Work-Rest Balance: Be Deliberate About Your Environments

A woman in the middle of a split screen with an office on the left and a garden on the right depicts work-rest balance

Are you feeling overwhelmed by the demands of your job? Do you struggle to find time for relaxation and personal pursuits? Work-rest balance is crucial for both productivity and well-being. By creating an environment that promotes relaxation and engaging in activities that recharge you, you can improve your overall quality of life, including work. Read on to discover practical tips from Benjamin Hardy in Willpower Doesn’t Work.

Mahatma Gandhi on Brahmacharya: Purity Leads to Truth

A plate of fruit on a table in a sparse room with a a spinning wheel (charkha) in the background illustrates brahmacharya

What did Gandhi believe about purity and enlightenment? How did his views on brahmacharya shape his lifestyle choices? For Mahatma Gandhi, brahmacharya influenced his approach to marriage, sexuality, and diet. His commitment to self-purification led him to practice celibacy and adopt strict dietary restrictions. These choices were rooted in his belief that a pure mind and body were essential for finding Truth. Keep reading to understand how Mahatma Gandhi’s brahmacharya practices shaped his personal life and spiritual journey.

A Bedroom Environment for Good Sleep: 2 Changes to Make

A comfortable bedroom environment for good sleep

Are you always waking up in the middle of the night? How does a warm bedroom prevent good sleep? There’s one factor that majorly influences sleep quality: the environment of your bedroom. In Sleep Smarter, Shawn Stevenson looks at two changes you can make to your sleep environment: sleeping temperature and bedroom air quality. Discover how to make the perfect bedroom environment for good sleep.

Importance of Animals to Humans: Love, Trust, and Community

A human hugging a border collie dog in her arms, showing the importance of animals to humans

Why should humans cherish animals? How can animals become a person’s family? Sy Montgomery’s animals taught her important lessons about love and community. She had a special relationship with three specific animals: two border collies, and her pet pig that helped her build a community. Let’s look at the importance of animals to humans, using Montgomery’s examples.

Drinks and Foods that Affect Sleep (+ Herbal Supplements)

Two hands holding coffee in bed, showing drinks and foods that affect sleep

What types of food and drinks are bad for sleep? Can you take herbal supplements to improve your sleep? In Sleep Smarter, Shawn Stevenson discusses how your dietary choices impact your sleep patterns and quality. Certain foods and drinks can either help to promote a restful sleep or disrupt it.  Check out the drinks and foods that affect sleep, positively or negatively.

How Sy Montgomery Gained a Passion for Animals

A Scottish terrior and an Australian emu staring at each other

What sparked Sy Montgomery’s passion for animals? What type of dog did she have growing up? Sy Montgomery explains that she was drawn to animals and nature since she was a child growing up as a general’s daughter on different US Army bases in the 1960s. Several key relationships with animals fostered her interest in the natural world, leading her to find her calling as a nature writer.  Below, we’ll look more closely at two connections she made: with her childhood dog and with wild emus on her first research expedition.

Incremental Progress Isn’t Trivial: Tiny Steps Toward Big Change

A man with a backpack and an orange pullover hiking in the mountains illustrates incremental progress

Do you want to make significant changes in your life? Does significant change require significant action? Incremental progress can be a game-changer when it comes to personal growth and achieving goals. By taking tiny, effortless steps, you can build momentum and create lasting change. This approach breaks down daunting tasks into manageable pieces, making progress feel less overwhelming. Keep reading to discover how you can harness the power of incremental progress and transform your life, one small step at a time.

How Pets Can Improve Your Social Life—One Pig’s Story

A group of people petting a pig, showing how animals can improve your social life

How did one pig build a community for Sy Montgomery? Do you know how pets can improve your social life? Not only can pets build a bond between animals and humans, but they can help form connections between humans and humans. Just look at Sy Montgomery’s pet pig, Christopher, who opened her up to new friends. Discover how a 750-pound pig gave Sy Montgomery long-lasting friendships.

Why Border Collies Are the Best Dogs: 2 Adorable Examples

Two border collies running through a field, showing why border collies are the best dogs

Why are border collies the best dogs? Why is it so hard to get a new pet after another passes away? In their many years at the farmhouse, Sy Montgomery and her husband Howard rescued several border collies. She looks back on the lessons about love that Montgomery learned from two of them: Tess and Sally.  Here’s how two of Montgomery’s border collies ended up changing her life.

Effective Time Management Strategies: 5 Steps to Taking Control

A smiling woman on a veranda holding a yellow alarm clock illustrates effective time management strategies

Do you control your time, or does it control you? What can and should you do with 24 hours every day? It’s a common refrain—“So much to do and so little time.” Everyone has things they want out of life—goals to achieve, dreams to make real, and the time to enjoy the fruits of our labors. Yet time itself feels like the enemy. It runs out too fast and gets filled with distractions. There has to be a better way. Continue reading for effective time management strategies from top experts in the field.