Simpleology Blog

Fight the temptation. Just because there's a sale, it doesn't mean you have to go crazy.

Picture this...

You go crazy at a sale. Then, when you get home, it hits you. You've bought a whole lot of stuff that you don't really need. In fact, research reveals that women on average buy 71 items of clothing each year, but around eight are never worn. Though this number may strike you as relatively OK--it is not. Why? Because having to shell out money for things you never use is simply whole lot of waste.

Most women (myself included) have been in the "nutty shopping scenario" a lot of times. Apparently, it's a widespread phenomenon--so much so that psychologists have a name for it. It's Post-Shopping Regret. (If you ask me, though, I think this is just a variation of good old impulse buying.)

To help you curb the urge to buy stuff you don't need, here are some tips:

1. If you're going anywhere near a sale, just carry enough cash for things you need. Make a list of items that you intend to buy and stick to the budget you have projected for your purchases. Packing plastic is dangerous because, believe me, you'll end up having that card swiped more times than you can afford. The cash limit serves as a very effective deterrent to overspending.

2. Don't get too excited when you encounter retail enticements. The words, "sale," "up to 80 percent off," and "everything must go," were designed to lure shoppers into the store and make them think that they're getting great bargains. Sometimes these retail come-ons are for real, sometimes they're not. So, don't get into a frenzy when you find yourself in the middle of these types of promotions. Instead, take time to inspect each item that you're planning to get.

3. Do the what-if math to clear your head. If you think you can't summon enough willpower to stop yourself from going shop-crazy, then let the numbers talk you out of splurging mindlessly. If out of the 71 items you purchase on a whim each year, you don't use eight items and each item costs about $50, then that means you wasted $400. Think about it. What if you had used that money to pay off your credit card debts?

These three tips should serve you well in your bid to be free of Post-Shopping Regret. Ultimately, it's really up to you if you want to keep wasting money on things you don't need.

Credits: Image from Wikimedia Commons.

Suggested Resource: Get into the habit of living within your means. Sign up for Simpleology 102: The Simple Science of Money and say goodbye to money-related regrets.

Posted by Grace Cook at 1:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

To see is to listen. In the future, scientists may simply listen to music to find out what's up with your genes.

We've all been told that music soothes the soul. But I never really thought it could inspire groundbreaking developments in science--at least not in any way that I thought was possible.

This was why I was all ears when the subject of genetic codes set to music came up.

In their quest to make life easier for fellow scientists who had vision problems, Rie Takahasi and Professor Jeffrey Miller of the University of California decided to inject some rhythm into genome biology or the study of genes.

To put it simply, Takahashi and Miller came up with their music by assigning notes to amino acids. In 2007, it was reported that the duo were piloting a computer program with the help of collaborator Frank Pettit.

The said program aims to use Takahashi and Miller's genome translation rules to convert amino acids into sound. This way, vision-impaired scientists don't have to rely on elaborate diagrams of genome segments to interpret research data.

With this development underway, it won't be long before scientists gather data from genome music alone. They wouldn't need to go through mind-boggling charts and models to identify gene defects. In this sense, they can literally save lives through music.

I bet that sounds great to them.

Credits: Image from Wikimedia Commons.

Suggested Resource: Are you into making music that matters? Sign up for Simpleology's music promotion course so you'll know how to put it out there and, perhaps, be heard by people who want to use the art of sound to make a difference.

Posted by Bean Jones at 4:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Fun Spots. No matter how busy you are, you have to make time to chill out and enjoy.

Life can't be stress free--but that's not exactly such a bad thing.

In her article "Can Stress Actually Be Good for You?," MSNBC health editor Jane Weaver writes: "When the brain perceives physical or psychological stress, it starts pumping the chemicals cortisol, epinephrine (adrenaline), and norepinephrine into the body. Instantly, the heart beats faster, blood pressure increases, senses sharpen, a rise in blood glucose invigorates us and we're ready to rock."

As such, here are five instances when you should welcome being stressed:

1. When you face something with enough excitement to override any fears. Instead of being petrified with fear, you should feel challenged to tackle the tasks at hand. This is exactly how I felt when, a few years ago, I had to teach my son Danny to walk. Sure, I was afraid that he'd fall and get hurt but I was more excited about seeing him take his first steps.

2. When you have a full schedule that still allows you to enjoy enough leisure time. Though you work hard, you should still have time to kick back and enjoy a long lunch with a friend or do some gardening.

3. When you have commitments that you truly care about. You value being a parent, spouse, friend, employee, and member of the community. It's a constant challenge to try to be good at playing all the roles that you've taken on. For me, juggling my deadlines with caring for my six-year-old and running the household is nothing short of a logistics nightmare. But I wouldn't want it any other way. (Besides, my husband takes on his share of the chores.) Yes, we all do our best to deliver because these are things that matter to us.

4. When you have long-term goals. Having a list of, say, ten things that you want to do in your lifetime keeps you motivated to get up everyday and work towards achieving them. In my case, I'm slowly working to convert our house's cluttered basement into a cozy workspace. It may not happen for years, but it's a project that proven therapeutic for me.

