That's Helpful with Ed Stott Edwina Stott

Often we see so many traits & behaviors as directly tied to our morality - including those around how we look, feel, think and act. But journalist & author Rebecca Seal says many of the things we’ve been told are bad are actually just as useful as the good.

Her latest book is called Be Bad, Better: How Not Trying So Hard Will Set You Free.

Want to become a podcast sponsor, got some feedback for me or just fancy a chat? Email me - thatshelpful@edstott.com
You can also find the video version of the podcast on Youtube here.

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Find Bex on Instagram & via ⁠her website.
BOOKS
Be Bad, Better: How Not Trying So Hard Will Set You Free
ARTICLES
Rebecca’s original article for The Guardian

PODCASTS
Unlearning Shame with Dr Devon Price
How to Work Solo without Losing Your Mind
TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:24 - Rebecca’s own experience with perfectionism
00:11:39 - Why not trying so hard is empowering
00:18:00 - Why certain behaviors are tied to morality
00:27:10 - Embracing laziness

00:33:30 - Mindlessness over mindfulness
00:37:48 - Getting comfortable with negative emotions

00:48:00 - Accepting being human
00:50:50 - Where did these thoughts come from in the first place?

00:52:20 - Manufactured insecurity

Grief is one of those things that many of us still have no idea how to talk about. Whether we’ve lost someone or know someone who has lost someone it can be very uncomfortable to know what to share, when & even how to just broach the subject. This struggle is one Cariad Lloyd knows well.
After losing her dad at 15, she says she only really started to understand her grief when she was 34 and pregnant and decided to start her award winning podcast Griefcast. Running since 2016, the podcast has helped a whole host of people to process & verbalize their grief & Cariad’s book encompasses some of those lessons.

Cariad is a comedian & author of You Are Not Alone.
Want to become a podcast sponsor, got some feedback for me or just fancy a chat? Email me - thatshelpful@edstott.com
CONNECT WITH US
Connect with ⁠That's Helpful on Instagram.
Find Cariad on Instagram⁠ & via her website.
BOOKS
You Are Not Alone
PODCASTS
Griefcast
The Grief Gang
Good Mourning

TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 - Intro

00:01:30 - What is the grief club?

00:02:30 - Why did Cariad start Griefcast in 2016?
00:06:00 - What enabled Cariad to start to grieve?
00:08:30 - Myths about grief
00:10:30 - Victorian time limits on grief
00:12:24 - What is grief? 
00:14:20 - The physical sensations of grief
00:16:20 - How processing grief changed Cariad
00:18:19 - Grief never goes away & that’s okay
00:24:09 -  Why the 5 stages of grief are complete BS
00:30:30 - Dual process theory
00:34:00 - Why we should all be talking about death more
00:38:00 - What to say & do for someone who’s grieving
00:44:05 - The best thing to do / say if an acquaintance loses someone
 

We all know how essential a good night’s sleep can be for our health, but whilst we might be prioritising our bedtime routine, our partner’s night time habits may be the thing that’s costing us a perfect night’s sleep.
Whether they’re a champion snorer, elite level fidgeter or they just have a completely different sleep schedule to you - it doesn’t take much to affect our eight hours. So what can we do about it? How can we sleep better as a couple & is it time for a sleep divorce?
Dr Wendy Troxel, is licenced clinical psychologist specially trained in sleep medicine & a senior behavioural scientist at the RAND Corporation think tank and the author of Sharing the Covers: Every Couple’s Guide to Better Sleep.

Want to become a podcast sponsor, got some feedback for me or just fancy a chat? Email me - thatshelpful@edstott.com
CONNECT WITH US
Connect with ⁠That's Helpful on Instagram.
Find Wendy on Instagram & via ⁠her website.
BOOKS
Sharing the Covers: Every Couple’s Guide to Better Sleep

TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 Intro
00:01:11 Why this is Wendy’s area of expertise
00:02:17 What does the research say about sleeping together or separately?
00:04:30 How men & women sleep differently
00:07:45 The benefits of sharing a bed
00:10:35 How we’ve slept throughout history
00:12:53 How important sleep is to our relationship
00:14:30 When to re-evaluate sleeping in the same bed
00:18:30 How to start experimenting with sleep as a couple
00:23:40 The stigma against night owls
00:27:28 Why we should see sleep as a social behaviour
00:31:51 Sleep as a public health issue
00:32:48 How to manage pets & kids in the bed
00:38:00 The one thing to take away
00:39:39 Sleep & morality

