Hi Friends, I’m Arthur Brooks, a social scientist, professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, columnist at The Free Press. I write, speak, and teach about the science of human happiness, blending neuroscience, behavioral science, philosophy, and religion for insights on how to live better and be happier. Each week on Office Hours, you’ll get a glimpse into the cutting edge research on happiness, and explore how you can use it to improve your life—and share what you learn with those you love. Join me in the movement to build a happier world–starting with you.
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Welcome to the inaugural episode of Office Hours with Arthur Brooks. I’m thrilled to start this podcast with a topic I’ve devoted much of my life to: how we can be truly happier.
This episode draws from my new book, The Happiness Files, a collection of essays from my How to Build a Life column in The Atlantic. But more importantly, it’s grounded in science, drawing on a 2020 study where top researchers ranked the most practical and effective ways to get happier.
Today I discuss:
• The top 5 research-backed ways to improve your well-being
• Why investing in your close relationships is the single most powerful thing you can do to be happier
• How joining a club or values-based community can restore your sense of belonging
• The link between lifelong learning and growing happiness over time • Why transcending your ego through faith, philosophy, or awe brings clarity and peace
• How physical exercise reduces unhappiness (and why that matters more than you think)
• Why self-esteem alone won’t make you happy—but understanding your emotions might
• The three elements of a real happiness strategy (and how to build your own)
• How to move on from heartbreak (and why sad music really does help)
• And much more!
Since it’s the very first episode, we’d love to hear any feedback you have. Please email us at officehours@arthurbrooks.com. And please leave a review on Apple or Spotify. Thanks for listening!
Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. Production provided by www.thebluewave.net. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email jordan@penname.co
Welcome to Office Hours with Arthur Brooks
Friday, August 8, 2025 • Duration 00:37
Hi Friends, I’m Arthur Brooks. I’m a social scientist, a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, and a columnist at The Atlantic. I write, speak, and teach about the science of human happiness. This is a field that blends neuroscience, behavioral science, philosophy, and religion for insights on how all of us can live better, and be happier.
This work is more important now than ever. Happiness has been falling, and unhappiness rising, marked by increases in depression, anxiety, loneliness, and polarization. My life’s work aims to address these problems head-on, and turn them into opportunities for growth and learning. I have dedicated the remainder of my life to lifting people up and bringing them together, in bonds of love and happiness, using science and ideas.
And that’s the purpose of my show, Office Hours. Each week, I will give you a glimpse into the cutting edge research on happiness, and explore how you can use it right now to improve your life—and share what you learn with those you love.
So join me in the movement to build a happier world–starting with you.
6 Science-Backed Ways to Raise Happiness (and Success) at Work
Monday, August 18, 2025 • Duration 49:43
Welcome back to Office Hours with Arthur Brooks. In this episode, I turn to a place where many of us spend most of our waking hours: the workplace. Whether you’re an employee, a manager, or leading an organization, happiness at work is not just a nice-to-have; it is a proven driver of productivity, loyalty, and even company performance.
Drawing on research from Irrational Capital and insights from my book The Happiness Files, I share the six factors that truly make people happier at work, and explain why gimmicks and perks cannot compare.
I discuss:
• The most important factor that drives happiness at work
• How direct, honest communication reduces fear and builds trust
• The surprising impact a manager’s mood has on team morale
• One of the easiest and fastest ways to boost happiness and productivity at work
• How investing in learning, mentorship, and growth creates lasting engagement
• Should you be making friends at work?
• The leadership styles that fail employees and the two that actually inspire loyalty and performance
• How much do your pay and perks directly impact your happiness?
• Audience Q&A on knowing if there is a God, if your personality makes you more likely to be unhappy, and dealing with temptation
We’d love to hear any feedback you have. Please email us at officehours@arthurbrooks.com. And please leave a review on Apple or Spotify. Thanks for listening!
2 Proven Strategies (and 1 Big Mistake) for Dealing with Anxiety
Monday, September 1, 2025 • Duration 36:54
Have you ever felt anxious for no clear reason, like a vague alarm going off in your mind? You’re not alone. Anxiety has become one of the fastest-growing ailments in America, affecting more than 40 million adults. Rates among young people have doubled in the past decade, and the pandemic pushed them even higher.
In this episode of Office Hours, I’m tackling the epidemic of anxiety: what it is, why it’s on the rise, and how to work with it instead of against it. Using insights from psychology, evolutionary biology, and my own research, I share how anxiety can become not just manageable, but even leveraged as a performance enhancer.
