Why Do We Try So Hard?

Try harder?
Do you think that what you want in life will come when you try harder?
Trying harder in reality means people turn on more muscles, physically making more of an effort
But does additional effort actually help?
Most of the time it's a waste of time
Because the additional effort is not actually relevant to the task in hand!
If you are taking the lid off a bottle and turning on leg muscles to do it, how does that help?
Makes us feel like we're working harder but doesn't actually deliver a benefit
But what happens if the lid comes off, we think it helped!
But in reality, it was our hand gripping the lid and the turning force applied that got the lid off not our leg muscles being on!
So stop trying so hard all the time
Be selective, use only useful effort on your daily tasks!

Barbara

Enjoy the Journey

"Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it." Greg Anderson

Focusing on the journey is an analogy of life. If you rush to a destination e.g. A job on a career ladder or a specific outcome you may find life boring upon arrival at your destination and wished you had spent time enjoying getting there.

There is a parallel with the Alexander Technique. What if completing a movement was the destination then our focus would be on getting through the action as quickly as possible. This would mean we would rush an activity or abmovement in order to get it done without being aware of the potential consequences of how we carried it out.

However, if we decided that moving and carrying out a movement is a journey and we could take the time and mental steps necessary to plan and execute a movement effectively we would be enjoying the journey instead of rushing to the destination!

Enjoy Your Journeys!

Barbara x

Research Support for Benefits of General vs Specific thinking!

Finally, an article that looks at how we carry out activities and the impact our thinking has on them from a different point of view. I.e. It hasn't concluded you shouldn't think about what you are doing because that interrupts the flow. It has looked beyond that to see this as a stage of learning and using your higher cognitive functions to direct what you are doing improves the performance once you have got the hang of doing this! Fun to read when the rest of the world is catching up with this stuff!

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=going-from-good-to-great-with-complex-tasks&offset=2

P.s. I do wonder though if they have worked out how to teach this skill yet? No mention of it so probably not, just have to use the ITM Alexander technique till then!!!

Barbara xx

Alexander Technique now mentioned on NHS Choices website

Finally the NHS choices website has put an article up on the Alexander Technique. This at least gives a range of perspectives on the benefits and current trials evidence of its effectiveness.

There's a gap on the organisations mentioned: no mention of ITM (Interactive Teaching Method) or ATI (Alexander Technique International) nor the CNHC (Complementary and Natural Healthcare Council)  which holds the register for qualified Alexander Teachers and other complementary therapists across the uk.

But it's a really positive step!

If you want to read the article:

http://www.nhs.uk/conditions/alexander-technique/pages/introduction.aspx

Barbara

Pull Yourself Together!

How often have you heard the phrase:
"Pull yourself together"
Indicating that you should regain control of one's emotions and get on with things anyway
But what is the physical implications of this?
I see lots of people who are actually holding themselves together
With muscular tension
They are using lots of effort unnecessarily to do everyday tasks
While we may need a clear mind to do something
We don't actually need to hold ourselves together
Our bodies are pretty good at being a whole body on their own
No need for us to get in on the act as well!
Chill out this Winter - stop holding yourself together!

Barbara

Ever wondered why you spill coffee?

New research shows why we spill coffee, one reason is how we walk! Even irregularities in your walk/gait can increase the sloshing of your drink.

I think putting less coffee in your cup or putting a lid on it is a quick way to overcome this.

Although I've never considered a slosh test as a before and after comparison for Alexander technique lessons!

http://news.sciencemag.org/2012/05/physics-spilled-coffee

Barbara

More positive Alexander Technique Research from Bristol University

Study reveals the benefits of Alexander Technique lessons for sufferers of chronic pain:

http://www.bristol.ac.uk/news/2012/8789.html

Barbara