Productivity

15 Proven Techniques For The Perfect Power Nap

host — 2008-08-19T17:50:05Z

Do you know what the Great Napoleon, John Kennedy, Leonardo da Vinci and Churchill had in common? All four-loved power napping, the short sleep shortly after noon. It is proven that the power nap reduces stress and helps to have a more productive afternoon, whether we are in the middle of the week or during the weekend. At a time when even the list of our obligations grows and the time for a good night sleep is reduced, power nap is a very good way to fill up your batteries. Power nap does not last long but it invigorates and stimulates our body and spirit, cutting pleasantly the day to two. The power nap effect is like when a computer makes a SAVE and stores the information, in the same way our brain stores the information obtained until the power nap. So when we wake up from power napping, our memory is clean and our mind is refreshed.

marj_k

The need for a power nap has to do with not only sufficient sleep at night, but also with the load of information we receive. Our brain has the need to rest and stop for a moment the flow of information and this is why we need to 'turn off the switch' during the day. The signs that notify us that we need sleep are different for each person. Some feel that energy is reduced, others experience memory gaps and others simply cannot keep their eyes open. Whatever your warning alarm the key 'is to sleep a little' - take a power nap, of approximately 20 - 30 minutes so that you do not get in deep sleep (REM). If you sleep more, you run the risk of having difficulties to wake up and when you manage to wake up you will end up with a headache and bad mood.

The facts about power napping

The American psychologist at the Salk Institute in California, Sara Mentnik, in authoritative surveys she conducted found that the power nap makes us more creative and more productive, while helping to improve our health. In an investigation carried out by a psychiatry professor and chairman of the Hellenic Society for Research, had proved that the brief power nap generally improves mental attitude. The clinic, as well as our everyday experience has shown that when you wake up from a power napping, you feel better and have increased vigilance. The functions of the brain are improved and the reflexes work much better. Large companies in the United States are convinced by the benefits of a power nap. This is proven in practice because they have for their staff rest rooms with special chairs especially suited for power naps! After taking their power naps their employees return at work in a better mood and they are more productive. The Ministry of Health of France is considering establishing the right of workers for a 15-minute power nap. A very large recent survey carried out by the School of Public Health at Harvard University showed that people who regularly had a power nap are 34% less likely to die because of heart problems. This of course assumes that they also exercised, had a normal weight and a balanced diet. [See also ''http://www.manageyourlifenow.com/Articles/tabid/60/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/9/30-Tips-for-Better-Health.aspx'>30 Tips for Better Health'] Power napping improves the levels of cortisol in the blood (a hormone which is considered 'bad' when it remains at high concentrations for a long period of time) that falls dramatically after a night out. Taking a power nap will improve the levels of cortisol enough to make us feel better. All this shows that a power nap helps balance hormones and is necessary for good health. Power naps are also necessary for children and students who do not sleep well, as they should.

Benefits of power napping

1. Strengthens our consciousness 2. Wakes up our senses 3. Gives us more fatigue 4. Helps us to take better decisions 5. Reduces the risk of heart disease 6. Improves our mood [See Also ''http://www.manageyourlifenow.com/Articles/tabid/60/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/10/61-Ways-to-improve-your-mood.aspx'>6+1 Ways to improve your mood'] 7. Strengthens our memory [See Also ''http://www.manageyourlifenow.com/Articles/tabid/60/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/14/Ways-to-improve-your-memory.aspx'>Ways to improve your memory'] 8. Increase the vitality of our body and spirit. 9. Provides a motivation for exercise [See also ''http://www.manageyourlifenow.com/Articles/tabid/60/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/8/Benefits-of-Exercise.aspx'>Benefits of Exercise'] 10. Improves our productivity 11. A power nap is a much better choice than a coffee in order to continue our activities and to reclaim our forces for the remainder of the day. 12. Power nap is a pleasant and powerful tool against stress 13. Improves the functions of the brain and our reflexes 14. Helps balance our body hormones 15. It is good for our heart