In this episode, I cover:
• The definition of anxiety as “unfocused fear” and how to recognize it in your own life
• Why anxiety has exploded among young adults and teens
• Why young women need to reduce their time spent on social media
• How anxiety functions as an evolutionary alarm system designed to keep us alive
• Practical strategies for managing your anxiety that focus on presence rather than avoidance
• How the culture of pain elimination fueled the opioid crisis and what it teaches us about pain avoidance
• Wisdom from Kierkegaard on turning your anxiety into performance-enhancing fuel
• If happiness and unhappiness can coexist
We’d love to hear any feedback you have. Please email us at officehours@arthurbrooks.com. And please leave a review on Apple or Spotify. Thanks for listening!
The Sociopaths Among Us: How to Spot (and Avoid) a Dark Triad
Monday, August 25, 2025 • Duration 47:44
Have you ever had an abusive boss, a partner who gaslit you at every turn, or a friend who always seemed to bend the truth? You might have crossed paths with someone in the Dark Triad.
On this episode of Office Hours, I’m diving into a topic that doesn’t create happiness but often destroys it: the Dark Triad personality constellation. These are the people with three characteristics: narcissism (it’s all about them), Machiavellianism (they’re willing to hurt you), and psychopathy (they feel little empathy or remorse when they do).
Drawing on behavioral science research and evolutionary psychology, I explain what makes Dark Triads tick, how to recognize them before they hurt you, and why avoiding them is essential for your well-being. I also share what to look for instead—the Light Triad, people who trust others, believe in human dignity, and leave you feeling warm and uplifted in their presence.
I discuss:
• The core traits of the Dark Triad and how they drive destructive behavior
• Which careers and environments attract dark triads and how to spot the red flags
• How Machiavellianism shows up in politics (on both sides)
• The science of emophilia and why people who fall in love too fast are Dark Triad targets
• How Dark Triads thrive on social media (and the “first-date test” that can save you heartbreak)
• The telltale behaviors that reveal a Dark Triad in work, love, and online
• The defense tactic Dark Triads use when caught in a lie
• What the Light Triad looks like
• Audience Q&A on the connection between happiness and intelligence and how to comfort aging parents
Fame ruined me, but faith saved me: Office Hours meets The Office, with special guest Rainn Wilson
Monday, September 8, 2025 • Duration 01:07:17
What can faith teach us about happiness that science alone cannot? In this episode of Office Hours, I sit down with my friend, the actor and writer Rainn Wilson. Best known as Dwight Schrute on The Office, Rainn is also a writer and thinker who explores spirituality in his book Soul Boom and on his podcast of the same name. Together, we explore the Baháʼí faith and the lessons it offers for living a more meaningful life.
Rainn shares his journey from growing up in the faith to losing his way during the height of fame, to rediscovering purpose through recovery and spiritual practice.
In this episode, we explore:
• A case for studying religions beyond your own
• A brief history of the Baha’i faith and the core tenets that continue to guide millions of followers
• How worship in the Baha’i faith goes far beyond prayer, reaching into art, service, and more
• Why you should learn to surrender to something bigger than yourself
• How fame left Rainn emptier than ever
• Why trying to avoid suffering is a big mistake
• What is the wisest path to happiness
• And more!
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Brought to you by:
• AG1—Support whole body health around the clock. Get a free Welcome Kit, including a bottle of Vitamin D and 5 AG1 Travel Packs (a $76 value), when you subscribe.
Most people assume getting older means getting less happy. Maybe you’ve thought it too. But the research shows otherwise. In this episode of Office Hours, I’ll show you how your later years can be some of the happiest of your life and how to make that happen.
I’ll take you inside the Harvard Study of Adult Development, the world’s longest scientific study of happiness. I’ll explain why well-being follows a U-shaped curve and why, after midlife, your trajectory depends on the “investments” you’ve made.
I’ll also share the seven habits you can start practicing today to build your own happiness portfolio so you can enjoy more satisfaction, purpose, and joy in the years to come.
In this episode, I cover:
• The biggest misconception people have about their happiness after 50
• Why life satisfaction bottoms out in midlife, then rebounds stronger than before
• The one bad habit most strongly linked to marriage dissolution
• How learning to handle life’s inevitable setbacks pays off in your future well-being
• A case for expanding your mind, reading widely, questioning assumptions, and exploring unfamiliar ideas
• Why love is the strongest predictor of happiness in old age, and why one truly close connection can matter more than many casual ones
• Listener questions on happiness and age, if happiness is relative, and how to make the most out of a long commute
We’d love to hear any feedback you have. Please email us at officehours@arthurbrooks.com. And please leave a review on Apple or Spotify. Thanks for listening!
