Productivity tips from the pros
If you’re struggling to get things done, there are lots of tips from psychology professionals to boost your productivity. Psychology Today collected some of the best a few years ago, and we’ve been trying them out at Mindapples and with our corporate clients. Here are our favourites: Avoid multitasking. Block out time when you avoid […]
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How to be happy
Mindapples doesn’t write much about happiness (there are plenty of fine organisations around doing that); instead we focus on mental health, feeling at home in your head, and accepting whatever feelings you have. Wanting to be happier is a perfectly good goal though, and most of the things positive psychologists and happiness campaigners advocate can […]
Continue reading Can you catch happiness?
If you had a virus you would probably want to avoid passing it on to friends and colleagues, but did you know emotion travels over social networks in much the same way viruses do? That’s not to say emotions are like diseases of course: being grumpy won’t make you or the people around you sick. […]
Continue reading Should you explain your decisions?
When we make decisions, we often spend time weighing up the pros and cons and thinking through the reasons for our choices. While this can make us feel like we are deciding carefully, findings from psychology studies suggest that this doesn’t always lead to making the best decisions. Wilson and colleagues carried out an experiment […]
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Drink water! What dehydration does to your mind
We all know water is good for us, and it’s certainly easy to get hold of it, but we don’t often stop to think about how beneficial it can be, not just for our physical health, but for our minds too. Recent research shows that dehydration not only affects our physical wellbeing, but also our […]
Continue reading What can you do about a bad mood?
We all find ourselves in a bad mood from time to time. The triggers and stresses may vary, but understanding what’s going on in our mind and body can make it easier to deal with it. Some psychologists believe a bad mood can be caused by ‘ego depletion’ – a form of mental tiredness – […]
Continue reading Kindness is good for you
Being kind to other people is officially good for you – and it seems it’s all down to a nerve that links social contact with positive emotions. The vagus nerve links directly to nerves that tune our ears to human speech, coordinate eye contact and regulate emotional expressions. It influences the release of oxytocin, a […]
Continue reading The Downsides of Emotional Intelligence
Emotional intelligence is often touted as the key to personal and professional success, but it can also have its dark side. Research suggests that when people have self-serving motives, emotional intelligence can become a weapon for manipulating others. In a work context, employees who engage in the most harmful behaviour often possess high emotional intelligence, […]
Continue reading How to think like Sherlock Holmes
Most of us want to be smarter. The idea of being able to analyse situations more accurately, spot things others have missed, is appealing – like being a star detective. Maria Konnikova, author of Mastermind: How to Think Like Sherlock Holmes, has been exploring how our minds make deductions and come to conclusions, and how […]
Continue reading How to stay motivated
Next time you’re struggling to stay motivated and focused it might be worth taking a fresh look at why. Research suggests that it is likely to be because you feel forced, can’t see the point of the activity or doubt your own capabilities Studies show that we are more motivated when we feel in control. […]
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