Nir Eyal's Blog, page 12

How to Get a Friend to Put Away Their Phone Without Being a Jerk

Are we ever exclusively in our friends’ company? Our phones are almost assuredly present and ready to interrupt us with a poorly timed notification. Who hasn’t seen a friend divert their attention, mid-conversation, to reflexively check their phone? Most of us simply accept these interruptions as a consequence of our times. But there's something you can do about it.

The post How to Get a Friend to Put Away Their Phone Without Being a Jerk appeared first on Nir and Far.

How to Tame Your Wandering Mind and Actually Get Some Work Done

You have a big deadline looming, and it’s time to hunker down. But every time you start working, you find that, for some reason, your mind drifts off before you can get any real work done. What gives? What is this cruel trick our brains play on us, and what do we do about it? Thankfully, by understanding why our mind wanders and taking steps to deal with distraction, we can stay on track. But first, let’s understand the root of the problem.

The post How to Tame Your Wandering Mind and Actually Get Some Work Done appeared first on Nir and Far.

If You Don’t Plan Your Time, Someone Else Will

Most people are stingy with their money and generous with their time. We cut coupons, split checks, and debate whether we should buy a 99-cent app. However, when it comes to our time and attention, we give it away to anyone who wants it without thinking twice.

The post If You Don’t Plan Your Time, Someone Else Will appeared first on Nir and Far.

You Don’t Need a Mentor. You Need a Buddy.

When you’re struggling to achieve your personal or professional goals, do you ever wish you could speak with a famous mentor? If only you could connect with a super successful business leader like Jeff Bezos or Meg Whitman, then you’d have the answers you’re looking for. Surely they’d point you in the right direction, right?

The post You Don’t Need a Mentor. You Need a Buddy. appeared first on Nir and Far.

Would You Rather Give Up Sex or Your Phone?

Every night, my wife and I engaged in the same routine: She put our daughter to bed, brushed her teeth, and freshened up. We both slipped under the covers, exchanged knowing glances, and started doing what comes naturally to a couple in bed: we began to lovingly caress our gadgets — she fondled her cell phone, while I tenderly stroked the screen of my iPad. Ooh, it felt so good!

The post Would You Rather Give Up Sex or Your Phone? appeared first on Nir and Far.

Free Habit Tracker Template — Use This Google Sheet

Many people strive to improve themselves in one way or another. Whether it’s getting more sleep and exercise, or spending more time doing the things we love, our ideal selves drive us to be better. They symbolize our belief in our own potential to live in alignment with our values.

The drive to improve is also why strategies and tools that enable us to track our behaviors are so potentially gratifying. It feels good to see ourselves moving closer to our goals.

The post Free Habit Tracker Template — Use This Google Sheet appeared first on Nir and Far.

Free Habit Tracker Template — Use this Sleek Google Doc

Many people strive to improve themselves in one way or another. Whether it’s getting more sleep and exercise, or spending more time doing the things we love, our ideal selves drive us to be better. They symbolize our belief in our own potential to live in alignment with our values.

The drive to improve is also why strategies and tools that enable us to track our behaviors are so potentially gratifying. It feels good to see ourselves moving closer to our goals.

The post Free Habit Tracker Template — Use this Sleek Google Doc appeared first on Nir and Far.

Here’s How to Ensure Your Kids Don’t Spend the Entire Break Staring at Screens

It’s that time of year when kids have a long break from school and parents and guardians likely have some time off work. What will we do with all that free time?

The post Here’s How to Ensure Your Kids Don’t Spend the Entire Break Staring at Screens appeared first on Nir and Far.

I Changed My Mind About Saying “Merry Christmas,” and You Should Too

In fifth grade, I was the only Jewish kid in my elementary school class. This was the 1980’s in Central Florida and even though it was a public school, unaffiliated with any church and funded with taxpayer dollars, my teacher taped a poster to the wall in her classroom that read, “Jesus Is The Reason For The Season.” The Christmas specials on TV said Santa visited “all the children in the world.” The good ones got gifts. The naughty ones got lumps of coal. The Jewish ones got told Santa wasn’t coming to their house.

The post I Changed My Mind About Saying “Merry Christmas,” and You Should Too appeared first on Nir and Far.

How the Ancient Greeks Beat Distraction

Distractions seem ubiquitous today, but they’ve always been a part of human life, even going back to Greek mythology. Here’s how to resist them.

The post How the Ancient Greeks Beat Distraction appeared first on Nir and Far.