1 00:00:01,139 --> 00:00:04,530 Student 1: I would break the textbook into chapters and set myself 2 00:00:04,530 --> 00:00:05,820 Student 1: target of pages per day. 3 00:00:06,390 --> 00:00:08,700 Student 2: It's like going to the gym. You can't get a six- 4 00:00:08,700 --> 00:00:10,800 Student 2: pack in three months. You have to build up over 5 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:11,161 Student 2: time to get it. 6 00:00:11,161 --> 00:00:15,660 Student 3: Always little steps at the time. I'm like a turtle. Let's 7 00:00:15,660 --> 00:00:19,259 Student 3: say I work slowly, but I arrive to the destination. 8 00:00:19,620 --> 00:00:23,550 Krutika Adatia: Hello, I'm Krutika Adatia, and I'm a chartered accountant. I now 9 00:00:23,550 --> 00:00:28,800 Krutika Adatia: support accountancy students through their training, and as an educator, I'm regularly up 10 00:00:28,800 --> 00:00:31,979 Krutika Adatia: close and personal with some of the common issues people face 11 00:00:32,370 --> 00:00:36,178 Krutika Adatia: while studying for and sitting their accountancy exams. So in 12 00:00:36,180 --> 00:00:39,600 Krutika Adatia: this series for the ACCA, we're chatting to experts about 13 00:00:39,600 --> 00:00:43,470 Krutika Adatia: strategies we can all use when facing some of life's challenges, 14 00:00:43,950 --> 00:00:47,280 Krutika Adatia: whether that's booking your first accountancy exam or finding a 15 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:51,269 Krutika Adatia: good work- life balance. This week we're looking at setting goals. 16 00:00:51,750 --> 00:00:54,930 Krutika Adatia: Do smart goals really work? Is it better to focus on 17 00:00:54,930 --> 00:00:58,140 Krutika Adatia: the big picture when struggling or getting through day by day? 18 00:00:58,590 --> 00:01:02,370 Krutika Adatia: And what techniques could help us reach our aims? This 19 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:05,700 Krutika Adatia: is On Your Marks, because you'll never know until you try. 20 00:01:09,509 --> 00:01:12,360 Krutika Adatia: Now I know that the phrase, " How should I set goals," 21 00:01:12,360 --> 00:01:15,450 Krutika Adatia: might instantly turn you off. But the thing is, the 22 00:01:15,450 --> 00:01:18,540 Krutika Adatia: reason teachers and coaches alike go on about goal setting 23 00:01:18,540 --> 00:01:22,200 Krutika Adatia: so much is that it can really work. I remember 24 00:01:22,200 --> 00:01:24,689 Krutika Adatia: when I was a student, I often felt overwhelmed with 25 00:01:24,690 --> 00:01:27,000 Krutika Adatia: the sheer volume of content we needed to learn for 26 00:01:27,000 --> 00:01:30,178 Krutika Adatia: each exam. I was working and studying at the same time, 27 00:01:30,180 --> 00:01:32,850 Krutika Adatia: which made it even more difficult because I always felt 28 00:01:32,850 --> 00:01:35,340 Krutika Adatia: I didn't have enough hours in the day. It was 29 00:01:35,340 --> 00:01:38,220 Krutika Adatia: only when I started setting more manageable goals that I 30 00:01:38,220 --> 00:01:40,920 Krutika Adatia: started feeling more in control of my life and my 31 00:01:40,920 --> 00:01:44,639 Krutika Adatia: progress in exam preparation. So to talk about how we 32 00:01:44,639 --> 00:01:48,150 Krutika Adatia: can all set more realistic and helpful goals today, I've 33 00:01:48,150 --> 00:01:51,900 Krutika Adatia: got Sarah D. Rees with me. She's a cognitive behavioural 34 00:01:51,900 --> 00:01:55,740 Krutika Adatia: therapist with over 20 years experience working in mental health, 35 00:01:56,010 --> 00:01:58,619 Krutika Adatia: who regularly works with clients to help them set and 36 00:01:58,620 --> 00:02:02,789 Krutika Adatia: achieve their mental health and personal goals. So, Sarah, do 37 00:02:02,790 --> 00:02:04,979 Krutika Adatia: you like setting goals and do they work for you? 38 00:02:05,250 --> 00:02:09,090 Sarah D. Rees: I absolutely love setting goals and I've had to make 39 00:02:09,090 --> 00:02:12,630 Sarah D. Rees: them work for me. It's not come naturally. I'm somebody 40 00:02:12,630 --> 00:02:15,719 Sarah D. Rees: that if I just set myself a goal, I would 41 00:02:15,719 --> 00:02:19,649 Sarah D. Rees: get overwhelmed and all I saw was the goal, I'd 42 00:02:19,679 --> 00:02:23,038 Sarah D. Rees: get anxious and I won't be able to achieve it. 43 00:02:23,038 --> 00:02:26,790 Sarah D. Rees: So I've learned that I need to manage my goals 44 00:02:26,790 --> 00:02:29,130 Sarah D. Rees: and break them down and focus a little bit more 45 00:02:29,130 --> 00:02:32,280 Sarah D. Rees: on the strategies and the things I do to arrive 46 00:02:32,280 --> 00:02:33,120 Sarah D. Rees: at the goal. 47 00:02:33,270 --> 00:02:36,240 Krutika Adatia: Amazing. So what does a good goal look like? 48 00:02:36,570 --> 00:02:40,980 Sarah D. Rees: