Purpose. Sound intangible? Even a little woo-woo? It鈥檚 not. Purpose can infuse balance into your day-to-day, help you understand what really matters (and learn how to say no to what doesn鈥檛), and leave you more time for those just-because passions. Plus, a growing field of research finds it is also a deep driver of both physical and mental health. Living a life of purpose can quite literally change the way genes are expressed in your body for the better.

In short: Purpose can help you reach your full potential. Fortunately, there鈥檚 a formula for finding it.

Find Your Gift

On a chalkboard in American marathon record holder Deena Kastor鈥檚 California home, there鈥檚 a handwritten Picasso quote: 鈥淭he meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.鈥�

Ask modern day researchers for a scientific definition of purpose and you鈥檒l get something pretty similar to the artist鈥檚 interpretation: Purpose is a long-term intention that is inspired, at least in part, by a desire to make a difference in the world beyond the self, explains Kendall Cotton Bronk, Ph.D., an associate professor at Claremont Graduate University who studies it. 鈥淚t鈥檚 something that you care deeply about 鈥� so deeply that you鈥檙e willing to dedicate your own time, energy, and resources toward the pursuit.鈥�

Despite a culture that chases achievements and Instagram glory, purpose isn鈥檛 exactly defined by PRs. 鈥淚t鈥檚 often at the intersection of a special skill or talent and making a meaningful difference in the world beyond themselves where people find purpose,鈥� says Cotton Bronk.

Years ago, at the brink of burnout, Kastor started working with legendary coach Joe Vigil, who helped her learn how to train her mind. The style of thinking not only boosted her performance. It changed her life. 鈥淗e taught me that the value of what we have 鈥� whether it鈥檚 time, money, or knowledge 鈥� increases when we share it with others,鈥� she says. In 2018, she released the book : A Memoir of Thinking My Way to Victory.

鈥淗aving some truth that running has taught me means nothing if I keep it to myself,鈥� says Kastor. 鈥淣ow that my career is over, the value is in passing it along to others so they can grow from a new place and not have to reinvent the wheel.鈥�

What鈥檚 Your Passion?

Sometimes, passions help us find purpose. 鈥淧eople who care deeply about things are probably more likely to identify a purpose for their lives,鈥� explains Cotton Bronk. But 鈥榩assion鈥� is a buzzword that鈥檚 often wildly misunderstood, says performance running coach Steve Magness, author of The Passion Paradox.

鈥淲e have this misnomer of going and 鈥榝inding鈥� your passion and then thinking everything will take care of itself.鈥� Think about passion like jet fuel that helps point you toward your guiding star, a.k.a., your purpose, explains Magness. Running, for example, could be a passion that helps guide you toward your purpose. It could be the stress relief that allows you to go back and put in work on a project.

But passion is tricky. Philosophers often talk about two different elements of it: a constructive form and an obsessive form. If you鈥檙e dedicating every ounce of energy to something you鈥檙e 鈥榩assionate鈥� about, you can wind up burnt out or lost, wondering “what now?” when that passion comes to an end. If you鈥檙e passionate simply for passion鈥檚 sake without a purpose, it鈥檚 easy to get derailed.

That鈥檚 why passion works best in tandem with other things in your life. 鈥淏alance means having the ability to step away and be a realist,鈥� says Magness. 鈥淚t鈥檚 being able to decide how invested you want to be in certain things.鈥� (Read: It鈥檚 okay to not be the best at everything in your life, and certainly not all at the same time.)

See the Bigger Picture

For Olympic runner and three-time U.S. national champion Alysia Monta帽o, it was a deliberate decision 鈥� to have a career and a family 鈥� that helped her find purpose. 鈥淲hen you鈥檙e a singular person, especially in the realm of professional running, it鈥檚 this head-down grind,鈥� she says. 鈥淲hen I had my daughter, it allowed me an opportunity to see the world much bigger.鈥�

Looking through the eyes of her firstborn helped Monta帽o identify things that she didn鈥檛 want her daughter growing up thinking were normal. It led her to against companies such as Nike, exposing the sports industry for their lack of fair maternity leave and postpartum protection; working with companies that put mothers first; and starting a foundation that supports postpartum women.

