Shelley and Rowena are excited to share with you this Bonus episode of Two Booked Up. They are technically taking a break between podcast seasons but couldn’t resist sharing an update about how they have been going with the 2023 Two Booked Up Reading Challenge! The 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge brings a bit more intentionality and diversity into their non-fiction reading lives — with a nice little bit of fun, too!  The Reading Challenge is a checklist of 23 different categories of books, and as you’ll hear in this episode, you can make the challenge your own, but the main aim is to inspire you to read more and more widely — try out a few authors or genres you wouldn’t normally have tried. It’s not too late to join the Challenge. And you’ll have plenty of inspiration and some book recommendations to get you started because, in this episode, Shelley and Rowena will share some of the non-fiction books that made it onto their lists for the Challenge. And they also share a couple of favourite fiction reads from the last few months.  You’ll be adding a few books to your TBR list after this episode!  Episode Links Mentioned Two Booked Up Episode 22: Reinvigorate your Reading with the 23 for 2023 Reading ChallengeTwo Booked Up Episode 28: The Reading Challenge is ON Non-Fiction Books Mentioned Rowena’s List Whole Notes by Ed AyresThe Female Eunuch by Germaine GreerThe Four Agreements by Don Miguel RuizThe Third Space by Adam FraserTalking to Strangers by Malcolm GladwellThe Power of Giving Away Power by Matthew BarzunFabulous But Broke by Melissa BrowneThe Life List; Master Every Moment to Live an Audacious Life by Kate ChristieDid I Ever Tell You This? By Sam NeillThe Instant by Amy Liptrot Shelley’s List

It’s been a year since the first Two Booked Up podcast episode aired, and in this episode, Rowena and Shelley are celebrating their one-year podcast anniversary! To mark this auspicious milestone, they are sharing some insights and reflections from their year of collaborative podcasting, including what they have loved and what they have learned. And they will answer some BIG questions. Some are listener questions, and others are ones they have used in their own behind-the-scenes process. Rowena and Shelley are pulling back the curtain on Two Booked Up in this episode. Additionally, they are taking a big-picture view of all the episodes that have aired and are sharing their favourite takeaways and the books or ideas they keep coming back to! And if this is your first Two Booked Up episode, welcome! This will also be a great episode to give you a taste of what the podcast is all about and give you some ideas on where to start diving into our back catalogue.  Join Rowena and Shelley as they celebrate the Two Booked Up anniversary. Episode Links Mentioned The Four TendenciesTwo Booked Up Episode 1 - The Four Tendencies by Gretchen RubinTwo Booked Up Episode 2 - Personal Life and The Four TendenciesTwo Booked Up Episode 3 - Running Your Own Business using The Four Tendencies Two Booked Up Episode 4 - Take Yourself on a Date The Lazy Genius WayTwo Booked Up Episode 6 - The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi - Overview and Top TakeawaysTwo Booked Up Episode 7 - How We Are “Lazy Geniusing” our Lives - and how you can tooTwo Booked Up Episode 8 - Our Best Tips to “Lazy Genius” Your Business (Inspired by The Lazy Genius Way by Kendra Adachi)Two

In this episode, Shelley and Rowena reflect on their words for the year. The bookworms are revisiting the idea they shared in their most popular episode, Episode 21: "February is the new January — our guiding words." With over half the year behind them, they're checking in on their progress. Shelley shares how her word "momentum" has supported her to make a particularly important decision in her business. And Rowena's phrase for the year, "curate and cultivate" has resulted in her writing a novel — much to her (happy) surprise! If you've ever wondered how a "word of the year" actually works — then there's plenty for you in this episode. Shelley and Rowena will share more on how their words/phrases have helped them with intention-setting and a light focus to the year. Links Mentioned Two Booked Up Episode 21 - February is the New January Procrastination Pro - Signup for the VIP waitlist and get the first lesson FREE! Podcast Jumpstart  - Get the 75-minute video workshop (plus bonus checklists and spreadsheets) about how to start a podcast. R197 / ±A$17 / ±US$11 Rowena’s Author Opt-In - Signup to hear more about her new novel, Avoiding The Friend Zone, coming soon! The Two Booked Up 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge Have you signed up for the Two Booked Up 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge? This is a playful way you can build a reading habit and bring some intention to your reading life. We’ll be talking about the books we’ve each been reading for the Challenge in our next episode. Sign up for your PDF Checklist for the Two Booked Up 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge here.  When you download the PDF, we’ll add you to our Two Booked Up Email list so that we can continue the fun together (but you can unsubscribe anytime). Connect with us: Find us online at twobookedup.com and keep in touch with Two Booked Up via email by signing up for the Two Booked Up Bookclub. Connect with Rowena @rowenamabbott on IG and at rowenamabbott.com. You can also get Rowena’s FREE e-book, The A - Z of Career and Life Confid

