INPSYNCOfficial Monthly Newsletter of InPsync Psychology

I SSUE 2NOVEMBER 2017

STUDY TIPS & TRICKS

HOW TO BEAT PROCRASTINATION

TH IS I SSUE I NCLUDES :

OPENING HOURS & CHRISTMAS CLOSURE

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INPSYNC PSYCHOLOGY

' I n P s ync w i t h We l l be i ng '

WHAT'S ON THIS MONTH?

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OPENING HOURS & HOLIDAY CLOSURE

The festive season is fast approaching so please take note of our closure dates for this period.

The clinic will be closed from the 20th of December 2017 and reopen on the 18th of January 2018.

We recommend speaking to your clinician in upcoming sessions to plan appointments ahead for this time.

As of January 2018 the clinics opening

hours will be;

Monday: CLOSED

Tuesday: 9am - 7pm

Wednesday: 9am – 5pm

Thursday: 12pm – 7pm

Friday: 9am – 5pm

Please note that InPsync Psychology is

unable to provide a crisis service.

For 24-hour support, please contact

Lifeline 13 11 14 or beyondblue 1300 22

4636.

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@InpsyncPsychology

STUDY TIPS & TRICKS

A s w e h e a d i n t o e x a m t i m e f o r m o s ts c h o o l a n d u n i v e r s i t y s t u d e n t s w et h o u g h t i t w o u l d b e t i m e l y t o t o u c h o ne x a m a n x i e t y a n d p r o v i d e s o m e s t r a t e g i e st o a s s i s t y o u i n m a n a g i n g s t r e s s a n de n s u r i n g y o u p e r f o r m a t y o u r b e s t . U n d e rt h e r i g h t c i r c u m s t a n c e s , a n x i e t y i s w h a tm o t i v a t e s u s t o d o s o m e t h i n g a b o u t at h r e a t e n i n g s i t u a t i o n . A s a r e s u l t o f t h i sw e k n o w t h a t p e r f o r m a n c e i s b e s t w h e nt h e r e i s a m e d i u m a m o u n t o f s t r e s s . W ek n o w t h a t v e r y l o w l e v e l s o f s t r e s s c a nl e a d t o f e e l i n g u n m o t i v a t e d , w h e r e a s v e r yh i g h l e v e l s o f s t r e s s c a n d i s c o u r a g e y o uf r o m t r y i n g t o a c h i e v e a n d c a n c a u s ee x h a u s t i o n a n d b u r n o u t . H i g h l e v e l s o fs t r e s s t h e n i m p a i r o u r t h i n k i n g a b i l i t ya n d r e s u l t i n p h y s i c a l s y m p t o m s l i k eh e a d a c h e s a n d n a u s e a a n d a l s o e m o t i o n a ls y m p t o m s l i k e f e e l i n g i r r i t a b l e o r g e t t i n gf r u s t r a t e d e a s i l y . T o r e d u c e s t r e s sb u i l d i n g g o o d h a b i t s i n t h e l e a d u p t oe x a m s i s v e r y i m p o r t a n t .

H e r e a r e o u r f a v o u r i t e t i p s :

E x e r c i s e : M a n y s t u d e n t s a r e t e m p t e d t oa v o i d t h e i r r e g u l a r e x e r c i s e o r s p o r t i n ga c t i v i t i e s i n o r d e r t o s t u d y m o r e i n e x a mt i m e s . H o w e v e r b e s i d e s l e a v i n g y o uf e e l i n g e n e r g i s e d a n d r e f r e s h e d , e x e r c i s ec a n i m p r o v e a t t e n t i o n , s p e e d o fp r o c e s s i n g i n f o r m a t i o n a n d t h e a b i l i t y t op e r f o r m c o g n i t i v e t a s k s . S o r a t h e r t h e ns o m e t h i n g t o p o s t p o n e , e x e r c i s e s h o u l db e c o m e p a r t o f e v e r y s t u d e n t ’ s s t u d yp r o g r a m .

R e l a x a t i o n : R e l a x a t i o n t e c h n i q u e s

c a n a l s o h e l p i n t h e l e a d u p t o e x a m s

a n d a l s o w h i l s t i n e x a m c o n d i t i o n s .

C o n t r o l l e d b r e a t h i n g c a n b e u s e d t o

b r i n g a s t r e s s r e a c t i o n u n d e r c o n t r o l

w h i l e m e d i a t i o n h a s b e e n s h o w n t o

h e l p i n d i v i d u a l s b u i l d s k i l l s t o

m a n a g e s t r e s s a n d t o r e d u c e n e g a t i v e

e m o t i o n s .