A really good goal is what we often refer to 49 00:02:40,980 --> 00:02:45,720 Sarah D. Rees: as smart. It's a smart goal. So SMART stands for 50 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:51,508 Sarah D. Rees: specific, measurable, achievable, realistic, and timely. So there's a real 51 00:02:51,540 --> 00:02:56,728 Sarah D. Rees: clear destination. It's very specific. So an a vague goal 52 00:02:56,730 --> 00:02:59,939 Sarah D. Rees: might be I want to get fit, whereas a very 53 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:03,840 Sarah D. Rees: clear goal might be I want to be able to 54 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:06,810 Sarah D. Rees: go to the gym three times a week and I'll 55 00:03:06,810 --> 00:03:09,090 Sarah D. Rees: know when I'm fit when I can run for half 56 00:03:09,090 --> 00:03:12,900 Sarah D. Rees: an hour. So it's much more specific and it's measurable 57 00:03:12,900 --> 00:03:16,169 Sarah D. Rees: as well. And it's realistic. If we set goals that are 58 00:03:16,169 --> 00:03:19,770 Sarah D. Rees: too unrealistic, we can feel overwhelmed and that can shut 59 00:03:19,770 --> 00:03:23,220 Sarah D. Rees: us down and reduce our motivation. They say what gets 60 00:03:23,220 --> 00:03:26,099 Sarah D. Rees: measured gets managed. So we really need to be able 61 00:03:26,099 --> 00:03:29,999 Sarah D. Rees: to measure our goals and see our progress towards our 62 00:03:30,000 --> 00:03:31,048 Sarah D. Rees: goals as well. 63 00:03:31,139 --> 00:03:33,749 Krutika Adatia: I like that. So you've given an acronym there and so 64 00:03:33,750 --> 00:03:35,880 Krutika Adatia: it's specific, measurable- 65 00:03:35,940 --> 00:03:38,880 Sarah D. Rees: Achievable, realistic, and timely. 66 00:03:39,060 --> 00:03:41,670 Krutika Adatia: Love that. So then I guess a bad goal would 67 00:03:41,670 --> 00:03:42,840 Krutika Adatia: be the opposite of that. 68 00:03:42,900 --> 00:03:46,559 Sarah D. Rees: Absolutely. Really vague. A goal is about having a clear 69 00:03:46,559 --> 00:03:50,249 Sarah D. Rees: destination and knowing exactly what that destination is so that 70 00:03:50,250 --> 00:03:52,980 Sarah D. Rees: you know when you've arrived at that goal. 71 00:03:53,369 --> 00:03:56,550 Krutika Adatia: So then would you say as a listener to this, 72 00:03:56,820 --> 00:03:59,460 Krutika Adatia: their goal might be, " I want to be an accountant"? 73 00:03:59,730 --> 00:04:00,120 Krutika Adatia: Is that too broad? 74 00:04:01,260 --> 00:04:04,650 Sarah D. Rees: I think that's a nice goal, but it is too 75 00:04:04,650 --> 00:04:07,200 Sarah D. Rees: broad. You need to chunk that down. What does being 76 00:04:07,200 --> 00:04:10,049 Sarah D. Rees: an accountant mean? I guess you've got to do certain 77 00:04:10,049 --> 00:04:15,510 Sarah D. Rees: exams and reach certain targets and milestones within that. So 78 00:04:15,510 --> 00:04:18,300 Sarah D. Rees: that might be your overarching goal. And there's lots of 79 00:04:18,300 --> 00:04:22,050 Sarah D. Rees: little goals underneath that and you take one by one. 80 00:04:22,260 --> 00:04:25,320 Krutika Adatia: Amazing. So having a big goal is great, but trying 81 00:04:25,320 --> 00:04:28,139 Krutika Adatia: to break it down into something more manageable like, " Hey, 82 00:04:28,139 --> 00:04:30,690 Krutika Adatia: I've got 13 exams to do. Not going to do 83 00:04:30,690 --> 00:04:32,910 Krutika Adatia: them all this yet. Let me space those out." 84 00:04:32,910 --> 00:04:33,570 Sarah D. Rees: Absolutely. 85 00:04:33,570 --> 00:04:37,169 Krutika Adatia: So big goal, break it down into smaller goals. Now 86 00:04:37,350 --> 00:04:41,580 Krutika Adatia: some people find it easier to achieve their goals and others 87 00:04:42,240 --> 00:04:44,130 Krutika Adatia: don't. Why is that? 88 00:04:44,250 --> 00:04:48,089 Sarah D. Rees: Many different reasons. I suppose we are all very different 89 00:04:48,240 --> 00:04:51,419 Sarah D. Rees: and we have very tricky brains. For some people it 90 00:04:51,420 --> 00:04:55,350 Sarah D. Rees: might be life experiences, what we've learnt about achieving goals 91 00:04:55,350 --> 00:04:59,190 Sarah D. Rees: in our past. For some people it's self-talk, how we talk 92 00:04:59,190 --> 00:05:03,209 Sarah D. Rees: to ourselves can have a big impact. So sometimes I 93 00:05:03,210 --> 00:05:06,810 Sarah D. Rees: like to think of it as having a supportive inner coach. 94 00:05:06,810 --> 00:05:09,900 Sarah D. Rees: If we coach ourselves supportively, we can get to our 95 00:05:09,900 --> 00:05:14,039 Sarah D. Rees: goals a bit easier than somebody that beats ourselves up internally. 