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We usually see stress as a negative sensation on our bodies as work deadlines pile up, conflict with friends and family appear or when trying to accommodate to busy schedules. That kind of meaning to the word stress is what wears us down both mentally and physically, but according to research there are actually two different types of stress with different implications to it:
- Distress: This one refers to negative stress, such as having extreme anxiety that ends up with people having trouble sleeping, eating or concentrating. Long periods of distress due to biological or external events increases the likelihood of chronic disease.
- Eustress: On the other hand, eustress refers to a kind of “positive stress” which can have some positive effects such as protecting us from aging and disease. This beneficial stress drives us to complete our daily tasks and life goals, and has a direct effect with our life satisfaction and well-being.
In small doses, stress can help us give meaning to our lives and keep us active. This helps us build confidence and skills that are important for our careers and how we build our relationship with people. A life without stress isn’t necessarily better, and healthy competition in life makes us feel proud of ourselves and helps us grow as human beings.
Technology has changed the world for the positive by, for example, allowing millions of people to work remotely, order groceries online and even use the help of Artificial Intelligence in our day to day tasks. As the COVID-19 outbreak accelerated contactless solutions around the city, smart parking has been one the initiatives to reduce exchanging cash and parking meter use.
Governments and tech companies are now creating platforms that allow people to check parking occupancy anywhere in the city and pay for it online right from their smartphones. Now, instead of having to interact with a real person on having to wait in line to pay for the service, users can even add more funds to their reservation without having to even be close to the parking space where they left their car in.
Digital parking technology is another component of smart cities that are quickly changing the way we interact with our city spaces. Additional benefits of digital parking include space optimization as users have higher visibility into parking spaces surrounding each area, as well as unloading some of the city traffic that is caused by drivers looking for a place to park.
Whether you are looking for a parking space at malls, schools, parks around the city or in your office, regular parking causes an impact to the environment and stress to people who simply cannot find a space. With the introduction of these technologies, people are able to find where to park more efficiently and without having to interact with real money.
The world has changed in many radical ways after the pandemic of 2020 and we are only slowly starting to return to normality, only that this ‘new normal’ will have many differences on how we do things. For instance, the necessity of working remotely during the pandemic has shown many businesses that employees can in fact work from home and still be productive. Bringing more work to our household will become much more common this 2021. For this reason, we have gathered some important tips that can help you increase productivity at home, while keeping space and time for family and private matters.
Set a structure
It is important that you do not mix family life and work constantly; otherwise you will not be fully present in either case. Set a schedule for the hours you are working and when you are off. Turn off your computer when you are done working and mute notifications on your phone so you can be present with your co-inhabitants and loved ones.
Build a good setting
Try to replicate the ergonomics of your workstation in the office. Make sure you get enough fresh air, good lighting and have a proper desk and chair for work. Avoid working from the couch or bed, otherwise you might experience aches throughout your body due to bad postures.
Move and stretch
Working from home means you are mainly stationary as you don’t have to get up as often as in the office for meetings, lunch breaks, conferences and the like. They say sitting is the new smoking because a sedentary life can trigger many health risks. Set rituals for going out for walks, stretch your body every hour and drink plenty of wholesome liquids like plain water, herbal tea or fruit/veggie shakes. These healthy rituals will also help you in keeping focus and avoiding ‘cabin fever’, which is quite common when you do not change the environment for long periods of time.
Save time for you
You also have to make time for the things you love. As a rule of thumb, keep evenings and weekends sacred, completely free of work. Spend time reading, watching the news, playing with your kids or making a long delicious meal in the kitchen. Productivity is not about working hard for long hours, but instead, it is about feeling sharp-minded and energized during the hours you set to work.
Be extra communicative and friendly
Some research says that communication is 55% body language, 38% tone of voice and only 7% is the actual message you are getting across. When we work remotely, we lose much of the richness of human communication. To compensate for this, it is important that you keep a friendly and positive tone in your emails and messages. It is often a good idea to add a little emoji - ☺ - when you say ‘thanks’ or ‘you are welcome’, so the recipient of the message can sense your mood and sincerity.
Quality video conferencing
Here are the top 5 tips for your online meetings:
