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Sixth Form at The King Edward VI School Logo
  • About us
    • Welcome
    • About us
    • Sixth Form Life
    • Code of Conduct
    • The Sixth Form Team
    • Equipment List
    • Dress Code
    • Results
  • Join Sixth Form
    • Open Evening 2024
    • Mini-Guide
    • Courses
    • Admissions
    • Post 16
    • Options Pools
  • Enrichment
  • Support
    • Progression & Guidance
    • Wellbeing
    • Financial Support
    • Pastoral Support
    • Facilities
  • Independent Learning
  • Assessment Support
    • Year 12 Revision Materials
    • Year 13 Revision Materials
  • KEVI Main Site
  • Apply Now
Sixth Form at The King Edward VI School Logo
  • About us
    • Welcome
    • About us
    • Sixth Form Life
    • Code of Conduct
    • The Sixth Form Team
    • Equipment List
    • Dress Code
    • Results
  • Join Sixth Form
    • Open Evening 2024
    • Mini-Guide
    • Courses
    • Admissions
    • Post 16
    • Options Pools
  • Enrichment
  • Support
    • Progression & Guidance
    • Wellbeing
    • Financial Support
    • Pastoral Support
    • Facilities
  • Independent Learning
  • Assessment Support
    • Year 12 Revision Materials
    • Year 13 Revision Materials
  • KEVI Main Site
  • Apply Now
Forms
Category

Newsletter

Senior Students 2020

19th May 2020Mrs L Johnston

The Senior Students play an important role in the life of our school and Sixth Form. The Senior Students are elected by both students and staff and are ambassadors for The King Edward VI School. Your Senior Students for 2020-2021 are:

Susu Anitche – Head Girl 

The subjects I am studying are Spanish, Drama and English Language

My ambition after Sixth Form is to either study Spanish at university or to do a Media/Broadcast Journalism Apprenticeship (which I would prefer!)

My interests are baking, music, video-games and anything movie related.

I want to be a senior student because I wanted to challenge myself and do something that I hadn’t done before while also having a positive effect on the school in the last year that I have.

My advice to current year 11’s is don’t stress over situations that you can’t control, you’re just putting yourself through the pain twice.

One of my favourite mottos/quotes is “the greatest glory in living lies not in never falling but in rising every time we fall” by Nelson Mandela.

 

Ellie Cape – Deputy Head Girl 

The subjects I am studying are History, French, Drama 

My ambition after Sixth Form is to study History at university.

My interests are gymnastics, drama, watching musicals/theatre, and cooking 

I want to be a senior student because I love communicating with different people and being part of a team to work towards something.

My advice to current year 11’s is don’t get too worked up about exams and try to find the joy in a stressful time – even though it can sometimes be hard.

One of my favourite mottos/quotes is “knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom” by Aristotle

Niall Murtagh – Head Boy

The subjects I am studying are History, Geography, English Literature

My ambition after Sixth Form is to complete a degree in History and Politics

My interests are football, TV, film, football, the news, Middlesbrough Football Club

I want to be a senior student because I genuinely enjoy the school environment and appreciate the chance to contribute in a meaningful way

My advice to current year 11’s is retain consistency in your work-life balance and don’t panic

One of my favourite mottos/quotes is
 ‘Don’t be afraid to have dreams
 If you work hard enough and you’re not afraid to dream then you’re not afraid to fail.

I’m not afraid to fail. Everybody fails. I have had more failures than I’ve had success.’ by
 Chris Coleman after Wales reached the semi finals of Euro 2016

 

Josh Williams – Deputy Head Boy

The subjects I am studying are Physics, Maths, Further Maths

My ambition after Sixth Form is to study Mechanical Engineering at University.

My interests are maths, trains, going on walks, travelling, and watching movies.

I want to be a senior student because I really enjoy public speaking and organising events.

My advice to current year 11’s is to chill. Remember that getting worried or stressing won’t affect the outcome of your exams. What helped me was listening to music, and doing revision outside in the fresh air.

