Recomendo

Radio Garden/Optimizing autonomy/Relax your jaw

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Recomendo: issue no. 196

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World Radio
Radio Garden is a website that presents you with a spinnable globe of the Earth. The green dots represent radio stations. Rotate the globe, click a dot and you are suddenly listening to live radio in that part of the world. Right now I’m listening to Radio Seaside Wave in Nakhodka, Russia. — MF

Optimizing autonomy
One of the benefits of working from home is that you potentially have more autonomy in your work. As Dan Pink explains in this brief, but densely animated talk entitled: “Drive: The surprising truth about what motivates us,” autonomy is one of the three main drivers of getting stuff done (money is not). Use this reset time to optimize these three factors in what you do. — KK

Relax your jaw
Every once in awhile I will be scrolling through Reddit and come across a short reminder or tip post that simply says: Relax your jaw. I’m not sure at what moment it became second nature to me, but I noticed in the last week I’ve started relaxing my jaw at the first sign of anxiety or discomfort, which is great, because I then check-in with my entire body and relax my shoulders, and just that in itself is an instant mood booster. So I would like to pay it forward with a reminder to relax your jaw. — CD

Four favorite tools podcast
Every week Mark and I interview a maker on our Cool Tools podcast. We ask them to rave about four of their favorite tools for 25 minutes. The range of tools they recommend is surprising and refreshing; we are always expanding our possibilities. You can subscribe to the Cool Tools Podcast from the usual platforms. (We have 220 episodes!)  If you know of a remarkable person who is into tools, send us an introduction, and we’ll try to have them as a guest. — KK

Kanji Practice Pad
The Beginning Japanese Kanji Language Practice Pad looks like a daily calendar. On each tear-off page is a different Japanese kanji character, along with its definition, pronunciation, sample use, stroke order, and space to practice writing it. — MF

Tactics for Relationships in Quarantine
This episode of the Tim Ferris podcast with Psychotherapist Esther Perel was very timely and enlightening. Perel shares templates for navigating the tactically challenging situations that relationships might be facing at this moment in time, as well as phrases for deepening the conversation with loved ones. For example, with those who are prone to answering “great” when you ask how they are doing, a good follow up question would be “how are you sleeping?” This is a wake-up call for me because I am one of those people who feels like I am not allowed to complain when there is a lot to be grateful for, but in her words, “You can feel humble, you can feel thankful to things, but you can’t feel great in this moment because if you’re feeling great in this moment, you’re detached. You’re disconnected.” And that warrants a moment of acknowledgement. Another tip I pulled from this that was inspired by a past episode with Brené Brown was to each morning give your partner a heads up of where your emotional/energy level is at with a percentage of how full your tank is. So if I don’t sleep well or am feeling cranky, I will let my husband know I’m at 20%, so please tread lightly. — CD

-- Kevin Kelly, Mark Frauenfelder, Claudia Dawson 04/19/20

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