There is a lot about modern life that makes stress feel inescapable – work responsibilities, constant to-do lists and long overdue catch-ups that seem to take up every possible minute of the day. Sure, we’d probably feel better if we prioritised that lunchtime yoga class or fit in a morning meditation, but who has the time?
Luckily, Eli Susman, psychologist and author of the upcoming book , has a solution to managing stress that doesn’t require hours. As his book title suggests, he is a proponent of “micropractices”: simple, 30-second activities that can improve our mood, wellbeing and energy levels – without even leaving your desk. A 30-second exercise that makes a big impact seems too good to be true, but Susman explains that research repeatedly backs up this claim.
“Study after study shows it’s not about how much time you spend on an activity,” he says, “but how consistent you are that actually predicts the best outcomes.” He gives the example of a study where they track how long and how often 21,000 people practised meditation through the app Headspace. “They found that consistent practice was associated with reduced stress, but longer sessions didn’t add any extra benefit.”
UK POLITICS
Tories pledge ‘Britannia Shield’ – how would it work?
The Conservatives have pledged to invest £10bn in a British missile defence system which has drawn comparisons to Israel’s elaborate “Iron Dome”.
Here’s how it could work, and how much the experts think it might really cost.
What is the ‘Britannia Shield’?
Air defence system
The Tories have promised to build a new UK air defence system if voted into power.
How will it work?
The “Britannia Shield” would provide systems to detect and stop incoming threats using interceptor missiles.
British ‘Iron Dome’?
But Kemi Badenoch has pushed back on comparisons to Israel’s Iron Dome system.
We are not building the Iron Dome. We are doing what other European countries are doing: Greece, Benelux countries, Belgium, and the Netherlands, and Germany. We are designing something specific for the kind of threat that we face here.
conservative party leader kemi badenoch
How much will it cost?
The Conservatives have estimated the system will cost £10bn to set up, but previous estimates place the cost at £80bn.
The programme, the Tories say, would be funded through the party’s plans to increase defence spending to three per cent of GDP by 2030 by slashing Britain’s welfare bill.
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Current levels of protection
- The UK has some existing protection in the form of RAF Typhoons which could shoot down hostile drones, but the jets cannot track or intercept ballistic missiles.
- The Royal Navy’s Type 45 Destroyers, equipped with Sea Viper air-defence systems, can intercept missiles, but must be in UK waters to be fully effective.
- Britain could rely on its Nato allies, to some extent, in the event of a strike by Russia, but military experts have long warned the country needs a full Iron Dome-style missile-defence shield.
Expert opinion
This is a well over-due commitment to fill the void in defending Britain as global security deteriorates.
Former Tory defence minister Tobias Ellwood said: “It’s only a matter of time before a military base or a corner of our critical national infrastructure is targeted and currently, we have no air defence.
Who was ex-MP and ‘master storyteller’ Jeffrey Archer?
The bestselling author and former politician has died at the age of 86.
But who was Jeffrey Archer?
Archer passes away ‘suddenly’
Jeffrey Archer, renowned novelist and former Conservative politician, died “suddenly and peacefully at home between writing sessions” on Monday, his publisher HarperCollins said in a statement.
Alongside his political career, Archer was a wildly successful novelist, during his five-decade career and being made a in 1992.
Early life
Archer was born an only child in Weston-super-mare on 15 April 1940. After completing his education at Wellington School in Somerset, Archer attended Oxford in October 1963.
He went for a one-year course, the Diploma in Education, but ended up staying for three years, just as though he were a typical undergraduate.
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Political career
- Archer was first elected MP for the Lincolnshire constituency of Louth in 1969.
- In 1985, Margarat Thacher appointed him deputy chairman of the Conservative Party.
- The same year, Archer also set up his own PR firm, Archer Enterprises, and in 1992 was created a life peer.
- At the turn of the century, he was the Tory candidate to be Mayor of London; then scandal struck.
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Time in jail
- Archer’s political career was paused in 2001 when he was jailed for four years for perjury and perverting the course of justice.
