1. Make Your Life Better by Saying Thank You in These 7 Situations
This post explains the power of a simple phrase: thank you. It also discusses a variety of situations when we should say thank you, but usually say something else instead.
2. The Evolution of Anxiety: Why We Worry and What to Do About It
This article discusses how our evolutionary instincts clash with the modern world and what this means for anxiety, stress, and worry. I'm proud of this one because of how I was able to blend science, practical application, and fun hand-drawn images. My best articles tend to be ones that are educational, entertaining, and useful.
3. The Akrasia Effect: Why We Don’t Follow Through on What We Set Out to Do and What to Do About It
This article shares the story of the famous author, Victor Hugo, and the totally-strange-but-somehow-effective strategy he used to overcome his chronic procrastination. Throughout the post, I weave in some interesting scientific insights about why we procrastinate and what we can do about it.
4. The Downside of Work-Life Balance
A few years ago, I came across this interesting concept about work-life balance called The Four Burners Theory. In this article, I finally got around to writing about it, and I lay out three different approaches I have used for dealing with the fundamental tradeoffs of life and work.
5. Motivation is Overvalued. Environment Often Matters More.
The power of the environment is one of my favorite themes when it comes to discussing our habits and behavior. This article examines how environment has shaped the course of humanity over the centuries and then dives into the practical application of these ideas for our modern world.