The Two Booked Up Podcast has come to the end of Season 2, and Shelley and Rowena are excited to share the highlights and stand-out moments of this Season.  In this episode, the bookworms share common themes from the books they featured, the most popular episode, the thing that’s been the most fun, their top highlights, and their lightbulb moments! It’s an episode of superlatives — all the things that stand out at this point of the journey. If you’ve been with Shelley and Rowena throughout Season 2, this will be a great episode to tie up some of the common themes and maybe direct you to a few episodes you want to revisit. And if this is your first Two Booked Up episode, welcome! This will also be a great episode to give you a taste of what the podcast is all about and give you some ideas on where to start diving into our back catalogue.  Come and join Shelley and Rowena in conversation as they revisit the highlights and standouts of Season 2 of Two Booked Up! Links Mentioned Atomic HabitsTwo Booked Up Episode 23 - What’s the Big Deal about Atomic Habits?Two Booked Up Episode 24 - Supportive Habits: Intention + Habits = Change that’s Worth it Four Thousand WeeksTwo Booked Up Episode 25 - Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals, OverviewTwo Booked Up Episode 26 - How to Become a Better Procrastinator, inspired by Four Thousand WeeksTwo Booked Up Episode 27 - How to Use Your Time with Intention, insights from Four Thousand Weeks WorkstyleTwo Booked Up Episode 29 — Workstyle OverviewTwo Booked Up Episode 30 — Shelley and Rowena share their own Workstyle Stories

Shelley and Rowena are delighted to be interviewing Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst, co-authors of the book featured and discussed over the last two episodes, the Sunday Times No 1 Bestseller, Workstyle: A Revolution for Wellbeing, Productivity and Society. Workstyle is all about deliberately choosing when, where, and how you work — and that’s completely aligned with intentional living, which is something both Shelley and Rowena are passionate about. Listen in to hear Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst share what inspired them to create Workstyle, and how you too can embrace your own individualised workstyles and play your part in the wider Workstyle Revolution. This episode is also available on YouTube in video format. Links mentioned: Learn more about the Workstyle RevolutionJoin the Workstyle Community on SlackLizzie Penny LizzieTheWorkstyler on Instagram and Lizzie Penny on LinkedInAlex Hirst — AlexTheWorkstyler on Instagram and Alex Hirst on LinkedInTwo Booked Up Episode 29 — Workstyle OverviewTwo Booked Up Episode 30 — Shelley and Rowena share their own Workstyle StoriesSouth African Listeners! Want a hardback version of Workstyle? Email shelley@shelleysmithcreative.com and let’s see if we can arrange a bulk order.Alternatively, Workstyle is available on Kindle and Audible on Amazon.com and

