Professor Francesca Gino taught two classes at Harvard Business School, where she experimented with her footwear. For one class, she wore dress shoes. For the other class, she put on her favourite red sneakers. She discovered that her students were more attentive and laughed more when she wore th...

Do the opposite of what makes sense.

For example, if you know your commute to work will be on a packed tube and won't give you the right frame of mind for the day, find another way such as a riverboat. It may be slow but it may help you to arrive at work more energised.

In everyday life, it's easy to get sucked into the prevailing culture of presenteeism where we show up to work, even if we're mentally checked out.

We know what's expected of us at work and what's acceptable and feel we can't take time off for lunch or go for a walk when we need a break. Th...

Research shows that when we want to improve something, we add something.

However, subtracting can be a better solution. Consider what you can remove in your work life to improve it.

When you're working hard, it's vital to pause and celebrate how far you've come.

If you're a freelancer or your company doesn't have an annual party, throw yourself one. Celebrate your work anniversaries, award yourself, deliver an address, or go out for dinner with a plus one.