As I was reviewing these specially selected posts for your consideration my first aha was, “Even though too much coffee affects the introvert brain more than extrovert brain, we might need more for a 30 days straight blogging challenge.”
Two disconnected blog posts meeting point!
So just for fun now.
5 Top Weekly Blog posts, week 11, from #Introvert Inspirer
Introverts
Coffee affects introverts and extroverts differently. 
If you’re headed into some important meeting, you might down a cup or two of coffee without thinking much of it, hoping the caffeine will provide your brain with an extra boost. But in his new book on personality science, psychologist Brian Little suggests that for introverts, this strategy may backfire.
Here’s what Little writes in Me, Myself, and Us: The Science of Personality and the Art of Well-Being, which was just released last week:
After ingesting about two cups of coffee, extraverts carry out tasks more efficiently, whereas introverts perform less well. This deficit is magnified if the task they are engaging in is quantitative and if it is done under time pressure. Read all about it:
DO YOU HAVE THE RIGHT PERSONALITY TO WORK FROM HOME?
The Trick To Being Successful While Working From Home Is Understanding How To Work Around Your Personality Preferences.
When considering whether or not to work from home, you may think that the biggest consideration is if you are an introvert who likes to work alone. But Michael Segovia, lead trainer for the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (a personality assessment tool that is used by around 80% of Fortune 1000 companies to give employees a better understanding of how their personality preferences affect their working lives), says that anyone, regardless of their personality, can work from home. The trick to working from home effectively is self-understanding.
Segovia identifies six personality preferences and shares ways in which we can work from home effectively within these personality traits.
Blogging, Writing
Science Shows Something Surprising About People Who Love to Write
The benefits of writing go far beyond building up your vocabulary.
No matter the quality of your prose, the act of writing itself leads to strong physical and mental health benefits, like long-term improvements in mood, stress levels and depressive symptoms. In a 2005 study on the emotional and physical health benefits of expressive writing, researchers found that just 15 to 20 minutes of writing three to five times over the course of the four-month study was enough to make a difference. Find out the details of why you love to write.
Best Blogging Tips by 4 Business Bloggers (and Business Owners)
The reasons to blog are as long as my arm — not the least of which consistent blogging is a sure-fire way to bring in new clients and customers.
Here to share their “reasons why” and top blogging tips are a business coach, a copywriter, an event strategist and a social media expert.
They’ll share topic ideas, how to’s and what to do AFTER you hit “publish.” Read more about it.
What I Learned After 30 Straight Days of Blogging
I once was lost but now… I’m still lost… And it feels great.
Thirty days ago, I was creatively stuck. The combination of — a) growing bored of writing about my previous vocation and b) being immersed in some deep philosophical and spiritual studies — resulted in a creative upheaval followed by doldrums.
I felt lost. Like I didn’t have a “thing” to write about. For the longest time, I wrote mostly about copywriting and content marketing.
And then, 30 days ago, I decided I frankly didn’t want to write about that any longer.
So, in taking the advice of creative coach Julia Cameron, I started writing morning pages — a daily three-page stream of consciousness written upon waking.
As I started writing, I had no idea what would come out. But when I was finished, something had emerged. Every day.
These entries weren’t pretty. I guess you could say they were beautifully disastrous. Genuinely mangled and messy.
How does coffee affect you?
What is the greatest number of days straight you have blogged?
Great information.
I have to state I am a little different with the coffee, I cannot function or even talk to someone at the office until I have had my 3rd cup in the morning.
And I do not stop until I have at least 4 or 5 by 1 PM. Might not have anything to do with me being an introvert. but does answer the questions of why I sweet at my desk.
William I don’t think everything relates to whether we are more introverted or extroverted either! But this coffee study is certainly interesting!
Patricia, this is interesting. doing the recent MBTI exercise you linked to on one of your posts I found out I was an introvert. But what is the interesting part – sometimes if I have a sleepless night, I will actually get up and make myself a cup of coffee, sit back and relax with it, then go back to bed and TO SLEEP. I thought I was just odd – I don’t know anyone else who actually uses coffee as a sleeping pill (?). This does work in well with Brian Little’s theory though, doesn’t it?
Indeed it DOES worth with Little’s theory Lenie. I was surprised he said introverts would do well with coffee later in the day. Surprise!
I rarely drink coffee but what an interesting article – I have never considered the link between caffeine and introverts/extroverts.
At most I will have a mocha but can cope for days without one.
Phoenicia I drink both coffee and herbal tea. I don’t find myself to fit the research. If I drink coffee late in the day, I am definitely overstimulated! So is my extroverted husband. I get it how you say, you can cope for days!
