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Adaptogens: Elixirs to help you adapt while working from home

Adaptogens: Elixirs to help you adapt while working from home

  • rs_ph_website

  • April 25, 2021

  • 2:48 am

  • 0 comments

Yoga, Ayurveda, vegetarian diets, and now adaptogens? Today, there exists a plethora of information on health and well-being, some are more practiced than most, and others have yet to be discussed more. Luckily for us, we will be discussing about something that can help you ease through remote work life efficiently: adaptogens. 

What are Adaptogens?

According to Integrative Medicine, adaptogens are phytochemicals, which are believed to stabilize physiological processes and encourage homeostasis in the body. Adaptogens are found in nature that help the body cope with physical and emotional stress and restores balance in the body. In essence, they help the body adapt, react, and get through stressful episodes. They are safe, non-toxic, and non-habit forming. Examples of adaptogens are: ashwaganda, Siberian ginseng and the like. 

How do adaptogens work?

Adaptogens help balance all the glands that are responsible in excreting hormones and neurotransmitters responsible for the stress response in humans. They somewhat bypass the stress response and helps the body cope with it better.

Effects of Adaptogens

The proper use of adaptogens have been proven to brighten one’s mood, have an anti-fatigue effect, have enhanced memory, focus and mental performance, and an overall improved stress response.  

Researchers have found they have several effects on the body such as (a) neuroprotective elements, (b) anti-fatigue properties (c) antidepressive effects and can (d) act as a stimulant for central nervous system. Research shows adaptogens can combat fatigue, enhance mental performance, ease depression and anxiety, and help you thrive rather than just muddle through.

Why do we need Adaptogens as Remote Workers?

Let us be honest, being stuck at home doing work has a lot of upsides and some downsides to it. For most of us, it is having to singularly dismiss the importance of keeping our health in check, because psychologically, by being at home, we feel safe and therefore, feel like there are lesser threats to our well-being. That rarely is the case though, as night shift remote workers, it’s incumbent upon us to be even more vigilant to protect out bodies from late nights of being awake, disrupted body clocks, and stressful interactions with clients. Here’s how adaptogens can help:

Balances Hormones

Improves Mood

Anti-fatigue Effect

Fights Physical and Mental Signs of Stress

Tweaks Hormone Production and Improves Physiological Stress Responset

Helps aid in relaxation

Improves Stress Response 

Boosts Resilience

List of Adaptogens for Your Perusal

Common adaptogens and the effects they have in the body

Ashwagandha: helps the body cope with stress on the daily. 

Astragalus root: to help reduce stress and aging 

Bacopa Monnieri: to protect the brain and improve memory and improve other aspects of cognitive function

Cordyceps: a mushroom that fights stress and helps balance hormones

Holy basil: to promotes relaxation

Licorice: to increase energy and endurance and help boost the immune system

Maca: to improve mood and increase energy

Reishi: helps us adapt to stress and improves sleep quality 

Rhodiola rosea: to lower anxiety, fatigue, and depression

Siberian ginseng: provides energy and help overcome exhaustion

Wild yam: helps regulate female hormone levels

In a Nutshell

Adaptogens prove to be effective and more importantly, safe and non-habit forming. It aids our bodies combat stress and so much more, and would prove beneficial to maintain health and well-being while working from home. 

 At Rocket Station, we place value in the health and wellness of each teammate and seek to empower them to lead a healthy lifestyle. This April, join our community by

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Ayurveda and Yoga: The Tag Team in Workplace Well-being

Ayurveda and Yoga: The Tag Team in Workplace Well-being

  • rs_ph_website

  • April 24, 2021

  • 3:14 am

  • 0 comments

Consider how people have invested so much in self-care nowadays. We have facemasks, trip to the spas, massage chairs, delicious desserts, and luxurious baths, we seldomly remember that self-care is just as much for the mind and soul as it is for the body. While the advantages of getting into self-care habits proves to improve well-being and lower morbidity, mortality, and healthcare costs, some studies have mentioned that the research efforts and modalities on self-care practices need to be further analyzed and assessed.

What is workplace well-being even?

The broader sense of well-being of an individual can be attributed to short term emotional state, level of health and happiness and long-term satisfaction in life. Couple well-being with the workplace and we get a highly delineated view of how crucial it is to mix well-being with where you work. Well-being at work is defined as an experience, which is influenced by factors, such as the internal culture and organizational ways of functioning, and by personal internal resources. Spending so much of our time at work and spending resources to become more productive at work makes the importance of well-being in the workplace a crucial ingredient to a productive and successful organization. Workplace health and well-being remain such a staunch issue internationally that a study stated that among the five domains encompassing overall well-being, career well-being is regarded as the most important for most people. 

Enter Yoga and Ayurveda. Yoga being a discipline of mind, body and spirit and Ayurveda a holistic medical practice using diet, herbal treatment, and yogic breathing. They are two ancient traditions originating from India that emphasize multidimensional and holistic well-being of all. 

How does Yoga and Ayurveda aid in our health?