B a l a n c e : M a i n t a i n i n g a b a l a n c e d

l i f e s t y l e d u r i n g e x a m p e r i o d s i s k e y

t o y o u r e x a m p r e p a r a t i o n a n d w i l l

e n s u r e y o u p e r f o r m a t y o u r b e s t . S o

m a k i n g t i m e f o r s l e e p , e x e r c i s e ,

r e l a x a t i o n a n d s o c i a l i s i n g .

S e l f - T a l k : O u r s e l f - t a l k c a n

s i g n i f i c a n t l y i n f l u e n c e h o w w e l l w e

p r e p a r e f o r e x a m s a n d a l s o p e r f o r m

u n d e r t e s t c o n d i t i o n s . I f y o u f e e l

y o u r s e l f b e g i n n i n g t o l a p s e i n t o

n e g a t i v e t h i n k i n g p a t t e r n s w h e n

s t u d y i n g i t s i m p o r t a n t t o t a k e a b r e a k

a s t e p a w a y f r o m t h e s i t u a t i o n a n d t o

c h a l l e n g e t h e u n h e l p f u l t h o u g h t s t o

g e t y o u b a c k o n t r a c k .

S l e e p : L a c k o f s l e e p c a n a f f e c t m o o d

& c o g n i t i v e f u n c t i o n i n g ( i m p a i r i n g

y o u r m e m o r y , a t t e n t i o n ) , s o i t ’ s

i m p o r t a n t t o g e t 9 h o u r s o f s l e e p e a c h

n i g h t a n d t o d e f i n i t e l y a v o i d s t a y i n g

u p a l l n i g h t s t u d y i n g .

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I NPSYNC PSYCHOLOGY

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HOW TO BEAT PROCRASTINATION

Procrastination involves making a decision (sometimes in the blink of an eye) to delay a task or not finish it even though there could be negative consequences for you. Instead you choose to do something that is less of a priority. Often procrastination is a way of moving away from some feelings of discomfort. Understanding what triggers discomfort can help to overcome the procrastination habit.

If you’re curious you might like to track for a week those tasks or activities you’re most likely to put off. You might procrastinate about study, work, health matters, chores, relationships or decision making to name some areas of your life. What area would you choose to work on first? You can move from procrastination to action if you are willing to put some time and effort into change.

Why do we procrastinate?

What can you do to overcome Procrastination?G e t r i d o f c a t a s t r o p h i z i n g - O n e o f t h e b i g g e s t r e a s o n s p e o p l e p r o c r a s t i n a t e i s b e c a u s e t h e y c a t a s t r o p h i z e , o r m a k e a h u g e d e a l o u t o f s o m e t h i n g . I t m a y b e r e l a t e d t o h o w t o u g h , h o w b o r i n g , o r h o w p a i n f u l i t w i l l b e t o c o m p l e t e t h e t a s k ; t h e u n d e r l y i n g t h e m e i s t h a t d o i n g t h e t a s k w i l l b e “ u n b e a r a b l e . ” I n r e a l i t y , c h a l l e n g e s , b o r e d o m , a n d h a r d w o r k w i l l n o t k i l l y o u — o r e v e n m a k e y o u s i c k . P r o c r a s t i n a t i o n , o n t h e o t h e r h a n d , i s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h s t r e s s — t h i n k o f t h e s t r e s s y o u f e e l w h e n y o u a v o i d m a k i n g a p h o n e c a l l y o u k n o w y o u n e e d t o m a k e . S o k e e p t h i n g s i n p e r s p e c t i v e : “ S u r e , t h i s i s n o t m y f a v o r i t e t a s k , b u t I c a n g e t t h r o u g h i t . ”

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Get a partner- Establish specific deadlines for completing a task. Then find someone who will help you be accountable. It could be a promise to your boss or client that you will complete the job by a certain date. Or it may be a coach who helps you stay on track. Or simply find an accountability partner. In this relationship, you connect with someone (on the phone, for example) at certain time intervals (such as once per week) and commit to what you will do before your next meeting. Not wanting to go back on your word, this can be a great way to squash procrastination. (Note: In an effort to save your relationship with your significant other, I recommend this person not be your partner. You don’t want a lack of follow-through to cause tension between you.)

Get out your calendar- Projects that will get done "when I have time” (as in “I will do it when I have time”) tend not to get done very often, if ever. You need to schedule when you are going to work on a project, and block out that time, just as you would an important meeting. And when it is time to do your work, set a timer so you can be focused for the entire allotted time.

