HPPY 102 - Turbo Happiness

1. Mood, engagement and meaning on the pathway to success Kim Biason Chitra Nicole Christopoulos Ricardo Gonzalez Will Harper Lexi Mele-Algus Renee Siemak Prof. Harry Kraemer HPPY102:

2. Methodology Five months ago, we set out to understand scientific research on happiness and its implications for business and work. Our goal is to share our findings and actionable strategies that can increase happiness. This presentation is a summary of our findings.

3. What we hope you will believe by the time this presentation is over •You have the power to affect your level of happiness •Happiness is important, not just for its own sake, but for the cascade of benefits it will have on your life and the lives of those around you •There are many potential strategies; this presentation will have an impact on your life if you make happiness a goal and pursue it like you do professional success

4. Agenda • What is happiness and can I influence it? • Why does happiness matter? • What factors influence happiness? -Genetics -Mindset -Circumstances • Action plans for work

5. Happiness is the combination of mood, engagement and meaning Source: Seligman, “Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness MeaningEngagementPleasant mood • What we feel; mood based - E.g., pleasure, ecstasy, warmth, comfort, etc. • Frequent experience of focus or flow (being “in the zone”) • Often occurs when strengths meet comparable challenges • Belonging to and serving something that is bigger than the self

6. Can I control my level of happiness? • Happiness levels are innate and cannot be changed • Happiness depends on circumstances outside your control • “I’m just not a very happy person.” • “I’m focused on other things right now, I’ll be happy when…” • “I’m already pretty happy, there’s no reason to focus on happiness.” Common misconceptions

7. Just asking about happiness leads to change 1 Happiness in the Workplace: Employees Who Focus on Maximizing Happiness Become Happier, Goldsmith et al 2 http://insight.kellogg.northwestern.edu/article/maximizing_happy/ Each emailed a question daily: Question did not mention happiness How happy were you today? Did you do your best to be happy today? Level of happiness monitored before and after No change in level of happiness Modest gains in happiness several weeks later Greatest gains in happiness several weeks later Control Happiness monitoring Behavior focused 1 2 3 Study participants were split into three groups Behavior-focused questions can be used to prompt daily reflection and influence actual behaviors

8. Interventions focused on increasing happiness are more powerful than drugs 1 Happiness in the Workplace: Employees Who Focus on Maximizing Happiness Become Happier, Goldsmith et al 2 Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-Being, Seligman Positive psychotherapy is a relatively new field focused on increasing happiness Severely depressed patients achieving remission from depression2 • Traditional psychology focused on treating negative aspects of psyche • Positive psychology is a new field focused on adding or increasing happiness • Positive psychotherapy intervention focused on happy mindset. E.g.,: -Gratitude -Forgiveness -Recognizing and using strengths -Optimism and hope -Savoring 40 60% 50 10 0 30 20 Postive psychotherapy 55% Traditional therapy with medication 8% 7x

10. Why study happiness at a business school? Happiness is the ultimate currency Happiness yields dramatic ancillary benefits 1 2

12. Happiness is the ultimate currency; driving force behind decisions/desires The ultimate currency 1 Source: Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment, Ben-Shahar Earn more money Find a partner Make a positive impact I believe it will make me happier Buy a better house Enjoy time with my family Want to get married Reduce suffering of others Goal Why? Why? I will feel good I want to have a family

14. Happiness leads to personal success… “Happiness leads to success in nearly every domain, including work, health, friendship, sociability, creativity, and energy” Ancillary benefits 2 Studies show that happiness clearly leads to success… Source: Lyubomirsky et al (2005). The benefits of frequent positive affect: Does happiness lead to success? Psychological Bulletin …while success does not lead to happiness to the same degree as you might assume

15. …by giving your brain a turbo boost 1 Achor, Shawn. The Happiness Advantage: 7 Principle of Positive Psychology; page 43-44 2 Bryan et al. (1991). Positive mood and math performance, Journal of Learning Disabilities 3 Fredrickson & Branigan (2005). Positive emotions broaden the scope of attention and thought-action repertoires. 4 Masters et al. (1979). Affective states, expressive behavior, and learning in children. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. 5 Kopelman et al. (2006). The three faces of Eve: Strategic displays of positive, negative, and neutral emotions in negotiations. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes. Ancillary benefits 2 Happiness leads to physical changes in your brain… …with a range of benefits • Increased levels of dopamine and serotonin1 • Make and sustain more neural connections1 • Learning: Better organize and retain new information1 • Memory: Retrieve information faster faster1 • Intellectual performance: Happy test-takers outperformed peers on standardized tests2 • Creativity: Positively-primed subjects can think of wider array of thoughts and ideas vs. negatively-primed3 • Productivity: Happy kids able to build block structures faster4 • Negotiation: Positive negotiators realize higher individual and joint gains5

