Hi Friends, I’m Arthur Brooks, a social scientist, professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, columnist at The Free Press. I write, speak, and teach about the science of human happiness, blending neuroscience, behavioral science, philosophy, and religion for insights on how to live better and be happier. Each week on Office Hours, you’ll get a glimpse into the cutting edge research on happiness, and explore how you can use it to improve your life—and share what you learn with those you love. Join me in the movement to build a happier world–starting with you.
63 episodes transcribedDante had a particularly gruesome punishment for the envious: their eyes were wired shut. In this episode of Office Hours, I explore why envy is such...
If you’re an introvert, you might not like what the research has to say: Extroverts tend to be happier. But before you start striking up conversations...
Why do so many people drift from faith in early adulthood, only to feel drawn back to it later in life? In this episode of Office Hours, I explore the...
Being a parent is one of the most meaningful things you can do with your life, and one of the easiest things to worry about getting wrong. Most of us...
Most of us prefer spending time with people who are like us. They think like us, share our values, and make us feel comfortable. But while similarity...
In this special one-year anniversary episode of Office Hours, I'm joined by six young adults to discuss the modern crisis of meaning and why so ma...
We usually think generosity means helping other people. But what if accepting help is generous, too?In this episode of Office Hours, I explore why let...
It's easy to assume that we'd be happier if we lived somewhere with more sunshine. But how much does sunlight actually matter?In this episode...
Most people don't start with huge lies. They start with little white lies meant to avoid conflict, spare someone's feelings, or make life a li...
There's a reason music has mattered to people for thousands of years. Across cultures and generations, we’ve treated it as more than entertainment...
Thirty-five years ago, I somehow convinced an extraordinary woman to marry me. Our relationship began like any other—attraction, a leap of faith, and...
Do you find yourself chasing success, working long hours, doing far more than is required, and thinking about work all the time? Congratulations—you m...
If you feel emotionally exhausted, cynical about your work, or like you’re no longer enjoying parts of the job you used to, you may be experiencing bu...
Many people come home from vacation feeling disappointed. Not because the trip was bad, but because they expected it to do more than any vacation poss...
Finding the right person is hard. Being attracted to the wrong one is just as common.In this episode of Office Hours, I explore why some people find t...
Family estrangement is strangely common—affecting one-third of American adults today. While cutting ties can bring temporary relief, research suggests...
We obsess over diets, fasting, and weight-loss drugs in the name of health. But we rarely ask a more important question: what kind of eating actually...
We spend much of our lives building our careers. We chase success, recognition, and expansive networks—yet despite all of it, many of us still experie...
Sometimes, the most insidious thing someone can tell you to make you feel better is the age-old phrase, “but you’re perfect!” While research suggests...
Want to miss (or forget) life’s sweetest moments? Easy: don’t savor anything. My late mother, an artist, knew this was a terrible strategy for happine...