96 00:05:14,190 --> 00:05:17,670 Sarah D. Rees: So how we talk to ourselves is important. I think 97 00:05:17,670 --> 00:05:20,609 Sarah D. Rees: the support around you at the time and how well 98 00:05:20,610 --> 00:05:24,870 Sarah D. Rees: your mental health and general resilience is really important. So 99 00:05:24,870 --> 00:05:27,930 Sarah D. Rees: if you've got lots of cheerleaders around you, supporting you, 100 00:05:27,930 --> 00:05:31,710 Sarah D. Rees: and a good environment, and all the pillars of health 101 00:05:31,710 --> 00:05:37,290 Sarah D. Rees: like sleep and exercise, good nutrition, good friendships, they all 102 00:05:37,770 --> 00:05:41,309 Sarah D. Rees: provide a really good foundation of resilience for people to 103 00:05:41,309 --> 00:05:45,599 Sarah D. Rees: attain their goals. And I think people need accountability as well. 104 00:05:45,720 --> 00:05:48,870 Krutika Adatia: Amazing. So you've referred to some of the challenges that 105 00:05:48,870 --> 00:05:53,190 Krutika Adatia: individuals might face. You mentioned self- criticism or something that 106 00:05:53,190 --> 00:05:56,760 Krutika Adatia: might prohibit individuals from achieving their goals. You mentioned resilience. 107 00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:59,070 Krutika Adatia: Can you talk a little bit more about the blockers 108 00:05:59,070 --> 00:06:02,159 Krutika Adatia: and the challenges that individuals might face when it comes 109 00:06:02,160 --> 00:06:03,270 Krutika Adatia: to achieving their goals? 110 00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:05,460 Sarah D. Rees: I know I would say that in my clinic, one 111 00:06:05,460 --> 00:06:09,120 Sarah D. Rees: of the things that people struggle with most is an inner 112 00:06:09,178 --> 00:06:13,529 Sarah D. Rees: critic is, I think sometimes until we get awareness of 113 00:06:13,529 --> 00:06:15,779 Sarah D. Rees: our minds and the pattern of our minds, we're not 114 00:06:15,779 --> 00:06:19,289 Sarah D. Rees: always fully aware of how critical we can be or 115 00:06:20,130 --> 00:06:25,529 Sarah D. Rees: how much we're hindering ourselves and holding ourselves back. So 116 00:06:25,529 --> 00:06:28,469 Sarah D. Rees: we need to get more aware of our minds, and 117 00:06:28,469 --> 00:06:30,630 Sarah D. Rees: one of the ways of doing that is through having 118 00:06:30,630 --> 00:06:35,369 Sarah D. Rees: therapy or coaching or self- help things like journaling to 119 00:06:35,369 --> 00:06:38,460 Sarah D. Rees: really understand the patterns of our mind. And then once 120 00:06:38,460 --> 00:06:42,299 Sarah D. Rees: we understand our mind, we can start to make choices 121 00:06:42,510 --> 00:06:43,740 Sarah D. Rees: over what we do. 122 00:06:44,010 --> 00:06:45,540 Krutika Adatia: So can you just tell me a little bit about 123 00:06:45,540 --> 00:06:48,240 Krutika Adatia: the inner self- critic and where does that come from 124 00:06:48,240 --> 00:06:49,199 Krutika Adatia: for most people? 125 00:06:49,290 --> 00:06:51,630 Sarah D. Rees: It's really interesting, isn't it? I think most of us 126 00:06:51,630 --> 00:06:54,630 Sarah D. Rees: have an inner self- critic, and where it's come from 127 00:06:54,630 --> 00:06:57,600 Sarah D. Rees: is going to be different for everybody depending on their 128 00:06:57,600 --> 00:07:02,790 Sarah D. Rees: experiences. Sometimes if you've had a critic around you, if 129 00:07:02,790 --> 00:07:08,068 Sarah D. Rees: you've been bullied, we can internalize critics so they become 130 00:07:08,070 --> 00:07:12,389 Sarah D. Rees: our internal voice. And for some people we might have 131 00:07:12,389 --> 00:07:16,860 Sarah D. Rees: motivated ourselves through criticism at some point and it might 132 00:07:16,860 --> 00:07:20,309 Sarah D. Rees: have motivated us. But the problem is that what we 133 00:07:20,309 --> 00:07:23,340 Sarah D. Rees: find is that it has such a detrimental effect on 134 00:07:23,340 --> 00:07:27,389 Sarah D. Rees: our resilience and our mental health generally, that over time 135 00:07:27,389 --> 00:07:31,470 Sarah D. Rees: it doesn't serve as a good tool at all. It's 136 00:07:31,620 --> 00:07:36,990 Sarah D. Rees: correlated with higher rates of depression and anxiety. So at 137 00:07:36,990 --> 00:07:40,110 Sarah D. Rees: some point you need to really think and spend time 138 00:07:40,110 --> 00:07:42,629 Sarah D. Rees: with your mind and think how you are speaking to 139 00:07:42,630 --> 00:07:45,599 Sarah D. Rees: yourself, how is that serving you and is it really 140 00:07:45,599 --> 00:07:48,660 Sarah D. Rees: getting you to where you want to be? And what 141 00:07:48,660 --> 00:07:50,940 Sarah D. Rees: I find in the work I do with people that 142 00:07:50,940 --> 00:07:54,480 Sarah D. Rees: are high performers or really want to get to their 143 00:07:54,480 --> 00:07:58,410 Sarah D. Rees: goals, that self- criticism gets them so far and then 144 00:07:58,410 --> 00:08:01,349 Sarah D. Rees: they really need to evaluate and readjust