Office Hours with Arthur Brooks
Arthur Brooks, a social scientist and professor at Harvard, hosts a weekly podcast exploring the science of human happiness. He blends neuroscience, behavioral science, philosophy, and religion to offer insights on living better and being happier. Each episode provides cutting-edge research and practical advice for improving your life and sharing happiness with others.
Episodes
Success Secret: Finding People Who Disagree With You
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 may be easy, it isn't always what helps us grow.In this episode of Office Hours, I explain why some of the greatest benefits in life come from building relationships with people who think, believe, and live differently from us. I explore the scie
One Year of Office Hours: Lessons on Love and Friendship
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 many people feel disconnected despite having more ways to connect than ever. Together, we explore why friendship and romantic love seem harder to find and maintain, what gets in the way of deep connection, and what young adults are actually looking for
Why You Should Let People Help You More
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 letting others help us can be a gift. We’ll look at the science of why helping makes people happier, why others enjoy doing us favors more than we expect, the four rules for asking well, and how receiving with grace creates a virtuous cycle of generosit
The Power of Sunlight: Protocols for Better Mood, Sleep & Happiness
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 of Office Hours, I examine what the research says about the relationship between sunlight and happiness, why some people benefit more than others, and how much sunlight you really need. I also share three practical ways to build healthier light habit
How Lying Sabotages Your Happiness
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 little easier. But what if those small compromises are quietly making us less happy?In this episode of Office Hours, I make the case that honesty is one of the deepest expressions of love. I explore why we're afraid to say what we really think, why
Use Music to Change Your Brain and Get Happier
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—as a kind of language that can express what words can’t and help us connect with the meaning and mystery on the right side of our brain.In this episode of Office Hours, I explore why that idea has endured and what modern science has to say about it.
How to Stay in Love with Your Soul Mate, with Special Guest Ester Brooks
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 eventually the decision to embark on the unknown journey ahead of us together. In this episode of Office Hours, my wife, Ester Munt-Brooks, and I reflect on what we’ve learned over 35 years of choosing each other—from the risks we took early on, to w
Why Success Never Feels Like Enough
Do you find yourself chasing success, working long hours, doing far more than is required, and thinking about work all the time? Congratulations—you might be a workaholic. (There’s no trophy for this, by the way. I checked.)In this episode of Office Hours, I dig into what workaholism is, where it comes from, and why it can be so damaging to your happiness and relationships. We discuss the connecti
How to Beat Burnout
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 burnout.In this episode of Office Hours, I explain what burnout is, how psychologists define it, and what the research shows about its effects on the brain and body. We discuss the workplace conditions most likely to cause burnout, why some occupations
9 Rules for a Happier Vacation
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 possibly can.In my previous episode on leisure, I discussed its importance to happiness and well-being. A vacation, done well, is really an opportunity to practice leisure more intentionally—whether that means a chance to reconnect with the people you lo
How to Stop Dating the Wrong Person
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 themselves stuck in the same dating patterns over and over again, pursuing partners who are unavailable, manipulative, emotionally destructive, or struggling with addiction. I explain why attraction can override good judgment, why certain personality
The Real Cost of Family Estrangement
Family estrangement is strangely common—affecting one-third of American adults today. While cutting ties can bring temporary relief, research suggests that, over time, it often resembles grief.In this episode of Office Hours, I explore why family, one of the four pillars of happiness, is central to meaning, what is driving the rise in estrangement, and why conflicts over values and identity have b
The Diet Protocols for Happiness
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 makes us happier?In this episode of Office Hours, I explore what the science say about the relationship between food and well-being. Eating gives us pleasure, but meals bring deeper enjoyment when they also combine people and memories. I explore what
4 Ways to Get Better at Friendship
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 experience a quiet, persistent loneliness.In this episode of Office Hours, I turn to Aristotle and his work, the Nicomachean Ethics, to ask an age-old question: what makes a good friend? I’ll explore Aristotle’s three types of friendship, and suggest someth
Stop Trying to be Perfect
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 this may ease emotional pain temporarily, it might actually be holding you back from growth and, consequently, satisfaction.In this episode of Office Hours, I explore why we avoid uncomfortable truths when feeling down, and why the better path toward
How to Enjoy Your Life
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 happiness. Through her art, she was an expert at savoring—and the first to teach me its benefits.In this episode of Office Hours, I connect her lesson to what we now know from behavioral science: because of our built-in negativity bias, we tend to overlook
