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Week 1 [11-17.03.19] How to boost your mood

Read  the article and watch the video at http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20181016-how-to-boost-your-mood-with-one-10-minute-exercise Discuss the presented ideas/concepts. Share with us your experiences and knowledge.

Comments

Looks quite nice for me ;)

This, reminds me about two things: First is a "micro habits" wich stands for adding a few activities for your everyday life that will make it a bit better and will also last less than 10 minutes. For example: doing 20 pull ups a day, taking 10 minutes of meditation, learning 5 new words of a language you are learning at this moment or whatever different thing - concept is quite easy to understand, I believe.

Second thing, which was actually mentioned by me is a meditation. A lot of us thinks that it's some kind of a religious activity, but it's not. For me, doing this for about 10 minutes a day is really great thing. I'm currently using mobile app called "Waking up" which is made by Sam Harris, author of book with same tittle, quite famous neurobiologist and thinker.

To sum up, I think that most of us can make little changes in our life that will make it a bit better ;) PS I know that for example being extremely "fit" while having job is sometimes really different, but adding 2 or 3 micro habits in your life is not that hard - just try. Cheers!
I am not a huge fan of writing, so I jus do it as a "mindgame" always thinking of what I have done during the day to become a better person, revisiting every positive moment of my day. As a "good night story" I listen to a guided meditation that gives me a nice deep and calm sleeping time. That is my own way to keep my mind and body positive.
I heard about this technique and definitely i want to try it in the next few days. I really respect all the scientists that are fully engaged with the process of searching for good "solutions" for human being problems. What's about other interesting techniques, i highly recommend for everybody to smile more, it might so obvious, but it can make not only someone's day, but it gives some kind of energy for people.
I have never heard about the technicque with writing down all the good things in the journal. I should propably seek more information about it because this idea seems to be something that could work for me.

However, I really enjoyed the video about boredom. The whole idea to let your thoughts flow as they want accually reminds me a bit of meditation. It is proven that people nowadays need to give some more space for their mind in a constant flow of information. Learning how to cope with your free time might lead you to a healthier and more happy life. Put your smartphone on the shelf for a while :)
Nataliya Tkach said…
I tried to meditate when I couldn't sleep in the end, immediately began to think about what I've done, what I need to do or if there is something I forgot. The only thing that helps me relax the brain and body is the gym, no matter how strange it may sound.Sometimes I can to be there for 3 hours, in the end of the day I don't have time to do planned to do.


I was hooked by the

“If you find yourself stuck on a problem, just take some time out – to be bored – and you might find that creative solution pops into your mind,” Mann told BBC Reel. This is particularly important today, when we may always be tempted to turn to social media to occupy our minds.

Most people try to find a solution to the problem, but didn't start to get bored with the hope that the solution itself will come. On the contrary, creative solutions come because of stressful situations. This is my opinion and tested by me personally.

Anton Medvediev said…
I have not daily journal, because i have a monthly journal:)
In a first week of new month i write:
What i felt bad or good, why i felt it, what i achieve or what i did, and what i want to do in that month.
But about a boredom i think that u cant find a solution to all of people, someone want to take a fight with a problem and get out from situation and it’s depends on the problem.
I think that when we feeling unwell, it's just good to answer yourself what is the source of the problem. Probably it is obvious but every time when the stress and nerves slip me out of control only a deep investigation of the problem and finding solutions was able to help me. Boredom can definitely lead to positive things, but the long-lasting state of boredom is extremely uncomfortable.
I think boredom is simply a lack of mindfulness. I used to get bored quite easily. Then I did 10 days of silent meditation in Cambodia and found my boredom no longer existed. This constant stream of entertainment today actually reduces our mindfulness and incidentally increases our levels of boredom.

Boredom from an evolutionary perspective is an important concept. It keeps us advancing through technology and working when we have downtime. Is boredom a product of the mind? What feeling isn't?
Staying present is a great way to avoid being bored. When present, you'll find that most things are interesting. Even what you would normally find boring might be really intriguing.
Adam Nguyen said…
It is easy to forget about things that give us happiness, especially when we experience something that is unpleasant for us. I’ve had many situations when my mood was ruined only by just a small event.

I’ve never heard before about this exercise mentioned in the article, but I find it very useful. It is just a simple exercise of remembering a happy experience when we are struggling but it seems to me that it can be very helpful.

I enjoyed the video and I can relate to this. Just before going to sleep I usually try to sum up my day and remember the positive things. I like the moment of being alone, without using any electronic devices, just hearing my thoughts out loud. It really helps to calm my mind.
Maciej Sadoś said…
The concept of an exercise presented in the article is quite interesting. I think it could be really helpful for people who have a harder time especially if it's scientifically proven method. I've never heard of such a programme before but I will definitely recommend the technique to those of my friends who might have some low times.
Personally I truly appreciate work that is done by psychologists who do researches that lead to improvement of people lives or that lead to better understanding of our bodies, minds or behavior.

