Author: Julie Murphy

the best beautiful comfort baking or procrastibaking cookbooks

Get Comfort Baking with One of These Beautiful Cookbooks

Published by Julie Murphy

Procrastibaking, comfort baking, distractibaking, even rage baking – sometimes the best way to deal with strong emotion is to get into the kitchen and reach for the mixing bowl and the cookbooks. With anxieties at an all-time high thanks to COVID-19, enforced coronavirus captivity is the perfect moment to get comfort baking with a beautiful cookbook. Our correspondent Julie Chang Murphy has 12 of the very best baking cookbooks for stress relief. Grab your whisk and let’s go!

a calming music playlist for peace of mind

A Calming Playlist of Music to Boost Your Peace of Mind

Published by Julie Murphy

“Music hath charms to soothe a savage breast, to soften rocks, or bend a knotted oak.” So wrote the British poet William Congreve. What do you listen to in times of stress to relax? As we all learn to cope with the uncertainty of living in the time of COVID-19, our correspondent Julie Chang Murphy has developed a calming playlist of music to boost your peace of mind in stressful moments. Dim the lights, settle in, and press play here.

the best relaxation tech tools to reduce anxiety and stress

What are the Best Relaxation Tech Tools Right Now?

Published by Julie Murphy

Feeling a bit stressed at the moment? Yep, us too. Which is why we dispatched our correspondent Julie Chang Murphy to round up the best “relaxation tech” – the technology tools and gadgets engineered to reduce our anxiety levels and foster serenity during even the most challenging times (like right now). Here’s the best stress-relieving tech gear (including the best weighted blanket) to use at home or on the go to alleviate the cares of everyday life.

The best online academic programs and educational websites for at-home and distance learning for kids

The Best Online Academic Programs for At-Home Learning

Published by Julie Murphy

One of the many worries in these frenzied times, along with elbow-shakes and stocking up on junk food and paper products is this one: how can you be sure that your kids stay on track academically when schools are closed? Is there help for parents whose kids are suddenly doing distance learning? Our correspondent (and mother of three) Julie Chang Murphy has answers. Here are some of the best online academic programs and educational websites for at-home learning right now.

The best lounge wear and books to cozy up with right now

The Best Lounge Wear and Books Right Now to Cozy Up With

Published by Julie Murphy

With air waves and elbow bumps the new normal in our work and social interactions, our collective anxiety level is understandably rising rapidly. To help us all take a deep breath and regain our purpose and focus, we went in search of ways to effectively nest and cocoon during these difficult times. Our ace correspondent (and working mother of three) Julie Chang Murphy has curated a list of the best luxury lounge wear and books to cozy up with right now.