How to Manage Grief
Grief is part of the human experience. If you love, you will lose. And when you do, the pain is inescapable. It can be disorienting, overwhelming, and in the case of acute grief, the symptoms can even resemble something like psychosis.In this episode of Office Hours, I explore what grief actually is, how it is lived and felt by those who are bereaved, and why these reactions—however unsettling—are
Why You Literally Need to Touch Grass
In a previous episode on leisure, I talked about how fewer and fewer people are spending time outdoors. Today, the average child spends just minutes outside each day, a dramatic shift from how most of us grew up and from how humans have lived for thousands of years.In today’s episode of Office Hours, I explain why reconnecting with nature is essential for your happiness and well-being. Drawing on
6 Big Lessons to Build Your Dream Life with Sahil Bloom
Sahil Bloom is an entrepreneur and investor, and the author of the New York Times bestselling book The 5 Types of Wealth.Most of us chase success that doesn’t reflect what we truly value. In this episode, Sahil and I explore how to close that gap and live more intentionally—starting with the bold decision he made to move his family for more time with loved ones.We unpack the difference between wha
How to Create Your Calling
Your professional calling is a mysterious idea. It’s the ineffable sense that you are meant to do something. Many people get tripped up in their pursuit of their calling, because they conceive of it like buried treasure—something hidden that they must find. In truth, your calling can be built no matter your present circumstances. So, how do you do it?In this episode, I explain how to move from cha
6 Protocols to Find Meaning and Build a Happier Life
Pre-order The Meaning of Your Life (out March 31).This is the final episode in my 3-part series on meaning, and it begins with a question I couldn’t ignore when I returned to campus five years ago: why do so many successful, driven people feel anxious, depressed, and lonely?In this episode, I share three real-life stories from my new book, The Meaning of Your Life. These stories reveal what’s miss
How the Meaning of Life Affects Your Brain: Part 2 of 3
Don’t miss The Meaning of Your Life Virtual Experience, my free live global book launch event this Friday (3/27), where I’m joined by an extraordinary lineup of guests to dive into all things meaning. Learn more at themeaningofyourlife.com. This is Part Two of my series on meaning, where I explore the science behind the meaning crisis, a central theme in my upcoming book, The Meaning of Your Life
Find the Meaning of Your Life Part 1 of 3: Get Better at Boredom
Most of us hate waiting. Whether it’s standing in line, sitting in traffic, or waiting for a delayed flight, those idle moments feel irritating and pointless. Our instinct is to escape them as quickly as possible, almost always by reaching for our phones. But what if those moments of boredom are actually valuable?Today’s episode of Office Hours is the first of my three-part series on The Meaning o
3 Steps to Embracing Your Fears
Some of the experiences that scare us most are also the ones that can change us for the better. The right kind of challenge increases confidence, deepens courage, helps us feel more fully alive, and connects us to a deeper sense of meaning. But not all risk is the same, and learning the difference matters.In this episode of Office Hours, I explore why deliberately stepping outside your comfort zon
How to find your faith
Faith and spirituality are on the decline—but what does that mean for our happiness and sense of meaning?In this episode of Office Hours, I approach that question not as a theologian, but as a social scientist. I explore a fundamental truth: human beings are wired to seek meaning beyond themselves. The problem today is that we're missing out on this essential part of human life.I’ll share a three-
The Science Behind Being Good at Leisure
Not all leisure is created equal—some of it feels good in the moment (pleasure) but leaves you depleted afterward. Other forms of leisure actually restore you (enjoyment). They lift you up, deepen your sense of meaning, and make you more fully alive. The difference matters, and leisure well used is a skill—and it’s one you can cultivate.In this episode of Office Hours, I explore what leisure truly
How to Live Your Life Like a Start-up with Codie Sanchez
Codie Sanchez (founder of Contrarian Thinking and author of Main Street Millionaire) believes ownership changes lives. Her mission is bold and specific: create one million business owners. But beneath that mission is a deeper argument about how taking control of your life can help you not only be more successful, but happier. In this episode of Office Hours, Codie and I explore her philosophy of h
How to Find Love in 2026
Today’s topic: love. Forget Valentine’s Day—where romance only happens once a year. Try my new book, The Meaning of Your Life, out March 31, where I describe how to make love lifelong.Many people today feel discouraged about love. Fewer people are getting married, fewer are falling in love, and more are opting out of romance altogether. This isn’t just a personal problem—it’s a cultural one.In thi
4 Ways to Be Less Lonely
If you’ve been feeling empty or lonely and are looking for immediate solutions, I hope today’s episode helps—and if you want to go deeper, you can order my new book, The Meaning of Your Life, out March 31.Today’s topic: the loneliness epidemic. We know more people than ever before, but do we actually know them? In a world of constant connection, many people still feel unseen, unknown, and disconne
6 Financial Rules for Greater Happiness with Dave Ramsey
I’ve hinted at this before, but in my new book, The Meaning of Your Life, I explore where meaning actually comes from—one place, for example, is by serving others with our time and treasure. However, you certainly won’t find it in the worldly idols we so often chase. This all brings us to today’s topic—money.Most people assume that having more money will make them happier. The research suggests so
