the tortoise & the hare

Latest Episodes:

Plastic Free July Jun 29, 2016

Show notes

Did you know that every single piece of plastic ever produced still remains somewhere on earth today?

Before Ben and Brooke decided to take some time away from their Slow Home Experiments, they had considered making July the month of living plastic free, to coincide with Plastic Free July. And while they’re not running an official experiment this month, in today’s hostful episode they decide to take the Plastic Free July challenge anyway. After all, it’s an area both of them can afford to improve on, and there’s nothing like an outside challenge to motivate.

In today’s episode they talk about the challenge itself, as well as the areas they think they’ll do OK in, the areas that will challenge them (cheese!) and some of the changes they’ve already made over the past year.

There's a lot of practical tips for anyone hoping to adopt a plastic-free lifestyle, as well as a whole lot of recognition that it's not an easy shift to make.

Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/86 to see a full list of the changes they’ve already made, as well as the changes they’ll be working on during July, as well as links to websites, products and resources mentioned in this episode.

Don't forget, you can play along with Brooke and Ben by tagging your social media posts with #slowhomeexperiment and sharing your experiences. Hit us up on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and let’s get experimenting!

Enjoy!

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If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, leave a rating or a review in iTunes: (https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2) or head over to the Patreon page (www.patreon.com/slow) to help support the show financially.

And thanks so much for listening!

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8 Hours Sleep #4 Jun 26, 2016

Show notes

It’s well documented that Ben is a Big Fan of sleep, so this past weekend when he took part in a 24-hour walking challenge for a mentoring program he’s part of, the lack of sleep had some pretty crazy side-effects.

Turns out things gets a little… hallucinogenic when he goes without sleep for more than a full day, and it was the perfect opportunity for he and Brooke to wrap up this month’s Slow Home Experiment.

Brooke has struggled to find the time for the full 8 hours, and while she has managed it, she talks about why it probably won’t stick long-term. They also talk about quality vs quantity, whether they think it’s possible to regain a sleep debt and what’s in store for the podcast moving forward, as they take a break from the experiments for a little while.

Enjoy!

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And thanks so much for listening!

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Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/

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Day in the Life Jun 22, 2016

Show notes

Fearing it would be too boring for most people, Brooke has been putting this episode off for months. But after being asked countless times for more detail into how she and Ben structure their days, she decided to talk about how a typical day unfolds at their house.

Well, that was the plan

When they sat down to talk about what a typical day actually looks like, it took no time to realise there is no such thing anymore. So instead what you have is a wide-ranging look at how they manage their time on a day-to-day basis (they’re unsurprisingly quite different), and how the change in their work situations has impacted the rhythm of their home.

Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/84 for a detailed run down of how Brooke likes to think her days are structured, as well as links to previous posts about tilting, work-life balance and finding a rhythm.

Enjoy!

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And thanks so much for listening!

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Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/

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8 Hours Sleep #3 Jun 19, 2016

Show notes

After a very chilly camping trip Ben and Brooke are back to regular sleep patterns, and in today’s episode they talk about pre-sleep rituals, whether it’s possible to gain back sleep debt and how their camping experience impacted on their rest. Ben’s noticed that he and Brooke have very different needs when it comes to pre-sleep rituals so today they talk a little about what Brooke does before bed, as opposed to what Ben does. HINT: Ben’s process is much simpler and shorter! Don't forget, you can play along with Brooke and Ben by tagging your social media posts with #slowhomeexperiment and sharing your experiences. Hit us up on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram and let’s get experimenting! Enjoy! ==== If you're enjoying the show and want to know how to best support it, leave a rating or a review in iTunes: (https://itunes.apple.com/au/podcast/slow-home-podcast-brooke-mcalary/id985005895?mt=2) or head over to the Patreon page (www.patreon.com/slow) to help support the show financially. And thanks so much for listening! ====

Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Live Immediately with Mike Campbell Jun 15, 2016

Show notes

A lot of Brooke’s guests over the past couple of months have spoken about making big life changes - travel, a shift in career or moving to a different place - but in every single instance these changes have been moving them closer to their Why. This is something Brooke finds constantly inspiring as she and Ben continue to make changes in their own lives, and she enjoys going deep into the reasons and the practicalities of these transformations.

