This is a short post motivated by a conversation I had with a good friend about the small but important things one does in life. I thought about three of them to keep me sane, healthy, and connected to others.

reading

Yes, damn it, read! 🙂 Out of curiosity, I was interested in how much people read: 40% seem not to touch books at all, and men seem to be particularly bad at it with about half not reading them.

Be it newspapers, reports, non-fiction technical books, or a good novel – ideally a combination of all – there is no better way to engage your brain and keep yourself informed and entertained at the same time.

Today’s world is complex and will not become less so. Think of tricky geopolitics, the advancement of artificial intelligence, or the rise of political extremes in many democracies. These and other big topics pose big challenges, which will need addressing, for which broad knowledge is a good baseline.

Liberal democracy, which provides fundamental freedoms to everyone and public goods to all, while having its flaws, is the best political system we have come up with so far (happy to debate this!). However, it needs educated, informed, and critically thinking citizens, which can understand, debate, and find compromises.

Staying informed, largely through reading and the thinking it entails, is the best way not only to be fit for enjoying the privilege of a liberal society (yes, it’s a privilege in the historical context!), but also to personally feel more integrated into it. Reading, the knowledge, and critical thinking skills it provides let people feel better connected to current issues but also put them into a better position to participate in the political process, be it to take informed decisions in elections, engage in local community debates, or actively participate in political movements.

People may call me narrowly minded, but I believe that, while social media and television can inform (and entertain), they are no substitute for reading, possibly good compliments. So, enjoy the written word!

running

Physical exercise is magic. Obviously, it keeps you fit. But exercise does do so much more for you. It provides great joy doing it – the famous runner’s high! – enhances focus – I often have my clearest thought while running – but also protects you from mental and physical decline and leads to better sleep and even better sex.

So, again looking at the data, I honestly was shocked (a word I barely use) to learn that more than half of the people in the UK (and highly likely elsewhere too) do not do physical exercise at all (see NHS Table 9). Given the obvious, large, and long-term benefits of exercise, I hope I don’t sound intolerant when saying that not doing exercise in a world of sedentary lifestyles where almost everybody has access to movement, is …. well, (you can fill in the word of your choice).

Running is the best sport for me, maybe combined with mild strength training. There is no sport which is easier to access; you can do it naked though most societies forbid this, and you can do it at all intensities, exhausting yourself in 1 minute, 1 hour, or 1 day, thereby burning lots of energy (less fat!), feeling great, thinking clearly, and doing good to your body and mind. Of course, running is not the point here. Other sports can provide the same benefits. It only is important to follow Nike’s advice here: Just do it!

revelling

Go out and connect with people. For me it’s raves with the friendly London group we built. But there are many ways to connect with others: festivals, concerts, sports events, clubs, political rallies, and the public house of course! While it’s certainly possible online, there is something special to face-to-face interactions.

I find it refreshing to step out of my social or professional circle because it makes me stop making those silly comparisons, we all sometimes do. There is no point in comparison when people are just too different showing one how narrow one’s focus can be. Instead the focus is on the shared experience, engaging with other persons, and good conversations.

It’s more often than not an enriching experience to connect with strangers, especially when they have a different background than yours. Every other person knows things you have no idea about or may have perspectives you have not yet considered. Sometimes you even form satisfying longer-term relations. And if not, you may just enjoy yourself talking and maybe dancing.

Bonus: It gets better with age! Maybe because one becomes more experienced dealing with people.

Doing it

The cool thing about reading, running, and revelling (or whatever equivalents you prefer) is that everybody can do them. They don’t require special skills, access to people or places, or considerable amounts of money. Especially, they are independent from one’s work or family life,but can be combined with them.

Talking with others about those habits, sometimes sensing a slight envy on the other side, they may tell me that modern society does not give them enough time to do these things. However, for me that’s not a question of time. It’s one of priority. It’s about mental and physical health, which trumps most other things. On this, my colleague Neeltje van Horen has written Ignite, an excellent book on how to better organise the small and big things in your life. For me, doing the 3 little r’s keeps me sane and healthy – a good baseline for everything else in life!