鈥淢y daughter helped me realize that it鈥檚 not just about me, it really isn鈥檛. And I鈥檓 happy that way. I鈥檓 so happy that it isn鈥檛 just about me. I鈥檓 so happy that I chose motherhood, especially in this day and age where I think it鈥檚 really hard for women to choose motherhood.鈥�

Shortly after Monta帽o鈥檚 New York Times piece, Nike and other athletic brands changed their maternity leave policies for athletes 鈥� a piece of Monta帽o鈥檚 purpose puzzle. 鈥淚 want to give people ownership to make the choices they want to make. I want to be the voice that allows that person who is not able to quite grasp that see, this is my life and I deserve it.鈥�

But, Monta帽o knows there鈥檚 always work to be done. 鈥淢ost people do not fully achieve their purpose in life because purposes are generally more abstract than that,鈥� explains Cotton Bronk. 鈥淭here can be victories along the way that lead to a sense of accomplishment, but in general, the sense of satisfaction associated with leading a life of purpose comes from knowing you鈥檙e moving in the right direction 鈥� in a personally meaningful direction.鈥�

How to Find Your Purpose

Haven鈥檛 had a big 鈥榓ha鈥� moment? Narrow in on your purpose with these expert-backed tips.

Dabble. Not quite sure what you鈥檙e passionate about? Trying different activities (taking a photography class, finally learning how to garden) can expose you to passions and steer you toward purpose, says Magness.

Think Long-Term. Imagine what you want your life to look like in 20 years and why you want it to look that way. These two questions are thought-starters that help people dig into purpose, says Cotton Bronk.

Enlist the Help of Others. Send an email out to a coach, a friend, and a mentor and ask them to tell you how they think you鈥檒l leave your mark. 鈥淪ometimes the people who know us well have some inkling that can help illuminate the idea for ourselves,鈥� says Cotton Bronk.

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The average person sweats between 0.8 liters (27 ounces鈥攁bout the size of a large Slurpee) and 1.4 liters (47 ounces) during an hour of exercise, says , Assistant Professor of Exercise Science at Fairmont State University. That鈥檚 equal to around one to three pounds of body weight per hour.听

The longer answer: How much you sweat varies depending on a slew of factors like how many sweat glands you have鈥攂etween 2 and 5 million; your resting body temp; the outdoor temperature; and the exercise you鈥檙e doing. The highly trained among us could lose even more fluids, too, says , co-director of the Exercise and Environmental Physiology Labs at the University of Oregon: about two to three liters per hour.听

To understand why that is you have to understand why we sweat in the first place: and that鈥檚 鈥渂ecause our muscles are actually very inefficient machines,鈥� says Ryan. 鈥淎bout 60 percent of the calories we burn during muscle contractions are lost to heat production.鈥� And the more calories we burn鈥攂y working out longer or harder鈥攖he more heat we produce.听

When perspiration on the surface of the skin evaporates, heat is lost and the blood is cooled, thus cooling our core body temperature. So athletes sweat more because they鈥檝e often become more efficient at lowering their core body temp, which keeps them from overheating, allowing them to workout out harder and longer.听

But know this: 鈥淪weat rate has nothing to do with the rate that you burn fat or calories,鈥� Ryan says. 鈥淎n individual鈥檚 perspiration rate is largely dependent on their genetic make-up and how their body responds to heat stress.鈥澨�

As the mercury inches up, it takes your body somewhere around 10 to 14 days to acclimatize to new warmer temps, he says. Your heart will adapt and work to improve cardiac function鈥攊t鈥檒l increase plasma blood volume, so your body will have more water in the blood stream that it can be utilized by the sweat glands to produce more sweat. This will also decrease the thickness of the blood so it can more effectively transfer heat through the surface of the skin, Ryan says.

