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Happiness
¿Cuál es la naturaleza de la felicidad humana? ¿Cómo podemos alcanzarla en el ámbito profesional? ¿Vale la pena perseguirla?.
Este libro explora las respuestas a esas preguntas a través de las investigaciones que intentan averiguar, entre otras cosas, cómo se puede medir la felicidad, cuáles son los escenarios donde se desarrollan los comportamientos personales y cuáles son las técnicas de gestión que facilitan la felicidad en el lugar de trabajo. Pero además advierte de aquellos aspectos de la felicidad que la publicidad ha exagerado.
Este libro explora las respuestas a esas preguntas a través de las investigaciones que intentan averiguar, entre otras cosas, cómo se puede medir la felicidad, cuáles son los escenarios donde se desarrollan los comportamientos personales y cuáles son las técnicas de gestión que facilitan la felicidad en el lugar de trabajo. Pero además advierte de aquellos aspectos de la felicidad que la publicidad ha exagerado.
162 pages, Paperback
First published April 18, 2017
132 people are currently reading
1303 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 70 reviews
July 17, 2019
I appreciate the balance of essays surrounding happiness at the workplace, especially the last two providing counterarguments for overemphasis. I think the downside of having short essays is that they don't go as deeply as I would like, and therefore doesn't become memorable to me.
February 5, 2020
1. PERMA: 5 elements essential to lasting contentment:
- positive emotion
- engagement
- relationships
- meaning
- accomplishment/ achievement
2. Being happy at work matters. To be fully engaged and happy, we need 3 things:
- a meaningful vision of the future
- a sense of purpose
- great relationships
3. The power of the smile
4. The power of small wins
5. Creating sustainable performance: thriving, which includes vitality and learning
- 4 mechanisms that create the conditions for thriving employees: providing decision making discretion, sharing information, minimizing incivility, and offering performance feedback
- Individual strategies for thriving:
. Take a break
. Craft your own work to be more meaningful
. Look for opportunities to innovate and learn
. Invest in relationships that energize you
. Recognize that thriving can spill over outside the office
- positive emotion
- engagement
- relationships
- meaning
- accomplishment/ achievement
2. Being happy at work matters. To be fully engaged and happy, we need 3 things:
- a meaningful vision of the future
- a sense of purpose
- great relationships
3. The power of the smile
4. The power of small wins
5. Creating sustainable performance: thriving, which includes vitality and learning
- 4 mechanisms that create the conditions for thriving employees: providing decision making discretion, sharing information, minimizing incivility, and offering performance feedback
- Individual strategies for thriving:
. Take a break
. Craft your own work to be more meaningful
. Look for opportunities to innovate and learn
. Invest in relationships that energize you
. Recognize that thriving can spill over outside the office
October 20, 2021
To be honest, I picked this book up in Laguardia because my phone was low on battery and I needed to save what was left so I could order a Lyft when I got to my destination. That said, this book really surprised me. There is a diverse range of opinions on happiness, what it means to be happy, and where we should and end up searching for this long term fulfillment. It is a very quick read and great for traveling (no wonder they sell these in airports). While I probably won’t go out of my way for another one of these in my usual reading list, I do plan to download less Netflix episodes before my next flight and buy another one of these essay collections to read instead.
August 4, 2017
A nice, quick introduction to happiness, how to achieve it at work, and why that might be important for both employees and employers. (The general gist is that being happy results in more creativity and productivity on behalf of workers, and managers who think that employees work best when scared of negative consequences or worried about job security are totally wrong.)
There are two very brief essays at the end that take a negative view on happiness, but they seem to have been thrown in for some artificial sense of balance rather than because they say anything useful. One mainly protests that "happiness" is hard to define and that being content all the time is pointless--both arguments clearly addressed in the previous essays in the book, which one presumes the author of THIS essay should have been aware of. The other "happiness is bad" essay makes inane arguments like "You shouldn't expect your work to make you happy because if you're fired you're going to lose all that happiness and be a mess." That's basically like saying you shouldn't find happiness in a pet because eventually the pet will die, or you shouldn't find happiness in friends because friends sometimes leave or you just grow apart. Completely unconvincing, and I expected more research and better arguments, especially to close the book.
