STEPHEN COVEY

People are often good but their circumstances can change how they come out.

Get clear on the “true facts”: what you know for sure. Then assume that the other person has good intent, and imagine the circumstances that could be causing his or her behavior.

Daniel Kahneman, Nobel prize winner, explains how our mind has 2 modes:

• Your deliberate system is responsible for sophisticated functions such as reasoning, self-control, and forward-thinking. It excels in handling anything unfamiliar, complex, or abstract. But it has ...

Caroline Webb recommends a few hacks to have great days:

1. Single-Tasking: focus on thing at once. Multi-tasking is a myth.
2. Planning Deliberate Downtime: Take care of yourself.
3. Resolving Tensions: The social problems are ...

If you disagree on something:

• Articulate the other person’s perspective as if you truly believe it.
• Identify what you both agree on.
• Isolate the real disagreement; explore how you could both be right.
• Decide what you can do based on what you agree on. 

There is no such thing as multi-tasking:

• Group together similar tasks (e.g., email, calls, and reading), so you’re not constantly switching from one mental mode to another. 
• Decide on the best time of day to tackle each batch of tasks. Create l...

Your brain’s deliberate system needs regular breaks to keep it fully functional. When tired, we are more likely to make poorer decisions.

Allow your brain a chance to step back and consolidate the experience. Plan for breaks between “zones” in your day. Ref...

You can work towards having more productive and satisfying days. Caroline Webb believes it can be done by:

1. Understanding how the brain works: the two-system brain, our discover-defence axis or mind-body loop.
2. Apply a series of practical advice

You’re constantly moving along a discover-defend axis in your daily life, as your brain scans for threats to defend against and rewards to discover.

• In defensive mode, you become less smart and flexible, as your brain devotes some of its scarce mental energy to respond...

For a complete and happy day, you need to focus on your energy and reboot it when needed.

Know thyself by identifying where the typical energy highs and lows occur. Plan for the triggers and events around the highs and lows.

You are not a mind trapped inside a body. You are a body and your mind is part of it. So if you want to change your mind, start with the body.

• The way you treat your body has a direct, immediate impact on your brain’s performance, affecting both its co...