How often do you wake up excited to head to work and face another day on the job? How many of you truly enjoy what you do and find a sense of satisfaction at the end of a busy work day? Studies show that between 50-88% of us are unsatisfied, cynical, and disgruntled at our jobs. That is a profound bummer, isn’t it…especially because we spend SO MUCH TIME there! The Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley recently published an article that delves into the four keys to workplace happiness. Purpose, Engagement, Resilience (my favorite concept) and Kindness are the keys to fulfillment in your job…and inevitably, if we cultivate these four concepts, they will ripple into our personal lives as well. Check this article out when you get a chance, and find some P.E.R.K.s at work!
Well-being in the holistic sense (and at work) may seem like a tall order, especially since we feel so ingrained in our own histories and have invested in our identities at work. We wake up and immediately put on our own individual filters for the world; we look at new concepts with skepticism; and we may even have the opinion that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks”, especially where mindfulness and well-being are concerned. I know many people at work that are actually proud of the fact that they are resistant to change! If you’re curious about making your workplace more fulfilling (thus, making the majority of your waking moments more fulfilling), head over to our “About Us” page in Smiling Science Alliance, scroll down to the video section and watch the short segment on four neuro-scientifically validated/investigated constituents of well-being…you may be surprised at what they are!
Finally, I’ve added a new 11-minute meditation practice for FOCUS. This is a good one if you’re on your way to completing an important task, you’re gearing up for something stressful, or just need to quiet your mind before heading into the lab. Check it out on our “Meditation” page.
As always, keep smiling!