8 Years of Super8: Eight intriguing articles from June.

It’s been exactly eight years since we released our very first issue of Super8 and we thought we’d celebrate. Or should that be celebreight?

Anyway, to commemorate the milestone, we’ve gone back over every single issue and worked out which articles you, our readers, found most interesting.

In this anniversary edition, you’ll discover (or maybe rediscover) our eight most popular stories from the last eight years. There’s one on introducing strangers in emails (and why you’re probably doing it wrong). Another recommends ‘eating the frog’ in the morning to set you up for a day of less procrastination.

But the most popular story in the history of Super8 is…

…we won’t spoil it. Keep reading and find out for yourself.

1. Four ways to turn a bad day around.

• Read the full article here.
• Created by: Shanna B. Tiayon.

Super8’s most popular article of the last 96 issues is all about calming yourself down when everything seems to be going wrong. It includes a four-step plan to get you feeling better and, as you’d expect from an article published by the University of California, Berkeley, every one is backed by science. Have a read to find out what the steps are and how they can help you take back control in what may seem to be a chaotic situation.

2. You’re probably doing email introductions wrong.

• Read the full article here.
• Created by: Anand Sanwal.

This one’s short but sharp. Very sharp. Author Anand Sanwal doesn’t pull any punches as he criticises a typical way of introducing two people via email. But he also reveals there’s a better way. Anand says that instead of assuming two strangers want to be introduced by email (and so ignoring consent), you should take a totally different tack. If you’ve ever started an email with “I just wanted to introduce you to…”, you’ll want to read this one. But be prepared for some blunt language.

3. Adopting these tough morning routines will make you exceptionally successful.

• Read the full article here.
• Created by: Elle Kaplan.

This article suggests that while most of us mere mortals are still in bed or desperately seeking caffeine, the most successful people in the world are making the very most of their mornings. Specifically, people like Bill Gates and Mark Zuckerberg, spend their mornings laying the “groundwork” for a day of productivity and enjoyment. It’s a fascinating list of exemplary morning routines, including one suggestion to “eat the frog”. Don’t worry—it’s strictly metaphorical, and no amphibians need to be harmed if you intend to follow author Elle Kaplan’s advice.

4. I review thousands of resumes—here’s what I’m really looking for.

• Read the full article here. 
• Created by: Nadia Abouzaid-Jopwell.

Nadia Abouzaid-Jopwell, who wrote this article, spent almost a decade recruiting for an investment bank. Over that time she read literally thousands of job applications, and in this piece she shares her tips for resume writing based on that extensive experience. Nadia talks about why “hard working” and “team player” aren’t useful self-descriptions, why exaggeration is always a bad idea, and why there’s no such thing as too much proofreading. You might want to read this one with your CV open and ready to edit in an adjacent window.

5. These 20 pictures will teach you more than reading 100 books.

• Read the full article here. 
• Created by:  Benjamin Hardy.

Can the headline be true? Can 20 simple images really teach you more than 100 books? Benjamin Hardy thinks so. He’s a popular writer on Medium, and the images in question come from what he calls his “Culture Wall”. It’s a kind of art installation, and each picture represents an idea that inspires him or a philosophy he lives by. It’s a long and detailed article, and if the 30,000 ‘claps’ are anything to go by, it’s long been loved by readers around the world.

6. Why your brain wants to check Facebook every 31 seconds—and how you can stop it.

• Read the full article here.
• Created by: Michael Hollauf.

It takes almost fifteen minutes to regain concentration after an interruption. But why are we getting interrupted? To a great extent, it’s our devices diverting our attention. For example, notifications increase the chances that you’ll switch tasks by 30 percent. And if the reminder says “ding,” “ping,” or “chirp” it’s even more effective. More than just a lament about our ever-shortening attention spans, this is a guide to avoiding distractions. It includes multiple tips for concentrating on the task at hand and thereby improving productivity.

7. What makes writing more readable?

• Read the full article here.
• Created by: Rebecca Monteleone & Jamie Brew.

You might have heard of plain language writing before. It’s a style that uses simplified sentences, everyday vocabulary, and clear structure to make writing easy to read. But you’ve probably never seen it explained like this. Every paragraph in this article can be interactively substituted for a plain language alternative. Come for the interesting subject material; stay for the beautiful, imaginative, yet simple story design.

8. 31 important things you should say ‘no’ to for a happier life.

• Read the full article here.
• Created by: Danny Forest.

This list of what you can and should say “no” to is long, but the tips themselves are brief, easy to consume, and come with a whole heap of recommended additional reading. Author Danny Forest admits not every part of the guide will “apply to you”, but there are so many nuggets of wisdom that you’re bound to find at least one (and probably lots) that are “relevant to your life”. How do you say no to your phone? To doing work stuff at home? To bad clients? Read on to find out.