mentalrobics

[Via Braingle]

You exercise your body to stay physically in shape, so why shouldn't you exercise your brain to stay mentally fit? With these daily exercises you will learn how to flex your mind, improve your creativity and boost your memory. As with any exercise, repetition is necessary for you to see improvement, so pick your favorite exercises from our daily suggestions and repeat them as desired. Try to do some mentalrobics every single day!

Science of Snacks: Thinking Makes You Hungry

Why reading this story might cause you to clean out the fridge--and other mysteries explained

Why am I so hungry after writing one of these columns? I have often wondered. Now comes an answer.
A study in the journal Psychosomatic Medicine contends that intellectual work—that’s right, I’m calling writing this stuff, ya know, intellectual—induces a big increase in caloric intake. (... more)

Brain exercises - better than Googling?

[Via the Psychology Today blog]

... Of course the big news in the brain training biz this week is that Dr. Gary Small, at UCLA, has shown that surfing the web is good for the aging brain, too. After scanning a group of seniors some of whom had been reading and others web-surfing, “The researchers found that both reading and searching the Internet increased activity in parts of the brain that control language, reading, memory and visual abilities. However, searching the Internet also boosted activity in the frontal, temporal and cingulate parts of the brain and that activity was two times more pronounced in those with experience using the web.”

Whether, in the end, this will turn out to be meaningful no one can yet say. After all, maybe looking things up in the Yellow Pages stimulates the frontal lobes, too. No one has done that study yet.

Read the whole article here ... http://blogs.psychologytoday.com/blog/can039t-remember-what-i-forgot/200810/brain-exercises-better-googling

Meetings - Dealing with People who are “Off-Track”

Remember the last time you were in a meeting and someone said something that seemed completely off-track? What happened next? If your group is like most, someone probably said something like, “Dan, that’s off-track” or “Let’s get back on track.”, or simply ignored Dan’s comment. As a result, Dan may have checked out for the rest of the meeting or continued to press his “off-track” point. The meeting may have dragged on with members getting more frustrated with Dan or you may have lost Dan’s critical input and support without realizing it. ... There is a way to avoid these negative outcomes

For Procrastinators

Will you complete this year's resolutions?
Did you complete last year's?

Wouldn't it be nice if life came with an instruction book that told us how to overcome this problem?

Well - guess what? It does and you are looking at the solution in this innovative online course.

The Procrastinators’ Online Course

Video - Creativity and Innovation - Mind Set

How we cope with the huge range of information we process each day

How to reduce grocery bills by using food wisely

One of the easiest ways to save money on food is to stop throwing it away. It's easy to forget that the most expensive food you buy is food you don't eat.

The typical American family throws away 14 percent of all groceries brought into the house, according to a University of Arizona study. It doesn't have to be that way. Simple techniques can help reduce the grocery bill. Here are a few of our favorites:

From Dallas News ... read on ...

New Research on Anxiety. Is it Always Such a Bad Thing?

Hello,

The Stock Market, The ''Bail Out'', and The crazy political situation might be causing you some stress.

I know I am a little stressed about the economy right now.

Is this tinge of stress and anxiety I am feeling a bad thing?

A new study says it might just be a good thing.

A study just published in the Journal, ''Psychological Science'', seems to indicate that anxiety might be the tool that body uses to help you not make the same mistake twice!

In the study, people who did not experience enough anxiety tended to repeat their mistakes.

Click below to read the details about this study and a report from the Mayo Clinic about stress management:

http://www.consultpivotal.com/Aanxiety.htm

The Simplicity Survival Handbook

32 Ways to Do Less and Accomplish More

By Bill Jensen

I urge you to purchase this handbook and follow Jensen's suggestion that you skim-read it from cover-to-cover. While doing so, you will immediate recognize those portions which are of most immediate relevance to your own circumstances, both at work and in your private life. Focus on those sections initially. Precisely follow the step-by-step process which Jensen recommends. Because you will be embarking on an especially difficult journey, expect to encounter obstacles along the way, experiencing frustration and "combat fatigue" as you do so. Stay the course! For Dorothy and her valiant companions, there was yellow brick road for them to follow during their journey to the Emerald City. Whatever your own destination may be, Jensen offers this handbook which can become a yellow brick road for you.

