Author: Keira Allen-Anderson (Page 2 of 3)

Podcasts are a great way to double up on your time while giving your brain cells a boost in the process. If you’re exercising, studying or driving home, tuning in to a good podcast will not only be a great companion, it’s also likely that you will learn something cool at the same time. So, to get you started, we’ve made a list of 5 podcasts we found interesting.

TED Talks

You may well have seen a few TED Talks online already, but did you know that they come in audio form as well? This series of amazingly informative presentations is full of inspiring, motivational talks covering everything from art to crime and all the weird and wonderful bits in between.

Stuff You Should Know

Created by the same people who started HowStuffWorks, this podcast runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays and covers a vast range of topics, from Jack the Ripper to the Spanish Inquisition. Great for improving your knowledge for the next student pub quiz!

Without Fail

A new podcast from the folks at Gimlet Media, Without Fail is an interview podcast where host Alex Blumberg interviews people from the worlds of business, sport and culture. As the name suggests, it has a particular focus on how they failed and what they learned while doing it. The opening two episodes are a fascinating conversation with Andrew Mason who founded, and was then fired from, Groupon.

Freakonomics Radio

Freakonomics Radio takes all the questions you most likely asked your search engine and explores them through the lens of economics and statistics. Yes, we know that doesn’t sound interesting but it’s wildly fascinating in that introspective, yet playful sense of understanding yourself and the world.

The Guilty Feminist

The Guilty Feminist is an award-winning podcast and live show hosted by Deborah Frances-White. With a range of guests, Deborah discusses the big topics all 21st-century feminists agree on, whilst confessing their “buts” – the insecurities, hypocrisies and fears that undermine our lofty principles.

Let us know what podcasts you listen to in the comments section

According to the seventh annual World Happiness Report the UK placed 15th in the 156-country ranking, just ahead of Ireland. Not bad!

Being happy is something you have to work on, it doesn’t just happen. Happiness requires a conscious effort.

We are big on being grateful in the ResiLife team. Amidst all of the hectic things, life can throw at us in any given day, taking a moment to stop and say one thing you are grateful for can make all of the difference. It may not directly change the situation but acknowledging what we are grateful for helps to see situations in a different light.

The 7 Day Gratitude Challenge

For this weeks ‘Try It post’  we have a simple challenge for you.

Write down 5 things you are grateful for every night for a whole week and note if it makes any difference to your happiness at the end.

I said it was simple.

Let us know in the comments section how you get on.

March 20th is International Day Of Happiness. In 2011, the UN General Assembly adopted a resolution which recognised happiness as a “fundamental human goal” and called for “a more inclusive, equitable and balanced approach to economic growth that promotes the happiness and well-being of all peoples”

The animation below by Steve Cutts depicts a rodents’ unrelenting search for happiness. Presented in a tone not usually synonymous with happiness, the story highlights some common behaviours that we thought were thought-provoking.   We see the influence that advertising and marketing have on the things we think may bring us happiness.  It also shows some of the lengths we go to in order to ‘obtain’ happiness and the cost we are willing to pay for it.

This international quest for happiness poses some interesting questions:

• What makes us happy?
• Can material things make us happy?
• Does happiness come from within?
• Is being happy so important?

Watch the video and let us know your thoughts in the comment section below.

Words: Keira ResiLife

Stick To a Schedule

Go to bed and get up at the same time every day. Try to limit the difference in your sleep schedule on weeknights and weekends to no more than one hour. Being consistent reinforces your body’s sleep-wake cycle.

Pay Attention to What & When You Eat & Drink 

Eating heavy food close to bedtime can be disruptive to your sleep.

The stimulating effects of caffeinated drinks or foods high in sugar can also keep you up at night time.

Include Physical Activity In Your daily routine

Regular physical activity can promote better sleep.  Exercise burns energy, it increases blood flow in your arteries and raises your body temperature. Avoid being active too close to bedtime, however. About two hours before you sleep should be enough of a gap.

Spending time outside every day might be helpful, too.

