Happiness
What is the secret to human happiness?
Dr Robert Waldinger has been studying human happiness and the secret to it for decades. He is Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School, and Director of the the Harvard Study of Adult… Audio
How to simplify your time management with the 'rule of four'
Many of us go through life as if one day, eventually, we might get through everything on our to-do lists and satisfy everybody's demands. This is simply impossible, says writer Oliver Burkeman, so we… Video, Audio
How happiness leads to success at work
Which comes first – happiness or success? In other words, does success at work make you happy or does happiness make you more likely to succeed? After five years studying 1 million US Department of… Audio
Why too much free time could be a bad thing
Too much time on your hands may be almost as bad as too little, psychologists are discovering. Audio
Music trumps TV and baking for feel-good lockdown moments
Have you listened to more music during lockdown? A recent study in Australia asked participants to rank lockdown activities in terms of most to least effective at making them "feel better." Audio
China correspondent on the 'lying flat' protest movement
There is a mass movement afoot among young people in China protesting not just their bleak personal economic prospects, but also the whole ethos of work hours that leave them exhausted. Nathan van der… Audio
Why Finns don't believe they are the "happiest" people
Nordic countries dominate global happiness rankings. However, you'd have a hard time trying to convince a lot of Finns that the World Happiness Report offers an accurate gauge of their overall state… Audio
Why happiness doesn't cost any money at all
A new study out of McGill University shows that people in societies where money plays a minimal role can have a level of happiness comparable to Scandinavian countries which typically rate highest in… Audio
How the body came to symbolise success and achievement
In his new book, The Age of Fitness, Professor Jürgen Martschukat traces the beginnings of our modern obsession with fitness and looks at how our physical health is increasingly linked to success… Audio
How to break out of the 'toxic money mindset'
Psychologist Ashley Whillans has surveyed thousands of adults around the world about time and money. Unsurprisingly, most people focus too much on working and making more money, and not enough on… Audio
The benefits of improving your mental fitness 1% a day
Motivational speaker and author Jimi Hunt says mental illness is an epidemic that we can no longer ignore. The formerly Mexico-based Kiwi says improving your mental fitness just one percent every day… Audio
Nick Wignall: 'Treat yourself like you would a good friend'
If we talked to other people the way we talk to yourself we'd probably have zero friends, no job and warrants out for our arrest, says psychologist Nick Wignall. From a young age, many of us… Audio
Why one kind of happiness is better than another, for ourselves, our economy, and our environment
The history and current trends in economics, and Bhutan's alternative to GNP, is discussed by Dr Ross McDonald from the University of Auckland during the 2019 Raising the Bar night. Audio
An optimistic partner is good for your health - new study
If you're in a long-term relationship, your partner's outlook can have a big impact on how long and how well you live, according to a new study by researchers at Michigan State University. It turns… Audio
Doug Wilson on ageing and happiness
This week Doug Wilson addresses our typical level of happiness as we age. Why is this so important, how does this fluctuate through life, and what can we do to change it? Audio
The link between helping and happiness
While money can't buy you happiness, spending it the right way certainly can. Audio
Richard Easterlin: the economics of happiness
Economist Professor Richard Easterlin concluded more money can't buy us happiness. And his Easterlin Paradox has persuaded policymakers to focus on wellbeing rather than wealth. But how do we know… Audio
What science can teach us about happiness
Yale University psychology professor Laurie Santos teaches the university's renowned happiness course. She offers up a few small things that can help bring more happiness to our everyday lives. Video, Audio
Mandy Len Catron: What you lose when you gain a spouse
Mandy Len Catron has written a thought-provoking piece in The Atlantic asking whether marriage actually creates a social handicap. She joins the show to discuss. Audio
The secrets of happiness
Helen Russell is a British journalist, bestselling author and speaker. Formerly the editor of marieclaire.co.uk, Helen has worked as a correspondent for The Guardian, as well as writing a longstanding… Audio