After spending eight to 10 days into hotter weather, you鈥檒l start to see a change in muscle metabolism that allows your muscles to work more efficiently, which will decrease body heat production and lower core-body temperature, he explains. 鈥淎s you acclimatize to the heat, your body will start to shed fluids sooner [i.e. sweat]鈥攁t a lower body temp鈥攁fter the start of exercise.鈥澨�

But if you feel like you鈥檙e sweating buckets year-round, don鈥檛 sweat it: Some people simply lose more fluids than others. Men perspire more than women, for example, because they are generally taller and bigger, Minson says. Some that testosterone can enhance sweating response, too. Certain meds can also leave you dripping: 鈥淪ome anti-depressants and anti-anxiety meds, allergy medications, decongestants, and weight loss medications can increase sweat rate,鈥� says Ryan. Caffeine has a similar effect鈥攕o while a little bit of Joe can help improve performance, it could also be to blame for your pit stains.

听

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Muscle tone and weight control. For the past decade, these benefits have topped the list of reasons why we exercise, according to the on the fitness industry. They consistently edge out others鈥攍ike 鈥渇eeling good after鈥� and 鈥渋ncreased energy”鈥攚e can鈥檛 see in a mirror.听

That doesn鈥檛 mean we don鈥檛 care about the stuff we can鈥檛 see. We assume, for instance, that the effort to break a sweat leads to better cardiovascular health and a . And extra energy and happiness are still key benefits.听

But the breadth of invisible boons goes even further, affecting everything from our dating lives to our bowel movements. So the next time you鈥檙e stressing about a few stubborn pounds or a less-than-cut quad, focus on these six invisibly awesome effects of your efforts. We鈥檒l start with your pain tolerance.

1. You Feel No (or at Least Less) Pain

Think of pain in one of two ways: pain threshold, when you begin to feel it, and pain tolerance, the max amount of pain you can sustain.听听led a听听that found athletes have higher pain tolerances than average folk. He suggests that there are objective differences in central pain processing between athletes and non-athletes, though he鈥檚 uncertain if athletes acquire the ability to tolerate pain through training, or if they train because they already tolerate the pain well. What he does know: 鈥淗igher pain tolerance may be an important step for outstanding performance鈥� in your sport.

That heightened pain tolerance helps far beyond a workout or sports competition. Because of it, says Sims, smaller pain-inducers like day-to-day stress will have less of an impact on your life. It comes down to the mind-body connection. 鈥淎thletes 鈥榩ush鈥� their way through exertional pain and their brains learn suppression under stress,鈥� says Sims. 鈥淢oreover it is the mental strategies employed that aren’t even conscious鈥攑ositive self talk or听鈥攖hat lead to less perceived pain due to the want of the better outcome,鈥� she adds. Those skills transfer to other stressful encounters in life鈥攍ike traffic jams or conflicts at work.

2. Your Brain Gets Super-Charged听

When compared to less-fit peers, athletes have larger brain volumes in the basal ganglia and hippocampus, areas associated with thought, action, behavior, decision-making, and memory, says Sims.

That doesn鈥檛 necessarily mean you can exercise your way into Mensa. The relationship between brain volume and intelligence is hotly debated. While brain volume hasn鈥檛 been directly tied to intelligence (if it were, sperm whales would rule the world), to disorders like Alzheimer鈥檚, depression, and even schizophrenia, leading some to believe bigger is truly better, at least in health. And growing your hippocampus, studies have found, , or the memory of one鈥檚 environment, like the layout of your house or hometown.

One of the ways it grows is through endurance exercise, research shows. Exercise can trigger the growth of new nerves and synapses鈥攖he junction points between different nerves. A stronger network in your noggin means a better functioning brain.

How much do you need to workout to see those benefits? Not as much as you think. One found that 40 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (60 to 75 percent of max heart rate) three days a week in older people increased brain volume by 2 percent. performed in older adults with mild memory impairments found that twice weekly, hour-long sessions of aerobic activity, like a brisk walk, increased hippocampal volume.

3. You鈥檙e Sexier鈥擭o Six-Pack Needed

Men鈥檚 sweat contains the odorless pheromone called androstadienone, a chemical believed to boost a woman鈥檚 mood and levels of cortisol, a hormone听. 鈥淎s it is derived from testosterone, it is a strong attractant for women,鈥� says exercise physiologist Stacy Sims. In fact, a听听found that women who were exposed to androstadienone before a speed-dating event rated men as more attractive than those who weren鈥檛 exposed to the pheromone.

