Welcome to Sunday Reads #2 on Refocuser, a collection of my favorite weekly links from around the web spanning topics like creativity, performance, focus, exercise, and positivity.  I’m posting this on Saturday this time to make sure email subscribers get this on Sunday.

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On Moving, Eating, and Sleeping

The healthy human microbiome is the new frontier.  All the more reason why I’m surprised I didn’t know about uBiome (10% off with that link!) – it’s similar in spirit to WellnessFX and 23andMe.  They send you a sample kit for only $89 (!) so you can learn more about your body’s own bacteria in an effort to improve your overall health.  Don’t need to twist my arm to do this – I’m in!  We’re super early in this citizen science movement but I love it.  You can also learn more on Fast Company.

Mark Sisson challenges some of our common misconceptions when it comes to calories (part 1, part 2).

How does exercise really affect our brains and how does it really make us happier?  Fast Company set out to understand the science.  Turns out addiction to exercise isn’t a crazy concept since BDNF (brain-derived neurotropic factor) and those ever-popular endorphins have the same characteristics as nicotine, heroin, or morphine.  Big takeaway: Daily exercise of just 20 minutes is all it takes.

An early start at work and school may be to blame for people’s poor sleep hygiene according to a new study published in the January edition of the Sleep journal   If you suffer from lack of sleep and have some flexibility, you can feel better by starting your day later in the morning or by increasing your overall sleep time.  In other words, watch less late-night television.

Giving up alcohol, even for a month, is beneficial for your liver.  But of course, relying less on alcohol year-round is really the best path.

The bone broth trend continues.  Whether you’re paleo, primal, or just paleo-curious, the benefits of bone broth seem to be worth paying attention to.

Stuff to Focus On

A new study from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign has found that people with positive attitudes and outlook on life have healthier hearts.  (via Christopher Bergland)

Elon Musk, super-entrepreneur (think Tesla, PayPal, and SpaceX), believes in “first principles thinking” – a mode of inquiry that relentlessly pursues the foundations of a problem. “[With first principles] you boil things down to the most fundamental truths … and then reason up from there.”  Couldn’t agree more (see my last post on using frameworks for critical thinking).

Super cool interactive chart pulled together from the time management habits of folks like Benjamin Franklin, Kurt Vonnegut, Charles Darwin, and Pablo Picasso.  Not sure how actionable this is, but it’s fun.  Bottom line: do whatever works for you.

Fun article on Why Successful People Wear The Same Thing Every Day   I don’t love this idea, though I can understand its value.  Clothing translates to personal expression for many people.  However, I do a similar thing with socks; I buy all the same type at the same time so I don’t have to spend time or energy matching them.  And I too have decided that wearing a tie is not for me.

Gadgets to Improve Your Life?

Lots of gadgets this week at the 2015 Consumer Electronics Show.  Some of the more interesting ones as it relates to Refocuser are HugOne (which lets you track the sleep patterns of your family), Valedo (a sensor for resolving back pain) and the Tao Chair (for working out without getting up – which seems incredibly silly).

A Wi-Fi enabled Crockpot.  I’m not sure if this is really necessary, but I still love the idea of Internet connectivity embedded within just about everything I use.

A new app called YOU lets you take pictures of activities (eating, yoga, etc.) and share them with your friends. Not sure why you wouldn’t just use Instagram, but it’s a valid approach for habit change.

Long-form Reads

Brad Feld’s review of Benjamin Franklin: An American Life makes me want to read it.  Every year I try and read a few documentaries of great people, and I loved Walter Isaacson’s Steve Jobs.  So this one is now on my list to read.  Check out the Kindle book on Amazon, which also has the ability to switch back and forth between the Audible narration and the Kindle book itself.

New research shows that reading long-form fiction can enhance personality traits like empathy; the ability to read other people’s emotions.  Fascinating stuff and fun considering so many people read fiction on Kindle (my day job).

Random Musings

Scientists have sequenced the genome of the Bowhead Whale, a mammal whose lifespan exceeds 200 years.  There could be some positive implications down the line for human longevity.

Older people are happier people according to the literature.

And as I struggle to get this post done, upload photos of my family from a recent trip, pick up the dry-cleaning, do some training, and take down the holiday lights before the short weekend disappears, it’s always worth remembering the shortness of life per Seneca.  Presence matters.

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