One of my favourite mottos/quotes is “Do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Let the day’s own trouble be sufficient for the day.” Matthew 6:34 

Front Page News,Newsletter

Having Good Days

13th May 2020Mrs L Johnston

The Three Rivers Counselling Service have pulled together some useful information and contacts that may be helpful during the Coronavirus pandemic to support emotional health and well being.

We hope all of our students, past, present and future and their families are well and coping during the current situation.

 

Having Good Days Information 

NHS Well Being Booklet

Front Page News,Newsletter

What’s Your Driving Force?

5th May 2020Mrs L Johnston

Let’s be honest teenagers have a bit of a stereotype of lazing around in bed, getting up at midday and spending the afternoon and evening on social media or their XBox.

Now before you all jump up and down getting ‘angsty’ with me – I know that statement is not true. I know because I’ve read your personal statements and your CVs; infact in 12 years at KEVI that’s roughly 2700 personal statements! I know how hard you study, how many hours you work to save money, how much volunteering goes on, how much music and sport is played and how beautiful the art  and drama is that’s created. As a Sixth Form team we are blown away year on year by the commitments you make to give your time and energy.

What makes you do that? What’s your driving force?

If you know what your personal drive is, then right now you might be coping well in the lockdown. If you’ve struggled to find your driving force during Sixth Form, maybe struggled with decision making and focussing, then this strange new world we’re in may be really impacting on you.

Natasha Devon recently wrote an article for The Guardian, aimed largely at university students but I think it’s relevant to you too. She is an author and campaigner who works in schools, colleges and universities throughout the UK. She was also previously the government’s mental health champion for schools.

Natasha’s article is about how to knuckle down and keep focussed during the lockdown, and the importance of being motivated. Motivated people are successful. I don’t mean financially (although some may be), I mean they are fulfilled. They’ve identified what they want to achieve and got on with it. For that you need to know what your driving force is.

“The most common driving forces I encounter are a desire to make a difference, community and socialising, freedom and independence, fairness and justice, and competition.”

 

When I was in Sixth Form it was the environment, climate change, pollution and conservation. That drove me to study to be the first in my family to go to university, I wanted to save the world, starting with dolphins! I still care deeply about these issues but in a different way now. My driving force now is to provide for and protect my family.

She goes on to suggest ways of identifying your driving force (What item would you take to a desert island? What item would you rescue from a burning building? What situation makes you riled enough to fire off an “Annoyed of Morpeth” email?)

During the lockdown you’ve got time to think – probably a bit too much! And for the first time in about 15 years your day isn’t ruled by a bell. So what are you doing now you don’t HAVE to get up for school? Are you using your driving force? Are you trying to make yourself a better, rounder, more complete person?

I’ve sent out links to lots of online courses that you can access, that might be helpful. They’re not all academic! Some of them are based around specific skills. You could though be using this time to learn something new, there are amazing programmes on TV, Facebook and YouTube to teach you all sorts of new skills (along with Joe Wicks PE class and my online Pilates we’re also learning to play ukuleles in this house!). Employers of the future are going to want to know what you did with this time. Did you study (and for those of you off to uni in the Autumn this is important)? Did you work? Did you volunteer? Did you learn something about yourself? It’s up to you but choose something you can enjoy and find rewarding. Choose something that fulfils YOUR driving force.

Links:

Natasha Devon – The Guardian

Year 13 Employability Links

Future Learn

Open Uni

Edx

Coursera

University Text Books Online (check your uni course reading list first and see if you can get ahead of the game)

Buzz Quiz – Strengths and Weaknesses

 

Article by Fiona Long

Post 16 Student Mentor

Front Page News,Newsletter

Year 13 Update

23rd April 2020Mrs L Johnston

Please follow this link that will give important updates to Year 13 in the current situation.

Front Page News,Newsletter

Rhythm

22nd April 2020Mrs L Johnston

If you had to describe the rhythm of your days at the moment, I wonder what it would
be?

Slow, everlasting bass beats? Scurries of pitter patter, the odd cymbal crash every so often? Constant murmuring of off-beats? A bit of slow, a bit of slam, a few bangs, some fast beats and a whole mish mash?

