Why Being Happy at Work Leads to More Success - Positive Psychology
Have you ever thought “if I could just receive this promotion or land this project” I would be happier at work? You adopt an attitude of “once I get this, I’ll finally be able to be happy with where I’m at” - which places you living in the future, instead of the present. You think that once you become more successful, it will lead to your happiness - but according to Shawn Achor and his research on positive psychology, it’s actually your happiness that subsequently leads to your success. His book ‘The Happiness Advantage’ argues that happiness is not a result of getting what we want, but the joy we feel in striving for our potential. Having a positive mindset sets off a domino affect in all areas of your life which sets you up for achieving success. Here are a few of the ways:
Positive Mindset: cultivating a positive mindset can enhance productivity, creativity, and resilience.
The Happiness Advantage: a positive outlook can lead to improved performance in various areas outside of work such as our relationships and health, which in turn have a positive effect on our work.
Neuroscience of Happiness: positive emotions can enhance cognitive functions and increase our motivation.
Impact on Performance: happier individuals and teams tend to achieve better results, reinforcing the idea that happiness fuels success.
Some of us might read this and think that it logically makes sense, but you wonder how to actually become happier, especially if the environment you’re surrounded in is causing you stress. Isn’t it funny (or not) that when we feel stressed and could benefit from help the most, is usually when we can’t bring ourselves to actually make the time for it? It’s all about the consistent habits we form day by day, and in order to not overwhelm ourselves more, it’s best to start small.
Some of the items you can start including in your work day that have been scientifically proven to lead to a more positive mindset and thus a more positive culture for you and others around you include:
Gratitude (tip: leave a small notebook at work & write in it every morning with your coffee or tea)
What It Is: Write down three things you're grateful for each day.
Why It Works: Focusing on positive aspects of your life shifts your brain's attention to what’s going well. This rewires your brain to become more positive over time and increases overall happiness. Studies show that people who practice gratitude have better mental health, improved sleep, and higher levels of happiness.
2. Positive Experience - Tetris Effect (tip: include this in the same notebook for gratitude)
What It Is: Write about one either positive experience, success, or opportunity you had in the past 24 hours.
Why It Works: Journaling about positive experiences helps your brain relive and reframe those moments, strengthening neural connections to positive emotions. The Tetris Effect is based on the idea that your brain can "train" itself to notice positive patterns. This practice fosters a more optimistic perspective and makes you more resilient in the face of challenges.
3. Exercise (tip: walking to get your coffee or lunch, taking the stairs instead of elevator are efficient ways to sneak in activity)
What It Is: Engage in physical activity for at least 20 minutes a day.
Why It Works: Exercise is a powerful mood booster. It increases the release of endorphins and serotonin, improving your mood and energy levels. Regular physical activity also helps reduce stress and improve cognitive function, making it easier to stay focused and positive.
4. Meditation (tip: plug in your headphones & play a guided meditation track or do deep breathing exercise while taking a washroom break) - we all love
a good washroom break ;)What It Is: Practice mindfulness meditation for a few minutes each day.
Why It Works: Meditation helps train your brain to stay present and reduce stress. Studies show that mindfulness meditation can enhance emotional regulation, improve focus, and decrease anxiety. It helps create a state of calm and mental clarity, which contributes to overall well-being.
5. Random Acts of Kindness *one of my personal favorites! A quick sure way to feel good
What It Is: Commit to performing a random act of kindness every day.
Why It Works: Acts of kindness release oxytocin and create a "virtuous cycle" of happiness. Helping others improves your own sense of well-being and reinforces positive emotions. Simple acts of kindness, whether big or small, can also improve relationships and foster a sense of community.
7. Social Connection (tip: try talking to a co worker about non work related items instead of work stressors or complaints)
What It Is: Cultivate positive relationships and connections with others.
Why It Works: Strong social connections are linked to greater happiness and well-being. Achor emphasizes the importance of investing time and energy into relationships that lift you up. Positive interactions, whether with family, friends, or colleagues, create a sense of belonging and provide emotional support, which contributes to resilience.
8. Exercise a Signature Strength (tip: you can take the free test on the VIA survey website)
What It Is: Refers to executing the character strengths that are most essential to who we are. Ex// creativity, humor, teamwork, love of learning, etc
Why It Works: Finding ways to use your signature strengths leads to a boost of positive emotion and long term happiness. Research shows when you show up as your true self, you feel happier
9. The Zorro Circle (tip: write something that is overwhelming you and draw a small circle around it - on the outside write down the things you can do to help control it & draw a bigger circle around it all)
What It Is: Focus on one small area of control at a time and expand your influence gradually.
Why It Works: This technique helps reduce feelings of overwhelm. By focusing on single, manageable tasks, you build a sense of mastery and control. As you experience success in that area, you can gradually take on bigger challenges, reinforcing a sense of capability and reducing stress.
Perhaps you feel like you don’t have time to take a break in your day to do some of these items - and that is completely valid. The best way to start is to build these small habits into your existing daily habits and tasks so they become stacked and easier to remember and integrate. Try walking to get a coffee with a co-worker, do breath work on your way into work, or engage in an act of kindness during one of your daily meetings.
To form a new habit, psychology introduces the 20 second rule, which says if you want success with the habit, make it easier to initiative by 20 seconds. Set yourself up for success - for example there are a few items above that can be done by keeping a notebook specific for multiple items such as gratitude, journaling of a positive experience, and the zorro circle. Each page represents a new day, and you break the page into 3 sections for each task. Keep the notebook somewhere you’ll see it daily like near your computer or bedside table - anywhere that is going to make it easier to start engaging with in under 20 seconds! An investment in your happiness is an investment in your success.