The part about a boredom caught my attention even more as it brings up a case that I'm currently struggling with - filling my (almost non existing) free time with mindless scrolling through a web and not letting myself to relax and be bored for a moment. Let's put our digital life on a side sometimes and let our minds flow as it was described in the article. It could be really relieving.
On the other hand, as Sebastian pointed out in his comment, we definitely shouldn't fall into a long-term boredom as it is more harmful than helpful.
My understanding of the idea of that article is that people lose their motivation and satisfaction under pressure of day-to-day stress. I think that the motor of motivation consists of the purpose of our work and achievements we want to fulfil. If an ordinary stress can ruin our motivation, it is a sign that we don’t believe in our ideas strong enough. If you are just tired, take a couple of days off and get rest. If people around you pull you down, change the job and do the same if it is an obstacle in a way of achieving your dreams. Instead of finding a way to justify the laziness or to feel happy despite lack of satisfaction, do something about the cause of that negative situation. However sometimes we just can’t influence some aspects of life and that’s when rational way of thinking fails. In such situation I’d recommend visiting a psychologist or finding relief in a religion or philosophy. To sum up – don’t create an illusion over poor quality of life but face it instead.
Bartosz Barnat said…
That was a really interesting presentation. I want to try some of the things presented in this article but a few of them I already tried and they really work. I highly recommend everyone to talk to each other more, not only on your phone but face to face because it really helps you to understand that you are not the only one that has some problems and downsides but everyone is equal and we can support each other. Small things makes big difference in our every day life and we shouldn't be afraid of rejection or some thoughts in the back of your head.
I'm a bit skeptical about these exercises mentioned in the article. Maybe for others these exercises work, but for me, I would say I have no opinion. Simply.
I have proven methods to boost my mood. I love swimming, so I go to the pool practicing almost every day. It gives me a lot of joy that lasts for the whole day. In addition, I am friendly guy, I often smile to others. If it's reciprocated (and it almost always is) then day or even days (!) become better.
Yana Lytvynenko said…
I agree with the approach of Sandi Mann, as I try to practice it myself from time to time or advise my friends. So how often because of a lot of work and problems, we forget about simplest things. In pursuit of new successes, we even trivially forget to stop and look at what we have achieved and what we have already arrived at. In the end, this leads to depression and burnout. But it’s not so difficult to set aside 10 minutes and just answer these, for example, 6 questions. It is much more pleasant to think about your successes or small joys in life than to torment yourself with problems and ways to solve them all the time.
Anna Koca said…
I agree with the author that post-reflection on each day that passes helps to learn from our mistakes, rectify our wrongs and strenghten our goals. Living life without analyzing what you did good and what you did wrong will make you commit the same errors again and again and will never let you become a better person.
Additionally, it is a great idea to write down your reflections. Numerous studies show that some of our ideas aren't through and crystalized until we have to put them on paper. Writing down notions make ourselves realize more than we thought. What is more, the possibility to come back later to our notes and see if anything changed gives us better overview of our progress.
I agree that boredom can increase creativity, however it also increases distress and anxiety. Too much analysis of our lives tend to make people sad, as they may overthink their mistakes. There is a reason to a saying that sometimes the best medicine for sadness is mundane work, because it takes your mind off of your sorrows.
From my experience solution with feeling down and boredom was very simple. I just deleted all social media and nonproductive apps from my phone. I become much, much happier not looking on fake lives on Instagram or watching what people I don't like are up to on Facebook. I had no interest in these in the first place so realizing that I don't have to scroll through this was exhilarating. But then again, I didn't know what to do when I was bored and not having those apps. So I learned to embrace boredom and just think about anything and not look on phone screen. Having a brake from screen can increase mindfulness and be very beneficial in modern age.
I try to exercise every day in different ways, and from my experience i can say that it actualy helps not only to lift up the mood but to feel more comfortable and actually being a bit healthier. This is only 1 of thing you can do in order to feel better, and most of them are not connected with physical aspect but rather mental (at least if you don't have any serious health issues).
I think that methods mentioned in article might work for someone and they might be helpful, just not for me. I am happy by nature. I rarely have problems that I can’t deal with by myself, actually I rarely have any problems in my life. Of course, there are moments that I feel a bit worse or a bit overwhelmed by various things but then I just take a second to relax and think of all good things that exists in my life and the problem disappears.
About the boredom thing I think it is totally correct. Always when I am stuck on any kind of problem (especially programming one) I take a moment to relax and lay on my bed or go on a walk with my dog. It usually really helps, because after this few minutes when I’m back in front of computer my mind is much clearer, and ideas come to my head from nowhere. And if it doesn’t help it means that I just had enough of work for that day and need a longer moment to chill out and try to solve this problem the next day.
