Anne-Laure Le Cunff What do astrology, aura reading, fortune telling, cold reading, and some personality tests such as the MBTI have in common? They all exploit the Barnum Effect to convince people that the generated statements are personal to them. The statements are so vague, we interpret our own meaning, sometimes feeling in awe of their accuracy. “That’s …
Read moreThe Barnum Effect: why we love astrology and personality tests
FEATURED TOOL Welcome to a new edition of our tools for thought series! We had the pleasure to chat with Bill Harding, one of the minds behind Amplenote, a note-taking app “to write things down and get them done.” Bill is the CEO of Alloy.dev, which builds productivity tools for busy people. Amplenote’s parent company …
You may think your likes and dislikes are formed through rational decision-making. After all— whether it is books, movies, music, food, romantic partners, or fashion—your tastes are a defining part of your identity. But the reality is more complicated than that. Our genes, our culture, and our experiences define why we like what we like. …
Journaling offers many benefits, including improved mood, fewer stress-related visits to the doctor, feeling of greater psychological well-being, reduced depressive symptoms and absenteeism from work, improved working memory, and more. However, many people struggle to build a journaling habit. The blank page of a journal can feel daunting, and many journaling methods assume a well-ingrained …
Read more90 journaling prompts to spark new personal insights
FEATURED TOOL Welcome to this edition of our interview series, where we ask founders of tools for thought about their vision, mission, and strategies to think better. This interview doesn’t feature one, but two founders—Connor Neblett and Tobias Whetton, who created Supernotes when they were students. Supernotes is a fresh take on note-taking apps, based …
We often tend to prefer complex solutions over simple ones; complicated marketing jargon over clear explanations; multi-steps implementations over more direct execution. Complexity can lend an aura of authority to products, which marketers are exploiting to project authority and expertise. Complex processes can also delay decision-making, giving us the illusion of productivity. Why is it …
Read moreThe power of simplicity: how to manage our complexity bias
Do you sometimes feel like you must achieve demanding goals in order to be happy and successful? That you must deliver the best work or get the best grades; that you must educate the most well-behaved children; that you must follow the perfect diet or exercise routine? Anything but perfection is not good enough. Well, …
Burnout has been traditionally defined as a combination of exhaustion, cynicism, and inefficiency. When we are burned out, we don’t have the emotional energy to invest ourselves into work, we distance ourselves from colleagues and customers, and we may feel incompetent as a result. While the dimensions of exhaustion, cynicism and inefficiency give us a …
A virtually infinite number of productivity books have been published, each with their own frameworks, strategies, and sometimes magical formulas to be more productive and more creative. Very few of these books combine productivity, creativity, and mental health. How do you get started if you want to achieve more, but don’t want to burn out …
Read moreThe mindful productivity audit: 10 questions to improve your well-being at work
FEATURED TOOL When it comes to note-taking apps and productivity tools, a major complaint people have is the sheer number of options and how complex our systems can quickly become. Enter Notion, one tool for notes, docs, projects, and wikis that’s completely customizable—for you, your team, or your whole company. From roadmaps to content calendars …
Read moreBuilding the world’s most customizable workspace with Ivan Zhao, co-founder of Notion