A study explains the amazing benefits of yoga and Ayurveda stating that the yogic view of health and disease highlights that the root cause of physical ailments and disorders arises out of the mind. While Ayurveda meaning “life knowledge” in Sanskrit lays down the path of living that is directed by the three pursuits: praneshana (desire to lead a long healthy life), dhaneshana (desire to savor financial and material security), and paralokeshana (desire to attain happiness in the life hereafter). According to Ayurveda, health is a state of complete, balanced, physical, mental, and spiritual well-being.

Both Yoga and Ayurveda emphasize on following a healthy lifestyle encompassing all spheres of life (physical, mental, emotional, social, and spiritual. They place great importance on healthy activities such as exercises and Yoga practices, right thoughts, attitudes, and behavior to create and maintain good relationships. They also focus on healthy nourishing, and balanced and right recreational activities such as regulating action-speech-thoughts to maintain peace of mind and group activities to experience cohesion and collectivism where one loses one’s sense of individuality. The elements of a great workplace and a good team member can be seen in the elements Ayurveda and Yoga helps us practice.

How can we practice Yoga and Ayurveda at the Workplace?

There are plenty of ways to practice Yoga and Ayurveda. Uniquely, the situation that calls for workplace practice is unfamiliar with some. Here are some ways you can bring this tag-team into your work for a more balanced experience:

Meditation

Allot at least 10-15 minutes a day, whether it be during your lunch break or when you wake up first thing in the morning to meditate. Studies show that people who meditate are 10% happier than the average person.

Breathing Exercises

According to ayurvedic practices, deep breathing massages the internal organs, aids in releasing carbon dioxide, and increases oxygen to the brain. This will aid also in stress relief, and concentration for tasks in the workplace.

Pack on Heavy Lunch

Ayurveda focuses on eating a balanced diet with a mix of tastes. Practitioners recommend a heavy lunch and a light breakfast with fruits or oatmeal to kick start your day.

Target 7-9 hours of Sleep (take naps if you can’t!)

Make your environment conducive to sleep to aid in better body recovery, tissue repair, improved homeostasis, and brain restoration. You can do this by sleeping a set 7-9 hours and catching up with whatever lack of sleep you have by taking naps at work during breaktime. 

Avoid stress eating and eat balanced meals.

When there is an imbalance of the emotions and the mind, we are bound to make faulty decisions that will result to unhealthy eating habits. This is not helpful for practicing a balanced lifestyle. The goal is to nourish and balance so wait until you feel more centered before you decide to eat. 

At Rocket Station, we place value in the health and wellness of each teammate and seek to empower them to lead a healthy lifestyle. This April, join our community by signing up in our newsletter to read more interesting articles about health and wellness and how it can help you at work.

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Green Exercise: The Workplace Stress Buster

Green Exercise: The Workplace Stress Buster

  • rs_ph_website

  • April 22, 2021

  • 4:14 am

  • 0 comments

For past 20 years, exercising in the workplace has been one of the go-to methods for reducing stress at work. So much so that almost every contemporary workspace has a set gymnasium available for this purpose alone. This is all to get the endorphins running and keep us in good shape even if the job can get stressful.

Recently, there has been a new advent in exercise called, Green Exercise. 

What is Green Exercise you ask? It is simply exercising while being exposed to nature. A pilot study conducted in 2014 refers to Green Exercise as the “synergistic benefit in adopting physical activities whilst at the same time being directly exposed to nature.” In this study they gathered 14 individuals and had them exercise in an office set-up or indoor gymnasium versus an outdoor workout regimen. They measured cortisol levels (levels that can determine the amount of stress in the body), restoration, blood pressure and affective state (also known as their feelings or their mood). 

The results came back with the group that exercised in nature having more improved moods, an overall more positive affect, lesser cortisol levels (meaning, lesser stress) and better diastolic pressure (rate at which the heart beats). 

They concluded that Green Exercise at the workplace could be a profitable way to manage stress and induce restoration among employees.

In 2019 a systematic review on the effects of Green Exercise on physical and mental wellbeing, studies found that Green Exercise helps in alleviating ones mood, is proven to successfully lower cortisol levels, it helps maintain work-out motivation, it aids in post-work out attention or focus. 

Have we convinced you enough?

If we have, here are some tips and tricks you can do to start getting into Green Exercise while at home or during your spare time.

Commit 25 minutes walking in nature in your schedule.

Various health and wellness sources state that all you need to keep active is to have 25 active minutes per day. So, the commute to work or a simple brisk walk to the nearby mini mart would be a more beneficial one if you took the more scenic route. During lunch break, if you are lucky enough to be near a park, take a walk there and have your lunch with a co-worker. Whatever you do, do not forget to get that extra 25 minutes of fresh air and nature.

Add some plants and greens to your workplace or workout area.

If you cannot go to nature, bring nature to you! Line your workout space with potted greens to help simulate the experience of Green Exercise. 

Listen to sounds of nature while meditating.

Studies show that even listening to nature is enough to help bring cortisol levels down. So, in your next meditation session after a tough work out, have the sound of the ocean queued up and let it do its magic.

Schedule a hike with teammates outdoors

Taking the whole team to a hike is the best way to relieve stress and find ways to bond. Having the common goal of reaching the peak enables everyone to work together and have a sense of solidarity. 

Participate in active outdoor events.

