Shortform Books

How to Stay Creative: 4 Ways to Maintain Your Inspiration

Do you make time for unstructured creativity? Do you tend toward perfectionism? How often do you unplug from technology? According to many creative professionals and productivity experts, creativity is the result of consistent work habits coupled with a creative mindset. You can foster such a mindset by prioritizing unstructured creativity, rejecting perfectionism, leaning into challenges, and taking opportunities to unplug. Keep reading to learn how to stay creative by following this recipe.

How to Regain Employee Autonomy in the Workplace

Is there a lack of autonomy in your workplace? Do you want to change the culture at the company where you work? A company with little autonomy is a company that is likely going to fail. In The Unicorn Project, Gene Kim demonstrates how a lack of employee autonomy in the workplace almost destroyed a department, until employees started taking matters into their own hands. Keep reading to learn how to take back autonomy at work.

Wired for Story by Lisa Cron: Book Overview & Takeaways

Why is it hard to explain what makes a story good? How does that impact our ability to write good stories? What can we do to overcome that difficulty and craft interesting narratives? In Wired for Story, Lisa Cron argues that our brains evolved to absorb information through stories. So, writers who want to create compelling narratives should write in a way that satisfies our brains’ expectations of story. Continue reading for an overview of this book that takes a fresh approach to story writing.

Feel-Good Brain Chemicals: Activities to Stimulate Them

Have you been feeling down in the dumps lately? What are activities that activate your feel-good brain chemicals? Recovering from a relationship with a narcissist can bring up all sorts of negative feelings that just won’t go away. With the help of Power by Shahida Arabi, you can find enjoyable hobbies and activities that pinpoint brain chemicals that make you happy. Let’s take a look at what you can do to stimulate certain brain chemicals.

Logrolling in Negotiations: 3 Steps You Can Take to Create Value

What’s logrolling? How does it create value in a negotiation? Logrolling means trading negotiation items that both parties value. Understanding what each party cares about most is crucial to nailing down a deal. Continue reading to learn more about logrolling in negotiation.

How to Resolve Issues in a Small Group Discussion

Do you need to have an intimate conversation with a group of friends or a work team? How can you guide a small group discussion? One of Susan Scott’s conversation models in Fierce Conversations is intended to be used for intimate conversations with one or a few people. Its purpose is to find the root of an issue and surface effective and sustainable solutions by uncovering other peoples’ truths. To structure your small group discussion according to this model, take the following steps.

Idealize-Devalue-Discard: A Powerful Tactic of Narcissists

Is your partner constantly tearing you down? Do they ever build you back up with compliments and gifts? The above pattern is quite common in narcissists. According to Power by Shahida Arabi, it’s a tactic known as “Idealize-Devalue-Discard,” which manipulates victims into staying in the relationship. Let’s take a closer look at the Idealize-Devalue-Discard tactic.

Becky Kennedy’s Good Inside: Book Overview & Takeaways

Are you letting a negativity bias affect your parenting? How can you get your kids to actually want to be obedient? When is silliness an effective parenting technique? Becky Kennedy’s Good Inside helps parents effect sustainable behavior changes in their kids while building positive relationships with them. Our overview lays out Kennedy’s core principles, her toolkit for dealing with challenging behavior, and explanations and solutions for common parenting challenges. Continue reading for an overview of this practical parenting manual.

How to Tell if Someone Is Anxious Through Body Language

Can you tell when someone is anxious? Is sweating always a sign of stress? If you were able to detect when someone else is stressed out, imagine how helpful it would be to be able to adjust your own words and behavior accordingly. In The Dictionary of Body Language, retired FBI Special Agent Joe Navarro shares four common anxious body language cues. Keep reading to learn how to tell if someone is anxious by interpreting their body language.

Why Do People Like Stories? How Stories Appeal to the Brain

Why do people like stories? What answer can we find in the reason why storytelling developed in the first place? Stories aren’t just entertaining; they also satisfy a neurological need that humans evolved over millennia. That’s the view of Lisa Cron, who argues that our brains evolved to absorb important survival information through stories. Read more to understand why Cron urges writers to write in a way that satisfies our brains’ expectations of a story.