Understand

Popular articles and videos

A woman using a phone stands beside a painting of a girl reading by candlelight.
FOCUS AND ATTENTION

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

Photo of a woman leaning on a red pillar in a subway station as a train speeds by in a blur.
GOALS AND MOTIVATION

How to know what you really want

From career choices to new purchases, use René Girard’s mimetic theory to resist the herd and forge your own path in life

by Luke Burgis

Vintage poster by Roger Broders showing a seaside scene with sunbathers and swimmers on Antibes beach.
LEARNING AND EDUCATION

How to learn a language (and stick at it)

Forget about fluency and how languages are taught at school: as an adult learner you can take a whole new approach

by John Gallagher

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THINKING AND INTELLIGENCE

Why some of the smartest people can be so very stupid

Struggling to understand is perfectly honourable. Being wilfully stupid is something else and we should strive to fix it

by Sacha Golob

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HABITS AND ROUTINES

How to read more books

Modern life can feel too frantic for books. Use these habit-building strategies to carve out time for the joy of reading

by Christian Jarrett

Painting of a man seated at a table next to a skull on books, with a patterned curtain in the background.
DEATH AND DYING

How to not fear your death

You exist, but one day you won’t. An Epicurean perspective can help you feel less afraid, and even grateful for life’s finitude

by Sam Dresser

Photo of a person jogging on a leaf-covered path flanked by trees with bright yellow autumn leaves.
MIND AND BRAIN

How to maintain a healthy brain

Adopt these lifestyle changes and you will not only sharpen your mind today but also reduce your risk of dementia later on

by Kailas Roberts

Abstract painting with colourful overlapping straight and curved lines on a light background.
CREATIVITY

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

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EMOTION REGULATION

How to take things less personally

Always blaming yourself or assuming others think ill of you? A CBT therapist shares ways to break these self-critical habits

by Joel Minden

Illustration of a woman on a bench by a cityscape with a red sun and blooming branches, conveying serenity and nature.
THINKING AND INTELLIGENCE

How to foster ‘shoshin’

It’s easy for the mind to become closed to new ideas. Cultivating a beginner’s mind helps us rediscover the joy of learning

by Christian Jarrett

Silhouette of a person looking at a pop art painting of a crying woman.
EMOTION REGULATION

How to ease the pain of heartache

You’re experiencing a profound form of grief that can make you physically ill. These steps will give you a chance to heal

by Ziella Bryars

Painting of a person sleeping in a bed with yellow bedding and a red blanket in a warm-toned room.
PLEASURES AND PASTIMES

How to rest well

Taking a break isn’t lazy – learning to recharge is a skill that will allow you to enjoy a more creative, sustainable life

by Alex Soojung-Kim Pang

Traditional Chinese painting of a woman resting on a chair in a pavilion by a pond with ducks and lotus flowers.
CREATIVITY

To be creative, Chinese philosophy teaches us to abandon ‘originality’

Whether grieving a death or connecting to colleagues, creativity enables an artful life, according to Chinese philosophy

by Julianne Chung

Photo of a person in a yellow onesie sitting at a desk using a laptop, with headphones on and a cluttered background.
LEARNING AND EDUCATION

How to study effectively

Forget cramming, ditch the highlighter, and stop passively rereading. The psychology of learning offers better tactics

by Paul Penn

Black-and-white photo of two people kneeling on sand examining a map with visible tracks in a vast desert landscape.
DECISION-MAKING

How to make a difficult decision

It’s tempting but unwise to delay important choices. Grasp the nettle by using both systematic checklists and gut instinct

by Joseph Bikart

Painting of a man in a bowler hat, seated with a drink and cigarette, gesturing expressively while at a table.
THINKERS AND THEORIES

Learning to be a loser: a philosopher’s case for doing nothing

For Emil Cioran, a life devoid of action, practical ambitions and busyness is a life in which room has been made for meaning

by Costica Bradatan