Great choices originate not in the decision point but in the process leading up to it.

Avoid framing strategic decisions too narrowly as binary either/or choices or accepted dilemmas. Explicitly push to expand the options and possibilities under consideration. This widens the decision frame and creates greater strategic freedom. Avoid false dichotomies. There are usually more than two routes.

Widening the Decision Frame Beyond Binary Choices

Proactively brainstorm a wide diversity of possible options and alternatives so great choices emerge through considering breadth. Don't default to only the obvious ideas. Bring in outsider perspectives. Produce a large menu from which the best solution can emerge.

Generating Multiple Diverse Alternatives

Thoroughly stress test the key assumptions underlying each option under consideration through rigorous debate playing devil's advocate. Make implicit assumptions explicit in order to seriously evaluate their validity and impact.

Reality Testing Key Assumptions

Explore creative ways to integrate elements from multiple options into novel hybrid solutions. Break either/or thinking - new options emerge from synthesis. Build integrative rather than compromising hybrids.

Exploring Hybrids and Integrations

Thoughtfully assess the pros/cons, risks, strategic impacts, and opportunity costs of the final options systematically before committing to a choice. Weigh through multiple lenses like financial, culture, operations.

Evaluating Options Systematically

Once a choice is made through robust consideration, commit fully to the decision rather than second guess. Alignment and decisiveness in execution is key. Avoid analysis paralysis. Move forward decisively.

Committing Resolutely Once Choice is Made

Rigorously track results, assess what is working well and what is not. Adjust tactics based on outcomes without changing strategy. Build evidence to refine subsequent choices. Insights emerge from doing.

Learning Iteratively from Results

Formalize organizational processes for widening options, exploring integrations, constructive debate, systematic analysis and clear decision-making. Systematize rigorous strategic choice evaluation practices.

Institutionalizing the Options Process

In Creating Great Choices, Riel and Martin provide a framework for making wise strategic decisions by generating multiple options and carefully assessing them before committing to a final choice. They outline techniques to avoid narrow either/or thinking.

"The rarest of business books that teaches decision makers how to think, not what to think." - Malcolm Gladwell When it comes to our hardest choices, it can seem as though making trade-offs is inevitable. But what about those crucial times when accepting the obvious trade-off just isn't good enough? What do we do when the choices in front of us don't get us what we need? Rather than choosing the least worst option, Creating Great Choices offers a model that guides you towards a new and superior answer... integrative thinking. First introduced by world-renowned strategic thinker Roger Martin in The Opposable Mind, integrative thinking is an approach to problem solving that uses opposing ideas as the basis for innovation. Now, in Creating Great Choices, Martin and his longtime thinking partner Jennifer Riel vividly illustrate how integrative thinking works, and how to do it.The book includes fresh stories of successful integrative thinkers that will demystify the process of creative problem solving, as well as practical tools and exercises to help readers engage with the ideas. And it lays out the authors' four-step methodology for creating great choices, which can be applied in virtually any context. The result is a replicable, thoughtful approach to finding a "third and better way" to make important choices in the face of unacceptable trade‐offs.Insightful and instructive, Creating Great Choices blends storytelling, theory, and hands-on advice to help any leader or manager facing a tough choice.

problemsolving

Problem Solving

books

Books

leadershipandmanagement

Leadership & Management

Jennifer Riel

Roger L. Martin

Creating Great Choices

Intermittently challenging yourself, be it through temperature changes like cold or heat, other types of stressors, such as physical activity, or even dietary compounds in plants such as polyphenols or flavonoids, is beneficial to the body. These intermittent challenges activate genetic pathways that help you deal with normal metabolism and immune function stress. This concept is known as hormesis.  Hormesis is a little bit of stressful challenge that activates the stress response pathways in a beneficial way. It has a profound antioxidant and anti-inflammatory response.

Challenge yourself intermittently to improve health

Sulforaphane is a sulfur-rich compound found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, broccoli sprouts, brussel sprouts, cauliflower and cabbage. It activates a powerful detoxification pathway which helps you detoxify things like carcinogens that you’re exposed to. Clinical studies have linked the benefits of sulforaphane to a variety of chronic diseases such as autism, aflatoxin toxicity, cancer, air pollution toxicity, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and more.

Sulforaphane

Sulforaphane levels in broccoli are lower when it's cooked. But adding one gram of mustard seed powder to cooked broccoli increases the sulforaphane by fourfold.  The plant, Moringa, has similar effects to broccoli. This can be bought in a powdered form and added to smoothies.

Broccoli - raw or cooked

Omega 3 fatty acid is another essential macronutrient. People with low omega-3 index have higher all-cause mortality and lower lifespan. <ul><li>Wild game has a higher concentration of micronutrients (e.g., zinc) and omega-3 versus conventional.</li><li>Grass-fed meat is better as factory farmers feed cows corn to fatten them.</li><li>Fish is a great source of omega 3 but is higher in mercury. </li><li>Plant sources of ALA would be walnuts and flaxseeds. If you’re a vegan or vegetarian, the best it to supplement with microalgae oil as they have DHA.</li><li>Supplementation is a good way to get a high dose of Omega 3s.</li></ul>

Omega -3 Fatty Acids

Vitamin D is essential for various aspects of our brain and body health. Vitamin is a steroid hormone we produce when we’re in the sun, depending on how much melanin we have on our skin, whether or not we’re wearing sunscreen, and how old we are.  Vitamin D gets converted into a steroid that regulates some of the human genomes and plays an important role in activating the innate immune system. Vitamin D3 is a good way to supplement. Vitamin D2 is often a plant source.

