1 00:00:03,520 --> 00:00:09,040 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of iHeartRadio. Good Morning. 2 00:00:10,520 --> 00:00:16,520 Speaker 1: This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. Today's 3 00:00:16,520 --> 00:00:21,640 Speaker 1: tip is to feed your mind. Just like our bodies, 4 00:00:22,520 --> 00:00:26,000 Speaker 1: our minds need varied nourishment if we are going to 5 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:31,280 Speaker 1: produce our best work. I have been thinking about how 6 00:00:31,320 --> 00:00:35,480 Speaker 1: I feed my mind since I interviewed Mary Laura Philpott 7 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:39,840 Speaker 1: for my other podcast, Best of Both Worlds. Mary Laura 8 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:42,480 Speaker 1: is the author of the memoirs I Miss You When 9 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 1: I Blink and more recently, Bomb Shelter. As I learned 10 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:51,880 Speaker 1: from our interview, Mary Laura is not only a prolific writer, 11 00:00:52,600 --> 00:00:57,960 Speaker 1: but also an avid reader. Mary Laura spends her morning's writing, 12 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:01,880 Speaker 1: but by early afternoon, even though it's still the workday, 13 00:01:02,440 --> 00:01:07,640 Speaker 1: she says, my brain can't write. Instead of spending the 14 00:01:07,680 --> 00:01:12,360 Speaker 1: afternoon writing and rewriting the same sentence or aimlessly deleting emails, 15 00:01:13,200 --> 00:01:17,039 Speaker 1: Mary Laura's practice is to read with a pencil in hand. 16 00:01:18,160 --> 00:01:21,959 Speaker 1: She reads broadly, not just essays about family life like 17 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:28,920 Speaker 1: she's known for writing, but also biographies, poetry, thrillers, anything. 18 00:01:30,040 --> 00:01:33,039 Speaker 1: As she reads, she makes notes about what other writers 19 00:01:33,160 --> 00:01:38,320 Speaker 1: are doing well and how their craft sparks ideas about 20 00:01:38,319 --> 00:01:42,520 Speaker 1: what she could do in her own writing. Mary Laura explained, 21 00:01:43,280 --> 00:01:47,319 Speaker 1: when my brain can't be actively producing, it can at 22 00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:51,280 Speaker 1: least be sort of passively absorbing things that make me 23 00:01:51,360 --> 00:01:57,640 Speaker 1: better at my job. What a smart practice. Even the 24 00:01:57,680 --> 00:02:01,760 Speaker 1: most productive of writers can't write all the time, and 25 00:02:01,840 --> 00:02:07,400 Speaker 1: to be able to produce rich, creative, interesting work, writers 26 00:02:07,480 --> 00:02:11,079 Speaker 1: need to study the work of others. Plus, reading is fun, 27 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:16,359 Speaker 1: which is a relevant motivation too. Just as Mary Laura 28 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:19,960 Speaker 1: is a writer who reads, other people would be wise 29 00:02:20,040 --> 00:02:24,320 Speaker 1: to consume what they aim to produce as well. Listen 30 00:02:24,320 --> 00:02:29,640 Speaker 1: to podcasts if you're a podcaster, play video games if 31 00:02:29,680 --> 00:02:34,040 Speaker 1: you're a game designer. Go shopping if you're a buyer 32 00:02:34,560 --> 00:02:39,440 Speaker 1: for a gift shop. Enjoy others' work just as you 33 00:02:39,560 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: hope that people will enjoy yours, and, like Mary Laura, 34 00:02:44,680 --> 00:02:48,840 Speaker 1: reading with a pencil in hand, pay attention to others craft. 35 00:02:49,880 --> 00:02:53,760 Speaker 1: What makes the podcast or game compelling or what makes 36 00:02:53,800 --> 00:02:57,760 Speaker 1: the shop inviting? Are there elements of others work that 37 00:02:57,880 --> 00:03:01,760 Speaker 1: prompt you to explore ideas for your own work In 38 00:03:01,800 --> 00:03:06,839 Speaker 1: addition to consuming what you aim to produce, consume broadly too. 39 00:03:08,360 --> 00:03:12,280 Speaker 1: Ideas not directly related to your craft can still enhance 40 00:03:12,320 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 1: your work. While I write nonfiction about productivity and time. 41 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:22,640 Speaker 1: I love reading classic literature and The Economist, in addition 42 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:26,960 Speaker 1: to my colleague self improvement books. If you write professionally, 43 00:03:27,000 --> 00:03:30,519 Speaker 1: you'll get ideas from all sorts of writing that strengthen 44 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:33,640 Speaker 1: your own writing. But even if you don't write for 45 00:03:33,680 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 1: a living, reading is a great way to take in 46 00:03:37,800 --> 00:03:44,640 Speaker 1: new ideas. Reading broadens our thinking, and you don't need 47 00:03:44,640 --> 00:03:49,720 Speaker 1: to stop there. See art, go to the theater, travel, 48 00:03:50,600 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 1: talk with interesting people, engage your mind and your senses. 49 00:03:55,880 --> 00:04:00,720 Speaker 1: When you nourish yourself, you nourish your work. Even when 50 00:04:00,720 --> 00:04:04,680 Speaker 1: you are not actively producing. You can still fuel your 51 00:04:04,720 --> 00:04:09,360 Speaker 1: professional work by seeking out interesting material. As you absorb it, 52 00:04:10,200 --> 00:04:14,000 Speaker 1: you can see where it takes you. How do you 53 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:18,440 Speaker 1: feed your mind? I'd love to hear about it. You 54 00:04:18,480 --> 00:04:23,680 Speaker 1: can reach me at Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. 55 00:04:24,880 --> 00:04:30,320 Speaker 1: In the meantime, this is Laura. Thanks for listening, and 56 00:04:30,440 --> 00:04:40,200 Speaker 1: here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, 57 00:04:40,360 --> 00:04:42,479 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 58 00:04:42,520 --> 00:04:46,159 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with 59 00:04:46,200 --> 00:04:50,600 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod. 60 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:56,560 Speaker 1: That's b E. The number four then Breakfast pod. You 61 00:04:56,560 --> 00:04:59,919 Speaker 1: can also shoot me an email at before Breakfast podcast 62 00:05:00,120 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 1: at iHeartMedia dot com that Before Breakfast is spilled out 63 00:05:03,480 --> 00:05:05,960 Speaker 1: with all the letters, thanks so much. Should I look 64 00:05:05,960 --> 00:05:14,279 Speaker 1: forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production 65 00:05:14,360 --> 00:05:19,719 Speaker 1: of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, 66 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:28,679 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.