Women also give off a pheromone called estratetraenol. Researchers believe it听, enhancing men鈥檚 mood and arousal, though the effects are less noticeable.听

Beyond pheromones, the improved circulation and cardiovascular function that come with exercise can lead to better sex. More testosterone means stronger erections too鈥攁nd increased physical activity has been linked with听鈥攊ncluding protection from erectile dysfunction. A听done on women taking antidepressants (known for dampening libido) at the University of Texas at Austin found that ladies were 169 percent more turned on watching an erotic film when they spun on a stationary bike for 20 minutes beforehand than they were watching the movie without exercise.

4. You Crave Healthier Food

鈥淢ost people know that exercise affects appetite, but many don’t know that it also affects food choices鈥攊n a good way,鈥� says Matt Fitzgerald, sports nutritionist and author of . Studies like in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition have found that an intense workout, like an hour of running at 70 percent maximum aerobic capacity, reduces the desirability of high-calorie foods.

Researchers believe the result may have to do with thirst. The brain may lower-calorie fare as being more water-dense, so that鈥檚 what it craves when we鈥檙e dehydrated after a workout.

It could also be that training鈥攃oupled with daily intense exercise鈥攈elps regulate blood sugar and hormonal hunger controls. 鈥淭here is also a large body of scientific evidence to show that athletes are also more aware of their bodies than sedentary folks,鈥� says Sims. They can distinguish things like muscle fatigue more easily and determine when hunger is really hunger, rather than, say, boredom.

5. Your Bowels Flow Freely

You can thank your workout for keeping your GI tract unclogged. During exercise, your intestines actually experience reduced blood flow, which slows motility. But the extra oxygenation and blood flow you experience post-workout keeps everything moving through your system, says Sims.

Why that matters: Poop problems are more than just embarrassing. Constipation can mean everything from hard-to-pass stools to vomiting. (Or rectal prolapse鈥攚hen part of your intestine pushes out. Don鈥檛 Google image that.) But the exercise benefits don鈥檛 stop at fending off a stomachache or an emergency bathroom run. 鈥淭he movement associated with running increases the transit rate of digested foods through the lower bowels, decreasing risk of colon cancer,鈥� says .

Just remember: You need to pair your exercise with healthy fiber and fluid intake. The for adults under 50 is 38 grams for men, and 25 grams for women. For men and women over 50, it鈥檚 30 and 21 grams per day, respectively. To put that in perspective, the average apple has between 4 and 5 grams of fiber.

When it comes to water, the recommends women drink approximately 2.7 liters (91 ounces) a day, while men should aim for approximately 3.7 liters (125 ounces).

鈥淎 dehydrated athlete who sits on a bike can get really constipated,鈥� says Lim. So drink up.

6. You Become Unbreakable

You build muscle by creating micro-tears in those tissues when you work out. While you鈥檙e resting, your body repairs those tears, ultimately building your muscles back stronger, and sometimes bigger. The same goes for bones. When you鈥檙e forced to work against gravity, your muscles pull on your bones, forcing them to remodel and become stronger. The result: you鈥檙e less prone to fracture鈥攐r to getting hurt going about your day-to-day tasks.

Having stronger muscles can even prevent you from breaking a bone. A found that calf circumference was linked to tibia pain鈥攊n fact, each 10 millimeter reduction in calf circumference increased the risk of tibial stress fracture fourfold. It could be that the electric properties of leg muscle tissue, combined with lean muscle mass, allows those muscles to dampen impact forces when your feet strike the ground, which helps keep you injury-free.

So hike. Run. Dance. Jump. It鈥檚 never too late to start working on your muscles and bones. In a , researchers from Copenhagen found that 70-year-old men who played soccer for one hour twice a week for four months improved muscle function by 30 percent鈥攁nd bone mineral density by two.

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It鈥檚 time to ditch lunch with your computer. Get your blood pumping instead, and you could wind up a more efficient worker all afternoon, no extra screen time required.

