Keep Conversations Flowing With the FORD Method
Whether it’s at the salon or on a call to tech support, we’ve all been faced with the awkwardness of small talk. Even worse, many of us have run out of things to say. Well, there’s good news: The FORD method may be a way to never run out of…
Walt Disney Had a 3-Step Method for Crafting Visionary Ideas
According to the old adage, creativity is “99 percent perspiration and 1 percent inspiration.” Modern science disagrees. Psychologists break creativity into more distinct stages that move you from a subconscious swirl of ideas to a well-honed pitch. Effective creativity requires mastering each phase of this brainstorming process separately, and Walt Disney had a…
5 Sure-Fire Ways to Make Creativity Happen
Creativity is one of those nebulous concepts, like inspiration and motivation, that’s hard to capture but essential for success. While there are hundreds of books and articles claiming to share the one true path to creativity (we have our fair share of them, we admit), creativity isn’t a one-size-fits-all pursuit. It’s…
It’s OK to Put Play Before Work — Research Says So
We’ve all grown up with the same idea: Work comes first, leisure comes second. Right? It’s sort of established worldwide that you have to do the hard stuff before you can do the fun stuff. There’s really no choice about it — homework before video games, veggies before dessert, et…
One Unusual Way to Unblock Your Creativity: Borrow a 4-Year-Old
If you’re suffering from a creative block of some kind, the internet isn’t short on suggestions. There are journals to buy, TED talks to watch, and artists’ advice to read, all purporting to help you get your creative mojo back. But perhaps the sweetest, freshest solution for this problem comes…
To Feel Happier at Work, Stop Hiding the Real You
At work, it’s healthier and more productive just to be yourself, according to a new study. The study examines 65 studies focusing on what happens after people in a workplace disclose a stigmatized identity, such as sexual orientation, mental illness, physical disability, or pregnancy.Eden King, a coauthor of the study…
Yes, You Can Ask for too Much Advice, According to a Harvard Study
Asking more experienced colleagues for advice at work can help you avoid major screwups. But most of us have many experienced colleagues — so should we ask a couple of them for advice about each thing, the same way you’d look at a couple of reviews before you buy a…
You Use 3 Strategies to Predict the Actions of People Around You
People use three methods to reduce social uncertainty, according to a new paper.The perspective paper establishes a framework to apply rigorous mathematical models of uncertainty originally developed for non-social situations, such as whether or not to purchase a lottery ticket, to social scenarios such as determining an interviewer’s opinion of…
4 Reasons Successful CEOs Make Time for Hobbies
Whether they crash and burn like Elizabeth Holmes or succeed beyond anyone’s wildest dreams like Steve Jobs, we’re obsessed with CEOs — what they wear (black turtlenecks!), when they wake up every morning (early!), and especially how they manage their time. They have enough work to fill every hour of…
You Can Build “Deep Work” Skills to Increase Productivity
In a world full of distractions, maintaining focus is a tall order. You’ve probably already gotten a new notification on your phone since opening this article. Not your fault. The key to increasing your productivity and actually getting things done without Instagram likes and group texts getting in the way…