Hi folks, For you fans who like what you are reading and keep coming back, I invite you instead to visit my personal blog, which I update regularly http://othatsherry.com. Even without “stress-free” in the blog url, there are plenty of great articles. From career-related “Seriously serious (but funny) job advice from comedian” to taking a…
For hardcore coffee drinkers, be that you are coffee lover or coffee addict, coffee is the elixir that promises full-awakedness. What’s the not-so-secret ingredient in coffee that drives energy? Caffeine. Caffeine, as explained in a National Geographic magazine article by T.R. Reid, interferes with adenosine, “a chemical in the body that acts as a natural…
The boomerang generation, roughly defined as those in their 20s and early 30s (me, you, you, and yes, you), are having a rough time. Of our generation, one in five people is currently living with his or her parents. Additionally, 60 percent still depend on their parents for financial support, according to PewResearch. While some express…
From The Many Adventures of Winnie the Pooh (1977), the following conversation took place between Winnie the Pooh (Pooh) and Christopher Robin (C.R.): C.R.: Pooh, what’s your favorite thing in the whole world? Pooh: My favorite thing is me coming to visit you, and then you ask, “How about a small smackeral of honey?” C.R.: I like that, too. But…
I never quite get Herman Melville’s short story, “Bartleby, the Scrivener.” But the vivid descriptions of the other three clerks — Turkey, Nippers and Ginger Nut, stuck. The two copyists, Turkey and Nippers were juxtaposed as night and day. Turkey was a short, pursy Englishman… In the morning, one might say his face was of…
Laughing is good for you, but corny? How about uni-corny? While researchers have not reached a conclusion whether the act of laughing actually makes people feel better, a good sense of humor and positive attitude sure don’t hurt. Hence, I feel obligated to re-share a Mashable story on Paris Hilton’s newest ‘unicorny’ music video. After watching the…
Good news, studies have found that women are (reputed) to be better at multitasking than men. Is it possible that I can work better, more efficiently because I am doing more things at once? Is it possible that I can simultaneously read my emails, write notes, plan my weekend and eat my lunch? Is it possible that I can…
Pets are cute, cuddly and stress-reducing. Studies have shown that petting, much like touching or hugging, releases feel-good hormones known as oxytocins (read more about these love hormones in cuddle party facilitator Q&A). Pets provide companionship and the strong human-to-animal bond can help reduce blood pressure, bring comfort and even promote better relationships with other humans.…
Do you know that stress can affect taste? According to a study by Lucy Donaldson of Nottingham University, anxiety or depression can cause change our taste perception. The study tested healthy people’s taste sensitivity after taking antidepressants that boosts levels of neurotransmitters like serotonin. Serotonin, which deals with inhibitory functions, affects memory, appetite, sleep as…
Throughout the week, do you catch yourself complaining about how stressful your life is? Of course it is. According to American Psychology Association data, women are more likely than men to experience high stress levels. On a 10-point scale, 23% of women report their stress level at an 8, 9 or 10 (extreme stress), compared to…
Acclaimed Japanese novelist Haruki Murakami is 65 and has run one marathon every year since the age of 33. He writes in his memoir, What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, that the first two miles are the most difficult, and “… the thirteen miles form the thirty-four-mile rest stop to the forty-seventh…
We are surrounded by objects. Even as I type this post, I am surrounded by everyday objects — computer, smartphone, mug, pens and so on and so forth. The folks at HTC have found that good design makes us happy. In a scientific study, HTC ran a test that monitored the participants’ reaction to objects commonly…
Back in the 1870s and 1880s, competitive walking was the craze. A six-day-walkathon — complete with brass bands, vendors selling roasted chestnuts and celebrities — where competitors would walk 100 miles a day. Can you imagine the excitement of watching people walk? Okay, maybe not. While some of us find the title, “Champion Pedestrian of the World,”…
Heidi Grant Halvorson (Harvard Business Review) opens her article, which outlines ways to avoid procrastination, with the following question: Can you imagine how much less guilt, stress and frustration you would feel if you could somehow just make yourself do the things you don’t want to do when you are actually supposed to do them? When…
We smile when we are happy, and we frown when we are sad. Simple. Don’t believe me? Take a look at these emoticons: 🙂 happy unsure 😦 sad Melinda Wenner (Scientific American) writes that our emotions are reinforced and even driven by our corresponding facial expressions. Charles Darwin wrote in 1872: “The free expression by…
Stress-free NYC 