The study, published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences, also found that a good mood has a negative effect on executive functioning in some cases.
Researchers at the University of Waterloo in Canada explored whether our emotional reactivity shaped how mood influences the kinds of thinking skills we need to navigate the demands and stresses of day-to-day life.
The study included 95 participants, each of whom completed nine distinct tasks and questionnaires that measure the interplay of mood, emotional reactivity and various working memory and analytic challenges.
Getting Back To Work After A Holiday? 5 Ways To Deal With Office Blues
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You don't want to go back to reality, but you know you must. The festive season is over and you are back at your desk. No matter how much you love your job, you will feel down and under.
So how can you return to the routine of daily life and be productive? Try these helpful tips to get you back in the groove.
You don't want to go back to reality, but you know you must. The festive season is over and you are back at your desk. No matter how much you love your job, you will feel down and under.
So how can ..
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If the back-to-work mode is a bit overwhelming, here's help. Excuse yourself and step outside. Take deep, breaths to slow your heart rate and clear your mind.
Try this method: breathe in slowly for four seconds, hold your breath at the top for four seconds, and then breathe out for eight seconds.
Close your eyes and do it four more times, and you are ready to take on the world.
If the back-to-work mode is a bit overwhelming, here's help. Excuse yourself and step outside. Take deep, breaths to slow your heart rate and clear your mind.
Try this method: breathe in slowly for ..
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Everybody loves the jolt of coffee, but ditch the caffeine and opt for the sugar rush instead if you are finding it difficult to concentrate on what your boss has to say after five days of no-see-no-hear!
Enter, a chocolate bar, with as much caffeine as a cup of coffee or the dreaded energy drink.
Also, no post-coffee bad breath either, a win-win situation!
Everybody loves the jolt of coffee, but ditch the caffeine and opt for the sugar rush instead if you are finding it difficult to concentrate on what your boss has to say after five days of no-see-no-..
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Yes, you are sitting amidst a pile of e-mails in your inbox and that is giving you a splitting headache!
So work those magic fingers and give yourself a quick head massage. Focus on the pressure points - your temples, the start of your eyebrows - and press in small, concentrated circles.
Bonus: dap a bit of peppermint essential oil on your temples or the insides of your wrists for a natural boost.
Yes, you are sitting amidst a pile of e-mails in your inbox and that is giving you a splitting headache!
So work those magic fingers and give yourself a quick head massage. Focus on the pressure poi..
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Long weekends can play havoc with your concentration techniques. Take a break from the screen, just look away from your desktop, laptop, phone and spend full five minutes to drink a glass of water.
Or better still, just rotate on your chair, stretch your legs, look out of the window.
Long weekends can play havoc with your concentration techniques. Take a break from the screen, just look away from your desktop, laptop, phone and spend full five minutes to drink a glass of water.
..
Emotional reactivity refers to the sensitivity, intensity and duration of our emotional responses associated with our mood.
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"Our results show that there are some people for whom a bad mood may actually hone the kind of thinking skills that are important for everyday life," said Tara McAuley, a professor at the University of Waterloo.
The high-reactive individuals - people who have rapid, intense, and enduring emotional responses - performed better on executive function tasks when experiencing a bad mood.
Low-reactive individuals showed the opposite effect, with bad mood associated with worse executive functioning.
This pattern of results supports the view that a bad mood may help with some executive skills - but only for people who are more emotionally reactive.
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"People should not interpret the results as saying it is fine to fly off the handle or overreact, or to be grouchy," said McAuley.
Work At 30,000 Ft: How Vikas Oberoi, Roland Folger And Other CEOs Utilise Air-Time
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They travel around the world for work or leisure. But these business leaders know how to make the most of the hours they spend in an aircraft while travelling to faraway destinations:
They travel around the world for work or leisure. But these business leaders know how to make the most of the hours they spend in an aircraft while travelling to faraway destinations:
“I enjoy watching movies of various genres, likePK and The Wolf of Wall Street. I may also switch to reading on my Kindle. I enjoy reading inspirational books like The Lean Startup and The Art of War. As an entrepreneur, I feel this genre keeps me motivated, offers me the ability to think out of the box and appreciate multiple perspectives.”
(Text: Rohan Abraham)
“I enjoy watching movies of various genres, likePK and The Wolf of Wall Street. I may also switch to reading on my Kindle. I enjoy reading inspirational books like The Lean Startup and The Art of War..
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“Flight journeys, for me, are all about disconnecting from the world. I listen to my favorite music: Rock, funk, electronic dance music, and Indian fusion. Music by Metallica, Coldplay, Sigala, and the Indian Jam Project make me feel light and energised. Music helps clear my mind of entrepreneurial riddles, and lets me get closer to my younger self.”
(Text: Rohan Abraham)
“Flight journeys, for me, are all about disconnecting from the world. I listen to my favorite music: Rock, funk, electronic dance music, and Indian fusion. Music by Metallica, Coldplay, Sigala, and t..
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“I mostly try to catch up on sleep, especially on late-night flights. There is also a book in my bag to keep me company. Reading helps me relax. One travel hack that has always worked for me is to keep a blanket handy. I’d also suggest avoiding food on the flight, since it’s calories without much nutrition.”
(Text: Glynda Alves)
“I mostly try to catch up on sleep, especially on late-night flights. There is also a book in my bag to keep me company. Reading helps me relax. One travel hack that has always worked for me is to k..