From the steady and known structures of every day life, many of us are now left to
fend for ourselves – to set our own pace of the day, to make decisions about what to
do when. Many of us might not even feel able to make those decisions – exhaustion,
apathy, boredom might prevail
 or perhaps there’s constant push-back against those
around us who want to structure our days for us, or inflict their pace on us.

In music, rhythm is what gives sounds form and cohesion. Melody and harmony and
improvisation entwine beautifully together because of how the rhythm brings a sense
of movement, continuity and flow.

It’s the same for our lives. Rhythm keeps us steady. It enables us to keep moving
forward, it makes basic decisions for us (we eat, we sleep, we work) and it allows us
to navigate curveballs that come our way (like unexpected life events, high-stress
events) and to enjoy breaks from the norm (like holidays, festivals and parties) – but
the norm is what keeps us ticking over – the rhythm of our lives keeps us going, and
growing.

At this time when so many of our known rhythms are gone – you get to choose your
rhythm (or mostly!) You get to choose fast or slow, work and rest, online/offline,
connection with people/embracing alone time.

Without a rhythm we can lose ourselves and oceans of time just scrolling, or
responding to every urgent need, or mindlessly staring.

With rhythm – you get to choose how to live, what you’ll do, and the person you want
to be. You get to choose to
 create, to work, to rest, to play, to try real solitude, to
socialize well
 you get to choose to be kind, thoughtful of others, generous – but to
do all this – you need rhythms that bring you alive and bring you life.

Perhaps, to start thinking about the rhythm you want to live in, – find a song you love
which has great rhythm to it. Pay attention to the beats, the speed, the different
melodies
how might how you spend your days relate to this rhythm? What are the
parts of your day you want to be ‘loud’, which bits will have a strong melody, which
bits will be more calm and quiet, what basic rhythms (like when you eat, sleep, rest and
exercise) will play on underneath you?

And as you find a rhythm emerge, notice in yourself how it can bring a sense of
peace as you trust your rhythm, a sense of movement rather than stagnation. Watch
how it brings you productivity and maybe even joy.

Enjoy creating your rhythm!

Beth

Check out the Instagram page @holdingtreasure to add a short reflection time into
the rhythm of each day.
I am still available to meet with students online on Tuesdays during school hours. Please contact me if you would like to talk [email protected]

Newsletter

Writing a Career Development Plan

15th April 2020Mrs L Johnston

What next? What’s the dream? To coin a phrase from our colleagues at Live-n-Learn UK, ‘a dream is just a goal without a deadline’. So, how can you make your dream happen? We all need a plan, it won’t be a quick fix or an overnight success, but it will keep you focussed and will assist your longer term career planning and development.

Although we often hope that things will automatically go the way we want, coincidences (luck) isn’t always on our side – especially when it comes to careers. That’s why it’s important to effectively plan for the future.

HigherEd Partners UK and University of York have shared an in-depth guide they created about writing a Career Development Plan. The guide is called Guide to Writing a Career Development Plan and offers plenty of valuable information such as:

  • Why having a Career Development Plan is important and how it can help accelerate and excel in a chosen sector.

  • How to craft a Career Development Plan; setting clear objectives, improving productivity, as well as knowledge transfer and retention.

  • For managers – how to talk to your employees about their career goals and find learning opportunities. This can be useful for students in understanding the world of work and the conversations they will have.

  • Other useful resources, FAQs, and information that can help students create the best Career Development Plan for them.

One of the biggest things we try to do is get students to track, document and reflect on all of their achievements. What have you done and why? What went well and how could it be improved? We utilise a range of tools in school to do that and encourage students to keep their Unifrog profiles up to date. Understanding your own personal development will allow you to explore your skills and interests and your plan and goals will evolve as you grow, develop and reassess your future.

References:
https://online.york.ac.uk/resources/aspiring-senior-managers-guide/
https://www.reed.co.uk/career-advice/how-to-make-a-career-plan/
Newsletter

Newsletter

9th April 2020Mrs L Johnston

The Spring Term edition of our Newsletter can be accessed here:

https://mailchi.mp/749af1cca218/sixth-form-at-king-edwards-newsletter-april-2020

Front Page News,Newsletter

Brain Workout

8th April 2020Mrs L Johnston

We have worked for the past couple of years with a fantastic company called Live-n-Learn. The organisation “delivers programmes to build confidence, develop resilience and cultivate growth mindset”, we usually work with them as part of our Sixth Form Bridging event in the Summer term to aid transition to Post 16 study.