5. When you're tired enough to get a restful, undisturbed sleep. We all get "tired in a good way" after we've worked on tedious tasks like clearing out the garage or doing some volunteer work at the local animal shelter. Your muscles may ache, but the sense of achievement that you feel will make up for it. Either way, you'll snooze soundly.

So, I guess we should all aim to be stressed so good. From hereon, it won't be too far fetched to hear somebody say, "I love being stressed."

Credits: Photo by Peter Griffin, courtesy of Public Domain Pictures.

Suggested Resource: Sign up for Simpleology 101: The Simple Science of Getting What Your Want and use the Daily Time Praxis to make sure that most of the stress you get is the good kind.

Posted by Grace Cook at 4:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (1) | TrackBacks (0)

Brain Food. Discover all the cool, quirky parts of your mind with this fun book.

Hoping to shake off my holiday hangover fast, I picked up a copy of Welcome to Your Brain: The Science of Jet Lag, Love, and Other Curiosities of Life by Sandra Aamodt and Sam Wang.

The book is a fun and enlightening read. I found out many new things about the human brain that are sure to help me wise up. Here are three of those "brainy" facts:

1. You use more than 10 percent of your brain. Many people believe that we "only use 10 percent of our brains." However, scientists who study the brain dispel this myth. Aamodt and Wang clarify: "In reality, you use your whole brain everyday. If big chunks of the brain were never used, damaging them would not cause noticeable problems. This is emphatically not the case!" So, quit making excuses about not being able to learn how to work with the your office computer's newly installed software just because you've used up your brain's 10 percent. Your brain is 100 percent capable of learning new things--as long as you put your mind to it.

2. Happiness is better when it comes in small doses. "Frequent small positive events have a greater cumulative impact than occasional large positive events," reveal Aamodt and Wang. "It's hard to believe that it would make you happier to spend fifteen minutes every evening for the rest of your life having a relaxed drink with a sympathetic friend than it would to win the lottery--but it's almost certainly true." Thus, take time to touch base with a friend or a loved one even during a busy day at work. This way you won't end up snapping at your co-workers.

3. You shouldn't cram if you want to get smart. "Psychologists have known for more than a century that your brain retains many kinds of information longer if it has an opportunity to process what you've learned," write Aamodt and Wang. They add: "Two study sessions with time between them can result in twice as much learning as a single study session of the same length." As such, if you're due to make a big presentation, don't make the whole thing in one sitting. To make sure that your data stays coherent, take periodic breaks so you can look at what you've written so far with "fresh eyes.

No doubt this is definitely one book that will fire up your gray matter and gear you up for the mental challenges that lie ahead.

Suggested Resource: Care to find out what other great stuff the human mind is capable of? Sign up for Simpleology's Catalog of Esoteric Psychological Lore (The Most Comprehensve Collection of Forbidden Psychological Tricks, Tactics, and Techniques Ever Assembled).

Posted by Bean Jones at 4:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Lucky Leaf. Even a four-leaf clover won't do you much good if you don't make things happen for yourself.

As 2008 ended and 2009 came around, I realized that there are people who subscribe to superstitious beliefs about ensuring good luck for the coming year. My best friend Janet, for example, is applying feng shui to her whole house so that it's suited for the Year of the Ox. (I guess there's no harm in rearranging the furniture and doing home improvements to bring in good fortune.)

If you ask me, though, I think we all make our own luck. This is what Richard Wiseman, author of The Luck Factor, emphasizes. He offers three easy-to-follow tips on how you can ensure your good fortune:

1. Embrace new things. It pays to check out things that you wouldn't normally check out. You never know. You just may come across something that will make your life better. As Wiseman observes: "Unlucky people are often in a rut." So, to raise the chances of good luck coming your way, resolve to make a quick exit each time you encounter situations that aren't doing you any good.

2. Keep a sunny disposition. According to Wiseman, lucky people "tend to look on the bright side." It may be quite a challenge to pull this off, but once you have it down pat then nothing can bring you down. This attitude will help you bounce back from the most trying situations. Picture this: If you're running late for work and your car won't start, just thank your lucky stars that your engine trouble manifested itself in your garage and not when you're in the middle of a freeway.

3. Paint a pretty picture. "Lucky people assume positive things will happen to them," states Wiseman. When you're starting a new project or, perhaps, setting up a new business, visualize your success. As long as you've covered all the necessary bases, then luck is on your side.

There you have it, folks. You don't have to wait around for Lady Luck to pay you a visit. You can be proactive about it. Yes, we can all go through our good luck rituals. But, we have to remember that the luckiest charm we could ever hope to have is our ability to make things happen ourselves.

Credits: Image courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

Suggested Resource: Be the master of your own luck by signing up for the Kaizen Club. You're sure to learn no-nonsense tips on how to get lucky in life practically all the time.

