Hey, it's Mike and Ian.
We're the hosts of How to Do Everything from NPR's Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me.
Each week we take your questions and find someone much smarter than us to answer them.
Questions like how do you survive the Bermuda Triangle?
How do you find a date inside the Bermuda Triangle?
We can't help you, but we will find someone who can.
Listen to the How to Do Everything podcast on iHeartRadio.
Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio.
Good morning. This is Laura.
Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast.
Today's tip is to feed your mind.
Just like our bodies, our minds need varied nourishment if we are going to produce our best work.
I have been thinking about how I feed my mind since I interviewed Mary Laura Philpott for my other podcast, Best of Both Worlds.
Mary Laura is the author of the memoirs, I Miss You When I Blink, and more recently, Bomb Shelter.
As I learned from our interview, Mary Laura is not only a prolific writer, but also an avid reader.
Mary Laura spends her mornings writing.
But by early afternoon, even though it's still the work day, she says, my brain can't write.
Instead of spending the afternoon writing and rewriting the same sentence, or aimlessly deleting emails, Mary Laura's practice is to read with a pencil in hand.
She reads broadly. Not just essays about family life, like she's known for writing, but also biographies, poetry, thrillers, anything.
As she reads, she makes notes about what other writers are doing well, and how their craft sparks ideas about what she could do in her own writing.
Mary Laura explained, when my brain can't be actively producing, it can at least be sort of passively absorbing things that make me better at my job.
What a smart practice.
Even the most productive of writers can't write all the time.
And to be able to produce rich, creative, interesting work, writers need to study the work of others.
Plus reading is fun, which is a relevant motivation too.
Just as Mary Laura is a writer who reads, other people would be wise to consume what they aim to produce as well.
Listen to podcasts if you're a podcaster.
Play video games if you're a game designer.
Go shopping if you're a buyer for a gift shop.
Enjoy others' work, just as you hope that people will enjoy yours.
And, like Mary Laura reading with a pencil in hand, pay attention to others' craft.
What makes the podcast or game compelling?
Or what makes the shop inviting?
Are there elements of others' work that prompt you to explore ideas for your own work?
In addition to consuming what you aim to produce, consume broadly too.
Ideas not directly related to your craft can still enhance your work.
While I write non -fiction about productivity and time, I love reading classic literature.
And The Economist, in addition to my colleagues' self -improvement books.
If you write professionally, you'll get ideas from all sorts of writing that strengthen your own writing.
But even if you don't write for a living, reading is a great way to take in new ideas.
Reading broadens our thinking.
And you don't need to stop there.
See art, go to the theater, travel, talk with interesting people, engage your mind and your senses.
When you nourish yourself, you nourish your work.
Even when you are not actively producing, you can still fuel your professional work by seeking out interesting material.
As you absorb it, you can see where it takes you.
How do you feed your mind?
I'd love to hear about it.
You can reach me at laura, at lauravandercam .com.
In the meantime, this is Laura, thanks for listening, and here's to making the most of our time.
Hey everybody, I'd love to hear from you.
You can send me your tips, your questions, or anything else.
Just connect with me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, at Before Breakfast Pod.
That's B -E, the number four, then breakfast, P -O -D.
You can also shoot me an email at beforebreakfastpodcast at iheartmedia .com.
That before breakfast is spelled out with all the letters.
Thanks so much, I look forward to staying in touch.
Before Breakfast is a production of iHeartRadio.
For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.
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