habits
21 articles
The Benefits of Having a Hobby, Even Once a Week
The benefits of having a hobby, from a study of 93,263 people in 16 countries: more happiness, more life satisfaction and fewer depressive symptoms.
Maximizer vs Satisficer: Is Good Enough Good Enough?
Maximizer vs satisficer: high standards were not linked to lower happiness, but endless searching and hard choices were. Keep your bar and still decide.
Is It Bad to Use Your Phone Before Bed? When It Matters
Is it bad to use your phone before bed? Less than you might think. The research points to one window that matters most, and a small change for it.
Why Goals That Fit Your Values Go Further
Self-concordant goals, the ones you pursue for reasons of your own, go further and feel easier along the way. How to check the why behind a goal.
What Growth Mindset Really Helps With
Growth mindset got oversold as a slogan. The honest research is more specific and more useful, especially as a way of reading a setback.
Signature Strengths: The Mood Lift Most People Miss
Signature strengths research shows the real lift isn't the quiz, it's using one strength you already have in a brand new way.
Temptation Bundling: Make a Habit Feel Like a Treat
Temptation bundling pairs a pleasure you love with a habit you avoid, so the pleasure carries the habit. Here is the research, and gentle ways to use it.
Why a Consistent Bedtime Matters More Than Eight Hours
Consistent sleep and wake times predict mood and energy at least as strongly as how long you sleep. The research on sleep regularity, and how to build it.
Implementation Intentions Turn Plans Into Action
Implementation intentions, simple if-then plans, are one of psychology's most reliable ways to close the gap between meaning to do something and doing it.
Arrival Fallacy: Why Big Wins Fade (and How to Fix It)
Arrival fallacy is why success can feel empty right after a big win. Here's the research on why the lift fades, and how to make it last.
Behavioral Activation: Act First, Feel Motivated Later
Behavioral activation research shows motivation follows action, not the other way around. Here's the smallest daily dose that works.
The Fresh Start Effect: Why Mondays Work
Restarting the plan 'on Monday' really does carry more motivational force. The research on the fresh start effect, why it works, and where it backfires.
How to Build Lasting Habits With Daily Reminders
How to build habits that actually stick: the research on why most daily reminders train you to swipe them away, and what works instead.
Do Daily Reminders Work? The Science Says Yes
Do daily reminders actually work? The research on prospective memory says yes, when you set them right. Here's why they help.
Habit Friction Is Why Your Wellness Routine Died
Habit friction, not lack of willpower, is why wellness routines die by day eight. Here's the research, and the lowest-friction fix.
Walking After Meals: The Most Underrated Health Habit
A short walk after meals lowers peak blood sugar more than a longer walk later. Where the steps land matters more than the count.
Why a Lock Screen Widget Beats a Notification for Habits
Notifications interrupt. Widgets glance. The habit science shows why a quiet lock screen cue beats a buzz when you're trying to make a routine stick.
Micro Celebrations: Why Small Wins Actually Stick
The research on micro celebrations shows why the fist pump right after a win, not the finish line itself, is what makes a habit stick.
The 60-Second Morning Routine That Actually Sticks
One positive quote, ten minutes of sunlight, a short walk. The habit science behind the minimum-viable morning routine that actually sticks.
Why You Keep Noticing 11:11 (and Why the Wish Still Works)
Why your brain keeps flagging 11:11, and why the quick wish-making pause is worth keeping, whatever you believe it means.
How Many Steps a Day Is Actually Healthy?
The 10,000-step goal was invented by a Japanese clock company in 1965. Here's what modern research actually shows your body needs each day.