鈥淓xercise, particularly intense exercise, for just 30 minutes can increase brain plasticity, science-speak for improved memory,鈥� says . Just 20 minutes of aerobic activity at 60 to 70 percent of your max heart rate, researchers have found, . The final result of your lunchtime exercise: a supercharged afternoon in which you鈥檒l likely get more done than you would have if you鈥檇 stayed glued to your chair, not to mention a big step toward your training goals.

The right way to do it: Work out, and then eat lunch. 鈥淓xercise has powerful effects on insulin sensitivity,鈥� Roussell says. 鈥淪o exercising before you eat improves your body's ability to shuttle those lunchtime carbs to your muscles and away from your fat cells.鈥�

When you鈥檙e eating, eat; don鈥檛 do anything else. Chowing down in front of your computer screen can make you eat more calories at that meal鈥攁nd later in the day, Roussell says. In a published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers found that people who ate in front of a computer screen鈥攕tudy participants played video games鈥攁te two times more cookies later in the day than the people who didn't eat in front of the screen. The people who ate in front of the screen also reported feeling less full from their meal.听

鈥淪atiety is a cascade of signals that we need to recognize and pay attention to for them to work the most effectively,鈥� says Roussell. If you鈥檙e answering emails, chatting with the guy next to you, and trying to finish up a report, you鈥檙e not giving your food your full attention. That could compromise your feelings of satiety, he adds. Eat in the break room. When you get back to your desk, you鈥檒l be satisfied鈥攁nd you might finally come up with that elusive million-dollar idea.

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Most great athletes are synonymous with their sport. You see Kelly Slater, you think surfing; Julia Mancuso, skiing. But here鈥檚 the thing: Even pros do other sports. Slater, for instance, swears by jiujitsu, CrossFit, and free diving to stay at the top of his game. And Mancuso tow-in surfs.

Why? 鈥淰ariety keeps you challenged physically and mentally, which means faster total fitness gains,鈥� says . Plus, if you鈥檙e always doing the same workouts, you run a higher risk overuse injuries, muscle imbalances, staleness, and boredom.

Vow to change it up. The goal is to capitalize on what you already enjoy and to work new muscles, build strength in new planes, and increase your agility. 鈥淲hat I don't recommend,鈥� Sims says, 鈥渋s taking an adrenaline junkie and suggesting yoga.鈥�

How to Pick a New Sport

• You鈥檙e an endurance runner: Add circuit work with high-intensity bursts, Sims says, something like CrossFit.
• Road cyclist? You don鈥檛 have to do a 180 and become a basketball player. Mountain biking should do the trick. Off-road riding will build your technique and force you to develop a stronger all-around body.
• Cross-country skier? Try听winter pole trekking or snowshoeing鈥攖hey鈥檒l build your aerobic fitness and strength. Plus, you鈥檒l feel faster when you put your skis back on.

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Naps are like snacks鈥攚ith a good game plan, they can revitalize you, improving your mood and cognitive function, says Dr. Christopher Winter, medical director of the sleep center at Martha Jefferson Hospital in Virginia. Done incorrectly, however, napping can make you groggy and harm nighttime sleep.

Twenty to 30 minutes is the sweet spot, Dr. Winter says. Some experts believe can give you a mental boost, but if you need to make up for lost sleep, Dr. Winter says you can go longer鈥攋ust cap your nap at an hour, and get it in to ensure it doesn鈥檛 interfere with nighttime sleep.

How to Have the Best Nap Ever (and Repeat 364 Times a Year)

1. Don鈥檛 nap whenever. Think of the nap like a meal. Just like you might look forward to eating lunch around 1 p.m. every day, you want your brain to anticipate the nap. Getting on a nap schedule will make the nap seem like a reward in itself, just like lunch or dinner.
2. Pick an end time and stick to it. Don't allow yourself to sleep later just because you didn't fall asleep immediately. If it鈥檚 taking you a while to fall asleep, you might not need the nap.
3. Hold yourself accountable. If your naptime passes, you don't get to nap.
4. Create an ideal sleep environment. Sleep in a dark room, perhaps with a blanket that has an unusual tactile feel, like fake fur鈥攚rapping it around you can be your cue to sleep or your reward for napping. Take it a step further by spraying your pillow with lavender, which to relax you. Silence is best, too, but a good white-noise machine can counteract a noisy environment. The is the National Sleep Foundation鈥檚 top pick.

