In this short entertaining book, Ellen Langer brings the essence of 15 years of original research in social psychology directly to bear on our daily lives. Central to her work is the double-edged concept of mindfulness/mindlessness. When we are mindless, we are like programmed robots, treating information in a single-minded, rigid way. When we are mindful we are alert to the present moment, sensitive to context, and above all freed from the tyranny of old mind-sets. Using amusing anecdotes and a minimum of jargon, the author shows how to avoid the consequences of mindlessness and to reap the benefits of mindfulness - in health, education, work, creativity, overcoming addictions, avoiding burning out, and increasing our control and potential as we grow older.