16. Happiness also leads to organizational success Ancillary benefits 2 Happy employees are more productive… …and also less expensive • Better diagnoses: Doctors make correct diagnoses 19% faster, and display 2.5 times less anchoring1 • Improved sales: Optimistic salespeople outsell pessimistic ones by 56%2 • Team performance: Teams with positive and encouraging managers outperformed less positive managers by 31%3 1. Positive addect facilitates integration of information and decreases anchoring in reasoning among physicians, Organizational Behavior and human Decision Processes 2. Achor, Shawn. The Happiness Advantage: 7 Principle of Positive Psychology; page 15 3. Deci, Why we do what we do (referenced in Happiness Advantage) 4. Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index 2008 “Poll: Unhappy workers take more sick days” 5. Wright et al. (2007). Job Satisfaction and Psychological Well-Being as Nonadditive Predictors of Workplace Turnover. Journal of Management. • Improved attendance: Unhappy workers take 15 more sick days per year vs. happy workers4 • Decreased turnover: 90% of turnover and 50% of absenteeism attributed to employee well-being5

17. …and better health Ancillary benefits 2 Stronger immune system: Fight off the flu more quickly2; survive breast cancer, renal- disease, spinal chord injuries at higher rates1 Less pain: Decreased musculoskeletal pain4, and higher pain threshold1 Longevity: Longer life span3; happiness a better predictor of longevity than tobacco use1 1. Lyubomirsky et al. (2005). The Benefits of Frequent Positive Affect. Does Happiness Lead to Success? Psychological Bulletin 2. Cohen et al. (2003). Emotional style and susceptibility to the common cold. Psychosomatic Medicine 3. Snowdon et al. (2001). Positive emotions in early life and longevity: Findings from the nun study. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 4. Røysamb et al. (2003). Happiness and Health: Environmental and Genetic contributions to the relationship between subjective well-being, perceived health, and somatic illness. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology Better sleep: High sleep quality and quantity1 Lower risk of stroke: Lower incidence of stroke1 Healthy mind: Lower reports of schizophrenia, hypochondriasis, or depression1, and less likely to suffer from anxiety or social phobia1 Happiness or positive mood causes or is correlated with: Healthy heart: Lowered incidence of cardiovascular disease1, less likelihood of dying from coronary heart disease1, quicker recovery from cardiac surgery1, and fewer complications Reduced allergies: Decreased allergic symptoms4

19. What factors influence happiness? Genetics Mindset Circumstances + + = Happiness Mood Engagement Meaning

20. What balance of present vs. future benefit? The rat race Ideal Nihilism Hedonism Futurebenefit LowHigh Present benefit Low High Source: Happier: Learn the Secrets to Daily Joy and Lasting Fulfillment, Ben-Shahar

22. Can’t pick your genes, but you still can control a large portion of your happiness Source: The How of Happiness, S. Lyubomirsky • Methodology: Compare happiness levels of identical vs. fraternal twins as well as twins who were raised together and twins who were separated at birth (same genes, different circumstances) • Happiness of one fraternal twin is not predictive of other’s happiness • Happiness of one identical twin is highly predictive of other’s happiness, even when raised separately Genes may account for as much as 50% of happiness level; you can affect the other 50%

24. How you invest very limited conscious attention determines quality of experience 126 bits/sec The human brain can only process ~126 bits of information per second Source: Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, M. Csikszentmihalyi Reality Your experience Just listening to this presentation uses up 40 bits/sec Paying attention to the slides is a further drain

25. Investing attention in the present will make you happiest Source: Killingsworth, M. A. & Gilbert, D. T. (In press). A wandering mind is an unhappy mind. Science. Our minds wander about half the time… Focused Pleasant Happinesslevel Neutral Negative …making us less happy, even when we’re thinking about something positive Mind wandering Neutral Working 11% 65% 33% Reading Commuting Negative 50% Pleasant Sex Talking45% Average Relationship holds across all activities

26. Focus also crowds out worrying 100% of attention Worry Fully focusedNormal state of mind Present activity 100% of attention Mind wandering • Present focus does not mean never thinking about the past or future • Instead, think of learning from the past or planning for the future as discrete activities in which you should invest full attention • Want to avoid “spinning” on worries or ideas at expense of what you are doing Source: Killingsworth, M. A. & Gilbert, D. T. (In press). A wandering mind is an unhappy mind. Science.

