Melbourne Psychologist & Nutritionist Selina Byrne

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4 August 2011

Procrastination - I know all about it!

Procrastinating - it's the idea that we have that we don't follow through on; we think about it, debate how to approach it, have all kinds of feelings about it and find lots of reasons not to do it...yet.

is procrastination about willpower or motivation? It can be; our motivation comes from many different sources such as emotion and thought. The only cure for procrastination is getting yourself into action mode. Stop thinking, stop debating and just sit down (or stand up, depending on the task!) and JUST DO IT.

I often tell my clients about things I learned when coaching athletes in sports psychology. One thing I learned from swimmers is that when they have to wake up at 4 am to jump in the pool, they don't stop and ask themselves "hey, how do I feel about this? Do I really want to do this?" The minute you ask yourself questions like that, it's all over and the sleep button goes on the alarm clock. They just roll straight out of bed and into their swim gear. They just do it.

The just do it method works for everything if you stop finding reasons to do other things and JUST DO the thing that you need to do. And it's usually easier than all the mental contortions you have been doing in order to avoid what you thought you didn't want to do yet.

So what do you need to JUST DO? I just did mine.

28 January 2011

Following through with Food Cravings and Overeating Patterns

Many people are feeling a bit unhappy with their eating patterns at this time of year. During Christmas and holiday periods, lots of people feel as though they can eat and drink whatever they like and then feel upset later when they see (or feel) the consequences of their holiday indulgence.

If you are at a point where you want to make a change to your eating or drinking habits, you might want to consider to main questions:

1. What are my habitual patterns (ones I don't really think about, I just do it)

2. What urges or cravings am I currently experiencing

A successful change program will address both your habits and your cravings. To change the habit component, decide what you will eat and drink across each day. Ensure that this amount is compatible with the outcome you would like to have happen. Look at portion size, quantity of protein, carbohydrate and fat and make sure you have smaller portions on a very regular basis. Make sure you are eating enough, as undereating may affect your metabolism in a way that impacts on your energy and general health.

You need to decide that you will focus on consuming only what is on your plan and not indulge any "sooky" thoughts that might come up about wanting or needing more.

If you have cravings, you need to establish a method of "urge reduction". This means that you can notice and acknowledge the craving, but decide not to act on it. You can use strong positive language with yourself "I don't need that, it won't make me feel better and I have already eaten what I need" or you could use distraction, which means walking away and finding something else to focus on. If the thought comes up again, remind yourself "no, I don't need that" and move onn to another thought.

Tell yourself that you CAN make whatever change you choose to focus on and that after a few weeks, a change becomes a new habit. Beware of excuses for not doing what you decide to do; humans are very capable of self-deception. No excuses, just move towards the behaviours that you want to lock in and feel very good about what you are able to achieve.

A key part of long-term success is reminding yourself of your progress and stating that you will continue this into the future.

8 December 2010

Sleep Problems, Fatigue and the Big Screen

If you are feeling a bit drained and not sleeping too well, think about the big screen effect.

Our sleep/wake cycle operates via melatonin release, which is triggered by light and dark. We need darkness kicking in around the time the sun goes down for optimal melatonin release and this is interrupted by the use of big screen TVs and laptop devices. Many people jump on Facebook or other sites to unwind later at night and then find they have trouble activating the sleep switch in their own brain once they go to bed. This can also lead to sleep that is unrefreshing which makes for a long day feeling exhausted.

Take away the bright screens earlier and try using a handheld device with less brightness. Consider asking your health practitioner to check your melatonin levels as some people benefit from supplementation. Morning sunlight and exercise will help boost night time melatonin production too. Remember - night time is for darkness, save the bright lights for the daylight hours.

29 November 2010

The Brain Chemistry involved in Mood

If you are feeling a bit worn out and waiting for holidays, it's a great time to assess your neuro chemistry and work out how to boost your mood a little. Do you need to rev up your acceleration chemicals by putting some excitement into the system? Or do you need to strengthen your brakes and increase your ability to relax and let go?

Mood is generally a combination of how much energy you have (more generally means better moods) and tension (less is best for moods). You can increase energy by eating correct nutrition (combination of lean protein like fish, meat, chicken, tofu etc with lots of low GI vegetables such as brocolli, tomato, beans, etc). Exercise helps boost mood and so does the correct amount of sleep.

To boost acceleration chemicals such as dopamine and noradrenalin, make sure you have regular challenges that are exciting and motivating. Challenges can be physical, emotional, musical, intellectual or anything else you can think of.

To boost relaxation chemicals such as serotonin, go for walks, get sunshine, meditate, get a massage, read something you enjoy and watch movies that have happy endings.

To boost all elements of positive brain chemistry, set regular challenges for yourself, write them down, discuss them with others and implement a plan to achieve them. If you need help, psychologists can assist you to design a strategy that works over the long term. I find that most of my clients forget about the basics of mood chemistry when they are tired and/ot stressed and sometimes need reminding just how much difference it makes when you are fed well, rested and feeling pappropriately challenged in different parts of your life. But not too challenged; it's a fine line between challenge and overwhelm!

If you are a bit low on fuel, start with the important health factors and continue to examine how you are getting a sense of progress in different parts of life.