The Better Show

In this episode Ian, Darren & March look back on their experiments from the first two episodes on sleep and stress to tell you what worked, what failed and what new discoveries they've found to help you get better.

Show Notes

• 1:00 —Salves, salts, and the case of the ill-fitting bathtub
• 10:54 —How Ian's Oura ring helped him figure out the missing factor in his fitness routine
• 18:44 —Darren discovers the secret ingredient to 5-star sleep
• 24:38—Why March substituted one sleep machine for another
• 28:16 —Confessions: One of the guys is a Coast2CoastAM junkie
• 31:07 —Binaural beats as part of a bedtime routine
• 36:10 —How March is getting pleasantly guided to sleep
• 40:54 —The only sponsor for this episode is our newsletter, The Better Show Bits. Sign up today!
• 41:51 —Darren on his holotropic breathing experiment...useful or just hyperventilating?
• 47:55 —Ian on how using The Daily Stoic has been his #1 de-stressing tool
• 53:58 —March reviews 3 top mediation apps: Headspace, Sattva, & Calm
• 1:06:24 —March's success with light therapy
• 1:12:06 —March says "the best thing on YouTube" is Crash Course
• 1:14:48 —Ian's new obsession: crafting a morning ritual

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On this episode, we talk about how to take control of screen time so it doesn’t control you. We’ll dive into why limiting screen time can help improve your health, sleep and relationships.

Show Notes

• 1:42— March shares stats on the proliferation of mobile devices and screens among children
• 2:38— Some of the risks to over-exposure to screens
• 10:59— Ian’s introduction to computers at age 9 and his addition to video game message boards
• 14:52— Ian devises an experiment to observe peoples’ behavior in coffee shops but insists that he is definitely NOT being a creeper.
• 17:41— The effects of social media and screen time on one’s productivity
• 18:37— What do studies say about the average amount of time people spend in front of screens and are those studies reliable?
• 22:18— Screen time as a momentum killer
• 24:32— Ian gets busted for scrolling through Instagram and playing video games in the middle of the episode
• 25:49— How the New York Times crossword puzzle app is a tempting time killer for March
• 27: 36— We discuss the We Croak app
• 28:58— How March was first introduced to computers, or rather, 3 broken computers.
• 30:19— March shares a tip for limiting time with video games
• 34:58— Darren shares his method for breaking up long stretches of screen time at work and also for carving out time to stay in touch with remote family members.
• 38:30— March worries that he’s a terrible son because he does house chores while on the phone with his mom...until discovering that his mom does the same thing.
• 41:16— Darren gets busted for playing with his cell phone in the middle of the episode
• 41:53— Ian shares a trick he uses with friends at dinner to keep everyone more engaged in the meal.
• 46:38— March and Darren share their similar experience growing up where they hacked the cable TV set up in their home to work around limited access to TV.
• 49:29— Tips for limiting screen time for kids using the parental controls in Windows 10, Xbox, and Kindle devices
• 50:17— We discuss the recent open letter to Apple from concerned parents
• 52:47— March shares his method for encouraging mindfulness in his kids as an alternative to setting artificial limits.
• 59:31— March explains the concept of a “drop zone” for phone and Ian notes that The White House uses this
• 1:06:57— Darren reminisces about the BluBlockers commercials from the 1980’s and wonders, “do they really know whether you order in the next 10 minutes?”
• 1:08:35— Ian shares a tip about varying the distance you hold a tablet or phone from your face
• 1:09:49— March cites some new research from the state of California about the health risks of too much RF radiation from mobile devices
• 1:11:28— Darren recalls his experience of using mobile phones from the early 2000’s and some of the strange things he noticed after spending long periods of time using a mobile phone for lengthy conference calls.
• 1:13:18— Ian shares Apple’s official guidance on cell phone radiation ratings for every iPhone
• 1:17:46— March suggests checking out the Hours app to track screen time.
• 1:22:19— Ian suggests doing an episode of The Better Show completely in the dark (no screens)...but maybe just candles.

Mentions

• The App That Reminds You, You're Going To Die (The Atlantic)
• Wordplay (the movie)
• Phone Stacking Game
• California research on RF exposure
• California guidelines on RF exposure
• Old Spice hair pomade (March's current favorite)
• Blu Blocker Sunglasses commercial 1995
• The New York Times crossword pu...