- A jury found he lied in libel action he had brought against newspaper, in which he was awarded £500,000 in damages.
- Archer was released early in 2003 and returned to the House of Lords until he retired in 2024.
Archer the novelist
- Archer wrote his first novel, Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less, in 1974, after almost going bankrupt.
- An instant best seller, it sparked a prolific career as an author which ultimately made him a millionaire.
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It has been one of the great privileges of my publishing life to have been Jeffrey Archer’s editor. He was the master storyteller and an editor’s dream – phenomenally hard-working, utterly committed to completing draft after draft to get every word as perfect as possible, and a true champion of the ‘team’ nature of great publishing.
kate elton, harpercollins uk chief executive
Final act
Everybody would like to run their last 100m at the Olympics and win the gold medal, but there’s always a time. I think the clever thing in life is when to get out.
Archer declared in an interview just last week that he “shall not be retiring”. His final novel, a Second World War-era historical fiction was published Tuesday, hours after his death was announced.
Badenoch pays tribute
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said she was “incredibly saddened” to hear of Archer’s passing. “He had sent me a lovely message just this morning and was always a great source of encouragement to me personally,” she added.
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Brits pick greatest ‘driving anthems’ of all time
British motorists have voted to decide on the best driving anthem of all time.
Here are the results…
New research
Drivers vote
A new poll of 2,000 UK drivers, commissioned by Isuzu UK, has unveiled British motorists’ favourite driving anthem.
The tunes
Bruce Springsteen, Miley Cyrus and Bon Jovi were among the artists attributed with providing the best highway tracks. But did they come out on top?
Top five driving anthems
- 1Hotel California – The Eagles. The 70s hit saw 27 per cent of those surveyed name the 1977 classic rock song as the ultimate driving anthem.
- 2Born in the USA – Bruce Springsteen. The 1984 hit just missed top spot, with 24 per cent.
- 3. The 2023 hit from the American pop star came in third with 22 per cent.
- 4Boys of Summer – Don Henley. Another from 1984, the song placed fourth with 21 per cent.
- 5Livin’ on a Prayer – Bon Jovi. The 1986 power ballad took 18 per cent of the votes.
What else are drivers saying?
Meanwhile, 40 per cent of drivers polled admitted to singing along to tunes in the car around seven times a week, despite a third (33 per cent) admitting they have startled passengers with their “enthusiastic” vocals.
Three in 10 (31 per cent) agreed that certain songs bring back fond childhood memories of family holidays and day trips.
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How to be more grateful for daily life in five easy steps
The world feels like a difficult place at the moment, and it can feel very hard sometimes to find things to be thankful for; when we are overwhelmed, we have less capacity to notice and reflect on the good things. Yet, ironically, proactively cultivating gratitude is one of the things that can actually help us feel less stressed.
NHS GP dR RADHA
The science
Research has shown that feeling or expressing thanks can actually alter our brain.
- The balance of neurotransmitters change; more serotonin and dopamine (feel good chemicals) are produced.
- This can be long lasting if we make gratitude a regular habit.
- We also get a decrease in our cortisol (stress hormone) levels which helps lower anxiety.
- Being grateful can strengthen the nerve pathways which triggers positive emotion.
How can we build gratitude?
Change your words
Instead of seeing something as a problem, try to see the opportunities within it.
Our brains are very receptive and what we read or write can alter our emotional system.
Express it
This will not only make you feel good, but you will also get a positive response from others.
How can we build gratitude?
Notice more
Throughout your day, try to notice all the things that are going well; has someone opened a door for you, or smiled?
The basics
By being thankful for the small things every day, we are far more likely to be and stay healthy so that we can enjoy them.
What to do
Gratitude can lead to feelings of optimism, lower our blood pressure, and improve sleep quality.
- Write down what potential good aspects there are to the things you don’t feel like doing, or even what could be worse about it.
- Spend a few minutes writing down three things that you are looking forward to that day, or the good things that have happened to you that day.