To assist in these unprecedented times the company have created some home learning resources that students and parents might find useful and engaging:

Mindset Crossword
Picture Puzzles
Maze
Design Your Own Superhero
Creative Writing
Create your own Poster
Wordsearch (Activities)
Wordsearch (Confidence)
Posters to Colour In
New: Sudoku (with Words!)
When any of these are completed, Live-n-Learn would love for you to take a picture of them and tweet @livenlearnuk. For more, visit the Home Learning section of the website.
Thank you to the Live-n-Learn team for sharing and remember “a dream is a just a goal without a deadline”.
Newsletter

Where Are They Now…?

8th April 2020Mrs L Johnston

I finished my GCSE’s with some pretty good results (A’s, B’s and one C) and began sixth form on a high, studying biology, chemistry, English literature and (best of all) geography. Not unlike many, I stumbled with the transition into A Levels as workload and content really ramped up, and I was having a difficult time in my personal life as my mum was diagnosed with cancer during that summer. My grades fell from A’s and B’s to C’s, D’s and E’s. I even failed chemistry at AS Level, finishing with a strong U and thinking I wouldn’t get into university. At the end of my A Levels I just about crawled out with BDDU, not great, but stay with me.

I applied to study BSc Geography at the University of East Anglia as they are renowned for their environmental sciences and climatic research, and even with BDD, I got a place. To this day I’m not sure how I managed it, and despite A Levels really knocking my confidence in myself and my academic ability, I took this amazing opportunity and ran as fast as I could with it.

Despite failing chemistry at AS Level, I’m currently a part of real-world palaeoclimatology research for my undergraduate project, consisting almost entirely of biogeochemistry. I assisted in labs with mass spectrometry of 6,500 – 4,000-year-old shell samples, and the results I get will be some of the first telling us what the climate was like in southern Israel during mid-Holocene. Needless to say, I bounced back from A Levels and since my time at uni, so have my grades and motivation. I didn’t even have A Level maths, and I still studied oceanography and geophysics modules and achieved a 2:1 or above.

UEA has been an incredibly supportive and encouraging university, and the range of modules allowed me to tailor my course to suit my interests. I really enjoyed student life, particularly joining the UEA Women’s 5XI Hockey Team, being a part of such relevant and diverse environmental research and, of course, living in such a beautiful place. In my final year, I’m looking forward to narrowing my degree towards climatology after having spent my first and second years building a solid background in geology and geoscience, to graduate with a BSc Environmental Sciences degree, and hopefully go on to study a MSc.

I’m incredibly grateful to the geography department at KEVI who were so supportive and engaging, and are one of the reasons I decided to go into environmental sciences. I’ve also stayed good friends with those I met at KEVI, despite some of us going to university in different countries.

If there’s any advice I can give; don’t let a few results redefine what you make of yourself, or what you think you can or can’t achieve. Grades on paper don’t necessarily reflect your ability or what you can really bring to the table. Still apply to that dream course!

 

 

Newsletter

A Guide to Programming Yourself

8th April 2020Mrs L Johnston

Imagine you could program yourself like a simple robot, with rules like, “when situation X occurs, do Y.” What rules would you choose to program yourself with to improve your life or the lives of those around you?

Interestingly enough, we can program ourselves in this way, and it’s not even that hard to do. As a simple example, you can program yourself so that when you FIRST ENTER YOUR KITCHEN IN THE MORNING, you always DRINK A TALL GLASS OF WATER. Or you can create a rule in your mind so that when you TAKE YOUR FIRST BITE OF EACH MEAL, you DEEPLY SAVOR IT to get more pleasure from your food.

These if-then plans are sometimes known as “implementation intentions” in the psychology literature (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Implementation_intention) or TAPs (i.e., trigger action plans – a term used by the Center for Applied Rationality – see: https://www.rationality.org). Below, I share my own spin on this concept and describe how you can apply these if-then plans to make improvements in many different areas of your life, including health, learning, happiness, productivity, relationships, and rational thinking.

