Session One: Building Healthy Workday Micro-Habits
Slide Deck:
Intralox Session 1 Healthy Habits by Lucy Griffith
Articles:
Psychology of Habit: New Yorker Article by Jerome Groopman Can Brain Science Help us Break Bad Habits?
How to Build Healthy Habits: New York Times Article by Tara Parker-Pope
Books:
Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg
Atomic Habits by James Clear
Podcasts:
The Secret Formula For Making Habits Stick – Broken Brain Podcast with Dhru Purohit (Short version)
The Secret Formula to Creating New Habits That Stick – Broken Brain Podcast with Dhru Purohit (Full-length version)
Websites:
Simple habit change techniques: BJ Fogg’s Tiny Habits
Accountability for Change: Stickk.com website (commitment contract)
Healthy Movement Habits Videos:
Fitness Apps:
Downdog (Fitness & Yoga apps offering short, customisable workouts)
Session Two: Boost your Workday Energy
Slide Deck:
Intralox Session 2 Boost Your Workday Energy by Lucy Griffith
Video:
How to do the Brügger Break (Posture Microbreaks)
Wall Angel (for tight shoulders)
Podcasts
How Movement Radically Transforms the Brain – Broken Brain Podcast by Dhru Purohit
Books:
Physical Intelligence by Claire Dale and Patricia Peyton
Articles:
Benefits of Walking Meetings: Inc. Article on how walking meetings can promote creative thinking
Sitting and Exercise: New York Times Article on how sitting for too long sabotages exercise benefits
Moving to Reduce Health Risks: New York Times Article on how short and low intensity activity can help improve health
Exercise & the brain: Guardian Article on how exercise improves cognitive functioning
Health Risks Associated with Prolonged Sitting: NHS Article – Why We Should Sit Less
Ideas for moving more when you’re working from home:
Injecting Movement into your Workday
Energising movement break (5 minutes away from your desk):
Scientific Research:
How walking can improve creative thinking: 2014 Study – American Psychological Association
Power Posing Effects: 2018 Study – Association for Psychological Science
Research linking slumped postures to negative perception – University of Hildesheim/Ruhr University Bochum Germany
Seated posture and Confidence: 2009 Study by Ohio State University
Movement-Based Exercises:
Circulation Booster #1: Shake Out
Circulation Booster #2: Twisting Stretch
Circulation Booster #3: Standing Stretch
Session Three: Maintaining your Focus in a World Calling for your Attention
Slide Deck:
Intralox Session 3 Maintaining your Focus by Lucy Griffith
Articles:
Boredom tolerance: Guardian Article on how people prefer electric shocks to being alone with their thoughts
Exercise & the brain: Guardian Article on how exercise increases focus and attention span
Procrastination: BBC WorkLife Article on the emotional roots of procrastination
Procrastination: BBC WorkLife Article The Smart Guide to Procrastination
Self-control: BBC WorkLife Article on mental hacks that aid self-control at work
The cost of task-switching: Fast Company Article on the impact of interruption
Dealing with overwhelm: Harvard Business Review Article
How Busyness Leads to Bad Decisions: Article from BBC Worklife
Impact of multi-tasking: Psychology Today Article – The True Cost of Multi-Tasking
Notifications from Phones: Guardian Article – One Ping After Another
Tech Distraction: Harvard Business Review Article: Stop Letting Push Notifications Ruin Your Productivity
Attention Management: New York Times Article: Productivity isn’t about time management
Books:
Distraction – Indistractable by Nir Eyal
Scientific Studies:
The Cost of Interrupted Work – University of California Study – link to distraction and stress
Physical activity improving attention span – Journal of Science, Medicine & Sport
Videos:
How to Distraction-Proof Your Mind – BBC Ideas Video – with Nir Eyal
The Science of Multi-Tasking – BBC Ideas Video – Is it possible to multi-task effectively?