- Say thank you to yourself for the things you have achieved, or managed to get through and changed that day.
Sales of battery
electric vehicles hit a record high last year.
Starts at £22,995 for the smaller battery
Available with either a 40kWh battery or a larger 52kWh pack, that offers almost 255 miles, the latest, retro-inspired Renault 5 is both a joy to behold and a hoot to drive.
The interior has been lavished with a level of detail that’s typically reserved for more expensive cars.
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A champion of EV efficiency
It offers a remarkable 491 mile range on a single charge from the 85kWh battery.
It is a technological masterclass inside with the ability to option screens that span the entire width of the dashboard, including an optional display for the front passenger.
Priced from £37,400
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It’s a lot of money to part with, but this is arguably all the car you will ever need.
The £89,000 Macan is a premium SUV that somehow manages to blend Porsche’s reputation for dynamics and sporty driving with everyday practicality.
The 95kWh batteries can go from 10 to 80 per cent in as little as 21 minutes from the fastest public charging outlets.
With the business class-style six seat configuration costing a staggering £76,995, it is by far the most expensive Kia ever made, but it backs up its financial demands with a suite of genuinely useful and impressive onboard technology.
It’s fast, goes a long way between stops and charges relatively quickly but the interior is bland, the onboard technology is infuriating and the experience is devoid of emotion.
All of its gadgetry can’t disguise the fact that performance is weak, even for a typically zippy EV, the ride is fussy at slower speeds and it’s not in the least bit enjoyable to drive on a country road.
- While good value (prices start at £17,935) for the 200-mile max range, there are more interesting options from Hyundai, Citroen and Renault for similar money.
- It attempts to wow with tech, much of which hinders, rather than helps.
- There’s no tangible benefit over mounting your phone to the dash.
- Simply an average driving experience, adequate range and slow charging speeds.
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The kitchen gadgets under £25
Victorinox paring knife
It’s comfortable to hold, with a point sharp enough for scoring pastry.
ProCook cast iron pan
For unbeatable searing and heat-retention, cast iron is the top choice.
Tesco chopping board
Priced at just £22, I’ve yet to find another board that matches it for sheer value and quality.
The kitchen gadgets under £25
Pyrex jug
It is the perfect vessel for blending smooth sauces, melting butter, or warming stock. It won’t stain like plastic and the red measurements never fade.
Salter scales
“I’ve had my slim little set of Salter Disc Scales for over a decade, and I’m delighted to see they are still made to exactly the same reliable design today.”
Microplane grater
It uses photo-etched stainless steel teeth that stay razor-sharp for a decade, something the lookalike copycats simply can’t match.
Braun hand-held blender
It’s an essential for everything from making velvety soup to getting the lumps out of white sauce.
Bodum cafetiere
As well as delivering great results, cafetieres are easy to clean and there’s no ongoing filter paper costs or pod recycling to deal with.
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The kitchen gadgets under £25
Oxo peeler
What truly sets it apart is the chunky, rubberised handle that absorbs pressure and stays completely non-slip, even if your hands are wet. It is inexpensive and incredibly durable.
Falcon pie dish
Made by fusing porcelain onto heavy-gauge steel for smooth durability, it is dishwasher, freezer, hob, air-fryer and oven-safe.
The golden rules for a happy, secure relationship
Psychiatrist and neuroscientist Dr Amir Levine, author of bestselling book , explains why we behave the way we do in love.
Golden rules for happy relationships
Start with your own behaviours
The foundation of a secure, connected life is being what I call CARRP: that means being consistent, available, responsive, reliable and predictable. All of these qualities can be enacted in small gestures every day.
Express your needs
People need consistency and connection to feel safe. This is not, ‘You hurt my feelings by never replying to me’, it’s more ‘this is the kind of contact that helps me feel secure’.
Golden rules for happy relationships
The appendix ‘inflammation’ rule
If a relationship repeatedly inflames your nervous system, you need to disengage and deprioritise it.
Lean on community
You don’t need hundreds of friends. You need people and places that regularly remind you that you belong.
