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“Work smarter, not harder.” We’ve all heard the saying. Maybe that’s why we’re obsessed with life hacks.
Canberra loves a wellbeing trend. One week everyone is cold plunging, the next they’re comparing protein powders at the gym, then nearly everyone I know is taking creatine, we buy sourdough at the farmers’ markets or are listening to the latest longevity podcast while walking around Lake Burley Griffin.
Lately, I’ve realised I’ve become slightly obsessed – okay, more than slightly. Not with productivity apps or colour-coded calendars, but with podcasts. Health podcasts. Longevity podcasts. Nutrition podcasts. Fitness podcasts. Podcasts about hormones, gut health, sleep, strength training, aging well and yes, even microplastics. At this point my podcast feed probably thinks I’m training for the Olympics or trying to live to 110.
And woven through almost every conversation is one phrase: biohacking.
Biohacking sounds futuristic, but the idea is surprisingly simple: it’s about taking control of your health through intentional lifestyle changes. Whether it’s tweaking your diet, improving your sleep, plunging into an ice bath, or tracking your body’s data, the goal is the same – to feel better today and, hopefully, stay healthier for longer.
I’ll admit, I was curious, so recently I tried contrast therapy – 20 minutes in a sauna followed by three minutes in an ice bath, repeated three times. By the third round I was questioning every life decision that had led me to voluntarily climb back into freezing water. Yet I walked out feeling invigorated. My skin was tingling, my mind felt unusually clear and I had that strange mix of calm and energy that made me understand why people are willing to do this every week.
Whether it was physiology, psychology or simply the deep sense of accomplishment of surviving it, I couldn’t stop thinking about how something that felt so uncomfortable could leave me feeling so energised.
The more I thought about it, the more I realised Canberra might actually be the perfect city for life hacking.
Life hacking isn’t about expensive gadgets or elite athletes. It’s about finding better ways to do everyday things. Sometimes those ideas come from science. Sometimes they’re old-fashioned common sense. Sometimes they’re simply habits that make life a little easier.
One thing Canberra does exceptionally well is fresh food. A Saturday morning at the Capital Region Farmers Market or EPIC Markets is almost a wellbeing intervention in itself. Good produce makes healthy choices easier, and that’s probably one of the simplest food hacks of all. Eating vegetables first, then protein and then carbohydrates can reduce blood sugar spikes. We can try to eat 30 different plant foods each week. That includes fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices, legumes, nuts and seeds. Variety feeds a diverse gut microbiome. Adding protein to breakfast, taking a short walk after a meal and simply drinking more water – these things are not revolutionary – but together they can make a real difference.
The same goes for movement. Get outside for ten minutes of morning light. In Canberra, even in winter, that is not difficult. We have some of the country’s best walking tracks. A lap of Lake Burley Griffin before work, climbing Mount Ainslie at sunrise or simply walking through one of our leafy suburbs might be one of the cheapest wellbeing hacks available.
Of course, there is another side to all this. Every week there’s another podcast, another expert and another miracle supplement promising to help us live longer, think better or feel younger. Some supplements even claim to “support liver health” or minimise the effects of alcohol, feeding the idea that you can somehow undo the consequences of a few too many drinks with a capsule. One expert says intermittent fasting is the key to longevity. Another insists breakfast is the most important meal of the day. Then someone reminds you that microplastics are everywhere and your chopping board is slowly poisoning you.
I’ll admit, I got caught by that one. I’ve replaced all my plastic chopping boards, and I’m gradually swapping plastic food containers for glass. So yes, I’m more than a little interested in all of this. The challenge is working out what’s backed by good science, what’s still emerging, and what’s simply clever marketing wrapped up as the next big biohack.
Take Bryan Johnson, for example. The American entrepreneur has become the poster child for modern biohacking, spending millions of dollars each year trying to slow – or even reverse – the ageing process. His daily routine is meticulously measured: he tracks hundreds of biomarkers, follows a highly structured diet, exercises with scientific precision and reportedly takes more than 100 supplements a day. His approach has certainly fuelled the conversation about longevity and preventive health. And yes, I’ll admit it – I even bought one of his Blueprint supplements. I can’t honestly say whether it’s made a difference, but if nothing else, it shows just how compelling the promise of biohacking has become.
The risk is that, at some point, we stop living and start measuring. We track our sleep instead of simply sleeping. We count our steps instead of enjoying a walk. We analyse every mouthful instead of sharing a meal with friends. In the pursuit of living longer, healthier lives, there’s a danger of forgetting to actually enjoy the life we’re trying so hard to optimise. Health should give us more freedom, not become another full-time job.
The biggest lesson I’ve taken from my podcast obsession is that the best biohacks aren’t the most expensive supplements, the latest wearable or the newest wellness trend. They’re the simple, sustainable habits that quietly improve your health every day – in fact, life hacks.
As for those three minutes in the ice bath? I’m still not convinced I’ll ever enjoy them. But I have to admit – I’m already wondering when I’ll do it again.
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