Book 6: "59 Seconds: Think a Little, Change a Lot" by Richard Wiseman

The next time you are trying to be creative in a meeting, gently lean forward and pull against the table. When the going gets tough, cross your arms to help perseverance in the face of failure, and if that doesn't work. lie down. If anyone accuses you of being lazy, quietly explain that you are employing your locus coeruleus in the war against rigid thinking.

This book was written by a scientist who decided to look into the scientific basis for the techniques recommended by the self-help industry.

There are some interesting findings from the cited scientific studies, and a lot of the techniques mentioned in this book really do seem to provide a big reward for not too much effort. I really should try some of the techniques from the chapter on happiness, as it seems as though it is easy to increase your happiness even though a large proportion of how happy you are is innate.

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I borrowed this book from the library to read for a book club, but I have already bought my own copy for future reference. The subjects covered are so wide-ranging that you may well be able to donate all your other self-help books to a charity shop and never buy another one.

Review of Book 6 cross-posted to 50bookchallenge.