Stop blaming childhood
Humans are much more complicated than: ‘this happened to you, therefore you are doomed to be anxious’.
Reach for a
secure script
When something unsettles you in a relationship, your first reaction is not always the most accurate one.
If you’re anxious, your brain may jump very quickly to: ‘this is the beginning of the end’. If you’re avoidant, your brain may say: ‘this person wants too much from me, I need to get away’. So one very practical thing you can always do is pause and ask: ‘What would a secure person do here?’
Loneliness elsewhere
When people talk about loneliness, they often assume it means you don’t have enough people in your life. But you can be surrounded by people and still feel lonely if those relationships leave you feeling excluded, ignored or disconnected.
What to do
- Build a community that works for your temperament and gives you regular, reliable moments of connection.
- You can still be kind to people while not treating them as someone who belongs in your inner circle.
- Explain what you need. Sometimes people simply don’t realise how you are experiencing them.
- Check in with people: does this person actually feel that I’m reliable? Do they experience me as predictable? That’s the only way that you can start to become more secure.
Do some foods leave
you feeling hungry rather than satiated? Experts say there are…
Foods that leave you hungrier
A bowl of cereal and glass of orange juice
More refined cereals are digested quickly, and fruit juice, whilst one of your five-a-day, contains less fibre than whole fruit. This might mean you find yourself hungry again within 1-2 hours of eating this breakfast.
Swap the orange juice for a whole orange, the cereal for oats and milk or serve it with Greek yoghurt or a boiled egg. This would increase the fibre and protein content; two nutrients strongly linked with fullness.
Foods that leave you hungrier
These pastries are made primarily from refined flour and butter, and are relatively low in protein and fibre.
Toast and jam
Shop-bought packs can contain a lot of white rice, which is digested quickly, and the protein content is often modest.
Foods that leave you hungrier
Vegetable soup
On its own, it is often very low in protein and calories, so hunger can return quickly.
Unless it’s loaded with veggies, it’s probably pretty low in fibre.
Liquids are generally less filling as they require little chewing which may not trigger satiety signals.
Foods that leave you hungrier
Snack bars
They are ideal for a quick pick-me-up, but if reducing hunger is what you’re after, it’d be better to swap it out.
Low-fat yoghurt
A full-fat plain Greek yoghurt with berries and seeds tends to be much more filling due to the protein, fat and fibre.
On an empty stomach, it can actually increase your appetite.
What to eat instead
Instead of thinking about avoiding foods, think about what you can add to them.
- Add beans, lentils or shredded chicken to your vegetable soup and pasta.
- Thicken your smoothies with Greek yoghurt, chia seeds and oats.
- Apple slices with peanut butter, yogurt with berries and hummus with oat biscuits are better snack options than a pre-made snack bar.
- Have alcohol alongside a balanced meal containing protein and fibre.
There are various theories as to why they work but a key one is that shorter practices simply reduce the barrier to entry. “Micropractice is how you can make this more accessible for people,” Eli explains. “The present moment isn’t tucked away in a monastery. It’s the breath you’re taking, the person you’re talking to, the dish in your hand: micropractice is about learning to come back to that. Not someday when life gets quiet but right here in the middle of everything else.”
He has categorised micropractices into four types: move, touch, breathe and flow. Ahead are explanations of each, why they work, and ways to sneak them into your day without even leaving your desk.
“Physical touch is one of our most underrated wellbeing interventions. Primal needs and a number of poor health outcomes are connected to a lack of touch. Touch has been found to calm our nervous system, slow our heartbeat and lower levels of cortisol, the stress hormone,” says Susman. “I think it’s one of the most underrated wellbeing interventions.
One of the reasons why using touch in micropractice is particularly impactful is because our nervous system gets used to what stays the same, which means that the things that help us feel calm, safe or connected might work best when we keep refreshing them.
Touch can look like compassionate touch with another (either a shoulder squeeze from someone or even cuddling with a pet) but it is maybe most accessible when you do it yourself.”
