Balance February 18 - 11

N AV I G AT I O N S L U G

t he manual

16 HOW ADDICTED ARE YOU
TO YOUR SMARTPHONE?
20 VALENTINE'S DAY? PAH!

12 SWING INTO ACTION;
LIFE COACH CORNER
15 HOW TO BE A PODCASTER

The
user guide

rebalance
SIX STEPS TO EMBRACING THE SINGLE LIFE

We gotta get out
while we're young,
`cause shoes like us
- baby, we were
born to run

JUST COOK OFF
LONDON COOKERY
SCHOOL

SNOOP DOG
PAWBO+

COMPILED BY: JAMES GILL, ILLUSTRATION: RAMI NIEMI

If you've ever left your dog
at home alone, you'll know
the guilt can be unbearable.
Well, not any more. This
interactive camera allows
you to keep your dog happy
even when you're working
away. You can chat, play a
light-pointer game and
even dispense treats.
£149; pawbo.com/uk

We decided to try
sushi-making in a class at
Veku. Classes are fun,
informative and extremely
hands-on. Even if cooking
isn't for you, learning a new
skill like this is the perfect
way to spend an evening.
londoncookeryschool.co.uk

Be Kind

AND LOVE
A NEW HIGH
ASICS ROADHAWK FF
One way to get some proper
alone time is to pound the
pavement (and no, that's not
slang for becoming a
prostitute). We recommend
the Aspics Roadhawk FF.
These have been specially
made with road running
in mind (cushioning and
comfort are both striking.)
What a stylish way to add
stress-busting peace and
quiet to your day.
£100; asics.com

GOOD TO TALK
AMAZON FIRE HD 10

SCREEN TEST
CINEMA PASS

As you probably know by
now, Alexa is Amazon's
digital assistant. And, on
the oddly cheap Fire HD 10,
you can chat hands-free.
It's perfect for games (vs
Alexa), watching (and
pausing) films, playing songs
and more. Feels like a step
forward for the marriage of
tablet, user and AI.
£149.99; amazon.co.uk

Once you've been to the
cinema solo, you'll wonder
why you ever went with
anyone else. It's a dark room
where no one's allowed to
talk. What's more, there's
loads to enjoy with a
Cineworld Unlimited pass in
February, including Phantom
Thread (Daniel Day Lewis,
below) and The Shape Of
Water. cineworld.co.uk

OPEN YOUR MIND
RE:MIND STUDIO
The ultimate in alone time,
meditation's benefits include
less stress and anxiety.
Re-Mind is a new studio
dedicated to meditation,
with four experiences on
offer: Re:Store (relaxing),
Re:Spire (energising), Re:Aim
(intentions), Re:Tune
(mindfulness).
Opens 19 February
remindstudio.com

February 2018 BA LA N CE

by BERNADETTE RUSSELL

F

ebruary's key word must
surely be love. Not only does
it contain Valentine's Day on
Wednesday but also Random Acts
of Kindness Week (February 11-17).
The Ancient Greeks had different
words for the love of humanity,
family, friends and self as well as for
romantic, enduring and playful love.
First there's philautia (loving
yourself). It's all about self-respect
and care. So I wrote a list of the top
10 things I like doing (making sure
some were cheap or even free) and
promised myself I'd do them all this
month as my kindness to myself.

LOVE EVERYONE
Next up, it's agape (love of
humanity) - join me by trying
a different act of kindness for
strangers every day throughout
Random Acts of Kindness Week.
Lastly, philia (love of friends).
Why not send a letter, postcard
or a homemade card to everyone
you love - friends, family, work
colleagues, partner? Create your
own 21st century version of
Valentine's Day.
The Little Book of Kindness by
Bernadette Russell (£7.99, Orion
Spring) is out now

11
http://londoncookeryschool.co.uk http://www.pawbo.com/uk http://www.asics.com http://amazon.co.uk http://cineworld.co.uk http://www.remindstudio.com
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Balance February 18
