Welcome back everyone!
I recently read an interesting little article detailing a study that linked happiness to productivity in the workplace. Researchers at the University of Warwick found that happiness led to a 12% increase in productivity, while unhappiness led to a 10% decrease. One can conclude from this that being happy makes you more productive. But why? Should we all just walk around with huge smiles on our face in order to be productive? Keep on reading to find out.
Although I think walking around with a smile on your face is a great thing to do just in terms of being friendly, that’s not exactly the answer here. Happiness is also associated with creativity, which allows people to solve problems faster and come up with ways to work better/more efficiently. If employees are happy, that generally means they care more about their job- they will pay more attention to detail when getting things done.
I can attest to this first-hand- when I’m in one of my mopey stress moods, it’s hard to me to get anything done (even when I really need to). If I channel my energy into being more positive or something cheers me up, it makes it so much easier to start working and completing tasks. The study I’ve been referring to was on employees in the workplace, but it can definitely apply in other situations. They suggested that companies investing in employee satisfaction/happiness will make work more productive; if you apply this to yourself, it means you should invest in your own happiness.
Being tough on yourself and turning the pressure on will only make you unhappy and less productive (unless that’s the environment you work best in- go you!). Try to remain optimistic and see work as a positive thing, picturing the rewarding feeling you’ll have when you get everything done. It’s something I need to work on as well, but it can improve both your mental health and your productivity!
-Brooke
adventures of a typical high school student 