Habits and Behavior Change
221 episodes · Page 4 of 10
#4262: The Belt Principle: Eliminating Micro-Interruptions for Deep Focus
How a tactical belt with MOLLE pouches reveals the hidden cost of tiny interruptions — and what that means for knowledge work.
#4259: Breaking the Social Script: Garfinkel to Fielder
What happens when you deliberately break everyday social norms — and why we feel threatened when the script goes off the rails.
#4247: Why Engraving Feels Like Rest to an ADHD Brain
Why a boring repetitive task restores an ADHD brain while easy unpacking destroys it.
#4234: The Overwork Trap: Why Doing More Creates More Backlog
Why working harder to clear your to-do list actually makes it worse — and what to do instead.
#4213: Pigeon on the Balcony: Law, Torah, and Biology
A pigeon nesting on a Jerusalem balcony raises legal, religious, and practical questions. Here's what Daniel needs to know.
#4145: Does Getting Things Done Actually Work?
Stress-testing David Allen’s GTD claims against real cognitive science. Does writing things down really free your brain?
#4144: Nuns on AliExpress: Ancient Rules for Modern Tech
What a nun picking up a package in Jerusalem teaches us about attention, technology, and intentional living.
#4126: The Hotel Three Miles Away
Why a hotel in your own neighborhood can beat a trip abroad for real recovery.
#4110: Mental Parking Spots: Systems vs. Improvisation
Why some brains need apps to think, and others just remember.
#4109: Where Busyness Tips Into Burnout
What the research says about the line between enjoyably productive and dangerously overloaded.
#4095: When Parents Always Side Against You
Why some parents reflexively take the other side — and how to break the cycle.
#4089: When Preparation Becomes a Trap
A tenant faces eviction after asking for roof repairs. Why preparation can backfire.
#4083: Can You Retrain Your Sleep Position?
Why your body rejects back sleeping — and whether you can actually change it.
#4070: How a 15-Minute Stand-Up Can Save Your Move
The daily stand-up format from software teams maps surprisingly well onto managing a chaotic household move.
#4067: Surviving Passive-Aggressive Family Dynamics
How to engage with passive-aggressive relatives without losing your sanity or playing their game.
#4046: Why People Type in All Caps (It's Not Always Anger)
Three very different groups use all caps — and misreading their intent costs us real trust.
#4037: Finding Home in a City You Didn't Choose
How to build happiness in a city you dislike, using research on third places, cognitive mapping, and micro-mobility.
#4029: The Lost Art of People-Watching
What happens in your brain when you stop participating and start observing — and why it feels like rebellion.
#3990: Your Moving Feedback Loop: Kaizen for Clutter
Turn moving's repetitive pain into a feedback loop. A packing/unpacking decision tree plus a 20-minute debrief.
#3989: How to Get Better at Moving (Yes, Really)
Turn your next move from a disaster into an iterative improvement cycle with a simple debrief system.
#3968: Happiness as a Threat: Growing Up With a Permanently Unhappy Parent
When a parent's chronic unhappiness makes your own joy feel dangerous. Understanding the psychological pattern and how to heal.
#3927: How to Rewire Driving Fear in 10 Minutes
The science of why periodic drivers experience terror — and what to do about it.
#3897: The Mover's Paradox: Social Jiu-Jitsu for Urban Stealth
How to be invisible to security but unapproachable to everyone else using three layers of social engineering.
#3828: Legacy vs Impact: What Gives Life Meaning?
Do you want to be remembered or to make a difference? The two goals aren't the same — and most of us never notice.