The organization should be able to provide team members outdoor events whenever necessary to help with the engagement of the company and with a cumulative effort in depleting stress levels through nature. On your own, you can do activities that entail outdoor settings such as swimming, trekking or simply walking about in nature.

At Rocket Station, we place value in the health and wellness of each teammate and seek to empower them to lead a healthy lifestyle. This April, join our community by signing up in our newsletter to read more interesting articles about health and wellness and how it can help you at work.

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Health Hacks for the Remote Worker

Health Hacks for the Remote Worker

  • rs_ph_website

  • April 21, 2021

  • 4:24 am

  • 0 comments

Working remotely usually requires one to sit in front of a computer screen 8 hours a day, and while this has now become the new normal, there are a lot of detrimental effects to this health-wise. At Rocket Station, we are aware of all the advantages and disadvantages of working from home and seek to discuss ways we can make the lives of people easier. 

Develop your Sleep-Care Routine

Sleep irregularities are associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, obesity, depression, and anxiety. By developing a consistent sleep routine, we lessen the chances of developing these ailments. So set your sleeping environment well. Keep the temperature cool. Have the room be completely dark, if you are on night shift and sleep in the mornings, make sure you have thick black out curtains to block out the sun. Make sure the room is devoid of noise and clear out any unnecessary clutter, clean bed sheets have also been proven to induce better sleep. 

Find time to be active

Various health and wellness sources state that all you need to keep active is to have 25 active minutes per day. Exercising relieves stress, helps in achieving better physical health and makes an individual more productive. Research suggests that exercise helps in increased levels of dopamine, serotonin and endorphins and regular practice is associated with improved mental and physical health.

Expose yourself to Nature

Exposing yourself to nature can aid in the overall alleviation of stress and improve a person’s mood. If you cannot go to nature, bring nature to you! Line your workout space with potted greens to help simulate the experience.

Plan your Meals Ahead 

It’s easy for us to just grab whatever is easy to eat when we’re at home such as all those delicious sweet or salty snacks. But if you want to stick to healthier habits, plan your meals in advance and intentionally add helpful ingredients that can combat stress and aid in rejuvenation of energy.

Protect Your Eyes from Blue Light

That harmful blue light from computer and cellphone screens makes it difficult to fall asleep because it tricks your body into believing it is the daytime due to the brightness of the screens. Not only does it affect sleep, it also deteriorates our eyes cumulatively. For night shift workers it is all too difficult to stay away from electronics or sleep in dark rooms if we sleep during sunrise. One way to help us is to stay away from blue light screens 2-3 hours before sleeping and if it is already daytime, use thick black out curtains for you to sleep better.

Set Intentional Time for Rest and Meditation

Learn to unplug, unload, destress and meditate. Meditation aids in clearing the mind, especially if coupled with deep breathing exercises. Allot at least 10-15 minutes a day, whether it be during your lunch break or when you wake up first thing in the morning to meditate. Studies show that people who meditate are 10% happier than the average person. 

Rocket Station places value in the health and wellness of each teammate and seek to empower them to lead a healthy lifestyle. This April, join our community by signing up in our newsletter to read more interesting articles about health and wellness and how it can help you at work. 

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Rocket Station is a company founded on the promise of exceeding expectations. Our culture drives us to set new standards, especially in our industry of providing virtual assistance and innovative business process solutions. While it’s easy for us to stay back and maintain our course, that’s just not the Rocketeer way.

Our Commitment to Excellence and Security: Rocket Station is ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 Compliant!
Rocket Station is a company founded on the promise of exceeding expectations. Our culture drives us to set new standards, especially in our industry of providing virtual assistance and innovative business process solutions. While it’s easy for us to stay back and maintain our course, that’s just not the Rocketeer way.

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Sleep-care Practices for Night Shift Remote Workers

Sleep-care Practices for Night Shift Remote Workers

  • rs_ph_website

  • April 20, 2021

  • 4:34 am

  • 0 comments

Think about all the key benefits of having great sleep: better physical recovery, improved memory, more energy in the morning, better skin, and the list goes on. We can all agree that a good night’s sleep empowers the body to recover and lets you wake up refreshed and ready to take on the day. Despite knowing all the benefits of sleep, are we truly placing emphasis on sleep-care? According to Sleep Foundation, Adults between 18 and 64 need seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Adults over 65 need 7-8 hours. The CDC reports that only 1 in 3 adults do not get enough sleep. In fact a recent study says that the Philippines is the top 4 country in the world that lacks sleep.

As remote workers, one must question whether we place the right value on the quality of sleep. With the rising trend of “self-care” and indulgences indoors, we may forget that with self-care comes good quality sleep. 

Interesting Facts about Sleep

Did you know that we spend about 2 hours dreaming each time we sleep? Much of that has to do with the cycles of sleep we go through. Normally, a person goes through four to six sleep cycles and one of them is R.E.M. which takes up to 20-25% of sleep. We have light sleep, deep sleep, REM, and Awake Times that interchange between the cycles. During these sleep cycles our body temperature drops and so does our metabolism. Sleep aids in our circadian rhythm or our body clock, as for night shift workers this can pose as a challenge since there are plenty ways our sleep cycle can be disrupted because of our work schedule. 