15 proven tips for the perfect power nap

1. Ideal time for a power nap is between 2.00 pm and 4.00 pm, just after lunch. 2. To benefit the most from your power nap make sure that your sleep is without any disruptions. Switch off your mobile. 3. Put the alarm to wake you when you have completed 30 minutes of sleep. It is very common to lie down and sleep for a while and end up sleeping for hours. 4. Many people when they wake up they present some kind instability and a sense of disorientation. If this happens to you, sit down and try to relax for 5 minutes before standing up. 5. To wake up from your power nap, put some water on your face, drink a class of water and go out in the fresh air for a while. 6. If you are not feeling like sleeping then do not try to force your self to sleep 7. 30 minutes of sleep is enough to relax. If you sleep more, you will end up with a headache and bad mood. 8. Put some soft music in the background. 9. Make sure that you include power napping in your schedule [See also ''http://www.manageyourlifenow.com/Articles/tabid/60/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/15/16-Tips-for-Better-Time-Management.aspx'>16 Tips for Better Time Management'] 10. Try not to consume large amounts of coffee or caffeine before your power naps because this will may did difficult to sleep and to wake up. 11. Check the temperature of the room you will take the power nap and make sure that you won't feel cold or hot while you sleep. Operate the air-conditioner if needed during the summer and the heading during the winter. 12. Make sure that you are power napping in a room with a clean atmosphere. 13. Some people are more relaxed when there is no light in the room while they are power napping. If possible darken the room or wear an eyeshade. 14. Before entering your power nap zone try to free up your mind from any thoughts. Focus your thought on something you enjoy. 15. Do not feel guilty. Taking a power nap does not make you lazy. It’s a very simple technique you can use to improve both your mental and physical health.

6 Don’ts about power napping

1.Do not believe the proverb, which says, «anyone who sleeps does not catch fish». 2.Do not try anxiously to sleep wherever you have insomnia. 3.Do not get under the blankets (better use air-conditioning). 4.Do not think that in order to enjoy your power nap you need absolute silence. 5.Do not sleep more than 30 minutes. 6.Do not take your power nap long time after lunch. It is clear that the time we devote to sleep on average has declined and the consequences are obvious. Power napping is an easy and pleasurable way to reduce some of the disadvantages of not sleeping well and also we can gain from the benefits of power napping as explained in this article. Article source: 'http://www.manageyourlifenow.com/Articles/tabid/60/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/19/15-Proven-Tips-For-The-Perfect-Power-Nap.aspx'>15 Proven Tips for the perfect power nap

9 Ways to Manage Your Time at Work

host — 2008-08-16T18:18:31Z

Following our previous post ''http://www.manageyourlifenow.com/Articles/tabid/60/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/15/16-Tips-for-Better-Time-Management.aspx'>16 Tips for Better Time Management' we also post this article, which concentrates on how we can save and optimize the way we use our time in our daily work activities. Nowadays many people are always under 'time pressure', they are constantly overwhelmed by work without the results to justify the effort. The result? Anger, stress and Frustration; Inability to complete even the seemingly small or insignificant obligations; Limited or no time for social / personal life; Endless list of obligations and outstanding issues. Thus intense anxiety and stress is generated, while threatening our self-esteem, after starting to doubt our value and capabilities.

16 Tips for Better Time Management

host — 2008-08-13T19:08:23Z

Every day has just 24 hours - and this applies to all people. Some people are constantly pursuit and pushed by time. This article is about how we can learn to manage our valuable time more effectively. In reality we cannot manage time, we can only manage ourselves and our relationship with time. After all, how we use (or utilize) our time is largely a matter of habit. And habits are not that easy to change. To organize and manage our time - and generally our life- we need to clarify what are our objectives, this means we need to identify what to organize and make sure we know where we want to be and be ready to accept the possible 'cost'. In order for us to be able to change how we operate, we first need to 'consider' and understand how we use our time now.

