Five 2-Minute Tools for Happiness

As I talk about in my books and customer service training programs, concierges—and all service providers—can experience stressful days. Going to work happy can act like a shield to ward off negative feelings and help you think clearly when faced with problem situations.

Here’s more from Shawn Achor, author of The Happiness Advantage and founder of Good Think, Inc. Along with having a strong social network, he suggests five simple tools to help us create more happiness in our lives. Before you think to yourself, “Who has the time…?” read on.  He suggests you pick only one of them and dedicate just two minutes to it a day. Of course, you can elect to do more. (With all modesty, I have to say that I already practice three of them, and actually, I am pretty happy!)

Ready? Here is the list you can choose from:

  • Be Grateful. With  a company called Thank You Very Much, Inc, I guess you might say I have a strong belief in gratitude. Mr. Achor suggests making a gratitude list daily, which can’t help but lead to a grateful lookout. He also suggests thinking about what it is about each item on the list that makes you feel grateful.
  • Journal. When journaling, select the best things that have happened in the past 24 hours and write about them in detail. When doing this, you actually experience positive occurrences twice in the same day.
  • Exercise. Daily exercise, especially in the morning, can be as effective as taking an anti- depressant. I can certainly attest to the power of exercise. If I don’t swim, I’m miserable!
  • Meditate. Take two minutes every day to sit still and simply watch your breath. This can be a tough one for a lot of us, because ironically, stopping to do “nothing” often takes an effort!
  • Write. Send a nice e -mail to at least one person every day. As you write, really focus on the recipient and the positive aspects he or she contributes to your life.

There you have it:  Five simple ways you can usher more happiness in your life. Which one will you start with—or add to your repertoire, if you’re already in the happiness habit? Try it and let me know how it goes. I’ll be HAPPY to hear from you!

Leave a Reply