EP 115: The Fun 3-Step Method for Effortless Energy

Ever wonder how some people stay energized and are so productive all day? Imagine feeling fully charged and focused without reaching for another coffee.

This episode reveals a powerful, 3-step system designed to give you the right TYPE of energy for each activity. And this is better for your brain and wellness, too!

We’re going beyond time management into something even more impactful: energy management.

Discover how aligning your natural energy rhythms with your tasks can leave you feeling recharged, even on your busiest days.

With this fun 3-step method, you’ll learn:

• How to match the right tasks to your energy peaks

• Easy ways to identify and create the type of energy you need in the moment

• Why strategic social breaks can boost productivity like nothing else

Ready for effortless energy? Hit play to learn how to work smarter, feel better, and power through your day without burning out!

Here’s the Focus at Will music-for-your-brain resource I promised to share.

EP 111: Stay Sharp - How to Boost Your Mental and Physical Edge

How do you keep your brain and body sharp, primed for growth, and ready to thrive? If you, like me, don't have time for trial and error, you want the best strategies now. This episode pulls the best of from YOU, my listeners, about the insights that work for maximum wellness.

Listen to uncover the best of nutrition, fitness, and mindset to help you succeed in work, decision-making, and feeling great!

Plus, you'll learn from a big mistake I made in finding my new doctor. Don't waste time and energy making the same mistake I did.

EP 108: Supercharge Your Brain with These 7 Nutrients

Imagine you have back-to-back meetings, a high-stakes decision to make, and everyone looking to you for direction. That may not be hard to imagine, as it is your routine. Now imagine engaging with all of that with a clear, focused mind. In this episode learn the 7 nutrients that can get you there.

• The vitamins that increase brain health now and long-term

• The nutrient that can wake up your brain and mood when you take it in the morning; and can build your muscle when you take it with your workout.

• A key nutrient that boosts your memory

To learn how to increase your dopamine and serotonin (mentioned in this episode), head here.

Want your brain to work better for you? Listen now.

EP 105: Maximize Your Endorphins to Boost Your Mood and Performance

What if you could flip the switch to tap into peak performance, with a few simple actions? Releasing endorphins is a key component to mental clarity, control your appetite, and build both muscle and your brain. You don't even have to get a "runner's high" to get these benefits. Found out how in this fun episode.

EP 104: Stress Less, Lead Better - Unlock the Power of Oxytocin

To buffer your stress and create high-performing collaborative teams, you need the power of oxytocin.

In this episode you'll discover how to unlock it in yourself and in those around you.

Some actions are things you do anyway ... simply learn how to do them with a bit of intention or a twist to get the most out of them. Then watch you and your team's performance soar.

Here’s the episode (41) I mentioned on meditation

EP 103: Decision-Making Mastery - Dopamine, Serotonin, and The Last Samurai

To stay at the top your game, you need great decision-making, mental well-being, relationships, brain function, and motivation to stay strong. In this episode discover the role that dopamine and serotonin play in these critical areas.

And, more important, easy lifestyle choices to improve and balance your happy hormones. Including insights, on strengthening dopamine, from the movie The Last Samurai.

98: Unlocking Lavender - Proven Benefits for Your Body and Mind

The solutions for your work and life and often at your fingertips. Lavender is one of those easy-to-reach answers. In this episode, learn how lavender heals minor wounds, calms your nervous system, helps you sleep, aids your digestion, and even how it improves positive interations + decreases aggression in your workplace. 100% science-backed tips.

As promised in the episode, here are the compounds in lavender that can reach peak plasma levels in 19 minutes when you apply lavender on your skin: linalool and linalyl acetate.

Here are the additional resources I mention:
Fast and Easy Ways to Keep Your Energy Up

19 Ways to Use Lavender

95: Top 10 Tips for Your Wellness at Work

Want some unusual ways to amp-up your wellness at work? Here are just 3 of the 10 you'll hear in this fun episode. (By the way - ALL 10 have been shown to improve both your wellness and your team's productivity.)

• Interesting choices like -- putting up pictures of nature (even the crazy photo from your last beach trip) 

• Serious steps like -- getting a support system outside of work

• Funny things like -- asking job candidates if they have a favorite joke to share (yes, I know a company that does this)

Here is the episode I mentioned, on Sleep and Work .
Want to dive deeper into handling your workplace stress? Here are some great episodes for you.
Master Your Stress

What a Real Gratitude Practice Looks Like

EP 87: The Power of Gratitude to Lower Your Stress

A couple of nights ago I was having trouble falling asleep. Just as I started worrying "Oh, no. What if I lay here awake for hours?", I remembered a suggestion from my physician.

It's literally a life-changing strategy that helps your sleep, PLUS your relationships, lowers your stress, increases your joy and work satisfaction, and improves your brain health.

You ready for it?
It's gratitude.

In this episode learn the exciting research on how gratitude benefits your body and your brain. And, most important, discover 10 unique gratitude practices that you can test for yourself.

You want to practice gratitude, and the reason you may have struggled to do so is that you have not yet found a version that resonates with you. Look no further. You will discover it in this episode.

