Open issues in happiness research Bruno S. Frey, Jana Gallus ...
Happiness, research,
description
Transcript of Happiness, research,
The serious business of happiness
Happiness at work
• 10-40% productivity• 1.5 days vs 5 days off sick• 180% more energy• 108% more engaged• 50% more motivated
(Pryce-Jones, 2010)
• Doctors faster by 20%• Sales by 33%
(Achor 2007)
The Milwaukee nuns
90% of happy nuns still alive at age 85
Only 33% of grumpy nuns still alive at age 85
Happy50%Less
illness
Happiness & cardiovascular disease
Bad boss33% more
heart attacks
Professor Kubzansky, (Harvard 2007)
Impact of positive and negative events
Lott
ery
win
Para
pleg
ic
Happiness2 years
later
(Dan Gilbert, 2010, Harvard)
Happiness comparison
Very Happy
Very Unhappy
Average
Overestimate impact of positive and negative events
Why things are not so bad after all…
• Immune system, constructive adaptation• Survive = adapt to circumstances• Long-term happiness less affected• Monet experiment
The hedonistic treadmill• Law of diminishing returns• Mind plays tricks, I will be happy when…• Broken formula for happiness• Wanting – quick enjoy – more wanting• No positive impact on happiness
Promotion
Next promotion
New ho
use
New
car
Loft co
nver
sion
Income and happiness
1950’s Now
PessimistWhen something goes wrong:
It’s a one off, nothing I could do about it
When something goes well:
Things usually work out well
– I’m good at…
When something goes wrong:
They usually do – because I make mistakes, I’m an unlucky person
When something goes well:
Probably a one off – not me, it was circumstances
Optimist
Explanatory style
Resilience
• Learn a positive explanatory style• Benefits:
- positive/happy/optimistic
- bounce back from difficult times
- more persistent – pursue problem solving longer
- ideas, innovation
• Business research:
- most happy and optimistic sold 50% more
We can learn
2. Connect with others
• Happy people have stronger social networks
• When life gets tough…
Isolate vs. connect
• Shared purpose, meaning
• Giving (Anik, Norton & Dunn, 2009, Harvard)
Power of happy talk
• Broaden and build research
Fredrickson (2009)
• Happy teams, marriages, relationships
- 3:1 ratio positive expression
- builds long-term resilience
3. Focus your mind
• Research (Babuak 2000)
- Brain not designed for multitasking
- Overwhelmed by tasks & info
- Stress
• Research (Bweck 2006)
- Mindfulness
- Create clarity & focus
- Turn on happiness & empathy centre
- Turn off ego, fear & pain centre
4. Move your body
• Release of dopamine = happier• Reduce cortisol = less stress• Healthy = prevents illness• We sit too much!!!• Not just working out – energising• Left/right brain (creative, intuitive)• Activate body and wake up brain
• Provide critical pre-conditions• Equip managers and leaders
- Positive feedback most important
(good relationships)
- Shared purpose (meaning)
- Using strengths
- Greater sense of control
- FiveA leading high performance
What can business do more of?
Thank you
from the edoMidas
team