The School of Life’s books present insights on productivity, travel, education and staying calm

We know that our minds are capable of great things because, every now and then, they come out with a fantastic idea or two. However, our minds are also unpredictable; spending large stretches of time distracting us. How to Think More Effectively is a book about how to optimise these beautiful yet fitful parts of us so that they can more regularly and generously produce the sort of insights and ideas we need to fulfil our potential. Among other things, The School of Life discuss how to grasp fragile and flighty thoughts before they disappear through anxiety and fear; at what times of day to try to work and for how long; how to make use of boredom, and how to overcome timid and predictable approaches to the largest problems. The result is an operating manual to that most wondrous, though intermittent and always baffling, organ: the human mind. How to Think More Effectively Some businesses place a huge emphasis on technical training, yet a lot of what determines the success or failure of an organisation has nothing to do with the traditional skills taught at business school, but rather the sophisticated skills that are key to emotional maturity. The Emotionally Intelligent Office introduces twenty core emotional skills that can help businesses and individuals to flourish. They range from giving and receiving honest feedback and accepting that it’s okay to fail, to addressing jealousies and insecurities within teams. This book is informed by the practical work that the Business division of The School of Life carries out, endeavouring to change the culture within organisations around the world by teaching teams the art of emotional intelligence.