Notes to self

Recommendations and insights based on research, books, films and more
A couple sitting in a beach chair on a sandy shore during a cloudy evening surrounded by empty striped chairs.
LOVE

It’s a gift to share reality with someone

by Hannah Seo

A bearded person gently cradling a newborn wrapped in a patterned blanket by a window in soft light.
EMOTIONS

Why kama muta is an emotion worth seeking

by Hannah Seo

A dimly lit street with parked cars at night. A building has a large, vertical “HOTEL” sign illuminated.
DECISION-MAKING

For maximisers, bad choices really sting

by Richard Fisher

Painting of a crucifixion scene with a large crowd, a detailed medieval cityscape with mountains and a lake in the background.
ARTISTS AND ART HISTORY

A lesson from the Son of Man’s manhood

Renaissance artists paid uncommon attention to Jesus’ nether regions. What does this breach in modesty reveal about art?

by Sam Dresser

A microphone in focus with a blurred background of people seated at tables in a dimly lit room.
FEAR AND PHOBIA

A memory hack to help you face your fears

by Christian Jarrett

A curious brown chicken looking at the camera with several other chickens blurred in the background.
FOOD AND DRINK

The dissonance of meeting what you eat

by Matt Huston

A photo showing a person holding a bouquet of mixed flowers wrapped in brown paper, viewed from above and behind.
COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE

The words that make an apology convincing

Research on the psychology of apologising finds that certain word choices are more convincing because of their mental cost

by Alice Gregory

Aerial photo of Würzburg, a European cityscape with historic buildings, church spires and a clock tower under a partly cloudy sky.
TRAVEL

Why ‘false authenticity’ is so unsettling

by Sam Dresser

An elderly man seated on a city street as skateboarders perform tricks around him.
HAPPINESS

Where are you on the ‘happiness curve’?

by Richard Fisher

A person lying in bed under a duvet, arms covering face; bedside table with books, a lamp, a mug and reading glasses.
SLEEP PROBLEMS

Sleep is important, but not that important

by Alice Gregory

Popular

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 switched-off smartphone on a bright yellow surface with fingerprints and smudges on the black screen.
TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA
3

A brief escape from social media

After leaving my phone behind for a week and coming back to it, I saw my social media use in a stark new light

by Tamur Qutab

A photo showing a person holding a bouquet of mixed flowers wrapped in brown paper, viewed from above and behind.
COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE

The words that make an apology convincing

Research on the psychology of apologising finds that certain word choices are more convincing because of their mental cost

by Alice Gregory

A painting on a wall with a man in a suit standing in profile beside a doorway in an art gallery.
FOCUS AND ATTENTION

Embrace the monotony

A museum guard’s tale of long, slow hours on the job changed how I think about seemingly empty stretches of time

by Hannah Seo

A silhouette pressing hands on a frosted glass door in an abandoned room with peeling paint on walls and door.
FEAR AND PHOBIA

How scary is it really?

Research on frightening but fun experiences offers some encouragement for those of us who prefer to know what’s ahead

by Matt Huston

A curious brown chicken looking at the camera with several other chickens blurred in the background.
FOOD AND DRINK

The dissonance of meeting what you eat

An uncomfortable reminder of the tension between your beliefs and behaviour might give you the push you need to change

by Matt Huston

A microphone in focus with a blurred background of people seated at tables in a dimly lit room.
FEAR AND PHOBIA

A memory hack to help you face your fears

There’s a way to recall past encounters with your fears that could help you feel more confident facing them in future

by Christian Jarrett

Illustration of a colourful green and red parrot perched on a branch, against a plain beige background.
COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE

What I found in one of the tiniest languages

The great complexity and extraordinary simplicity of a constructed language with no more than 140 words

by Hannah H Kim

Popular

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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 switched-off smartphone on a bright yellow surface with fingerprints and smudges on the black screen.
TECHNOLOGY AND MEDIA
3

A brief escape from social media

After leaving my phone behind for a week and coming back to it, I saw my social media use in a stark new light

by Tamur Qutab

A photo showing a person holding a bouquet of mixed flowers wrapped in brown paper, viewed from above and behind.
COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE

The words that make an apology convincing

Research on the psychology of apologising finds that certain word choices are more convincing because of their mental cost

by Alice Gregory

A group of office workers turned to face a colleague, clapping and smiling, in a modern meeting room setting.
WORK AND VOCATION

Are you saying ‘thank you’ too effusively?

by Christian Jarrett

People dancing at an outdoor festival, colourful tents in background, clear blue sky overhead.
MUSIC

The beats that make us want to move

by Matt Huston

Three people chatting at a rustic bar in a pub, with a brick interior and various decorations.
FRIENDSHIP

Our relationships, in five dimensions

by Matt Huston