How to Set the Right Goals in Life
Most of us know that we should set goals, but there is a lot of confusion about why they matter and how to choose them well.In this episode of Office Hours, I reflect on the difference between meaning and purpose, and on how the goals we pursue quietly shape the direction of our lives. I talk about why some goals leave us feeling empty even when we achieve them, and what it means to aim our lives
How to Stop Caring What Others Think
Why do we care so much about what other people think of us?In this episode of Office Hours, I explain the science behind why concern about others’ opinions is so powerful in the first place. I talk about the two reasons we are wired to care what people think, how our brains treat social judgment as a real threat, and why this fear can quietly shape our choices, our behavior, and even our sense of
The 8 Life Lessons that Hoda Kotb Follows
In this episode of Office Hours, I sit down with my friend Hoda Kotb and talk about how we meet change when it shows up uninvited. Hoda has lived through transitions that resist simple narratives. Early rejection in her career. Public reinvention. Serious illness. Grief. Becoming a parent later in life. Each chapter forced a decision about how to move forward when there were no clear answers.Hoda
3 Ways to Set Smarter New Year’s Resolutions
Every New Year, we set ambitious goals. Unfortunately, most of our resolutions fade faster than we would like to admit.In this episode of Office Hours, I explain why New Year’s resolutions so often fail. This isn’t a question of discipline per se. Instead, our failure occurs because of the way we frame our goals (and how we sometimes set the wrong goals in the first place). I explain how these for
My 4-Step Method for Making the Holidays Better
Does Christmas never live up to the version you remember from childhood? Or does it bring up painful memories that keep you stuck in the past? Or maybe you’re like I once was, feeling more like a curmudgeon than a bundle of holiday cheer.In this episode of Office Hours, I explain why the holidays so often surface disappointment, sadness, and annoyance, and what research on memory reveals about why
3 Ways to Want Less and Be Happier
Satisfaction is one of the three macronutrients of happiness, yet it has a way of slipping through our fingers. We reach a long-awaited goal, feel a brief lift, and then find ourselves wanting something more. In this episode of Office Hours, I explore why this happens and how our ancient impulses keep pulling us back toward craving and comparison. I talk about the tendencies that erode our sense o
The 3 Macronutrients of Happiness, and How to Measure Yours
Everyone wants to be happier—but too often we go chasing things that make us miserable instead.In this episode of Office Hours, I break down the three big elements—what I call “macronutrients”—that you must have to live a happy life: enjoyment, satisfaction, and meaning. I offer practical ways to strengthen each macronutrient in your own life and revisit the concept of emotional profiles. I help y
The Truth About Creativity, Aging, and Discipline: From the World’s Best-Selling Author (James Patterson)
Creativity might not make you happier, but it can make you less unhappy. We know this from research.When people recall moments of creativity, their symptoms of anxiety and depression decrease, and well-being improves. Brain scans show that creative work activates the same regions of the brain as meditation, which helps to relieve the burdens of life. Millions of people now use creative practices s
5 Steps Toward a More Grateful Life
The benefits of gratitude aren’t exactly a secret, but many of us still think of it as some kind of fixed personality trait. Some people seem to be born grateful, while the rest of us feel like we’re the ones who automatically notice what’s wrong. It’s true that we all have different affect profiles, but gratitude works the same way happiness does. It’s a skill you can train, and it becomes more p
My 9-Step Evening Protocol for More Happiness and Better Sleep
Want to make your own evening protocol? Download Arthur’s guide to help you get started: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/evening-protocols. Most of us know how important it is to start the day well, but ending it well is what sets up your morning for success. A few weeks ago, I shared my 6-step morning protocol for managing mood and maximizing creativity. This week, I share its companion: my evening
A 5-Step Approach to Ending Your Phone Addiction
Our phones make life easier in countless ways. They connect us, inform us, and keep our lives running. But they also creep into every quiet moment, stealing our focus and dulling the satisfaction we find in real experiences.In this episode of Office Hours, I talk about how our phones tap into the brain’s reward system and what we can do to reclaim control. I am not suggesting that you give up your
Four Practical Ways to Live Like a Stoic with Ryan Holiday
Many people think Stoicism is about suppressing emotions or accepting suffering with a stiff upper lip. But it’s really about learning to live well, to find peace, courage, and happiness in a chaotic world.In this episode of Office Hours, I sit down with my friend Ryan Holiday, bestselling author and modern Stoic who has written several books about Stoicism, including his latest, Wisdom Takes Work
The 4 Types of Careers, and How to Find Yours
Many people think a successful career moves in a straight line, always upward and forward. But life isn’t that neat. There are actually four different career paths, and which one is best for you depends on your individual psychology.In this episode of Office Hours, I talk about why the happiest people are those whose work reflects their values and stage of life, not someone else’s idea of success.