There are two very brief essays at the end that take a negative view on happiness, but they seem to have been thrown in for some artificial sense of balance rather than because they say anything useful. One mainly protests that "happiness" is hard to define and that being content all the time is pointless--both arguments clearly addressed in the previous essays in the book, which one presumes the author of THIS essay should have been aware of. The other "happiness is bad" essay makes inane arguments like "You shouldn't expect your work to make you happy because if you're fired you're going to lose all that happiness and be a mess." That's basically like saying you shouldn't find happiness in a pet because eventually the pet will die, or you shouldn't find happiness in friends because friends sometimes leave or you just grow apart. Completely unconvincing, and I expected more research and better arguments, especially to close the book.
September 1, 2018
EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE: HAPPINESS BOOK
HAPPINESS CLASS: "It's only recently that we realized that we could marry one of our oldest questions - 'What is the nature of human happiness?' - to our newest way of getting answers: science. Until just a few decades ago, the problem of happiness was mainly in the hands of philosophers and poets." (28)
RESILIENCE: "One of the misconceptions about happiness is that happiness is being cheerful, joyous, and content all the time; always heaving a smile on your face. It's not - being happy and leading rich lives is about taking the good with the bad, and learning how to reframe the bad. In fact in an article in the Journal of Experimental Psychology 'Emodiversity and the Emotional Ecosystem" by Harvard researcher Jordi Quoidback, found that experiencing a wide range of emotions - both positive and negative - was linked to positive mental and physical well-being." - Vaness Buote, Social Psychology postdoctoral researcher at Harvard. As Tolstoy put it, "For happiness you need as much unhappiness as happiness."
HAPPINESS CLASS: "The biggest misconception of the happiness industry is that happiness is an end, not a means. We think that if we get what we want, then we'll be happy. But it turns out that our brains actually work in the opposite direction."
HAPPINESS CLASS: "We sometimes tend to see 'being happy' as the end goal, but we forget that what's realy important is the journey; finding out what makes us the happiest and engaging in those activities to help us lead a more fulfulling life."
In other words, we're not happy when we're chasing happiness. We're happiest when we're not thinking about it, when we're enjoying the present moment because we're lost in a meaningful project, working toward a higher goal, or helping someone who needs us.
RESILIENCE CLASS: "Happiness isn't the absence of suffering; it's the ability to rebound from it. And happiness is not the same as joy or ecstasy; happiness includes contentment, well-being, and the emotional flexibility to experience a full range of emotions." (11)
HAPPINESS CLASS: "Measuring subjective experiences is a lot easier than you think. It's what your eye doctor does when she fits you for glasses. He puts a lens in front of your eye and asks you to report your experience, and then she puts another lens up, and then another. She uses your reports as data, submits the data to scientific analysis, and designs a lens that will give you perfect vision - all on the basis of your reports of your subjective experience." (29)
RESILIENCE CLASS: "As it turns out, people are not very good at predicting what will make them happy or how long that happiness will last. They expect positive events to make them much happier than those events actually do, and they expct negative events to make them unhappier than they actually do. In both field and lab studies, we've found that winning or losing an election, gaining or losing a romantic partner, getting or not getting a promotion, passing or failing an exam all have less impact on happiness than people think they will. A recent study showed that very few experiences affect us for more than three months." (33)
RESILIENCE CLASS: "If you go blind or lose a fortune, you'll find that there's a whole new life on the other side of those events. And you'll find many things about that new life that are quite good. In fact, you'll undoubtedly find a few things that are even better than what you had before. You're not lying to yourself, you're not delusional. You're discovering things you didn't know - couldn't know - until you were in that new life. You are looking for things that make your new life better, you are finding them, and they are making you happy. What is most striking to me as a scientist is that most of us don't realize how good we're going to be at finding those things. We've never say 'Oh, of course, if I lost my money or my wife left me, I'd find a way to be just as happy as I am now.' We'd never say it - but it's true." (36)
HAPPINESS CLASS: "We know that people are happiest when they're appropriately challenged - when they're trying to achieve goals that are difficult but not out of reach." - Daniel Gilbert, Harvard scientist
"It would be much more effective to tell the person who works for you, 'I don't think most people could get this done by Friday. But I have full faith and confidence that you can. And it's hugely important to the entire team."
