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Life Kit Tools to help you get it together.
Life Kit

Life Kit

Tools To Help You Get It Together
A man reshapes a troubling memory of baking a cake as a way to boost his self-esteem.

One way to boost self-esteem is to update a troubling memory about yourself, says psychologist Marisa Franco. As your current self, go back in time and give your younger self the reassurance you needed to hear back then. It can give your current self a sense of catharsis. Malaka Gharib/NPR hide caption

Malaka Gharib/NPR

Why reshaping memories may hold the key to raising self-esteem

In a new book, psychologist Marisa Franco explains why it's good to feel good about yourself — and shares a helpful memory technique that we've turned into a printable worksheet.

Working on trivial things instead of what you're supposed to be doing? That's a sign of procrastination, writes social scientist Itamar Shatz in his new book, Solving Procrastination. It's also a hint to one of our quiz questions below.

Working on trivial things instead of what you're supposed to be doing? That's a sign of procrastination, writes Itamar Shatz in his new book, Solving Procrastination. It's also a hint to one of our quiz questions below. La Cassette Bleue/Getty Images/iStockphoto hide caption

La Cassette Bleue/Getty Images/iStockphoto

Think you know procrastination? This quiz offers surprising insights

Learn a few surprising facts about procrastination — and helpful tools to overcome it — with this quiz. It's based on social scientist Itamar Shatz's new book, Solving Procrastination.

Photograph of a woman wearing a yellow backpack and leaning backward in joy as she walks on a sidewalk against the backdrop of a concrete wall. The photograph is taken from a low angle and depicts excitement and joy.

Back-to-school season can still be an opportunity for a refresh, even if you're not headed back to the classroom. Maria Korneeva/Getty Images/Moment RF hide caption

Maria Korneeva/Getty Images/Moment RF

6 ways grown-ups can recreate that fresh, buzzy feeling of a new school year

Refreshing ideas that harness the excitement of going back to school — like learning new things, packing a school lunch and playing at recess — updated for the adult version of you. 

In this illustration, a pair of hands holds a video game controller while the word "START" shows up on a screen in front of the hands and controller.

Feeling stuck, bored or restless in life? You might be ready to start a side quest. In video games, it's a mission that deviates from the main storyline, helping to build the world's lore . In real life, it's an activity that doesn't serve any other purpose than bringing more whimsy into your day-to-day. Westend61/Getty Images hide caption

Westend61/Getty Images

Feeling restless? Level up your life by starting a side quest

Feeling restless in life? Level up your main quest with an activity that has no other purpose than to add whimsy to your life. Play experts share tips on how to find the perfect side quest.

By building balance and strength in a few key areas of the body, you can alleviate or even prevent common pregnancy aches. Amy Kiefer, a certified personal trainer, and Holly Keskey-Koester, a fitness instructor, demonstrate a few movements.

By building balance and strength in a few key areas of the body, you can alleviate or even prevent common pregnancy aches. Amy Kiefer, a certified personal trainer, and Holly Keskey-Koester, a fitness instructor, demonstrate a few movements. Footage: Expecting and Empowered. Video: CJ Riculan/NPR hide caption

Footage: Expecting and Empowered. Video: CJ Riculan/NPR

5 exercises that can prevent (and relieve!) pregnancy pain 

Hemorrhoids, leg cramps, sciatica — oh my! Alongside the joy of pregnancy often comes a parade of physical discomfort. Alleviate and prevent common aches with these exercises.

Manoush Zomorodi an award-winning journalist, bestselling author, and host of NPR's “TED Radio Hour.” Her book, BODY ELECTRIC: The Hidden Health Costs of the Digital Age and New Science to Reclaim Your Well-Being, builds on the popular podcast of the same name, expanding it into a much larger story about what the digital age is doing to our bodies.

NPR journalist Manoush Zomorodi and her latest book, Body Electric: The Hidden Health Costs of the Digital Age and New Science to Reclaim Your Well-Being. Flatiron Books/Tory Williams/NPR hide caption

Flatiron Books/Tory Williams/NPR

Digital habits that rob attention and energy — and how to combat them

There's a reason why double- or triple-screening your devices makes you feel tired, says NPR's Manoush Zomorodi. She explains the science of information overload and how to reclaim calm and focus.

An illustration made of cut paper shows a purple credit card standing up on a flat, red calendar with dates numbered in the grid. A green circle below the card turns into a line that stretches out into the future, demonstrating making a plan to pay off credit card debt.

To stay off the hamster wheel of debt, experts recommend saving for emergencies while keeping up with credit card payments. That way, you can pay for unexpected purchases with cash instead of credit. Reina Takahashi for NPR hide caption

Reina Takahashi for NPR

Yes, it's possible to save money while paying off credit card debt. Here's how

In fact, experts recommend it because it can keep you off the hamster wheel of debt. Here's how to find the money in your budget to put toward savings and credit card payments.

An illustration shows the cover of the book Real Skills for Real Life: A DBT Guide to Navigating Stress, Emotions, and Relationships alongside a head-and-shoulders photo of co-author Shireen Rizvi. Her arms are crossed.

Shireen Rizvi is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences and co-wrote the book Real Skills for Real Life: A DBT Guide to Navigating Stress, Emotions, and Relationships. Jesse Finkelstein/Sonya Barlas/NPR hide caption

Jesse Finkelstein/Sonya Barlas/NPR

So distressed you can't think straight? Lower the intensity with these 4 skills

A clinical psychologist shares effective strategies to quickly de-escalate stress and anxiety. That includes dunking your head into a bowl of ice water to trigger your mammalian dive reflex.

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