The micropractice: “Place your hands over your heart and your belly, whatever supports you in feeling kindness and warmth to yourself, and focus inward and speak to yourself in a kind inner voice. That can mean deliberately forgiving yourself for a mistake, acknowledging some discomfort or feeling gratitude. Do this whenever you feel that overwhelm is overtaking you or you need a quick breather between meetings.
“Our research has found that doing that for just 20 seconds a day can improve your self-compassion, stress levels and emotional wellbeing – and the effects were comparable with much more time-intensive interventions.”
“Moving our bodies, especially if you work a job that is particularly sedentary, can have huge positive impacts on our wellbeing, not just fitness. One study found that people who did five minutes of walking every hour for six hours had better outcomes than people who did 30 minutes of walking at once. The former group were less fatigued and had fewer food cravings.
There’s also research conducted by University College London that tracked 25,241 sedentary adults who were given a device to track their physical activity for a week. They tracked them for seven years and found that adults who had five to 10 second bouts of physical activity (hauling groceries up the stairs, jogging to the bus etc) were associated with up to 40 per cent reduction in premature death of any cause, as well as cancer, over the next seven years.
A study from the early 2000s found that when participants did a 15 to 30-second stretch break every 15 minutes, this resulted in a 15 per cent improvement in productivity over the course of a workday.
Movement could look like dancing or doing a power pose, but I particularly recommend combining a focus on the breath with stretching – aka micro-yoga.”
The micropractice: “Lots of these moves can be done within 30 seconds, but the fish pose is particularly good for folks stuck in the computer pose all day, or dealing with tech neck. You simply stand up (or stay sat in your seat), breathe in and interlace your fingers behind you. Then lengthen your arms back and up, tilting your chest upwards. Breathe in again, and then let your body expand as you exhale. Repeat a few more times.”
“Breathwork is not just mindfulness. With breathwork, you’re controlling the depth and rhythm of your breathing to affect your physiology. One of the reasons for that is because our vagus nerve, which is responsible for helping us relax, becomes more engaged when we exhale and therefore exerts more of an effect on the body. A very basic breathwork practice is when you lengthen the exhale relative to your inhale, e.g. inhaling for four seconds, exhaling for six seconds. That can slow your heart rate and create a sense of calm.
There are studies, such as this analysis from the Indian Institute of Technology and Harvard University, showing that doing slow, deep breathing for 30 seconds can boost alpha and theta waves in the brain. These are brain waves picked up through an EEG and are associated with calm, focus, emotional processing and so on.”
The micropractice: “Focus on your breath by counting in for four and out for six over 30 seconds. Variations can include alternating nostrils and humming on the exhale which is thought to further soothe the nervous system.”
“These are practices that don’t require any extra time because they are just changing the way that you are relating to what you’re already doing. That could be focusing on feeling the ground beneath your feet as you walk to work, or enjoying the warmth of your coffee mug or focusing on all the flavours and smells. You don’t even need to slow down for it necessarily – it’s really just paying attention, being aware of what’s happening while it’s happening. It’s another way of accessing mindfulness.”
The micropractice: “Much like meditation, there are lots of different ways to bring flow into the day to day. I particularly like sending kind wishes to the people that you encounter throughout your day, silently. Things like, ‘May you be happy, may you be healthy, may you live with ease’. It’s not like you’re sending cosmic telegrams to people; it’s really about cultivating that intention in your own heart. Various studies have shown that this kind of informal kindness is associated with better mood and better well-being, as well as more pro-social intentions.
More broadly, study after study shows that these kinds of informal mindfulness – the kind that you weave into your daily life – are more strongly and consistently associated with positive outcomes than formal practices like seated meditation. They lead to greater wellbeing, reduced stress, increased mindful awareness, more flexible thinking, reduced sleep problems, even less interference from chronic pain. And the reason for that is pretty intuitive. Life isn’t lived in 30-minute meditation sessions; it’s lived in the other 23 hours and 30 minutes of our day, and that’s where mindfulness practices really shine.”