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There was a day not too long ago when seatback TVs on planes looked space-aged, the concept of a call from 30,000 feet seemed impossible, and the idea of WiFi鈥攍et alone on a plane鈥攚as completely out of the question. Today? You take those things for granted. You even complain about them if they don’t work. As for plane phones? Come and gone.听

Airline innovation has come a long way鈥攁nd companies now have a new tech-savvy consumer to please. Experts are busy figuring out how to do just that. Many鈥攆rom internationally renowned design firms to NASA scientists鈥攈ave a hand in trying to turn big ideas into future plans. So, what鈥檚 next? Here鈥檚 what you can expect from the future of air travel鈥攁nd when it might become a reality.听

Going Totally Green

When It Could Happen: Now, albeit听slowly

In March, Bertrand Piccard and Andrew Borschberg will attempt听听with a plane using only solar power. Should they suceed, it’ll be the first and biggest step toward removing fossil fuel from the air-travel equation. That means lower emissions, and likely lower operational costs for the airlines. But commercial companies aren’t the only ones looking to green-up air travel.

Look at NASA鈥檚 N+3 design developments鈥攔epresenting three generations beyond what we see in the skies today. You鈥檒l notice almost zero emissions. One of these far-out designs is called the听. Though it would probably move slower than a commercial jet, it could cut emissions by about 70 percent. The听鈥攁 concept from a Spanish designer that could hold 755 people, take off vertically, and self-repair its own wings鈥攚ould be even greener. It wouldn鈥檛 need to refuel because of its double fuselage and solar concepts on the wings.

New Aircraft Concepts Research, in the European Union, is also working with Airbus on a PRO green Aircraft Concept that will be a design overhaul of more eco-friendly options.听听this model would use 鈥渄rop-in fuel” with similar properties as kerosene, possessing high energy density鈥攁nd enabling lower energy consumption.

Armrest Divisions

When It Could Happen: Early 2015听

The听,听a device you can buy and bring with you on a plane, doubles the size of the middle armrest. It鈥檚 a simple origami-like structure made of neoprene and plastic that both divides that middle arm rest and extends its width. It will go on pre-sale in early 2015 and at just $30, it could become the next听.听

Another armrest solution: the Paperclip Armrest Project. Started in 2014, it aims to end the infamous armrest battle, too. As a 鈥渄ouble decker鈥� device, there would be an upper and lower level for two arms to rest peacefully. But Lee says 鈥渁irlines are concerned about cost鈥濃�攁nd he鈥檚 not sure how soon tiered armrests would replace those standard in today鈥檚 cabins.听

Screens, Screens, and More Screens!

When It Could Happen: In the next 10 to 20 years听

Interactive screens may replace white plastic as cabin walls and even windows, predicts Lawson. 鈥淭here are various surfaces in the aircraft from the seat tray table to the overhead panels which could be used as smart surfaces to provide interaction and entertainment鈥攐r could even be used to charge your phone. Other surfaces could provide听听such as safety information and the nearest emergency exit,鈥� he says.

鈥淭he competition is happening in what the interior looks like. When most people get on a plane they don鈥檛 know if it鈥檚 an Airbus or a Boeing. They care what types of seats it has, about the lighting, and the windows,鈥� says Mavris. When a French design company recently released a听, claustrophobics might have rejoiced. Why? The design includes floor to ceiling views of the space the plane is flying through, but instead of looking through glass, flyers see the images on a thin OLED screen wallpapering the entire cabin.

The design concept is just that as of now: a concept. But it鈥檚 rooted in science. The designer says that the 360-degree views aren鈥檛 just cool; they鈥檇 make the plane lighter due to simpler construction and different materials. And fuel efficiency is a key driver in the aviation industry鈥攁ircraft weight has a significant bearing on fuel consumption, says Lawson. 鈥淭he future will likely see the use of ever-more lightweight materials and a stripped-back approach.鈥�

One UK company,听, that’s trying to lighten aircraft by replacing windows for screens claims it can have a prototype ready in a decade.

