News Flash: Dishwashing is good for your brain! Yes, simply doing the dishes, something you and I do ALL. THE. TIME. has benefits beyond clean coffee cups in the morning. But don’t try watching TV or having an in-depth conversation with your spouse while stacking plates, focusing on the actual task needs to be your only focus.

@mindbodygreen shares their conversation with neurologist Dr. Dean Sherzai of @sherzaimd –

“We say there’s no such thing as multitasking; it’s doing multiple things badly,” says Dean. Your attention becomes compromised as you multitask…keeping your attention sharp is key for optimizing brain function as you age.”

Don’t care for doing the dishes? You can try this focus technique with lots of daily chores or hobbies, just make sure you’re not distracted, your mind should only be set on the task at hand

Candles can set the mood, smell great and release toxic soot into the air…wait, what? Toxic air? Yep, according to @greenamerica_ if you’re burning the wrong kind of candle you can be doing damage to your health and home. To help take the mystery out of what to look for when buying a non-toxic candle, @mindbodygreen has some tips:
1. Wick size matters, buy medium size wicks. Too large can cause soot and residue. Too small won’t produce scent.
2. Know your wax – 100% soy or beeswax, not a mix because it may contain paraffin.
3. Watch out for “Fragrance”- term used on candles by FDA to protect “trade secrets”. These are linked to allergens and may contain toxic ingredients. Look for candles that further explain the “fragrance” or use 100% naturally derived essential oils.

Here are a few of the non-toxic candles I use, starting around 18 bucks:
@follainbeauty
@Umaoils
@bigdipperwaxworks
@pureplanthome