Can a business case be built for the positive value of happiness in the work environment? Studies show that employee happiness results in:

• increased productivity
• less turnover
• reduced absenteeism

In his book What Happy People Know the author, Dan Baker, identifies Six Happiness Tools that all of us can use. I’d like to share three of these with you:

1. Appreciation
2. Choice
3. Personal Power

Tool # 1: Appreciation

What Dr. Baker calls appreciation, I refer to as gratitude. In our December, 2009 e-newsletter, we talked about the “Power of Gratitude.” Appreciating the people and things around you is an important beginning. Let’s take it one step further.

Appreciation is choosing to be mindful of the good things in your life rather than focusing on the negative. How do you do this? A key to happiness is to be able to re-frame.

You can look at situations in two ways: what is wrong or what is right. To re-frame, instead of looking at all the bad things related to a challenging problem, person or situation ask yourself questions like, “What good can come of this?” “What can I learn from this?” “What is the ‘hidden’ blessing or benefit?”

Recently we had about two  feet of water in our basement as a result of persistent rain and a failed pump; a problem we’ve never had during 15 years of living here. Although we got very weary of all the vacuuming, cleaning and the loss of belongings, we kept saying to each other, “It could have been worse.”  We could have been away and not known there was a problem. There could have been four feet of water instead of two.  No one was hurt, nothing of real value was lost, and we were able to recover. Plus, we realized we needed a new pump! Now we will be good for another 20 years.

Tool # 2: Choice

One of the things that can cause us the most pressure and unhappiness is the feeling that we are “trapped” or have no options. Lack of finances, ill health and job insecurity are examples of situations that can lead us to feel we have no choice.

The antidote to this is to begin listing the options you DO have. This will require you to “think outside of the box.”  It can be useful to enlist the aide of someone who knows you to help you identify some options.  You may need to try something you have never done before. Your behavior and your thought process may need to be modified. Maybe it’s time to learn a new skill or seek a new environment. All of these can be good things as they open up your mind to the possibilities rather than the limitations in life.

Tool # 3: Personal Power

Having the mindset that you have control over your own destiny can be a revelation. How many of us give away our personal power to others? If you think your happiness depends on the words and actions of others, you are giving away your peace of mind.

Realize that what other people do or say does not determine your self-worth or success.   Last week I read an inspiring quote “It’s not who you are that holds you back, it’s who you think you’re not.” (Author unknown.) Knowing that you have the power to take responsibility and take the action required to succeed gives you a sense of personal peace and confidence.  Other people can’t rattle you when you are calm and secure in yourself.

Now, wouldn’t it be great if we could snap our fingers and make all these great changes? Here’s my own take: “Happiness Takes Perseverance.” Just like losing weight, saving for your dream vacation or learning to play the piano, when you want something worthwhile you just have to keep doing the right thing. Behavior and thought patterns don’t change overnight, but isn’t your happiness worth the effort?

*Stage One: Pre-contemplation. People at this stage have not yet acknowledged that there is problem behavior that needs to be changed. They tend to defend (bad) habits and are not interested in any kind of help.

*Stage Two: Contemplation. Here, a person acknowledges that there is a problem but is not yet ready or sure about making  a change. People at this stage are aware of the personal consequences of a bad habit or lifestyle and are more open to receiving information. In our previous article on Becoming a Person of Influence we said that people who are considering making a change they ask themselves 2 questions: “Will it be worth it?” and “Can I do it?” That’s the Contemplation Stage.

*Stage Three: Preparation.  At this stage a person is determined to make a change and begins to prepare. Here people will gather information, research and ask questions, in an effort to get ready. Skipping this step is a mistake because, without the knowledge of what is required to make a major change and the commitment to do those things, a person is likely to fail.

*Stage Four: Action. When people are ready, they begin to take action to change behavior and to make positive life choices. An effort of willpower and determination is required at this stage, as there will be the temptation to relapse and go back to the old, familiar ways. Using short-term rewards, having accountability and support and looking at the benefits of the new behavior, will all help a person to successfully get through this stage.

*Stage Five: Maintenance. Once a change has been made, an individual now has to maintain the new behavior and avoid any temptations to revert back to the old ways. Helpful strategies for people at this stage are to remind themselves of the value of making the change, think back to the negative experiences and feelings associated with the old behavior, have strategies in place ahead of time to deal with the temptations to revert, keep track of progress, celebrate success and stay connected to people who are positive and who encourage the change.

*Relapse. Throughout this process, it is important to remember that change takes time and it is normal and natural to regress occasionally. When this does happen, it is important for people to not mentally beat themselves up! They need to avoid the temptation to think of this as a failure or character flaw or to think that, because of a slip, a permanent change will never happen. Again, using a support system is very helpful in this situation. Ideally, people experiencing a relapse can use this as an opportunity to figure out the slip-up happened and to think of ways to cope differently in the future.A person may have to avoid certain friends or family members or stay away from high-risk situations. These strategies will help them to control the cues that tempt them to revert to bad habits and, ultimately, provide a stronger sense of self-control and the ability to stay on track.