In this episode, Rowena and Shelley are continuing the conversation about the book Workstyle: A Revolution for Wellbeing, Productivity, and Society, by Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst.  They are going to be bringing the concept a little closer to home and sharing more about their own Workstyle Stories.  Specifically, they will explore one of the important tenets of the book, that you need to SET, PROJECT, and RESPECT the Workstyle.  That means you need to think about what your workstyle actually looks like, then tell the people you work with about your workstyle, and you need to respect other people’s workstyles — and if this revolution gains the traction it needs — other people will respect your workstyle too. So, with that in mind, they are going to be PROJECTING their workstyle in this episode and hope it will give you some inspiration to SET your own workstyle. Which will lay the foundations for us all to RESPECT each other’s workstyles. Links Mentioned The Playful Mompreneur Episode 4, interview with Rowena Check out the Workstyle Revolution website for tools and resources to help you set, project, and respect your workstyle Need a better chair for your home office? My client and friend Phumla Motsa can help! She's an occupational therapist specialising in ergonomics and she's also The Chair Matchmaker. Get her Top 5 Ergonomic Chair Recommendations at: https://matchmaker.remoteergonomics.co.za/. And she's also got an excellent free email course called the Home Office Makeover if you'd like to make your home office a little more comfy, without having to spend a fortune. (Those are not affiliate links, but Shelley did have a hand in Phumla's copywriting ;) Become a better procrastinator A message from Shelley: In Episode 26, I explained my 7Rs process for procrastinating better. I also wrote a blog post outlining the 7Rs process. And now, I’m taking it a step further with an audio course on Becoming a Better Procrastinator. My aim is to free up hours of time for you each week. So you can get the important stuff done and complete the projects that matter. And because it’s an audio course, you can do it while you’re cooking dinner, shuttling the kids around in the car, or — even better, treating yourself to a solo retreat. The course will be seven teaching sessions, each followed by a journaling session. So you could do it over seven days (teaching + journaling), 14 days (teaching one day, journaling the next — repeated for 7 days), or that solo retreat option, where you binge the whole lot on one day and then wake up the next day a better procrastinator! Sign up for the VIP waitlist at

It’s time for a revolution! Our new featured book is by business partners, Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst and it’s entitled Workstyle: A Revolution for Wellbeing, Productivity, and Society. Workstyle is a Sunday Times Number 1 Bestseller and when Lizzie and Alex talk about a revolution, they mean it. If you're looking to work in your own way — throw out the 9-5, rethink hourly-based work, and even rethink flexible work, this is your book. Lizzie and Alex have given expression to the ideas of individualised work, autonomy at work, and the freedom to choose when and where you work. They make the case that by embracing Workstyle, you’ll get three major benefits: you’ll improve your well-being in a holistic way;you’ll become more productive; and you’ll play your part in building a more inclusive society, where everyone will be free to work in their own Workstyle. If you're sceptical about whether you can ever work in a workstyle way, then tune in — embracing your own ideal Workstyle might be more possible than you think. Links mentioned: TBU Ep 28 - The Reading Challenge is ON (need recommendations… we’ve got 'em)Learn more about the Workstyle Revolution Become a better procrastinator A message from Shelley: In Episode 26, I explained my 7Rs process for procrastinating better. I also wrote a blog post outlining the 7Rs process. And now, I’m taking it a step further with an audio course on Becoming a Better Procrastinator. My aim is to free up hours of time for you each week. So you can get the important stuff done and complete the projects that matter. And because it’s an audio course, you can do it while you’re cooking dinner, shuttling the kids around in the car, or — even better, treating yourself to a solo retreat. The course will be seven teaching sessions, each followed by a journaling session. So you could do it over seven days (teaching + journaling), 14 days (teaching one day, journaling the next — repeated for 7 days), or that solo retreat option, where you binge the whole lot on one day and then wake up the next day a better procrastinator! Sign up for the VIP waitlist at procrastination.shelleytonkinsmith.com. The Two Booked Up 23 for 2023 Rea

A few months ago Shelley and Rowena shared the 23 for 2023 Non-Fiction Reading Challenge. This challenge is a way to read with intention, but also keep reading fun and playful. In this episode, they’re sharing their progress with the challenge and how it’s helped them to read more widely. They’ll also share some book recommendations and tips for making the challenge your own. Oh, and they can’t resist throwing in a couple of fiction recommendations too. So tune in and join the challenge if you haven’t already! And even if you don’t join the challenge, you’ll walk away from this episode in the know about a whole lot of fabulous books.   Related Episodes of Two Booked Up TBU Ep 13 - Play your own game! TBU Ep 10 - How to find time to readTBU Ep 18 - In praise of fictionTBU Ep 22 - Reinvigorate your reading (23 for 2023 Reading Challenge)   Books mentioned in this episode  Rowena’s Books Non-Fiction Sheilas; Badass Women of Australian History by Eliza Reilly  The Light We Carry by Michelle Obama  Two Lipsticks and a Lover by Helen Frith Powell The Gift of Asking by Kemi Nekvapil 30 Days 30 Ways to overcome anxiety by Bev Aisbett

