How to be indistractable
Stop blaming technology – distraction starts within. Manage your inner triggers to enjoy greater focus and a fuller life
by Nir Eyal
Focus and attention
How to be lucky
Most of us think that luck just happens (or doesn’t) but everyone can learn to look for the unexpected and find serendipity
by Christian Busch
Why efficiency is dangerous and slowing down makes life better
The urge to do everything faster and better is risky. Far wiser to do what’s good enough for the range of possible futures
by Barry Schwartz
How to think like a detective
The best detectives seem to have almost supernatural insight, but their cognitive toolkit is one that anybody can use
by Ivar Fahsing
How to wait well
Instead of fuming in subjugated irritation, turn wait times into chances to connect, muse and think big about the future
by Jason Farman
Why small annoyances can harm us more than big disruptions
A largely forgotten psychological concept helps explain the insidiousness of minor problems – and what to do about it
by Shayla Love
Slow down, it’s what your brain has been begging for
It’s no small task to live a life of sustained attention. So slow down, and give your brain a break to do its work
by Teodora Stoica
When a tricky task makes your brain hurt, here’s what to do
Although thinking hard is a daily experience, psychologists are only just beginning to understand how aversive it can be
by Todd Vogel
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
Sometimes, paying attention means we see the world less clearly
Does attention distort knowledge, or am I overthinking it? What visual illusions say about the secret workings of the mind
by Henry Taylor
This is how to nurture curiosity in children (and yourself)
The curiosity that comes naturally to babies and young children can soon wilt – but there are ways to help it grow
by Shayla Love
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
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 ‘secret strategy’ that could boost your ability to learn
It may sound illogical, but growing evidence shows the benefits of testing yourself before you start learning new material
by Ajdina Halilovic
Facing a tedious to-do list? This trick could make it easier
The ‘easy addendum effect’: how careful timing of your easier tasks could help you feel better at the end of the day
by Shayla Love
A key part of creativity is picking up on what others overlook
We all constantly filter a flood of details coming in. This process helps explain what gives some brains a creative edge
by Madeleine Gross