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Clare Kumar | Inclusive & Sustainable Performance

Clare Kumar

Powering Up Productivity & Pleasure

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melatonin

Facing Fall – Seven strategies to boost your energy for the “Dark Half”

 

Clare Kumar walking along street

I know fall has technically just started, but I’m feeling it full force in the mornings. We are entering the dark half of the year, when light levels are lowest north of the equator.  Light levels affect our melatonin production. In darkness, we produce more, making us sluggish and sleepy.  It’s harder to get up, and once home at the end of the day, harder to go out.

When I worked in a corporate cubicle and travelled there by subway, I used to feel anxiety about the impending change of seasons as early as July 31st. Can you relate to what I’m talking about? I was never diagnosed, but I figured I had a solid case of SAD, or Seasonal Affective Disorder. In the mid-90’s, November in Toronto was in various shades of sombre gray – the depressing, not titillating kind.  I committed to leaving the city, which I did for nine years.

During that time I was able to shift to work from home in a light-filled space, and with more flexibility in schedule to get outside in natural light, I now have nowhere near the anxiety I used to fear. It hasn’t turned into a love of winter, but I’m now able to appreciate the sun bouncing off the snow and the afternoon glow that penetrates further into my office.

 

1. Get enough sleep

Most people need between 7 and 9 hours per night.  If you’re like me and suffer from “just one more thing” syndrome which prevents you from getting to bed early enough, consider setting an alarm for “bedtime”.  With enough sleep and a consistent routine, you will likely not need a wake-up alarm in the morning.  Here’s what the National Sleep Foundation has to say about how much sleep is ideal.

 

2. Spend time outside each day

If it’s not your natural urge to be outside in cold weather, you’ll want to find ways to boost your exposure to daylight. Walk part of the way to work, take part in an outdoor winter sport, park a little further from the mall entrance.   If that’s difficult, consider using a now-widely available light lamp to amp up (ooh, catch that?) the quality and number of rays you’re receiving.  If you’re considering purchasing one, you’ll want to read this list of things to consider.

 

3. Respect your energy levels

It takes more time and energy just getting around in cold winter, so it pays to be more selective in what you choose to invest your time and energy.  I will be cutting back on activities which take me out in the evening when I would rather be winding down the day.

 

4. Supplement your Vitamin D

Even with natural light and a healthy diet, you are likely not getting enough Vitamin D, a key ingredient for our bodies for fighting inflammation and for repair. In fact, since the precursor to Vitamin D is synthesized on your skin, which requires your skin to be exposed to the sun when it is higher than 31.5 degrees in the sky (according to Dr. Michael Hollick), you can’t make it yourself in a good chunk of the year. Here is a guide to recommended dosing from the Mayo Clinic.

 

5. Limit carbohydrates and sugar

Watch the ratio of carbs to other foods.  Carbs can make you sleepy and prone to talking yourself out of the exercise that will boost your endorphins and therefore your energy.

 

6. Dress warmly

It took moving to Montreal for me to concede that it was better to dress warmly than try to stay stylish in the cold.  Good thing that coincided with the advent of down coats becoming fashionable and affordable, though I confess to having started with head-to-toe sheepskin. I had to wait for a bus to work, and nothing blocked the wind like that coat.  If you are feeling cold, your body is under stress, you think less clearly and are ultimately less productive, never mind the fact feeling frozen is horribly uncomfortable.

 

7. Incorporate colour

Checking out stores for fall clothing and you’ll see the palette is decidedly more sombre, but who says your wardrobe has to be?  I’ve had persimmon orange and radiant orchid down coats and I swear they energize not only me, but the people I meet. It’s as if your clothes are smiling.  If you have a dark winter coat, add some pizzazz with a bright scarf and toque!

 

How do you keep your spirits up through fall and winter?  I’d love to hear what you do.

 

Note: The information on this site is offered as an information resource only.  It should not be used or relied on for any diagnostic or treatment purposes and should not be used as a substitute for professional diagnosis and treatment.

This post was originally published on www.streamlife.ca and has been updated.

 

Filed Under: Comfort, Light, Nurture, Performance, Productivity, Technology Tagged With: depression, melatonin, SAD, season affective disorder, Vitamin D

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Productivity catalyst, highly sensitive executive coach, and speaker, Clare Kumar cultivates sustainable performance in busy professionals so they can keep making rich contributions in all areas of life and achieve greater fulfillment.

She inspires leaders, professionals, employees and entrepreneurs to respect humanity and boost performance through marrying productivity and pleasure. After all, why shouldn’t you have fun while getting things done?

 

From the Blog

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george michael was right - it’s better OUTSIDE. george michael was right - it’s better OUTSIDE. why iron in a basement when you can be outside?

#magicalmundane #chores #ironing #enjoyment #pleasure #payyourselfforward
terrible decision by networks to be sharing two au terrible decision by networks to be sharing two audio streams at once with simultaneous translation. (kudos to the translators)

in general, humans do not multitask. we task switch. 

i’m looking at you @ctvnews 

especially difficult for neurodivergent minds. 