Limit Your Phone Activity 

The sleep hormone melatonin gets released when it is dark. The bright light on phones and devices can stop this from happening.

Also watching or reading content that will get you stressed or alert can be counterproductive

Get Out Of Bed When If You Can’t Fall Asleep

Contrary to the old wives tale, counting sheep may not actually help you fall asleep.

If you don’t fall asleep within about 20 minutes, leave your bedroom and do something relaxing. Read or listen to soothing music. Go back to bed when you’re tired. Repeat as needed.

Let us know if you have any special routines before bed to help you get a quality nights sleep.

*This is not professional medical advice. Please consult your doctor if you often have trouble sleeping.

Many students battle with finding time to fit all the things they need to do in one day. You may have the perfect food prep and exercise routine all figured out in preparation for that summer body or more importantly for a healthy balanced life but what is your sleep pattern like?

We often sacrifice sleep in order to fit in studying, working, socialising and everything in between.  Sleeping may seem like a waste of valuable time, especially in the run-up to exam period but you could actually be developing revision skills whilst sleeping.

According to Inner Drivesleep enhances the very skills you need when studying. Some of the benefits include :

Better Concentration

Better Memory Recall

Aids Creativity

Helps You Make Better Decisions

Reduced Focus on Negative Things

Stronger Immune System

We found this talk by educator Shai Marcu really informative in expanding on the benefits of sleep.

Do you notice a difference in your productivity depending on the amount of sleep you have had?

Share with us in the comments below.

WOW- Women of the World

The Southbank Centre often has some really great events throughout the year so their website is a good place to start when looking for ideas of how to spend your free time. For their International women’s day celebrations they have a range of events happening including talks with Angela Davis and Naomi Klein. Some of the pre-book events may be sold out but they have some free walk-in events also.

International Women’s Day: Education Empowers Women

Head down to this student-led talk at Bush house on how education empowers women. With a diverse panel of women who are leading in their fields, it is bound to be an inspiring and informative event.

Gal-Dem’s International Women’s Weekender

Gal-Dem is a magazine written and run by women and non-binary people of colour are putting on a jam-packed weekender to celebrate International Women’s Day. The weekend will be full of storytelling, Music and a range of really interesting talks brought to you by some spectacular women.

We are also hearing talk that our favourite princess the Duchess of Sussex is taking part in a panel discussion on female empowerment right here at Kings College with singer Annie Lennox, founder of Gurls Talk Adwoa Aboah, and former Australian prime minister Julia Gillard. If you have any details about this event please let us know !

On Friday 8 March, women and men around the world will come together to celebrate International Women’s Day – a day dedicated to championing women’s achievements and challenging gender bias.

This year, the day’s campaign theme is #BalanceforBetter which is a call-to-action for driving gender balance around the world.

We found this video by Nike to be inspiring and great encouragement to women to keep pushing boundaries and dream crazy!!!

Words By Keira Allen-Anderson

For University Mental Health Day 2019, KCLSU will be hosting the first ever Rise Festival for student mental health and wellbeing.

Join the conversation with pop-up stalls across Guy’s, Waterloo and Strand  to chat with fellow King’s students about what mental health means to you and where you can find out more about the support services available. At Strand and Guy’s, you’ll also have the chance to de-stress with table tennis and a creativity corner –complete with a journaling workshop! Finally, in the spirit of ‘using your voice,’ we’ll be hosting talks at Guy’s and Strand to share student mental health stories in a safe space with a focus on international students, becoming a mental health advocate, experiencing psychosis and mature students.

This event coincides with the launch of KCL’s ‘Student Mental Health and Wellbeing: Report and Strategic Plan’ in the evening.

University Mental Health Day is for everyone at King’s because we all have mental health and are part of this University community where we talk about it. This event is student-led by the following groups: Think Mental, My Mind Matters Too, Our Shared Health, KCLSU Positive Peers and KCL Peer Supporters with support from KCLSU Bush House Sessions and  KCLSU Wellbeing.