EP 78: The Connection Cure - How Relationships Help Your Health

Picture this: You go out with a couple of friends over the weekend and have a ton of fun.

Then on Monday you're at your doc's office. You get a great report and your doc says "Whatever you're doing, keep it up."

Believe it or not, the two are related. In this episode you'll learn the research about how relationships impact your wellness and three creative tools I've found to help you grow and deepen your friendships. The goal may be fun ... the bonus is a healthy body.

Here are the resources I mention in the podcast -
https://www.werenotreallystrangers.com/

https://harveymackay.com/books/

https://www.letsroam.com/adventure_book/scratch_off_family_book

EP 77: Get Your Best Sleep - 3 Pro Tips

If you've been struggling to catch your zzz's, you're not alone.  About 60 million people, just in the U.S., don't get enough sleep.  Either because they stay up late, trying to cram in more activity -- or they go to bed, only to toss and turn.

I used to be one of them, too.

In this episode here's what you will discover ...
- Three easy tips to improve the quantity and quality of your sleep
- Why one bad night's sleep can lead to a streak of sleep-deprived days
- A simple microcommitment you can start TONIGHT for an instant sleep upgrade.

EP 70: The Best Planners to Master Your Wellness and Productivity

Compare the top paper planners for both productivity, and how they stack up toward helping you reach your wellness goals. Because your wellness is the foundation of your productivity.

Listen to a review of the Franklin Planner, Erin Condren, Full Focus, and some special planners from Etsy stores. Plus, how to decide what wellness goals you even need to plan and track in your planner

https://www.thevireolife.com/podcast/2023/12/15/ep-68-the-best-wellness-and-productivity-apps-to-use-now

https://fullfocusstore.com/pages/planner

https://store.franklinplanner.com/planners/classic-planners-5.5-x-8.5/

https://www.erincondren.com/champagne-a5-daily-lifeplanner-ring-agenda

https://www.etsy.com/shop/TheInspiredStories

EP 42: Sweet Escape - The Links between Stress-Diets-and-Food

How does stress and cortisol impact your craving for pasta, cookies, and other comfort food?

What does science say about whether dieting increases your cortisol?

Do certain foods help you handle stress?

Ultimately - What can you do in your life and food to lower your stress and enjoy your life?

http://www.thevireolife.com/blog/2018/4/18/5-herbs-for-stress-management

http://www.thevireolife.com/blog/2017/1/23/a-new-kind-of-stress-eatingthat-is-actually-beneficial

The DASH Diet to lower blood pressure

EP 41: Is Short Meditation Better? The Results Are In.

Is it better to mediate daily, but short - or to meditate periodically, but long? After research and my own 6 month experiment, I'm ready to share the answers.

Here are the resources I mentioned:

Guided Meditation for Mindful Eating

http://www.thevireolife.com/podcast/2023/2/2/ep-23-two-powerful-mental-habits-to-feel-great

http://www.thevireolife.com/podcast/2022/12/30/ep-18-should-you-set-realistic-or-big-resolutions-to-succeed

EP 37: Why Workplace Wellness - How to Build a Stronger Team Now

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What is it costing when your company doesn't promote wellness?

Plus how to start and keep an effective wellness culture.

• Learn about the Stages of Change Model

• Hear from two companies who are doing wellness right

• Get 5 questions to start and keep the wellness conversation going

EP 32: This is Why You Need More Sunshine Now

What's a foundational practice for great energy that's so easy it could be called a "hack"? Sunlight. Discover the research of why sunlight is so good for your body and brain -- when to get it -- how much you need -- and easy ways to get more.

Here’s Episode 15 that I mentioned - Fast and Easy Ways to Keep Your Energy Up

EP 31: Energize with Simple Shifts in What You See and Hear

Discover how clutter and noise impact your energy. And how clutter and noise are relative terms -- what is clutter to you may be cozy to someone else. Your brain is unique. In this episode find out about a resource for productivity, that is designed for your unique brain. It’s linked here -

Focus at Will for productivity music

Also, check out Mridu Parikh’s podcast Life is Organized for organizing your work and life.

EP 13: What a Real Gratitude Practice Looks Like and Why

Discover how a gratitude practice can be ineffective - or even dangerous. And how to use a gratitude practice to your benefit. Learn the physical wellness results of being thankful. And, of course, find out the five easy ways to add a gratitude practice into your life. I share my stories of gratitude-gone-wrong, as well as how I've found what works in being thankful.

The five gratitude apps I mention

• Gratitude

• Presently: A gratitude journal

• Delightful: A gratitude journal + 3 good things

• Grateful: A gratitude journal

• 365 Gratitude Journal - Self care App

EP 12: Five Ways to Destress and Enjoy the Holidays

You really can have less stress and greater fulfillment during the holiday season. Learn five unique ways to prepare for, enjoy, and handle the holidays.

Plus, I tell a couple of funny stories on myself ... times I goofed the holidays and discovered the lessons I'm sharing with you. Give yourself the gift of a new perspective on stress management this holiday season.