Darren & March record a special dedication to Ian & Carine on their wedding day.

In part two of our Better Budgeting series, we discuss the types of budget goals you can have, and plans you can make, to take control of your money.

Show Notes

• 2:01 - March breaks down the topic of budgeting into three parts: setting your goals, making a plan, and executing your plan
• 2:39 - Ian, Darren, and March share where they are in terms of setting financial goals.
• 7:25 - March shares a pro-tip for how his relocation to Ireland has saved him a lot of money on his kid's college tuition.
• 9:59 - Darren compares high-interest debt to running on a treadmill.
• 11:02 - We discuss how paying off high-interest debt (like credit card debt) is one of the first goals to set for yourself.
• 11: 28 - Darren shares a book recommendation: The Richest Man in Babylon by George S. Clason and introduces the concept of "pay yourself first."
• 16:53 - Different ways to think about your retirement goals: the "bounce your last check" method or the lump sum method.
• 19:54 - Ian shares that one of his near-term goals is to buy a home and we discuss the different perspectives on home ownership versus renting.
• 25:14 - The cultural aspect of home ownership, the utilitarian aspect of home ownership, and the financial aspect of home ownership.
• 33:20 - Trading hours for dollars and how to define financial freedom.
• 37:09 - How to think about budgeting using some practical budgeting models.
• 40: 21 - The 50/20/30 budgeting rule.
• 43:19 - March offers a tip for making saving easier by using the "boil the frog" method.
• 50:50 - Different financial vehicles for saving money including Traditional and ROTH IRSs.
• 59:45 - How to use positive goal setting techniques to make it easier to save money.
• 1:06:10 - After realizing how rich this topic is (no pun intended) we decide that it deserves a part 3 where we can dedicate more time on tips for executing a budget plan.
• 1:07:00 - The role of debt in your financial picture and how to tell the difference between "good debt" and "bad debt."
• 1:14:35 - The different types of insurance you can purchase and how insurance works.
• 1:17:40 - Why people buy insurance if the odds are against ever collecting it.
  1:22:50 - Darren offers to sell Ian volcano insurance.

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• 3:28 — We discuss why the topic of equity is important and why we were inspired to explore this topic further.
• 6:40 — March welcomes Andrew Grant-Thomas to the show and we learn a little about his background and how he began his work on EmbraceRace.org.
• 10:06 — Andrew discusses the resources that EmbraceRace provides and how those tools address different aspects of racial equity.
• 13:47 — Becoming more aware of racial inequities in everyday life and how to begin talking to your children about race and racial justice issues.
• 17:55 — How tying school funding to property taxes is a factor in continuing racial inequity.
• 21:19 — How are the recent developments in the US and abroad have increased the level of interest in the resources that EmbraceRace.org provides.
• 26:50 — Andrew recommends a few practical things that people can do if they want to help support the cause of racial equity.
• 32:15 — Ian, Darren and March reflect on the interview with Andrew and some of the things that resonated most with us.
• 35:45 — Ian reflects on how children might be an underserved group when it comes to racial education.
• 41:04 —Ian noted the comment that Andrew made about “there may not be a sideline to stand on anymore”
• 42:25 — Darren reflects on how there are a variety of ways to contribute to the cause of racial justice and how at some level we are all on a journey towards being better.
• 47:17 — “Just because you know what’s going on doesn’t mean that you know how best to address the problem.”
• 51:10 — March shares some historical polling data on trust in the police and speculates how the numbers might have changed recently.
• 53:17 — Darren shares how Andrew’s example of how unconscious bias in how people shop for schools was a point that really resonated with him.
• 57:14 — We explore the issue of inequity of schooling and practical ways to help improve equity in schooling.
• 59:56 — Ian proposes a more constructive way to frame the conversation by focusing on what society gains by increasing racial equity rather than what some people need to give up for the benefit of others.

Mentions

• 📰 Website: EmbraceRace
• 👥Social Media: EmbraceRace on Facebook
• 📺 Webinar: Supporting Youth Leadership and Activism
• 📺 Webinar: “How do I make sure I’m not raising the next ‘Amy Cooper’?”
• 📖 Book: So You Want To Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo