Habits and routines
Emotion regulation
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The best way to exercise self-control is not to exercise it at all
Accept it: your self-control is weak. You’re more likely to reach long-term goals if you find ways to avoid temptation
by Laverl Z Williamson
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
Habits and routines
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Sprinkle a little ancient philosophy into your daily routines
Long before the psychology research was in, ancient philosophers knew the importance of spiritual exercise for wellbeing
by Joel Owen
History of emotions
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Neuroscience has much to learn from Hume’s philosophy of emotions
According to philosopher David Hume, it takes a lifetime to get our emotions right. Neuroscience has much to learn from him
by Richard C Sha
Compassion and empathy
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Self-compassion is not self-indulgence: here’s how to try it
Contrary to popular belief, it’s not self-indulgent to practise self-compassion. In fact, it helps you to care for others
by Christina Chwyl
Personality
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Assertiveness is a virtue that anyone can develop with practice
You can’t stop people making demands on your time and energy, but you can develop assertiveness skills to protect yourself
by Rebecca Roache
Habits and routines
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In praise of habits – so much more than mindless reflexes
Rather than mindless mechanisms for routines, habits are a species of belief that display a great deal of intelligence
by Ian Robertson & Katsunori Miyahara
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
Knowledge and reason
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The antidote to fake news is to nourish our epistemic wellbeing
There’s more to wellbeing than physical and mental health: we also need epistemic wellbeing, or good access to knowledge
by Kenneth Boyd
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
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
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