Importance of Good Sleep

Sleep irregularities are associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease, obesity, depression, and anxiety. By developing a consistent sleep routine, we lessen the chances of developing these ailments. 

Dos and Don’ts for Developing A Healthy Sleep Routine

There are plenty of ways to practice Yoga and Ayurveda. Uniquely, the situation that calls for workplace practice is unfamiliar with some. Here are some ways you can bring this tag-team into your work for a more balanced experience:

DON’T bring technology to the bedroom. 

That harmful blue light from computer and cellphone screens makes it difficult to fall asleep because it tricks your body into believing it is the daytime due to the brightness of the screens. For night shift workers it is all too difficult to stay away from electronics or sleep in dark rooms if we sleep during sunrise. One way to help us is to stay away from blue light screens 2-3 hours before sleeping and if it is already daytime, use thick black out curtains for you to sleep better. 

DON’T drink caffeine near your sleep time.

Before your night shift take time to demarcate the time you want to go to sleep. Avoid drinking anything with caffeine at least 5 hours before your intended bedtime. Caffeine is a stimulant, you will find that no matter how tired you are, having caffeine in your system will still keep your mind wide awake even while you sleep. 

DON’T drink alcohol before sleeping.

Drinking alcohol can affect your REM cycle and cause you to suddenly wake up in the middle of sleep. While alcohol does act oppositely from caffeine, it does affect the quality of our sleep drastically. After alcohol is metabolized, the sleep-inducing effects are reversed and give you quite a hard time trying to get through the night. 

DON’T go to bed hungry.

Going to bed hungry will only prompt you to wake up because of a noisy, empty stomach, grab a midnight or mid-sleep snack and end up having to stay awake longer just to digest the food. Always keep your tummy with enough fuel to go through the night without the incessant rumbling.

DO maintain a regular sleep schedule to Regulate your Circadian Rhythm. 

For night shift workers, it does not matter what time you sleep, it is the consistency of this set schedule that matters. You need to keep your sleeping patterns consistent to maintain a level of normalcy with your body clock. Maintaining one’s circadian rhythm (body clock) is crucial to overall health and brain performance. 

DO meditate.

Meditation before going to bed helps. It aids in clearing the mind, especially if coupled with deep breathing exercises.

DO set up your environment for sleep.

Set your sleeping environment well. Keep the temperature cool. Have the room be completely dark, if you are on night shift and sleep in the mornings, make sure you have thick black out curtains to block out the sun. Make sure the room is devoid of noise and clear out any unnecessary clutter, clean bed sheets has also been proven to induce better sleep. 

At Rocket Station, we place value in the health and wellness of each teammate and seek to empower them to lead a healthy lifestyle. This April, join our community by signing up in our newsletter to read more interesting articles about health and wellness and how it can help you at work. 

RELATED STORIES

Rocket Station Achieves ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2022 Certification
We’re excited to announce that Rocket Station has officially received ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2022 certifications! This development is another step in further solidifying our commitment to providing exceptional virtual assistant services and ensuring the highest quality management and information security standards.

ISO Certification Announcement
Rocket Station is a company founded on the promise of exceeding expectations. Our culture drives us to set new standards, especially in our industry of providing virtual assistance and innovative business process solutions. While it’s easy for us to stay back and maintain our course, that’s just not the Rocketeer way.

Our Commitment to Excellence and Security: Rocket Station is ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 Compliant!
Rocket Station is a company founded on the promise of exceeding expectations. Our culture drives us to set new standards, especially in our industry of providing virtual assistance and innovative business process solutions. While it’s easy for us to stay back and maintain our course, that’s just not the Rocketeer way.

SHARE

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The D.O.S.E. of hormones you need to stay productive at work

The D.O.S.E. of hormones you need to stay productive at work

  • rs_ph_website

  • April 19, 2021

  • 4:47 am

  • 0 comments

Last month, we had talked about what makes a positive work culture, how it can build better teams and enhance productivity. In this article, we will discuss a little more into detail about the science behind all that positive energy, and how you can harness it from your body to get yourself more productive at work.

I am talking about the Happy Hormones of the body. They are collectively abbreviated as DOSE ־ Dopamine, Oxytocin, Serotonin and Endorphins; hormones produced by various glands in our bodies and the brain. They all have specific functions that contribute to a person’s mood, feelings of love or trust, relief of stress or pain, and sense of well-being. All of which are good, positive feelings that, in turn, contribute to positive work culture. 

Here is how you can get your daily DOSE of hormones and what they do to make you better at your job, and in life overall:

Dopamine 

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that is produced by our bodies. It is known as the “reward-chemical” hormone. It induces feelings of accomplishment and excitement like the feelings we get when we receive something new such as a gift, or try something pleasant for the first time, or achieve something we have been working hard on. In essence, it has a huge role on how we feel the sensation of pleasure. Dopamine excites our brain cells and helps us focus, think, and plan. It helps us strive, focus, and find things interesting. 

Oxytocin 

You know that warm, fuzzy feeling you get when you are close to someone you love and trust? Or maybe that jump you feel when someone you care about hugs you? That feeling is not just a feeling, that is a neurotransmitter that is working hard behind the scenes. Oxytocin is better known as the “love hormone”. It is released when people bond socially, thus influencing social behavior. It is the chemical behind human trust, empathy and relationship building. 

