Therapy Space| Personal Blog

Distinguished retirement Most people can't wait to retire, when they won't have to sit at work every day from nine to five, as they say, from bell to bell. Unfortunately, we have to disappoint you: the lack of work has a negative impact on mental abilities. It leads to a decrease in thinking activity and, consequently, to a weakening of working memory.

Romantic Passion Psychologist Johan Karremans from the University of Nijmegen conducted research to find an answer to the question of why men are often deprived of the gift of speech at the sight of an attractive woman. In the course of research it turned out that even a short conversation with a pretty girl leads to a worsening of the results of the test of working memory. Surprisingly, no such effects were observed in women after a conversation with an attractive man. Karremans explains this by the fact that traditionally men are expected to take the initiative in dating, so when they see a pretty girl, working memory switches to search for possible topics for conversation.

Gambling addiction, smoking, and overeating Unhealthy habits can cause working memory to shut down. A well-developed and properly functioning working memory restrains our impulses to self-destruction. But if life- and health-threatening behavior is repeated too often and becomes the norm, certain changes occur in the brain. The brain adjusts the working memory so that it begins to indulge in bad habits instead of restraining them.

How to remember more information The best way to remember information is at the beginning and the end. Think of a book, a movie, or a conversation-the beginning and the end always stand out clearly in your memory. Therefore, daily reading in short fragments is preferable to a long reading from cover to cover. Don't try to swallow a book from beginning to end - that way you'll forget everything in the middle. Read in small fragments.

Slight fatigue In contrast to analytical tasks, when you have to focus on the subject of your research, creativity allows you to move away into other related areas. According to a study published in Scientific American, this is easier to do in a state of fatigue. Thus, the brain of "larks" is more prone to develop new ideas closer to the evening, and "owls" - in the first half of the day. This paradox is explained by the fact that the tired brain more easily switches from one topic to another. Research shows that "going out of bounds" in thinking is easier when the time for work seems to be the least optimal.

Background Noise Blue Sky journalist argues that, at first glance, it's best to come up with ideas in complete silence. Environmental sounds, unlike music, have a positive effect on creativity. According to a study published in the Journal of Creativity Studies, having outside noises is good for problem solving when you need to focus on details. At the same time, if you go to work in a coffee shop, for example, strangers' conversations can be a source of new ideas. To create background noise, there are websites, services and applications with recordings of the sounds of nature, train noise and cafe conversations to increase concentration or relaxation.

Sarcasm and anger A study in the Journal of Applied Psychology says that showing aggression and sarcasm causes interlocutors to think creatively by engaging the imagination. The study involved 375 engineering students. They were asked to imagine they were customer service employees and to act out a conversation. With some of the subjects had a neutral conversation, and with others - in elevated tones. In the second case, the students were more successful in dealing with customer problems. Anger has a stimulating effect on the person experiencing it, and a destructive effect on the bystander.

Fear of Loss Fear of loss refers to our tendency to strongly avoid losses on the road to acquiring profits. Research shows that if someone gives you $10, you will experience a small increase in satisfaction. But if you lose $10, you will experience a much higher loss of satisfaction. Yes, the reactions are opposite, but they are equal in magnitude. Our tendency to avoid loss causes us to make stupid decisions and change our behavior just to keep the things we already have. We tend to protect the things we have, and this can lead us to over-value them compared to other possible options. For example, if you buy new shoes, it will give you a small increase in enjoyment. If you have never been able to wear those shoes once and decide to sell them after a few months, the move is likely to be incredibly painful for you.

Fear of Loss Fear of loss refers to our tendency to strongly avoid losses on the road to acquiring profits. Research shows that if someone gives you $10, you will experience a small increase in satisfaction. But if you lose $10, you will experience a much higher loss of satisfaction. Yes, the reactions are opposite, but they are equal in magnitude. Our tendency to avoid loss causes us to make stupid decisions and change our behavior just to keep the things we already have. We tend to protect the things we have, and this can lead us to over-value them compared to other possible options. For example, if you buy new shoes, it will give you a small increase in enjoyment. If you have never been able to wear those shoes once and decide to sell them after a few months, the move is likely to be incredibly painful for you.

3 easy ways to cheer yourself up 1.Upbeat Playlist Make a playlist of your favorite tracks that energize you. No melancholy: sad music will only fuel your already dull mood. If it's an emergency and your own selection isn't ready yet, try ours. 2.Physical Activity Remember the connection between mental and physical health. The American Psychological Association recommends incorporating exercise into a psychotherapy regimen. So dance, jump or do some warm-up: any physical activity will do for the production of endorphins. 3.Simple goals Bad moods and apathy deprive you of strength and performance. Don't berate yourself: if it's a bad day, schedule three simple tasks instead of ten difficult ones. Achieving a goal, however small, will bring back a sense of self-satisfaction.