Want to change your mood or boost your performance?

There’s increasing evidence that the body and mind are tightly connected. Of course we all know that our minds can direct our bodies. But the opposite is also true to a degree: what we do with our bodies can affect our minds – how we feel, how we think and how we perform.

I’ve written before on this body-mind connection, specifically … Read more

Three studies have shown that a simple trick can dampen down negative emotions AND boost mental performance. What’s the trick? Answer: sitting or standing with erect posture.

In the first study, scientists headed by Erik Peper at San Francisco State University asked 125 students to complete a mental mathematics exercise. Half of the students sat upright; the other half sat slumped while they completed the mathematics task.

All of the … Read more

To what extent do you perform at your best under pressure? That may be in a job interview, a written exam or when giving a presentation.

Unfortunately, many people perform worse under pressure. And the more motivated they feel, they worse they may perform.

If you have an anxious desire to perform well, you may begin to worry about the situation and its consequences. If your worries take up even … Read more

Like many people, I find it difficult to sit and work at a computer without wanting to get up and go for a chat. Sometimes, going to get a coffee is as much about wanting to bump into someone for conversation as it is about the coffee itself.

I always used to feel guilty that I wasn’t sat at my desk doing more work, but there’s a growing body of … Read more