4 Ways to Love the People You Disagree With
America doesn’t have an anger problem. We have a contempt problem.In this episode of Office Hours, I talk about how we can bring more love and happiness into a world that feels increasingly bitter and divided. Too often, contempt fills the space where love could exist. When we choose to love those who disagree with us, we not only make the world better, but we also make our own lives happier.A lot
3 Steps to Managing Your Emotions
Are you managing your emotions, or are they managing you?In this episode of Office Hours, I explore how to manage your emotions by understanding how they work and what they are trying to tell you. Emotions like fear, anger, joy, and disgust evolved to protect and guide us, yet in the modern world, they often become misaligned, leading us to overreact or lose perspective. The goal is not to elimina
4 Ways to Use Common Knowledge to be Happier with Steven Pinker
Learn more about your affect profile by taking the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule quiz (PANAS) here. So much of life depends not only on what we know, but also on what we know that others know as well. This shared awareness—what social scientists call common knowledge—explains how we cooperate, why markets rise and fall, and why silence in the face of cancel culture is so damaging.In this e
Exercise Your Way to Greater Well-Being
Learn more about your affect profile by taking the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule quiz (PANAS) here, and download Arthur’s morning protocol guide to help you start your mornings happier.—Today, I want to talk about one of the lowest-hanging fruits for improving your well-being: exercise. Most Americans don’t get the recommended amount of physical activity, which means there’s an enormous op
My 6-Step Morning Protocol for a Better Day
Want to make your own morning protocol? Download Arthur’s guide to help you get started: https://www.arthurbrooks.com/6-protocols—How you start your morning sets the tone for your whole day. In this episode of Office Hours, I share the science and habits behind my “Mad Scientist” morning routine, a six-step protocol I use to lower negative affect, boost positive mood, and make mornings a time of f
7 Habits That Lead to Happiness in Old Age
Most people assume getting older means getting less happy. Maybe you’ve thought it too. But the research shows otherwise. In this episode of Office Hours, I’ll show you how your later years can be some of the happiest of your life and how to make that happen.I’ll take you inside the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the world’s longest scientific study of happiness. I’ll explain why well-being f
Fame ruined me, but faith saved me: Office Hours meets The Office, with special guest Rainn Wilson
What can faith teach us about happiness that science alone cannot? In this episode of Office Hours, I sit down with my friend, the actor and writer Rainn Wilson. Best known as Dwight Schrute on The Office, Rainn is also a writer and thinker who explores spirituality in his book Soul Boom and on his podcast of the same name. Together, we explore the Baháʼí faith and the lessons it offers for living
2 Proven Strategies (and 1 Big Mistake) for Dealing with Anxiety
Have you ever felt anxious for no clear reason, like a vague alarm going off in your mind? You’re not alone. Anxiety has become one of the fastest-growing ailments in America, affecting more than 40 million adults. Rates among young people have doubled in the past decade, and the pandemic pushed them even higher.In this episode of Office Hours, I’m tackling the epidemic of anxiety: what it is, why
The Sociopaths Among Us: How to Spot (and Avoid) a Dark Triad
Have you ever had an abusive boss, a partner who gaslit you at every turn, or a friend who always seemed to bend the truth? You might have crossed paths with someone in the Dark Triad.On this episode of Office Hours, I’m diving into a topic that doesn’t create happiness but often destroys it: the Dark Triad personality constellation. These are the people with three characteristics: narcissism (it’
6 Science-Backed Ways to Raise Happiness (and Success) at Work
Welcome back to Office Hours with Arthur Brooks. In this episode, I turn to a place where many of us spend most of our waking hours: the workplace. Whether you’re an employee, a manager, or leading an organization, happiness at work is not just a nice-to-have; it is a proven driver of productivity, loyalty, and even company performance.Drawing on research from Irrational Capital and insights from
5 Ways to Get Happier Starting Today
Welcome to the inaugural episode of Office Hours with Arthur Brooks. I’m thrilled to start this podcast with a topic I’ve devoted much of my life to: how we can be truly happier.This episode draws from my new book, The Happiness Files, a collection of essays from my How to Build a Life column in The Atlantic. But more importantly, it’s grounded in science, drawing on a 2020 study where top researc
Welcome to Office Hours with Arthur Brooks
Hi Friends, I’m Arthur Brooks. I’m a social scientist, a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, and a columnist at The Atlantic. I write, speak, and teach about the science of human happiness. This is a field that blends neuroscience, behavioral science, philosophy, and religion for insights on how all of us can live better, and be happier. This work is more important
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