{"id":1776,"date":"2023-05-13T19:15:50","date_gmt":"2023-05-13T19:15:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/5point-something.com\/?page_id=1776"},"modified":"2023-05-13T20:36:58","modified_gmt":"2023-05-13T20:36:58","slug":"principles-from-the-happiness-advantage","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/5point-something.com\/index.php\/principles-from-the-happiness-advantage\/","title":{"rendered":"How to unlock the Happiness Advantage?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The 7 Principles that Fuel Success & Performance at work from the book “Happiness Advantage” by “Shawn Achor”<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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The Mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.<\/p>\nJohn Milton’s Paradise Lost<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Principle 1: The Happiness Advantage<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Happiness fuels success, not the other way around. By cultivating a positive mindset and focusing on happiness, individuals can enhance their performance and productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How to Improve Your Mood and Raise Your Happiness Throughout the Day<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. Meditate<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • \u201cNeuroscientists have found that monks who spend years meditating actually grow their left prefrontal cortex, the part of the brain most responsible for feeling happy.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • \u201cStudies show that in the minutes right after meditating, we experience feelings of calm and contentment, as well as heightened awareness and empathy. And, research even shows that regular meditation can permanently rewire the brain to raise levels of happiness, lower stress, even improve immune function.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    2. Find Something to Look Forward To<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

      \n
    • \u201cOne study found people who just thought about watching their favorite movie actually raised their endorphin levels by 27 percent.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • \u201cAnticipating future rewards can actually light up the pleasure centers in your brain much as the actual reward will.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      3. Commit Conscious Acts of Kindness<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

        \n
      • \u201cA long line of empirical research, including one study of over 2,000 people, has shown that acts of altruism\u2014giving to friends and strangers alike\u2014decrease stress and strongly contribute to enhanced mental health.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
      • \u201cPick one day a week and make a point of committing five acts of kindness.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

        4. Infuse Positivity Into Your Surroundings<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

          \n
        • \u201cOur physical environment can have an enormous impact on our mindset and sense of well-being.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
        • \u201cStudies have shown that the less negative TV we watch, specifically violent media, the happier we are.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

          5. Exercise<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

            \n
          • \u201cPhysical activity can boost mood and enhance our work performance in a number of other ways as well, by improving motivation and feelings of mastery, reducing stress and anxiety, and helping us get into flow\u2014that \u201clocked in\u201d feeling of total engagement that we usually get when we\u2019re at our most productive.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

            6. Spend Money (but Not on Stuff)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

              \n
            • \u201cIn his book Luxury Fever, Robert Frank explains that while the positive feelings we get from material objects are frustratingly fleeting, spending money on experiences, especially ones with other people, produces positive emotions that are both more meaningful and more lasting.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • Spending money on other people is called \u2018prosocial spending,\u2019 and also boosts happiness.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
            • \u201cDraw two columns on a piece of paper (or take ten minutes at work to create a nifty spreadsheet) and track your purchases over the next month. Are you spending more on things or on experiences? At the end of the month, look back over each column and think about the pleasure each purchase brought you, and for how long.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

              7. Exercise a Signature Strength<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \n
              • \u201cEveryone is good at something. Each time we use a skill, whatever it is, we experience a burst of positivity. If you find yourself in need of a happiness booster, revisit a talent you haven\u2019t used in a while.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • \u201cEven more fulfilling than using a skill, though, is exercising a strength of character, a trait that is deeply embedded in who we are.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n
              • \u201cStudies have shown that the more you use your signature strengths in daily life, the happier you become.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

                8. The Lasoda Line:<\/strong> also known as the Losada Ratio or the Losada Zone, is a concept derived from the research of psychologist Marcial Losada. <\/strong>According to Losada’s research, in order for a system (such as a team, a relationship, or a group) to thrive and perform at its best, the ratio of positive to negative interactions needs to be at least 3:1. In other words, for every negative interaction, there should be at least three positive interactions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Principle 2: The Fulcrum and the Lever<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                Happiness is not about lying to ourselves or turning a blind eye to the negative, but about adjusting our brain so that we see the ways to rise above our circumstances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \n

                Give me a lever long enough and a fulcrum on which to place it, and I shall move the world<\/p>\nArchimedes<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

                Our power to maximize our potential is also based on two important things: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                (1) the length of our lever\u2014how much potential power and possibility we believe we have.
                (2) the position of our fulcrum\u2014the mindset with which we generate the power to change.
                By changing the fulcrum of our mindset and lengthening our lever of possibility, we change what is possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                So how exactly is it that our relative perception of what is happening, or what we think will happen, can actually affect what does happen?
                One answer is that the brain is organized to act on what we predict will happen next, something psychologists call \u2018Expectancy Theory.\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                \n

