Lifestyle

why curiosity journals beat to-do lists for creative problem-solving

I used to live by my to-do list. There are nights when a simple checked box felt like a small triumph — dishes done, emails sent, a chapter written. But over the years I noticed something odd: the...

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why tiny repetitive rituals improve creative work more than long retreats

There was a week a few years ago when I packed a bag, booked a cabin in the Lakes, and told myself that a long retreat would reset my creativity. I arrived with notebooks, a sleeping bag of ambitious...

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what makes a neighborhood feel safe — insights from urban design and local rituals

I’ve moved enough times and walked enough city blocks to know there’s a difference between a neighborhood that is objectively low-risk and one that simply feels safe. Feeling safe is not only...

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what a week without screens does to your attention and sleep — a practical plan to try

I decided to spend a week mostly away from screens to see what would happen to my attention and my sleep. Not an austere retreat—my phone stayed for calls and emergencies—but a deliberate,...

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why your houseplants keep dying and how to fix the five most common mistakes

I’ve killed more houseplants than I care to admit. Some were gifts, some were impulse buys at garden centres because the leaves looked promising under fluorescent lights, and some I honestly...

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