If you’re anything like me, ageing is probably something you try not to think about. But it doesn’t have to be this way - we can embrace ageing, help to combat ageism & make the most of all the brilliant things that come with it, without denying of course that it’s not all wonderful.
So how do we do it? Well, lucky for you, my guest today is an expert in this. 
Anne Karpf is a writer, sociologist, Professor of Life Writing and Culture at London Metropolitan University and the author of How to Age.
Want to become a podcast sponsor, got some feedback for me or just fancy a chat? Email me - thatshelpful@edstott.com
CONNECT WITH US
Connect with ⁠That's Helpful on Instagram.
Find Anne on Twitter & via ⁠her website.
BOOKS
How to Age

A good skincare routine can be a truly fantastic thing, but with SO many products on the market making wild claims, it is incredibly hard to know where you should be focussing your time, not to mention your money.
Fear not though, Dr Michelle Wong is here to help - you might know here as Lab Muffin Beauty Science on social media where she’s been debunking the beauty industry since 2011.
She’s a cosmetic chemist & her latest book is called the Science of Beauty - we’re going to work through some of the beauty myths & get you what you really need to know about the products you use everyday and what actually works.
Want to become a podcast sponsor, got some feedback for me or just fancy a chat? Email me - thatshelpful@edstott.com
CONNECT WITH US
Connect with ⁠That's Helpful on Instagram.
Find Michelle on Instagram & via ⁠her website.
BOOKS
The Science of Beauty
TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 Intro

00:01:20 How Michelle started researching the chemistry of beauty

00:03:55 Does more expensive mean more effective?
00:05:45 Can we trust the research that brands quote about products?
00:07:30 How can we tell if a product is working?
00:10:30 How to choose a good cleanser

00:13:00 Should you use a cloth or tool with the cleanser?
00:14:20 How to choose a moisturizer

00:17:52 What to look for in a sunscreen & how often to apply
00:22:45 How to use spray sunscreen
00:23:30 If your makeup has sunscreen included, do you need to apply sunscreen?
00:24:37 Other things to do to protect your skin from the sun 
00:27:00 How important is sleep to our skin?
00:28:30 Do skin supplements work?
00:31:10 How to fade a scar
00:32:30 Dealing with stretch marks
00:33:55 Michelle’s top 3 products
00:35:50 Sleeping to avoid wrinkles
00:38:15 Michelle’s top 3 active ingredients
00:40:00 Michelle’s top 3 tips
 

The saying goes - win the morning, win the day. But, if you’re anything like me - your morning will be determined by your inbox, who calls first or what’s been dropped in your lap that day.
Productivity expert Donna McGeorge says this way of working is a big mistake and could see the quality of your work suffer, not to mention the extra hours spent at your desk later in the day.
So how can we take back control, maximise our time & spend less of it working?
 Donna is my guest today & she’s the author of The First 2 Hours: Make Better Use of Your Most Valuable Time.
Want to become a podcast sponsor, got some feedback for me or just fancy a chat? Email me - thatshelpful@edstott.com
CONNECT WITH US
Connect with ⁠That's Helpful on Instagram.
Find Donna on Instagram⁠ & via ⁠her website.
BOOKS
The First 2 Hours: Make Better Use of Your Most Valuable Time

PODCASTS
How To Supercharge Your Day with ChatGPT Productivity Hacks
The Happiness Lab: Ask for help...spread happiness

TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:10 - Why the first 2 hours are so important
00:03:06 - How to best structure your day for max productivity
00:05:30 - Tools for structuring your day & protecting your mornings
00:09:30 - How to write a to-do list that’s actually helpful
00:13:30 - How to tailor your day to your circadian rhythm
00:21:00 - Don’t give 100%, 100% of the time
00:26:40 - Bad habits that are costing your productivity
00:29:30 - Being mindful of the time you’ve gained back
00:34:00 - How to avoid social media stealing your saved time
00:36:00 - Being kind to your future self