From the outset, I would like to make it clear that my goal in writing about work productivity is not to help you stuff more things into an already busy schedule. My goal is to help you save time, so that you’re less stressed and free to focus more on tasks that energize you. Work can be demanding and challenging. Sometimes you have so much to do that…
In the last article I introduced the PsyCap resource of resilience, which is the ability to bounce back in the face of setbacks, challenges, and adversity. We all want to be more resilient, but how? Research shows that cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is related to increases in resilience. In this post I will show you how to apply cbt techniques to become a more resilient person. A cornestone…
The global COVID pandemic has been raging for a little over a year now. People have experienced isolation, uncertainty, anxiety and loss. On top of that difficult changes in the home and work environment have stressed people in ways previously unknown to many. As a result, mental health is a relevant subject at the forefront of our current, unique situation. One study did a comprehensive review of the…
Have you ever tried setting work goals and failed? Everyone has experienced this. Maybe you started out strong and kind of fizzled out. Perhaps your situation changed, and you no longer had enough time. It could be that from the start you lacked motivation and realized it was not going to work out. In this article I want to give you a guide on how to set ambitious…
What is the best approach to setting SMART goals so that you actually reach them? This is a good question, but misses a crucial matter. More fundamental to goal achievement is your mindset. Goal frameworks are helpful and numerous, but two different people can use the same framework and have very different degrees of success. To tackle this crucial aspect of goal achievement, I’ll take some more time…
Have you ever wanted something, but felt there is no point in trying? Or maybe you knew what to do but didn’t have the mental energy or motivation to act. Perhaps there was a time when you had no idea how to handle a particular situation and wanted to give up. In this article we cover a PsyCap component called hope. With hope you not only have the…
Introduction to Best Possible Self The best possible self (BPS) exercise is one of the most popular and effective positive psychological interventions. Several studies have shown that by doing this visualization exercise regularly, for example once a week over the period of a month, you can significantly increase your positive mood, optimism, and overall well-being. Furthermore, research shows that writing about your best possible self corresponds with decreased…
Practice Gratitude and Reap These Benefits When was the last time that you considered the things in your life that you are grateful for? Perhaps your parents told you as a child to count your blessings! As it turns out, this is a profitable exercise that we as adults often neglect. There is a strong scientific basis that supports the notion that enhancing one’s gratefulness, thankfulness or gratitude…
ABCDE Model of Optimism In this post, you’ll learn how to initate positive change in your work environment, so that you’re more energized and equipped to reach your goals. To help us with this endeavor, we turn to the ABCDE model of optimism. This highly effective exercise has a strong empirical backing and is easy to implement. In case you missed my first article on optimism, please have…
What is Optimism? Is optimism just about seeing the cup as half full? Does having an optimistic mindset imply being naïve and negligent in one’s assessment of risk? There is such a thing as unrealistic optimism. This involves overestimating the likelihood of positive events and underestimating the likelihood of negative events. However, in this article I am not talking about or advocating an unrealistic optimism. I am refering…