I sorta Loved this interview. I couldn’t agree more – being happy makes a difference. I think about the places / shops / stores that I go to where the experience is not good and the places that I go to where the experience IS good. One great example is where my daughter works (which shall remain unnamed) – she works retail at a large chain store – there are several in our area but she has been told that people go out of their way to come to THAT store vs. a store closer to their home or work. Why? The people are nicer, friendlier, and more helpful. I think about what she says about her co-workers who, generally, get along and like each other. They tease each other, play tricks, and enjoy their time together while Not ignoring their customers. They even spend time together outside of the store. There doesn’t seem to be a lot of absenteeism or turnover.
I also liked:
“Happy people tend to be healthier than unhappy people. They have a stronger immune function. They have more tolerance for pain. They act in healthier ways than unhappy people do…they exercise more and eat healthier, for example.”
I am coming out of a very unhappy relationship – it was difficult and I had little to no control over my environment, etc… at least not without a fight if I wanted something that he didn’t. I think about how I feel about life now. My job has been very stressful in the past couple years with some incredibly hard periods, both emotionally and physically due to very long hours and heavy demands, but I am now in a nurturing, caring relationship with someone who listens and is there for me as much as I am there for him. I am Happy! Physically I am in the best shape I have been in years, I have only been sick once or twice this year and those were colds or flu bugs and not long lasting. Knowing that I can come home to a haven where there is peace has made a world of difference.
I also look at my work environment – if I couldn’t take time to laugh and have fun I don’t think I could have made it through those long hours. I want to enjoy my job, I spend a lot of time there… but that can be difficult if someone in the office is a nay-sayer.
“Unfortunately, negative moods are more contagious than positive moods, and one crabby employee can trigger a wave of bad feelings. And because people try to steer clear, unhappy people find it harder to be effective.”
Without question I think this is true.. although I’m not sure what you are supposed to do about people who are naturally gloomy. I do like the idea of surprising people with small treats. Sometimes people try TOO hard to have “fun” and they don’t do the simple things. My boss brought me back a trip gift from her vacation to the beach – they were these cool little coasters that are crabs and fit OVER the bottom of your wine glass so you take your coaster “with” you as you walk around a party, etc. They are very cute and she also knows that my Heart and I drink wine, etc. It made me smile ALL day and I couldn’t wait to bring them home to show him.
ANYWAY – here are some Tips on Boosting Workplace Happiness from Gretchen Rubin by Matthew May at Open Forum. Thanks to Catherine Faas at Holy Kaw for pointing out this article!