I’ll start with a quick, step-by-step guide to programming yourself, then list several of my favorite “self-programs.” Feel free to pick a few from the list to try yourself!

— Steps for Programming Yourself —

Step 1 – Choose

Choose a situation (S) and an action (A) that you’d like to take when you’re in that situation. For instance, the situation might be ARRIVING AT HOME AFTER WORK. The action might be PLACING YOUR KEYS IN A BOWL BY THE DOOR, so you always know where they are. See my list of self-programming examples down below for many more ideas.

Step 2 – Intend

Set an intention to perform that action (A) whenever you are in that situation (S). This means genuinely committing (to yourself) to take the action every time you encounter the situation. Note that there’s a subtle but critical difference between thinking about doing something and committing to doing it. You have to do the latter.

Step 3 – Associate

Now it’s time to create an association between the situation (S) and the action (A) so that when S occurs, A immediately pops into your mind. Basically, you’ll be mentally linking the two elements.

Here are a few strategies for creating this connection. The more of these strategies you use, the better. But they won’t all apply to all situations.

Strategies for linking the situation (S) and the action (A) in your mind:

‱ Create: If you can artificially create the situation, then do so repeatedly, following through with the action each time. For instance, if the situation is finishing brushing your teeth, and the action is flossing, practice holding your toothbrush to your mouth as though you just finished brushing, then putting down your toothbrush and immediately picking up the floss. Do this 20 times in a row to create the connection (A ⟶ S) in your brain.

‱ Imagine: If you are good at forming mental imagery, vividly visualize the situation occurring, followed by imagining yourself taking the desired action. Repeat this 20 times. If, in real life, you anticipate variations in how the situation plays out, modify your visualizations to include potential variations. That way, you don’t become trained on a too-narrow version of the situation.

‱ Write: Jot the if-then intention on a piece of paper, and leave it somewhere in your home where it is noticeable. When you get used to it being in that location to the point where you’re barely noticing it anymore, move it somewhere else in your home so that it stays fresh.

‱ Speak: repeat the phrase “whenever S occurs I’ll do A” 20 times (either aloud, or in your mind), replacing S and A with the corresponding situation and action.

‱ Review: make a list of all the if-then intentions you’re currently working to create in your mind, and review that list each morning, just after you wake up. Leave it on your bedside table or on your work desk so you can’t miss it.

‱ Motivate: make a list of the benefits (to yourself or others) of taking that action every time you are in that situation. This may increase your motivation to follow through with the plan.

‱ Involve: tell someone you trust that you plan to take that action whenever you are in that situation (ideally, someone who might be around when you are in that situation so that they can help remind you).

‱ Reflect: think about a time when you succeeded at making one of these if-then plans for yourself in the past. Take a minute to write about how you accomplished that. Now take another minute to write about how you could apply what you learned in that case to this new situation (this is the “Habit Reflection” technique: http://bit.ly/385cn5D). I think it’s more effective to actually do the writing, not merely thinking about what your answers would be.

Step 4. Act

Every time you find yourself remembering to take the action in a given situation, actually do it! In the beginning, try hard to do the action every single time the action occurs (without missing any), as this will help establish a robust link in your mind between the situation and action.

If you follow through consistently enough and keep it up for long enough, most likely, the action will eventually turn into a habit triggered by the situation.

But what rules is it actually useful to program yourself with?

Here’s my list of favorite “self-programs.” Some of these I’ve already installed as habits, others I’m still learning to associate with the trigger. Still others I merely aspire to one day have installed in my mind. Finally, hold value but don’t quite match my lifestyle, so I figure they are still worth including.

I’ve written each self-program in the form: Situation ⟶ Action

Meaning that you intend to perform the action every time the situation occurs.

— My Favorite Self-Programs —

HEALTH

* You enter the kitchen for the first time after waking ⟶ drink a tall glass of water

* You finish your first beverage in the morning ⟶ gently stretch a part of your body that has poor mobility or that is unreasonably tight for 1-2 minutes (e.g., It used to be my right shoulder, but, thanks to this habit, my decade-long shoulder problem is 90% resolved!)