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“I pray, read, sleep or listen to music, etc. I rarely talk to co-passengers. I like to use the quiet time to reflect on various things. I don’t watch movies on longer flights. If it’s a short flight, I watch portions of regional films: Tamil, Malayalam and Bollywood movies, but not the full movie.”
(Text: Shannon Tellis)
“I pray, read, sleep or listen to music, etc. I rarely talk to co-passengers. I like to use the quiet time to reflect on various things. I don’t watch movies on longer flights. If it’s a short fligh..
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“I rarely watch movies or read books on a flight. But when I do, I usually pick new Hollywood releases, especially suspense thrillers. Flight journeys are about winding down and recharging. I begin with a glass of champagne to celebrate this break without a cellphone. I then enjoy the company around me, eat, and catch up on sleep.”
(Text: Shannon Tellis)
“I rarely watch movies or read books on a flight. But when I do, I usually pick new Hollywood releases, especially suspense thrillers. Flight journeys are about winding down and recharging. I begin ..
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“Flying gives me an opportunity to relax, and I spend most of my time catching up on sleep and reading books. Of late, I have inculcated a new travel habit of reading about the city or country that I am flying to. From their local cuisine to history and culture, I try to learn at least two new things about that place, so that I can explore it in my leisure time.”
(Text: Glynda Alves)
“Flying gives me an opportunity to relax, and I spend most of my time catching up on sleep and reading books. Of late, I have inculcated a new travel habit of reading about the city or country that ..
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“I am mostly a solitary traveller. However, I recently met an 85-year old gentleman, who gave me good advice for my holidays in Sri Lanka. During a long flight, I alternate between a good book, music and TV or movies. Sometimes when I’m tired and don’t feel like reading, or watching something, I prefer listening to audio books on my phone. I recently had a chance to listen to Business Adventures by John Brooks, a classic collection of defining moments which provides entrepreneurs with priceless lessons in all areas of business.”
(Text: Shannon Tellis)
“I am mostly a solitary traveller. However, I recently met an 85-year old gentleman, who gave me good advice for my holidays in Sri Lanka. During a long flight, I alternate between a good book, musi..
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“I like to catch up on superhero movies that I might have missed. When I’m not at the office, I try to spend time with my wife and children so the only time I generally get to myself is on the plane. I know some bosses like to read while travelling (which I should try to do) but I find it more relaxing to watch Superman.”
(Text: Shannon Tellis)
“I like to catch up on superhero movies that I might have missed. When I’m not at the office, I try to spend time with my wife and children so the only time I generally get to myself is on the plane..
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“I tend to fly a lot for work. Much of my time is taken up with writing, or researching my historical books.”
(Text: Glynda Alves)
“I tend to fly a lot for work. Much of my time is taken up with writing, or researching my historical books.”
(Text: Glynda Alves)
"We know that emotional reactivity differs from person to person starting at a very early age and that these individual differences have implications for mental health later in development," she said.
Further research is needed to explain the relationship, but some studies suggest that high-reactive people are more accustomed to experiencing negative emotions, researchers said.
As such, bad moods may be less distracting for them compared with lower-reactive people, they said.
Work-Health Balance: Diabetes Checklist For High-Flying CEOs
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If you have already been diagnosed with diabetes, here are 10 things to keep in mind when you travel by air.
If you have already been diagnosed with diabetes, here are 10 things to keep in mind when you travel by air.
Carry a medical ID that states that you have diabetes, just in case of an emergency.
Carry a medical ID that states that you have diabetes, just in case of an emergency.
Pack twice as much blood-testing supplies and diabetes medication as you think you may need. This could include insulin, other antidiabetes medication, syringes, glucose meter (with extra batteries), candy/sugar (in case of a low-blood sugar/hypoglycaemia episode). Carry your prescription with you.
Pack twice as much blood-testing supplies and diabetes medication as you think you may need. This could include insulin, other antidiabetes medication, syringes, glucose meter (with extra batteries),..
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Don't keep your insulin in your check-in luggage as it could get affected by changes in temperature and cabin pressure.
Don't keep your insulin in your check-in luggage as it could get affected by changes in temperature and cabin pressure.
Inform the security about medication in your baggage or if you are wearing an insulin pump.
Inform the security about medication in your baggage or if you are wearing an insulin pump.
If you inject insulin, do so only when you see the cabin crew come down the aisle with the serving tray. If you take your insulin too much in advance, the delay in the meal reaching you could lead to a drop in your blood sugar.
Be careful while injecting insulin in the plane as the pressure difference could affect the plunger of the syringe.
If you inject insulin, do so only when you see the cabin crew come down the aisle with the serving tray. If you take your insulin too much in advance, the delay in the meal reaching you could lead to..
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Eat a meal that is low in fat, cholesterol and sugar.
Eat a meal that is low in fat, cholesterol and sugar.
If you are crossing a time zone, remember, travelling west makes you gain time and travelling east makes you lose time. This could affect your meals and how much medication you need.
If you are crossing a time zone, remember, travelling west makes you gain time and travelling east makes you lose time. This could affect your meals and how much medication you need.
Check your blood sugar after you land.
Check your blood sugar after you land.
Keep track of your glucose after you land, since jet lag can make it harder to interpret if your blood sugar is low or high.
Keep track of your glucose after you land, since jet lag can make it harder to interpret if your blood sugar is low or high.