“What would it mean to spend the only time you ever get in a way that truly feels as though you are making it count?” That’s the question Oliver Burkeman poses at the end of Four Thousand Weeks, saying that it’s the most fundamental question of time management. To answer that question, he poses five more specific questions, which Rowena and Shelley are diving into in this episode of Two Booked Up. The questions are: Where in your life or your work are you currently pursuing comfort, when what’s called for is a little discomfort?Are you holding yourself to, and judging yourself by, standards of productivity or performance that are impossible to meet?In what ways have you yet to accept the fact that you are who you are, not the person you think you ought to be?In which areas of life are you still holding back until you feel like you know what you’re doing?How would you spend your days differently if you didn’t care so much about seeing your actions reach fruition? Rowena shares lots of ideas and examples of how we can use these questions to help guide our decision-making and our use of time in a more intentional way. Learn more about becoming a better procrastinator Part of feeling like you’re making your time count means procrastinating better. Shelley and Rowena discussed this in the last episode of Two Booked Up, Becoming a better procrastinator.  Shelley was so taken with the idea that she’s put together a blog post on how to procrastinate better. You’ll learn her 7-step process for better procrastination and ultimately get the important stuff done. There’s a nice downloadable printable for you there too. Check out the post here. Related Episodes of Two Booked Up TBU Ep 13 - Play your own game! TBU - The Lazy Genius Way  Overview (Ep 6)Lazy Genius your Life (Ep 7)

Shelley and Rowena are continuing the conversation about Four Thousand Weeks by Oliver Burkeman. In his book, Oliver drops the truth bomb that we ALL procrastinate — even the most organised among us! — and that the trick to managing our 4000 weeks is not to fight against procrastination… but to procrastinate BETTER. Using this idea and running with it… Shelley will take a deep dive into exploring how we can become better procrastinators. She shares 7 steps to support you procrastinate with intention. So, if you want to know how to become a better procrastinator make sure you tune in. And if you'd like a printable of the 7Rs that'll help you become a better procrastinator, together with a blog post of much of what we've discussed in this episode, head on over to https://www.shelleytonkinsmith.com/procrastination/.   Links mentioned in the Show Ness Labs article; Understanding the Emotions Behind ProcrastinationAmy Hoy’s Launch For The Win   The Two Booked Up 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge Have you signed up for the Two Booked Up 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge? This is a playful way you can build a reading habit and bring some intention to your reading life — without any need for rewards and/or punishment ;) Sign up for your PDF Checklist for the Two Booked Up 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge here.  When you download the PDF, we’ll also add you to our Two Booked Up Bookclub Email list, so we can continue the fun together (but you can unsubscribe at any time). Connect with us: Find us online at twobookedup.com and keep in touch with Two Booked Up via email by signing up for the Two Booked Up Bookclub. Connect with Rowena @rowenamabbott on IG and at rowenamabbott.com. You can also get Rowena’s FREE new e-book, The A - Z of Career and Life Confidence here. Connect with Shelley @shelleysmithcreative on IG and @ShelleyTSmith

