Weekly Roundup

Another week done!!  This has been a flat out week for me balancing full time work with a masters degree....just handed in my first assignment and it was....not easy!!  TGIF!!

Some inspiration for your working wardrobe

Three strategies to stop wasting time

10 profound effects of sleep deprivation

How to negotiate around the world

Hoping to embrace the easter spirit by baking chocolate hot cross buns!

Sydney weather is still boiling, but contemplating another vest for my epic collection for this winter

A great blog post about being married to a touring musician and making the most of your alone time, one I can relate to all too well!

10 simple habits to feel happier

Want to feel happier?  A study by the University of Hertfordshire identified 10 habits proven to make people happier and examined how frequently people perform those habits.  

Here are the ten habits!   Why not give them a try? 

• Giving: do things for others

• Relating: connect with people

• Exercising: take care of your body

• Appreciating: notice the world around

• Trying out: keep learning new things

• Direction: have goals to look forward to

• Resilience: find ways to bounce back

• Emotion: take a positive approach

• Acceptance: be comfortable with who you are

• Meaning: be part of something bigger

The survey showed that Self Acceptance may have a strong link to happiness and life satisfaction, but that people often don't put it into practice.  The authors of the study gave the following tips to help increase your self acceptance.

• Be as kind to yourself as you are to others. See your mistakes as opportunities to learn. Notice things you do well, however small
• Ask a trusted friend or colleague to tell you what your strengths are or what they value about you
• Spend some quiet time by yourself. Tune in to how you're feeling inside and try to be at peace with who you are.

Monday bloody Monday!! How to craft a more pleasant working week

Does Sunday night come around with waves of anxiety, followed by a sleepless night, dreading the beginning of another horrid working week where you will count down the very days until next weekend?
I'm making a conscious effort to find more things to look forward to during the working week.
Here are a few suggestions!!

Monday night yoga
It might seem irrational to hit the gym when you've barely readjusted to Monday's light of day.  I've found that doing a yoga class on Monday nights puts me in a good mindset to take on the rest of the week and helps me ease into the working week.   It's worth a shot!!

"Tight-ass Tuesday" movie night
Tuesday is often my most hated of days... the excitement of the "How was your weekend" chatter on Monday has long faded, and it's far from Wednesday, dreaded hump day.  On the bright side, Tuesday night offers a fantastic variety of discounts, including cheap movie tickets.  Nothing beats a movie to help you to switch off and disconnect from stress...especially when you also have a giant bag of Maltesers with you!!

Lunch date with the girls (or wine and whine time as I like to call it!)
Even though your working schedule is probably hectic and if you're anything like me, lunch is probably eaten at your desk whilst powering through whatever report is overdue.
Making the time to book a catch up with some friends at a local cafe can make you feel a million times more refreshed and happier...it's a chance to laugh, vent and catch up....what better way is there to break up the working day?

Thursday night gig

In the inner west of Sydney, there are so many fantastic music venues popping up with free or cheaply priced tickets to see amazing bands and musicians.  Why not call up a couple of friends for a cocktail date to hear some music!  The Thursday night out symbolises to me the start of the weekend, and makes my Friday spirits far more positive.

Some of my favourite picks for inner west Sydney?

Miss Peaches - great bands, fried chicken and swing dancing...can't go wrong...

Lazy Bones Lounge - where else can you see a 12 piece jazz band in Marrickville for $10!?  They also do pizza and have a great selection of wine

What else helps you to get through the working week?  Is it a Wednesday night Thai cooking class you've joined?  The indoor soccer team you've joined?  Or is it tuesday night Pizza and wine at home? Any suggestions?

Weekly Roundup

Feel like doing a good deed?  Knit a jumper for a penguin!!

5 habits proven to reduce risk of Alzheimer's 

A great colourblock jumper for autumn

A recipe for homemade dairy free nutella

How to stay healthy whilst kicking ass at work!

10 places to buy affordable art

Teaching children to calm themselves - better treatment for traumatised children

How to order a croissant

Makeup makes women appear more competent!

Slept in and thinking of skipping your morning makeup routine?

Think again!!  

A study by Etcoff et all (2011), participants were asked to rate female faces with and without makeup.  The makeup was varied in application from "minimal", "moderate" and "dramatic." 

Participants were required to rate the female faces in terms of attractiveness, trustworthiness, likeability and competence.  

Participants rated the "made up" female faces as more competent than bare faces as well as more attractive.  Ectoff (2011) discuses the implications of the study - “For the first time, we have found that applying makeup has an effect beyond increasing attractiveness—it impacts first impressions and overall judgments of perceived likeability, trustworthiness and competence.”

Makeup that provided contrast to the skin, in the lips and eyes, created a perception of increased competence.

An interesting finding was that whilst the "dramatic" makeup group were rated as competent and attractive, they were rated as less trustworthy.  With this in mind, moderate, professional makeup in the workplace, creating contrast between your skin and lips/eyes is likely to be best.

Here are some of my favourite pics for a low key and polished glow!!

From left to right:
Benefit Posie Tint
Benefit Instant Brow Pencil
Clinique Fresh Bloom Allover Colour
Clinique Even Better Foundation
Clinique High Impact Curling Mascara

Why watching movies about relationships could save your marriage!!

Think that couples therapy or intensive skill training is a solution for a rocky marriage? There may be an equally effective strategy that doesn't cost nearly as much and is enjoyable for participants.  

A new three year study by Rogge et al (2013) found that divorce rates were halved by couples who watched movies about relationships then discussed them afterwards.  The couples were given a 10 minute lecture on how watching couples in films could help them pay attention to their own behaviour prior to watching the films. 

The study compared three groups, one group using the "movie and talk" strategy, and the other two using more intense types of couples therapy (conflict management training and compassion and acceptance training) and compared these groups to a control group.

All three groups showed half the divorce rate when compared to a control group.  

The researchers states that:

“The results suggest that husbands and wives have a pretty good sense of what they might be doing right and wrong in their relationships. Thus, you might not need to teach them a whole lot of skills to cut the divorce rate. You might just need to get them to think about how they are currently behaving. And for five movies to give us a benefit over three years–that is awesome.”

The great thing about this study is that it shows us that couples don't necessarily need to spend money on expensive couples counselling, but they may in fact have the answers to their own problems!!

Happy Friday!!

Happy Friday!!  Who else is extremely glad it's the weekend!?