How do you usually spend your time:

Interruptions from others (telephone calls - visits) Doing work that should be assigned to others Indecision Lack of adequate information about what you have undertaken to do Unclear priorities Lack of planning Stress and tiredness Inability to say «no» Lack of organization in your surroundings, and that also disrupt you Lack of flexibility - very tight, rigid and unrealistic planning, etc. are some factors that have the ability to swallow your time! In addition, disorganization and misuse of our time is supported and maintained by the following perceptions: 'Leave it for one more day', never mind we will do everything tomorrow I perform better under pressure Others are delayed, why not me? I cannot start something if I do not know exactly how to finish it I cannot be under pressure, I want to be free I cannot deny to others my help Better to do everything myself, I have to be in control I do not have time to deal with the organization and management of my time The «chaos» and the disruption may mean lack of motivation or even avoid lack of accountability. In these cases the problem is not as «obvious» as one - small or large-difficulty in organizing and managing time, so you may need to locate and review your perceptions about the responsibilities, incentives and priorities and wonder who is the one who «loses» besides you by this attitude. If you are resisting the idea of time management because you prefer to be more free and spontaneous, it might help to think that the effort is not aimed at making us 'slaves' to one more schedule, but rather to liberate us from stress and inconvenience created from the bad management of our time.

What you can do to manage your time better?

The skills needed for time management are planning, organization, self-control and delegation (delegating responsibilities to others). In that respect the following 16 tips can be useful:

1. Log your activities

Keep a weekly log of activities in which you will record for 2 -3 weeks everything you do per hour when you're awake, how much time you allocated for everyone, how much time you did nothing special or important, how much time you rest, sleep etc.

2. Clear out what are your obligations

Locate the points on which you could make some changes and clear out which of these are actually your obligations and responsibilities or if they are obligations you undertook without having enough time either by habit or because you did not say no.

3. Indentify your deadlines

Record in an initial list what you should do and when it must be completed, divide the activities per day / week and long-term goals, to get a clear picture of what you have to do and when.

4. Do you forget personal and social activities

The activities and objectives should not only include professional activities or other obligations, but also personal and social activities, so your program should cover all your needs.

5. Organize your goals

Organize your goals based on two criteria: degree of urgency and importance: a) Should be done today - tomorrow, etc., b) Should be done at 'that date'. Set a date, c) Can postpone it for so many days, d) Can ask someone else to do it Start from the most important and urgent

6. Delegation

When you delegate something to someone else, you need to decide what is it, who is best qualified to undertake it, what information you would pass, but mainly you have to undertake the responsibility together and accept the fact that it will not be executed as exactly you would have done it.

7. Identify your priorities

Locate deadlines, expire items, etc. These should be in the top of your list!

8. Clean up your list

Make a list of everything you think that they are not helping / benefiting you and do not do them!

9. Focus

Concentrate only on one goal at a time. Otherwise, if while dealing with something you think everything you can do after (tomorrow, the rest of week, next month, the rest of your life…), most likely you will get bored and disappointed. It is like every time you eat you think all meals you must eat in your life! The bored ness is guaranteed only with the thought!

10. Work environment

Create a suitable environment to work, one that fits your way.

11. Be realistic

Make sure that your objectives are realistic and do not try for the impossible.

12. Plan for the unpredicatable

Include in your programme (schedule) unpredictable items and situations (e.g. problems with the computer): allow an extra time gap to adjust your program if necessary.

13. Motivate your self

Do not let boredom to discourage you if what you have to complete is boring, find motivation: consider the advantages when you finish, like the feeling of satisfaction, relief and freedom that will get when you complete this obligation, and that you can have your self under control! Do not underestimate the boring obligations (eg home cleaning and other tasks related to running your home). When neglected they tend to become a mountain!

14. Say 'NO'

Learn to say «no» in other activities, requests, people who eat (utilize) your time (unless indeed that very moment is necessary for your to help them). Turn off your phone and lock the door, to avoid unnecessary interruptions from others.

15. Utilize your capabilities

Use your biological rhythms to guide you: locate and utilize the hours of the day you're most active and fruitful.

16. Compromise

Give yourself the right and excuse that in some days you may not be productive. If nothing else, you will have the change to be more productive in other days! Time management is a skill that needs time to know, master and begin to work! Ultimately, time management will give you the extra time you need to be able to enjoy what is most important for you!