It’s time to dive into a new book here on Two Booked Up and we’ve got a cracker for you! Four Thousand Weeks: Time Management for Mortals by Oliver Burkeman. If you’re a mortal, you should definitely tune in!  But seriously, if you’ve struggled with time management and feel frustrated that the latest productivity technique has failed you — then this book is for you. It turns the idea of time management on its head and offers a very different take on productivity from what you might have come across in the “get lots of stuff done” category.  Come and join Shelley and Rowena’s conversation as they give an overview of the book and share their top takeaways. The Two Booked Up 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge Have you signed up for the Two Booked Up 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge? This is a playful way you can build a reading habit and bring some intention to your reading life — without any need for rewards and/or punishment ;) Sign up for your PDF Checklist for the Two Booked Up 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge here.  When you download the PDF, we’ll also add you to our Two Booked Up Bookclub Email list, so we can continue the fun together (but you can unsubscribe at any time). Connect with us: Find us online at twobookedup.com and keep in touch with Two Booked Up via email by signing up for the Two Booked Up Bookclub. Connect with Rowena @rowenamabbott on IG and at rowenamabbott.com. You can also get Rowena’s FREE new e-book, The A - Z of Career and Life Confidence here. Connect with Shelley @shelleysmithcreative on IG and @ShelleyTSmith on Twitter. Her copywriting business is at shelleysmithcreative.com and her writing and other musings are at shelleytonkinsmith.com.

When you hear the word “habits,” how do you feel? A sense of heaviness or obligation… feeling guilty about your “bad” habits… or even feeling ashamed that you haven’t been able to stick to your habits? If that’s how you feel about habits, you’re not alone. But it doesn’t have to be that way! After Shelley’s takedown of Atomic Habits in the last episode, we thought we’d consider habits through a bit of a softer, more intentional lens in this episode. So today on Two Booked Up, Rowena is encouraging you to bring some intention to your habits — so that they can be truly supportive of a bigger vision, rather than a whole list of “shoulds.” She goes through seven core habit areas and encourages you to commit to just one habit that means something to you and aligns with the person you’re becoming. This is not the first time Rowena has talked about habits, so she’s got plenty of extra resources for you too… Rowena’s Blog Posts on Habits and Related Topics Book mentioned:  Viktor Frankl, in Man’s Search for Meaning Simplify your Life for Clarity and Confidence; My Top 7 Hacks Self-care hacks for busy people Daily journal prompts Developing a morning or evening routine It’s easier to keep up than catch up For busy grown-ups who think play is just for kids Inspiration can be found anywhere and everywhere Create space for creativity The Two Booked Up 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge Have you signed up for the Two Booked Up 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge? This is a playful way you can build a reading habit and bring some intention to your reading life — without any need for rewards and/or punishment ;) Sign up for your PDF Checklist for the Two Booked Up 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge here.  When you download the PDF, we’ll also add you to our Two Booked Up Bookclub Email list, so we can continue the fun together (but you can unsubscribe at any time). Connect with us: Find us online at

Shelley’s got a bee in her bonnet in this episode! The reason? Atomic Habits by James Clear. Since it was published in October 2018, it has appeared in the best-seller list multiple times and gets recommendations from far and wide — especially around the start of a new year. Yet Shelley is not a fan and doesn’t believe this book deserves to be the definitive book on habits (gasp!). In this episode, she goes through her reasons why — and yes, spills some tea in the process! Shelley argues that James Clear goes out of order, putting habit formation before much consideration of WHY you’d want to form those habits in the first place (leaving you with a list of “shoulds”). She also found his definition of the term “habits” to be too vague — so much so that he was giving credit to habits when the credit was due to something else entirely. And then there’s the very behviourist (carrot-and-stick), hardcore, pushy way that James Clear approaches habits. And ooooh, does she take exception to that! Listen in and let us know if you think Shelley has been too harsh on James Clear. Or, did she express some of the reservations you’ve had about the book? Find Shelley @ShelleyTSmith on Twitter and Rowena @rowenamabbott on Instagram. The Two Booked Up 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge Have you signed up for the Two Booked Up 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge? This is a playful way you can build a reading habit and bring some intention to your reading life — without any need for rewards and/or punishment ;) Sign up for your PDF Checklist for the Two Booked Up 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge here.  When you download the PDF, we’ll also add you to our Two Booked Up Bookclub Email list, so we can continue the fun together (but you can unsubscribe at any time). Connect with us: Find us online at twobookedup.com and keep in touch with Two Booked Up via email by signing up for the Two Booked Up Bookclub. Connect with Rowena @rowenamabbott on IG and at rowenamabbott.com. You can also get Rowena’s FREE new e-book, The A - Z of Career and Life Confidence here. Connect

