The Brain at Work

Everything you need to know about the brain at work — from exercise to stay mentally fit to the latest advances in psychology and neuroscience to boost your success, motivation, happiness, and productivity.

By Ladders

Art
Study reveals why we find some art more beautiful than others
Ladders - CW Headley
When contemplating the subjective nature of expression, everyone loves to cite Kipling’s The Conundrum of the Workshop, specifically the bit where …
15 hours ago
Success
‘I’ll have what she’s having’ – how and why we copy the choices of others
Ladders - Kelly L. Haws and Brent McFerran and Peggy Liu
Imagine you’re dining out at a casual restaurant with some friends. After looking over the menu, you decide to order the steak. But then, after a …
4 days ago
Success
This is how to age with elegance
Ladders - John P. Weiss
Imagine being born in 1911 to a peasant Sikh family in Punjab, India. Your legs are so frail that you’re unable to walk until the age of five. The …
September 10
Work-life Balance
50 tips to get people to like you without pleasing others
Ladders - Prakhar Verma
Robots will replace humans soon.They will take away most of the jobs from us.How will you survive?While robots can do IQ tasks better than humans, we …
September 10
Hippocampus
Study: The reason some memories last longer than others
Ladders - CW Headley
Clive Wearing is an exceptional musicologist; founder of the Europa Singers of London, a seasoned conductor and an accomplished tenor lay clerk of …
September 5
Success
This study proves that women have better memories than men (so there)
Ladders - Sheila McClear
Are you and your husband arguing over past events again, like that wedding in Maine last summer – did your sister-in-law serve lobster or shrimp? Or …
September 5
Books
Doing this pleasurable activity just 30 minutes a day can add years to your life
Ladders - CW Headley
I used to have this complex about literature where I’d only read terrible books because good books reminded me of how painfully prosaic I am. I read …
September 4
Success
A life lesson a lazy day taught me
Ladders - Nicolas Cole
Last Saturday I had a whole plan for how I was going to spend my day.I went to bed Friday night imagining how productive I was going to be. I had …
September 4
Diets
New study explains why children don’t respond to diets
Ladders - CW Headley
A new study highlights the behavioral mechanisms that influence weight gain. Previous research suggests rigid calorie-counting diets are often …
September 3
Success
2 snap judgements people make when they first meet you
Ladders - Travis Bradberry
Amy Cuddy, a psychologist at the Harvard Business School, has been studying first impressions for more than a decade. She and her colleagues found …
September 1
Science
The bold science and emotional impact of public and private ego
Ladders - Christopher D. Connors
A successful former colleague of mine is someone who publicly, is without any airs. Privately, she believes she should be in an even bigger position …
September 1
Wine
Gut check: This new study provides yet another healthy reason to enjoy red wine
Ladders - Sheila McClear
The reasons that red wine is good for you are manifold, in addition to its taste and the way it lends you an air of sophistication: in moderation, …
August 30
Cognition
You should refer to yourself in the third person a whole lot more, according to this study
Ladders - CW Headley
Having our speech and thoughts operate in unison is a cognitive talent we often take for granted as adults. Before the age of three, our thoughts or …
August 29
Audiobooks
Listen up! Study says book snobs aren’t better than people who prefer audiobooks
Ladders - Kyle Schnitzer
Being a book snob doesn’t make you any more of an elitist compared to those who enjoy audiobooks.If you prefer listening to audiobooks of daunting …
August 28
Work-life Balance
Wearing these two colors together will help you win every meeting
Ladders - Meredith Lepore
We know certain colors, especially when combined, can make you happier (or a better employee) but are there certain colors that will help you be the …
August 22
Amygdala
Research says this wellness practice may make you less of a stress mess
Ladders - CW Headley
Yoga and meditation, share the misfortune of an indelible association with the “pseudosciences.” Their journey into the Western mainstream is …
August 22
Work-life Balance
You should never paint your office these colors, according to experts
Ladders - Meredith Lepore
Looking for a new office color? Well, you definitely need to stay away from these two colors according to whiz kid home improvement brothers …
August 20
Work-life Balance
5 scientific ways you can make your brain agile
Ladders - Jane Burnett
What we know from neuroscience is this: to keep working, the brain needs exercise. It needs variation on daily habits, music, and other stimulation …
August 14
The dirty lowdown on anticipatory anxiety
Ladders - Ken Fields
Anticipatory anxiety is a discomforting and disquieting mind game you play on yourself.Here are a few examples: You’re going to the dentist and you …
August 11
Aging
Study: ‘Tickling’ could be the key in subverting the aging process
Ladders - CW Headley
Every year added to the global life expectancy is attended by a new biological riddle for experts to consider.Although our genetic inheritance …
August 7
Success
This quick daily habit will keep your brain sharp
Ladders - Nela Canovic
Here’s one thing you can do in 10 minutes or less that will keep your brain focused, sharp, and working optimally for you.Ask yourself one powerful …
August 7
Alzheimer's Disease
Researchers are developing blood test that could be game changer for predicting Alzheimer’s
Ladders - CW Headley
Virtually every new find that premiered at this year’s Alzheimer’s Association International Conference was cautioned with the same throat clearing …
August 6
Aging
New study finds the more weight you gain, the more your brain shrinks
Ladders - CW Headley
Recently, Ladders covered the inspired new finds that premiered at this years’ Alzheimer’s Association, international conference. Among a good many …
August 5
If you cheat on your spouse, you’re probably doing this at work
Ladders - Sheila McClear
Adulterers are twice as likely to also be involved in misdeeds in the workplace, according to new research from the McCombs School of Business at the …
August 2
Work-life Balance
This is how many solitary minutes you need to reset your overstimulated brain
Ladders - Monica Torres
For some of us, the idea of being alone with ourselves scares us more than any other challenge we’ll face in our life. Solitude scares us so much …
August 1
Turns out trash-talking in sports is surprisingly effective
Ladders - Sheila McClear
“I don’t talk [trash] about anybody’s mom, wife, kids, nothing like that; I just talk about that person and their game,” said basketball player …
July 31
Success
This study explains when it is OK to tell a lie
Ladders - CW Headley
Around the age of two, we become diverted by the concept of deception, though it often takes us a couple of years before we’ve worked out the …
July 31
9 signs you’re successful even if it doesn’t feel like it
Ladders - Travis Bradberry
If you ever worry that you’re not as successful as you should be, you may be evaluating yourself against the wrong criteria. If you’re ambitious, …
July 29
Learning
This 15-30 minute routine makes your brain healthier, younger, and smarter
Ladders - Benjamin P. Hardy
If you want to make your brain healthier, and if you want to become a “super-learner,” it’s essential to continually learn different …
July 28