Don’t Worry Be Happy

When I was getting my certification in Workplace Wellness, I saw just how broad the subject is. Everything from mental health, nutrition, sleep, happiness, exercise, mindset, stress management, mindfulness, meditation, the environment and how it ties together.

The last two plus years of turmoil has impacted our lives and our Workplace Wellness – the pandemic, great resignation, remote working, inflation, supply chain issues, soaring prices, crime and so much more. How well are we doing?

Workplace Wellness is to a large degree a quantifiable and measurable construct. But an aspect that is not is how happy are you? How does your happiness affect your Workplace Wellness?

Happiness is a consequence of how our consciousness interprets life events. Science has proven that positive emotions, positive social connections, and physical health influence one another but most people are shocked the US ranks fifty-third in the world overall happiness.

We often look externally for our happiness. Yet, our external world is only 10% predictive of our happiness. 90% is by the way your brain processes your world and of that, only 25% is IQ, and 75% by optimism levels. How can we reverse our thinking to things more healthful.

Many would say, if I were more successful, I will be happier. This is broken, because as we achieve success we move the goal post, now I must do better. Our brain can never achieve what we said we wanted to begin with.

Research regarding happiness and a positive attitude has shown: 31% more productivity, 37% increase in sales, more resiliency, less burnout, less turnover. The good news is that with intention we can change our default thermostat setting to a happiness setting. We can use my 5R’s – Recognize, Reflect, Reframe, Refocus, and Reference to create pleasant emotions instead of waiting for an event to trigger one. And as we pursue happiness, we'll enjoy the health benefits the effect the positive emotions have on our health.

Our brain as the physical organ and cannot differentiate between an emotion caused by an event or an emotion that we train ourselves to feel. Capturing happiness is each of our responsibility, and we can absolutely have it.

Shawn Achor recommends to increase your positivity and health make happiness a choice daily.

1.      3 Gratitudes for your personal, work and self

2.     Journal: About a positive experience

3.     Exercise: 150-180 minutes a week (60% strength 40% Cardio)

4.     Meditate

5.     Engage in a random act of kindness

Now that is workplace wellness!