Have you ever found yourself thinking about loved ones during a boring meeting? Or going over the plot of a movie you recently watched during a drive to the supermarket? This is the cognitive phenomenon known as “mind wandering”. Research suggests it can account for up to 50% of our waking cognition (our mental processes when awake) […] … learn more→
Blog Archives
It’s normal for your mind to wander. Here’s how to maximise the benefits
1 in 3 people are lonely. Will AI help, or make things worse?
ChatGPT has repeatedly made headlines since its release late last year, with various scholars and professionals exploring its potential applications in both work and education settings. However, one area receiving less attention is the tool’s usefulness as a conversationalist and – dare we say – as a potential friend. Some chatbots have left an unsettling impression. Microsoft’s Bing chatbot […] … learn more→
Active or overscheduled kids? How parents can consider benefits and risks of extracurricular activities
From hockey and dance to chess club, families can be pulled in many extracurricular directions. It’s easy for parents to be overwhelmed by the choices of activities for their child — or also, how accessible these are, for reasons like financial barriers or transportation challenges. In the midst of this, parents receive advice to ensure their kids move […] … learn more→
‘Mum, Dad, I’m bored!’ How to teach children to manage their own boredom these holidays
As the holidays progress, parents will no doubt be hearing a classic line from their kids: “I’m boooooored”. We all get bored from time to time and there is nothing particularly wrong with feeling bored. In fact, it is a useful emotion because it is helps us reflect and make changes to what we’re doing […] … learn more→
Why some amateur athletes are giving up on smartwatches
Measuring the number of steps you take every day; tracking your heart rate, your pace or average ascent while jogging; memorizing the total distance you cycle over the course of a year and sharing it with an online community. These practices have become commonplace in the world of sport, even for amateurs. This digitization of […] … learn more→
How to get the most out of a visit to an art gallery with kids
In our house we have a favourite story about the time our toddler was dragged from the National Portrait Gallery kicking and screaming “I want to see more paintings!!!” She needed lunch, we had to go, but she really loved the “Nick Cave Gallery”, as she called it, with his luminous portrait by Howard Arkley on display. […] … learn more→
The curious joy of being wrong – intellectual humility means being open to new information and willing to change your mind
Mark Twain apocryphally said, “I’m in favor of progress; it’s change I don’t like.” This quote pithily underscores the human tendency to desire growth while also harboring strong resistance to the hard work that comes with it. I can certainly resonate with this sentiment. I was raised in a conservative evangelical home. Like many who […] … learn more→
What is ‘speedwatching’ and what are its effects?
Surely we have all heard an audio message sent by a messaging service like WhatsApp at a higher speed than normal. Maybe we were in a hurry, the message was long or the person sending it spoke slowly. It is also possible that we have advanced a fragment of a movie or series at a higher speed to be […] … learn more→
Relax – having different sleeping arrangements over the holidays probably won’t wreck your child’s sleep routine
Sleep, along with diet and physical activity, is one of the three pillars of good health. Good sleep makes it easier to grow, learn, perform, be happy, stay in our best weight range and generally be in the best mental and physical health. This is true for all humans but is particularly important with children. […] … learn more→
Top ways to create a more enjoyable lfestyle
Want a more enjoyable lifestyle? Most people do, but they tend to get caught up in the work-eat-sleep cycle of daily life. They neglect to put their own well-being and happiness first. With all the talk about work-life balance, it seems as if the vast majority of working adults emphasize the first half of the […] … learn more→