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Allow small tasks to accumulate until you can efficiently complete them in batches

Instead of tackling every small task as soon as it arises, you can gather similar tasks and do them all at once. This is called “batching,” and it helps you spend less time starting and finishing work. For example, if you make all your phone calls at one time of the day, you stay in the same mindset and don’t have to constantly switch between different types of tasks. This way, you not only work faster but also feel less mentally burdened.

A good example of batching is how you handle emails. Instead of constantly checking your inbox and responding to every new email immediately, you can choose to check and respond to your emails at set times of the day. This way, your day isn’t constantly interrupted by new messages, and you can better focus on more important tasks. By applying batching, you create a calmer and more focused work rhythm, allowing you to ultimately get more done and experience less stress.

In general, people perform better in the morning hours than later in the day

This is related to your internal biological clock and how your body naturally works. Chronobiology - the science that looks at your biological rhythms - shows that you go through different cycles throughout the day that affect how alert you are and how well you perform. These natural rhythms (also called ultradian rhythms) ensure that your energy and focus do not remain at the same level all day.

Research confirms that your productivity is indeed higher in the morning than in the afternoon, and you can use this natural variation to work more efficiently. This pattern is related to various biological processes in your body, such as your hormone production and body temperature, which are optimal for mental performance in the morning. Although there are individual differences in chronotype - some people are naturally more morning or evening people - for most people, their cognitive abilities are at their peak in the first half of the day.

By consciously using this natural productivity cycle, you can better organize your workday. It is therefore wise to schedule the heaviest and most important tasks in the morning hours when your concentration and mental energy are at their best. This insight from chronobiology provides you with a scientific basis to improve your daily planning and work routines.

Creative tasks are best done while low on energy

When you have less energy, it can change your way of thinking and promote creativity. You are less likely to stick to usual thought patterns and more open to unexpected ideas. Research shows that people are often better at solving problems when they are less alert, such as at times of the day when they don’t feel at their best.

Being creative means being able to make connections between things that seem unrelated at first glance. This is easier when you are less focused, as your mind can wander more freely and form new ideas. Sometimes it helps to let a problem rest for a while, so the solution emerges on its own. When you have less energy, you are less inclined to focus on direct, logical solutions and can instead make room for innovative ideas.

It may seem strange to do creative tasks when you don’t feel energetic, but that’s when surprising and original ideas can arise. Creativity doesn’t always come from hard work and focus; it can flourish when you are relaxed and less alert. By consciously choosing low-energy moments for creative tasks, you can take advantage of your mind’s natural tendency to make new and unusual connections.

Our go-to approach for problem-solving is to incorporate something new, rather than eliminate something existing

This phenomenon, also known as “elimination neglect” or “subtraction neglect,” is deeply rooted in our basic cognition. Research by Gabrielle S. Adams of the University of Virginia and her colleagues shows that people tend to add complexity rather than reduce it when faced with problems. This pattern has been consistently demonstrated in a series of 8 studies, where participants systematically overlooked that removing elements could be an effective solution.

This “addition bias” manifests in various contexts, such as building Lego models, planning trips, and even improving universities. People tend to add more layers of complexity, often leading to overcrowded schedules and inefficient processes. This behavior is not only limited to individual decisions but also occurs in group dynamics, such as meetings, where more and more items are added to the agenda without considering removing existing ones.

By becoming aware of this cognitive bias, individuals and organizations can learn to be more effective by considering what can be removed instead of added. This can result in simpler, more streamlined solutions that save both time and resources.

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.