Today she chats with Mike Campbell, a fellow Australian currently house-sitting his way across the United States with his wife and daughter after donating or selling virtually everything they owned.

Brooke and Mike talk about what his life was like only 18 months ago, when he was struggling in a job he was deeply unsatisfied with, his wife Inga was battling overwhelm and burnout and they found themselves wondering if this was really ‘it’. Unbeknownst to him, it would be a simple game that would shift his perspective to one of possibility and adventure.

Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/82 for show notes and links from today’s episode.

Enjoy!

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And thanks so much for listening!

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Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

8 Hours Sleep #2 Jun 12, 2016

Show notes

This month’s Slow Home Experiment sees Ben and Brooke trying to get 8 hours sleep every night, and, well, it’s been pretty straightforward so far.

Ben is coasting along with his regular 8+ hours most nights, while Brooke finds herself gaining the extra sleep in the morning rather than the evening, which is having a less than ideal impact on her days. She is, however, enjoying the days where she doesn’t wake to an alarm clock, so might need to rethink her sleep patterns!

Enjoy!

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And thanks so much for listening!

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Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Rewilding with Joel Zaslofsky Jun 08, 2016

Show notes

Joel Zaslofsky is one of the kindest, most encouraging people Brooke’s had the fortune of meeting, and today he’s back for his second visit to the pogpast.

He and Brooke talk about his current efforts in optimising sleep, collecting natural spring water with his son and his fascination with the idea of rewilding. They also talk about raising kids who are advocates for nature, gratitude meditations and Joel’s passion for community.

As always with Joel, this is a positive, passionate conversation that’s sure to leave you feeling invigorated!

Head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/80 to find links to Joel’s website, podcast and SimpleREV details, as well as a list of resources mentioned in today’s episode.

Enjoy!

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And thanks so much for listening!

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Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

8 Hours Sleep #1 Jun 05, 2016

Show notes

Brooke and Ben have started a new Slow Home Experiment this week, and it's one that plays directly into Ben's strengths - sleep. Specifically, they're looking to get 8 hours of sleep every night throughout June, and are curious to see how that will impact their health, well-being and energy levels.

Ben's always been a big fan of sleep, but Brooke has been getting by on 6-7 hours a night for years, thinking that's been enough.

The first week was pretty straightforward, with both Brooke and Ben getting at least 8 hours sleep a night. Brooke really enjoys waking early though and has found her early morning alone time the thing that's bearing the brunt of the experiment so far. So the problem might be in the getting to sleep earlier, rather than the finding time for 8 hours a night.

Brooke also talks about not actually feeling tired by 8:30pm (the time she needs to go to bed in order to wake at 5am) and the idea that she needs to do more exercise in order to actually feel tired enough to sleep.

Enjoy!

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And thanks so much for listening!

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Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/

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Caring more and caring less with Erin Loechner Jun 01, 2016

Show notes

In today’s episode Brooke chats with Erin Loechner - author, design-y creative, mum and slow living advocate.

They talk minimalist wardrobes, slow renovations and the delicate art of sucking at meditation. Also Erin's move from fast-paced LA to a much slower, roomier lifestyle in the Mid-West, what that actually looks like in the day-to-day, and her advice for those whose partners have a very different approach to stuff.

Erin also goes deep into what’s important to her, and how she now cares less about a lot of things - in order to care more about those that truly matter.

Enjoy!

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And thanks so much for listening!

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Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Meditation #5 May 29, 2016

Show notes

It’s almost time to wrap up this month’s Slow Home Experiment, with only a couple of days of meditation left, so Ben and Brooke talk about the experience and whether they’re going to create a routine out of this particular habit.

Brooke also talk about some of the excellent advice and encouragement they’ve both received over the past few weeks, and to see a list of resources submitted by listeners, head over to http://www.slowyourhome.com/77

Ben and Brooke also discus the upcoming June experiment of getting 8 hours of sleep every night, which is a simple (yet probably quite difficult) experiment.

Of course there will be nights that sleep won’t want to play along, but they discuss how they plan to set up routines and make changes to their rhythms to give them the best possible chance to get a full eight hours.

Enjoy!

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And thanks so much for listening!

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Join The Tortoise Community: https://brookemcalary.substack.com/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.