I actually do 2 things to boost up my mood. First I watch a fairy tale from my childhood it always teleports my mind to times where everything was easier and more colorful. It just brings joy to my heart and helps a lot. Second I put on headphones and listen to music that quiets my mind. Referring to that article I had no idea that 10-minute-review is something uncommon, I have done it for as long as I can remember and im pretty sure that everyone does it.
s18716 said…
Admittedly, this is a really good concept for raising the mood. But for me personally, it does not quite fit, this is my personal opinion.
I absolutely agree that good disinterested acts bring happiness, I don’t even know how to explain it, but this is true.
I would spend my ten minutes on meditation, as I see in the comments, I am not alone. It actually improves your mood, moreover, it has a beneficial effect on overall physical health and reduces the need for a lot of sleep.
 “If you find yourself stuck on a problem, just take some time out – to be bored – and you might find that creative solution pops into your mind,” - on personal experience felt it. The best ideas come at rest when you don’t think about the problem and are focused on other things, or are not at all concentrated and relaxed.
Sandi Mann’s programme seems fascinating, but this form of boosting your happiness won’t suit everyone. Writing about your moods, how are you dealing with them and analyzing them could really help a person to know yourself better. I’m really fond of appreciating little things in life, because it could really change your point of view about daily life. Unfortunately, writing about it in journal is a lot of work and I’m not keen on maintaining such a thing. I can agree with statement, that helping another human can boost your level of happiness. I’m one of these people, who draw a lot of gladfulness from doing something for a group of people. I’m an active scout group member and I appreciate organizing courses, camps and events for another members. It’s totally bringing me happiness! When I’m feeling ‘low’ I also like to read my favourite books from my childhood which are giving me a lot of joy. Futhermore, taking naps through the day is like pressing ‘reset button’ for me. When it comes to the problem with boredom, as mentioned in article, it really can boost your creative thinking. When I’m bored, I have a poor habit to hop on my social media apps and scroll for hours. After reading this article I’ll try to embrace my boredom and give it a try!
A very nice article shows an interesting technique. But from my experience, unwell is caused by routine and lack of rest.
In my case, it contributes to reluctance to perform any tasks and causes depression.
For some time I have been trying to break the pattern and try to do something different every day, which causes more energy to act.
It seems to me that sitting in social media also causes boredom and repeatability. Maybe it's time to limit facebook :)
I liked this presentation. Unfortunately, I have not heard of some of the things presented in the article. Some things are already familiar to me. It seems to me that it is worth trying in the near future, it is very interesting.
Stress sometimes interferes. It is necessary to protect yourself from this. I think you need to communicate more with people. Communication helps to understand that all is well.
Usually, bedtime analysis of the day helps me fall asleep. That way I can understand how my day went and how to make it productive.
ExoKuzo said…
Ive grown used to just stopping everything and meditating in between hard tasks. It helps me clear out my mind so much better than anything else ive tested. Even listening to my favorite music does not cut it anymore. But i guess everyone has their own way to get in the mood so to say.
Writing journal with only good staff that happened today and reading it later when you are down it’s a good idea. But what do you think about extending this idea and first note what bad happened today then burn this to forget and then write everything that good an keep it? Would this work? or would you be so down that you didn’t want to write anything later? In my case most of the time watching funny movies, cabaret act or listening to music is enough to rise my mood.
The list of achievements can definitely boost your mood. I’ve arrived at something similar naturally. Personally I have to outline weekly goals for myself, so important things simply don’t slip by. With time I realized that getting everything I intended done is practically impossible and learned to appreciate what I did manage. It’s rarely satisfactory, but still helps to keep me motivated.
On another note that point about boredom was certainly curious. I would like to provide a different perspective. Can’t say that I ever spent much time on social media. Honestly this course is my first-ever look at the moderating side of a blog, and if anything my mind tends to wander too much. I almost never get ideas about work when not working because I simply think about other things. What luxury would it be for ones work to be their escape. That’s the goal really, but for now I have to sit on things until they are done, else they simply drag out.
The thing is that you remember what you repeat, hence why wrong examples should never be provided during learning, unless you absolutely have to make a distinction. The point, I think, is to have a tool to remind yourself of your successes and not dwell on your faillings. The act of burning something would definetly make it memorable. For me, personally, at least.
I've heard of a similar but a more simplified method were the person was asked to name ten good things that happened to them that particular day and to keep doing this as a daily habit. Such excersises help us in realizing that a day that may have seemed terrible or simply boring- wasn't that bad after all. I believe that naming small details like achievements or praise we have received throughout the day help us in building a subconcious positive image of ourselves. That can and will further boost our self-esteem and confidence.

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