how they talk 145 00:08:01,349 --> 00:08:05,730 Sarah D. Rees: to themselves. So it's more like an inner supportive coach 146 00:08:05,730 --> 00:08:09,510 Sarah D. Rees: because we know that when we support ourselves going forward, 147 00:08:09,870 --> 00:08:14,099 Sarah D. Rees: we lift our mood, we reduce our threat levels. Your 148 00:08:14,099 --> 00:08:17,249 Sarah D. Rees: mind is very interesting and it can't really tell between 149 00:08:17,250 --> 00:08:20,490 Sarah D. Rees: imagination and reality. So if I'm saying to myself, " Sarah, 150 00:08:20,490 --> 00:08:23,129 Sarah D. Rees: you're rubbish. You're never going to do this," my mind 151 00:08:23,129 --> 00:08:26,040 Sarah D. Rees: will take that quite literally. It's as bad as having 152 00:08:26,040 --> 00:08:29,190 Sarah D. Rees: somebody at the side of you going, " That's rubbish. Good." 153 00:08:29,370 --> 00:08:33,838 Sarah D. Rees: So we really need to see how detrimental inner critics 154 00:08:33,840 --> 00:08:34,380 Sarah D. Rees: can be. 155 00:08:34,469 --> 00:08:38,578 Krutika Adatia: So what specific strategies can help someone really combat this 156 00:08:38,580 --> 00:08:41,430 Krutika Adatia: critical voice that they might have inside of them? 157 00:08:41,789 --> 00:08:44,550 Sarah D. Rees: I think firstly, it's becoming really aware of it because 158 00:08:44,550 --> 00:08:47,939 Sarah D. Rees: with awareness comes choice and the ability to change what 159 00:08:47,940 --> 00:08:50,699 Sarah D. Rees: we do. And I think many of us, I know 160 00:08:50,700 --> 00:08:53,670 Sarah D. Rees: one thing I hear in therapy a lot is that people, 161 00:08:53,910 --> 00:08:56,099 Sarah D. Rees: when they start to get of the patterns of the 162 00:08:56,099 --> 00:08:58,739 Sarah D. Rees: mind and how they're talking to themselves, they're surprised. They're 163 00:08:58,740 --> 00:09:01,949 Sarah D. Rees: not aware of how they're talking to themselves. Now you 164 00:09:01,950 --> 00:09:05,010 Sarah D. Rees: can go to therapy or you can do journaling as well. 165 00:09:05,010 --> 00:09:07,679 Sarah D. Rees: Some people spend 10 minutes a day just writing out 166 00:09:07,679 --> 00:09:11,610 Sarah D. Rees: their thoughts. It's really useful for times of stress and 167 00:09:11,610 --> 00:09:16,410 Sarah D. Rees: anxiety as well because you're processing information. And when you 168 00:09:16,410 --> 00:09:18,929 Sarah D. Rees: journal every day, you get to learn the patterns of 169 00:09:18,929 --> 00:09:24,210 Sarah D. Rees: your mind and then you can evaluate how is this useful 170 00:09:24,210 --> 00:09:26,968 Sarah D. Rees: or is this unuseful and should I change it? The 171 00:09:26,970 --> 00:09:30,599 Sarah D. Rees: other thing I would say is for people to ask themselves, " 172 00:09:30,599 --> 00:09:32,819 Sarah D. Rees: Is this how I would talk to somebody else?" And 173 00:09:32,820 --> 00:09:35,370 Sarah D. Rees: if you wouldn't talk to your best friend in this way, 174 00:09:35,549 --> 00:09:39,840 Sarah D. Rees: consider why, why wouldn't you motivate somebody else in this way? 175 00:09:40,230 --> 00:09:43,260 Sarah D. Rees: And it's likely that you have an inner wisdom that 176 00:09:43,290 --> 00:09:45,510 Sarah D. Rees: this wouldn't actually motivate somebody. 177 00:09:45,599 --> 00:09:47,369 Krutika Adatia: And I know, I'm just thinking about some of our 178 00:09:47,370 --> 00:09:50,880 Krutika Adatia: listeners today. When it comes to, let's just say, taking 179 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:55,108 Krutika Adatia: an exam, do you have anything specific around dealing with 180 00:09:55,110 --> 00:09:58,620 Krutika Adatia: stress and the overwhelm and the pressure that a student 181 00:09:58,620 --> 00:10:01,080 Krutika Adatia: might face to actually pass one of their exams? 182 00:10:01,350 --> 00:10:04,380 Sarah D. Rees: We have something in our brain called the amygdala, which 183 00:10:04,380 --> 00:10:07,319 Sarah D. Rees: is just behind the ear and our threat system is 184 00:10:07,320 --> 00:10:10,529 Sarah D. Rees: there. It's there for our survival. And what it does is get 185 00:10:10,529 --> 00:10:13,260 Sarah D. Rees: us to really focus in on what the problem is. 186 00:10:13,440 --> 00:10:15,420 Sarah D. Rees: So if I have a threat that will I pass 187 00:10:15,420 --> 00:10:18,750 Sarah D. Rees: the exam? Will I fail the exam? That's all you 188 00:10:18,750 --> 00:10:21,449 Sarah D. Rees: end up focusing on. Will I fail? Will I fail? 189 00:10:21,929 --> 00:10:26,940 Sarah D. Rees: And that narrowing of the way we think was useful 190 00:10:26,940 --> 00:10:29,728 Sarah D. Rees: millions of years ago when there was predators out there 191 00:10:29,730 --> 00:10:32,429 Sarah D. Rees: and we could be eaten and we'd just focus on 192 00:10:32,429 --> 00:10:36,120 