Work hard, have a successful career, and you’ll earn your happiness.
Many of us think about success and happiness in these terms. But is this really the best formula for a healthy ROL?
What if, instead of treating happiness as a reward, we were able to use happiness as fuel to drive success?
What if, instead of waiting for happiness to arrive, we were more intentional about cultivating our wellbeing and experiencing more happiness at every stage of our lives?
The Science of Happiness
The idea that a positive mindset can influence outcomes is rooted in neuroscience. When we experience emotions like joy, gratitude, and optimism, our brains are flooded with dopamine and serotonin. These neurochemicals dial up the learning centers of our brains, making us more adaptable, creative, and resilient. Boosting these qualities can have positive impacts in our work performance, personal relationships, and overall mental health. In fact, according to Shawn Achor, author of “The Happiness Advantage,” a positive brain is 31% more productive than a brain that is negative, neutral, or stressed.
- Doctors in a positive state of mind are 19% faster and more accurate in their diagnoses.
- Salespeople who are optimistic outperform their pessimistic colleagues by 37%.
- Students who feel happy before a math test outperform their negative or neutral peers.
When you are happier, your brain is more engaged in what you’re doing, what challenges you’re facing, and what the best solutions might be. That extra boost of energy can keep stress in check so that you can focus on clearing your current roadblock and maintaining progress towards your goals.
Happy Living
Happiness has wide-ranging benefits beyond productivity as well. Extensive research, including a meta-analysis of over 225 studies, found that happy individuals are more successful in multiple areas of their lives, including:
- Relationships: Happy people are more likely to get married and have fulfilling, lasting relationships.
- Health: Happiness can reduce chronic pain, improve heart health, lower stress, strengthen the immune system, and motivate people to make healthier lifestyle choices that increase longevity.
- Income: Money can’t buy happiness. But happier people do tend to earn more money.
Cultivate Your “Happiness Advantage”
Ready to put happiness first?
Think about incorporating these activities into your daily routine:
- Practice Gratitude. Take a few minutes at the start or end of your day to write down three things you are grateful for. This simple exercise trains your brain to scan for positives instead of negatives and can help you default to optimism.
- Be Active. If you don’t have a regular exercise routine, start by aiming for 15-20 minutes of cardio every day. A daily walk, run, or bike ride will release endorphins. And as you string together days and weeks of regular exercise, your health and mood will improve, as will your sense of accomplishment.
- Find Purpose. No one loves everything about their job. But focusing on the good can help improve your engagement and your sense of purpose. Think about how what you do improves life and work for your customers. Embrace opportunities to use your professional skills to solve problems, create breakthroughs, and collaborate with teammates. Back at home, be fully present in the roles that are most important: spouse, parent, friend.
- Invest Time and Energy in Your Relationships. Take a step back from the hustle and bustle of work, school, and extracurricular activities to spend meaningful time with your loved ones. Take family vacations. Schedule date nights with your spouse. Reach out to extended family and friends you haven’t seen in a while.
If you need help identifying more ways that you can invest in your happiness, stop by our office and work through the ROL Index tool. Our Life-Centered Planning process can help you make more meaningful investments in your happiness.
