Imagine, if someone treats your best friend in such an unkind manner, chances are, you would be ready to stand up for them. You’d also be glad to tell them not to worry about the world because being their best friend is already a whole to you.

Now, let’s reflect: when was the last time you spoke kindly to ourselves and treated ourselves with the same care you would offer a friend?

If being kind to oneself intrigues you to do more – open your heart, and let’s delve into self-compassion together, starting with how self-compassion is defined in the field of science.

What is self-compassion?

Kristin Neff (2011), a leading researcher in self-compassion, describes self-compassion as the tendency to treat oneself with kindness and empathy while acknowledging that everyone has weaknesses and imperfections. Additionally, it involves being mindful of one’s thoughts and feelings without being judgmental and experiencing the present moment in a clear and balanced way.

Importance of self-compassion

Interestingly, later research confirmed some fascinating results that self-compassion benefits productivity. 

A recent study by Jennings, Lanaj, and Kim (2022) found that individuals with a self-compassionate mindset showed better work performance and overall well-being. This was attributed to the increase in resource capacity and motivation, the reduction in depletion feelings, and an increase in work self-esteem. As a result, individuals reported higher daily work engagement and resilience, leading to greater progress toward work goals and a heightened sense of meaning in life.

Lefebvre, Montani, and Courcy’s (2020) study supports the finding. It reveals that individuals who adopt a self-compassionate attitude are more inclined to choose positive coping strategies, develop emotional intelligence, and engage in health-promoting behaviors. Generally, it was shown to help maintain a healthy diet, exercise regularly, and improve sleep habits. These practices can help build resilience and increase overall well-being.

Furthermore, a study by Neff, Hsieh, and Dejitterat (2005) proposes that 51% of participants who practice self-compassion from their recent midterm exam grade in the course somehow have more coherent adaptive achievement goals and coping strategies. Results imply that self-compassion helps to facilitate the learning process by freeing participants from the debilitating consequences of harsh self-criticism, isolation, and over-identification in the face of failure and instead provides them with self-kindness.

Practices to build self-compassion

After reading the concept of self-compassion, let’s dig deeper into the practices of building self-compassion in one’s life:

Know how to forgive yourself

Forgiving yourself means letting go of negative self-talk and replacing it with self-compassion. It involves acknowledging and accepting past mistakes, learning from them, and using that knowledge to move forward positively. Learning to forgive yourself can be challenging but transformative to your overall well-being.

Learn to embrace failure

Embracing failure with self-compassion means being kind to yourself and Learning to forgive yourself can be challenging but transformative to your overall well-being. understanding that failure is a natural part of life. It’s an opportunity to learn and grow rather than a reason to criticize yourself. This approach helps build self-esteem, resilience, and motivation to keep going.

Adopt an attitude of gratitude

Adopting an attitude of gratitude can also be a component of self-compassion. You can cultivate a more positive and supportive attitude toward yourself by appreciating yourself and your accomplishments. 

Recite daily affirmations

Affirmations are positive statements you repeat to yourself to counter negative self-talk and promote a more positive mindset. You can start doing affirmations like “I am grateful for all the things that happen in my life,” “I love myself more and more each day,” or “I am capable of learning new things every day.” By reciting these affirmations, you can build new thinking patterns that can help you be more compassionate to yourself. 

Practice guided meditation

Practicing guided meditation can help cultivate self-compassion. Meditation allows one to slow down and turn inward, becoming more aware of one’s thoughts and emotions. One such meditation might involve visualizing receiving compassionate friend support and encouragement. 

Alternatively, one might focus on the physical sensations associated with self-compassion, such as warmth, softness, or a feeling of lightness. 

In conclusion

Self-compassion is treating oneself with kindness and empathy, acknowledging that everyone has shortcomings, and being mindful of one’s thoughts and feelings in a non-judgmental way. The benefits of self-compassion are far-reaching, including improved productivity, better work performance, and increased resilience. Indeed, it’s not something that needs to be done in one night. It requires mindful practices to build self-compassion as a part of one’s self – until it becomes a positive habit. Each individual’s self-compassion journey is unique. Remember to always be kind to yourself in finding what works best for you.

If you would like to know more about self-compassion, visit the Personal Productivity Science Labs. The lab uses the research of the Institute for Life Management Science to produce courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other tools. Check out the Personal Productivity Science Labs today.

Photo by Arina Krasnikova on Pexels

The post Are You Too Harsh on Yourself? Delving Into Self-Compassion and Productivity appeared first on Insights.

Although browsing the web or surfing through social media feeds has been acknowledged as wasting time and good for nothing, growing proof suggests that social media can boost efficiency and productivity when used correctly. 

For instance, Tulu (2017) states that using social media for a few minutes doesn’t unplug people from work because the moment is considered refreshing and a break. Hence, getting a break makes the forthcoming work time smarter and more productive. 

