Better Recovery Days

05/26/20 • 73 min

The Better Show

Show Notes

1:15 — How we arrived at the topic this week.
3:40 — March reflects on how losing his sense of curiosity is an indicator of burnout for him.
12:45 — Darren shares a gesture of gratitude that his sister-in-law received from the principal at her school.
14:14 — Ian shares how he has been experiencing burnout lately.
15:20 — March reflects fondly on a recent recovery day and the different types of recovery days in his life.
17:30 — Zen and the art of home repair.
21:40 —The characteristics of a recovery day for Darren including getting away from obligations.
23:29 — Darren proposes instituting a holiday on the first sunny Friday of the year.
25:17 — Ian talks about how the definition of a recovery day has changed for him over the past several years.
30:15 — Prioritizing your own recovery and the Eisenhauer Matrix.
34:01 —March shares how his perfect recovery day would unfold including time in nature and being productive with his hands.
40:20 — Some things that didn’t work for March when trying to recover.
47:29— Ian shares his tactic of unplugging from his normal routine including unplugging from his phone’s notifications.
47:29 — Ian shares one way he unplugs is by reading something old.
54:31 — Rediscovering old pleasures like classic video games and old movies.
56:44 — Finding your highlight for the day.
59:20 — Ian waxes poetic on his love for the sauna.
1:02:04 — Darren describes his perfect recovery day including waking up with the sun, going for a swim in the ocean, and enjoying the conversation at a local coffee shop.
1:08:50 — March’s “better next step” is a portable sauna.
1:10:02 — Darren leans in on creating high-quality cocktails.
1:11:19 — Ian is going to schedule more mental health days.

Mentions

📦 Product: Luminara flameless candles with timer
🎵 Music: Kind of Blue album by Miles Davis

Show Notes

1:15 — How we arrived at the topic this week.
3:40 — March reflects on how losing his sense of curiosity is an indicator of burnout for him.
12:45 — Darren shares a gesture of gratitude that his sister-in-law received from the principal at her school.
14:14 — Ian shares how he has been experiencing burnout lately.
15:20 — March reflects fondly on a recent recovery day and the different types of recovery days in his life.
17:30 — Zen and the art of home repair.
21:40 —The characteristics of a recovery day for Darren including getting away from obligations.
23:29 — Darren proposes instituting a holiday on the first sunny Friday of the year.
25:17 — Ian talks about how the definition of a recovery day has changed for him over the past several years.
30:15 — Prioritizing your own recovery and the Eisenhauer Matrix.
34:01 —March shares how his perfect recovery day would unfold including time in nature and being productive with his hands.
40:20 — Some things that didn’t work for March when trying to recover.
47:29— Ian shares his tactic of unplugging from his normal routine including unplugging from his phone’s notifications.
47:29 — Ian shares one way he unplugs is by reading something old.
54:31 — Rediscovering old pleasures like classic video games and old movies.
56:44 — Finding your highlight for the day.
59:20 — Ian waxes poetic on his love for the sauna.
1:02:04 — Darren describes his perfect recovery day including waking up with the sun, going for a swim in the ocean, and enjoying the conversation at a local coffee shop.
1:08:50 — March’s “better next step” is a portable sauna.
1:10:02 — Darren leans in on creating high-quality cocktails.
1:11:19 — Ian is going to schedule more mental health days.

Mentions

📦 Product: Luminara flameless candles with timer
🎵 Music: Kind of Blue album by Miles Davis

Previous Episode

Better Video Conferencing Tips: Part 2

Show Notes

6:15 — What to do about background noise including an AI-based software solution that cancels background sounds and a pro-level solution that uses audio hardware to block unwanted sounds.
11:31 — Why it’s important to pay attention to keeping your face centered in your webcam.
13:00 — Tailoring your backdrop so you look professional.
14:55 — Ian suggests using software or a good camera lens to blur your background.
17:19 — Green screen solutions for less than $10.
18:24 — How kids are using custom backgrounds to trick teachers into thinking that they are paying attention in virtual class.
19:49 — Picking a good router to ensure that you have adequate bandwidth to stream good quality video.
24:18 — How to get the most out of the software you use to connect with others.
29:29 — Maintaining a sense of presence while engaging with others via a video call.
32:10 — Gaze correction software.
33:19 — Darren shares his experience with video conferencing with friends and family using the Facebook Portal TV.
34:17 — The etiquette of using the mute button.
37:15 — The etiquette of activating your video versus broadcasting in the dark.
40:01 — Several nice things you can do as a participant to make a video conference more pleasant and productive for everyone involved.
45:59 — Tips for business-focused video conferences including recording calls for those who cannot attend.
54:00 — Ian gets inspired by the Fraiser sitcom. 😁
55:01 — Zoom fatigue and how to recover from it.
58:55 — March discusses his experience using virtual reality for some of his video conferences with his friends.
1:01:30 — Darren shares some ideas for things you can do to mix up your video calls with family and friends including cooking together, virtual poker, and a virtual wine or spirit tastings.
1:04:55 — Ian, Darren, and March invent a new video conferencing game based on Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon.

Mentions

📦 Product: TP-Link Archer 20 wireless router
📦 Product: Eero Pro + 2 Eero Beacons
📰 Article: How to make a cheap green screen
📦 Product: Netflix Together Chrome extension
📰 Article: Table quiz (100 questions to get your started)
📰 Website: Roll20
📰 Website: Tabletopia
📰 Article: Best Use of Zoom Goes to Katie Nolan
📦 Product: Surface Pro X gaze correction
📦 Product: iOS 13 gaze correction

Next Episode

Book Review: Tiny Habits

Show Notes

4:15 — Why habits are important to pay attention to and what role they play in our lives.
8:09 — Ian, March, and Darren share their personal experiences with building good habits and breaking bad ones.
14:14 — Ian explains the core concepts behind BJ Fogg’s methodology in Tiny Habits.
15:28 — Why the “tiny” component is so important to the process.
17:10 — The Fogg Behavior Model and what it tells us about forming habits.
21:45 — Ian explains why being highly motivated can actually be a bad thing for creating a new habit.
23:43 — The concept of “magic wanding” and how to figure out which behaviors to focus on.
28:49 — The relationship between ability and the formation of habits.
32:18 — Anchoring a new desired behavior to an existing habit.
35:50 — The relationship between emotions and habits.
39:58 — Ian explains why BJ Fogg says that it’s wrong to try to “break” a bad habit.
43:23 — Tactics to break bad habits by increasing the effort required to engage in those behaviors.
46:39 —Supporting others in their quest to adopt a new good habit.
50:00 — The Tiny Habits Recipe Card.