Read more review, download free chapters, or Buy the book from Amazon for $12.31 a reduction of 32% off the normal price of $17.95

The problem with The Secret

There's a problem with The Secret.

Maybe you've experienced it.

Now when I use the word "problem," I don't mean that it's a bad thing.

Not by a long shot...

The Secret did it's job. It raised the awareness of millions ofpeople about the control they have over the wealth, abundance andsuccess that flows into their lives.

And it's already transformed the lives of thousands of people across the world who have put the ideas into practice.

But there are millions more lives to be changed... and some ofthose lives want even more information about how to get started.

Of course, I'm happy for those who have already seen big success.But I'm not talking about those people today.

My focus today is on you. Your Life. Your Success.

And if you've been using the principles from The Secret in yourlife, but have questions... or you're wondering why it hasn'tworked for you yet, then today's message has the potential totransform YOUR life.

Some of the biggest questions I get about The Secret are things like:

..."Now What?"
..."What do I DO NOW?"

..."I'm doing it. Why isn't it working?"

Today, I have an answer for all of those questions.

And you'll find all of the information at the page below...

Now is the time to take action:

http://www.consultpivotal.com/Asecret.htm

Stretching, flexibility and sports injuries

Over 130 Photos and 40 Videos;
Over 120 Exercise Routines;
Journal Articles; Interviews...
There's way too much to list.

You won't want to miss this...

Be among the first to get access to top fitness experts, quality health information, injury prevention routines and a wealth of high-caliber resources for stretching, flexibility and sports injury management.

Join the exclusive new Private Members Area offered by Brad Walker and The Stretching Institute, already known for outstanding sports and fitness resources. It just opened this week, and you can be part of this special group too.

I’ve personally had exclusive access to the area for the last 2 weeks, and IT IS GOOD. That's why I’m sharing this special offer with you; it's just too good to pass up.

The Private Members Area offers direct contact with a panel of experts so you can get professional answers to your questions and full access to fantastic resources such as 120 exercise routines to download and print, over 40 videos, and even advertising space for your business right on the site.

And that's just the beginning.

Join now and get your key to access the exclusive Private Members Area and tap into valuable resources including videos, photos, routines, health information, journal articles and expert opinions. You can read, download, share, use in your business and even create your own products to sell online or offline.


This is your chance to be amongst the first to have full access to top experts and high-quality information. Get educated on the best ways to treat and prevent sports injuries. Improve your business with the right techniques. Perform better in your activities.

Check out The Stretching Institute's new Private Members Area and this exciting opportunity yourself. Membership is limited, so...

Click here now to get all the details!

The Top Six Ways to Stay Motivated

I receive many emails from people that basically ask the same question: How can I keep myself motivated long term? This seems to be quite a common dilemma for many people so I want to address it because it can be done!

Here are my tips for staying motivated:

Video - Ways to Reduce Your Stress

Simple, practical advise on reducing stress at work

Networking:Wing it and you'll flap in the breeze

It is the inevitable topic of conversation at a networking event: Tell me about your job.

When I explain my life's work -- teaching leaders to achieve their dreams through powerful public speaking -- my conversation partner often shrugs and says, "Oh, I could never deliver a speech. I get too nervous."

My response: "What do you think you are doing right now?"

Make no mistake, when you network, you are delivering a series of minipresentations. If you don't know how to put your best foot forward in these business-critical situations, you can forget about building your business or advancing your career.