The importance of Vitamin D

Being deficient in magnesium makes it more difficult to make Vitamin D. Magnesium is also involved in making ATP, the energetic currency of our cells.  Our bodies need ATP to do anything, including repairing DNA enzymes. You can’t look in the mirror and see DNA damage from lack of magnesium, but it is there.  Dark leafy greens are high in magnesium, for example, kale, spinach, chard, and romaine lettuce. Magnesium in dark leafy greens is less bioavailable, but cooking can release it. For supplementation, magnesium malate would be best.

Magnesium

Cold exposure (11 minutes per week, up to the neck) has been shown to increase brown fat which increases metabolism and the ability to feel comfortable in cold temperatures. 		 Regular use of sauna and other heat exposure can reduce mortality by cardiovascular events, stroke, and all-cause mortality. Heat changes the way in which proteins are configured at the molecular level: Heat shock proteins (HSP) ensure cells of the brain and body don’t misfold. <ul><li>Recipe for heat exposure: 57 minutes per week spread out across sessions. </li><li>Cold exposure (safe but cold) a couple of times a week.</li></ul>

Deliberate hot and cold exposure

What is the best way to live longer? Here are a few factors within your control

scienceandnature

Science & Nature

longevity

Longevity

food

Food

health

Health

personaldevelopment

Personal Development

How To Live A Long Life

This podcast focuses on micronutrients that are essential for brain and body health. 

My guest is Rhonda Patrick, Ph.D. She earned her doctoral degree in biomedical science from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and has become one of the leading public health educators on the brain and general health, aging, cancer, and nutrition. We discuss the four major categories of micronutrients that regulate cellular and organ stress and antioxidants, inflammation, hormone regulation, immune system, and longevity. Dr. Patrick provides actionable protocols for obtaining key micronutrients from food and/or supplement-based sources. Additionally, Dr. Patrick outlines protocols for deliberate cold and deliberate heat exposure to benefit metabolism, cardiorespiratory fitness, mental health, and lifespan.  Thank you to our sponsors AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman Thesis: https://takethesis.com/huberman InsideTracker: https://insidetracker.com/huberman See Andrew Huberman Live: The Brain Body Contract Tuesday, May 17th: Seattle, WA Wednesday, May 18th: Portland, OR https://hubermanlab.com/tour Our Patreon page https://www.patreon.com/andrewhuberman Supplements from Momentous https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman. For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com. Timestamps (00:00:00) Dr. Rhonda Patrick – Micronutrients, Cold & Heat Exposure  (00:03:12) Momentous Supplements (00:04:27) The Brain-Body Contract  (00:05:30) AG1 (Athletic Greens), Thesis, InsideTracker (00:09:42) Stress Response Pathways, Hormesis (00:16:38) Plants, Polyphenols, Sulforaphane (00:21:12) Tools 1: Sulforaphane - Broccoli Sprouts, Broccoli, Mustard Seed  (00:23:50) Tool 2: Moringa & Nrf2 Antioxidant Response (00:25:25) Sulforaphane: Antioxidants (Glutathione) & Air Pollution (Benzene Elimination)  (00:27:10) Plants & Stress Response Pathways, Intermittent Challenges  (00:29:35) Traumatic Brain Injury, Sulforaphane, Nrf2  (00:35:08) Tools 3: Omega-3 Fatty Acids (ALA, EPA & DHA), Fish Oil, Oxidation  (00:48:40) EPA Omega-3s & Depression  (00:52:02) Krill Oil vs. Fish Oil Supplements?  (00:54:23) Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Omega-3 Index & Life Expectancy  (00:59:24) Tool 4: Food Sources of EPA Omega-3s  (01:06:07) Omega-3 Supplementation, Omega-3 Index Testing (01:10:22) Benefits of Omega-3s  (01:14:40) Tool 5: Food Sources of DHA Omega-3s (01:17:07) Vitamin D & Sun Skin Exposure  (01:22:18) Role of Vitamin D, Gene Regulation  (01:25:30) Tool 6: Vitamin D Testing & Vitamin D3 Supplementation  (01:33:15) Tool 7: Skin Surface Area & Sun Exposure, Vitamin D  (01:34:23) Vitamin D & Longevity (01:36:46) Sun Exposure & Sunscreen (01:40:30) Role of Magnesium, Magnesium Sources, Dark Leafy Green Vegetables (01:44:50) Tool 8: Magnesium Supplements: Citrate, Threonate, Malate, Bisglycinate  (01:50:57) Tool 9: Deliberate Cold Exposure Protocol & Mood/Anxiety (01:59:22) Tool 10: Cold Exposure, Mitochondria UCP1 & Heat Generation (02:02:30) Tool 11: Cold & Fat ‘Browning’, PGC-1alpha, Metabolism (02:05:08) Cold Exposure & High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), PGC-1alpha, Muscle  (02:08:04) Tools 12: Exercise, HIIT, Tabata & Sauna  (02:13:30) Tool 13: Sauna, Endorphins/Dynorphins, Mood  (02:17:45) Tool 14: Mild Stress, Adrenaline & Memory (02:19:53) Sauna, Vasodilation & Alzheimer’s and Dementia Risk  (02:25:30) Sauna Benefits, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs)  (02:31:29) Insulin signaling, FOXO3 & Longevity  (02:33:22) Tools 16: Sauna Protocols, Hot Baths & Fertility  (02:37:41) Tool 17: Exercise & Longevity, Osteocalcin  (02:41:37) Tools 18: Red Light Sauna? Infrared Sauna? Sauna & Sweating of Heavy Metals (02:47:20) FoundMyFitness Podcast, Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Patreon, Momentous Supplements, Huberman Lab on Instagram & Twitter Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac Disclaimer

