The Better Show

Latest Episodes:

Controlling screen time, so it doesn’t control you Feb 05, 2018

Show notes

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 puzzle app

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Nourish your mind with a better media diet Jan 29, 2018

Show notes

On this episode of The Better Show we discuss how unfiltered media can negatively affect us, how to spot biases in the news, and how to create curated media sources that works for you.

Show Notes

3:34 — Ian recommends the book The Better Angels of our Nature by Steven Pinker
5:40 — the effect of “the echo chamber”
7:03 — March recaps why a healthy approach to media is important
8:22 — the evolution of the television news experience since 9/11
12:47 — Darren’s mental model of how he thinks about bias from various media sources
14:02 — Vanessa Otero’s visualization of media bias and one awesome web address :-)
17:12 — March explains how he is more of an “abstainer” than a “moderator” when it comes to media (and carbs)
18:57— March’s personal hack for a better Facebook experience
19:51 — Facebook’s effect on news consumption and what they are doing to improve the impact on users
23:35 — Ian makes the case that in order to be a responsible citizen, it’s important to stay reasonably informed of current events
27:33 — Ian’s method for responsible media consumption
28:46 — March recommends FiveThirtyEight by Nate Silver
31:31 — March suggests two apps to help moderate screen time
34:34 —March suggests two websites to help increase your exposure to positive news
37:09 — Ian gets a Kindle Oasis so he can read in the shower. :-)

Mentions

The Better Angels of our Nature by Steven Pinker
AllGeneralizationsAreFalse.com — Vanessa Otero’s visualization of media bias
Feedly app
FiveThirtyEight
In Moment app for iOS
App Detox app for Android
GoodNewsNetwork.org
Postive.news
Note to Self podcast by Manoush Zomorodi
The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon — I’ve Got Good News and Good News
Amazon Kindle Oasis

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How to survive cold & flu season Jan 22, 2018

Show notes

On this episode of The Better Show we talk about strategies for staying healthy during cold and flu season. We’ll talk vaccines, hygiene, immune boosting and whether ‘man-flu’ is a real thing.

Show Notes

0:51— In a selfless commitment to producing the most authentic show possible, Ian actually has a bad cold as we record this episode. :(
2:42— Why antibiotics don’t work on either the common cold or flu
4:02— The different seasonal cycles of flu season in the Northern and Southern hemispheres and theories about why the flu is seasonal at all
9:35— Does being cold actually make you more prone to getting a cold?
15:06— March offers a public service announcement to clarify once and for all the misconception of a connection between vaccines and Autism
19:20— Do states require flu vaccines for children attending public school?
21:42— March’s bout with walking pneumonia
35:00— What is “the man flu” anyway?
45:08— When is it safe to go back to work after contracting the flu?
47:57— Kids, aspirin, and Reye’s syndrome
56:00— Tips to avoid contracting or spreading the flu or a cold
1:14:00— Ian’s early experiments with immune-boosting mushroom supplements

Mentions

Vaccine Locator
MegaRed Omega-3 Krill Oil (350mg)
ZipFizz multi-vitamin / energy drink
Neo-Synephrine (nasal spray)
Vitamin D3 K2
The ‘man flu’ is real — and some women are freaking out
Why can’t you give children baby aspirin? (WebMD)
Ibuprofen May Not Be As Safe As You Think (TIME)
Is it OK to exercise if I have a cold? (Mayo Clinic)
Vitamin D Research (Steve Gibson)
Thorne Research supplements

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Get an Intro to Wine from The Better Show Jan 15, 2018

Show notes

On this episode of The Better Show we talk about this subtle, varied and much-loved product of the vine. We'll learn how wine is made, how to pick it, and how to drink it.