How Screen-use Effects our Lives – TED.com Talk – by Psychologist Adam Alter
How to Train Your Monkey Mind – Huffington Post Video – Interview with Mingyur Rinpoche (Tibetan Buddhist Master)
Activities:
Hacking your phone to avoid distraction: PDF Worksheet
Life balance – wheel exercise: Video and (Optional) PDF Worksheet
Apps:
Meditation training – Headspace
Distraction avoidance timer – Forest
Movement Exercises for Better Focus:
Session Four: Harness Positive Stress, Control Negative Stress
Slide Deck:
Intralox Session 4 Harness Positive Stress, Control Negative Stress by Lucy Griffith
Books:
‘Breath‘ by James Nestor – how the way we breathe impacts our health and stress levels
Video:
Brain Behaviour – Professor Robert Sopalsky explains how the three parts of our brain interact to produce and reduce a stress response
Breathing and Health: Ted Talk by Joe DiStefano
Breathing and Stress: Ted Talk by Psychologist Dr. Belisa Vranich
The role of the Vagus Nerve in Calming the Stress Response: New York Article by Edith Zimmerman
Negativity Bias – Ted Talk by Social Psychologist Alison Ledgerwood
Positive Aspect of Stress – Ted Talk by Health Psychologist Kelly McGonigal
Eustress / ‘Finding the Flow’ – Ted Talk by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi
Physical Exercises
Diaphragmatic breathing & the vagus nerve
Self-Massage Techniques for Tension Relief
Balancing Breath Technique (Nadi Shodana)
Articles:
Understanding the Stress Response – Harvard Medical School Article
Stress Control using Breathing Techniques – Harvard Medical School Article
Exercise and Stress: Mayoclinic Article on how exercise can reduce negative stress
‘Positive’ and ‘Negative’ Stress – What is Eustress? Article from positivepsychology.com
Scheduling ‘Worry Time’ – PGSG Article on Releasing Anxiety and Worry
How the brain responds to pressure – Headspace Blog Article on Reacting Better Under Stress
Harnessing the Upsides of Stress – Article from Harvard Medical School
Physical impact of Chronic Stress – Article from American Psychological Association
Stress and Control – Article from medicalnewstoday.com
Wim Hof Method – Cold Shower technique as method of stress management training
Fight, Flight or Flow? Choose Wisely – Article by Stuart Constable
Scientific Study
How Perception Affects Our Risk From Stress – 2011 University of Wisconsin Study
Apps:
Meditation & Mindfulness training – Headspace
Meditation & Mindfulness training – Buddhify
Meditation & Mindfulness training – Smiling Mind
Wim Hof Method App – Breath Control, Ice Showers and More!
Session 5: Rest and Recharge for Optimum Health & Performance
Slides
Intralox Session 5 Rest and Recharge by Lucy Griffith
Video:
Why Boredom is Important: BBC Reel short video
Time Confetti – The One Thing Ruining Your Free Time: BBC Reel short video
How to improve your sleep: Sleep Tips video by Sleep Scientist Matthew Walker
How to tell if you’re sleep Deprived: Tech Insider Video
Sleep is your superpower: TED talk by Sleep Scientist Matthew Walker
Books:
How the way we breathe impacts our health and energy – Breath by James Nestor
Sleep – Why We Sleep by Matthew Walker
Physical Intelligence by Claire Dale and Patricia Peyton
Articles:
How Busyness Leads to Bad Decisions: Article from BBC Worklife
How to Deal with Feeling Constantly Overwhelmed: Article from Harvard Business Review
Learning to Say No More Often: Article from New York Times
Do people choose pain over boredom? Article from BBC News
The impact of Cognitive Fatigue – Article from Metro
How Burnout Makes us Less Creative – TED video with Rahaf Harfoush
Creating the Habit of Not Being Busy – Article from Thrive Global
A case for doing nothing: The Dutch concept of ‘Niksen’ – Article from New York Times
Is Self-Care Self-Indulgence? – Article from New York Times
What to do with a day off – Article from New York Times
How to calm a racing mind and finally go to sleep – Article from Thrive Global
Downloads:
Energy depletion exercise: Reflection exercise
Free Sleep Booklet to download: Your Guide to Healthy Sleep
Apps:
Meditation and Relaxation training: Headspace
Physical Exercises:
Self-Massage Techniques for Tension Relief
Beginner’s Body Scan Meditation: from Mindful
Session 6: Workday Nutrition to Fuel Your Brain and Body
Slides:
Intralox Session 6 Workday Nutrition by Lucy Griffith
Resources:
Nutrition fact-checking: examine.com – Science-based nutrition and supplement information
Scientific Studies:
Effect of Trans Fat on Cognitive Health: PLOS One 2015 Study
Articles:
Mindful Eating: Harvard Education article
Nutrition myths: examine.com article – The Top 20 Nutrition Myths of 2020
Brain Food: welldoing.org article – Eating for a Healthy Mind-Gut Relationship
Gut Health: Guardian.com article – Magical Microbes – How to Feed your Gut
Health benefits of eggs: healthline article
Books:
Work Fuel – The Productivity Ninja Guide to Nutrition by Graham Allcott and Colette Heneghan
Gut Health – Gut by Giulia Enders
Video:
Caffeine – Ted-Ed Video – How does caffeine keep you awake?
How food powers your brain – Ted-Ed Video
How the food you eat affects your gut – Ted-Ed Video
A Brain Food Prescription from the Farmacy – TEDx Talk by Drew Ramsay
Benefits of Sourdough bread – Authority Nutrition Video
10 Sources of Healthy Fats – ActiveBeat Video
Physical Exercise
Five Finger Breathing – Reboot your brain, calm down and be in the moment – demonstrated by Dr. Jud Brewer (use before eating)
Session 7: Workday Nutrition to Fuel Your Brain & Body (Part Two)
Slides
Intralox Session 7 Workday Nutrition Part Two by Lucy Griffith
Your breakfast menu ideas from the session
Turn your takeaways from this series into habits:
Your behaviour ideas from the session
How to fine-tune your Tiny Habit recipes