The Flying Donut

When It Could Happen: We’re not sure, but not any time soon听

When you walk onto a plane, you鈥檙e instantly crammed. A single aisle is your only space for movement. Forget about trying to pass someone鈥攍et alone a flight attendant with a cart. Innovators know this, and they鈥檙e trying to change it.

Everyone is fighting for how to make the interior of the cabin more open, says Mavris. Can you store luggage on the sides, instead of above seats, so that the middle of the plane will be more open? Can you change the shape of the aircraft to allow for more space in the middle? Airbus is seeking a patent for the design concept of the 鈥楩lying Donut鈥� that would be set up like a Lifesaver candy鈥攚ith more open space and wings that come out straight from the nose of the plane instead of the sides. 鈥淲hen you go in to the cabin, it would be one big auditorium-like set up,鈥� says Mavris. It could carry a lot more people, could be more efficient aerodynamically, could use less fuel, and potentially have fewer emissions, but Mavris isn鈥檛 convinced the airlines will go for it. There could be problems pressurizing, he says, and it鈥檚 quite a diversion from the current commercial model.

Convertible Seating

When It Could Happen: Within the next few years听

James S.H. Lee, director at Paperclip Design Limited and an expert in seating design, hopes his project鈥攖he 鈥攚ill someday be a part of commercial flying. The Butterfly would allow flight attendants to change a seat from economy to business very quickly in between flights before you board. Both business class and economy would still exist, but the ability to make more economy seats on one flight, then more business class seats on another, could be key for the airline.听

鈥淚 used to work for the airlines鈥攁nd from a business point of view, flexibility would bring huge benefits both to operations and revenue,鈥� Lee says. Every flight has a different demand for first class and economy. There are a lot of business class demands for a flight from London to New York, for example, he says, but on a flight to the Caribbean? Not so much. So seats go wasted. With convertible seating, you would be able to purchase what you want, and the airline could change the seats to make it happen (and make money by doing so). Lee says he plans on building prototypes early next year鈥攖hen seek development by mid-2017.听

iPads on Board

When It Could Happen: Now

Seatback TVs could go the way of the plane phone soon. 鈥淭here are lots of emerging improvements vis-a-vis general cabin comforts and amenities,鈥� says Patrick Smith, an airline pilot, host of the website Ask the Pilot, and author of Cockpit Confidential. One of the most promising examples: airlines handing out devices for passengers to use in-flight instead of installing screens on the backs of seats. Hawaiian Airlines, for instance, already offers iPad minis for passengers to use on some of its flight routes.

Other airlines may start urging you to bring your own iProducts on board. Many already once you log in to the airline鈥檚 WiFi. You can watch TV, movies, and send emails .

Forget paying for WiFi, too. Airlines can provide free Internet and streaming for far less than the cost of fixing clunky TV monitors鈥攁nd fielding complaints.

Taking First Class to a Whole New Level

When It Could Happen: The timeline’s fuzzy, but changes have already started to show up with .

In redesigning the upper deck of the Airbus A380 (the 听in the world), design firm Acumen created nine 鈥淔irst Apartments.鈥� Six can even be joined together like connecting hotel rooms. 鈥淎irlines aim to be increasingly savvy at using space in the most efficient and effective way, investing heavily in creating unique layouts that provide personal space and privacy, says Nigel Lawson, creative director from Acumen.

And providing more options means more opportunity to make money. In the future on the A380, you could have bowling, says Dimitri Mavris, director of the Aerospace Systems Design Laboratory at Georgia Tech. 鈥淚f you鈥檙e not going to cram people together like sardines, you might as well have other things for them to do,鈥� Mavris adds.

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We know what you鈥檙e thinking: “I don鈥檛 even use all my vacation days. Why should I fake being sick? How is this even a good habit?” Two answers: You are going to use all your vacation days this year, and the unscheduled day off will help you do just that.