How you start your morning sets the tone for your whole day. In this episode of Office Hours, I share the science and habits behind my “Mad Scientist” morning routine, a six-step protocol I use to lower negative affect, boost positive mood, and make mornings a time of focus and flow.
I introduce the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS), explain why morning mood matters, and show you the research-backed habits I use to improve mine.
In this episode, I cover:
• Why your morning starts the night before with an early bedtime
• How witnessing the sunrise can help manage poor morning moods
• The reason I don’t use the alarm clock on my phone
• Why I exercise first thing
• How to build a grounding spiritual or reflective practice (even if you’re secular)
• Why delaying your morning coffee can improve focus and energy throughout the day
• The high-protein, tryptophan-rich foods I eat for breakfast
• Why you need to protect your most productive hours of the day
• Listener questions on staying compassionate while protecting yourself and whether anger is linked to unhappiness
We’d love to hear any feedback you have. Please email us at officehours@arthurbrooks.com. And please leave a review on Apple or Spotify. Thanks for listening!
—
Brought to you by:
• AG1—Support whole body health around the clock. Get a free Welcome Kit, including a bottle of Vitamin D and 5 AG1 Travel Packs (a $76 value), .
Exercise Your Way to Greater Well-Being
Monday, September 29, 2025 • Duration 36:20
Learn more about your affect profile by taking the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule quiz (PANAS) here, and download Arthur’s morning protocol guide to help you start your mornings happier.
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Today, I want to talk about one of the lowest-hanging fruits for improving your well-being: exercise. Most Americans don’t get the recommended amount of physical activity, which means there’s an enormous opportunity to feel better. In this episode of Office Hours, I explain the science behind how exercise helps lower stress, anxiety, and negative mood, and how you can utilize it to improve your life.
I also cover:
• Which kinds of exercise do the most to lift your mood and which calm stress the best
• The stark reality of how few Americans meet even the basic exercise guidelines
• The 3 key brain chemicals exercise activates to improve your mood
• How to build an exercise habit that sticks
• How to define your emotional objective and build a routine around it
• The red flags that indicate exercise is tipping into addiction
• Why a simple sunrise walk may be the most effective way to begin
• Listener questions on the effects of rituals on happiness, experiencing transcendence as a skeptic, and finding meaning in life
We’d love to hear any feedback you have. Please email us at officehours@arthurbrooks.com. And please leave a review on Apple or Spotify. Thanks for listening!
—
Brought to you by:
• The Pump Club—Finally, fitness you can trust. —created by Arnold Schwarzenegger—for custom workouts and nutrition, habit building, and community—all for 50% OFF the monthly price with the code officehours at checkout.
4 Ways to Use Common Knowledge to be Happier with Steven Pinker
Monday, October 6, 2025 • Duration 44:46
Learn more about your affect profile by taking the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule quiz (PANAS) here.
So much of life depends not only on what we know, but also on what we know that others know as well. This shared awareness—what social scientists call common knowledge—explains how we cooperate, why markets rise and fall, and why silence in the face of cancel culture is so damaging.
In this episode of Office Hours, I’m joined by Dr. Steven Pinker, Harvard psychologist and bestselling author of The Language Instinct and Enlightenment Now. We discuss his new book, When Everyone Knows That Everyone Knows, and explore how common knowledge influences cooperation, politics, humor, and even happiness, and why using it as a gift, not a weapon, can help us all live better.
We cover:
• What common knowledge really is and why it matters in everyday life
• How nonverbal signals like eye contact or laughter shape our social lives
• Why so many Americans hide their true beliefs
• 4 principles that can help you live a happier, more meaningful life
• How to practice radical honesty with clarity and kindness
We’d love to hear any feedback you have. Please email us at officehours@arthurbrooks.com. And please leave a review on Apple or Spotify. Thanks for listening!
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Brought to you by:
• AGZ—AGZ is a nighttime drink designed to support restful, restorative sleep. Get a free frother with your purchase at drinkag1.com/arthurbrooks.com
Production and marketing by https://penname.co/. Production provided by www.thebluewave.net. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email jordan@penname.co
We’d love to hear any feedback you have. Please email us at officehours@arthurbrooks.com. And please leave a review on Apple or Spotify. Thanks for listening!
• The Pump Club—Finally, fitness you can trust. Join The Pump Club—created by Arnold Schwarzenegger—for custom workouts and nutrition, habit building, and community—all for 50% OFF the monthly price with the code officehours at checkout.
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