That's Helpful with Ed Stott Edwina Stott

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
 

If I were to ask you how healthy you are right now, what would you say? Would you tell me about your social life? How many friends have you connected with in the last week? Or how connected you feel with your local community?
Probably not, but Kasley Killam says that social health is vital to our physical health & by ignoring it, we’re missing out on some huge benefits. She’s the Author of The Art and Science of Connection: Why Social Health Is the Missing Key to Living Longer, Healthier, and Happier.

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 Kasley on Instagram⁠ & via ⁠her website.

BOOKS
The Art and Science of Connection: Why Social Health Is the Missing Key to Living Longer, Healthier, and Happier.
TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:20 - Kasley’s definition of social health
00:03:29 - The importance of social health
00:05:35 - How social connection changes us physically
00:09:50 - Quality over quantity
00:11:15 - Signs of a good social connection
00:13:14 - How to do a social audit
00:17:34 - How to deepen connections
00:20:30 - The 4 social styles
00:26:00 - The ebb & flow of relationships throughout our lives?
00:29:00 - How to find your people
00:32:33 - The common barriers to making genuine connections
00:37:00 - When it’s time to let a friendship go
 

If you’ve ever shared that you’re feeling it, the most common reaction is ‘oh my gosh me too’. I’m talking about Imposter Syndrome - it’s brutal, unhelpful and feels horrible. So why do we experience it and how can we tackle it?
That’s exactly what we’re going to take down today - by the way this episode was requested by Jess on Instagram - if there’s something you’re struggling with follow me @thatshelpfulpod and send me a DM, because if you’re going through it likely many of us out here are too!

My guest today is the wonderful Dr Jessamy Hibberd, she‘s a Clinical Psychologist & the Author The Imposter Cure: How to stop feeling like a fraud and escape the mind-trap of imposter syndrome.
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 Jessamy on Instagram⁠ & via ⁠her website.
BOOKS
The Imposter Cure: How to stop feeling like a fraud and escape the mind-trap of imposter syndrome
OTHER MENTIONS
Forget the Dream Job, You Need a Good Enough Job-
TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:22 - What is imposter syndrome?
00:02:28 - How is imposter syndrome different from normal self doubt?
00:04:20 - How many people suffer with imposter syndrome?
00:05:45 - Imposter syndrome isn’t just a problem in the workplace
00:06:45 - Can you have imposter syndrome & not know?
00:08:05 - The link between imposter syndrome and perfectionism
00:10:55 - How perfected life is now
00:13:23 - The common types of imposter syndrome
00:20:00 - How can we start to overcome it?
00:25:00 - Keeping a running document of achievements
00:27:48 - Thoughts aren’t facts
00:30:45 - The balance between humility & imposter syndrome
00:35:00 - Sharing these feelings
00:37:50 - The stories you share help you understand yourself
00:40:00 - Jessamy’s experience of imposter syndrome
00:42:33 - The importance of remembering you’re human
 

So many of us expect to become less happy as we age, BUT science says you couldn’t be more wrong - you’ll likely become happier as you get into old age, you’ll be more content and more able to live in the present moment.
This phenomenon is called the happiness curve and it’s a concept that award winning journalist Jonathon Rauch is incredibly passionate about.
Jonathan is a senior fellow at the Brookings Institution in Washington and the author of The Happiness Curve, Why Life Gets Better After 50.
So what does the research say, how can we avoid the midlife crisis we hear so much about & how might the happiness curve help us to reframe the way we approach aging?

CONNECT WITH US
Connect with ⁠That's Helpful on Instagram.
Find Jonathon on Twitter⁠ & via his website.
BOOKS
The Happiness Curve, Why Life Gets Better After 50
Want to become a podcast sponsor, got some feedback for me or just fancy a chat? Email me - thatshelpful@edstott.com

TIMESTAMPS
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:16 - How did Jonathon discover the happiness curve?
00:04:45 - How does the happiness curve play out in different countries?
00:07:24 - The forecasting error
00:13:13 - Why so many of us feel ashamed of the midlife slump
00:17:37 - Step don’t leap
00:23:35 - How to overcome the time trap of the happiness curve
00:26:26 - The happiness curve is fuelled by false assumptions around age
00:31:21 - It isn’t just teenagers who go through transitional times of life
00:33:31 - The power in giving yourself time to reset
00:35:51 - The things that truly bring life satisfaction
00:38:12 - The one thing to remember
 

Gratitude is one of those words that’s everywhere - particularly if you’re interested in self-improvement & your health. BUT what does the science actually say about introducing a little more gratitude into our lives & the best ways to do it?
Well, Professor Fuschia Sirois is a psychologist from the University of Durham who’s been studying gratitude for much of her career.
Today we’re going to get answers to those questions and take a look at how gratitude can bring us closer to our future selves.
CONNECT WITH US
Connect with ⁠That's Helpful on Instagram.
Find Fuschia on Twitter⁠ & via ⁠her website.
BOOKS
Procrastination: What It Is, Why It's A Problem & What You Can Do About It
Want to become a podcast sponsor, got some feedback for me or just fancy a chat? Email me - thatshelpful@edstott.com
TIMESTAMPS 
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:05 - What is gratitude?
00:03:29 - Why do some people have more gratitude than others?
00:06:27 - When did we start to study gratitude?
00:08:47 - Gratitude’s influence on health
00:10:46 - Impact on gratitude for people with fibromyalgia 
00:12:46 - Gratitude & future orientation
00:16:33 - The benefits of being future oriented
00:19:50 - Simple ways to incorporate more gratitude
00:25:06 - How to practice group gratitude
00:29:10 - How gratitude helps us find meaning
00:29:47 - What to focus your gratitude on
00:32:15 - Gratitude pitfalls
00:33:37 - Acknowledging joy in other ways
00:34:51 - Gratitude & society
00:37:45 - The one thing to remember
 

We know how fabulous getting out in the water can be for our mental health & overall well-being but there’s a growing body of research showing that cold water can be absolutely transformative, whether it's from your shower, pool or  the ocean.
So what is it ACTUALLY doing to our bodies & how can we start to reap the benefits in our own lives?
Dr Mark Harper is a consultant anesthetist at Sussex University hospitals in the UK and a leading expert in the prevention of hypothermia in surgical patients and in the therapeutic uses of cold-water adaptation and cold water swimming.
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 Mark on Instagram & via his website.
BOOKS
Chill, The Cold Water Swim Cure

OTHER THINGS MENTIONED
100 Days of Vitamin Sea
That’s Helpful - Drawn To Water? Blue Mind is Why
TIMESTAMPS 
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:26 - When is cold good for us & when is it bad?
00:02:14 - When did Mark become interested in this?
00:05:05 - Why are we only just discovering the benefits?
00:06:52 - The benefits of cold water exposure
00:10:00 - What’s happening in our bodies when we’re exposed?
00:11:38 - Cold water exposure keeps you in the moment
00:13:07 - The optimum conditions
00:15:00 - Why is 3 mins the ideal time?
00:19:06 - Getting comfortable with being uncomfortable
00:19:53 - How to utilise cold showers for health benefits
00:21:47 - Things to avoid
00:24:13 - The side-effects of cold water exposure
00:26:10 - Should you combine a sauna with cold water exposure?
00:28:47 - The main take-aways
00:30:00 - Cold water exposure for migraines
00:34:27 - Cold water exposure as prep for surgery