DeepSummary
The episode discusses the concept of habituation, which is the tendency to respond less and less to things that are repeated or constant. Cognitive neuroscientist Tali Sharot explains that habituation affects all aspects of our lives, causing us to stop noticing the positive things around us over time.
To bring back the joy and pleasure in our work, relationships, and everyday lives, Sharot suggests taking breaks from our routines and introducing more variety into our lives. She recommends changing our environment, trying new hobbies or activities, and being open to making changes, both big and small.
Sharot also emphasizes the importance of dishabituation, which involves disrupting our routines and patterns to regain appreciation for the good things in our lives. She provides practical advice on how to dishabituate, such as taking mental breaks, changing our scenery, and embracing variety and novelty.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- Habituation is the tendency to respond less and less to things that are repeated or constant, causing us to lose appreciation for the positive aspects of our lives.
- To counter habituation, take breaks from your routine, either physically or mentally, to regain perspective and notice the good things around you.
- Introduce more variety into your life by trying new experiences, hobbies, or activities to disrupt patterns and stimulate your mind.
- Change your environment or scenery, even temporarily, to boost creativity and gain fresh perspectives on problems or situations.
- Embrace change, both big and small, as it can often lead to increased happiness and well-being, despite the initial discomfort or fear.
- Give yourself time to adjust after making a significant change, as it's normal to experience transition pains or regret initially.
- Habituation can also occur on a societal level, causing us to become desensitized to issues like racism, climate change, or misinformation.
- Actively seek out new information and perspectives to counter the effects of habituation and maintain awareness of important social and environmental issues.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “So there's two main ways. It's break and diversify.“ by Tali Sharot
- “When you habituate to something, if you remove yourself from that environment, from that situation for a certain amount of time, and then you come back, then you'll be better able to notice those things that are great, but you didn't notice them after a while because they were always there.“ by Tali Sharot
- “So habituation is our tendency to respond less and less to things that are repeated or are constant.“ by Tali Sharot
- “It turns out that just as you get used and habituate to smell or to temperature, you also get used to more complex things in your life and in society. It's a phenomenon that really affects all aspects of our life.“ by Tali Sharot
- “The conclusion from that study, and other studies as well, is that, on average, we are on the wrong side of the balance in the sense that for most people, they're not making enough change, because change is scary. Despite the fact that, on average, a change can do you good, people don't make enough changes.“ by Tali Sharot
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Episode Information
Life Kit
NPR
6/11/24
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