In this exciting episode of The Future is How, I am joined by Dr. Els van der Helm, a leading sleep neuroscientist and adjunct professor at IE Business School. Dr. Els is a trusted advisor to CEOs and organizations worldwide, helping them unlock better performance through improved sleep and well-being. In our conversation today, we do a deep dive into the science of sleep and its transformative effects on your life and work and discuss the following topics: 

• Why skipping sleep won’t boost productivity

• Quality vs. quantity: What matters most

• How aging impacts your sleep 

• Two strategies to break the sleep deprivation-stress cycle

• How to use gratitude to fall asleep faster

• Why your late-night brain might mislead you

• Morning routines that set the stage for a good night’s sleep

• Evening wind-down tips 

• And much more!

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Where to find  Dr. Els van der Helm:

• X: https://x.com/elsonsleep

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elsvanderhelm/

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/drelsvanderhelm/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elsvanderhelmconsulting/

• Website: https://www.elsvanderhelm.com/

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Where to find Frederik Pferdt 

• LinkedIn: ⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/fgpferdt/⁠

• YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/c/frederikgpferdt⁠

• Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/frederikgpferdt/⁠

• Website: ⁠https://www.frederikgpferdt.com/⁠

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In this episode, we cover:

(00:00) Intro

(03:40) Els’s next five years

(05:10) Why we aren’t sleeping enough and the importance of quality work over quantity 

(10:30) The value of power naps and which areas suffer from inadequate sleep and rest

(15:00) The myth of too much sleep and an explanation of sleep debt

(17:50) How aging impacts sleep and what to do about it

(23:21) How sleep helps us process emotions, and tips for managing stress

(28:04) Why your brain is prone to catastrophizing late at night

(30:15) The power of novelty and how sleep helps you process a problem 

(36:37) Practices for beginning and ending the workday 

(38:15) Els’s bedtime rituals 

(40:38) Tips for starting your day and get the most from your early waking time

(45:04) Adding a social element to waking and sleeping rituals

(47:00) A quick gratitude practice 

(51:38) How prioritizing sleep and gratitude helped Els get through a stressful time

(55:27) Conclusion

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Music: Andreas Horchler

Art Design: Stefan Schuster, Dino Hohos, Flo Dietrich

Production: Jordan & Adam Bornstein

How do you envision the future—yours, ours, and the planet’s? Join me, Frederik Pferdt, in the first episode of The Future Is How, as I sit down with Tim Leberecht, the founder of the House of Beautiful Business, to explore how beauty can inspire connection, reimagine the future, and help us live more meaningful lives. Together, we discuss why it’s time to value all life—including AI—and how moving beyond human-centeredness can address some of our biggest challenges.

In our conversation today, we explore the following topics: 

• Why you shouldn’t limit yourself to one vision of the future

• Exercises in cultivating intimacy inspired by the artist Marina Abramovic

• Attributes of beauty and how to find it

• Practices for strengthening your imagination muscles 

• Why Tim is optimistic about AI’s role in our future 

• The cost of human-centeredness and the case for valuing all life

• And so much more!

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Where to find Tim Leberecht:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/timleberecht/

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tleberecht/

• Business website: https://houseofbeautifulbusiness.com/

• Website: http://timleberecht.com/

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Where to find Frederik Pferdt 

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/fgpferdt/

• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/frederikgpferdt

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/frederikgpferdt/

• Website: https://www.frederikgpferdt.com/

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In this episode, we cover:

(0:00) Intro

(02:57) Welcome Tim Leberecht

(03:40) A sneak preview of the future Tim (first version)

(06:24) A sneak preview of the future Tim (second version) 

(09:06) Lessons from Marina Abramovic’s art 

(14:37) Tim’s practice of “silent dinners” 

(20:41) The transcendent power of moments of beauty and awe

(23:15) Attributes of beauty—and why intimacy and attention are key components 

(26:25) An exercise in attention and fostering intensity 

(27:22) A moment to pause and reconnect 

(31:50) Applying the lens of beauty to the future by imagining lives we haven’t lived

(37:15) Getting started with practices to create the future you want 

(47:28) How AI might be used for beauty and connection  

(48:10) What shifted Tim's perspective on AI, making him more optimistic

(50:22) Human-centeredness vs. life-centeredness

(57:20) A case for beauty as a source of connection and peace 

(59:20) How Tim wants to be in the future

(1:03:15) Frederik’s final thoughts 

Music: Andreas Horchler

Art Design: Stefan Schuster, Dino Hohos, Flo Dietrich

Production: Jordan & Adam Bornstein