Overcoming distraction is the struggle of our time. Here are 4 simple steps to manage your wandering mind. | Continue reading
The idea of flow is considered by many to be the epitome of productivity. Also known as “being in the zone” or “hitting your stride,” flow captivates us with its promise of becoming so absorbed in what we’re doing that we tackle tasks effortlessly. That magical zone is great when … | Continue reading
A precommitment pact involves removing a future choice, as a way to overcome impulsivity and distraction. Here are a couple famous examples. | Continue reading
Ego depletion theory says that willpower uses a reservoir of mental energy. Psychologists have thought it's why we run out of willpower. Here's why I disagree. | Continue reading
Social media can be addictive, but not as much as you think, and it doesn't help to label people as addicts. Here's what you need to know. | Continue reading
We’ve been thinking about motivation all wrong. Once I figured out how motivation works, I was able to overcome procrastination and get to work. | Continue reading
Saying no to tasks and interruptions isn’t always possible, whether they come from your spouse or manager. Here’s a better way to stay productive. | Continue reading
Having trouble when clicking links in the emails we send you? This short guide will help. | Continue reading
An op-ed in the New York Times recently decried ‘dark patterns’ websites use to manipulate users… but have you ever tried canceling your NY Times subscription? | Continue reading
Will Snapchat and TikTok turn kids into hollow-eyed zombies? What we can learn about tech addiction laws from this campy 1936 anti-marijuana propaganda. | Continue reading
Most reviews of this film gobbled up its dark warnings about social media, but as an expert on habit-forming products, I think the film is dangerously wrong. | Continue reading
Are we using behavioral design to ethically manipulate others for good? How do change behavior through ethical manipulation? | Continue reading
Does too much screen time make your attention span shorter than a goldfish? Is technology addiction real? The media seems to think so. We looked into it. | Continue reading
Inbox overflowing? Take 4 simple steps to radically improve email management and tame the beast. By author and behavioral design expert Nir Eyal. | Continue reading
Nir's Note: This guest post is by Gibson Biddle, former VP at Netflix and CPO at Chegg. Gibson is speaking at the Habit Summit in San Francisco on April 11th. In 2005, as I joined Netflix as VP of Product, I asked Reed Hastings, the CEO, what he hoped his legacy would be. His … | Continue reading
Productive habits are behaviors that get you what you want in life with little effort, and can be formed easily in order to achieve your full potential. | Continue reading
The “fundamental attribution error”—our bias to judge others differently from how we judge ourselves—can be both beneficial and dangerous. Here's how to best deal with it. | Continue reading
We tend to choose smaller rewards now, rather than larger rewards later (hyperbolic discounting). Here's why we do it and how to help out your future self. | Continue reading
Why are some kids seemingly obsessed with playing video games? Should parents be concerned? Researchers find kids sometimes turn to the virtual world to fulfill unmet psychological needs. | Continue reading
Hooks are a series of experiences that products use to create beneficial user habits. Through Hooks, products can increase user engagement. | Continue reading
Bestselling author and game designer Jane McGonigal, discusses the impact of future technologies on behavior, habits, and the way we design products. | Continue reading
There’s only one reason the tech giants are developing new ways to help you cut back on your phone use—it’s good for business. | Continue reading
Is social media really destroying the mental health of a generation, making them depressed and suicidal, like many recent headlines would have you believe? In this article I take a look at what exactly the research shows. | Continue reading
Online persuasion techniques are not the problem per se. Rather, how these methods are applied makes the difference between whether a product is helpful and hurtful. How can businesses use online persuasion ethically? Nir Eyal proposes a new ethical bar he calls the, "Regret Test … | Continue reading