7 Habits to Be Present When Everything Feels Like It’s Moving Too Quickly (Busy People Listen Now)

What if you could think yourself to better health and a happier life—using the power of your brain and your body, not by asking the universe to do it for you? Science writer David Robson argues in The Expectation Effect that your brain’s predictions about your body, your health, your intellect, and your emotions are so powerful that they create your reality. By changing what your brain predicts, you can change the reality your brain creates for you and the limits it sets for you.

Drawing on extensive scientific research, the book explores the expectation effects that shape your health, determine how well you age and how long you live, and influence how you respond to stress. Throughout the guide, we’ll look at the strategies Robson recommends for stopping the negative outcomes of expectation effects and creating positive outcomes, and we’ll connect his ideas to what other experts say about how you can use these effects to improve your health and happiness.

Life is measured not in days or experiences, but in both the quantity and quality of time you spend with the people you love.

Writer and journalist Oliver Burkeman claims that humans make themselves miserable by mistakenly believing they should be able to get through all their tasks, to-dos, and chores in the time they’ve allotted them. The reality is that no matter what time management solutions they implement, humans will never have perfect control over how they spend their time. Instead, people must accept that they’ll never get as much done as they’d like and work within the parameters of a finite life. Burkeman suggests a few ways to do this that not only relieve us of the guilt of not getting everything done but also let us lead happier, more fulfilled lives.

In this guide, we’ll discuss some of the productivity solutions Burkeman feels are misguided and explore if they might have some merit. We’ll also connect his ideas to broader philosophical, scientific, and spiritual concepts about how to best use your time.

In Who Will Cry When You Die?, self-help guru Robin Sharma wants to know if you’ll feel happy with the life you’ve led when you’re on your deathbed. Sharma thinks that most people lead lives they’ll regret because they focus on the wrong things—success, money, fame—and none of the right things—family, community, love. If you think you might have end-of-life regrets, Sharma provides a collection of pithy life lessons and advice to help you seize control of your life and turn it into one you’ll look back on fondly.

We’ve grouped those lessons into eight broader tactics that will help you cope with adversity, build self-discipline, spread kindness, and more. You’ll come away with actionables you can implement daily to make your life better and background on the philosophies, ideologies, and science on which Sharma draws.

Everyone gets only 24 hours in a day. But how much more could you get done—and how much more life could you experience—if you could slow those hours down and ensure you’re getting the most out of every moment? Organizational psychologist Benjamin Hardy writes in Slipstream Time Hacking (2015) that you can do exactly that, moving more quickly to make time run more slowly.

In this guide, we’ll explore Hardy’s theory that you can increase the speed you’re traveling toward your goals while simultaneously decreasing the rate at which time seems to pass—effectively buying yourself more time to enjoy the ride. Along the way, we’ll look at how other psychology, physics, and even science fiction experts have explored the principles that Hardy incorporates into his method.

In today’s fast-paced world, our lives increasingly revolve around productivity, efficiency, and work. It’s now normal for many people to answer emails during dinner and pack their days with as many tasks as possible. Yet in Do Nothing, radio journalist Celeste Headlee argues that by trying to do too much, people are working less efficiently because the human brain isn’t designed to multitask or work without rest. In addition, the culture of overworking has led to worse health outcomes and increased social isolation.

So if all this work isn’t serving us, how can we end an addiction to productivity? And if not work, what should we be doing? Headlee’s solution is to embrace true leisure—doing things just for the fun of it. In this guide, we’ll explain the historical origins of the modern work addiction, how it impacts society, and what you can do to live a healthier life. We’ll also supplement Headlee’s ideas with more context on global labor trends and tips from other wellness and productivity experts.

Do you get irritated, angry, anxious, or emotional more easily than you would like? Mindfulness meditation may be worth trying. Being mindful means observing your thoughts and emotions as they arise, without succumbing to your typical kneejerk reactions. You discover the roots of your anger, greed, and selfishness, and you learn to banish these psychic irritants. Ultimately, you become more at peace, and friendlier to other people.

Mindfulness in Plain English is an approachable introduction to mindfulness and meditation. These are practical tips and truly written in plain English with little spiritual mumbo-jumbo. Inside are practical tips on how to start meditating and deal with common problems.

Are you curious about mindfulness but don’t know where to start? Are you trying to reinvigorate a mindfulness practice that’s feeling stale? Wherever You Go, There You Are, by Jon Kabat-Zinn, is a guide for anyone who’s interested in exploring mindfulness further, from the tentative beginner to the seasoned practitioner.

Kabat-Zinn is a meditation teacher often credited with bringing mindfulness practice into mainstream public awareness. Wherever You Go, There You Are, which reviewers call a “must-read,” is full of Kabat-Zinn’s reflections on mindfulness and practical strategies for how to incorporate it more intentionally into your life.

In this guide, we’ll explain what mindfulness is (and isn’t) and why Kabat-Zinn believes it’s so crucial to living well. We’ll also outline some simple ways to introduce mindfulness into your daily life. Throughout the guide, we’ll supplement Kabat-Zinn’s advice with strategies and reflections from other mindfulness experts and provide background information on current psychological research on mindfulness.

The Power of Now proposes that the only way to reach true peace and fulfillment is through being completely present in each moment you experience. There is a part of our mind, called the ego, that derails us by ruminating on the past, speculating about the future, clinging to our painful experiences, and insisting that we will be happy and fulfilled if we can just achieve this goal.

The Power of Now reveals that inner peace and happiness can’t be found in anything external, but rather must be found within by being present. Learn tips and methods for quieting your thoughts and fears to find fulfillment through presence.

Do you feel overwhelmed by assignments, meetings, and obligations? Are you constantly interrupted by email, social media, and the urge to follow every headline? Does it feel like there’s never enough time in the day, and none for what you really want to do?

In Make Time, Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky argue that we live in an information landscape designed to steal our time and attention. In order to escape from all of our modern distractions, you must be proactive to take back your time. The authors offer tips, tricks, and hacks to reclaim control of your day-to-day life and make time for the things that matter most.

This guide provides an overview of the lifestyle adjustments Knapp and Zeratsky recommend while examining their benefits and practicality. We also explore research on the effects of the modern world on the mind and body and how other experts on motivation and time management suggest you refocus your energy and your life.

In a world in which we’re constantly bombarded with noise and information, it’s more important than ever to schedule a little quiet time.

In today’s hustle culture, many people think the only way to live a productive and rewarding life is to work as hard as possible. This idea is so ingrained in our culture that many work to the point of near-constant exhaustion, sacrificing their mental and physical health. But according to business strategist Greg McKeown, there’s an easier way to get the most out of your time and effort. In Effortless, he expands on this one simple truth: Achieving your goals doesn’t have to be so hard. By simply taking the easiest path, we can be healthier, happier, and more productive.

In our guide, we’ll lay out McKeown’s argument that the easiest path to success is the most viable, and we’ll provide actionable advice on how to implement this idea into your daily life. We’ll also further explore McKeown’s main points by comparing and contrasting them to other ideas in books on productivity and happiness.