Sarah D. Rees: what the danger is. But in an exam situation, focusing 193 00:10:36,120 --> 00:10:38,488 Sarah D. Rees: in on whether I'm going to pass or fail an 194 00:10:38,490 --> 00:10:42,690 Sarah D. Rees: exam isn't that useful because what you need to be 195 00:10:42,690 --> 00:10:45,660 Sarah D. Rees: remembering and holding in mind is all the information that 196 00:10:45,660 --> 00:10:48,840 Sarah D. Rees: you've been studying. So actually it's really important to be 197 00:10:48,840 --> 00:10:52,618 Sarah D. Rees: getting our stress levels down and we need to recognize 198 00:10:52,620 --> 00:10:55,980 Sarah D. Rees: that the way stress organizes our mind and that it narrows 199 00:10:55,980 --> 00:10:59,070 Sarah D. Rees: our thinking and it can distort our thinking as well. 200 00:10:59,070 --> 00:11:01,590 Sarah D. Rees: So if I'm feeling anxious, I'm going to have more 201 00:11:01,590 --> 00:11:06,239 Sarah D. Rees: anxious thoughts. If I feel unprepared for an exam, it 202 00:11:06,270 --> 00:11:09,420 Sarah D. Rees: doesn't necessarily mean that I am unprepared. That can just 203 00:11:09,420 --> 00:11:13,740 Sarah D. Rees: be anxiety. So our thoughts match our emotions sometimes and 204 00:11:13,740 --> 00:11:15,929 Sarah D. Rees: we need to be aware of that because when you're 205 00:11:15,929 --> 00:11:18,449 Sarah D. Rees: aware of it, you can pull yourself away from it 206 00:11:18,450 --> 00:11:21,869 Sarah D. Rees: a little bit as well. And also, if we're under 207 00:11:21,870 --> 00:11:24,059 Sarah D. Rees: stress a lot of the time, then we need to 208 00:11:24,059 --> 00:11:28,020 Sarah D. Rees: be doing things that pushes into what's called the soothing system, 209 00:11:28,200 --> 00:11:32,429 Sarah D. Rees: the ability to relax, to calm down, to regulate our 210 00:11:32,429 --> 00:11:35,189 Sarah D. Rees: emotional systems so that they're balanced. 211 00:11:35,309 --> 00:11:39,000 Krutika Adatia: That's great. And so you mentioned stress and anxiety. How 212 00:11:39,000 --> 00:11:41,279 Krutika Adatia: are they alike and how are they different in terms 213 00:11:41,279 --> 00:11:45,600 Krutika Adatia: of what's happening inside our own minds and bodies, and 214 00:11:45,600 --> 00:11:49,590 Krutika Adatia: how students can then perhaps deal with managing those as well? 215 00:11:49,590 --> 00:11:53,010 Sarah D. Rees: Yeah. Some stress is good and it can feel like 216 00:11:53,010 --> 00:11:57,208 Sarah D. Rees: excitement and it can be really motivating for us as 217 00:11:57,210 --> 00:11:59,699 Sarah D. Rees: well. So it can be helpful in us getting towards 218 00:11:59,699 --> 00:12:02,490 Sarah D. Rees: our goals. We don't want goals that are too easy 219 00:12:02,490 --> 00:12:06,270 Sarah D. Rees: to reach because there's not as enough drive or motivation. 220 00:12:06,270 --> 00:12:10,830 Sarah D. Rees: So causing some stress is helpful, and we're built to 221 00:12:10,830 --> 00:12:14,009 Sarah D. Rees: have stress and it's a good release of a cortisol 222 00:12:14,009 --> 00:12:17,549 Sarah D. Rees: in the body. So stress is just feeling a little 223 00:12:17,549 --> 00:12:21,750 Sarah D. Rees: bit overloaded or pushed to your limits or getting there. 224 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:27,090 Sarah D. Rees: Anxiety's quite different in that. When you feel anxious, it's 225 00:12:27,420 --> 00:12:31,259 Sarah D. Rees: a response to a fear or a threat, and then 226 00:12:31,259 --> 00:12:35,910 Sarah D. Rees: your physiology kicks in because we are outdated for the 227 00:12:35,910 --> 00:12:38,338 Sarah D. Rees: worlds we live in a little bit. So our bodies 228 00:12:38,340 --> 00:12:41,520 Sarah D. Rees: react as though the same way they did millions of 229 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:44,069 Sarah D. Rees: years ago when our predators were out to kill us. 230 00:12:44,370 --> 00:12:47,520 Sarah D. Rees: And when there is a threat, we release adrenaline and 231 00:12:47,520 --> 00:12:52,770 Sarah D. Rees: cortisol into our body that increases our blood pressure, and 232 00:12:52,770 --> 00:12:56,100 Sarah D. Rees: that organizes your mind then to narrow in and gets 233 00:12:56,100 --> 00:12:58,530 Sarah D. Rees: a little bit distorted as well to just focus on 234 00:12:58,530 --> 00:13:01,199 Sarah D. Rees: what the threat is. So it has a big physiological 235 00:13:01,200 --> 00:13:04,588 Sarah D. Rees: response, but really knowing that and getting in tune with, 236 00:13:04,590 --> 00:13:07,950 Sarah D. Rees: because some people might not know how they experience stress 237 00:13:07,950 --> 00:13:11,580 Sarah D. Rees: and how that differs from anxiety. But if we tune 238 00:13:11,580 --> 00:13:14,460 Sarah D. Rees: in a little bit more to our bodies and notice 239 00:13:14,460 --> 00:13:18,660 Sarah