How To Have A Good Day

In How to Have a Good Day, economist and former McKinsey partner Caroline Webb shows readers how to use recent findings from behavioral economics, psychology, and neuroscience to transform our approach to everyday working life. Advances in these behavioral sciences are giving us ever better understanding of how our brains work, why we make the choices we do, and what it takes for us to be smart and savvy. But it's not always been easy to see how to apply these insights in the workplace - until now. In How to Have a Good Day, Webb explains how three big scientific ideas can help us be at our best every day. She shows us exactly how to apply this science to our plans, tasks and conversations, in step-by-step guidance that allows us to: - Set better priorities - Make the hours go further - Turn every interaction into a success - Strengthen our personal impact - Be resilient in the face of setbacks - Sustain our energy over the course of the day Webb teaches us how to be at our best under pressure, and gives us specific tools to tackle common work challenges - from conflict with colleagues, to dull meetings and packed inboxes. Filled with stories of people who have used Webb's insights to boost their job satisfaction and performance at work, How to Have a Good Day is the book so many people wanted when they finished Nudge, Blink and Thinking Fast and Slow, and were looking for practical ways to apply this fascinating science to their own lives and careers. A remarkable and much needed book, How to Have a Good Day firmly delivers on its promise, showing us all how to have a lifetime of good days. 'Wise, fun and humane. The best behavioural self-help book by far. Everyone should read it.' - Cass R. Sunstein, co-author of Nudge

Caroline Webb is a management consultant and executive coach who has spent fifteen years at McKinsey and at her own firm, Sevenshift, showing clients how to use behavioural science to boost their professional effectiveness. An Oxford and Cambridge trained economist, Webb and her work has been featured in the Financial Times, New York Times, Washington Post, The Economist, Forbes, and the BBC.

Introduction - i: INTRODUCTION Section - ii: THE SCIENCE ESSENTIALS Section - iii: THE TWO-SYSTEM BRAIN Section - iv: THE DISCOVER-DEFEND AXIS Section - v: THE MIND-BODY LOOP Unit - 1: PART I: PRIORITIES Setting Intentional Direction for Your Day Chapter - 1: ONE: Choosing Your Filters Chapter - 2: TWO: Setting Great Goals Chapter - 3: THREE: Reinforcing Your Intentions Unit - 2: PART II: PRODUCTIVITY Making the Hours in the Day Go Further Chapter - 4: FOUR: Singletasking Chapter - 5: FIVE: Planning Deliberate Downtime Chapter - 6: SIX: Overcoming Overload Chapter - 7: SEVEN: Beating Procrastination Unit - 3: PART III: RELATIONSHIPS Making the Most of Every Interaction Chapter - 8: EIGHT: Building Real Rapport Chapter - 9: NINE: Resolving Tensions Chapter - 10: TEN: Bringing the Best Out of Others Unit - 4: PART IV: THINKING Being Your Smartest, Wisest, Most Creative Self Chapter - 11: ELEVEN: Reaching Insight Chapter - 12: TWELVE: Making Wise Decisions Chapter - 13: THIRTEEN: Boosting Your Brainpower Unit - 5: PART V: INFLUENCE Maximizing the Impact of All You Say and Do Chapter - 14: FOURTEEN: Getting Through Their Filters Chapter - 15: FIFTEEN: Making Things Happen Chapter - 16: SIXTEEN: Conveying Confidence Unit - 6: PART VI: RESILIENCE Sailing Through Setbacks and Annoyances Chapter - 17: SEVENTEEN: Keeping a Cool Head Chapter - 18: EIGHTEEN: Moving On Chapter - 19: NINETEEN: Staying Strong Unit - 7: PART VII: ENERGY Boosting Your Enthusiasm and Enjoyment Chapter - 20: TWENTY: Topping Up the Tank Chapter - 21: TWENTY-ONE: Playing to Your Strengths Section - vi: POSTSCRIPT: MAKING IT STICK Section - vii: APPENDIX A: How to Be Good at Meetings Section - viii: APPENDIX B: How to Be Good at Email Section - ix: APPENDIX C: How to Reinvigorate Your Routine Section - x: SUGGESTED FURTHER READING Section - xi: GLOSSARY Acknowledgements - xii: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Section - xiii: NOTES Index - xiv: INDEX