Master networkers realize that attitude and preparation are vital ingredients for success. How do these pros set themselves up as winners in the networking arena? Let's examine a dynamic dozen techniques:

(... more)

Self Improvement and the Power of ‘Why’

The first step to self Improvement and achieving any goal is to decide exactly what we want. If we are not totally clear about what we actually want it is impossible to make plans and take action to achieve it.It is also vital to know WHY we want whatever it is we want, because it’s our ‘why’s’ that determine the strength of our desire, and our ultimate success in achieving our goals.
(more ...)

Self-esteem

This is your chance to boost what is one of the most important ingredients for our success and happiness and yet one that we often ignore or put to one side. The book gives you three very well structured parts that together form a road map to improve the quality of your life by enhancing your self-esteem. You can benefit from The Self Esteem System

10 Ways to Find More Time

You have a sink full of dishes, three loads of laundry, 17 bills to pay, you're not sure how many e-mails to answer, a big stack of novels you'd love to read, and zero — count them — ZERO minutes of free time. "Where does the time go?" you lament. Here are some ideas to get you started on your quest to have a life:

Read on ...

the AGe of Speed - Learning to thrive in a More-Faster-Now World

A current TV commercial for an insurance company says "Life comes at you fast," as it shows some unimagined disaster striking.

Dallas author Vince Poscente thinks it's time to harness that full-throttle life force so that it works for and not against us.

His book The Age of Speed: Learning to Thrive in a More-Faster-Now World became a business best-seller because he hit a raw nerve: Most of us are in a dysfunctional relationship with our lifestyles.

We love our ability to live in the fast lane; we just wish things would slow down so we could enjoy it more.

We crave speed but feel chained by it.

Mr. Poscente believes we can turn this addictive dope of the new millennium into a helpful drug for fulfillment in 2008. It's all in what we do with the time that speed can save us.

Read on ...

Red-Hot Sales Negotiation

: Everything You Need to Know to Close Deals, Build Relationships, and Create Win-Win Outcome

by Paul S. Goldner, Peter McKeon

Negotiation is a key skill for all salespeople. Great sales professionals need to be able to counter clients who are naturally trying to get rock-bottom prices, but at the same time maintain a good relationship, so the client will want to do business with them again. Negotiation is more than just closing a sale. It’s the art of continuing a partnership that is successful for both parties. Red-Hot Sales Negotiation provides practical tips and strategies to help salespeople:
* prepare in advance
* ask Power Negotiation Questions to instantly draw out useful information
* learn the difference between the customer's "positions" (what they're asking for) and the customer's "interests" (what they really want)
* find a "win-win" solution.
Red-Hot Sales Negotiation is a vital resource that enables readers to perfect their negotiation skills and take their sales into the stratosphere. Book Description
Negotiation is a key skill for all salespeople. Great sales professionals need to be able to counter clients who are naturally trying to get rock-bottom prices, but at the same time maintain a good relationship, so the client will want to do business with them again. Negotiation is more than just closing a sale. It’s the art of continuing a partnership that is successful for both parties. Red-Hot Sales Negotiation provides practical tips and strategies to help salespeople:
* prepare in advance
* ask Power Negotiation Questions to instantly draw out useful information
* learn the difference between the customer's "positions" (what they're asking for) and the customer's "interests" (what they really want)
* find a "win-win" solution.
Red-Hot Sales Negotiation is a vital resource that enables readers to perfect their negotiation skills and take their sales into the stratosphere.

Using To-Do Lists: No One Can Use Just One

One important planning consideration is what you’re going to accomplish each day.

In his role as the dean of creativity for the Walt Disney Companies, Mike Vance had a strategy he called DO-DOING-DONE. The idea is to start a task in the DO column, move it to DOING quickly, and then move it to DONE as quickly as possible.

That’s a fine idea, but it doesn’t really matter how you format your list. What does matter is that you have a list. In fact, you need several lists. Without them, your brain forgets many of the things you have to do as well as the cool ideas you come up with.

Having lists will enable you to plan your day most effectively and will relieve that nagging sense of “what did I need to get done…”

I use several types of lists, outlined here:

Read on ...