Kill the 5-Day Workweek
Reducing hours without reducing pay would reignite an essential but long-forgotten moral project: making American life less about work.
The Friendship Files
When the Dream of Growing Old With Your Friends Comes True
“We all dreamt, We’ll grow old together. We’ll be old ladies together. And we did.”
Yes, the Pandemic Is Bad Again
Masks are reappearing and return-to-office plans have been postponed. Welcome to Delta’s whiplash.
Which Pet Will Make You Happiest?
A pandemic puppy can increase your well-being—if you choose one for the right reasons.
The Surprising Benefits of Talking to Strangers
So many of us have been raised to see strangers as dangerous and scary. What would happen if we instead saw them as potential sources of comfort and belonging?
How to Avoid the Worst Parenting Mistake
Emily Oster caters to a data-obsessed crowd of modern parents. But sometimes you just can’t optimize your kid.
How to Show ‘Wise Compassion’ to Struggling Loved Ones
Being truly supportive of someone who is in pain requires strength, patience, self-knowledge, and discipline, “Dear Therapist” writes.
Do Olympic-Level Achievements Make People Happy?
The promise of success can propel us forward, but it comes with pitfalls that can undermine the satisfaction of actually succeeding.
What Immigrants Know About Happiness
The act of migration involves taking risks in pursuit of a meaningful reward and having faith in the future. Everyone should try to live more like that.
A Surprising Side Effect of Giving Birth
The curious link between motherhood and dental problems
I Found the Feminism I Was Looking For in the Lost Writings of a 17th-Century Priest
François Poulain was ahead of his time—and ours.
The Long Recovery After a Spouse Gets Out of Prison
PTSD in the formerly incarcerated has been widely studied. But what follows the “vicarious imprisonment” of their free-world romantic partners?
The Limits of Sex Positivity
American culture still treats disinterest in sex as something that needs to be fixed. What if any amount of desire—including none—was okay?
The Awful Coincidence of 2 Friends Who Got the Same Cancer
“I think we were meant to walk through this together.”
Those Who Share a Roof Share Emotions
Feelings are contagious—but you can help your loved ones when they’re sad without sacrificing your own good mood.
Perfectionism Can Become a Vicious Cycle in Families
Mothers and fathers risk passing down this tendency to the next generation, creating a pattern of dissatisfaction.
Different Cultures Define Happiness Differently
Well-being is far from universal. Here are four models to help you understand the world—and your own mind.
We Could Have Changed the World
The upheaval of the pandemic was an opportunity to imagine a better society. Instead, we’re rushing back to “normal.”
It’s Hard to Make Friends When You Move to a New Town
“I think we both experienced some culture shock coming here. It was lonely.”
The Link Between Self-Reliance and Well-Being
Individualism is about having the freedom to be who you are—not going it alone.
The 2 Ways to Raise a Country’s Birth Rate
Give parents money and time.
Why In-Law Relationships Can Be So Challenging
Tough conversations provide opportunities for pain and conflict, but also for growth and healing, “Dear Therapist” writes.