Jim Bailey

The Jason & Mindy Podcast

On todays show:

THINGS YOU SHOULD DO FIRST THING IN THE MORNING TO BE HAPPIER ALL DAY:

❑ Pick a wellness habit, and link it to one of your morning rituals: It could be meditation, deep breathing, reading, or exercise. Perhaps add the deep-breathing thing to the time you spend making the bed after your shower.

❑ Get your phone out of your room: You’ve heard this before. No screen time in your room. If you reach for the phone or other device first thing, you’re letting the outside world dictate your mood for the day.

❑ Talk to yourself: Self-talk can be very conducive to helping you overcome whatever obstacles you face in the coming day. It’s even better if you use your own name out loud.

❑ Talk to someone else: Make a social contact with somebody you like. This could be a spouse or child, a friend, an extended family member, almost anyone. A call or a text will work, but meeting for coffee will give you a big boost to start your day.

❑ Incorporate gratitude: People who journal about the things they’re thankful for have been shown to score much higher happiness scores those who kept track of things that irritate them.

OLD CUSTOMS THAT ARE HARD TO IMAGINE TODAY:

☞ A kid in a car without a child seat: It wasn’t that long ago that this was legal. In France, for instance, child seats have only been mandatory since 1992. For Canada and the US, it was the 1980s.

☞ Checking your cash before going out: Before bank cards, you wouldn’t dream of leaving home without cash. Credit cards didn’t become popular until the 1970s. In the 1980s, ATMs popped up everywhere.

☞ Buying a newspaper every morning: In movies, we often see the commuter faithfully picking up the morning paper on the way to the office. Of course, the internet changed that.

☞ Throwing away plastic bottles: Recycling hasn’t always existed as we know it today. While plastic bottles are everywhere, we’re increasingly aware of the need to recycle them.

☞ Having a tooth pulled by your barber: That’s precisely who pulled out damaged teeth after dental care instruments were invented in the 16th century.

☞ Watching movies at specific times: Remember waiting for the exact time a movie would be shown on TV? And tough luck if you missed it! Thanks to streaming, the way we watch shows and movies has been transformed.

☞ Corporal punishment at school: Not only do laws now prohibit it, society sees it as barbaric. Current teaching methods favor non-violent means of discipline.

☞Smoking in restaurants: You knew this was coming. Smoking sections first appeared in in the 1990s (US). Eventually, smoking was banned in all public places, including restaurants.

GERMINATING GERMS:

While it’s true that these days, it’s hard to go anywhere without seeing hand sanitizer stations available, there are other, far more sinister sources of germs than doorknobs and handrails. In fact, scientists are warning of 7 common spots where bacteria are thriving. In fact, these areas, places you might never suspect are hotbeds for microbial life, are all germier than the average toilet seat, according to science…

1. Smartphones: When did you properly clean yours last? They are likely a key source of bacteria entering the body.

2. Kitchen sponges: One study even found that the average kitchen sponge carries more bacterial species than a lab Petri dish.

3. Water bottles: Reused water bottles can contain mold and bacteria, especially if they aren’t washed thoroughly.

4. Fountain soda water: The water lines from these things are usually teeming with bacteria, researchers say. That includes salmonella and E. coli.

5. Handbags: Consider all the bacteria-laden items that get stored inside the bags, none of which are routinely cleaned.

6. Self-checkout screens: They are touched by so many dirty fingers, they’re hot beds for bacteria. A British investigation found E. coli on nearly all the surfaces tested. In addition, fecal bacteria and microbes that can lead to urinary tract infections were found on self-service screens.

7. Pet toys: Of course. Pets handle them with their mouths, and who knows where their mouths have been? Plus, the toys come in contact with all sorts of surfaces around the home. Pet toys can be a source of coliform bacteria, yeast and mold.

Fun Facts

✓ According to a study, telling yourself “I can do better” is actually one of the best ways to make yourself do better at a given task.

✓ Contrary to what you may have heard, redheads aren’t actually going extinct.

TODAY’S SCOOP OF BS:

➠ Last Monday was the official deadline for filing your taxes [in the US].

➠ Superman was first published last week back in 1938.

➠ Fact of the Day: There are 4.8 billion people who own mobile phones, but only 4.2 billion own a toothbrush.

CLUTTER-BUSTING:

Experts say the act of cleaning and getting rid of clutter is something you a positive sense of control. It’s also a 100% preventable drain on your well-being. Consider these benefits of decluttering…

• Boosts mood – the act of decluttering relaxes your mind.

• Improves physical health – eating habits improve, combatting the association between clutter and becoming overweight.

• Escalates the ability to focus, which prepares your mind to perform tasks.

• Increases productivity – visual accomplishment is rewarding.

• Relieves anxiety – having clutter makes you fear more clutter.

• Improves sleep – an organized environment increases sleep quality.

• Improves relationships – communication is more effective.

If you love what we do and want more of us check out our website lowtreestudios.com. Be sure to like and subscribe to our YouTube page! Enjoy your week and thank you for listening to the The Jason & Mindy Podcast where we feature topics that serve as an informative and entertaining break from life’s daily grind.