Secret of Happiness at Work
Tue, June 26, 2012 at 12:01 Tweet
Shawn Anchor’s TED Talk entitled ‘The Happy Secret to Better Work’ is informative, fast moving and entertaining in relation to happiness preceding success amidst a challenging economic landscape. In this talk and others Shawn speaks about his research, short and long term gains with organizations and strategies to change behaviour. The work has resulted in a competitive advantage: positive and engaged workforce. Shawn believes happiness precedes success and begins internally as opposed to externally.
Two elements have resonated with me in relation to Shawn’s research and explanations:
- Setting an Intention for the day
- Gratitudes
Setting an Intention
First task every morning, simply be in the here and now and identify your purpose for the day; within the context of career change, development or management, you may choose to identify and focus on a specific goal you want to achieve that day in relation to transitioning/managing your career or you may want to focus on the fact you have a choice about how you want and will be at each moment during the day (for example – productive, positive, happy, grateful or unproductive, negative and unappreciative; I suggest choosing the former over the latter based on personal experience and corresponding results). Remember the intention you identify is personal and specific to you.
The next step from my experience is to place attention and focus on the intention throughout the day. Check in with yourself midday to examine how you are doing. If you make a mistake, remember there is a lot to be learned when mistakes are made; simply catch and correct yourself, collect the learnings and begin again.
Gratitudes
It never ceases to amaze me how much I benefit from being genuinely appreciative and grateful. I notice when I focus on my intention and identify 2 or 3 things I am grateful for 3 times per day I benefit from a happy and productive state. I feel focused, clear, productive and engaged in the actions I have identified before me. As a result, I notice results.
Are you up for a Challenge? I encourage you to establish a daily ritual that includes identifying your intention and writing down gratitudes in a journal. Shawn Anchor speaks about the benefits of these strategies based on research, the real world and how these actions change behaviour, resulting in happier, more engaged and productive people. I firmly believe this type of productive behaviour is supportive and constructive, particularly during a period of economic volatility or when transitioning your career.
At Position Ignition, professional Career Guides are available to support and challenge clients based on their needs and requirements. Do make contact with us if you want to discuss your needs and way forward.
About the author:
Stephanie Mount is a Position Ignition Guide. She is profoundly interested in people and their potential. Stephanie engages with individuals to discover their most authentic self (the positive energy, their passions and strengths). Stephanie’s diverse career in the helping profession spans two continents. She uses her international experience, professional knowledge and living as an expatriate to enable others to create a fulfilling and balanced life. Stephanie is an adventurer, passionate about the ‘great outdoors’ and travelling to far flung places on this beautiful planet.
