Motivation & autonomy
Three needs that make motivation stick
Self-Determination Theory and why intrinsic motivation beats bribery
Ryan and Deci's landmark paper argues that intrinsic motivation — the kind that lasts — grows from three basic psychological needs being met: autonomy, competence, and relatedness.
Mental fatigue in the wild
Your typing gives you away
Mental fatigue is visible in the rhythm of your keystrokes
Six weeks of real-world keystroke logging reveals a predictable speed/accuracy trade-off as the workday wears on — visible long before you consciously feel tired.
Attention & breaks
What really gets restored when you take a break?
Attention Restoration Theory, revisited with better evidence
A 2018 meta-analysis of 42 experiments on natural-environment breaks finds that working memory and cognitive flexibility recover most reliably — and reveals which kinds of rest actually restore focus.