We all have days when we’re just not really in the mood for work and try to alleviate our sluggishness with another trip to the coffee machine, but there’s a more altruistic solution that might give you more of a boost: Helping others.
Photo by Korney Violin via Unsplash.
A recent analysis on Open Science Framework looked at 21 other studies to anecdotally show that one of the most consistent ways of improving happiness was to do a good deed for someone else. Dr Oliver Scott Curry, the lead author of the paper, says that:
These effects [following an act of kindness] are comparable to other positive psychology interventions. This suggests that performing acts of kindness will not change your life, but might help to nudge it in the right direction.
It’s worth considering this in the context of your daily work. Most of us spend the majority of our time in an office; we can’t all go out and buy someone coffee or commit random good deeds while we’re working, but you can, perhaps, see if your coworkers need a helping hand with anything.
It’s a little cheesy, but it’s true and effective. When I’m stuck on something or just don’t feel like grinding away at my work, I see what everyone else is doing and whether there are any ways I can pitch in. It let’s me clear my mind of one problem and feels nice if I can help. It’s literally a selfish reason to be helpful. And it’s better than stale coffee.
Acts of Kindness Really Do Boost Happiness [Psyblog via The Muse]
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