The school year has wrapped up just as the political frenzy of presidential politics and state legislature drama — not to mention the actual weather — is heating up. Whether it’s bored kids demanding more attention or the news cycle draining your optimism, it can be exhausting. Maybe it’s time for a nap?
Stress
Hang in there
The holiday season is behind us but the weather still tends to be a little cold and gloomy. The pace of projects and demands seems non-stop and any promise of a break seems very far away. Don’t we all need just a little bit of levity? That was the inspiration behind this Typewriter Rodeo poem.
How To Reframe Stress
In our last episode, we talked about how stress and discomfort aren’t always negative. Sometimes you can harness your energy by learning to reframe the negative feelings, but how do we do that?
In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, Dr. Bob Duke, and Rebecca McInroy talk about the process of reframing stressful situations and why it’s important.
Reframing Stress
Stress and discomfort aren’t always negative. Sometimes you can harness your energy by learning to reframe the negative feelings. As Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob discuss in this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, some new research by Ayelet Fishbach and her colleagues suggests that doing this can help you get more done.
Texas Standard: December 21, 2020
We have a winner in a hotly contested state senate election. Can it tell us anything about the Texas Republican party? We’ll explore. Also, some health care providers across Texas have now received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Next up should be nursing home patients and staff. We’ll look at how one provider is feeling about it all. And UT-Austin is changing the way it determines who gets into a certain program. How an algorithm can show bias. Also Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s lawsuit too overturn some election results was a failure, on all but one front. We’ll explain. Those stories and so much more today on the Texas Standard:
Willie’s Always Right
The pandemic and its toll on lives and livelihoods cause many to feel strong negative emotions: fear, anger, stress, depression. Those feelings are valid. But a reminder from a dream version of one iconic Texan might be just what some need in these dark moments. That was the inspiration for this Typewriter Rodeo poem.
What’s In A Day?
When it comes to the holidays, how important is the day, psychologically, that we celebrate?
In this episode of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman, and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the importance rituals in marking time, and the way in which we can alleviate stress in our lives by understanding that things don’t always have to go the way the world, or Hallmark, dictates.
Texas Standard: November 26, 2018
A threat to shut the border permanently after a confrontation involving tear gas and members of a so-called migrant caravan, we’ll have the latest. Also, plans for a school in southeast Texas now on hold after the discovery of scores of unmarked graves, and a history of prison labor seldom discussed. Brooke Lewis of the Houston Chronicle joins us to discuss more. And a scooter hits a car, or maybe it’s the other way around. Whose insurance covers what? And are scooter companies or scooter riders on the hook? Plus old age dementia: researchers think they’ve found a link with mid-life stress. Those stories and more today on the Texas Standard:
Higher Ed: Competing Demands In Education Lead To Stress
The end of the school year is a busy time for students, faculty, staff, and families. Finals exams are looming; seniors may be on the hunt for a job; and many students have to say goodbye to friends and teachers. In this episode of KUT’s podcast “Higher Ed,” Southwestern University President Dr. Ed Burger and KUT’s Jennifer Stayton discuss the origins of stress; the role it can play in education and learning; and how to successfully manage it (both in and out of school).
Actually, the entire school year can feel stressful with tests, grades, activities and high expectations to perform well. Ed says that a primary cause of overall stress in education stems from multiple, competing demands inherent in the system: students are trying to get the training and background they need to take the next step and launch their careers while also making deep meaning of the material they are learning. He says those two interests don’t always happily co-exist. In this episode, Ed and Jennifer talk about the definition and origins of stress. They also discuss ways to manage it, which does not necessarily mean completely eliminating stress.
One good way to get rid of some stress? Go to a party. Listen to the full episode to get the latest puzzler which is all about party guests’ favorite school subjects.
This episode was recorded on April 20, 2018.
Carmen Giménez Smith
Poet Carmen Giménez Smith, shares her sublime poem “Migraine Code Switch” with Carrie Fountain. They discusses its origins at Conto Mundo and much more. Her poem appears in her book Cruel Futures, out now from CityLightsBooks.
Boredom
It seems that people today carry with them the constant mantra, “I’m so busy.” And as it can be tough to juggle work, kids, and life in general, a lot of that feeling of being overwhelmed may be our own fault.
In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markaman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about the value of boredom, and how to get the most out of your downtime to feel more in control and less stressed.
Breathing
When we think of all the things we’re sold to reduce stress in our lives, the one that will actually work is free-breathing. So why don’t we utilize our ability to change our physiology through slowing down and taking deep breaths more often?
In this edition of Two Guys on Your Head, Dr. Art Markman and Dr. Bob Duke talk about breathing and the brain.
Texas Standard: October 3, 2016
Across Texas, people are talking about taxes, and not necessarily those of a certain presidential candidate. We’ll explore the details. Also the face of immigration is changing, literally. Detentions along the southern border show an unexpected rise in the numbers of people neither from Mexico or Central America. We’ll hear who they are, and what’s driving the change. Also, you’ve heard of working yourself to death? That became all too real for a for a Texas twenty something, who’s now urging other go-getters to check their ambitions. Plus: is a key piece of safety equipment a threat to high school football? Those stories and lots more today on the Texas Standard: