My Holland, Author at EQuest Asia

Why Unfinished Business Always Pops in Your Mind

Brain, Goals, Hạnh phúc tại nơi làm việc, Motivation / My Holland

Before reading this, try to recall all the tasks you accomplished in the last five days. There’s a great chance you won’t remember all. Now, think of all the things that you left undone. But maybe you don’t have to because these keep popping in your head. And these might be causing stress right now. It’s not just tasks. How often have you stopped reading a book or watching a movie before the end? Yes, people love stories. But, they want to get to the conclusion as not knowing can drive them crazy. What can explain this behavior? Well, have you ever heard of the Zeigarnik Effect? a psychologist, postulated that incomplete tasks were easier to remember than completed ones. These remain in people’s conscious minds because they cause mental tension. It’s no wonder you recall unfinished business repeatedly. Not all experts agree on the effect, as more research has to be done. One of the questions is whether this is good or bad. But, everyone can agree that when you experience it, there are ways to deal with it. Here are three: Accomplish your tasks promptly. It’s relative for each person. Many jobs cannot be done by the end of a day. But, by completing small chunks daily, you finish the whole sooner. People put off working on tasks until the last minute. In short, they procrastinate. Everyone does. If you want to ease stress, begin working on your tasks ASAP. And, why not reward yourself when you accomplish something. It could be a glass of that expensive wine you’ve been saving. Use the Effect for your Benefit. If the Zeigarnik Effect is real, use it to help you. For instance, if you’re preparing for a presentation, forget cramming all that information in one sitting. Instead, divide these into smaller portions. Focus on each and take breaks. Then move on to the next one. You’ll realize you retain more data because your brain tells you that your presentation isn’t complete. Maybe you could use it in your job? Ads and movie trailers are good examples. Marketers use story-telling to get customers to stay tuned. Use it as Motivation. Maybe you have an alarm clock or use your smartphone to wake you up. You won’t believe it, but these regularize your sleeping behavior. Treat the Zeigarnik Effect as an alarm to attend to unfinished business. If you want that internal reminder to go silent, finish whatever you started. Instead of bugging your mind, treat the effect as motivation.

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Face Change with Emotional Intelligence

Emotional Intelligence, Productivity / My Holland

These days, change in the workplace can cause anxiety and feelings of dread. Employees get stressed by the mention of the word alone. We live in an environment now with many unknowns. Organizations often have to make hard decisions because tomorrow could be different from today. As a result, employees brace for the worst. For instance, online selling skyrocketed during the early stages of COVID 19. This was great for businesses. But, it also meant salespersons across many industries lost their jobs as more people shopped on the internet. So, how do you deal with change today? – Especially when the outcome does not favor you. Aside from logic, use emotional intelligence. It’s not that hard and here’s how you’ll go about it. Identify your emotions. Do you feel fearful, angry or sad with upcoming changes in your workplace? Knowing what emotions you are experiencing will help you respond to things beyond your control. For instance, ask yourself why you’re irate? At first, you might think you’re angry at the decision-makers in your organization. However, the real source of your anger is your feelings of powerlessness. Yes, change can make people feel impotent, especially when others can make decisions that affect their lives. This leads to the next step. Accept. Acceptance means being aware of what you feel. When you are honest with yourself, you can pinpoint the source of your emotions. Denying you’re angry, for instance, will not help. Also, have you heard of the expression “it is what it is”? It’s meant to describe a situation that cannot be changed. An example would be the death of a loved one. People who acknowledge their grief adapt to their loss better than those who do not. Lastly, when an organization decides on a course of action, there’s no turning back unless it’s proven to be a mistake in the future. So instead of resisting, give change a chance. Be hopeful. Hope is a positive emotion. People who believe that things will turn out well have better chances of success. Consider change as a stepping stone to more possibilities. You might be unaware of the benefits of changes in the workplace. Also, it’s not always about individuals. Decision-makers think about what’s best for everyone. Maybe, sacrifices have to be made. So, being laid-off is not the end of the world. It only means it’s time to explore other opportunities. Here’s something to think about. Before becoming famous, Walt Disney was fired as a cartoonist of the Kansas City Star newspaper.

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Why To-Do Lists are Good for You

Brain, Goals, Hạnh phúc tại nơi làm việc, Productivity / My Holland

Post-it notes have become part of people’s lives. You’ll find it everywhere – on desks, the fridge, walls and doors. These are constant reminders of all the tasks that need to be done. Whether it’s not to forget to buy milk on the way home or pay bills, people are helped a lot by little pieces of paper. It’s not just Post-it notes. Others use memo pads, diaries and even their digital devices as reminders. Unfortunately, they can be overwhelmed by too many of these. But did you know that these can significantly help reduce anxiety and accomplish tasks. >> You achieve clarity Writing down or typing tasks give you a clearer picture of what needs to be done. When you do, you often realize that it’s mostly small stuff. The human brain can create mountains out of molehills. Remember, a small rock can cast a large shadow. It makes a difference when people focus on the former and not the latter. When people specify, the job ahead becomes more effortless. Or, if a task is too big, breaking it into smaller chunks makes it more manageable. But write or again, type these down. >> You prioritize What needs to be done now or today? Itemizing tasks can help you determine which are urgent and not. This also enables you to focus on one task at a time. Tests have shown a to-do list helps people. Try this out? Think of all the tasks you need to accomplish and often, you’ll forget one or several. Also, you can’t possibly sort your mental list according to importance. Now, try writing these on paper. Wouldn’t you agree, there’s a vast difference? >> You can schedule Some people get rid of simple tasks that don’t require effort and thinking. This is because it takes them time to warm up. Others, they like to handle challenging jobs first thing in the morning. With a to-do list, you can schedule which tasks to accomplish first. You can even set a time for checking on your social media accounts. Doing so will allow you to achieve more during the day. >> You Get a Sense of Achievement Every time you check or cross out a task on your to-do list, you feel a sense of accomplishment. This is important because you become more motivated and engaged in whatever job you need to do. There’s nothing wrong with feeling proud. In fact, it has positive effects on your health too. So start working on your to-do lists. These can make your life a bit easier.

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My Holland

Why Unfinished Business Always Pops in Your Mind

Face Change with Emotional Intelligence

Why To-Do Lists are Good for You

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