The Optimist Living
Try to unfocus more often, and enjoy the benefits of divergent thinking
Sometimes your thoughts just won't stay at the place where you want them to be. Don't worry, there is an upside to losing focus. Along with letting our minds ‘decompress’ after consuming mass amounts of information like most do in today’s world, mind-wandering can be a gateway to Read More...
Turning your stressful subway experience into a relaxing symphony
To enter the subway in New York the rider needs to slide his ticket through a reader that releases a turnstile; a short beep tells you that you can get in. During rush hour, the electronic beeps sound like a frantic computer game—adding stress to an already stressed commuter crowd. So what if, Read More...
This device helps you to keep your focus by switching off phone notifications when you're concentrating
Constant distractions on our mobile devices are keeping us from focussing nowadays. Smart people are working on ways to keep these distractions at bay. A new device called Phylter is one of those ways. The device switches off sounds and notifications on your phone automatically, when it finds Read More...
Keep pedaling and staying active at work improves your health
A portable pedaling device under the desk can provide a convenient way to keep sedentary workers active at work and improve their health. A new study in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine found that workers who pedalled more were more likely to report weight loss, improved concentration Read More...
Tourists in Amsterdam can get a free ride on the back of locals’ bike
Tourists in Amsterdam can’t stop being amazed at the sheer number of bikes. A new initiative is now inviting them to adopt a Dutch custom and hop on the luggage rack for a ride. To take part, keep your eyes out for so-called Backie drivers, whom you can recognize by their bright yellow luggage Read More...
The school garden is the perfect classroom: It teaches kids about nutrition, health and science
Several nonprofits are currently working together with schools to create "learning gardens". According to REAL School Gardens—which has built nearly 100 gardens in the United States—these gardens don't just teach children how a tomato grows, but they also can be used for math lessons, like Read More...
11 reasons why eating less meat saves yourself and the world
Yes, we champion this topic regularly. But this article offers a great and compelling overview. Do you want to reverse heart disease, lose weight, save money and reduce greenhouse gases at the same time? There’s one easy answer: Eat less meat. The advantages of a plant-based diet are Read More...
Sing, dance and 3 other ways to declutter your body and mind
Do some stretching, sing a song, dance (or at least, listen to your favorite song), remember the good times, and be thankful. A neuropsychologist offers 5 fun, easy practices to clear your mental Read More...
Muhammad Yunus at 75: “No one should ever retire.”
Muhammad Yunus recently turned 75. But that doesn’t mean that the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner who founded the Grameen Bank, which gives “microcredit” loans to the poor, is thinking about retirement. In an interview with NPR he says: “The word ‘retirement’ is a very harmful word Read More...
A chili pepper a day keeps the doctor away?
Eating spicy food frequently is linked to a lower risk of death, according to a large Chinese study published this week in the BMJ journal. The study involved 487,375 people aged 30 to 79 across China. According to the researchers, it is possible that that spicy foods and and their active Read More...