Serotonin

If you have the “love hormone” you also need something to balance it. Enter Serotonin, our “mood stabilizer” that one person in the family that holds everyone together. That one teammate that is always level-headed, devoid of stress and excellent at managing crises. Yes, that is Serotonin. Why is serotonin so special? Because serotonin plays a major role in regulating our mood. Individuals with high levels of serotonin are peaceful and calm by nature, open and clear-minded, and are socially dominant. When we lack serotonin, it makes us anxious, depressed, and aggressive, it can even lower our self-esteem and lower our mood as a result. It is the precursor to melatonin, the neurotransmitter that allows us to sleep.

Endorphins 

The favorite hormone of Elle Woods in the movie Legally Blonde, and she did make a very charming point when she mentioned that Endorphins make us happy. They are after all “Pain killer hormones” whose main function is to decrease feelings of pain and stress. They are released during exercise to cope with the discomfort of physical exercise. They also trigger a positive feeling which leads to intense happiness –this is what Elle Woods was talking about. This feeling is often described as ‘runner’s high’. Endorphins help to alleviate anxiety and depression as they are released in response to a pain.

Okay, we need to get our daily D.O.S.E., how? 

We can best aid our body in producing our daily D.O.S.E. of hormones in healthy amounts. A study conducted in 2018 by Ghosh et al., states that the happy hormones in our bodies can be produced naturally by performing certain behaviors or simply experiencing positive life events.

Complete tasks and create to-do lists.

Hormone: Dopamine

Research suggests that dopamine levels are increased when we finish a task or reach a goal. This is primarily because the brain releases dopamine as soon as we acknowledge that any task at hand is completed. When we have small tasks and hit them one by one, we also get small dosages of dopamine which makes us feel good. Thus, breaking down larger goals into smaller tasks proves strategically effective in staying motivated at a certain project and task at hand. Our brains have a feeling of satisfaction when we cross out tasks in to-do lists. This activity of checking the to-do list off after finishing the tasks brings in a sense of accomplishment, can help to increase the dopamine levels, ultimately generating happiness. 

Experience new things and engage in creative pursuits.

Hormone: Dopamine

Dopamine production is triggered when an individual finds something new and exciting in front of them. This increase of dopamine levels can be achieved doing creative hobbies that need an individual to focus. At work, we can do this by giving team members new projects that will push them to use their innovative capabilities. You can also boost dopamine levels by having fun events and creative workshops that encourage these activities. 

Cultivate positivity.

Hormone: Serotonin

Stay positive, remember happy events, practice optimism, and recite affirmations. Staying positive is the key to better performance, overall health, and well-being. Optimism is associated with the healthy structure and functioning of the brain, it also helps increase serotonin levels. At the workplace, there can be a display of photos that show happy memories of past achievements, get-togethers, off-sites, office celebrations at important places in the offices such as receptions, meeting rooms, general work areas and digitally through wallpapers.

Get social!

Hormone: Serotonin and Oxytocin  

Make time for social interactions, to increase social dominance. Now, when we say social dominance, we do not mean dominance per se, we mean being more assertive in a social and work type of scope that triggers positive social connections. Social connectivity triggers the release of oxytocin. Our role in social circles may also influence the serotonin levels. These actions help build trust and feelings of reliance which we need if we plan on working together as a team. 

Celebrate wins at work.

Hormone: Dopamine

Celebrating wins enhances dopamine in our systems. At the workplace, it is therefore important that we create opportunities to celebrate small winnings, do a victory celebration, cut a cake, and send a congratulatory email. These create a sense of fulfilment, bring positive energy, and motivates the team to get up and go for the next achievement.

Handshake and hugs

Hormone: Oxytocin

When connecting with friends and colleagues at work, it is important to maintain eye contact while speaking and firmly shaking hands while greeting. Back at home, cuddling a pet also generates a higher level of oxytocin. These activities generate trust, and trust is the highest form of motivation which makes an individual happy.

Practice charity

Hormone: Endorphins

Those who engage in acts of giving reach a state of euphoria which psychologists term as ‘helper’s high’ and emphasizes that giving produces more endorphins in the brain. Organizations can achieve this by gifting their teammates for special occasions such as birthdays, on special and personal achievements, year-end event gifts, tenure awards, or by participating in charity work. Special events that engage teammates to socialize and gift also work in achieving this such as having a “Secret Santa” during Christmas and raffle prizes. 

Laugh

Hormones: Dopamine, Oxytocin and Endorphins 

Organizations should encourage humor at work. At the workplace, there can be several fun events or a humor board with intelligent and tasteful jokes (after review) posted for people to laugh and quip about. They say that laughter is the best medicine, and in more ways than one, it is. 

Cultivate an attitude of gratitude across the organization.

Hormone: Dopamine and Serotonin 

The expression of gratitude releases dopamine that makes us feel good. It was also found that when we reflect on or write down the positive situations or experiences that we encounter in our life, the brain releases serotonin and, as serotonin enhances our mood, we start feeling happy. Organizations can do this, like Rocket Station and promote appreciation posts across common communication feeds. There can also be “Appreciation Weeks” where the cultivation of gratitude is enhanced. 

