s at the starting line and he hears the gun signaling the runners to start. He hears the stimulus (the sound of the gun), his mind processes that it’s the start of the race, and he signals his legs to get moving. The faster his reaction time is, the sooner he’s off to start. In addition, the difference between surviving and not surviving a life-threatening situation is only a matter of milliseconds. The quicker you're able to react, the better your chances are of survival. Although reaction time inevitably increases as you age, there are ways that you can do to decrease it. Whether you want to decrease your reaction time in sports or in your usual everyday life, we’ve rounded out some tips to help you get started: Practice makes perfect This might be the most overused saying of all time, but you know that it’s true. And although “perfection” seems a tad extreme as a goal, practice really does wonders to decrease your reaction time. Although this tip mostly applies to situations that you can recreate over and over like training for sports or online gaming, the skills that you acquire in the process can also help you in other life situations. Familiarizing yourself with what you’re supposed to do increases your brain’s ability to process the stimulus. Slower reaction time is associated with prior experience and the more exposed you are to a certain situation, the faster you can react. If you’re training for a sport, try doing a basic technique and then making it more complicated as you go along. The more scenarios you are exposed to, the better you will become in processing unforeseen situations. Also, make sure to warm up as warmth helps the muscles react faster. Rest and Relax If you’re feeling tense, your muscles have a tendency to be tensed and rigid as well. Tensed muscles will be more difficult to move and will definitely add to your response time. Build a habit of relaxation in your routine. Try setting aside a specific time in a day to meditate - it can be as soon as you wake up or right before you go to bed. Dedicate an undisturbed few minutes when you can quiet down, center your thoughts and calm your mind. A lot of meditation apps are available with so many resources that you can choose from. You can also try doing yoga as a way relax. Making sure that you have enough rest and sleep can also help decrease your response time. Obviously, how can you expect to react faster if you can’t even keep your eyes open? A good 7 to 8 hrs of sleep a night will most certainly do your response time, and your body a favor. Do some brain exercises Reaction time has a lot to with brain function so it goes without saying that a well performing brain leads to a faster response time. Giving that think tank a good exercise improves your memory, increases your focus and makes you more alert - especially when you need it the most. Have some downtime while waiting for the last load of laundry to finish? How about grabbing some old fashion puzzles and putting them together? Or maybe playing solitaire on actual playing cards and not on your phone or computer? Chewing gum is also an effective cognitive activity. Studies show that it increases alertness, reduces occupational stress and sustains attention performance. You can also try changing up some of your routines and finding ways to improve them. Trying a new route to work, taking a dance class, and learning how to cook are good ways to start. In conclusion, your reaction time can spell the difference between winning and losing, or sometimes even life and death. While we take every ounce of reasonable precaution and avoid situations that endanger our lives and that of others, it doesn’t hurt to be prepared. Doing the above mentioned tips will help you improve your reaction time so that when it matters, you can be better and do better. Hero Image by My Life Journal on Unsplash.
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How to Grow Your Indoor Plants
One of the most fundamental things we are taught since childhood is that the oxygen we need to breathe and live comes from plants. Not only are plants a necessity, they can also be beneficial in improving our overall quality of life. Some indoor plants can act as natural purifiers to counter air irritants caused by household items like carpets, cleaners and printer inks. Other varieties can even help restore moisture in your room and help you with allergies! Thinking of getting one for your place? We’ve rounded up some tips to help get you started. Know which indoor plant is best for you We all have that one friend (or maybe even us at some point) who tried growing an indoor plant and failed miserably. The first step to successfully growing an indoor plant is knowing which type works best for you. The rate at which plants grow is affected by a lot of factors such as light, temperature, nutrition, soil and water. Getting an indoor plant without researching and considering these factors first is just setting yourself up to fail. And we don’t want that! If you live in an apartment building with limited space, these factors are pretty much set already, and it will be best if you choose a plant that’s known to thrive in an environment you already have. Does your place have limited sunlight? Are you too busy and only have a few minutes to spare in a day? Try getting a Snake or Spider plant as these varieties are very low maintenance and can survive with minimal attention. If you’re lucky, your Spider Plant will sprout spiderettes, which you can repot to grow more Spider Plants! Ready, Set, Shop! When you’ve decided which type works best for you, it’s time to shop for the essential supplies like pots, soil, and fertilizers! Before you worry about how expensive this new hobby is going to be, you have to understand that it all depends on you. Pro tip, start with the most basic items first and work your way up as you go along. For the pots, make sure to choose one that has good material, drainage capacity, and most importantly, fits your plant and the space where you intend to put it. For the soil, determine which type of soil works best for your plant. Your local garden supply store should be able to help you with this. Finally, fertilizer. In order for your indoor plant to keep growing and thriving, they need fertilizer. You don’t need to buy this, you can make an organic one at home using banana peels! Join a community of indoor plant enthusiasts With social media being all around us, you’ll be surprised at how many other people out there share the same interests as you do - love of indoor plants included! You might pick up a tip or two from these communities on how to better care for your indoor plants or troubleshoot problems and concerns they may have already dealt with in the past. Who knows, you can even trade to grow your indoor garden collection! Growing indoor plants is not only beneficial to your physical health, it can also do wonders to your emotional and psychological health. Seeing and keeping them alive and thriving can give you a sense of accomplishment and purpose, which can make you excited and enthusiastic. So go ahead, make your indoor garden happen today. Because, why not? Hero Image by Luiz Cent on Unsplash
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Stocking Stuffers for Mom
After all the work moms put into the holidays, they deserve to be spoiled a little bit.Check out these 36 unique stocking stuffers for mom under $25.
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Why Don’t You Feel Hungry After Not Eating All Day?
You don’t eat for a while, and you realize you have a loss of appetite. Maybe you had to skip lunch at work, but instead of feeling famished at 5pm, you find you have no appetite and could go even longer without eating. Find out what causes loss of appetite, what hunger symptoms to look out for and more.It’s strange that this happens. There seem to be a few reasons for it.
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Father’s Day Gift Ideas for Dads Who Don’t Like Gifts
So, what can you do for the dad who doesn’t want a gift? Thankfully, there are lots of genius Father’s day gift ideas that any dad would love that go way beyond another mediocre tie and novelty T-shirt. You may even find something on this list that seems to do the impossible – be something your dad will actually use!
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A Simple Mindfulness Exercise Everyone Should Try At Least Once
There’s no right or wrong way to do this practice. Try to accept whatever your individual experience is. The goal is not to achieve perfect focus on your breath, but rather to learn how your mind works! It’s normal for your mind to wander, but when you catch your mind wandering and deliberately bring it back, you’re learning to mindfully control the focus of your attention. Try this basic breath awareness meditation once or twice a day for two weeks, and observe what happens.
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The Importance of Gratitude in the Workplace
Being grateful is a practice that’s often overlooked and not highly valued, especially in the workplace. Recent studies found a link between gratitude and success in business.* Companies that implemented a culture of gratitude practices often had employees who felt valued and enjoyed higher rates of satisfaction with their jobs, creating a positive and productive work environment**.
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Ways to Improve your Neuroplasticity and Maximize Your Cognitive Potential
Our brains are truly incredible organs with seemingly endless capabilities and, according to researchers, remain plastic for the entire durations of our lives. Neural plasticity is the concept that refers to the brain’s ability to reorganize itself by forming new connections between brain cells. It is a process that takes place in the brain all throughout our lifespans and helps us learn new things for as long as we live. However, the expression “use it or lose it” also definitely applies to the brain. Just as our bodies need regular physical exercises to stay in shape, our brains need to stay active in order to function smoothly and effectively.
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