podcasts

Podcasts

My guest is Rhonda Patrick, Ph.D. She earned her doctoral degree in biomedical science from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center and has become one of the leading public health educators on the brain and general health, aging, cancer, and nutrition. We discuss the four major categories of micronutrients that regulate cellular and organ stress and antioxidants, inflammation, hormone regulation, immune system, and longevity. Dr. Patrick provides actionable protocols for obtaining key micronutrients from food and/or supplement-based sources. Additionally, Dr. Patrick outlines protocols for deliberate cold and deliberate heat exposure to benefit metabolism, cardiorespiratory fitness, mental health, and lifespan.  For the full show notes, visit hubermanlab.com. Thank you to our sponsors AG1 (Athletic Greens): https://athleticgreens.com/huberman LMNT: https://drinklmnt.com/huberman Supplements from Momentous https://www.livemomentous.com/huberman Timestamps (00:00:00) Dr. Rhonda Patrick – Micronutrients, Cold & Heat Exposure  (00:03:12) Sponsors: AG1, LMNT  (00:09:42) Stress Response Pathways, Hormesis (00:16:38) Plants, Polyphenols, Sulforaphane (00:21:12) Tools 1: Sulforaphane - Broccoli Sprouts, Broccoli, Mustard Seed  (00:23:50) Tool 2: Moringa & Nrf2 Antioxidant Response (00:25:25) Sulforaphane: Antioxidants (Glutathione) & Air Pollution (Benzene Elimination)  (00:27:10) Plants & Stress Response Pathways, Intermittent Challenges  (00:29:35) Traumatic Brain Injury, Sulforaphane, Nrf2  (00:35:08) Tools 3: Omega-3 Fatty Acids (ALA, EPA & DHA), Fish Oil, Oxidation  (00:48:40) EPA Omega-3s & Depression  (00:52:02) Krill Oil vs. Fish Oil Supplements?  (00:54:23) Benefits of Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Omega-3 Index & Life Expectancy  (00:59:24) Tool 4: Food Sources of EPA Omega-3s  (01:06:07) Omega-3 Supplementation, Omega-3 Index Testing (01:10:22) Benefits of Omega-3s  (01:14:40) Tool 5: Food Sources of DHA Omega-3s (01:17:07) Vitamin D & Sun Skin Exposure  (01:22:18) Role of Vitamin D, Gene Regulation  (01:25:30) Tool 6: Vitamin D Testing & Vitamin D3 Supplementation  (01:33:15) Tool 7: Skin Surface Area & Sun Exposure, Vitamin D  (01:34:23) Vitamin D & Longevity (01:36:46) Sun Exposure & Sunscreen (01:40:30) Role of Magnesium, Magnesium Sources, Dark Leafy Green Vegetables (01:44:50) Tool 8: Magnesium Supplements: Citrate, Threonate, Malate, Bisglycinate  (01:50:57) Tool 9: Deliberate Cold Exposure Protocol & Mood/Anxiety (01:59:22) Tool 10: Cold Exposure, Mitochondria UCP1 & Heat Generation (02:02:30) Tool 11: Cold & Fat ‘Browning’, PGC-1alpha, Metabolism (02:05:08) Cold Exposure & High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), PGC-1alpha, Muscle  (02:08:04) Tools 12: Exercise, HIIT, Tabata & Sauna  (02:13:30) Tool 13: Sauna, Endorphins/Dynorphins, Mood  (02:17:45) Tool 14: Mild Stress, Adrenaline & Memory (02:19:53) Sauna, Vasodilation & Alzheimer’s and Dementia Risk  (02:25:30) Sauna Benefits, Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Heat Shock Proteins (HSPs)  (02:31:29) Insulin signaling, FOXO3 & Longevity  (02:33:22) Tools 16: Sauna Protocols, Hot Baths & Fertility  (02:37:41) Tool 17: Exercise & Longevity, Osteocalcin  (02:41:37) Tools 18: Red Light Sauna? Infrared Sauna? Sauna & Sweating of Heavy Metals (02:47:20) FoundMyFitness Podcast, Zero-Cost Support, YouTube Feedback, Spotify & Apple Reviews, Sponsors, Momentous Supplements, Huberman Lab on Instagram & Twitter Title Card Photo Credit: Mike Blabac Disclaimer