Get adequate exposure to sunlight. 

Hormone: Serotonin

The expression of gratitude releases dopamine that makes us feel good. It was also found that when we reflect on or write down the positive situations or experiences that we encounter in our life, the brain releases serotonin and, as serotonin enhances our mood, we start feeling happy. Organizations can do this, like Rocket Station and promote appreciation posts across common communication feeds. There can also be “Appreciation Weeks” where the cultivation of gratitude is enhanced. 

Exercise and meditation at workplace

Hormone: Dopamine, Serotonin and Endorphins

Exercising relieves stress, helps in achieving better physical health and makes an individual more productive. Meditation is the practice of concentrating, focusing inward and letting our thoughts float. Research suggests that meditation and exercise help in increased levels of dopamine, serotonin and endorphins and regular practice is associated with improved mental and physical health. At the workplace, this can all be practiced by having a place for teammates to work out, such as an at-work gym or physical area. Meditation practices can also be achieved at work by having yoga classes or fun at-work meditation seminars and events coupled with aromatherapy and soothing music. 

At Rocket Station, we place value in the health and wellness of each teammate and seek to empower them to lead a healthy lifestyle. This April, join our community by signing up in our newsletter to read more interesting articles about health and wellness and how it can help you at work. 

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Our Commitment to Excellence and Security: Rocket Station is ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 Compliant!
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Imposter Syndrome at work and learning how to manage it

Imposter Syndrome at work and learning how to manage it

  • rs_ph_website

  • March 23, 2021

  • 1:17 pm

  • 37 comments

Imposter Syndrome has become a buzz word in the advent of the self-awareness and the self-love movement. We see more pop psychologists talk about it, and how it affects the narratives we have of ourselves during work.

So what is Imposter Syndrome, really, and how does it affect our performance at work? Let’s take a closer look. This was first coined in 1978 by clinical psychologists Pauline R. Clance and Suzanne A. Imes as:

So simply put, it is the belief that we are not good or capable enough even if we already are.

Who is affected? Research shows that 70% of us will experience this at a moment in our lives.

You may be wondering, how is this important and relevant to Rocket Station? According to research, remote workers and managers in a remote set-up are more at risk of experiencing Imposter Syndrome versus other working groups. At Rocket Station, we enhance lives and build better businesses. It is counter-productive for Rocketeers to develop a mindset that makes them feel they are inadequate even if truly they aren’t inadequate. How can they enhance the lives of others if they themselves unjustly feel like they are incapable of doing so? As such, we are here to help.

Dr. Sandi Mann in her book Why do I feel like an Imposter shares more about the affliction and the mindset behind it. It usually stems from people thinking they’re not good enough or that their success is not attributed to them, but by some external factor.

Usually, people who suffer from the Imposter Syndrome/Phenomenon devalue their successes and go onto a negative cycle, thinking they don’t deserve the success they’ve achieved.

How do we manage Imposter Syndrome at work? First you must think about, acknowledge and recognize if you are living with IS. Know that it isn’t your fault and that it is common. Think about how you view rejection and criticism. Try to look at criticism objectively to ascertain if it is valid or not. If valid, try to be dispassionate and learn from it. If it is not valid, defend yourself. Lastly, learn to act confident even if you don’t feel like it.

Dr. Mann discusses further by doing two exercises that can be useful for people living with IS or for managers who are working with people who have IS on their team:

Exercise 1: Acknowledge the Facts

No matter how you view your success, certain facts are indisputable. For example, if you got a job offer, promotion or a high exam result, those factors are facts. Everything else is merely what is viewed about the facts. Look back at your life and write a list of all your successes with the headline: “The Facts”

Exercise 2: Identify Your Strengths

Write down the following:

10 of your strengths, for example: innovative, strong, persistent, optimistic.

At least 5 things you admire about yourself

5 greatest achievements in your life so far

10 things you could do to help others.

Keep these lists close to you and go back to them from time to time.

This March, Rocket Station shines light into self-development and building yourself at work. Being a better leader, a better remote worker, or even just a better person. Sign up in our newsletter for more high-impact articles that develop you into the person you want to be.

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ISO Certification Announcement
Rocket Station is a company founded on the promise of exceeding expectations. Our culture drives us to set new standards, especially in our industry of providing virtual assistance and innovative business process solutions. While it’s easy for us to stay back and maintain our course, that’s just not the Rocketeer way.

Our Commitment to Excellence and Security: Rocket Station is ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 Compliant!
Rocket Station is a company founded on the promise of exceeding expectations. Our culture drives us to set new standards, especially in our industry of providing virtual assistance and innovative business process solutions. While it’s easy for us to stay back and maintain our course, that’s just not the Rocketeer way.

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All Health and Wellness

Six self-care antidotes to prevent burnout from work

Six self-care antidotes to prevent burnout from work

  • rs_ph_website

  • March 23, 2021

  • 12:55 pm

  • 0 comments

Burnout is the common term most people use when they have reached a threshold for something that depletes them. Be it at work, at home, or even with daily roles we play as parents, bosses, and the like. Like many hardworking and fully functional adults we wear many hats and need to juggle the demands of work and life.

