This freedom from decision making is crucial, because when I have to decide—which often involves resisting temptation or postponing gratification—I tax my self-control.
Think about appearances. I wanted my apartment to be less cluttered, and also to look less cluttered.
These small, everyday actions had their own value; the pressure of my daily habits would mold my future. These habits were little things on their own, but their combined weight was massive. I thought...
There’s no evidence for the belief that letting off steam is healthy or constructive. In fact, studies show that aggressively expressing anger doesn’t relieve anger but amplifies it. On the other hand...
There's a great satisfaction in knowing that we've made good use of our days, that we've lived up to our expectations of ourselves.
The happiest, healthiest, most productive people aren’t those from a particular Tendency, but rather they’re the people who have figured out how to harness the strengths of their Tendency, counteract...
Some people love finishing, and some people love opening—both literally and figuratively. Finishers love the feeling of bringing a project to completion, and they’re determined to use the last drop in...
Some habits become completely automatic; others require some effort, always. What matters is to be moving in the right direction. There’s a great satisfaction in knowing that we’ve made good use of ou...
Questionable Assumption Loophole: We make assumptions that influence our habits—often, not for the better—and many of those assumptions become less convincing under close scrutiny. A reader posted a g...
Overbuyers, by contrast, find excuses to buy. They accumulate large quantities of office supplies or kitchen gadgets or travel paraphernalia with the thought This will probably come in handy someday....
One thing that continually astonishes me is the degree to which we’re influenced by sheer convenience. The amount of effort, time, or decision making required by an action has a huge influence on habi...
One study estimated that for every hour of interrupted sleep during the previous night, people wasted 8.4 minutes in online puttering
One day, I’d stop twisting my hair, and wearing running shoes all the time, and eating exactly the same food every day. I’d remember my friends’ birthdays, I’d learn Photoshop, I wouldn’t let my daugh...
Once I’ve spelled out the problem in words, the greater clarity usually helps me to spot a solution.
Obligers may struggle to monitor unless someone is checking on them.
Novelist Jean Rhys observed, One is born either to go with or to go against.
My research had revealed that challenge and novelty are key elements to happiness. The brain is stimulated by surprise, and successfully dealing with an unexpected situation gives a powerful sense of...
Keep it simple' wasn't always the right response. Many things that boosted my happiness also added complexity to my life. Having children. Learning to post videos to my website. Going to an out-of-tow...
It’s a Secret of Adulthood: The biggest waste of time is to do well something that we need not do at all.
It’s a Secret of Adulthood: If I give more to myself, I can ask more from myself. Self-regard isn’t selfish.