#clarity #onethingatatime #
 #focus
@bell let’s talk

let’s talk about ageism
let’s talk about sexism
let’s talk about respect
let’s talk about talent 
let’s talk about bad decisions
let’s talk about owning it

#media #women #talent #respect #lisalaflamme #silverhair #newsanchor
oh morning movement, i adore you so. calming grou oh morning movement, i adore you so. 
calming
grounding
opening 
allowing me to expand into my day 

#yoga
#dailydose
#move
#productivitytablestakes 
#sustainableperformance
#priorities
#nonnegotiable
#wellbeing
#physicalhealth
#mentalhealth
how do you feel about paper? necessary? evaporatin how do you feel about paper? necessary? evaporating before your eyes? happy when it disappears?

tune into my convo with @proforganizer aka “Paper Doll” as we explore why paper still deserves respect. 

let us know what you think? drop a comment here or a review where you listen to podcasts. 
#paper #organizer #organizing #podcast 

******

Posted @withregram • @napo_natl Why Paper Still Matters - The latest episode of the NAPO Stand Out Podcast, featuring Host @clarekumar 
and guest @proforganizer president of Best Results Organizing. Download and listen today at NAPOpodcast.com, our YouTube channel, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more!
inflammatory or on point? a recent Business Insid inflammatory or on point?

a recent Business Insider article labeled the tension between workers and management as a war.

loathe to use language about war when we continue to witness such senseless brutality 🟨🟦, the word does bring attention to the stress apparent in many organizations as we approach the fall in the northern hemisphere and with it, greater pressure to be "back in the office". 

here i offer you assumptions, facts, and opportunities to consider based on my work as a speaker and exec coach around leadership and inclusive & sustainable performance.

it is not lost on me that the number of women dominated Business Insider's list by a ratio of 9:1. thanks to Bruce Larson, CHRO at The Carlyle Group for recognizing that flexibility attracts talent.

what are you seeing out there? do we need more expansive and inclusive thinking? who needs to see this?
#flexibility #inclusivity #leadership
Harold Taylor is one of those rare people who come Harold Taylor is one of those rare people who come along in your life and is so inspiring, you just have to take note. a prolific creator and time management industry icon, we recently learned that Harold is also highly sensitive.

shy as a child, he never imagined he would find himself a force on the stage, garnering awards and recognition from both the productivity and speaking industry.

colleagues in @professionalorganizersincanada
@napo_natl, @canadianspeakers and @nsaspeaker will all appreciate hearing from more than just a successful entrepreneur. Harold is also what I call a successful work-life integrator. he has shaped his life to suit his temperament which facilitates him sustaining his energy and attention which facilitates continuing to share his rich insights with the world.

i hope you’ll invest half an hour in getting to know Harold if you don’t already. it could be life-changing.

link in bio or go to www.happyspacepod.com & follow the podcast button

#hsp #productivity #timemanagement #speaker #csp
this month we are taking about REST as a survival this month we are taking about REST as a survival tool. it’s especially critical for #hsp with the amount of overwhelm we can feel. 

we’ll be taking challenges, a reframe for the concept of sleep, and strategies to make a pause a priority 

i hope you’ll join us. link to register in bio. 

😊😊😊
listen to the combo of construction in the condo d listen to the combo of construction in the condo downstairs (week 18), track work on the street outside (digging up asphalt), and my cats’ purring. 

we have to be thankful when it’s peaceful. 

a big insight from the book “Golden” was to think about how i may / may not be amplifying that noise. 

i realize that i had been which just adds to it. 

staying calm and grounded as best i can. crossing fingers there will be some peace this weekend. 

the city sound cameras can’t come soon enough. 

for more on challenging city noise, follow @sippindata on twitter. 

#noise #stress #mindovermadness #noisyneighbours #construction #dontmetomovetothecountry #calm #whatnoise  #shutup #shaddupayaface
Load More… Follow on Instagram

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%%QUESTIONANSWERS%%
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Almost there...
Where can we email you your score, the HSP traits, and how they show up for you.
 
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Note - you are not being added to a marketing list when you choose this option.

You got a score of %%YOURSCORE%% out of %%TOTALSCORE%%
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You're blessed with superb filters and have no trouble handling a chaotic environment. Not a lot bothers you. HSPs dream of feeling like this!


You believe “done is better than perfect”. With your focused action, there’s a chance you can be perceived as being a bit of a bull in a china shop. You may quickly jump to conclusions and be too casual with others’ feelings. 

 

You may benefit from taking more time to assess a situation before taking action, something that comes naturally to HSPs.

 

Engaging with HSPs may invite you to notice nuances in a situation that can help smooth your journey.

 

With about 20% of people being highly sensitive, it makes good sense to learn more about the trait.

 

You’re invited to join the Happy Space Pod Online Community, a positive place for HSPs and also for non-HSPs like you who want to better understand and more fully support the valuable HSPs in their lives. 



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You notice a mix of emotions each day, in yourself and others. Sometimes this is easy to accommodate. Other times, it can be overwhelming.

 

You are sometimes bothered by disorganization and chaos around you and notice what could be improved. 

 

Other times, you miss nuance and subtleties that can better guide your actions. You can be creative in the right environment.

 

You are sometimes able to reprioritize efficiently when necessary. Other times, you might find yourself needing to think deeply before making a decision.

 

With 1 in 5 people having the trait of high sensitivity, it is quite possible that you are one of them. 

 

If you shared your email address with us, you should have already received an email with your custom results and more detailed information.

Meanwhile, I invite you to explore the trait of high sensitivity by joining the Happy Space Pod Online Community, a positive place for HSPs and also for non-HSPs who want to better understand and more fully support the valuable HSPs in their lives. 

I hope to see you there.


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Hello, fellow HSP!


You believe perfect is worth striving for and you are proud of your conscientiousness. Being so thoughtful with your work often leaves you frustrated at just how long it takes to get something done. 


Your ability to notice what’s going on around you provides helpful cues which guide your path forward. While blurting out what’s on your mind has sometimes ruffled feathers, you are generally perceived as a thoughtful team player who cares for others. 


You will benefit greatly from setting boundaries, improving self-regulation,  and self-advocating to preserve your energy. 

Join the supportive Happy Space Pod Online Community for more strategies that will help you thrive as an HSP.


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