* You close your eyes to try to fall asleep ⟶ breathe slowly and deeply, then gently focus your attention on your breath. Whenever you become distracted or find yourself thinking of something else, notice that it’s happened and gently refocus your attention back on your breath. Try to continue this until you’re asleep.

* You feel hungry before bed ⟶ eat carrots, nuts, or an apple (instead of junky snack food)

* You put down your toothbrush ⟶ floss or use a gum stimulator/rubber pick to clean between your teeth.

LEARNING

* Someone introduces you to an abstract idea that you don’t understand ⟶ ask if they could give you an example or if they could explain it using different words

* You learn something that surprises you ⟶ take a moment to consider what you previously believed about the subject (e.g., if your best friend does something that surprises you, ask them about the behavior, as it’s great opportunity to understand your friend better). Keep in mind that the sensation of surprise occurs when our perception of reality doesn’t match reality itself!

* You learn a new idea that seems worth remembering or have your own idea that seems worth remembering ⟶ jot down some notes about what you learned (ideally as simple flashcards), and be sure to review them at some point before you forget the idea (e.g., you can try out our beta tool at https://www.thoughtsaver.com to make this idea recording and reviewing process easier)

* You make a big mistake ⟶ take a few minutes to write about why you think the mistake happened (both immediate causes and deeper root causes), and what you can learn from it, to avoid making similar mistakes in the future. You can try out our “learning from mistakes” tool to make this process easier (see: http://bit.ly/3biQ3HN).

* Someone explains something complicated to you, and you’re not certain that you understand it ⟶ try to explain the idea back to the other person in your own words and see if they agree you understood it properly (e.g., “So are you saying that
”)

HAPPINESS

* You take your first bite of food at a meal ⟶ pay very close attention to the taste and texture, chewing slowly to deeply savor that first bite. We can get so much more pleasure from food if we direct our attention in the right way, upgrading meals from two-star to four-star, just by maintaining the right focus!

* You wake up in the morning ⟶ think about one thing you are looking forward to (it could be small, like your morning cup of tea, or large, like a big project you are launching in a month). This can help get you looking forward to the day.

* You lie down in bed for the night ⟶ think of one fond memory from your life. If you have trouble thinking of random fond memories, start with a random time frame (e.g., “last week”) or place (e.g., “the beach”) or activity (e.g., “sports”) and use that prompt to jog your memory.

* You leave your bedroom for the first time each morning ⟶ think of one thing you are grateful for.

* You finish checking social media ⟶ smile and think of something you think is good or something that makes you happy.

* You get a calf cramp ⟶ flex the toes on the corresponding foot towards your head (moving your heel away from you). This will often alleviate the cramp immediately (if that doesn’t work, drink a shot of juice from a pickle jar, which is, apparently, an effective alternative).

* You receive a nice compliment ⟶ write it down immediately so that you can get the benefit of experiencing it more than once. You can even keep a list of the best compliments you’ve ever received.

* You notice a sudden change in your emotional state (e.g., you start becoming anxious, sad, frustrated, or angry) ⟶ immediately give yourself the best quick explanation you can for why your emotions may have shifted. It’s often easier to figure out the cause if you ask this question immediately, compared to, for example, interpreting it 20 minutes later. I call this the “Inner Why” technique (you can learn more about it here: http://bit.ly/2uhJvc1)

RELATIONSHIPS

* Someone starts a conversation with you ⟶ fully focus on what the person is saying, giving them your complete and genuine interested attention (see: http://bit.ly/2SIPzBx)

* Someone you just met tells you their name ⟶ focus on the name as they say it with the intention of remembering it, then repeat their name back (e.g., “nice to meet you Sam”). This can really help with remembering people’s names. Even better, use the Tacayo Technique if you really want to remember their name (see: http://bit.ly/2upNxPr)

* You think something positive about a person that you are confident they would feel good hearing ⟶ send it to them as a message or say it to them directly, if practical. As the adage goes, “thinking something nice about a person without saying it, is like wrapping a present and never giving it.”

* You see someone you really like (e.g., a close friend) ⟶ channel your warm feelings for them and radiate those positive feelings on your face, your body language, and with your words, so that the person viscerally experiences how much you like them.