Huberman Lab discusses neuroscience: how our brain and its connections with the organs of our body control our perceptions, our behaviors, and our health. We also discuss existing and emerging tools for measuring and changing how our nervous system works. Dr. Andrew Huberman is a tenured professor of neurobiology and ophthalmology at Stanford School of Medicine. His laboratory studies neural regeneration, neuroplasticity, and brain states such as stress, focus, fear, and optimal performance. For more than 20 years, Dr. Huberman has consistently published original research findings and review articles in top-level peer-reviewed journals, including Nature, Science, Cell, Neuron, and Current Biology. He is a regular member of several National Institutes of Health review panels and a Fellow of the McKnight Foundation and the Pew Charitable Trusts. Dr. Huberman regularly consults for technology development companies, professional athletic organizations, and various units of U.S. and Canadian Special Operations.

Huberman Lab

Dr. Rhonda Patrick: Micronutrients for Health & Longevity

Dr. Rhonda Patrick: Micronutrients for Health & Longevity | Episode 70

If you want to make movement a regular part of your day, you have many exercise options. But you may be unsure about how to start working out if you’ve never really exercised regularly before.Whether you’re looking to run, ride a bike, lift weights, or do yoga, just thinking about how to start working out can feel intimidating. After all, scrolling through all the fitness posts on social media—or even seeing runners easily power up the hills in your neighborhood—can make it seem like exercise comes so easily to those who are already in the thick of it.

Yes You Can Work Out

Identify why you're ready to incorporate a regular workout program into your life and reach your goals.This might take some digging, but it’s important you hone in on a reason that’s meaningful enough to you that it’ll push you forward. Maybe it's being able to keep up with your kids, feeling strong in your own body, or just setting aside time to focus on your own well-being.Fitness should be about your own goals and what feels right for you.Then, before you get started, you should also check with your doctor to get the green light to continue with whatever routine you are considering.

Identify The Why

Exactly what kind of gear you need will depend on what kind of exercise program you want to try, but there are few staples that tend to be universal.<ul><li>Finding a pair of comfortable, supportive athletic shoes is one of your first moves</li><li>You'll want to find a snug, supportive sports bra and a couple of sweat-wicking tops and pants or shorts.  	 </li></ul> Check your closet to see what you already have—especially pieces that you may have forgotten about!—and if you do need to buy some new pieces, shopping off-season (say, buying zip-ups for cold outdoor running in the summer) can help you save some cash.

The Right Exercise Gear

You should ideally be working out three to four days a week, but that doesn't mean you have to start there.Begin by scheduling just two workouts a week! These can be as short as a 30-minute resistance training workout. Setting a realistic goal is key to sticking with it, and since you'll probably be sore after your first handful of workouts, this means you'll have a few days to recover in between.Doing something small each day—even if it’s 15 minutes of walking—really builds the momentum and reinforces the habit.

Start Slow But Move Daily

The best time to exercise is always the one that fits your lifestyle, your preferences, and your energy level.You might find that becoming a <a href="https://www.self.com/story/11-clever-tips-for-getting-out-of-bed-for-a-morning-workout">morning workout person</a> works for you, since you can get your workout out of the way before something comes along to sideline it. On the flip side, the thought of waking up extra early might completely turn you off, and you might benefit more from carving out some time after work to disengage from the workday. In that case, evening workouts might work best for you.

A Time That Suits You

There really are endless types of workouts out there, and the truth is that the best workout for you is the one you'll actually do and enjoy. The number one way to find the best fit for you is through trial and error, even though it may feel daunting at first.Start with one you're initially drawn to, whether it's barre, boxing, Pilates, dance cardio, yoga, a strength class, you name it, and keep trying new ones from there until you find what you enjoy.

Date The Various Kinds Of Workouts

Once you find a type of workout that works for you, you don’t want to go all-in right away. Take the time first to learn the basics, which will allow you to safely progress with your exercise of choice.Many fitness apps or virtual classes offer beginner lessons, where they’ll take you through foundational work. These tend to be less intense and slower-paced, and the instructors usually give more detailed instruction so you’re less likely to get lost.

Nail Down The Basics

Whatever your version of too much, too soon may be, the outcome is often the same: It can burn you out, and you might find yourself dreading your workouts, or even skipping them. So take it gradually. Learn how to master the movements, and see how you feel when you make working out part of your regular life—it’s going to be more sustainable than making it your whole life.

The 'Too Much' Trap

Another option, if you feel you do need more one-on-one guidance to feel comfortable with certain moves and you can afford it, is to hire a virtual personal trainer.Many gyms work with personal trainers, and should be able to connect you with one who is offering virtual appointments now, even if the gym is not open or taking clients in person.

A Personal Trainer

You’ll likely need to invest in some equipment, especially if you’re looking to strength train. While you can—and should—start with bodyweight moves, once you get your form down, you’ll be looking to add resistance.Apart from dumbbell sets and jump ropes, You probably want an <a href="https://www.self.com/gallery/best-yoga-mats">exercise mat</a> too, which can make exercises, especially ones where you’re lying on the ground, feel more comfortable.