Posted by Grace Cook at 12:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Parking Space. Taking a walk in the park can soothe your stressed out mind.

With the holidays over, we're back in full swing at my house these days. There's job pressure, school, soccer practice, tennis lessons, plumbing problems, and appointments with the dentist. You get the picture.

I figured it was time to regroup and remind myself of all the stress management techniques that help us get it all done and keep us from going nuts.

Here are my top 10 "sanity tips:"

1. Identify and stick to your priorities. Make a list of tasks you must accomplish. Include a deadline or a clear time commitment for each item on your list.

2. Be organized. Use the list you made to organize your life and calendar. Treat tasks as appointments with yourself just as you'd make appointments with others. Respect your own time.

3. Keep communication lines open. You have to communicate well with the people around you such as your your family, your friends, and your workmates. The motto that you should keep in mind is this: "Communicate early and communicate often." Remember also that communication is a learned skill. Practice it until it becomes second nature.

4. Expect the unexpected. One morning, when you have a really important meeting at work or a deadline looming over your head, you'll wake up to a flooded basement or maybe your child is down with the flu. These are the kind of days when you have to take one for the team, so to speak. When these unforeseen setbacks happen, do your best to keep your cool and cope. It happens to all of us.

5. Save time by spending a little more money. In the long run, you have only two things to spend: time and money. If you want to save on one, you'll have to spend the other. For instance, if you want to get your spring cleaning done without having to miss your child's soccer match, then it may be a good idea to spend money for a cleaning crew to come to your house.

6. Pick your battles. Decide what things are non-negotiable for you and which ones really are not that big a deal at home and at work. For example, there are so many things I used to get worked up about that I just don't sweat anymore. It's really not wise to waste energy complaining about people who, say, don't believe in saying "Please" or "Excuse me."

7. Make the most of your time. Help your son with his homework while you're waiting for the wash to finish. Plan your errands so that everything in one neighborhood is done in the same trip. Catch up on your email while waiting for your kid off school.

8. Learn to say, "No!" Clearly, there are some things you can't say no to, such as when your boss asks you to do an important task or your baby needs to go to the doctor. But there are plenty of things you can say no to--like when a lazy co-worker tries to make you do his or her work.

9. Ask for help. When there's too much to do at home or at work, ask for help. This totally goes against the "Superparent" self-concept many of us have of ourselves, but, let's face it, we all know that we cannot do it everything well by ourselves all the time.

10. Be kind to yourself and others. Be sure to take care of yourself and your family by spending time together. You and your spouse should also have time together without the kids. And, of course, you need to take time out for yourself as well. A little "me" time can do a lot to recharge body and mind.

Bottom line? To take care of others and to take care of business, you have to take care of yourself. Be as thoughtful of yourself as you are of others, and respect your own time and energy. That respect and balance will translate into the work you do with and for others.

Credits: Photo by Petr Kratochvil, courtesy of Public Domain Pictures.

The author is a professor of Psychology and Health and Behavioral Science at the University of Colorado Denver. She is the founder of Powerful Mind Consulting and Coaching, LLC. Mary is a seasoned speaker, facilitator, and higher education and coaching professional who has been "living the dream" as a working mom, professor, scientist, university administrator, and executive and life coach for over 15 years. Her professional background is concentrated in human behavior, stress management, and mind-body relationships.

Suggested Resource: Want to be be free from needless stress? Sign up for the Kaizen Club and learn how you can be the best version of yourself--be it at home or at work.

Posted by Mary Coussons-Read, Ph.D. at 11:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)

Go by the book. Pick a book to help keep you informed about what's hot and what's not in your industry.

There's nothing better than starting your year by being as productive as you can be. Shake off the holiday hangover right this minute and hit the ground running come Monday with a burst of renewed energy. Here are three ways to do it:

1. Learn to prioritize. "If is not important to your boss, it isn't critical to your job," says Cynthia Shapiro, author of What Does Somebody Have to Do to Get a Job Around Here? So, stay on top of your paperwork, as well as your management and correspondence tasks before you decide to make sure that you have color-coordinated push pins or update the company's employee birthdays list.

2. Update your knowledge. Each day, make it a point to read a couple of work-related news articles. You could also pick up a book about the industry you are in. If you have time to spare, attend some seminars or take some crash courses on subjects related to your job. Make sure your knowledge isn't stale.

Take the lead. If you want your bosses to know that you have leadership potential, dare to take on a tedious or an unpopular assignment such as organizing a meeting or dealing with an extra-fussy client. "Either way, the higher-ups will take notice," state Linda Babcock and Sara Laschever, authors of Ask For It.

Remember that it always pays to be on your toes at work. If you keep up your energetic momentum and you're well on your way to your most productive year ever.

Credits: Photo by Petr Kratochvil, courtesy of Public Domain Pictures.

Suggested Resource: Complement your zest for work by signing up for Simpleology 101: The Simple Science of Getting What You Want. The course will help you stay focused for the rest of the year.

Posted by Bean Jones at 8:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0) | TrackBacks (0)