Why some healthy habits still take so much effort
Contrary to classic habit science, certain behaviours never become easy. Recognising this can help you stick with them
by Blair Saunders & Kimberly R More
Habits and routines
Motivation is good, but discipline is better
The Ukrainian boxing champion Usyk’s recent claim that ‘discipline is better than motivation’ was psychologically astute
by Christian Jarrett
Do we really need breathwork gurus to tell us how to breathe?
Breathing was once a natural reflex. How did it become a high-stakes biohacking ritual taught by wellness celebrities?
by Oriana Walker
The value of scribbling in the margins
Marginalia is far from inessential. It would be a shame if it died off in the digital age
by Richard Fisher
Seeing all the parts of a tough situation
Taking a difficult experience and inspecting its elements might help us feel better about it
by Matt Huston
My year of slow-reading War and Peace
Reading a chapter a day of War and Peace shows how a manageable, regular habit can build into a much bigger accomplishment
by Freya Howarth
How increasing short-term pleasure can help you achieve your long-term goals
Video by TED-Ed
Mzia the elevator operator leaves her post for the first time in two decades
Directed by Madeline Leary
For a happier life, we must balance two old psychological needs
Personal autonomy is abundant in the modern world. As a result, many of us get what we want but not what we need
by William von Hippel
How to get better at remembering
Frustrated by elusive names and misplaced phones? The science of memory reveals ways to improve your powers of recall
by Elizabeth Kensinger & Andrew Budson
How to sleep when you’re a perfectionist
As a high achiever, your problem-solving skills can backfire at night. You need a different way to beat insomnia
by Nick Wignall
A psychologist’s tips for getting a grip on your social media use
Is social media causing you problems? Here are some personal and practical ways to reap its benefits with fewer drawbacks
by Daria J Kuss
How to find new spiritual practices
Even if religion isn’t for you, there’s a world of rituals and tools to lift yourself up and connect to something greater
by Morgan Shipley
Is it better to live in ‘clock time’ or ‘event time’?
Do you stick to a set schedule, or have a looser relationship to the clock? It can affect more than how you plan your day
by Shayla Love