1: What’s the best way to make your to-do list?
There’s something satisfying about writing down a task and then crossing it off your list.
“That’s exactly the wrong way to create a to-do list. That signals you’re using it for mood repair, rather than to become productive,” says Carleton University psychologist Timothy Pychyl in Charles Duhigg‘s book Smarter Faster Better.
Writing down a series of short-term objectives … continue reading
1: Tynan thought mindfulness and meditation were “too wishy-washy and time consuming,” he writes in Superhuman by Habit: A Guide to Becoming the Best Possible Version of Yourself, One Tiny human at a Time.
When he tried meditating, he found it hard to keep his attention on his breath. His mind kept wandering, which left him frustrated and ready to give up.
But then he discovered something that completely … continue reading
1: Sleeping as long as you want?
Waking up without an alarm clock?
This may sound like being on vacation, Tynan writes in his book Superhuman by Habit.
By making good sleep a habit, however, it can become an important part of your everyday life.
The benefits of good sleep are immense:
“Being alert and … continue reading
1: Of all the potential habits to focus on, “health habits are some of my favorites to work on because they have extraordinarily high payoffs,” Tynan writes in Superhuman by Habit.
“Rather than improve just one area of your life,” he notes, “they tend to really transfer well to other areas.”
This is sometimes called a “keystone habit: One habit that leads to positive changes in other parts of … continue reading
1: How do you react when something bad happens in your life?
“Your knee-jerk reaction to bad events can be to only see, and to dwell on, the negative, giving you a biased view that can affect your mood and paralyze you from acting,” Tynan writes in his book Superhuman by Habit.
When you think about positive, healthy habits, chances are your brain immediately focuses on work and productivity … continue reading
1: Say you’re faced with a difficult challenge.
Or a big opportunity.
What if you approached it like a game?
This is the main idea behind Jane McGonigal’s SuperBetter framework, described in her book. It uses allies, quests, power-ups, bad guys, and epic wins to help you become more resilient and make real progress.
Yesterday, we looked at how radio producer Alex Goldman used SuperBetter to recover after … continue reading
1: Last week, we explored how “triggers” can help us build new habits.
What is one of the best triggers to build new habits? Your existing habits.
In fact, when done right, you can create a habit chain, Tynan writes in Superhuman by Habit: A Guide to Becoming the Best Possible Version of Yourself, One Tiny Habit at a Time.
“A very good practice,” he notes, “is to … continue reading
1: Do you believe that all meaningful problems are deeply rooted and difficult to change?
David Yeager, a mindset researcher at the University of Texas at Austin, shares a story that reveals how deep people’s skepticism can run about the power of short interventions to improve people’s lives.
This week we’re examining multiple studies that show your mindset, or how you think about something, can have a profound impact … continue reading
1: Think about a negative habit.
Typically, something triggers it.
“Stress triggers overeating or gambling, waking up might trigger smoking, or boredom might trigger wasting time online,” Tynan writes in Superhuman by Habit.
You can use this insight to power new, positive habits as well.
“Why not use such a powerful reality of the human experience to your benefit?” Tynan asks.
For example, you wake up every day. You … continue reading
1: What is the effect of showing smokers graphic warnings on cigarette packs?
When doctors are asked this question, “In general, they believe that the images will decrease smokers’ desire for a cigarette and motivate them to quit,” writes Kelly McGonigal in her terrific book The Upside of Stress.
Actually, studies show the warnings have the opposite effect.
“The most threatening images (say, a lung cancer patient dying in … continue reading
