Do you feel the urge to yawn almost immediately after seeing someone else do it?  You're not alone.  As it turns out, though, yawning is far from the only behavior we can deem contagious.  A study published recently in the Journal of Ethology made a startling finding: The same psychological process that makes yawns contagious also influences people to check their smartphones. People have a need to follow the norms imposed on them by others. No one wishes to be the lone outsider who defies social norms.  In turn, it prompts them to mirror as closely as possible the actions of those in their orbit. This is known as the chameleon effect. As another example, you've probably noticed how people tend pick up each others’ gestures or mood during a conversation. I suppose these findings shouldn't strike us as a total surprise. After all, people seem to LIVE on their phones. Whether they're walking to school, in the bathroom, watching a game, eating dinner, or, most frighteni...

We've all been there: We set the alarm for a specific time in the morning, only to not hear it or repeatedly hit the snooze button. Once we realize what time it is, we scurry to put on our clothes, grab something for breakfast, and dash out the door in hopes of getting to work on time. But what if I shared some handy tricks for ensuring you get out of bed and have ample time to get ready for work? It's simple. First, make sure the song/ringtone you use on your alarm clock or phone is overly obnoxious -- so annoying that you can't help but get up to turn it off. On the other hand, if you opt for tranquil sounds of nature, you'll never have any incentive to get out of bed -- and you risk oversleeping. You'll also want to set the alarm for 30 minutes to an hour earlier than you'd have to wake up, which will buy you extra time to get all your early morning affairs in order. There's nothing more stressful than having to rush out of your house to make it...

Back in the old days, people would communicate exclusively via written letters that often took weeks, if not months, to arrive. While letters are still used today -- mostly by companies wanting us to sign up for credit cards or enroll in some form of membership with them -- it's become somewhat outdated as far as communications between friends and family are concerned. And the same can be said for making phone calls. That's thanks largely to the advent and ubiquity of texting and social media. If you're like me, you probably receive congratulations for promotions and other achievements -- not to mention holiday and birthday wishes, condolences, and so forth -via text or Facebook, even from your closest friends. Sure, we all know a couple of people who might still call or pay a visit -- the "old school" set -- but it's become increasingly rare. There's no question that texting and social media are convenient (and fairly cheap) methods of staying...

I'd like to take this moment to take a poll: What is it that helps you be more productive throughout the day? Here are a few options from which to choose, but feel free to mention not one on this list -- it is by no means exhaustive. Coffee Energy drinks Music Exercise (whether in the morning or afternoon) Taking short breaks to read Walking around Doing something on your phone or computer (playing games, etc.) Aside from the obvious (writing and blogging), I find that music keeps me productive. The work day goes by so much quicker with music! Think about it: Assuming that each song is 3 minutes on average, that means that once you've listened to 20 songs, a whole hour has gone by.  If you really love the songs you're listening to, and assuming you encounter slow periods at work, music can definitely be a blessing. While listening to music, I seem to get more work done, too. I love exercising as well, but only when I can have my iPod at full blast. T...