D. Rees: when stress turns into anxiety, so maybe you feel warm 240 00:13:18,660 --> 00:13:22,949 Sarah D. Rees: all the time, you're not sleeping, got heart palpitations, dry 241 00:13:22,950 --> 00:13:27,240 Sarah D. Rees: mouth, tingling fingers, some people feel dizzy or a bit 242 00:13:27,240 --> 00:13:31,170 Sarah D. Rees: faint, then you can think, " Okay. My blood pressure's gone 243 00:13:31,170 --> 00:13:33,900 Sarah D. Rees: up, my body's responding to a threat." And you can 244 00:13:33,900 --> 00:13:37,620 Sarah D. Rees: work to calm your physiology down because sometimes it's not 245 00:13:37,620 --> 00:13:39,990 Sarah D. Rees: working on our thoughts. It's more important to work on 246 00:13:39,990 --> 00:13:42,480 Sarah D. Rees: our physiology and settle our body down. 247 00:13:42,630 --> 00:13:45,210 Krutika Adatia: Oh, that's really interesting. So trying to think about how 248 00:13:45,210 --> 00:13:47,490 Krutika Adatia: you can calm your body. So actually just touching on 249 00:13:47,490 --> 00:13:52,380 Krutika Adatia: that, what strategies or recommendations would you provide for students 250 00:13:52,380 --> 00:13:54,960 Krutika Adatia: that are dealing with these sorts of emotions when it 251 00:13:54,960 --> 00:13:58,560 Krutika Adatia: comes to working towards an exam or studying for an exam? 252 00:13:58,650 --> 00:14:01,890 Sarah D. Rees: Yeah. I do think calm body equals a calm mind. 253 00:14:02,309 --> 00:14:06,809 Sarah D. Rees: There's lots out there now, like mindfulness for example, it's 254 00:14:06,809 --> 00:14:10,530 Sarah D. Rees: very fashionable because it's very effective. We know that if 255 00:14:10,920 --> 00:14:14,340 Sarah D. Rees: you've never done any mindfulness and you've started today and 256 00:14:14,340 --> 00:14:18,029 Sarah D. Rees: you're quite stressed and been anxious for some time, and 257 00:14:18,030 --> 00:14:21,089 Sarah D. Rees: we did a brain scan today and in eight weeks time, 258 00:14:21,089 --> 00:14:24,239 Sarah D. Rees: you could see the differences within your brain, your amygdala, 259 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:28,380 Sarah D. Rees: the threat system in your brain, actually settles down. You're calmer, 260 00:14:28,500 --> 00:14:31,500 Sarah D. Rees: it thickens your prefrontal cortex, which is where you do 261 00:14:31,500 --> 00:14:35,639 Sarah D. Rees: a lot of your logical thinking and rational thinking. So 262 00:14:35,639 --> 00:14:39,150 Sarah D. Rees: it's really good for memory and concentration. So when we 263 00:14:39,150 --> 00:14:43,200 Sarah D. Rees: are calm, our physiology is calm, our thinking is better, 264 00:14:43,230 --> 00:14:46,920 Sarah D. Rees: memory is better, which is great for studying and exams. 265 00:14:47,070 --> 00:14:51,929 Sarah D. Rees: Concentration is better as well. So sometimes if you're feeling really anxious, 266 00:14:51,929 --> 00:14:54,630 Sarah D. Rees: you might be tempted to work harder. And that's what 267 00:14:54,630 --> 00:14:58,379 Sarah D. Rees: many people do. They ramp up their studying, and actually 268 00:14:58,379 --> 00:15:00,840 Sarah D. Rees: they need to get the balance. And you really need 269 00:15:00,840 --> 00:15:03,210 Sarah D. Rees: to see that you need to have a good level 270 00:15:03,210 --> 00:15:07,320 Sarah D. Rees: of calmness and stability in your body to take on 271 00:15:07,320 --> 00:15:08,430 Sarah D. Rees: new information. 272 00:15:08,490 --> 00:15:10,530 Krutika Adatia: Well, that really resonates because I know when I was 273 00:15:10,530 --> 00:15:13,290 Krutika Adatia: a student, I would just end up, when I'm feeling 274 00:15:13,320 --> 00:15:16,020 Krutika Adatia: anxious and I've got all these exams to revise for, 275 00:15:16,020 --> 00:15:18,420 Krutika Adatia: I'd want to cram more and I'd want to study more. 276 00:15:18,420 --> 00:15:20,370 Krutika Adatia: And what you are saying actually is that you need 277 00:15:20,370 --> 00:15:23,700 Krutika Adatia: to allow your body and your mind the opportunity to 278 00:15:24,030 --> 00:15:28,380 Krutika Adatia: calm itself down. So what things do you do to typically, Sarah, 279 00:15:28,380 --> 00:15:30,059 Krutika Adatia: when you are trying to calm yourself down? Let's say 280 00:15:30,059 --> 00:15:32,009 Krutika Adatia: you've had a busy day in the clinic, are there 281 00:15:32,009 --> 00:15:34,559 Krutika Adatia: certain things that you would advise that even our students 282 00:15:34,559 --> 00:15:35,100 Krutika Adatia: can do? 283 00:15:35,250 --> 00:15:38,250 Sarah D. Rees: I talk about something called our stress anchors, and I 284 00:15:38,250 --> 00:15:41,760 Sarah D. Rees: recommend that people have about five stress anchors that they 285 00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:45,090 Sarah D. Rees: do because we're all very