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Why Being a Leader Is Less Stressful than Following
TIME: While the image of the stressed-out executive or the politician under pressure has been firmly planted in the American mind, research increasingly suggests that it’s actually people lower down on the social scale — not those in leadership positions at the top — who suffer the worst health effects of stress. Now a new study of military officials and government staffers at a Harvard executive-training program confirms these findings, showing that as people climb the organizational rungs, their stress hormone levels and anxiety typically go down.
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Rethinking Sleep
The New York Times: Sometime in the dark stretch of the night it happens. Perhaps it’s the chime of an incoming text message. Or your iPhone screen lights up to alert you to a new e-mail. Or you find yourself staring at the ceiling, replaying the day in your head. Next thing you know, you’re out of bed and engaged with the world, once again ignoring the often quoted fact that eight straight hours of sleep is essential. Sound familiar? You’re not alone.
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What Role Should Government Play in Combating Obesity?
The Wall Street Journal: Should the government tell you what size soda you can drink? New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg seems to think so. He has pushed through a ban on the sale of sugary drinks larger than 16 ounces—stirring controversy in the Big Apple and beyond. Public-health advocates view the ban, set to take effect in March, as a national model for the fight on obesity. But many New Yorkers consider it an intrusion into personal choice. Even Mr. Bloomberg only went so far: The ban won't apply in every venue, nor does it limit how many sodas a consumer can buy.
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“I’m Bored!” – Research on Attention Sheds Light on the Unengaged Mind
Psychological scientists are testing new strategies to address the cognitive errors that are often associated with boredom.
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When Bad Things Become Funny
Smithsonian Magazine: Joking about a tragedy shortly after it happens is usually a comedic no-no, as proven by the boos and shouts of “Too soon!” when comedian Gilbert Gottfried tried to joke about 9/11 in 2001 and, more recently, when comedian Jeffrey Ross brought up the shootings in Aurora, Colorado, in one of his routines. Yet at times, joking about tragedy can be ok, even if it is shortly after the event. The Onion ran a satirical 9/11 story two weeks after the terrorist attacks, which was successfully received. Researchers puzzling over this inconsistency set out to discover when tragedies are fine to joke about and when they’re not.
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Improving Willpower: How to Keep Self-Control from Flagging
TIME: Why does willpower often seem to fail us, just when we need it most? Some researchers argue that willpower is a limited resource that wears out, like a muscle exhausted by overuse. Other experts say that our will may falter only if we think it’s fallible: if we believe we have unlimited self-control, we do. The answer matters, of course, because the distinctly human capacity to temper one’s impulses is essential to virtually all aspects of success. Research has offered evidence in favor of both theories.
