Lasting positive change is apparently simple, just repeat the following habits for 21 days;
- 3 Gratitudes
- Journaling
- Exercise
- Meditation
- Random Acts of Kindness
(Go to 11.05 on the video, Shawn Achor cites the research supporting this).
The last item on the list inspired a bunch of students to share biscuits with classmates stuck studying in the McGregor (no relation) Reading Room at the University of Virginia. If you’re looking for ideas for Random Acts of Kindness, there’s a whole website on the subject.
The idea of happiness as a work outcome is an easy target for the cynics, but the research is there, and it’s not a new idea; Alexander Kjerulf wrote a book “Happy Hour is 9 to 5” first published in 2007 which talks about the connection between happiness, motivation and success. It’s perhaps not surprising that he comes from Denmark recently assessed as the world’s happiest country in a UN report.
A fact that the national brewer was quick to adopt for an advertisement in Copenhagen’s airport. Fair enough, I did find their product an agent to feeling happy when I was there last week.
Change Meme 