Let鈥檚 start with using that vacation time. Americans . Working too much鈥攅specially in a volatile job market鈥攂ecomes habitual. Like a who started off having an occasional cigarette, you might not even notice you鈥檝e stopped staying late occasionally and started working late out of habit鈥攅very day.

Enter the sick day鈥攜our way of taking conscious control over your vacation days. Take that random day off. The result will be a new appreciation for time off. Start with just an afternoon off if you can鈥檛 fathom a whole eight hours, and do whatever you want during your off time. The most important thing is that you鈥檙e present.

鈥淲ork when it's time to work and be there 100 percent, then play when it's time to play and be there 100 percent,鈥� says Dr. Adam Perlman, founder of and executive director of Duke Integrative Medicine. One day isn鈥檛 going to revolutionize your life, Dr. Pearlman says, but it鈥檚 a start.

And if you鈥檙e caught, tell this to your boss: Taking time off is great for you and the company. The evidence comes from an released in February 2014. It found that after taking time off, 67 percent of people felt refreshed, 32 percent felt more focused, and 40 percent were less stressed.

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There are two ways of washing the dishes, Zen master Thich Nhat Hanah writes in The Miracle of Mindfulness. You can wash the dishes for the sake of making tea, or you can wash the dishes for the sake of washing the dishes.

The lesson: Every moment has the opportunity to yield greater understanding and calm, as long as you鈥檙e willing to live in that moment. In a digital age where distractions and multitasking are the new normal, making time to unplug and de-stress has reached a new level of importance鈥攁nd has elevated the cup of coffee into a life-calming ritual.

Routines鈥攆or coffee, or tea, or anything else鈥攁re the like Benjamin Franklin and athletes like (his morning routine: a sponge bath from his assistant). Having a routine, no matter how strange, is one of the time-tested ways of generating the space to pursue more pressing questions. Instead of brewing that cup of coffee to amp up for your morning meeting, follow the lead of Circa CEO and use it to train yourself for a more focused day.

The routine isn鈥檛 the only thing that鈥檚 good for you. Population-based research shows that regular coffee drinkers live longer, with a 10 to 13 percent reduction in risk of premature death, says . Plus, having a morning cup of joe is linked to a and a reduced risk of cancer. that those who drink three to five cups a day see a 65 percent reduced risk of Alzheimer鈥檚 or dementia later in life.

If you shy away from coffee because of the caffeine, just go for decaf, says Roussell, and . , for instance, found that decaffeinated coffee works as an appetite suppressant.

Tomorrow morning, sip away in peace.

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Steve Jobs was famous for his black turtleneck sweaters. Mark Zuckerberg every day. And President Obama . It鈥檚 not because they鈥檙e lazy. It鈥檚 just that they focus better on the stuff that matters most when they cut out extraneous decisions, like what shirt to wear.

鈥淭hink of your willpower like a muscle,鈥� says . 鈥淯se it and it will get stronger, but overuse it and it will become fatigued and fail you.鈥� It鈥檚 a process called decision fatigue. When our fleeting pool of willpower dries up, we falter and ultimately give in to unhealthy temptations鈥攐r bad business and policy choices.

You could wear the same thing every day and hope your coworkers know you do laundry. A more covert option: Eat the same breakfast each morning. Food, in particular, requires a lot of decision making鈥攗p to 200 choices a day, according to Brian Wansink of the Cornell University Food and Brand Lab. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 on the low side,鈥� says Roussell. 鈥淕o to Chipotle and you have to make at least 15 in less than 90 minutes. The average Starbucks offers you 19,000 different drink possibilities.鈥�

Take the decisions out of breakfast. 鈥淚f you eat a quality breakfast, you鈥檙e less likely to eat a lousy lunch as you've already made the effort to eat right. Why blow it?鈥� says Roussell. He recommends aiming for a mix of protein and produce and going light on the sugar. Try making your go-to meal something like eggs and salsa, a protein shake, or a Greek yogurt and a piece of fruit. You鈥檒l reduce decision fatigue and set the stage for a healthier day of eating.

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