Scents For Productivity & Focus

Have you ever walked past a certain aroma and instantly experienced a flashback to your childhood? This happens because smells that enter your body have a direct link to your memory center. Better yet, have you experienced where certain scents have a calming effect? Some scents can even help you focus and in turn increases productivity. There are scores of studies that show scents affect things like memory, concentration, sustained attention and cognitive function to improve productivity.

When you hear, touch or taste something, that information passes through the thalamus, the part of the brain that relays sensory information, before reaching its correlated part of the brain. As such, you’re aware of the sense before you’re aware of the memory or emotion it corresponds to.

Smells, however, bypass the thalamus and head straight to the olfactory bulb, which is directly connected to the hippocampus (which is responsible for your memory) and the amygdala (where you process your emotions). Because odors are first routed through these regions before reaching the thalamus, they’re more closely linked to memory. This explains why aromatherapy can have a profound effect on our emotional, physical and mental state.

HERE ARE 5 SCENTS THAT IMPROVE FOCUS AND PRODUCTIVITY:

1. Lemon - The tangy scent of lemon arouses the senses and improves cognitive function. Use lemon to help you power through that long proposal!

2. Lavender - Sweet-smelling lavender improves concentration by recharging the brain during rest time. This allows you to return to work more revived than you would be otherwise.

3. Jasmine - The smell of jasmine has stimulatory effect on the nervous system. It’s used to re-energize and promote a sense of well-being and a positive mood. Sniff it during a break for an instant refresher.

4. Citrus - Bright, light citrus aromas are helpful for staying awake and alert. Take a whiff before an important afternoon meeting to power up.

5. Peppermint - Peppermint improves attention and concentration. It also enhances the accuracy of memory and increases alertness.

So, while we purchase fragrances and candles because they just smell good. Next time when you’re shopping for scents take into consideration the effect it has on focus, attention, mood and productivity.

Browse the UnOrthoDoc Candle Co. Collection below for some of these scents.

Write It Down & Make It Happen With Zebra Pen

This post has been sponsored by Zebra Pen. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I don’t know about anyone else, but even though we are completely in the digital age, there’s just something about putting pen to paper that helps to clarify my goals and priorities. Whether it’s writing in my journal, scribbling down my daily to-do lists, scheduling meetings and due dates or scribing my treatments plans at work, there is something about the analog nature of writing things down with a real pen on paper that helps me to properly set my intentions and achieve my goals. 

Writing things down forces our ideas to become real. 

“When we write things down, we enter a world of possibility”

— anon

As an Orthodontist, blogger, philanthropist and side hustle extraordinaire, my life takes a certain level of organization and my writing utensil is a big part of that. From writing charts, treatment planning, signing documents, and creating content, I need instruments that will help to not only keep me on track but also offer reliability and efficiency. One Instrument I am very particular about is my pen. 

My go-to writing utensil is the Zebra Pen STEEL F-701® ALL METAL Ballpoint Retractable Pen. Not only does it have a very stylish design but it also provides a high-quality writing experience that helps me stay organized and accomplish my goals. It’s rare that I come across high value items with great quality and style for a low cost. At under $10.00, this writing tool was made for the savvy and confident professional. This pen transitions well with my professional and personal style. Check out more information here to see how you can Choose Different.

HERE ARE A FEW OTHER REASONS TO LOVE THE ZEBRA STEEL F-701:

As an Orthodontist, I utilize pens to complete clinical charting and treatment planning for my patients. My notes require a premium quality pen, like the STEEL F-701, that does not smudge, has a convenient push clip, and that has a great grip. As a blogger, it is just as important in helping me to plan my blog and social media content.

This pen is housed in a silver stainless steel frame that I can easily clean and sterilize between uses. It is knurled, with a no-slip grip for ease of handle and it offers a smooth, even ink delivery from any portion of the ball tip. It is lightweight, durable, and easily clips to my white coat pocket. Best of all it contains an all-metal refill which is usually seen in pens with a hefty price tag. Its fast-drying ink prevents smudging on glossy prints and is great for writing on patient photographs and radiographs. 

Blogging coupled with my other entrepreneurial endeavors takes quite a bit of planning. It seems I write on paper almost as much as I type. Needless to say, I always need a pen that’s reliable…. and stylish, of course. 

I always carry the STEEL F-701 in my purse because it is practical, durable, reliable and long lasting.