Longer guides to everyday skills
When a skill needs more than one lesson, a guide walks through it start to finish, with the research behind each step and links to the lessons to practise.
Can you swim well enough to save your life?
Most adults say they can swim. Far fewer say they can do the five skills that get you out of deep water. Here is the standard, the data behind it, and how to test yourself safely.
7 min read · 17 sources
How to Make Friends as an Adult
School gave you friends by putting you in the same room every day. Adult life does not. Here is what the research says friendship takes, and a step-by-step method built on it.
6 min read
How to read terms, contracts and fine print in five minutes
Almost nobody reads the fine print, and nobody could read all of it. You do not need to. Five searches find the clauses most likely to cost you money.
7 min read
How to tie shoes that stay tied
A common reason laces come undone is a crooked granny bow. Here is how to check yours, the one change that fixes it, and how to teach it to a child.
7 min read