I drank coffee for 5 years. Those were the years I taught elementary school and there was a recess every hour and there was coffee in the teachers’ rooms. And then on the weekend, when I didn’t drink it, I’d be sleepy. That’s why I quit drinking coffee and don’t have an opinion about it for anyone else. But I do think the effects on introverts vs extroverts is interesting.
Beth indeed it is interesting research about coffee affects on introverts and extroverts. It doesn’t hold true for me though and I’m an INTJ who likes my balance of coffee and herbal tea.
Not sure which post you wanted commenting on but the two that caught my attention was coffee and morning pages. I rarely drink coffe for various reasons, but being jacked up is not something for those introvertedly inclined. The buzz can really just be too intense, and then of course if it wears off before you’ve finished… As to writing for 30 days straight- good for you Pat. What an awesome achievement. I’ve done morning pages in the past, but tend to now do night pages. My hands aren’t up to the morning writing. I love free writing in general and it’s amazing what comes out of our subconscious.
AK you can comment on any shared post you like! It does seem like almost everyone was attracted to the coffee post. I’m an herbal tea and coffee drinker but, I wouldn’t have showed up in their research they way they stated the conclusions.
As someone who drinki coffee by the gallon morning, noon and night, I was especially interested in the first post. I’m not sure I buy it though.
I with you on the skepticism about the coffee affects on introverts and extroverts Ken. My experience doesn’t bear out with their research and I’m an INTJ.
Okay I think the article about coffee is crazy…or least for me. I can’t get my heart started without coffee, but cannot drink it after around 2:00pm. I didn’t find too awfully much scientific data to support the theory in that article:) 30 straight pages…bravo! I am doing that now myself, but mine is in the form of a new novel:) And the working from home was great! YES! That is so me!!!! Thanks Pat…you pick the best stuff!!!
What’s your MBTI type Jacqueline? I found the research faulty for my own experiences as an INTJ. This is one reason to avoid a straight label like introvert or extrovert. I think too many other things affect who we are and how we behave.
Great selection Patricia! As to your questions – when I worked in the corporate world I lived on coffee and fast food – mostly eaten behind the wheel of my car or sitting in an airport waiting for my next flight. Then when I started working from home everything changed. No fast food – ever – and normally 2 to 3 cups of coffee at the most in the morning and other than the fact I love the smell and taste it really doesn’t noticeably affect me – no jitters or noticeable change in alertness but then I’m a morning person and normally roll out of bed raring to go.
As far as blogging, when I launched my first blog I started posting every day to build content and exposure, then went to 3 times a week – fast forward and I’ve just gone to a weekly post so I can spend more time writing and developing online courses.. I’ve never done a 30 day blogging challenge because as a reader I find them annoying and have actually unsubscribed from blogs that post too frequently.
It’s so interesting about that coffee study Marquita. It doesn’t fit me at all.
Blogging for others 30 straight days is kind of different than writing for ourselves for 30 straight days for certain.
I love coffee in the morning but it makes me want to go like a race-horse so I opt for tea instead. As for your post I am fascinated and pleased about the study done on writing and how it affects us. Good on us 🙂
I like both herbal tea and coffee Tim. I’m always trying to balance my intake of them because the truth is, one of my doctors has told me it’s the coffee that is aggravating my acid reflux. And, I find him to be right!
Hi Patricia, the coffee study probably catches everyone’s attention since we are such a nation of Starbuck’s freaks. 🙂 I never thought about it affecting introverts and extroverts differently. I know I need my java daily. Perhaps it’s just more what we’ve conditioned our body to get used to. I’m sure if an introvert had been drinking several cups of coffee daily for years, perhaps even before she realized she was an introvert, the body would become somewhat immune to the affects of the caffeine?
Susan for me the research doesn’t hold up. I like my coffee and I like my herbal tea. I am dependent on neither of them! And you know what, maybe your take is right: it has something to do with our conditioning.
I drink tea rather than coffee and drink very weak tea throughout the day at work. I find that it provides a nice stimulant to keep me going before lunch. I switch to decaf after lunch.
I would guess the most consecutive weekdays I have posted blog posts is about 750 across two different sites. As I am working for a company now, I post much less frequently for myself.
This is fascinating! Who would have thought the coffee has different effects on Introverts and Extroverts? I love coffee and swear it helps me be more productive, but then I’d also classify myself as an extrovert, so I guess that fits. I only blog about once or twice a week, so maybe I should start drinking more coffee!