                \u201cThe expectation of an event causes the same complex set of neurons to fire as though the event were actually taking place, triggering a cascade of events in the nervous system that leads to a whole host of real physical consequences.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

                When we reconnect ourselves with the pleasure of the \u2018means,\u2019 <\/strong>as opposed to only focusing on the \u2018ends,\u2019<\/strong> we adopt a mindset more conducive not only to enjoyment but to better results.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                When faced with a difficult task or challenge, give yourself an immediate competitive advantage by
                a) focusing on all the reasons you will succeed<\/strong>, rather than fail.
                b) Remind yourself of the relevant skills<\/strong> you have, rather than those you lack.
                c) Think of a time you have been in a similar circumstance <\/strong>in the past and performed well.
                d) When we believe there will be a positive payoff <\/strong>for our effort, we work harder instead of succumbing to helplessness.
                By changing the way we perceive ourselves and our work, we can dramatically improve our results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                After many years and hundreds of interviews with workers in every conceivable profession, Amy Wrzesniewski has found that employees have one of three \u201cwork orientations,\u201d or mindsets about our work. We view our work as a Job, a Career, or a Calling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  \n
                1. People with a \u2018Job<\/strong>\u2019 see work as a chore and their paycheck as the reward. They work because they have to and constantly look forward to the time they can spend away from their job. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
                2. By contrast, people who view their work as a ‘Career<\/strong>‘ work not only out of necessity but also to advance and succeed. They are invested in their work and want to do well. <\/li>\n\n\n\n
                3. People with a ‘Calling’ <\/strong>view work as an end in itself; their work is fulfilling not because of external rewards but because they feel it contributes to the greater good, draws on their personal strengths, and gives them meaning and purpose. And as a result, these are the people who work harder and longer and are generally more likely to get ahead.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

                  Wrzesniewski\u2019s most interesting finding is not just that people see their work in one of these three ways, but that it fundamentally doesn\u2019t matter what type of job one has. A calling orientation can have just as much to do with mindset <\/strong>as it does with the actual work being done. Unhappy employees can find ways to improve their work-life that doesn\u2019t involve quitting, changing jobs or careers, or going off to find themselves. Organizational psychologists call this \u2018job crafting<\/strong>,\u2019 but in essence, it involves simply adjusting one\u2019s mindset.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Researchers have found that even the smallest tasks can be imbued with greater meaning when they are connected to personal goals and values.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  \n

                  \u201cYou can have the best job in the world, but if you can\u2019t find the meaning in it, you won\u2019t enjoy it, whether you are a movie maker or an NFL playmaker.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

                  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  By changing our mindset and shifting our perspective, we can change the outcome. A small shift in mindset can have a significant impact on our ability to overcome challenges and achieve success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Principle 3:<\/strong> The Tetris Effect<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Our brains have a tendency to spot patterns based on what we focus on. By training our minds to focus on positive patterns and opportunities, we can develop a mindset that supports success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Principle 4: Falling Up:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Adversity and failure can serve as stepping stones to growth and resilience. Embracing failure, learning from it, and using it as a springboard for improvement is crucial for long-term success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Principle 5:<\/strong> The Zorro Circle: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Breaking down big goals into smaller, manageable steps allows us to regain a sense of control and build confidence. By focusing on small victories, we can gradually expand our circle of competence and accomplish larger goals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Principle 6:<\/strong> The 20-Second Rule:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Making positive habits easier to start and negative habits harder to indulge in can greatly influence our behavior. By reducing the barriers to positive actions and increasing the obstacles for negative ones, we can establish and sustain beneficial habits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Principle 7:<\/strong> Social Investment:<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  Building positive relationships and fostering a supportive network is crucial for happiness and success. Investing time and effort in cultivating strong connections with colleagues, friends, and family contributes to overall well-being and enhances professional performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  \"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

                  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

                  These seven principles, as outlined in “The Happiness Advantage,” offer valuable insights and strategies to fuel success and performance in the workplace while promoting a positive and fulfilling life.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

                  The 7 Principles that Fuel Success & Performance at work from the book “Happiness Advantage” by “Shawn Achor” The Mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1785,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/5point-something.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1776"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/5point-something.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/5point-something.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/5point-something.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/5point-something.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1776"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/5point-something.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1776\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1789,"href":"https:\/\/5point-something.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1776\/revisions\/1789"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/5point-something.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1785"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/5point-something.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1776"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}