March Madness - Time to Get Delphinium Moving

Exercising releases feel-good endorphins and decreases cortisol levels (the stress hormone). Moreover, it can provide a mental break from our worries. Having a change of scene or merely concentrating on another activity can help us to switch off and recharge.

We can also go out walking with friends to ensure we’re adding more social interaction to our day. This is another reason we’ve taken on the 100 Miles in March challenge at Delphinium, and it’s good for both physical and mental health!

When we feel less stressed, we can better regulate our emotions and control our impulses. We can then display greater emotional intelligence in the workplace.

Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race

When the book was released, it went viral, resulting in a flood of comments. I found the book extremely interesting and recommend you check it out.

Reni Eddo-Lodge said that she wrote this book in 2014 when feeling frustrated after trying to speak to white people about race. In it, she discusses her views on conversations about race being led in Britain by people who haven’t experienced it and don’t understand it. She speaks about the issues surrounding ‘white privilege’ and how the odds are stacked against someone who isn’t white in the UK.

Whether you agree or disagree with her views and comments, it provides valuable insight into her experiences and views.

We’re always looking to leverage our time, and one of my favourite techniques for doing this is an adaptation of the Pomodoro technique.

If you’re familiar with the technique, you’ll know that it is an effective time management method, which involves breaking up work into intervals, typically 25 minutes in length, separated by 5-minute breaks. These intervals are known as “Pomodoro’s,” named after the tomato-shaped timer originally used to track the intervals. After completing four Pomodoro’s, take a longer break of 15-30 minutes before beginning another set of Pomodoro’s.

Now, our day may not enable us to work like this. We may have some tasks that we struggle to focus on for 25 minutes at a time, or we may get into the ‘flow’ when doing something and now want to spoil that after just 25 minutes. Well, the beauty is that you don’t have to.

If I find a task boring or I’ve been procrastinating over it, I might set a time for 10-15 minutes. At least this way, a chunk of it still gets completed. I’ll then decide whether to continue and extend the timer or take a short before tackling the task for another 10-15 minutes.

If I want to get in the flow but still ensure I’m taking appropriate breaks, I might set the time for 45 minutes to an hour. I then make sure I get up, move around, and give my eyes a break from the screen.

Using timers and alarms can be a great way to increase productivity and also help look after your well-being. If you use a technique that works well for you, I’d love to hear about it.

Thank you for being a part of our Tuesday’s Top Picks community. I hope this newsletter is giving you the tools you need to make a difference in your personal and professional life.

Kind regards,

Gemma 💜