The document discusses 10 keys to happier living according to research. It provides evidence that happiness is associated with significantly better physical and mental health as well as better work performance and relationships. Some of the 10 keys include connecting with others through relationships, acts of kindness, living life mindfully, cultivating resilience through challenges, and finding purpose and meaning. The document encourages readers to experiment with small actions in their daily lives that can lead to upward spirals of greater well-being over time.

1. 10 Keys to Happier Living
(A taster)
Vanessa King
@actionhappiness@actionhappiness

2. Rat race or human race?

3. ©Action for Happiness. All Rights Reserved
-5 0 +5
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4. ©Action for Happiness. All Rights Reserved
Question: What really makes people happy?
HAPPINESS?
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5. ©Action for Happiness. All Rights Reserved
"Happiness is a deep sense of flourishing,
not a mere pleasurable feeling or fleeting
emotion but an optimal state of being"
~ Matthieu Ricard
More than just a fleeting emotion…
©Action for Happiness. All Rights Reserved

6. ©Action for Happiness. All Rights Reserved
Does happiness matter…really?
©Action for Happiness. All Rights Reserved

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Significantly better overall health
Diener and Chan (2011)
50% lower risk of cardiovascular event
Boehm and Kubzansky (2012)
35% reduction in risk of death
Steptoe and Wardle (2011)
Half as likely to catch the cold virus
Cohen et al. (2006)
The Happiness Advantage: Physical Health
©Action for Happiness. All Rights Reserved

8. ©Action for Happiness. All Rights Reserved
Companies outperform stock market
Edmans et al. (2014)
Faster and more accurate diagnoses
Estrada et al. (1997)
12% more productive at work
Oswald et al. (2014)
The Happiness Advantage: Performance
Higher future income
De Neve and Oswald (2012)
©Action for Happiness. All Rights Reserved

9. ©Action for Happiness. All Rights Reserved
Save more and better financial control
Guven (2012)
Less likely to have road accidents
Goudie et al. (2012)
More pro-social behaviour
Aknin et al. (2013)
The Happiness Advantage: Society
More likely to vote and participate
Guven (2009)
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10. ©Action for Happiness. All Rights Reserved
Our behaviour and actions are contagious
Source: Christakis and Fowler (2009)
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What can we do that makes a difference?
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12. Ten Keys to Happier Living – Evidence base
© Vanessa King for Action For Happiness. All rights reserved. slide 12
2016 update
420+
meta-reviews and books
by leading academics
= 1000s more
of individual studies
2010/11
• Foresight Review –
Mental Capital for 21st
Century (2008)
• Masters degree (UPENN
MAPP)
= 1000s
of individual studies

13. Ten Keys to Happier Living
www.actionforhappiness.org

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Experiment

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This simple intervention was found to increase happiness and
reduce depressive symptoms for up to six months.
Source: Seligman and Steen (2005)
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Pre-test Post-test 1 week 1 month 3 months 6 months
Happiness
Depressivesymptoms
Depressive Symptoms
Happiness
Noticing the good things can bring big benefits

16. …creating ‘upward
spirals’
Pleasant emotions
BROADEN…our attention, thoughts and actions
BUILD…psychological resources
UNDO…the effect of unpleasant emotions/buffer against stress
© Vanessa King for Action For Happiness. All rights reserved.
(Source: Fredrickson, 2001, 2010)
Slide 16

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Ten Keys to Happier Living
Source: Action for Happiness (2011), building on nef (2008)
GIVING
Do things for others
RELATING
Connect with people
EXERCISING
Take care of your body
AWARENESS
Live life mindfully
TRYING OUT
Keep learning new things
DIRECTION
Have goals to look forward to
RESILIENCE
Find ways to bounce back
EMOTIONS
Look for what’s good
ACCEPTANCE
Be comfortable with who you are
MEANING
Be part of something bigger

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Experiment
(in pairs)
©Action for Happiness. All Rights Reserved

19. RELATING Connect with people
Based on: Kok et al, (2013)
Higher oxytocin
More tuned into
others; calmer,
friendlier
More positive
moments of social
connection
Positive
Emotions
Based on: Kok et al, (2013)

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Based on Aknin, Dunn & Norton, 2011
HappinessGiving
GIVING Do things for others

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GIVING Do things for others
©Action for Happiness. All Rights Reserved
Look up!
Small connections
matter

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Ten Keys to Happier Living
Source: Action for Happiness (2011), building on nef (2008)
GIVING
Do things for others
RELATING
Connect with people
EXERCISING
Take care of your body
AWARENESS
Live life mindfully
TRYING OUT
Keep learning new things
DIRECTION
Have goals to look forward to
RESILIENCE
Find ways to bounce back
EMOTIONS
Look for what’s good
ACCEPTANCE
Be comfortable with who you are
MEANING
Be part of something bigger

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RESILIENCE Find ways to bounce back

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ACCEPTANCE Be comfortable with who you are

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A good friend or colleague has
messed up, made a mistake or
failed at something.
How do you treat them?
Now imagine you have messed up,
made a mistake or failed at
something.
How do you treat yourself?
Imagine…

26. ©Action for Happiness. All Rights Reserved
Ten Keys to Happier Living
GIVING
Do things for others
RELATING
Connect with people
EXERCISING
Take care of your body
AWARENESS
Live life mindfully
TRYING OUT
Keep learning new things
DIRECTION
Have goals to look forward to
RESILIENCE
Find ways to bounce back
EMOTIONS
Look for what’s good
ACCEPTANCE
Be comfortable with who you are
MEANING
Be part of something bigger

27. ©Action for Happiness. All Rights Reserved©Action for Happiness. All Rights Reserved

28. ©Action for Happiness. All Rights Reserved
What action will you take?

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www.actionforhappiness.org
facebook.com/actionforhappiness
@actionhappiness
youtube.com/actionforhappiness
Thank you!
@actionhappiness

31. The world is taking Happiness more seriouslySmartphone app
Available now on iOS and Android
Search “Action for Happiness” on the app store

32. 3 December 2019
London
#CharityWellbeing
WiFi: Amnesty International
Password: amnestyaiuk
Wellbeing in charity
communications

33. Visit the CharityComms website to view
slides from past events, see what events
we have coming up and to check out
what else we do:
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