individual and playing football would 286 00:15:45,090 --> 00:15:47,879 Sarah D. Rees: not calm me down, it would stress me out, and I 287 00:15:47,969 --> 00:15:50,790 Sarah D. Rees: just want to get away from the ball. But yoga 288 00:15:50,790 --> 00:15:54,990 Sarah D. Rees: is great for me, seeing friends. I do do mindfulness 289 00:15:54,990 --> 00:15:59,310 Sarah D. Rees: because you just can't ignore the evidence around it. And 290 00:15:59,310 --> 00:16:01,770 Sarah D. Rees: I've got dogs, so definitely going on a dog walk. 291 00:16:01,770 --> 00:16:04,349 Sarah D. Rees: So I have five things... And reading fiction books as 292 00:16:04,349 --> 00:16:06,959 Sarah D. Rees: well because I always found, especially if you're studying or 293 00:16:07,650 --> 00:16:10,529 Sarah D. Rees: you're busy with work, my ability to read fiction goes 294 00:16:10,529 --> 00:16:14,160 Sarah D. Rees: out the window. So I really work on that, work 295 00:16:14,160 --> 00:16:17,550 Sarah D. Rees: on the ability of my mind go into a frivolous place, 296 00:16:17,550 --> 00:16:22,770 Sarah D. Rees: not always being serious and concentrating hard. So having five 297 00:16:22,770 --> 00:16:26,009 Sarah D. Rees: stress anchors, things that you do that regulate you... I've 298 00:16:26,009 --> 00:16:29,160 Sarah D. Rees: just started going to the sauna as well, and that 299 00:16:29,219 --> 00:16:32,070 Sarah D. Rees: is something that I can go in a stinking bad 300 00:16:32,070 --> 00:16:37,560 Sarah D. Rees: mood and 10 minutes later come arrive back home and like, "Okay. I feel okay." I can't... And 301 00:16:37,560 --> 00:16:39,330 Sarah D. Rees: I'm sure cold water does it, but I'm not up 302 00:16:39,330 --> 00:16:39,540 Sarah D. Rees: for that. 303 00:16:39,870 --> 00:16:43,590 Krutika Adatia: Oh, that's amazing. You've actually given some great examples there. So 304 00:16:43,830 --> 00:16:46,590 Krutika Adatia: I'm just thinking about someone listening to this that perhaps 305 00:16:46,590 --> 00:16:49,680 Krutika Adatia: can't sit there and meditate or have an app like 306 00:16:49,680 --> 00:16:52,710 Krutika Adatia: Headspace on. You are suggesting things like walking and going 307 00:16:52,710 --> 00:16:55,650 Krutika Adatia: to the sauna. So that's great. You're really giving a broad 308 00:16:55,650 --> 00:16:56,430 Krutika Adatia: spectrum of things that you can do. 309 00:16:56,430 --> 00:16:59,370 Sarah D. Rees: And I think many people struggle with mindfulness, but the thing to 310 00:16:59,370 --> 00:17:01,710 Sarah D. Rees: remember is the more you struggle with it, the more 311 00:17:01,710 --> 00:17:03,929 Sarah D. Rees: benefit you're going to get from it. It just means that 312 00:17:03,929 --> 00:17:06,388 Sarah D. Rees: you're doing it with a busier mind as well. The 313 00:17:06,420 --> 00:17:09,390 Sarah D. Rees: other thing to remember is that when we are working 314 00:17:09,390 --> 00:17:13,590 Sarah D. Rees: really hard for our goals, that temptation to work and 315 00:17:13,590 --> 00:17:18,270 Sarah D. Rees: overwork is very prominent, but athletes wanting to win a 316 00:17:18,270 --> 00:17:21,269 Sarah D. Rees: gold medal, they have to learn that they need their 317 00:17:21,270 --> 00:17:24,329 Sarah D. Rees: rest days because if they don't have their rest days, 318 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:26,430 Sarah D. Rees: then they're going to get injured. And our mental health 319 00:17:26,430 --> 00:17:28,890 Sarah D. Rees: is exactly the same. It can be tempted to go 320 00:17:28,890 --> 00:17:30,660 Sarah D. Rees: on and on and on, and that can be good, 321 00:17:31,140 --> 00:17:34,109 Sarah D. Rees: easy to do in short bursts, but in long extended 322 00:17:34,109 --> 00:17:36,840 Sarah D. Rees: periods of time... and from what I know about accountants, 323 00:17:36,840 --> 00:17:39,780 Sarah D. Rees: they do some training for a very long time, that's 324 00:17:39,839 --> 00:17:41,158 Sarah D. Rees: just not sustainable. 325 00:17:41,219 --> 00:17:44,280 Krutika Adatia: And so how important is it that once we have 326 00:17:44,280 --> 00:17:46,561 Krutika Adatia: a goal that we achieve to also celebrate it, right? 327 00:17:46,561 --> 00:17:46,679 Sarah D. Rees: Completely. 