Show Notes

2:20 — How March accidentally started writing a wine column
7:22 — Darren's Dad got him into wine to help in his career
9:16 — What is wine made of?
13:06 — The sweetness that is Ice Wine
14:13 — What does the year or vintage of a wine mean?
20:34 — How Ian buys wine today
24:27 — Is it worth it to buy really pricey wines?
27:09 — How to pick wine to bring to a party
31:08 — Why you should avoid wine with critters on the label
34:27 — Why you should start a wine club
37:23 — What's a sommelier?
41:56 — That time Darren drank 50 year old wine
45:19 — The 5 steps for appreciating wine
57:36 — Ian slurps his tea to practice wine tasting technique
1:01:32 — Why and how to store wine

Products Mentioned

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Better Bite - Build a gratitude habit with The Five Minute Journal Jan 08, 2018

Show notes

We deep dive on The Five Minute Journal, a simple tool for increasing your happiness through daily gratitude and self-reflection. We'll explore the power of gratitude, our personal experiences with the journal, and tips you can try yourself to help you develop a gratitude practice and set you up for a successful day. We cover a lot of ground, including:

Show Notes

3:50 — What is the Five Minute Journal and what makes it so special?
14:40 — How Darren began using the Five Minute Journal even though journaling was not something he ever really aspired to do.
18:24 — March describes how he uses the “what would make today great” section of the journal in a very specific way.
23:28 — Darren describes the concept of a “wish board” and it’s similarity to making a daily affirmation.
24:46 — How adopting the Five Minute Journal has help construct a new morning routine for March that sets him up for a successful day.
28:46 — Ian reveals that he bought a Peloton bike and describes his concept for an “Enhanced Breakfast Regimen”
31:27 — Ian describes a different gratitude journal that he has been using recently that is working for him.

Products Mentioned

Productivity Planner by Intelligent Change
The 5 Minute Journal by Intelligent Change
Oak Meditation app
Peloton exercise bike
The Christian Gratitude Journal by Ben Greenfield

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New Year's Resolutions Decoded Jan 01, 2018

Show notes

In this episode Ian, Darren & March talk about New Year’s resolutions — what makes a good resolution and how to make them stick. We’ll share why resolutions can be helpful, our personal experiences and tips you can try to make resolutions work for you. We cover a lot of ground, including:

Show Notes

1:51— March on the origin and history of New Year’s resolutions
2:30— March shares data on the typical success rate for keeping one’s resolutions. (Spoiler alert: it ain’t good.)
3:52— March counts down the top 5 most popular New Year’s resolutions from 2017
5:36— March shares a tip on how to increase your chances for sticking to your resolutions
10:55— Ian reveals and reviews his 2016 New Year’s resolutions
24:00— March describes his experience with The 4-Hour Body
27:50— Tips on how to set resolutions that will stick
30:00— The SMART method for setting goals and resolutions
39:20— Tips for learning a new language
42:33— Tips for saving money in the new year
43:56— Tips for finding a new job
46:31— Tips for exercising more

Products Mentioned

Way of Life app
FitStar (now called Fitbit Coach after being acquired by Fitbit)
Oak meditation app
The 4-Hour Body by Tim Ferriss
Rosetta Stone and Duolingo
Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki
Ian’s 2016 New Year’s resolutions

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Dreaming for insights, lucid and more Dec 30, 2017

Show notes

In this episode, Ian, Darren, and March explore the nature of dreams and share our own experiences with dreaming and with lucid dreams. We cover a lot of ground, including:

Show Notes

3:00— March educates us on the known facts about lucid dreaming
12:12— Our experience with lucid dreaming
14:54— Darren’s lucid dream
16:30— Ian wonders whether children dream more frequently than adults
18:00— Ian suggests a new cartoon character.
18:21–16 year old Darren almost buys a telescope instead of a car
20:00— March’s terrifying recurring dream experience
26:44— A clever use for dreams that is signature Ian style
27:18— A book recommendation from Ian on lucid dreaming
30:11— Ian, Darren, and March discuss how frequently they each remember dreams of any sort.
32:28— Why just listening to The Better Show might cause you to remember more of your dreams
32:50— How a personal performance coach teaches visualization to pro athletes and professionals

Products Mentioned

Book suggestion: Lucid Dreams in 30 Days by Harary Keith, Ph.D. and‎ Pamela Weintraub
Awoken app for Android
Lucidity app for Android
Lucidity app for iPhone
Lucidity Institute

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Better Look Back Vol. 3 - Nutrition & Procrastination Dec 18, 2017

Show notes

In this episode Ian, Darren & March continue the Better Look Back series. We reflect on our personal experiments with nutrition and procrastination to tell you what worked, what failed and what new discoveries we’ve found to help you get better. We cover a lot of ground, including:

Show Notes

2:05 — Live taste test and review of Fruition One Hundred Percent handcrafted, small batch dark chocolate
17:00 — Darren's results from his Bulletproof coffee shop experience
22:14 — March's results and tips for Bulletproof coffee
26:32 — March's nutrition discoveries on kimchi and sauerkraut
37:19 — Ian's new mushroom discovery for your immune system
42:27 — March's results with tools to help him stop procrastinating on writing his novel
59:22 — Darren's results using Stanford researcher, B.J. Fogg's research on motivation and Ian's 10 Minute Rule advice
1:05:57 — Darren and March tested the Qualia brain supplement…how did it go?
1:10:28 — How March is using the 5 Minute Journal to defeat procrastination through mindfulness
1:15:10 — The 3 steps on the stairway to productivity
1:16:34 — Darren shares William Wordsworth's poem "The World Is Too Much With Us"

Products Mentioned

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How to strengthen your relationships Dec 11, 2017

Show notes

In this episode Ian, Darren & March talk about how to strength your relationships with others in life. We reflect on why relationships matter, our own personal experiences with them, tips & tricks you can use, and experiments we’re going to try and report back on.

Show Notes

1:45 — Why relationships matter
4:39 — Impacts of isolation: from prisoners to monks
7:33 — Week long silent retreats
8:47 — How humans experience loneliness at a cellular level
9:54 — Aristotle's Golden Mean and relationships
10:54 — 3 keys to defining a good friend
14:48 — Ian's story of reconnecting with his best childhood friend after 10 years
19:50 — March's story of reconnecting with his first friend since moving to the US
22:51 — Ian's theory of why people hate high school reunions & love college reunions
25:04 — Uniqueness of experiences = strongest relationships
26:21 — How March burst into tears and confessed his undying love for his future wife
30:05 — They critical component to March's early relationship with his wife
31:32 — Ian explains the "group friend"
33:20 — How Ian founded The Brunch Bunch to strengthen his relationships
37:12 — How Darren met his wife at his birthday party & told work she was his fiancé before he asked her
44:34 — How the Gottman "The Art and Science of Love" workshop strengthened March's marriage
48:12 — March's tips from Gottman's "The Seven Principles for Making Marriage Work"
54:51 — Darren & Ian's tips from "The Five Love Languages" by Gary Chapman
1:01:48 — Tips for dealing with the physiological responses of stress in relationships
1:04:06 — Darren's secret weapon for improving all his relationships
1:12:23 — Ian's tips for dating in the modern world
1:20:28 — How to use your smartphone to maintain relationships from afar…and invented Snapchat before Snapchat
1:26:20 — Ian's story of how pre-planning helps him maintain key relationships
1:26:20 — March will experiment with weekly thank you notes to express gratitude
1:26:20 — Darren will experiment with trying the Gottman seminar March mentioned
1:26:20 — Ian will experiment with eating alone less often, especially during the work week

Mentions

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Better Holidays: Gifts & Relationships Dec 04, 2017

Show notes

In this episode Ian, Darren & March talk about how to have better holidays. We reflect on why holidays matter, our own personal experience with them, tips & tricks you can use, and experiments we're going to try and report back on.

Show Notes

1:16 — The Better Show is growing like a weed: quick update on how many countries we have listeners in worldwide.
2:44 — What is the most popular holiday in the world?
4:30 — Why do holidays matter?
6:41 — The Tail End insight about the time you spend with family
12:11 — How to have better conversations during the holidays
17:26 — Gift giving tips from Darren's wife Mardee
22:35 — Ian's "Buy One, Get One" trick for gift buying
24:07 — The Pajama Fairy story
26:15 — Giving the gift of choice with a personalized gift catalog
28:13 — How experiences can be some of the best gifts
29:12 — Does Ian have a bad gift giving habit?
33:49 — Maintaining routines during the holidays
43:23 — The Averaging Effect on gift giving
46:36 — The value of the surprise in gift giving
50:22 — The power of batching when gift giving
52:52 — Pinterest, Amazon Universal Wish List and more for inspiration and organization
55:32 — Asking questions of people's personal experiences to build empathy and avoid conflict
59:53 — Using your family history as a shared common background for family discussion
1:04:53 — March will experiment writing Thank You notes for gratitude this holiday
1:06:46 — Darren will experiment with small gifts, mostly experiences, and being more present this holiday season
1:07:34 — Ian will experiment with sending hand-made holiday greeting cards to family & friends
1:10:28 — Darren recommends Postagram for sending quick thank you cards