Buy Basic Equipment

Even if you're super-dedicated to your new fitness goals, some days, motivation alone just doesn't cut it (and that's totally okay). That's where an "insurance policy" comes in. If you need a little help staying on track, asking a friend who also works out to be a check-in partner. You can fill them in on your workout plans and let them know when you follow through, and when you need an extra nudge, they can be a great source of encouragement. Of course, you can provide all of that for them too.

The Insurance Policy

Starting an exercise routine can feel daunting, but it doesn't have to. These tips can help you learn how to start workout out—and find a program to stick with.

exerciseandfitness

Exercise & Fitness

How to Start Working Out If You've Never Exercised Before

An agile life is one that can easily respond to change. Where you’re not overly constrained by rigid planning, but can rather adapt and get things done in a way that fits your goals and the constant randomness of life.
<ul>
<li>Don’t set static rigid goals, keep testing and adjusting as you go.</li>
<li>Don’t keep trying to fix your weaknesses, play to your strengths instead.</li>
</ul>

An Agile Life

Time management is less important than energy management. Spend your best energy on your most important work, and everything else will follow.The key isn’t to have some huge long term plan but to rather know the next vital few things you need to do to hit the goal you want to accomplish.

Energy Vs Time

<ul><li>Don’t base your day on what you didn’t get done in the past. Base it on what you want to accomplish now, what will have the biggest impact now.</li><li>Set a weekly reflection for what went well, what didn’t, what you got done, what you want to do in the future.</li><li>Taking action is the best cure for analysis paralysis.</li></ul>

A Day’s Work

Know what you care about most, your “hot spots” in personal life and work life. Prioritize those over everything else, see how your time fits into those hot spots.If you don’t set maximums and minimums on how you apply time to different areas, someone will for you. Put a maximum on career, a minimum on personal. If you’re not driving your day and time, then someone else will.

What Drives You

Focus on 3 goals for the day, week, month, year. Make them feed up from one to the next, and work them down when setting new ones. So the day goals fit the week goals, etc. Adjust as necessary.Carve out a chunk of your life force for making improvements and leading the life you want to live.The more you get in the habit of making time for what’s most important, the more you’ll get great results.

Rule Of 3

<ul><li>Do the worst things first. Sometimes they’re the most important, and then you won’t dread them all day.</li><li>Find your “power hours” and focus on getting more of them in your day (see Deep Work).</li><li>Create a shutdown routine for the end of your day to help yourself unwind and get out of the work mindset.</li><li>Inspiration follows starting, don’t wait for inspiration to strike, just get to work and it will frequently follow.</li><li>When you do anything repeatedly, create a checklist for it to quickly move through it in the future (or to give to someone else).</li></ul>

Tips For An Agile Life

The Top five productivity pitfalls are:<ol><li>Analysis paralysis</li><li>Do it when you feel like it</li><li>Don’t know the work to be done</li><li>Lack of boundaries</li><li>Perfectionism</li></ol>If you have motivation without technique, you’re just a motivated idiot. If you have great technique, but no motivation, you won’t accomplish anything. But if you have motivation and technique, you can produce great results.

Productivity Pitfalls

When you fix your time, you’ll have more energy and sprint better. With an end in sight, we can push ourselves, when work is endless it becomes much harder to put in our best effort.

Fixing A Deadline

Three mindsets to make your life better:<ol><li>Abundance mindset</li><li>Positive mindset</li><li>Growth mindset</li></ol><ul><li>Self-discipline is a muscle that gets stronger the more you use it.</li><li>Focus on efforts, not outcomes.</li><li>You can control your inputs, but you can’t completely control the results. </li><li>The score will take care of itself.</li></ul>

The Three Mindsets

A guide to the Agile Results system, a systematic way to achieve both short- and long-term results that can be applied to all aspects of life.

Discover the world of business and economics.

economics

Economics

career

Career

business

Business

In Getting Results the Agile Way, author J.D. Meier introduces Agile Results®¿a simple system for meaningful results! It¿s a systematic way to achieve both short- and long-term results in all aspects of your life¿from work to fun. It offers just enough planning to get you going, but makes it easy to change your course as needed. It also provides fresh starts for your day, week, month, and year. Even if you already use another time management system, Agile Results can supplement it to increase your impact and sense of fulfillment. In today¿s world, change happens quickly; learn how to be flexible and responsive to new opportunities. Don¿t just check off tons of stuff from your to-do list; do the things that make a difference. Stop trudging your way through life; bolster your energy with habits that will carry you forward each day. Quit sacrificing your personal life for your work life (or vice versa); give each facet of your life its due and find balance. In other words, learn the skills to go the distance in an ever-changing world. The beauty of Agile Results is that you don¿t have to adopt the entire system to see the benefits; just start with the following three basic tenets. First, adopt The Rule of 3 and you avoid being overwhelmed and become mindful of your results. Second, adopt the Monday Vision, Daily Outcomes, Friday Refection pattern and you set the wheels in motion for weekly results while giving yourself a fresh start each day and each week. Third, set up boundaries for your Hot Spots and begin to experience work-life balance. When you¿re ready for more, flip through the chapters to learn how to use stories to design your day, week, month, and year; how to find your motivation; how to improve your productivity; and many more. Agile Results is a time-tested system that J.D. Meier has honed through his years at Microsoft: learning from some of the best minds, leading virtual teams, and mentoring people around the world. It is a system he can bet on time and again. This guide is the playbook for getting results that he wishes somebody had given to him so many years ago. Now, he¿s sharing it with you.

