The Best of Greater Good

Our brain's cognitive biases enable us to put off important tasks, even though it hurts us later. But are there benefits to procrastination?

«If procrastination is seriously interfering with your life, you may want to start chopping tasks into smaller pieces and set rewards after each step.»

You're not alone if you're feeling dread and anxiety about climate change. A new book explains how to channel these feelings to fight for a better world.

Our team names the most provocative and influential findings published during this past year.

«Our findings suggest that simply appreciating one’s experiences can foster a rich sense of meaning and perhaps shore up confidence that life has been and will be worth living,»

A new book by Cassie Holmes provides ideas for how to fill our days with happier, more meaningful moments.

«most people, doing an exercise like this makes them realize that the biggest source of happiness and meaning in life is their relationships»

Receiving feedback (positive and negative) helps us feel engaged, connected, and satisfied at work.

«Pay attention to your non-verbals and facial expressions when you deliver feedback. How you say things is just as important as what you’re saying.»

Research suggests that we need to overcome some emotional and cognitive barriers if we’re to learn from our defeats—but it can be done.

«Failure bruises the ego, that metaphorical seat of our self-esteem and self-importance. When we fail, we feel threatened—and that sense of threat can trigger a fight-or-flight response.»

Americans say thanks a lot, but other cultures may have a deeper understanding of gratitude.

When was the last time you spent a moment savoring silence? Tricia Hersey, aka The Nap Bishop, guides us through an appreciation of silence and its restorative powers.

A research review finds that employees who are motivated to be kind and helpful tend to have higher well-being at work.

Small, everyday experiments can help us reach our goals and get better at the skills that are important to us.

«your focus is on getting better than you were in the past (rather than being preoccupied with whether you are better than others)»

There's a different way to practice self-compassion if the typical reflective exercises don't work so well for you.

«backdraft.” Backdraft happens when you try to be compassionate to yourself and end up feeling worse. “It’s a normal part of practicing self-compassion»

Before you try any tips to reduce anxiety, you have to understand your own anxiety routines, a new book argues.

«The only sustainable way to change a habit is to update its reward value,»

When we have a variety of social interactions—with not just intimates, but acquaintances and strangers—we may be happier and healthier for it.

«She suggests reaching out to old friends, joining a class, having an extra meeting with a colleague to touch base, or chatting with the grocery store cashier»

A recent study shows that small kindnesses have more of an effect on people than we expect.

When life is uncertain, our usual responses and coping strategies might not always work. The practice of mental agility can help us be resilient.

«It comes down to the choice of stick or switch: Should I keep pursuing the same thoughts, feelings, and actions, or do I need to switch to something new?»

New research on empathic joy points the way to closer intimate relationships.

«At its core, the principle of compersion relies on the dissolution of the perception of separation between self and other.»

When we're waiting, we often have the urge to distract ourselves—but a new study finds we’d enjoy doing nothing but think.

«there were no significant differences between those who waited with or without a computer; both groups liked the experience equally.»

Researcher Robb Rutledge says that expecting too much of your future experiences, including vacations, may be contributing to unhappiness.

If you have a tendency to worry about worst-case scenarios, it's possible to get your brain on a different track.

«Catastrophizing is a tendency to assume the worst will happen when imagining a future situation»