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Spiritual and social values make us happier than self-interest

People who value spiritual values and social relationships are much happier than those who focus mainly on their own achievements and possessions. How happy you are is directly related to what you value: spirituality is at the top, followed by your social relationships, your physical health, and lastly external achievements like money and status. This pattern shows that the more you focus only on yourself, the less happy you become.

This is because we are naturally social beings. People who prioritize their family and friends over their own well-being are ultimately happier than those who focus mainly on their own needs. Spirituality is seen as the least egocentric value because it helps you look beyond yourself, which psychologists call ‘self-transcendence’. In contrast, external achievements like career success and material possessions are the most self-centered values, which explains why they contribute the least to your sense of happiness.

This does not mean that personal goals and physical health are unimportant, but that they work best as part of a broader perspective where connection with others and meaningful values are central. Developing spiritual growth and investing in deep social relationships are therefore the most reliable paths to sustainable happiness.

There is no evidence of any effects of growth mindset interventions on academic achievement

While the concept of a growth mindset, as popularized by Carol Dweck, suggests that people can develop their basic abilities through dedication and hard work, a critical analysis of the literature shows that interventions designed to promote this mindset often do not lead to significant improvements in academic performance. This may be due to inadequate research, poor reporting, and bias in the studies evaluating the effectiveness of these interventions.

It is important to emphasize that the lack of evidence for the effectiveness of growth mindset interventions does not mean that the growth mindset itself has no value. The core ideas of the growth mindset, such as the belief that skills can be developed and that effort leads to improvement, can still be valuable for personal development and motivation. However, the specific programs and interventions designed to promote this mindset do not consistently result in improved academic performance, suggesting that there may be other factors at play that limit the effectiveness of these interventions.

A habit is unconscious behaviour that is automatically triggered by an impulse

A habit has two parts: an impulse, and the behaviour that follows it. The impulse comes from a cue in your surroundings or in your head, and the behaviour arrives without you deciding anything about it. You only notice it when it does not happen. Not washing your hands after using the toilet, or going to bed without flossing, feels uncomfortable, and that discomfort is the proof that the behaviour no longer rests on a choice.

A habit like that is learned, not innate. That is exactly why it is useful: once the behaviour runs automatically, your attention is free for something else. Your brain outsources it, the way you stop thinking about changing gear after years of driving. So habits are not evidence of discipline, but of something that no longer needs discipline.

From that follows the limit that is easy to forget: not every behaviour can become a habit. Anything that asks for a judgement each time, or consists of a series of steps you have to think about, keeps demanding attention. That is a routine you run deliberately, not a habit that starts by itself. If you want something to become truly automatic, keep the behaviour small and attach it to a cue that comes back in the same place every day.

We pick up our phones over 350 times per day, almost four times more than in 2019

In recent years, our phone usage has increased significantly. Do you know what research shows? We pick up our phones on average more than 350 times a day! That means you reach for your device approximately every two minutes and 43 seconds. These figures are almost four times higher than in 2019, when we checked our phones on average only 96 times a day. This increase is partly due to changes in our daily lives and how we work since COVID-19, with much more online communication.

The increase in phone usage has various causes, including phone addiction. Social media and other apps are designed to capture your attention, making it easy to get distracted. The constant need to stay connected and not miss out makes it difficult to put your phone down. Additionally, notifications constantly interrupt your activities, explaining why you reach for your phone so often.

This trend also affects your productivity and mental health. Constantly switching between tasks and checking your phone makes you work less efficiently and experience more stress. Although technology has improved our lives in many ways, it’s important to be mindful of your phone usage and also take time to digitally unwind. By paying better attention to how often you use your phone, you can find a better balance between being online and offline.

A 5-minute unstructured break is enough to regain your focus

A 5-minute unstructured break can be sufficient to restore your concentration. Research from the University of Sydney has shown that a short interruption of just five minutes, without specific activities or structure, is enough to bring your attention back to optimal levels. This means you don’t necessarily have to take a walk or watch a relaxing video; simply doing nothing for a short period can be effective. This finding supports the theory that a short, unstructured break is a powerful way to combat mental fatigue and increase productivity.