27. Three strategies to better invest your attention Engage in more flow activities Make non-flow activities more flow-like Mindfulness 1 2 3

28. You’ve felt intense presence of mind before; it’s called flow Source: Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, M. Csikszentmihalyi • Often referred to as being “in the zone” • When information coming into consciousness is congruent with goals, psychic energy flows effortlessly • No need to worry or question one’s adequacy • Abstraction of time • “Automatic” actions that require no thought • Flow experience leads to life satisfaction and high performance

29. How to find more flow activities Engage in more flow activities 1 Flow activities are where your skills meet a comparable challenge Some activities are designed to produce flow • Rules that require learning of skills • Clear goals • Immediate feedback • Make control possible • Facilitate concentration Examples: playing music, rock climbing, dancing, chess, sports, discussion with friends, computer programming Source: Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, M. Csikszentmihalyi

30. Shift anxiety or boredom inducing activities toward flow zone Make non-flow activities more flow-like 2 Increase skills Decreasechallenge Increasechallenge • Increase your skills: making an investment in improving your skills in an anxiety inducing activity, e.g.,: -Improve chipping game in golf -Spend a weekend at Training the Street to improve modeling abilities -Take salsa classes • Decrease the challenge: search for a way to reduce the challenge of the activity -Use a template for financial modeling -Use bumpers when bowling • Increase the challenge: seek a way to more boring activities more challenging -Give yourself a strict deadline -Try to beat your best time/quality -Compete against a friend/coworker Source: Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, M. Csikszentmihalyi

31. Take deliberate control of your attention and mindset Source: Greater Good Institute; Search Inside Yourself, C. Tan Mindfulness 3 • “I am angry” becomes “I feel angry” • “This is a tragedy” becomes “this is a challenge/opportunity” • Worries become concerns that can be dealt with in the moment, planned for later or simply disregarded Mindfulness is “maintaining a moment-by-moment awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment” Mindfulness gives the practitioner the ability to shift from compulsion to choice

32. Meditation is a way to practice training your attention Source: Search Inside Yourself, C. Tan Mindfulness 3 How to practice sitting mindfulness meditation* Meditation is a way to practice in order to become better at mindfulness just like jogging is a way to get in better shape. *There are many ways to meditate. While there may be spiritual implications for different styles or details like how you sit or what you focus on, the effect of better training your attention is shared by many styles Sit in a comfortable position (does not have to be on the floor) with your spine straight (for comfort) Focus your attention on your breathing When your mind wanders, return your attention to your breathing without self-judging

33. And it has a powerful impact on your health, emotions and relationships Mindfulness 3 • It physically increases the size of our brains in regions that deal with learning, memory, emotion regulation, and empathy in a matter of weeks3 • It improves memory1 and attention skills2 • It reduces stress and increases positive emotion4 • It enables you to heal faster5 • It improves romantic relationships6 • May be as effective as anti-depressants in fighting depression7 1 “Mindfulness meditation improves cognition: evidence of brief mental training.” Zeidan et al 2 “Regular, brief mindfulness meditation practice improves electrophysiological markers of attentional control.” Moore et al 3 “Mindfulness practice leads to increases in regional brain gray matter density.” , Holzel et al 4 A multi-method examination of the effects of mindfulness on stress attribution, coping, and emotional well-being” , Weinstein et al 5 “Alterations in brain and immune function produced by mindfulness meditation.”, Davidson et al 6 “Mindfulness-based relationship enhancement” Carson, et al 7” "Antidepressant Monotherapy vs Sequential Pharmacotherapy and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy, or Placebo, for relapse Prophylaxis in Recurrent Depression.“ Segal et al

34. Despite sound mindset, we cannot escape real tragedy Causes of suffering Indifference of universe to our needs Paradox of rising expectations • Extreme suffering: “Close to half of U.S. adults will experience one severe traumatic event during their lifetimes” -Examples: loss of loved one, disease, domestic violence, war, etc • Daily stresses: insults, lines, commute, weather • Hedonic adaptation: when we achieve something, we quickly revert to previous level of (un)happiness and desire more Response • Positive mental model of the world • Coping and forgiveness • Awareness and savoring • Gratitude Source: Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, M. Csikszentmihalyi

35. People that express gratitude are likely to be happier, healthier, and more • Count your blessings: those that had the chance to write down five things they were thankful for regularly were more satisfied with their lives1 • Thank others: Write thank you notes or mental make note of others kindness2 • Being grateful provides many benefits, some of which are: - Allows you live in the now and truly enjoy positive life experiences - Helps people cope with stresses and traumas more effectively - Gratitude can help build stronger, higher-quality relationships - Helps reduce hedonic adaptation and stop taking things for granted 1 The How of Happiness 2 http://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier

