Office Hours with Arthur Brooks

5 Ways to Kill Your Envy and Get Happier

Dante had a particularly gruesome punishment for the envious: their eyes were wired shut. In this episode of Office Hours, I explore why envy is such a powerful happiness

What Is the Happiest Personality? (It Actually Might Be Yours)

If you’re an introvert, you might not like what the research has to say: Extroverts tend to be happier. But before you start striking up conversations with strangers in t

5 Ways to Find Your Faith

Why do so many people drift from faith in early adulthood, only to feel drawn back to it later in life?  In this episode of Office Hours, I explore the Hindu concept of

The Three Secrets to Raising Great Kids

Being a parent is one of the most meaningful things you can do with your life, and one of the easiest things to worry about getting wrong. Most of us ultimately want the

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'

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 disconnec

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 u

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

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 tho

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 t

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 decis

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

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 epis

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 pre

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 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

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? I

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, persist

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 emotio

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,