However, social media should still be channeled effectively to get optimal gains. In their study, Fusi and Feeney (2016) discovered that technology use, including social media, still appears to have ambiguous effects on work activities. Among American adults using online tools for professional purposes, 39% report higher flexibility in their working hours, but even so, almost an equal percentage report that online tools have lengthened their working time. 

Nevertheless, you don’t have to delete your social media accounts right away! Billions of people use social media to share information, connect with friends and family, and learn new things daily. You can also utilize social media to widen your knowledge in a certain area and create your professional network by connecting with others.

Knowing that social media is the next big challenge in today’s era, this article will help you acknowledge the possible risks and how to leverage social media to boost productivity.

Risks of social media usage in the workplace

Social media usage may lead to adverse workplace outcomes. For instance, a study by Priyadarshini et al. (2020) found that excessive use of social media in the workplace may blur the boundaries between professional and personal spaces. It may also hinder employee productivity and engagement at work. 

Moreover, addictive social media usage not only results in wastage of time, information overload, role conflict, privacy risk, lack of productivity, and low performance, but it also potentially impacts the physical and mental well-being of the employees.

In the work environment, this behavior might be supported by FoMO (Fear of Missing Out). People with higher levels of FoMO may experience more disruptions in their everyday tasks, leading to lower productivity. This explanation is partly supported by findings in an educational context where it has been demonstrated that experiencing more FoMO is associated with more disrupted activities due to notifications that social media apps could prompt (Rozgonjuk et al., 2020).

To address this challenge, companies should define strategies regarding social media and rules for employee engagement. For this reason, excessively using social media leads to shirking among employees and is time-consuming, preventing them from managing their regular workload and might lead to decreased labor productivity (Sarbu, 2017).

How to use social media to boost productivity?

Despite the risks of using social media, you can still build a routine to use them effectively. You can start by assessing what you need to begin with, what you prioritize while using, and what you shall do to make the most of using social media. Here are practices that might help you benefit from using social media:

Before using social media

Schedule your social media time

Create a clear boundary between work and social media time. Always prioritize work and use social media during your break. Give yourself a cut-off time to close social media apps and focus on other activities and responsibilities.

Narrow down your sources

Following every potential source for social media advice can be overwhelming. Too many people to be looking up to, podcasts to listen to, videos to watch, and blog posts to read. To be productive on social media, you must prioritize the most beneficial platforms. Pick which ones you see the potential for self-growth and development. 

While using social media

Build networks

Networking is crucial when finding success in business or a career. Since social media gives access to so many people across the globe, it makes for a great tool for networking. Many social media platforms have thousands of groups for people in specific fields that you can join. If you live your personal brand and your actions reflect your online presence, those relationships you build will be much more authentic and valuable.

Educate yourself

Prioritize expanding your skillset through social media, allowing you to learn new knowledge. With so many people online, follow the right people to study them, understand them, or ask for mentoring. There are also tons of amazing free resources online that will help you become better and more efficient across the board.

Share your expertise

Social media is more than just an avenue for communication, collaboration, and content-sharing. Whether it’s for your business, blog, or hobby, sharing your field mastery can draw new connections. Learn how to present your experiences and achievements to connect with like-minded people. If you share content on topics that you know much about, you can begin to build credibility, and it validates that you can be trusted. This goes for more than just your online presence; it would also inspire others who may just be starting their journey in the same field.

After using social media

Log out when done with social media

Once you have reached your time limit, log out of all your social media accounts. This will deter you from accessing social media because you will need to log back in again. Pay attention to which apps are open in the background to avoid unconsciously checking social media.

Prioritize real life

Set social media aside to prioritize real life. Put away your device to enjoy time with family, friends, or just the beautiful world around you. Do something else, such as walking, reading a book, or calling a friend. When you limit social media usage, you are giving yourself more time for self-care physically and mentally.

In conclusion

Social media can be used to enhance productivity instead of just using them for doomscrolling. If you feel that quick surfing through social media is beneficial for your mental break, then you’re good to go because chances are, it may increase your productivity in return. Remember, always do your utmost to finish your priorities before rewarding yourself with a social media break.

If you would like to learn more productivity tips on social media use, check out the Personal Productivity Science Labs. The lab uses the research of the Institute for Life Management Science to produce courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other resources. Visit the Personal Productivity Science Labs today.

Photo by Negative Space on Pexels

The post Yes, Social Media Productivity is a Thing appeared first on Insights.

Like anything else, self-discipline can be shaped through practice. Coupled with a small amount of daily progress toward achieving something is what self-discipline is all about. This article will give you a clear understanding of the concept of self-discipline and provide you with strategies to develop them.

What is self-discipline?

According to Galla & Duckworth (2015), a self-disciplined person relies on healthy habits to stick to and enable positive life outcomes. 