J. D. Meier

Getting Results the Agile Way

<ul><li>Respiration influences many of the processes in our body that have a direct impact on our physical and mental health. </li><li>Each day, we take around 20,000 breaths.</li><li>With every inhalation, our heart rate speeds up, and with every exhalation, it slows down. </li><li>The nervous system is especially sensitive to changes in breathing rate. </li><li>Through our breath, we can change our state from stress to relaxation, or from feeling dull to being energized. Longer-term, through being more attentive to the way we breathe, we can benefit our health and longevity. </li></ul>

Breathing: Need To Know

Every time we notice our breath or change our breathing pattern to achieve a specific outcome, we are practicing breathwork.Today, breathwork is the new yoga. It can be found everywhere from therapy sessions to gym classes, but it’s far from new. You can find early indications of conscious breathing in Hindu scriptures dating back hundreds of years, for instance in the Bhagavadgita, composed sometime between the 2nd century BCE and the 2nd century CE.The Tibetan teachings of Tonpa Shenrab Miwoche that form the basis of the Bon tradition, which considers the breath to be important, are even older, dating back 18,000 years.

Conscious Breathing

For many people, the breath is something much more than just the purely physical movement of air. It is often described as the energy, life force, cosmic essence, the vital principle that permeates reality on all levels including inanimate objects. Different cultures refer to the same phenomenon but by different names, such as: prana, qi, ki, lung, ruach, spiritus, mana, rouh and pneuma.In yoga, the breath is considered not only the path of spiritual development, but also as a simple way of staying in good health. In the yogic breathing pranayama, the practices are well described, each with its own purpose – including energizing, cleansing, or relaxing.

Breathing: The Cosmic Force

<ul><li>For a long time, most mainstream medical practitioners had no interest in breathwork, but that began to change in the 1950s. </li><li>These days, athletes are also taking an interest in breathwork. In sports, it’s always an arms race. </li><li>Athletes are turning to traditional yogic breath-control practices as a means for conditioning the body and strengthening the respiratory system – certain breathing exercises can improve how efficiently the body uses oxygen. Breathwork is especially pertinent to endurance sports.</li></ul>

Breathing And The Medical Practice

<ul><li>Nasal breathing slows the incoming airflow, which has a calming effect on the nervous system.</li><li>The air is traveling slower and stays longer in the alveoli, where gas exchange happens. This gives oxygen more time to diffuse in the bloodstream, which can result in 10-20 per cent greater oxygen uptake.</li><li>Your nose acts as a filter for pathogens, such as bacteria and viruses.</li><li>The air going into the lungs is conditioned to better suit the body – warmed up or cooled down, depending on the external environment.</li><li>By breathing through your nose, you expel up to 40 percent less water (meaning you’re less prone to dehydration).</li><li>It avoids the problems associated with long-term excessive mouth breathing, such as dental problems, inflammation of the upper airways, forward head posture and even changes in the shape of the jaw.</li></ul>

Practice Nasal Breathing

<ul><li>It’s more relaxing and it makes the process of gas exchange more efficient. </li><li>The oxidative stress caused by mental or physical exhaustion can be mitigated by diaphragmatic breathing. </li><li>Diaphragmatic breathing helps to move the lymph (the fluid that flows through the lymphatic system), therefore moving pathogens through the lymph nodes where they can be treated with specific lymphocytes. </li><li>Another benefit is the increased blood flow to the heart. And if you strengthen the diaphragm as a muscle (through regular diaphragmatic breathing), you’ll increase your physical endurance.</li></ul>

Practice Diaphragmatic Breathing

Since your body is governed by rhythms – your nervous system picks up the steady flow of air as a cue for safety and adjusts other bodily processes accordingly – you can use this to your advantage.One way is via a common practice in yoga, in which we breathe in and out to a count. The aim is to find a comfortable length of the breath and, once it becomes easy, the rhythm can be slowed down.

Practice Rhythmic Breathing

Whether your aim is improved health, mental calm or achieving transcendence, breathing techniques can help you get there

meditation

Meditation

How to breathe | Psyche Guides

Scientists have been carrying out experiments and tests on the brain to understand its many functions and also to manipulate brain activity. New, increasingly detailed maps of the brain are now being drawn out.
Breakthroughs in technology let us change the brain’s structure, or plug it to external components, like a paralysed man controlling a robotic arm by simply commanding the brain.

Neuroscientists Working On The Brain

We have been taught that our brain is just a biological computer. It is actually an integrated and highly evolved structure that is shape-shifting and extremely adaptive towards all kinds of stimulation.
New discoveries provide us with a glimpse of the brain’s previously unknown powers, like reading minds or detecting criminal behaviour. Despite new technologies and breakthroughs, our understanding of the brain is still minuscule and maybe in the wrong direction.