At Rocket Station, we value placing in the element of fun in almost every endeavor we have at work. While we can all agree that life can be incredibly stressful, this does not mean we can’t add the element of self-care to our regimen to keep the burn out at bay.

Studies have shown that self-care is the quickest most efficient way to prevent burn out from happening. Let us discuss the 6 areas of self-care as fool proof antidotes you can use to prevent burnout. The six areas are professional, physical, psychological, emotional, spiritual, and personal. Each area has a specific need that caters differently to each individual.

For instance, a VA working tirelessly on night shift might need some physical self-care to release tension and get some well-deserved sleep. A person who had just gone through a major life transition may need to focus on an emotional and spiritual self-care journey. We all go through different circumstances, and it is important to understand that not all areas of self-care works for everyone.

Professional Self-Care is the kind of self-care that nurtures your career in ways that does positive work practices, such as: Celebrating small wins, taking breaks to increase work productivity, and tagging career goals to be inspired.

Physical Self-Care is self-care that nourishes your body. It can come in the form of eating the right food, exercising, getting 7-9 hours of uninterrupted sleep, or simply resting after a long week of non-stop work.

Psychological Self-Care is self-care that puts focus on developing habits that foster good mental health. Such habits can include journaling, tracking your mood, reading self-help books, unplugging from social media, keeping a gratitude journal, or meditating. All these examples are proven to make you 10% happier through the guidance of mental health.

Emotional Self-Care deals with caring for your feelings and inner emotions. It is very similar to psychological self-care but the main difference is in emotional regulation. This kind of self-care helps you understand how you feel about certain topics and teaches you to do more emotional regulation. This proves useful especially at work when grounding techniques are being mastered, and high-stress situations at work come by.

Spiritual Self-Care is self-care that helps you connect to a power greater than yourself. You may call it the Universe, God or anything you prefer. You can channel this by revisiting your core values.

Personal Self-Care finally, is self-care that differs from person to person because it’s the kind of self-care that deals in the development of you. You as a person in whatever way that can nourish you. It can be as simple as treating yourself to one of your favorite restaurants, finding time alone or with friends to recharge or simply unplugging from technology and getting much needed air to breathe.

In the past, Rocket Station has spearheaded projects and events that deal with self-care and empowerment. We place importance in caring for people’s mental health and empowering them to take the first few steps to a healthier and happier version of themselves. If you like catapulting yourself to greater heights through delf-development, leadership, health and wellness and careers, sign up to receive updates from the Rocketeers themselves.

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ISO Certification Announcement
Rocket Station is a company founded on the promise of exceeding expectations. Our culture drives us to set new standards, especially in our industry of providing virtual assistance and innovative business process solutions. While it’s easy for us to stay back and maintain our course, that’s just not the Rocketeer way.

Our Commitment to Excellence and Security: Rocket Station is ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 Compliant!
Rocket Station is a company founded on the promise of exceeding expectations. Our culture drives us to set new standards, especially in our industry of providing virtual assistance and innovative business process solutions. While it’s easy for us to stay back and maintain our course, that’s just not the Rocketeer way.

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Finding your North Star and channeling it into work

Finding your North Star and channeling it into work

  • rs_ph_website

  • March 22, 2021

  • 1:47 pm

  • 0 comments

As children the earliest concept of the North Star was introduced in fairy tales or science quizzes. Similar to the story in Peter Pan, Peter would use stars to have Wendy and his friends find him. In many fictional stories people have used the north star as a compass to guide their way through turbulent journeys. However, the north star is not just a good way to navigate journeys or a fancy way to add to stories. The North Star is also a term people can use in marketing projects and personal development.

Why even have a North Star? Because we all need direction for a specific goal whether it be for work or our personal lives. It is crucial to help us in moving forward or redirect our energies if something is swaying us from our intended direction. Finding your North Star is like finding one’s purpose. Your North Star is a guiding vision. This helps to navigate decisions and prioritize what you want to do with your intended goal. 

At Rocket Station, goal setting is one of the more important steps our people undertake, and with this unique process of finding your north star, it won’t be difficult charting your path, as long as you put in the work. 

Why are you doing your job?

Write down the reasons why you decided to work with this job role.

For fun – it’s for your friends, self expression, meeting interesting people, learning about a topic, pushing a conversation forward

Indirect business goals – personal branding, meeting customers, growing an audience, becoming an influencer in your industry

The direct business goals – earn money or capital, build your career, have experience in your industry to one day start your own business

It can be 1-3, but try not to pick more than 3. You want to stay focused and be able to remind yourself why you got into this. It will help center decisions later on around growth and monetization. If you are doing it purely for business, I’d encourage you to have a creative angle as well.

What excites you the most about your job?

Remembering what makes you happy about your role can give you much needed motivation to get through a slump or times when you forget your “Why?”

Core Values

List down what your values are 

For inspiration, check out this list of 200 personal values

List down all your non-negotiables (things that you will not compromise on) in order of priority

e.g. “I don’t want to pitch ideas that I feel are too tone deaf”, “I don’t want to diss any people/products when I set my presentations”

Set your Goal

Before you commit to a goal, we need to make sure that you’ll have enough motivation to chase that goal, this goal has to be something that you’re interested in, realistic and passionate about.