Be realistic- As you establish your schedule, set yourself up for success. Projects often take much longer than expected, so bake in some extra time. And look for ways to make it easier on yourself : If , for example, you are not a morning person, don’t expect yourself to get up an hour early to start the exercise program you have put off for months. It might be better to schedule that activity during lunch or before dinner.

C h u n k i t - W h e n a t a s k s e e m s o v e r b e a r i n g , p r o c r a s t i n a t i o n o f t e n f o l l o w s . S o h o w c a n y o u b r e a k t h a t t a s k i n t o s m a l l e r , m o r e m a n a g e a b l e p a r t s ? F o r e x a m p l e , i f y o u w a n t t o w r i t e a b o o k , y o u m a y c h o o s e t o m a k e a n o u t l i n e , i d e n t i f y e a c h c h a p t e r , f i g u r e o u t t h e s e c t i o n s i n t h e c h a p t e r s , a n d t h e n c o m m i t t o w r i t i n g o n e s e g m e n t a t a t i m e . C h u n k i n g i t d o w n l i k e t h i s w i l l h e l p y o u f e e l l e s s o v e r w h e l m e d a n d m o r e e m p o w e r e d .

E x c u s e s b e g o n e - D o a n y o f t h e s e s o u n d f a m i l i a r ? “ I n e e d t o b e i n t h e m o o d . ” “ I w i l l w a i t u n t i l I h a v e t i m e . ” “ I w o r k b e t t e r u n d e r p r e s s u r e . ” “ I n e e d X t o h a p p e n b e f o r e I c a n s t a r t . ” S t o p i t ! B e h o n e s t w i t h y o u r s e l f : T h e s e a r e e x c u s e s . S u r e , i t m i g h t b e n i c e t o ” b e i n t h e m o o d , ” b u t w a i t i n g f o r t h a t t o h a p p e n c a n m e a n y o u n e v e r s t a r t y o u r p r o j e c t .

F o r g i v e y o u r s e l f - S t o p b e a t i n g y o u r s e l f u p a b o u t t h e p a s t . T h o u g h t s s u c h a s “ I s h o u l d h a v e s t a r t e d e a r l i e r ” o r “ I a l w a y s p r o c r a s t i n a t e ; I a m s u c h a l o s e r ” w i l l o n l y m a k e m a t t e r s w o r s e . R e s e a r c h s h o w s t h a t f o r g i v i n g y o u r s e l f f o r p a s t p r o c r a s t i n a t i o n w i l l h e l p y o u s t o p p u s h i n g o f f w o r k i n g o n a t a s k . Y o u c a n t r y t o u s e p a s t p r o c r a s t i n a t i o n t o y o u r a d v a n t a g e a s w e l l . H o w ? D e t e r m i n e w h a t w e n t i n t o y o u r a v o i d a n c e — f e a r , s t r e s s , n o t h a v i n g a g o o d u n d e r s t a n d i n g o f h o w t o p r o g r e s s , l a c k o f a c c o u n t a b i l i t y . T h e n a d d r e s s t h o s e o b s t a c l e s i n t h e p r e s e n t a n d f u t u r e . I f , f o r e x a m p l e , i t w a s f e a r t h a t c o n t r i b u t e d t o y o u r p r o c r a s t i n a t i o n , w h a t s t e p s c a n y o u t a k e t o f e e l m o r e e m p o w e r e d a n d l e s s f e a r f u l n e x t t i m e a r o u n d ?

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WHATS ON IN NOVEMBER?

The purpose of World Kindness Day is to look beyond ourselves, beyond the

boundaries of our country, beyond our culture, our race, our religion;

and realise we are citizens of the world.

13/11 WORLD KINDNESS DAY

14/11 WORLD DIABETES DAY

WDD is the world’s largest diabetes awareness campaign reaching a global audience of over 1 billion

people in more than 160 countries. The campaign draws attention to

issues of paramount importance to the diabetes world and keeps diabetes

firmly in the public and political spotlight.

13-19/11 NATIONAL

PSYCHOLOGY WEEK

Psychology Week is an annual initiative of the Australian

Psychological Society that aims to increase public awareness of how

psychology can help Australians lead healthier, happier and more

meaningful lives.

18/11 INTERNATIONAL SURVIVORS OF SUICIDE

DAY

Survivor Day is the one day a year when people affected by suicide loss gather

around the world at events in their local communities to find comfort and

gain understanding as they share stories of healing and hope. In 2016,

there were over 350 Survivor Day events in 18 countries.