- Daniel Gilbert, Harvard scientist
JOY CLASS - JOY and happiness are A PRACTICE: "Psychologist Ed Diener has a finding I really like. He essentially shows that the FREQUENCY of your positive experiences is a much better predictor of your happiness than is the INTENSITY of your positive experiences.... But Diener and his colleagues have shown that how good your experiences are doesn't matter nearly as much as how many good experiences you have. Somebody who has a dozen mildly nice things happen each day is likely to be happier than somebody who has a single truly amazing thing happen. So wear comfortable shoes, give your wife a big kiss, sneak a french fry. IT sounds like small stuff, and it is. But the small stuff matters." (41).
"I think this explains why it's so hard for us to forecast our affective states. We imagine that one or two big things will have a profound effect. But it looks like happiness is the sum of hundreds of small things. Achieving happiness requires the saem approach as losing weight. People trying to lose weight want a magic pill that will give them instant results. Ain't no such thing. We know exactly how people lose weight: They eat less and exercise more. The don't have to eat MUCH less or exercise MUCH more - they just have to do those things consistently. Over time it adds up. Happiness is like that. The things you can do to increase your happiness are obvious and small and take just a little time. But you have to them every day and wait for the results." (41)
WE SEE LACK OF HAPPINESS AS A FAILURE, IT IS NOT. "Essentially, when happiness becomes a duty, it can make people feel worse when they fail to accomplish it." (138).
PURSUE MEANING, NOT HAPPINESS: "In one experiment, psychologists asked a number of people to keep a detailed diary for two weeks. What they found at the end of the study was that those who greatly valued happiness felt lonelier than those who valued happiness less." (142)
HAPPINESS CLASS: "It's only recently that we realized that we could marry one of our oldest questions - 'What is the nature of human happiness?' - to our newest way of getting answers: science. Until just a few decades ago, the problem of happiness was mainly in the hands of philosophers and poets." (28)
RESILIENCE: "One of the misconceptions about happiness is that happiness is being cheerful, joyous, and content all the time; always heaving a smile on your face. It's not - being happy and leading rich lives is about taking the good with the bad, and learning how to reframe the bad. In fact in an article in the Journal of Experimental Psychology 'Emodiversity and the Emotional Ecosystem" by Harvard researcher Jordi Quoidback, found that experiencing a wide range of emotions - both positive and negative - was linked to positive mental and physical well-being." - Vaness Buote, Social Psychology postdoctoral researcher at Harvard. As Tolstoy put it, "For happiness you need as much unhappiness as happiness."
HAPPINESS CLASS: "The biggest misconception of the happiness industry is that happiness is an end, not a means. We think that if we get what we want, then we'll be happy. But it turns out that our brains actually work in the opposite direction."
HAPPINESS CLASS: "We sometimes tend to see 'being happy' as the end goal, but we forget that what's realy important is the journey; finding out what makes us the happiest and engaging in those activities to help us lead a more fulfulling life."
In other words, we're not happy when we're chasing happiness. We're happiest when we're not thinking about it, when we're enjoying the present moment because we're lost in a meaningful project, working toward a higher goal, or helping someone who needs us.
RESILIENCE CLASS: "Happiness isn't the absence of suffering; it's the ability to rebound from it. And happiness is not the same as joy or ecstasy; happiness includes contentment, well-being, and the emotional flexibility to experience a full range of emotions." (11)
HAPPINESS CLASS: "Measuring subjective experiences is a lot easier than you think. It's what your eye doctor does when she fits you for glasses. He puts a lens in front of your eye and asks you to report your experience, and then she puts another lens up, and then another. She uses your reports as data, submits the data to scientific analysis, and designs a lens that will give you perfect vision - all on the basis of your reports of your subjective experience." (29)
RESILIENCE CLASS: "As it turns out, people are not very good at predicting what will make them happy or how long that happiness will last. They expect positive events to make them much happier than those events actually do, and they expct negative events to make them unhappier than they actually do. In both field and lab studies, we've found that winning or losing an election, gaining or losing a romantic partner, getting or not getting a promotion, passing or failing an exam all have less impact on happiness than people think they will. A recent study showed that very few experiences affect us for more than three months." (33)
RESILIENCE CLASS: "If you go blind or lose a fortune, you'll find that there's a whole new life on the other side of those events. And you'll find many things about that new life that are quite good. In fact, you'll undoubtedly find a few things that are even better than what you had before. You're not lying to yourself, you're not delusional. You're discovering things you didn't know - couldn't know - until you were in that new life. You are looking for things that make your new life better, you are finding them, and they are making you happy. What is most striking to me as a scientist is that most of us don't realize how good we're going to be at finding those things. We've never say 'Oh, of course, if I lost my money or my wife left me, I'd find a way to be just as happy as I am now.' We'd never say it - but it's true." (36)
HAPPINESS CLASS: "We know that people are happiest when they're appropriately challenged - when they're trying to achieve goals that are difficult but not out of reach." - Daniel Gilbert, Harvard scientist
"It would be much more effective to tell the person who works for you, 'I don't think most people could get this done by Friday. But I have full faith and confidence that you can. And it's hugely important to the entire team."