Self-discipline helps achieve long-term or higher-order goals by forgoing short-term pleasures. For example, individuals with high self-control are more likely to choose a boring task with long-term valued outcomes over a fun task without beneficial results. This shows that most behaviors connected to success and a productive life require self-discipline.

In the work setting, a study showed self-discipline as not being influenced and imposed by supervisors or managers; instead, it comes from one’s attitude. When individuals in an organization have this attitude, it shapes and develops the culture of self-discipline, which will ultimately lead to increased productivity.

Self-discipline and self-control

Self-discipline is an individual’s capacity to work toward long-term goals and resist temptations actively. Self-discipline is similar to self-control, which American Psychological Association defines as the ability to command one’s behavior to opt for a greater long-term gain against the short-term. Moreover, qualities associated with self-discipline include a strong will, determination, hard work, patience, logic, self-control, persistence, and consistency.

Researchers believe that self-control is equally beneficial for desired and undesired behavior. It may operate in two ways — either supporting the initiation of goal-directed behavior or inhibiting impulsive behavior. Self-control can also help people do what they are supposed to do or shouldn’t do. 

According to Bilginoğlu & Yozgat’s (2019) findings, self-discipline can be a positive effort that helps develop thoughts, actions, and habits. It is the art of self-control and self-reliance, which empowers a person to stick to their decisions and propels the individual towards achieving the set goals. 

Moreover, this is related to De Ridder & Gillebaart’s (2017) study, where people with high self-control employ different strategies for dealing with conflict. Specifically, self-control goes hand in hand with an efficient goal-striving strategy that involves little effort. 

Why is self-discipline difficult for some people?

Flinders University (2019) reveals that self-discipline can be challenging for some since people tend to have well-worn emotional and behavioral pathways that are hard to break. These emotional habits often have roots in childhood — when people first learn how to deal with emotions. These strategies then get reinforced with repeated use. By the time individuals are adults, establishing new habits means confronting these well-worn habits. 

Furthermore, Cobb-Clark et al. (2021) stated that people with self-control problems are less likely to make choices that are initially costly but beneficial in the long term, such as investing in education, saving, or exercising. Self-control problems also have significant relevance for motivation because they can distort effort provision in the workplace. 

Ways to build self-discipline to boost productivity

After understanding self-discipline, you may wonder, “So, how do you build it effectively?” Here are six steps to start developing your self-discipline:

Set clear and actionable goals

It is easier to be disciplined if you know what you are doing it for. Using The SMART rule of setting goals can be an effective way to help you achieve goals. It is specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely defined. Whether it is a long-term or a short-term goal, it helps you take ideas to action.

Start by being disciplined about something you love

Practicing discipline with something you love will get you further. Showing up to things you enjoy doing is easier than in something you do not. If you have to convince yourself to keep that commitment, you might be on a challenging track. Try to settle into an accessible daily and weekly routine to build the habit.

Take things one by one

Being disciplined with one simple task rather than a big goal is always easier. If you accomplish a small positive result, you will get a boost of self-esteem and self-confidence that will help you perform better on the next task. If the next task is a success, the succeeding ones will go even smoother because you will be experiencing a domino effect of accomplishments.

Don’t wait for the right time

If you wait for your schedule to be convenient and your mood to be in the perfect state, you might never get started on the things that need to be done. When developing self-discipline, stop making excuses that can leave you with a nagging sense of failure that makes you want to give up or reduce your effort. Embrace every moment as being just what you need to show your best performance. 

Exercise your willpower every day

Every human has a threshold, and no one is always disciplined. Studies revealed that mental exhaustion causes increased fatigue, leading to reduced self-efficacy to exert self-control. This exhaustion leaves you “fatigued” as you meet another challenge. 

However, you can face this situation one step ahead by training your willpower. Experts define willpower as the capacity to override an unwanted thought, feeling, or impulse. It is a predominant source to help you choose long-term fulfillment over instant gratification.  

According to studies, willpower is the part of your brain that reminds you to do what you need to do, even though you don’t feel like it.  And you can exercise your willpower by finding the ideal balance between your wants and needs.

Visualize your desired outcome

Visualizing positive outcomes gives you positive feelings that make it easier to overcome fear and take actionable steps toward achieving your goals. Your brain can not differentiate between real and imaginary thoughts. So, when you visualize something clearly, your brain chemistry changes as if you have already experienced it.

In conclusion

Self-discipline is about resisting momentary pleasure to achieve higher-order gains in the long run. Like anything else, self-discipline can be shaped through practice with a small amount of daily progress toward achieving something. With precise goals and the right amount of willpower, everyone can get further in terms of leading healthy, happy, and productive lives.