The attention restoration theory suggests that our brains need periodic rest to function optimally. Unstructured breaks, where you step away from your work without specific tasks or goals, can help restore your cognitive resources. These types of breaks offer a moment of mental rest and can therefore contribute to better focus and concentration when you return to work. It is a simple but effective strategy to improve the quality of your work without needing extensive or planned activities.

Even a single guided meditation of ten minutes can help you concentrate better

Research shows that mindfulness meditation, even in short sessions, helps you distribute your attention better. This means that your brain handles the attention needed for difficult tasks more efficiently. In a study, people who meditated briefly performed better on attention tests, such as the Flanker Task and the Attention Network Test, without their reaction time worsening. This shows that meditation helps you concentrate better, even if you don’t have much experience with it yet. Although we don’t know exactly how long this improved concentration lasts, the results suggest that even a short meditation can enhance your concentration ability.

Active noise-cancelling headphones have no effect on your ability to concentrate in open office spaces

Noise-cancelling headphones are often seen as the solution to distractions in open offices. They are designed to muffle ambient noise so you can concentrate better. But you know what’s funny? Research shows that even though you think your concentration improves with such headphones, there is actually no real difference in how well you can focus. You might feel calmer, but you’re not really more productive or focused.

In open offices, where it’s often very noisy, noise-cancelling headphones serve another purpose. They are actually a kind of “do not disturb” sign for your colleagues. If you’re wearing such headphones, your colleagues are less likely to approach you for a chat. That helps a bit against distractions. But the real problem of all the noise around you remains. And because your concentration doesn’t really improve, it remains difficult to work well in such an environment.

More money will make you happier

Research shows that there is a correlation between income and happiness, but this relationship is complex and not straightforward. According to a study by Kahneman and Deaton (2010), happiness increases with income up to a certain point, after which the effect diminishes. This means that there is a threshold above which additional income does not significantly contribute to more happiness. On the other hand, research by Killingsworth (2021) indicates that happiness continues to increase with income, even at higher income levels. However, this effect is stronger among people who are already happier.

A joint reanalysis of these studies showed that the level of happiness mainly stabilizes among the least happy 20% of people. For the rest of the population, happiness continues to increase with higher income, and among the happiest people, this effect even accelerates. This means that the relationship between income and happiness is not the same for everyone and depends on how happy someone already is. The misinterpretation of earlier studies may partly be due to limitations in research methods and the way happiness was measured.

Money is not the only factor that contributes to happiness, but a higher income can help. It provides financial security, better healthcare, and more opportunities for relaxation and personal growth. However, the pursuit of more money can also lead to constant comparison with wealthier people, which can make you unhappy. Therefore, it is important to find a balance between financial goals and other sources of happiness, such as friendships and personal fulfillment.

A four-day workweek improves employee well-being without reducing productivity

Research shows that employees who work fewer hours experience less stress and are less likely to burn out. During a trial period, 39% of employees reported feeling less stressed, and 71% reported fewer burnout symptoms. Issues such as anxiety, fatigue, and sleep problems also decreased, while their mental and physical health improved. This indicates that shorter workweeks can be beneficial for employee well-being.

In terms of productivity, the results of shorter workweeks show that productivity does not always decline. In some cases, company revenues remained stable or even increased slightly, with an average increase of 1.4% during the trial period. Compared to previous years, companies saw an average revenue increase of 35%, indicating healthy growth despite the shorter workweek. Although employees work fewer hours in a four-day workweek, the better work-life balance and improved well-being can lead to a productivity increase of about 10%.

While the results are promising, there is still some criticism regarding the long-term impact on productivity. The trial periods were relatively short, and it is possible that the positive effects are partly due to work done before the trial. Nevertheless, the findings suggest that a four-day workweek could be a viable option for companies looking to improve employee well-being without significant negative impacts on productivity.

Workers lose 9% of their time at work by toggling roughly 1200 times per day between applications and websites

Employees lose nearly four hours a week due to constantly switching between different apps. This may seem inevitable in a digital work environment, but it often results from choices companies make about how they organize their work and what software they use.

For many employees, there is no easy way to avoid the constant switching between documents, websites, and apps. This is because their tasks are often designed in such a way that they need to use multiple programs, and most business programs do not work well together.

To solve this problem, leaders need to invest in better software solutions and focus on the user experience. This way, employees can work more efficiently without unnecessary time loss.