Caroline Webb

How we spend our days is, of course, how we spend our lives.

“Did you have a good day?”

The brain’s activity is split across two complementary systems—one deliberate and controlled, the other automatic and instinctive.

, the deliberate system is responsible for putting us on our best behavior. When it’s in full control, it makes us wise, self-possessed, and reliable

our deliberate system isn’t actually doing anything in parallel at all; it’s switching from one task to another and back again.7

Your deliberate system is responsible for sophisticated functions such as reasoning, self-control, and forward thinking. It excels in handling anything unfamiliar, complex, or abstract. But it has limited capacity and gets tired quickly. When it’s overused, overloaded, or distracted, it’s harder for you to be wise, balanced, or reliable.

having a sense of autonomy and personal competence is profoundly motivating.

your brain’s deliberate system performs far better when you’ve had enough sleep, some aerobic exercise, and a few moments of mindfulness.

the things that get through the filters are strongly influenced by the priorities and assumptions we take into the day

we miss a big opportunity if we simply let the day happen to us.