The Link Between Happiness and Productivity

The tech industry has been hit hard lately, leaving many individuals feeling uncertain about their future. Facing uncertainty, it’s natural to feel worried, but there are so many things that we can’t control. Instead, we can still focus on the opportunities that are available to us, the world is wide open. I would like to share some valuable perspectives that I’ve gained from reading “The Happiness Advantage” by Shawn Achor (kindle, paperpack,audible). This book delves into the idea that positive thinking and optimism can fuel success, not just in our work, but in all aspects of life. As Shawn Achor himself said: We become more successful when we are happier and more positive. Unlock your power of happiness advantage, and linking your happiness advantage with productivity and success.

What & why the Happiness Advantage? 

For years, we have been fed the idea that working hard leads to success, and ultimately, it brings happiness in return. If you wonder, why this happened, just check with yourself, if you ever think in this way: 

I would be happy and thrilled if I managed to do x ( my powerful goal ). 

A pattern of happiness sounds like the following : 

• I’ll be happy if I get that promotion. 
• I’ll be happy if I can get into a top university.
• I’ll be happy if I win this competition.  

Little by little, we all believed that hard work would necessarily bring us joy and happiness. So this leads us to believe in a magic formula: If you work hard, you will become successful, and once you become successful, you’ll be happy.

But this formula is broken, see how it made it clear that success comes first, and happiness second. However, were we happy for real each time we succeeded? Achievements bring satisfaction. We may feel that way at first, but later we realize we have more to achieve to keep us always ahead of the game. We level up and then we reboot the game, over and over again. Then each time, we push our goal further and further out. And later without even realizing it, happiness also gets pushed over the horizon.

It may come as a surprise, but happiness is actually the driving force behind achieving one’s goals. Scientific research shows that happy people are more productive, more successful, and more likely to achieve their aspirations. So, acquiring a positive brain and letting it develop and up to a point it will fuel your success in work and ultimately your life. This is YOUR happiness advantage. 

Acquire a positive brain to boost your job performance

We have many things to do to acquire a positive brain. But thanks to positive psychology, we know the key thing is to shift toward an optimistic mindset and cultivate a sense of joy because of that. Given a negative situation, turning your thoughts into action can be more difficult than just saying since reality tells you immediately that you need to pay off the rent or mortgage, support your family, and other daunting tasks in life. 

As an aspirational individual, looking for a new charter with an optimistic mind under an unfavorable situation and turning that into the next great chapter of your career is hands-down the most valuable skill in life. Making your own weather is an art of life, this applies to all. It’s so important for us to recognize our unique ‘Super Power’, and remember what we have achieved in the past, our journey of learning, our reflections about how we add value to others, and our contributions to the world. 

Once you know your worth, start replacing any negative thoughts with more positive ones. Those approaches can help your brain stays positive in challenging circumstances. Celebrate your small successes! Every time you made a baby step, enjoy these little moments of contentment. This helps you become more productive and cultivate your overall sense of satisfaction within yourself. This is what we call ‘Capitalize on the happiness advantage’.

How to be happy and productive on the job  

Not only from this book, but I’ve also heard from my real life about an interesting saying that ‘Happy people, better performance.’ Individuals who are happy at their job contribute to greater business success to their organization. Employees feel happy because of many factors. One of them being they feel productive at work, they’re working with a productive team and they’re driving greater impact thanks to this. In honor of the philosophy, positivity leads to greater productivity, there are the following 6 principles from this book can come into play : 

Further thoughts 

Life is not just a sum of our accomplishments but our experience the journey. How we feel is as important as what we do.  Life has many things that go beyond just work, we can always find true fulfillment in the pursuit of happiness in many different ways. Regardless of the challenges we’re currently facing, remember we’re not defined by our current circumstances or a brief passage through life. Good things to know happiness and success can go hand-in-hand and and they can come together and lead our way to a fulling life as your heart’s content. And remember : We have the power to shape our own destinies. If you want to Maximize Your Success at a Tech Company with OKR(Objective Key Results) in 2023, check out this article here.