Let’s do an exercise. Answer the following:

What are some things you like learning about at work?

What are you excited about at work?

Are there things that other people do whether it be in your department or not that you find interesting?

What topic can you talk about for hours at your work longue?

What are your hobbies that you can apply to this goal?

Who are some of my heroes, and what is the common thread that runs through their stories?

Approach To Work Community

Who can you tap as a mentor in this goal?

Who can you reach out to for help?

Do you want to build a community alongside your goal?

How can you engage the people in your community to further develop your goal?

Do the Work

When you’ve collated all the information and inspiration necessary to perform your goal, do this step: 

Write down all the plans you need to accomplish on your calendar, book all the coffee dates, all the online meetings as necessary. 

Set timelines and remember to set your end goal as the last and final step. 

Remember: Setting your north star is that your north star only serves as a point of direction, a place of vision, and vision cannot happen without action.

This March, Rocket Station shines light into self-development and building yourself at work. Being a better leader, a better remote worker, or even just a better person. Sign up in our newsletter for more high-impact articles that develop you into the person you want to be.

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Rocket Station is a company founded on the promise of exceeding expectations. Our culture drives us to set new standards, especially in our industry of providing virtual assistance and innovative business process solutions. While it’s easy for us to stay back and maintain our course, that’s just not the Rocketeer way.

Our Commitment to Excellence and Security: Rocket Station is ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 Compliant!
Rocket Station is a company founded on the promise of exceeding expectations. Our culture drives us to set new standards, especially in our industry of providing virtual assistance and innovative business process solutions. While it’s easy for us to stay back and maintain our course, that’s just not the Rocketeer way.

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Make marvelous mistakes at work—it’ll make you better

Make marvelous mistakes at work—it’ll make you better

  • rs_ph_website

  • March 19, 2021

  • 1:29 pm

  • 0 comments

Who hasn’t felt the gut-wrenching feeling of knowing you’ve made a terrible mistake, and soon after, realizing that you’ll get into trouble because of it? In a work set-up everyone will tell you it is all but human to make mistakes, but we have been programmed to believe that making mistakes could get you fired, or accosted for.

At Rocket Station, we believe that providing an environment open to making mistakes is essential in building a community of well-seasoned leaders who are constantly growing.

In fact, learning how to turn mistakes into lessons is a skill that is developed through the years. Public speaker Tod Dewett talks about making Marvelous Mistakes in one of his leadership courses. He isn’t the only person talking about how mistakes can be beneficial in developing people though. In a Ted Talk with Dr. Brian Goldman, entitled: Doctors make mistakes too-can we talk about that? Dr. Goldman explains an emotional account of how the mistakes he made as a doctor and his inability to talk about them caused him to develop intrusive thoughts and self-doubt. It was only when he acknowledged his mistakes and started talking about them that he began a journey in bettering himself not just as a doctor, but also as a human.

With Goldman and Dewett at the fore, this Rocketeer seeks to share just how you can best develop yourself by making marvelous mistakes.

Mistakes can only help us if we discuss them.

Mistakes can only help us grow when it is discussed in an environment that is open to collaborating and pivoting through mishaps. Casting blame on others and shame is counterproductive. The only time people learn from mistakes is when they discuss what went wrong, where the point of contention is and how it can be fixed.

Study mistakes like they’re skills.

To acknowledge a mistake is one thing to study it is another. Dissecting and trying to trace where things went wrong and while learning from it can pave the way for opportunities that point to growth. Dewett explains that dwelling on mistakes is not the same as studying them. Dwelling on mistakes is a defensive and self-flagellating stance, while studying it takes a proactive viewpoint that points toward betterment.

Do not fear mistakes.

Dewett discusses that the reason why people don’t learn from mistakes is that they always try their hardest to avoid them. In the pursuit of perfection, there is an inability to authentically extract lessons that cannot be learned through books and know-how alone. Experiences are teachable because there is a trial-and-error phase that makes people go through a self-learning phase as a result.

Push hard enough to innovate and create significant mistakes.

Taking curiosity to where you can push the limits of your creativity in managing projects or spearheading something new can get you into marvelous mistakes. Marvelous mistakes offer high-value learnings which you can apply to future endeavors.

At Rocket Station we develop our people into leaders who are beyond capable in managing mistakes and making the best out of it. Subscribe in our newsletter to have the best articles on topics like self-development in your inbox.

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Rocket Station Achieves ISO 9001:2015 and ISO 27001:2022 Certification
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ISO Certification Announcement
Rocket Station is a company founded on the promise of exceeding expectations. Our culture drives us to set new standards, especially in our industry of providing virtual assistance and innovative business process solutions. While it’s easy for us to stay back and maintain our course, that’s just not the Rocketeer way.

Our Commitment to Excellence and Security: Rocket Station is ISO 9001 and ISO 27001 Compliant!
Rocket Station is a company founded on the promise of exceeding expectations. Our culture drives us to set new standards, especially in our industry of providing virtual assistance and innovative business process solutions. While it’s easy for us to stay back and maintain our course, that’s just not the Rocketeer way.

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