Friday, June 18, 2010

Improve Your Life - Psychology Ways

Psychology isn't just for students, academics and therapists. Psychology is both an applied and a theoretical subject, it can be utilized in a number of ways. While research studies are not exactly light reading material for the average person, the results of these experiments and studies can have important applications in your daily life.

1. Get Motivated your Self: Introduce new or novel elements to keep your interest high,Vary the sequence to help stave off boredom, Learn new things that build on your existing knowledge, Set clear goals that are directly related to the task, Reward yourself for a job well done.

2. Improve Leadership Skills Having good leadership skills will probably be essential at some point in your life. Not everyone is a born leader, but a few simple tips gleaned from psychological research can help your improve your leadership skills. One of the most famous studies on this topic looked at three distinct leadership styles. Based on the findings of this study and subsequent research, practice some of the following

when you are in a leadership position:
  • Offer clear guidance, but allow group members to voice opinions.
  • Talk about possible solutions to problems with members of the group.
  • Focus on stimulating ideas and be willing to reward creativity.
3. Improve Communication Communication involves much more than how you speak or write. Research suggests that nonverbal signals make up a huge portion of our interpersonal communications. In order to communicate your message effectively, you need to learn how to express yourself non-verbally and to read the nonverbal cues of those around you. A few key strategies.

Includes :
  • Use good eye contact.
  • Start noticing nonverbal signals in others.
  • Learn to use your tone of voice to reinforce your message.
4. Make More Accurate Decision Research in cognitive psychology has provided a wealth of information about decision making. By applying these strategies to your own life, you can learn to make wiser choices. The next time you need to make a big decision. http://psychology.about.com

Try using some of the following techniques:
  • Try using the “six thinking hats” approach by looking at the situation from multiple points of view, including rational, emotional, intuitive, creative, positive and negative perspectives.
  • Consider the potential costs and benefits of a decision.
  • Employ a grid analysis technique that gives a score for how a particular decision will satisfy specific requirements you may have.
5.Memory Improve Simple : Focus on the information, Rehearse what you have learned, Eliminate distractions.

6.Get A Better Grade The next time you're tempted to complain about pop quizzes, midterms or final exams, consider this research has demonstrated that taking tests actually helps you better remember what you've learned, even if it wasn't covered on the test.

Another study found that repeated test-taking may be a better memory aid than studying. Students who were tested repeatedly were able to recall 61% of the material while those in the study group recalled only 40%. How can you apply these findings to your own life? When trying to learn new information, self-test frequently in order to cement what you have learned into your memory.

7. More Productive Avoid multitasking when working on complex or dangerous tasks, Focus on the task at hand, Eliminate distractions.

Sometimes it seems like there are thousands of books, blogs and magazine articles telling us how to get more done in a day, but how much of this advice is founded on actual research? Exp, think about the number of times have you heard that multitasking can help you become more productive. In reality, research has found that trying to perform more than one task at the same time seriously impairs speed, accuracy and productivity.

8. Be Healthier Psychology can also be a useful tool for improving your overall health. From ways to encourage exercise and better nutrition to new treatments for depression, the field of health psychology offers a wealth of beneficial strategies that can help you to be healthier and happier.
  • Studies have shown that both sunlight and artificial light can reduce the symptoms of seasonal affective disorder.
  • Research has demonstrated that exercise can be an effective treatment for depression as well as other mental disorders.
  • Studies have found that helping people understand the risks of unhealthy behaviors can lead to healthier choices.
So...Improve Your Life with Applying Psychology in your life