* You’re irritable and become provoked by something minor that someone does ⟶ take a couple slow, deep breaths before saying anything (so that you are less likely to take your mood out on the other person).

* You notice you’ve been talking for a long while in a conversation ⟶ redirect focus to the other person so that they have the opportunity to talk. Most people prefer a balanced conversation, so if you talk more than 60% (which a lot of people do, unfortunately), becoming more self-aware and considerate will markedly improve your relationships. Admittedly, I sometimes make this mistake when I’m excited about a topic (you can learn more about this preference people have, from a study I ran, here: http://bit.ly/2HcH7pr).

* You see your partner or roommate for the first time since they/you left for work ⟶ greet them affectionally and ask about their day with a genuine interest and a high level of focus.

* Someone is telling you about something that happened to them ⟶ employ active listening skills by asking questions that help them clarify their thoughts and elaborate on interesting or important details. In addition to demonstrating your interest in their life, this helps them relive their experience in a useful or pleasurable way.

* Someone you are close to unknowingly does something that hurts

you⟶ bring it up. Explain how you felt as a result of their action, why you felt that way, and what you would prefer them to do next time. Try to phrase this information in a way that is not accusatory. Stick to facts about what happened and how the facts affected you. Avoid derailing the conversation with potentially disputable assumptions (you can learn more about how to do this well here: http://bit.ly/39pIWM9).

PRODUCTIVITY

* You return home ⟶ put your keys, wallet, headphones, etc., in exactly the same place (so you can always find them).

* You’re about to finish a warm shower, and are feeling sleepy, yet you have a lot still to do. ⟶ turn the water to cold for the last 10 seconds to wake yourself and feel invigorated.

* You arrive at your work desk in the morning ⟶ put on headphones with energetic, non-distracting (e.g., acoustic) music to help get you motivated and in the zone.

* You read an email or message that would take less than 2 minutes to respond to ⟶ respond immediately, rather than procrastinating on the reply. This saves time because you won’t have to read or think about that message again, plus people generally prefer faster responses.

* You begin work for the day ⟶ write down the single most important thing for you to get done that day, which you hope to achieve even if you get nothing else done.

RATIONALITY

* You notice you are trying to convince yourself of something (e.g., “I’m too tired to go to the gym today” or “It would be too stressful to give that presentation”) ⟶ ask yourself instead “is this actually true? What’s evidence exists for and against this?” (try this tool to make this easier: http://bit.ly/31J4znR)

* You notice yourself thinking or saying, “I believe x” when a more accurate conclusion is crucial ⟶ ask yourself, “What percent chance would I actually assign to X being true?” (here’s a tool we helped make to help you practice this: http://bit.ly/39hq9lM).

* You’re making an important decision but you haven’t fully explored your options ⟶ force yourself to come up with at minimum a third option (or even better, apply our decision advisor tool: http://bit.ly/2yIjL96)

* You are learning about a politically or emotionally charged topic for the first time ⟶ seek out multiple sources of information from various perspectives, that are unlikely to have the same biases as each other. Otherwise, you may end up being heavily biased by whatever source you happen to read.

* You and another person strongly disagree about what’s going to happen in the near future ⟶ make a small bet with them. This forces you to consider how confident you are.

* You hear or read a weak argument in favor of a fairly popular view that you disagree with ⟶ try to come up with a stronger version of their argument (i.e., “Steel Man” the argument) so that you get a more nuanced perspective of both what’s wrong and what’s right about the view they are defending.

* You come across evidence for or against one of your beliefs and aren’t sure how much it should change your mind ⟶ ask yourself, “how many times more likely would I be to see this evidence if my belief was true compared to if my belief was false?” This number reflects the strength of the evidence, with 1 meaning the evidence is totally neutral (neither for or against the hypothesis), higher numbers (above 1) indicate more evidence, lower numbers (below 1) indicate less evidence (you can learn more about the proper way to interpret evidence here: http://bit.ly/38cN6GH)

Credit: Spencer Greenberg (8/2/20)

https://www.spencergreenberg.com

Spencer Greenberg is an American mathematician and entrepreneur.


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