I literally say to myself, “This is a decision point.”

Emotions—even some we may perceive as negative, such as anxiety—are great tools for getting our minds energized and focused for the task ahead.

as we become elderly, hydration seems to be more relevant to cognitive performance and better mood.26

An implementation intention is a plan to implement a certain action if a relevant cue arises.

• In general, plan to work out for about twenty to forty minutes within a couple of hours before you next need to be awesomely productive.

a ten-minute nap helped reduce fatigue and improve alertness as well as a variety of cognitive tasks, with the benefits lasting for about two and a half hours.

The executive functions that the brain handles include decision making (Should I wear a red or a blue shirt this morning?), planning (First I’ll go to the dentist, then on the way from the dentist to my house, I’ll stop to pick up dinner), and holding on to thoughts for a short time while we need them (I need to remember the name of the person I ju

The study suggests that if you want to solve a particularly dicey problem, letting your mind wander by engaging in an unrelated and cognitively easy task can help you find some creative solutions to that problem.

First, as soon as you finish a task, rather than thinking about what you can do easily right away, label this moment as a decision point.