36. Tragedy can be debilitating Source: The How of Happiness; Discussion with H. Kraemer Leveloffunctioning Survival Sometimes people can never recover from the event. Plagued by guilt, anger, feelings of “why did this happen to me?” Extreme shock such as the loss of a job, the death of a loved one, a debilitating illness or injury Time

37. Though usually people can recover and maintain their prior level of functioning Leveloffunctioning Survival Extreme shock such as the loss of a job, the death of a loved one, a debilitating illness or injury Time Recovery This type of recovery fueled by hedonic adaptation Source: The How of Happiness; Discussion with H. Kraemer

38. Best outcome is to thrive in the wake of tragedy Leveloffunctioning Survival Time Recovery Thriving Realistic about the possibility of experiencing real tragedy before it happens; act accordingly Happy people feel loss as deeply as the unhappy, though possible to reduce surprise Although happy people feel same loss, they recover more quickly By acknowledging possibility of thriving in the wake of tragedy, one can seek out best path and be better off Source: The How of Happiness; Discussion with H. Kraemer

40. If you only do one thing, focus on relationships Happiest 10% of people: • Differentiated from least happy only by quality of social life1 • Spent the least time alone2 • Have twice as many of friends as those that are “extremely dissatisfied”2 Balance the quality and quantity of friendships3 1 “Very Happy People,” Diener and Seligman. Psychological Happiness 2 The New Science of Happiness,” Claudia Wallis, Time Magazine, Jan. 09, 2005 3 How Many Friends Does One Person Need, Robin Dubar, May 1, 2010 3 http://www.gallup.com/poll/107692/social-time-crucial-daily-emotional-wellbeing.aspx Relationships 10% 150 15 5 ¼ of your time = 12x more likely to feel happy than stressed or anxious! 4

41. Don’t seek out a relationship to make you happy; instead seek happiness for success in relationships Successful relationship likely adds to happiness; unsuccessful relationship drain on happiness Seek happiness for a successful romance, not the other way around 1. Marks and Fleming (1999). Influences and consequences of well-being among Australian young people. Social Indicators Research 2. Headey (1989). Does happiness induce a rosy outlook? In R. Veenhoven (Ed.), How harmful is happiness? Consequences of enjoying life or not 3. All found here: Lyubomirsky (2005). The Benefits of Frequent Positive Affect: Does Happiness Lead to Success? Psychological Bulletin. 4. Zimmerman, A., and R. Easterlin. (2006). Happily Ever After? Cohabitation, Marriage, Divorces, and Happiness in Germany. Population and Development Review 32(3): 511-528. 5. British Medical Journal, Wide circle of friends key to mid-life wellbeing for both sexes, August 22, 2012 Relationships •On average, people in committed relationships are happier than those who are not •Happy people more likely to start a relationship + get married1 •Marriage seems to boost happiness in short term (1st–2nd year)2 •Being happy leads to success in relationships beyond the initial honeymoon period2,3,4

42. Taking care of your body pays happiness dividends 1 The How of Happiness 2 http://www.uwhealth.org/news/simple-strategies-to-improve-your-sleep/40770 3 http://www.huffingtonpost.com/drew-ramsey-md/food-mental-health_b_1703007.html Exercise Happiness fueled by three key health-related decisions: Sleep Diet • Proven to improve depression as effectively as Zoloft1 • Those that exercise are less likely to relapse than those in the medication group1 • A University of Michigan study found that one extra hour of sleep a night had a greater effect on happiness than an additional $60K in annual income2 • Adolescents that consistently eat junk food are 79% more likely to suffer from depression3 • Women with diets high in omega-3 fats less likely to suffer from depression3 Health

43. Focus on commute and noise, not home size 1 Koslowsky and Kluger, 1995 2 Glass and Singer, 1972, and others reviewed in Frederick and Loewenstein, 1999 • Never adjust to the commute: we never fully adapt to a longer commute, particularly if it involves driving in heavy traffic. Even after years of commuting, those whose commutes are traffic-filled still arrive at work with higher levels of stress hormones1 • Adjust quickly to new home: although a new home might make us happier in the short run, we quickly adapt to it and our happiness levels return to baseline1 • Noise reduces happiness: especially noise that is variable or intermittent, interferes with concentration and increases stress2 Environment

