This week’s must-reads: Lessons from medieval monks can help you reduce distractions

In my work as a behavioral designer, I come across important stories on how psychology influences our behavior. Every week, I share my round-up of the most important stories at the intersection of psychology, technology and business. I hope you enjoy them!

Focus dammit! Lessons from the ancients (BizNews) A look at how the ancients dealt with distractions and some takeaway tips.

Talking to Yourself Out Loud: How Your Own Words Shape How You Think (David Neuman) Here are some areas in your life where talking out loud can shape how you think.

What’s the minimum information required to live well (Medium) Understanding our current informational environment, including having a plan for making sense of navigating it, is a critical skill to have.

Distractions Galore and How to Tame Them (Medium) Godwin Chan offers a couple of productivity tools to help you hack back time.

Designing for dependence: How your devices and apps are built to get you hooked (CBC Radio) Of course devices and apps are hacking our attention, that’s what they’re designed to do.

When Employees Are Open With Each Other, But Not Management (Harvard Business Review) Here’s how to tell whether your organization might be plagued by an unhealthy degree of side conversations.

Why You Should Quit the News (Mark Manson) News today is actively damaging our culture. News media is the true culprit behind the rise in stress, anxiety and polarization.

Happy reading!

- Nir