If you would like to take your reading on self-discipline further, visit the Personal Productivity Science Labs. Using the research of the Institute for Life Management Science, the lab produces courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other learning materials. Check out the Personal Productivity Science Labs today.

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels

The post The Power of Self-Discipline and Why It Matters for Productivity appeared first on Insights.

But why do people multitask in the first place? According to Widrich, when people study with their books open, watch TV simultaneously, and text friends at the same time, they feel great fulfillment. They feel incredibly efficient in getting many things done at once. 

A study proved that multitasking could reduce productivity by as much as 40%. Switching from task to task makes it difficult to tune out distractions, where you had to repeat a bit to find where you left off. 

In the workplace setting, multitasking has been found to reduce job performance. The idea that workplace multitasking leads to a decline in productivity is triggered by an employee’s stress of being overworked. A person who is overworked may suffer in performance because the time pressure may prevent them from completing all the tasks.

A study by Cao et al. (2021) also discovered that conversation with coworkers is one of the most frequent multitasking behaviors in the workplace. People generally consider conversation as a simple activity without much need to focus. 

Still not convinced that multitasking comes with its own set of disadvantages? This article will show you what science says about the disadvantages of multitasking and how to overcome them in the most efficient way.

Multitasking vs. Task-switching

Multitasking can be defined as conducting two or more tasks simultaneously. It is related to the human attention process — whether attention focus, dedication, distraction, switch, or split — where one’s preferences and priorities are being processed.

Given the human brain’s inability to focus attention on two or more tasks simultaneously, researchers believe that multitasked activities are eventually reduced to a set of sequential cognitive tasks. 

Therefore, what differentiates multitasking from task-switching? Multitasking is attempting to do two or more things at the same time, while task-switching is swapping between tasks. 

Consequently, both can lead to a cognitive bottleneck, which is the limited capacity at some specific stage of human information processing, where taking several tasks may decrease productivity. 

In a study by KC (2014), initially, multitasking helps reduce working time, but only up to a certain threshold level. However, this situation significantly impacts the quality of work. 

This aligns with the research by Spink et al. (2019) where multitasking was shown to have negative consequences by producing a delay in the performance of a principal task and increased errors. This idea views multitasking as task-switching, which causes inefficient performance because it takes mental effort to switch between cognitive tasks, and adversely affects a person’s ability to get work done efficiently and effectively.

Disadvantages of multitasking

While it may seem opposite to popular belief, people tend to work slower and less efficiently when multitasking. Multitasking leads to what experts call “task switch costs,” which are the adverse effects of switching from one task to another. 

A survey shows that multitasking causes a temporary decrease in IQ points. It is a possibility since repeatedly switching tasks can overload the brain, provoking mental fatigue. A fatigued brain is less effective in doing particular work. Moreover, this mental work causes the brain to release cortisol, a stress hormone, and stress negatively impacts IQ.

Levitin, in his interview, also stated that multitasking creates a dopamine-addiction feedback loop, effectively rewarding the brain for losing focus and constantly searching for external stimulation. However, their results were much worse than that of people who did not multitask. People are not more productive –– they just feel more emotionally satisfied with their actions.  

Overcoming multitasking

To ensure you’re not facing productivity drawbacks, here are some tips to overcome multitasking:

Set goals

Setting goals can help to prioritize things. Before starting a new task, take a few minutes to plan out the steps needed to complete something and in what order. 

Make a to-do list

One of the most effective tips to break the habit of multitasking behavior is to make a to-do list. A scheduled list can be beneficial for you to get done that day, then order that list in terms of priority and work your way down it one at a time.

Monotask during your prime time

Always try to do the most challenging work during your most effective times — your prime time. In this case, focus on one task at a time in your effective time. Then leave the less urgent tasks to be done during the weaker moments during other hours of the day. Figure out when exactly you are most productive at work to help discipline the brain from wandering to other tasks so you can focus on that project that needs to be completed.

Set aside distractions  

If you want to focus, you cannot allow anything else to invade your mental space. Try to eliminate distractions by creating the most efficient environment for focusing. These conditions train the brain to focus on the work and not on other distractions.

Schedule multiple breaks

Once in a while, get up from your desk and stretch up your body. Schedule multiple breaks to give you more clarity and renewed energy before returning to the task.

In conclusion

The most apparent reason that might compel anyone to multitask is to intensify their productivity by juggling between tasks. However, the evidence has shown that the disadvantages of multitasking are greater than the benefits. Try to work your way to get things done one at a time as a brand new habit.

If you would like to know more about multitasking, visit the Personal Productivity Science Labs. The lab uses research of the Institute for Life Management Science to produce courses, certifications, podcasts, videos, and other learning materials. Check out the Personal Productivity Science Labs today.

Photo by ROMAN ODINTSOV on Pexels

The post How Multitasking Affects Your Productivity (It’s Not What You Think) appeared first on Insights.