Technology and media
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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
Habits and routines
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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
Sleep problems
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What to do when racing thoughts keep you up at night
Any attempts to escape your mind or make yourself sleep are likely to backfire. Try these expert tips instead
by Matt Huston
Goals and motivation
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A commitment is different from a goal – here’s why that matters
Whatever your aims in life, the words you use matter. Here’s an important distinction that will help you stay on track
by Justin Kompf
Anxiety
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How to tell whether you’re being careful or giving in to anxiety
It’s not always easy to tell what’s a sensible safeguard, and what’s an anxiety-fuelling habit. A few questions can help
by Jemma Todd, Amelia Scott, Rachel Menzies & Louise Sharpe
The body and physical health
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Even a single exercise session can help shift depression
The long-term benefits of regular exercise for mood are well-known. What’s surprising is that just one session can help
by Matthew Bourke & Rhiannon Patten
Technology and media
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The pleasure, the pain and the politics of a digital detox
Studying why and how people take digital-media breaks can reveal what individuals and societies value in unmediated spaces
by Trine Syvertsen
Focus and attention
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Go on, admit it. You’re multitasking. Here’s how to do it better
Our limited mental resources make multitasking inefficient. As you’re unlikely to stop it, you can learn to do it better
by Virginia Clinton-Lisell
Goals and motivation
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To meet your goals, forget willpower and fill your toolbox
Achieving your goals has nothing to do with willpower and everything to do with using the right mix of psychological tools
by Marina Milyavskaya
Habits and routines
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Prison life puts the ‘time work’ we all do into sharp relief
Trapped in an ocean of time, prisoners exemplify the human impulse to take temporal experience into our own hands
by Michael G Flaherty
Thinking and intelligence
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Lost perspective? Try this linguistic trick to reset your view
By using ‘distanced self-talk’, you can leverage the structure of language to take a step back and see the bigger picture
by Ariana Orvell
Goals and motivation
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There’s a way to avoid the slippery slopes of over-optimism
Optimistic people tend to enjoy more success, but that’s only when they put the effort in – wishful thinking is not enough
by Heather C Lench