If you find yourself getting stuck in a rut with a particular book genre, or if you’re spending more time reading social media posts than books — and you want to change that — then we’ve got a fun challenge to share with you. Join the Two Booked Up 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge. In this episode, Rowena and Shelley will explain how the challenge will work and the intention behind it… which actually is INTENTION!  We’d like to inspire you to bring a bit more intention into your reading life so that you can reap the many benefits of reading, like feeling inspired, broadening your perspectives, igniting your creativity, and being the cleverest person at the dinner table. OK, just kidding about that last one ;) The Two Booked Up 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge is a playful way you can bring some intention to your reading life, and you can be as rigid or as flexible as you like when it comes to filling in the categories. Sign up to get your PDF Checklist for the Two Booked Up 23 for 2023 Reading Challenge here.  When you download the PDF, we’ll also add you to our Two Booked Up Bookclub Email list, so we can continue the fun together (but you can unsubscribe at any time). Here are the books mentioned in this week’s episode: Two Lipsticks and a Lover by Helena Frith PowellThe Power of Regret by Daniel PinkHow to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale CarnegieThe Seven Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen CoveySpiritually Loose by Susan Pearse

Rowena and Shelley are back with Season 2 of Two Booked Up! Woohoo! But… whaaaaaat?! How is it February?!!! Honestly, do you feel like you’ve somehow got behind on all the New Year's to-dos? Could you do with a bit of a fresh start to the year? Then this episode is for you. Or are you experiencing February as “Mum’s New Year”? We really feel this in the southern hemisphere, because we’ve had our long summer holidays and the kids are only getting back to school at this point. So we’ve decided to proclaim February as the new January and in this episode, Rowena and Shelley are bringing you some New Year’s Day, fresh-start energy, as they share their guiding words of the year. And of course, you’ll get a few book recommendations as well! Here are the books mentioned in this week’s episode: Workstyle by Lizzie Penny and Alex Hirst — we read the audiobook and there is now also a Kindle version available, as well as the hardcover (Amazon.com links)4000 Weeks: Time Management for Morals by Oliver BurkmanThe Wild and Free Family: Forging Your Own Path to a Life Full of Wonder, Adventure, and Connection by Ainsley ArmentSpiritually Loose by Susan Pearse Things That Matter by Joshua Becker   Connect with us: Find us online at twobookedup.com and keep in touch w

This episode was supposed to be a minisode, but COME ON! Rowena and Shelley are two bookworms, two boy moms, and this is a topic that is very near to their hearts! So if you’re a parent and you want your kids to identify as “readers,” to love reading, and to create a culture of reading in your home, then there’s going to be so much gold in this episode for you. And while the focus is on kids, Rowena and Shelley are also looking more broadly at how you can cultivate a reading culture in your home — whatever your home looks like. So regardless of whether you have kids in your life or not, there are going to be some fun insights and tips for you. If reading more books and reigniting your love of reading is one of your New Year’s goals, make sure to listen for inspiration and ideas of how YOU can fall in love with reading all over again, whether you are an adult, teen, big kid or little kid. Links Books mentioned: A Tale of Two Cities, Charles DickensThe Hobbit, JR TolkienDiary of a Wimpy Kid, Jeff KinneyCaptain Underpants, Dav PilkeyThe 13 Story Treehouse, Andy Griffiths & Terry DentonDiary of an 8-Bit WarriorTrumpet of the Swan, E.B. WhiteCharlotte’s Web, E.B White

