Becky Harlan/NPR
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Becky Harlan/NPR
Speaking of good ideas, our Life Kit experts have plenty of them. This month, they’re offering timely guidance on summer safety, science-backed strategies on how to strengthen your memory and improve your sleep, and relationship advice (like how to get over an annoying crush).
Here are seven tips that Life Kit’s editors and producers are most excited to put into practice in your daily life.
1. If you need a creative breakthrough at work, look elsewhere. One study found that “if you change your environment in a very simple way, like leaving the office and working in the kitchen or going for a walk, you become more creative,” cognitive neuroscientist Tully Sharrow Special said. “Right now, the creativity boost from just changing the environment only lasts about six minutes. However, those six minutes can be very important. That can be the important lightbulb moment.”
2. If you have a lot on your mind when you’re trying to fall asleep, write down a to-do list to calm your thoughts. Write down each problem or task along with a specific next step you’ll take tomorrow, says professor and clinical psychologist Allison Harvey. Don’t try to actually solve the problem, though. “Once people start solving problems, there’s excitement.”
3. Need to forget an old crush? Reach out to them. “A lot of time has passed, so you’re obsessed with Insight “The image of this person probably doesn’t match reality,” said sex educator Shan Boodram. “Right now people know very little about who this person is. You have to collect more information.”
4. Designate a “water spotter” to monitor your children at all times when they are in the water. Should be a clear-headed, focused adult. They should keep their cell phones nearby in case they need to call 911.
5. If the temperature reaches 90 degrees and your home does not have air conditioning, go to a cooling center. If you are unable to keep cool at home for any reason, don’t hesitate to find a cooling center near you. “This could be a community center, a public library, a coffee shop, a movie theater or a shopping mall,” said Paul Schramm of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Climate Health Program. Electric fans are not enough – they just move the hot air.
6. Don’t want to forget where you parked your car? Slow down and focus on what you want to remember“, says neuroscientist Lisa Genova. When people complain of memory problems, they often also have attention problems. “The first necessary ingredient to create lasting memories is attention. We need this input—otherwise we can’t. Forming a memory.” So if you can’t find a parking spot, you probably didn’t notice it in the first place.
7. To protect your family and loved ones, place your gas or charcoal grill in an open environment. “You don’t want to put anything above the grill, like a balcony. And don’t put the grill on the siding of the house. Keep the back of the grill out in the open,” says food blog founder Jess Larson. Pairs well with butter. Please check your grill’s manual carefully for more details. “Some grills say they’re suitable for decks. Some say you should grill on cement or sidewalk.”
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This digital story was written by Malaka Gharib and edited by Meghan Keane. Visual editor is Beck Harlan. We’d love to hear from you. Please leave us a message at 202-216-9823 or email LifeKit@npr.org.
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