What about you? Do you want to make a positive change in your life? Think about this model, identify your stage of change and use some of the strategies here to continue to reach higher!

So, we know what a “To-Do” is, now……what is a “Ta-Da”? Research shows that achievers also know how to track and measure their success by keeping a record of those things which have been accomplished……those are their Ta-Das! Not only do folks who succeed track their accomplishments, they also have learned to celebrate success!!  Are those habits that you have developed? When you reach your goal, do you take a moment to savor the success? Do you ever do anything to celebrate a job well done? Many people are so busy charging on toward the next goal that they take no time to enjoy what they have already accomplished. That can be a recipe for burnout and can eventually have a negative impact on your motivation and productivity.

What can you do to celebrate your successes? It doesn’t have to be something major,  just a little reward or acknowledgement that you have accomplished what you set out to do.  Phone someone and share your achievement; schedule a fun activity; treat yourself to something you love. When you’ve worked hard, take the time to enjoy what you have achieved. You earned it!

If you are a manager or supervisor, do something to recognize the accomplishments of those on your team.  Do you ever do anything to celebrate a significant achievement? Public acknowledgement, a certificate, or a celebratory lunch all go a long way to helping a person or team feel valued.  If someone really goes out of his/her way to help you, take a moment to send a thank you note or even give a small gift to show your appreciation.  (You don’t have to be a manager to initiate these activities. )

Some day, when you’re feeling overwhelmed or like you are just spinning your wheels, try making a Ta-Da list! What is that? It’s a list of all the things you have accomplished. It can be very satisfying to see that you have been putting your time to good use.  And, you’ll be surprised at how a little celebration will enable you continue to Reach Higher!

Burnout is defined as fatigue and frustration brought about by dedication to a job, cause, way of life, relationship, etc. that is not bringing the expected reward. When it occurs, burnout tends to permeate all areas of life - work, family, personal life.  Notice the key phrase “not bringing about the expected reward.” One of the key factors contributing to burnout is that we can become so totally invested in something that we put all of our energy into that area of our lives to the exclusion of everything else! No one person, project, cause or anything else can satisfy all of the needs we have in our lives.

So, what are the keys to beating burnout? In our February newsletter, we talked about Maintaining Life Balance. That is critical. Check to make sure that your life is multi-faceted and that your vision has not narrowed to exclude relationships and activities that can refresh and revitalize you.

What does your support network look like? Do you even have one? If you have only one person you go to all the time for advice, support, mentoring, etc. you should probably think about broadening your network. Identify a variety of people with expertise and knowledge in different areas and begin to make those connections.

Take a look at how you spend your time. Is all of your time taken up with one activity? Does your work day go from five o’clock in the morning to eleven o’clock at night? Do you do anything for fun? Do you make time to be with people who love you and support you? Do you have a hobby or interest that gives you a mental break from the routine? Again, the key is balance!

Have you learned to recognize the signs that you are getting tired? Do you get cranky, snap at people, withdraw and want to be left alone, overeat, lose your mental focus and creativity? These are all signals that you need to take a break! Go for a short walk. Call a friend. Have a healthy snack. Read a magazine or take a short nap. Anything you can do to shift gears for a while will help keep burnout at bay.

You may have been surprised by your answers to some of the questions here. If you are not satisfied with your current lifestyle, the good news is that you can make a change. Today! Begin to identify those areas that are out of balance and commit to some specific action that will help you to enjoy your life. The choice is up to you!

So, do you have a dream? Something that you’ve  always wanted to do? Take a vacation to a special place;  go back to school and get an advanced degree; learn another language; play the piano, skydive???  Your dreams may be completely different from mine, but that’s what makes life interesting.

The next thing achievers know how to do is pick a goal apart and determine very specific steps to accomplish that goal.  Some of us never start doing something because it seems overwhelming. So, what is one, very specific thing you can do that will move you in the direction of your dream? Send for a brochure, make a phone call for information, register for one class. OK, now…..wh en are you going to do this? Don’t just leave it open ended. Give yourself a deadline. “I will send for this brochure tomorrow.” “I will register for that class by next week.”

Now….DO IT! Just take that first step and then you can think of the next thing, and the next and the next.  If this process sounds familiar to some of you who have studied goal setting in business….it is.

Because this method works whether you are working toward something in your private life or at work.  But remember, what we’re talking about here is moving you toward one of your dreams. Once you’ve used the process and find that it works, and it’s fun and satisfying, you’ll be better equipped to move toward the things you want in life. You may be closer than you think…..just Reach Higher J