44. Money can make you happier if you spend it right Diminishing marginal returns on happiness to earning more1 How you spend your money is key to unlocking happiness value2 • Buy experiences, not goods: as goods have minimal to no incremental effect on your happiness2 • Buy time by outsourcing time consuming tasks you do not enjoy, arranging for more vacation or a shorter commute 2 • Spend money on others in a way that brings you into a relationship with them and has an impact High initial gains enabled by ability to reduce worries and increase opportunity 1 “What are the Economics of Happiness?”, Yale Insights 2 Dunn, E., Norton, M., “Happy Money: The Science of Smarter Spending.” (2013); Money

45. Let your work be a source of happiness Work Source: Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, M. Csikszentmihalyi Survey with 4,800 responses. Respondents polled throughout their day. Asked what they were doing, questions about engagement and mood and if they wished they were doing something else. 18% Leisure 54% Work How often people report feeling engaged How often people report feeling apathetic 52% 16% LeisureWork “We have the paradoxical situation: On the job people feel skillful and challenged, and therefore feel more happy, strong, creative and satisfied. In their free time people feel there is generally not much to do and their skills are not being used, and therefore they tend to feel more sad, week, dull, and dissatisfied. Yet they would like to work less and spend more time in leisure”

46. Seek out and focus on the right elements to love your job …But these are the factors that lead people to love their jobs - Challenging work - Recognition - Responsibility - Advancement - Growth - Work itself The Motivators If these factors aren’t at least acceptable, hard to be satisfied with your job… - Salary - Relationship with boss - Work conditions - Company policy - Supervision - Relationship with peers The Basics Source: Hertzberg Two Factor Theory Will you be: • Unsatisfied with your job? • Satisfied but unmotivated? • Satisfied and motivated? Work

47. Leisure time is wasted on passive hobbies 1 Achor, S. Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology that Fuel Success and Performance at Work 2 Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience, M. Csikszentmihalyi 3 Keller et al (2005). A warm heart and a clear head: The contingent effect of mood and weather on cognition. Psychological Science Passive hobbies do not enable sustained happiness… • Passive hobbies performed 4x more often than active hobbies1 • Studies show people report lower levels of engagement (and thus happiness) during leisure time than while at work2 …whereas active hobbies foster engagement and happiness • Active leisure activities (playing sports, a musical instrument, or other hobbies) enhance concentration, engagement, and motivation1 • Spending 20 minutes outside on a nice day boosts happiness, broadened thinking and improved working memory3 Hobbies

49. Employee Actions Plan: Seek happiness; achieve success 1 http://positiveorgs.bus.umich.edu/cpo-tools/job-crafting-exercise/ 2 Barker, Eric. http://theweek.com/article/index/259258/4-insights-that-will-make-you-happier-at-work 1. Make it meaningful: Understand and define the greater meaning and purpose of your responsibilities - Complete a job crafting exercise1 - Personally invest yourself in the outcomes of your work to build commitment2 2. Play to your strengths: Discover your strengths and shape your tasks around those strengths. Independent of content, using your strengths at work can make you significantly happier.2 3. Focus on relationships: Develop relationships and maintain a social support system - Provide appreciation and recognition to your coworkers - Create a support system within, and outside, of work 4. Seek engagement: Engage in ‘flow’ experiences as much as possible - Reduce distractions - Concentrate fully on the tasks you are working on - Challenge yourself, while utilizing your strengths 5. Set and pursue BIG and small goals: achieving small goals is highly motivational1

50. Employer Action Plan: Create a happy workplace 1. Get the Basics Right: Meet the minimum factors every employee needs to make work bearable: - Salary - Relationship with boss / peers - Work conditions - Company policy - Supervision 2. Leverage Motivation Factors: To make employees happier and more productive, offer: - Challenging work - Recognition - Responsibility - Growth - Work itself 3. Structure Work Right: Ensure employees can find ‘flow’ experiences as much as possible: - Avoid multi-tasking - Streamline work

51. Job Seeker Action Plan: Find a job that fits you best 1. Search for jobs that offer “The Motivators”. Once “the Basics” (pay, etc.) are good enough, little value to increasing further. - Challenging work - Recognition - Responsibility - Growth - Work itself 2. Leverage your strengths: To enable flow experiences, and therefore happiness, productivity and success, seek a job that plays to your strengths rather than one that will “correct” a weakness 3. Look for opportunities to build relationships: Seek a job that will allow you to form and maintain strong relationships, whether at work or outside the office.

52. Thanks! Thank you Harry Kraemer CarterCast Kelly Goldsmith MORS department CarolCahill DeanZ PritiPatel Hanne Wieschhoff Survey respondents …andyou!

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