328 00:17:46,950 --> 00:17:49,830 Krutika Adatia: Because obviously you mentioned the accountancy journey is quite long. 329 00:17:50,070 --> 00:17:53,638 Krutika Adatia: There's typically around 13 exams depending on what stage of 330 00:17:53,638 --> 00:17:56,910 Krutika Adatia: the journey you start at. So how important is celebrating 331 00:17:56,910 --> 00:17:58,769 Krutika Adatia: success as well when you achieve a goal? 332 00:17:58,888 --> 00:18:01,890 Sarah D. Rees: It's hugely important. It can be really hard to do 333 00:18:01,890 --> 00:18:04,648 Sarah D. Rees: as well. I know I say this, and maybe I'm 334 00:18:04,650 --> 00:18:07,648 Sarah D. Rees: not always good at recognizing those small achievements, but you 335 00:18:07,650 --> 00:18:09,719 Sarah D. Rees: need to get into the habit. And one of the 336 00:18:09,719 --> 00:18:11,668 Sarah D. Rees: reasons you need to get into the habit is because 337 00:18:11,880 --> 00:18:14,369 Sarah D. Rees: when you give yourself a reward, it hits the dopamine 338 00:18:14,369 --> 00:18:17,129 Sarah D. Rees: system in your brain, which is your motivational system. It's 339 00:18:17,129 --> 00:18:19,648 Sarah D. Rees: in a part of the brain called the nucleus accumbens, 340 00:18:19,980 --> 00:18:23,250 Sarah D. Rees: and we need to keep giving our brain little hits 341 00:18:23,250 --> 00:18:26,580 Sarah D. Rees: of dopamine, which keeps you motivation going. If you don't 342 00:18:26,580 --> 00:18:30,719 Sarah D. Rees: give your brain that motivation and those hits of rewards, 343 00:18:30,869 --> 00:18:34,168 Sarah D. Rees: it can be harder to keep going and striving forward. 344 00:18:34,379 --> 00:18:38,220 Sarah D. Rees: So hugely important. So new shoes and bags and all 345 00:18:38,220 --> 00:18:38,820 Sarah D. Rees: that stuff. 346 00:18:39,060 --> 00:18:40,138 Krutika Adatia: Sounds great. 347 00:18:40,170 --> 00:18:42,570 Sarah D. Rees: But actually in my day- to- day clinic, we can't 348 00:18:42,570 --> 00:18:45,570 Sarah D. Rees: be going out spending and shopping and doing shopping every 349 00:18:45,570 --> 00:18:49,349 Sarah D. Rees: single day. So what really motivates me, what I've done 350 00:18:49,349 --> 00:18:53,069 Sarah D. Rees: sometimes is I've got two jars, one filled with marbles, 351 00:18:53,070 --> 00:18:55,890 Sarah D. Rees: one's empty, and every time I tick something off my to- 352 00:18:55,890 --> 00:18:58,350 Sarah D. Rees: do list, I move one marble from one jar into 353 00:18:58,350 --> 00:19:00,240 Sarah D. Rees: the other and try and fill up the other jar. 354 00:19:00,510 --> 00:19:03,480 Sarah D. Rees: And that really motivates me. It's like having little shots 355 00:19:03,480 --> 00:19:06,029 Sarah D. Rees: of rewards. The other thing is, if I'm doing a 356 00:19:06,030 --> 00:19:08,670 Sarah D. Rees: task where I've got to maybe read for 30 minutes 357 00:19:08,670 --> 00:19:11,609 Sarah D. Rees: or get through so many emails in a certain amount 358 00:19:11,609 --> 00:19:14,670 Sarah D. Rees: of time, I'll set my timer on my phone and 359 00:19:14,670 --> 00:19:17,790 Sarah D. Rees: I'll try and beat the timer as well. So little 360 00:19:17,790 --> 00:19:18,688 Sarah D. Rees: tips like that. 361 00:19:18,840 --> 00:19:21,869 Krutika Adatia: So really just wrapping up then, what would be three 362 00:19:21,869 --> 00:19:26,190 Krutika Adatia: strategies that you could summarize for setting a good goal? 363 00:19:26,309 --> 00:19:28,888 Sarah D. Rees: I think going back to the acronym that we started with, 364 00:19:28,888 --> 00:19:32,820 Sarah D. Rees: making sure that your goals are smart. We know that 365 00:19:32,850 --> 00:19:36,300 Sarah D. Rees: if you write down your goals, that you are 33% 366 00:19:36,300 --> 00:19:39,629 Sarah D. Rees: more likely to achieve them, and that's been found in 367 00:19:39,630 --> 00:19:43,978 Sarah D. Rees: the research. So write them out. I think get accountability. 368 00:19:43,980 --> 00:19:48,089 Sarah D. Rees: Have an accountability partner, that's been shown to be very, very valuable, 369 00:19:48,449 --> 00:19:51,150 Sarah D. Rees: and support yourself on the journey as well. Watch out 370 00:19:51,150 --> 00:19:53,940 Sarah D. Rees: how you're talking to yourself and think, " Would you motivate 371 00:19:53,940 --> 00:19:57,809 Sarah D. Rees: somebody else in this way?" If we talk to ourselves 372 00:19:57,809 --> 00:20:00,600 Sarah D. Rees: how we talk to others, we'd all do much better. 373 00:20:00,660 --> 00:20:04,469 Krutika Adatia: Love that advice. Especially talking to yourself and the way 374 00:20:04,469 --> 00:20:06,510 Krutika Adatia: you talk to others. I think that's something I could probably 375 00:20:06,510 --> 00:20:07,619 Krutika Adatia: improve on for sure. 376 00:20:07,619 --> 00:20:07,620 Sarah D. Rees: We could all do. Yeah, absolutely. 377 00:20:07,620 --> 00:20:11,160 Krutika Adatia: Thank you so much, Sarah, for joining me today. 378 00:20:11,160 --> 00:20:12,148 Sarah D. Rees: Thank you for having me. 379 00:20:13,020 --> 00:20:16,500 Krutika Adatia: That's it from this episode of On Your Marks. For 380 00:20:16,500 --> 00:20:23,339 Krutika Adatia: more information about ACCA exams, you can go to www. accaglobal.com/ 381 00:20:23,340 --> 00:20:27,180 Krutika Adatia: exams. See you next time. I'm Krutika Adatia, and this has 382 00:20:27,180 --> 00:20:28,230 Krutika Adatia: been On Your Marks.