Regular books or audiobooks? Or put another way: reading with your eyes or reading with your ears? Which do you prefer? In this bonus episode, Rowena and Shelley explore both listening and reading books — covering the benefits and the drawbacks of each. And they share their personal preferences too, so you can decide for yourself which is best for you — reading with your eyes or your ears. Connect with us on social media and let us know if you have a preference and why. We’d love to hear your stories.    Links Read Aloud Revival, Sarah Mackenzie Lean In, Sheryl Sandburg Playing Big, Tara Mohr Think Again, Adam Grant Chatter, Ethan Kross The Lazy Genius Kitchen, Kendra Adachi   Audible Scribd Audible Australia BorrowBox Australia Libby  Overdrive Apple Books   Connect with us: Find us online at twobookedup.com and keep in touch with Two Booked Up via email by signing up for the Two Booked Up Bookclub. Connect with Rowena @rowenamabbott on IG and at rowenamabbott.com. You can also get Rowena’s FREE new e-book, The A - Z of Career and

Two Booked Up is a podcast about personal and professional development books, but Shelley and Rowena also love to read fiction! So today on Two Booked Up, in another of the bonus episodes that make up the Summer Series, Shelley and Rowena are singing the praises of fiction!  Because reading a great story is not only a great brain break and leisure activity, it can be useful in your business, your career and in your day-to-day life. Sharing lots of fascinating research into the benefits and advantages of reading fiction, this is an episode worth listening to, even if (or especially if!) you don’t usually read fiction or haven’t done for some time. You just may be convinced after you listen!   Links Books mentioned: The Tale of Despereaux, Kate DiCamillo Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Ian Fleming Chitty Chitty Bang Bang Flies Again, Frank Cottrell-Boyce (a trilogy of spin-off books based on the Ian Fleming original) The Last Bookshop in London, Madeleine Martin Connect with us: Find us online at twobookedup.com and keep in touch with Two Booked Up via email by signing up for the Two Booked Up Bookclub. Connect with Rowena @rowenamabbott on IG and at rowenamabbott.com. You can also get Rowena’s FREE new e-book, The A - Z of Career and Life Confidence here. Connect with Shelley @shelleysmithcreative on IG and @ShelleyTSmith on Twitter. Her copywriting business is at shelleysmithcreative.com and her writing and other musi

With Rowena in Australia and Shelley in South Africa, it is Summer in Two Booked Up Land! Kids are on school holidays and just about everyone is heading off on vacation or taking some time off. Long days spent relaxing by the pool or on the beach beckon. And for those of you in the northern hemisphere, it’s a great time to curl up under a cozy blanket with a good book. So today, in the next bonus episode of the Summer Series of Two Booked Up, Rowena and Shelley are sharing the non-fiction and fiction books that are on their summer TBR lists. With a mix of fiction and non-fiction books, both bookworms share what they are looking forward to reading. You might hear a suggestion to add to your reading list too! So, as promised, here are links to all the books we’ve mentioned on the show.   Links Shelley’s summer reading list: Stardust by Neil GaimanFairy Tale by Stephen KingThe Librarian Spy, Madeleine MartinWorkstyle, Alex Hirst and Lizzie PennyA Place to Belong: Celebrating Diversity and Kinship in the Home and Beyond, Amber O’Neal JohnstonFour Thousand Weeks; time management for mortals by Oliver Burkeman Things that Matter; overcoming distraction to pursue a more meaningful life by Joshua BeckerThe A to Z of Career and Life Confidence, Rowena Mabbott Rowena’s summer reading list:

Shelley and Rowena are looking back at 2022 and highlighting seven standout non-fiction books that they’ve read this year. So if you’re looking for ideas to add to your TBR list for the holidays and into 2023, you’re in the right place! Listen in for why each of the books made it onto each bookworms’ lists — and, for your convenience, here’s a list of the books for you to check out.   Links Rowena’s favourite non-fiction reads; From Strength to Strength by Arthur C Brooks Things that Matter; overcoming distraction to pursue a more meaningful life by Joshua BeckerFour Thousand Weeks; time management for mortals by Oliver Burkeman Burnout; the secret to solving the stress cycle by Emily and Amelia NagoskiInto the Rip; how the Australian way of risk made my family stronger, happier … and less American by Damien CaveThe Space Between The Stars by Indira NaidooThe Happiest Man on Earth by Eddie Jaku   Shelley’s favourite non-fiction reads; Better Than Before, by Gretchen Rubi