Habits and routines

Articles, Films and practical Guides on habits and routines, part of Psyche’s coverage of self-knowledge and personal growth.

An overgrown garden with a blue boat surrounded by tall grass, houses in the background and a wooden fence in the foreground.

Want things to go well? Plan like a defensive pessimist

So often we underestimate the time and effort required to reach our goals. You can avoid that trap with realistic planning

by Julie K Norem

WISDOM

How to find your InnSæi

In uncertain times, an Icelandic concept can help you reconnect with your intuition and follow your inner compass

by Hrund Gunnsteinsdóttir

Photo of people around a fire holding drinks, with a warm glow lighting the scene at night.

PERSONALITY

Try everything twice

Deciding to give more experiences a second chance changed my personality for the better and made me a happier person

by Hannah Seo

Photo of a person leaning back with hands on head at a desk, laptop open, with feet up on the desk, green background.

GOALS AND MOTIVATION

How to think differently about procrastination

Avoid the trap of thinking you’re either working or not. A different mindset promises less self-judgment and more progress

by Rebecca Roache

A smartphone with app icons visible inside an open wooden drawer with red cables partially visible.

TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA

Curious about a digital ‘detox’? Here’s what you should know

For many who are chronically connected, a break from tech sounds appealing. Research is uncovering when and how it helps

by Kostadin Kushlev

A person walking on a pavement, holding their head, with blue shutters and a lightly graffitied wall in the background.

COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE

How to talk to yourself

Self-talk is a proven way to boost motivation, think clearly and process your emotions. These tips will help you use it well

by Maryellen MacDonald

HABITS AND ROUTINES

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

Illustration of a masked healthcare worker in multiple colours against a pixelated background.

DECISION-MAKING

Every choice has an energy cost. Learn to manage your budget

Video by TED-Ed

Photo of a boxing match with a standing boxer in the ring and an opponent kneeling behind, lit by overhead lights.

GOALS AND MOTIVATION

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

A man in an outdoor ice bath, clasping his hands and wearing a smartwatch.

EVALUATING THERAPIES

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

A person in a green shirt and jeans sitting, focused on their hands which are clasped together, the right hand picking at the left hand’s thumbnail.

OCD

What to do if your picking or pulling get out of hand

Understanding the psychology behind excessive skin-picking and hair-pulling can help you resist the urges and begin to heal

by Suzanne Mouton-Odum

Page from a book with printed text about society and handwritten notes in the margin, including ’True but only in part‘.

FOCUS AND ATTENTION

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

An adult and child looking at Santa inside a large snow globe with snowy trees at dusk.

EMOTION REGULATION

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

Photo of a person reading Tolstoy’s “War and Peace” with a red decorative cover while sitting near a window.

HABITS AND ROUTINES

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

Illustration of two stylised people running on a boardwalk near the sea with telegraph poles and wires in the background.

GOALS AND MOTIVATION

How increasing short-term pleasure can help you achieve your long-term goals

Video by TED-Ed

An elderly woman in black standing in a garden of pink roses with snow-capped mountains in the background.

HABITS AND ROUTINES

Mzia the elevator operator leaves her post for the first time in two decades

Directed by Madeline Leary