A Better Definition Of The Brain

<ul><li>Modern science does not yet have an official framework regarding the brain being able to produce consciousness.</li><li>Scientists are still on the lookout for a unified, acceptable theory of brain function in any living species on earth, even worms.</li><li>The brain is not a singular entity but is both integrated and composite at the same time.</li><li>Scientists do not yet have a precise definition of what the brain really is, as it does not fit any physical analogy.</li><li>Even cutting-edge advancements in science and technology: Quantum supremacy, Nanotech or Blockchain, cannot fully explain what the brain can do.</li></ul>

The Brain Is An Enigma

Neuroscience handling big data still lacks a theoretical framework or even a basic principle that convert brain data into basic knowledge and understanding. Vast amounts of information end up being counterproductive by injecting uncertainty into existing global understanding while adding new levels of complexity.A creative application of the new and emerging technologies is required, along with further advances in data analysis methods.

Big Data Is Not Knowledge

By considering the brain as a computer, we assume that it functions as a series of linear steps. However, the brain is a visually breathtaking three-dimensional network of complex neural nodes that are interconnected both internally and externally.It is not a simple input-output response mechanism that processes data and represents information, but an active organ that constructs information.

The Brain: Linear Vs Neural

Certain phenomena cannot be explained by a single activity, where individual components work in tandem with each other and it is hard to pinpoint where the process starts or ends. The workings of such a phenomenon, known as Strong Emergence, cannot be categorized or bracketed in a single explanation.
Strong emergence is one of the few ways a brain can be explained. When we read a book, the page is made up of atoms, and so are we, but labelling it as simply an interaction of atoms cannot explain our ability to read, or the book’s ability to shape our mind into higher-level structures. This strong emergence does not take into account the complexities of understanding, language and how millions of neurons interact.

Explaining The Brain: Strong Emergence

Certain activities in nature, such as how a group of tiny fish move in response to an attack from a bigger fish, are based on the behaviour of individuals who influence their entire group. 
These activities are known as Weak Emergence, and are commonly observed in many behavioural and seasonal studies by scientists.

Explaining The Brain: Weak Emergence

<ul>
<li>As technology has completely taken over our lives, some believe that the current advancements like Neurolink or A.I. can eventually lead to singularity, when machines become conscious.</li>
<li>This hypothesis ignores how consciousness works and believes that the mind is a product of matter, just like any other organ.</li>
<li>The scale, vastness and complexity of the brain is still thousands of years ahead of our most powerful supercomputers.</li>
<li>The brain as a computer argument can at best be taken as a metaphor.</li>
</ul>

When Machines Become Conscious

Some researchers envision the brain as an operating system that is ‘installed’ on neural hardware. This naive viewpoint assumes that brains and minds are identical in all living creatures, and can be separated into neat categories like hardware and software.
Even to simulate such a hypothesis requires a kind of deep understanding that we lack.
Holding a single thought is a miracle in itself, and a neural network that makes this happen cannot be mimicked, at least until the far, far future.

The Mind As An Operating System

Even understanding the simplest parts of the brain is beyond our reach.
Recent experiments trying to reverse-engineer a computer chip from the 70s(those used to play Atari and Nintendo games) showed that one cannot even detect the hierarchy of how the information is processed inside, despite having a clear understanding of how chips work in a computer.
This provides a glimpse of the vastness of the brain and how little we know about it.

Reverse-Engineering The Brain

technologyandthefuture

Technology & The Future

Why your brain is not a computer | Neuroscience | The Guardian

Many people live like shift workers to some degree. The majority of people either go to bed after midnight or wake up early without getting enough sleep.
Shift work is a probable carcinogen, according to the WHO. Moreover, there is a list of health problems associated with shift work. The reason is that shift work interferes with your circadian rhythm. Humans are diurnal - we are designed to be awake in the day and asleep at night. While we can be nocturnal, we weren't built for it long term.

We don't sleep when we should

Every cell and organ in your body has a clock. If things are working right, they are in sync with your brain. But if things aren't in sync, your hormones are out of whack, causing problems with your energy levels, hunger, stress and overall health.
The most important factor to your circadian rhythm is light. We have complete control over the amount of light we're exposed to. This essentially makes us shift workers. If we want to fix this, we have to focus on what we do at night.

Your circadian rhythm has the last say

Light at night means less melatonin - which means poor sleep and a foggy brain the next day. Blue light sends a powerful signal to your brain that it is daytime, but it's not the only problem. All light is a problem. After dark, all light should be reduced, with as little light as possible after 8 PM.
While we probably won't sit around during the evening in the dark, we can reduce overhead lighting and reduce the blue light on your screens.

All light is the problem

Eating signals to your body it's daytime.
People who eat in an 8 - 11 hour window and stop eating 3 hours before bed are healthier and are better able to pay attention the next day.

Late-night snacks are problematic

You need around seven hours of sleep a night. Children need more, and older folks less. Sleeping much more or notably less than seven hours is associated with a shorter lifespan.
Consistency is as important. You need a regular schedule for when you wake up, when you have your first and last meal, when you dim the lights and when you go to bed. If any of these factors shift by two hours over a week, it's an issue.