- Daniel Gilbert, Harvard scientist
JOY CLASS - JOY and happiness are A PRACTICE: "Psychologist Ed Diener has a finding I really like. He essentially shows that the FREQUENCY of your positive experiences is a much better predictor of your happiness than is the INTENSITY of your positive experiences.... But Diener and his colleagues have shown that how good your experiences are doesn't matter nearly as much as how many good experiences you have. Somebody who has a dozen mildly nice things happen each day is likely to be happier than somebody who has a single truly amazing thing happen. So wear comfortable shoes, give your wife a big kiss, sneak a french fry. IT sounds like small stuff, and it is. But the small stuff matters." (41).
"I think this explains why it's so hard for us to forecast our affective states. We imagine that one or two big things will have a profound effect. But it looks like happiness is the sum of hundreds of small things. Achieving happiness requires the saem approach as losing weight. People trying to lose weight want a magic pill that will give them instant results. Ain't no such thing. We know exactly how people lose weight: They eat less and exercise more. The don't have to eat MUCH less or exercise MUCH more - they just have to do those things consistently. Over time it adds up. Happiness is like that. The things you can do to increase your happiness are obvious and small and take just a little time. But you have to them every day and wait for the results." (41)
WE SEE LACK OF HAPPINESS AS A FAILURE, IT IS NOT. "Essentially, when happiness becomes a duty, it can make people feel worse when they fail to accomplish it." (138).
PURSUE MEANING, NOT HAPPINESS: "In one experiment, psychologists asked a number of people to keep a detailed diary for two weeks. What they found at the end of the study was that those who greatly valued happiness felt lonelier than those who valued happiness less." (142)
March 30, 2022
Nothing special, but a good inspiration for my master thesis
May 18, 2024
Didn’t love this book. I was hoping it would be more about happiness in general but really zeroed in on happiness at and related to work. I should’ve figured as it’s a HBR book.
October 1, 2019
Really good book this is the first book I have finished out for the HBR collection.
January 8, 2024
The essays have good arguments regarding workplace happiness and also counter arguments regarding how happiness is getting too much attention at work. I jotted down 4 to 5 points in all from this book that I would like to remember and reflect on. It’s an OK read.
July 19, 2023
A good mix between seeking happiness and also not overemphasizing the search for it, especially in the workplace.
December 18, 2025
Happiness is not the absence of negative emotion. It’s the ability to hold positive and negative feelings at the same time without being dominated by either. Gratitude shows up again and again in happiness research, not because life is always good, but because attention shapes experience.
A useful framework is PERMA.
Positive emotion includes joy, gratitude, love, hope, and pleasure.
Engagement is being fully absorbed in what you’re doing, entering a flow state.
Relationships matter more than almost anything else, strong and meaningful connections are the biggest predictor of long-term happiness.
Meaning comes from serving a cause bigger than yourself.
Accomplishment is progress and achievement, knowing you’re moving forward and getting better at something that matters.
Happiness at work matters more than most people admit. Happier people are more engaged and more creative, yet only a small portion of employees report being engaged day to day. Organizations with higher engagement tend to share a few traits. They offer a meaningful vision of the future and help people connect their personal goals to that vision. They create a sense of purpose so people feel their work actually matters. And they foster strong relationships built on trust and respect.
The science behind happiness is unintuitive. People in strong relationships tend to be happier than those with more money. Emotional reactions to major events fade faster than expected, both good and bad. Humans are surprisingly adaptable. Synthetic happiness and natural happiness feel similar over time, which means the story you tell yourself after an event matters more than the event itself. Challenge and effort are often better for engagement than ease. People are more motivated when working toward something meaningful than when simply waiting for relief or rest.
Small actions compound. Frequency matters more than intensity. Daily habits like gratitude, sleep, exercise, helping others, and being present do more for happiness than occasional big wins. If you want to understand someone’s happiness, look at the quality of their relationships and how often they interact with people they care about.
