By Adam Alter We may think that we make our own decisions and think our own thoughts. However, we are strongly influenced by cues in our environment, often without realizing it. Drunk Tank Pink explores interesting associations between “hidden forces” and behavior, including: colors, names, locations, the weather, and the presence of other people. Here… Continue Reading
Let’s say you have something to do, and you’re not feeling motivated to work on it. Here’s usually why: It doesn’t fit my goals It isn’t interesting It’s so easy, I’ll just do it later It’s so hard, I can’t get it done (well enough, on time, or maybe ever) I’m too distracted It’s not… Continue Reading
Not that this would ever happen to you, but sometimes I find myself with some project that really needs doing, that has needed doing for a while now, and that just won’t get done. Part 2 | Hopelessly Behind? Catch Up Anyway The fix: catch up with a (2+1)✕5 Schedule (your numbers may vary). For… Continue Reading
Let’s say, just for the sake of realism, that there are more things to do in your day than you can get done. Or maybe you just don’t feel like doing the stuff on your list. How to fix? Part 1 | Fend Off the Distractions List your distractions, for example: being sidetracked with email,… Continue Reading
What to do when you’re trying to get people motivated to learn something? A colleague and I were just teaching a 2-day class for adults in a large organization. They are all trainers or training evaluators, and we were teaching them how to use a new rubric for evaluating instructors. The rubric is based on… Continue Reading
Years ago, a friend of mine went to traffic school. Afterward, she said she learned something useful: Most red lights last no longer than 3 minutes. Armed with that small revelation, she said she would stop for them sooner in the future. Since then, I’ve used this same logic to help with little things I… Continue Reading
By Prochaska, Norcross, and DiClemente After decades of clinical research, Prochaska, Norcross & DiClemente discovered a consistent process that successful “self-changers” use to overcome bad habits. One way they were able to identify this process was by studying people who quit smoking on their own. The six-stage program works for a wide range of behaviors,… Continue Reading
When I was still in grade school, I read Anne Frank’s diary. After that, I started to write. I kept it up through childhood, boyfriends, university days, family changes, work life, and the general ups and downs of the past many years. Photo © Jeanne Farrington Journaling is great for (at least) these things: learning,… Continue Reading
Last month I decided to walk at least 48 miles for exercise. I needed a boost, and setting a goal and tracking progress seemed a good remedy. I came up with 7 steps to make it happen. Photo © Jeanne Farrington Walking. As soon as I set the goal, I wanted to beat it. And… Continue Reading
By Steven Pressfield For the 95% of us who (at least sometimes) procrastinate, what Steven Pressfield calls the “Resistance” often gets in the way. Whatever form your creativity takes, this book describes the insidious way that Resistance causes mischief, and it provides helpful suggestions for moving forward. Here are just a few suggestions from The… Continue Reading