Be consistent with your sleeping routine

As soon as you wake up, go outside and get sunlight onto your eyes. (Don't stare directly into the sun.)
Your retinas get more sensitive as the day goes on, and they are less sensitive in the morning. You need to spend about 2 - 10 minutes outside, depending on how bright it is. Getting some sunlight will set your internal clock properly.

When and how you wake up

<ul>
<li>Your brain will be most alert between 10 AM and 3 PM. That is when your best work or learning is done.</li>
<li>If you still don't feel awake, you may need even more early sunlight. You need at least 1 hour of daylight exposure outside to reduce sleepiness and stay happy and productive throughout the day.</li>
<li>If you still feel tired throughout the day, 150 minutes of moderate activity a week can affect how well you sleep and how energetic you feel the next day.</li>
</ul>

The best time for brain work

Timing matters, and it affects your health more than you realize. Modern life is messing with our circadian rhythm. Here's how to fix it...

This Is The Best Time To Do Anything: 6 Powerful Secrets From Research

Burnout can be defined as a combination of exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficiency. People who feel burned out may experience a lack of emotional energy to attend to their work, withdraw from colleagues and customers, and may feel incompetent as a result.
But not everyone experiences burnout in the same way. A better framework can help to understand the many subtypes of burnout.

The traditional definition of burnout

<ul>
<li>The frenetic worker. Despite feeling overloaded and overwhelmed with work, you work increasingly harder, ignoring your own needs to the point of exhaustion.</li>
<li>The under-challenged worker. You have to cope with monotonous conditions that fail to provide satisfaction. You feel that your work lacks opportunities to develop your abilities.</li>
<li>The worn-out worker. You are mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausted. You become passive and unmotivated.</li>
</ul>

The types of burnout

Researchers listed fifteen different coping strategies commonly used by people experiencing burnout. Not all coping mechanisms are constructive.
<ol>
<li>Social support</li>
<li>Humour</li>
<li>Better planning of workload</li>
<li>Restraint</li>
<li>Focus on solving the problem</li>
<li>Personal growth</li>
<li>Positive reinterpreting of your challenges</li>
<li>Distracting activities</li>
<li>Religion</li>
<li>Acceptance</li>
<li>Substance abuse</li>
<li>Behavioural disengagement</li>
<li>Venting of emotions</li>
<li>Denying the situation</li>
<li>Cognitive avoidance</li>
</ol>
Regardless of the coping strategies you use, try not to push through burnout. Attempt to get support, take a break, and make space for self-reflection.

Burnout: Coping mechanisms

A team at Zaragoza University designed a helpful framework to understand the three types of burnout based on how we cope when burning out.

mentalhealth

Mental Health

timemanagement

Time Management

The three types of burnout

<ul>
<li>Ultrasound was first used for clinical purposes in 1956 in Glasgow. </li>
<li>Obstetrician Ian Donald and engineer Tom Brown developed the first prototype systems based on an instrument used to detect industrial flaws in ships.</li>
<li>They perfected its clinical use, and by the end of the 1950s, ultrasound was routinely used in Glasgow hospitals..</li>
<li>It really took off in British hospitals in the 1970s, and it was well into the 1970s before it became widely used in American hospitals.</li>
<li>By the end of the 20th century, ultrasound imaging had become routine in maternity clinics throughout the developed world.</li>
</ul>

Ultrasound for clinical purposes: The history

<ul>
<li>Ultrasound imaging involves bouncing "ultrasonic" sound waves at body structures or tissues, and detecting the echoes that bounce back.</li>
<li>Obstetric ultrasonography is used to image a human fetus inside its mother's womb. </li>
<li>Based on the angle of the beam, and the time it takes for echoes to return, an image of body structures inside the fetus can be generated.</li>
<li>It's used to confirm a pregnancy, to identify the sex and number of fetuses and to detect fetal abnormalities such as microcephaly, absence of kidneys, and spinal problems.</li>
</ul>

How the ultrasound works

history

History

The History of Ultrasound

How people age has everything to do with the life choices they make now - what they eat and how they view the world.
One of the simplest ways to age well is to understand that what you put into your body and mind will affect every part of your body.

Ageing well

Warning signs from your body that it is underperforming: you&#39;re achy, tired, gaining weight, and not sleeping well. 
However, the right choices can radically change and even reverse some of the symptoms. Studies show that it&#39;s never too late to start new habits and experience improvements.

Change the way you think

Researchers state that there are about 20 longevity genes with the potential to help us live longer and healthier lives. The pathways of many of these genes respond to lifestyle habits such as what, when, and how much you eat, how you move your body, how much good sleep you get, and how much stress you endure.
Recent research suggests that we should eat more protein from plants and less from animals as we age. Younger people who are still growing need more meat and dairy.

Nurturing your longevity genes

Recent research tells us that as we age, we should be getting more of our protein from plants. Our longevity genes are important nutrient sensors.

Creating Great Choices

Dr. Rhonda Patrick: Micronutrients for Health & Longevity | Episode 70

How to Start Working Out If You've Never Exercised Before

Getting Results the Agile Way

How to breathe | Psyche Guides

Amelia W.