5 science backed ways to find happiness right now

5 science backed ways to find happiness right now

via Fast Company by Gwen Moran

If you’re feeling worn out, burned out, or sad, you’re not alone. The pandemic, economy, social unrest, and political division are enough to wear out even the hardiest souls. The concept of “happiness” may seem elusive. Or maybe we’re just going about cultivating it in the wrong way.

“People tend to overestimate the impact that money, achievement, and physical possessions will have on their happiness, when in reality social connections and relationships matter much more,” says behavioral scientist Jennifer Aaker, professor at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business and coauthor of the forthcoming book Humor, Seriously: Why Humor Is a Secret Weapon in Business and Life (And how anyone can harness it. Even you.). Of course that’s both good news and bad news at a time when we seem to be more disconnected than ever.

Plus, according to Aaker, happiness is a moving target: “We go from associating happiness with excitement in our teen years, to pursuit in our 20s, to balance in our 30s, to contentment later in life.”

Fortunately, behavioral scientists like Aaker and other experts and researchers have found some ways that we can cultivate more happiness in our lives. To start, we can use small shifts rather than sweeping changes. Here are five ways to try, both at work and at home.

BETTER COMMUNICATION

“After a long time studying happiness in the workplace, we can say that everything comes back to communication,” says Meik Wiking, CEO of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen. Relieving stress is the factor that can increase happiness the most, he adds. And while many people believe that stress at work comes from being too busy, poor communication is usually at the heart of it, including:

  • Unclear direction of roles, goals, and management expectations
  • Inability of employees to say no to managers when they’re busy
  • Not being able to discuss emotions with colleagues when stressed

“Stress comes from places where communication does not flow properly,” Wiking says. His organization has found that the intervention with the most benefit is helping people across the organization talk openly about what is wrong, how it can be improved, and what they are feeling…

… keep reading the full & original article HERE

#happiness #happy #happier