Progress is a major driver of happiness. Small wins create momentum. Seeing movement, even incremental, increases engagement and motivation. Teams thrive when progress is visible and supported. Work environments tend to fall into patterns shaped by catalysts, nourishments, inhibitors, and toxins. Supportive feedback, autonomy, and recognition accelerate progress. Micromanagement, unclear priorities, dismissing ideas, and shifting goals without explanation slowly drain meaning from work.
Sustainable performance requires more than satisfaction. Happiness is not contentment or complacency. What actually drives long-term performance is vitality and learning. Vitality is the feeling of being alive and energized. Learning is growth through new skills and knowledge. These two reinforce each other. Learning fuels vitality, vitality fuels more learning. Organizations support this by giving people decision-making discretion, sharing information openly, minimizing unnecessary hierarchy, and providing regular performance feedback. When people feel trusted and challenged, they show up differently.
There is also a limit. Chasing happiness directly can backfire. Measuring happiness too aggressively or treating it as an output metric can distort behavior. Seeking constant validation from work or managers can reduce resilience. Some studies even show productivity rising while reported satisfaction falls. The point is not to optimize for happiness itself, but to create conditions where meaning, progress, relationships, and growth naturally emerge.
There is also a backlash worth noting. When happiness becomes an obsession, it can flatten reality. Emotions are signals, not truths. Seeing reality clearly, including discomfort, is healthier than forcing positivity. The goal is balance, not constant joy.
Key Lessons
1. Happiness is not the absence of pain, it’s the ability to carry it without losing direction.
2. Relationships are the strongest predictor of long-term happiness.
3. Progress and small wins drive engagement more than comfort.
4. Meaning comes from contribution, not ease.
5. Vitality and learning reinforce each other and sustain performance.
6. Work environments shape happiness through autonomy, trust, and clarity.
7. Chasing happiness directly can distort behavior, focus on conditions instead.
8. Clear-eyed realism beats forced positivity every time.
A useful framework is PERMA.
Positive emotion includes joy, gratitude, love, hope, and pleasure.
Engagement is being fully absorbed in what you’re doing, entering a flow state.
Relationships matter more than almost anything else, strong and meaningful connections are the biggest predictor of long-term happiness.
Meaning comes from serving a cause bigger than yourself.
Accomplishment is progress and achievement, knowing you’re moving forward and getting better at something that matters.
Happiness at work matters more than most people admit. Happier people are more engaged and more creative, yet only a small portion of employees report being engaged day to day. Organizations with higher engagement tend to share a few traits. They offer a meaningful vision of the future and help people connect their personal goals to that vision. They create a sense of purpose so people feel their work actually matters. And they foster strong relationships built on trust and respect.
The science behind happiness is unintuitive. People in strong relationships tend to be happier than those with more money. Emotional reactions to major events fade faster than expected, both good and bad. Humans are surprisingly adaptable. Synthetic happiness and natural happiness feel similar over time, which means the story you tell yourself after an event matters more than the event itself. Challenge and effort are often better for engagement than ease. People are more motivated when working toward something meaningful than when simply waiting for relief or rest.
Small actions compound. Frequency matters more than intensity. Daily habits like gratitude, sleep, exercise, helping others, and being present do more for happiness than occasional big wins. If you want to understand someone’s happiness, look at the quality of their relationships and how often they interact with people they care about.
Progress is a major driver of happiness. Small wins create momentum. Seeing movement, even incremental, increases engagement and motivation. Teams thrive when progress is visible and supported. Work environments tend to fall into patterns shaped by catalysts, nourishments, inhibitors, and toxins. Supportive feedback, autonomy, and recognition accelerate progress. Micromanagement, unclear priorities, dismissing ideas, and shifting goals without explanation slowly drain meaning from work.
Sustainable performance requires more than satisfaction. Happiness is not contentment or complacency. What actually drives long-term performance is vitality and learning. Vitality is the feeling of being alive and energized. Learning is growth through new skills and knowledge. These two reinforce each other. Learning fuels vitality, vitality fuels more learning. Organizations support this by giving people decision-making discretion, sharing information openly, minimizing unnecessary hierarchy, and providing regular performance feedback. When people feel trusted and challenged, they show up differently.
There is also a limit. Chasing happiness directly can backfire. Measuring happiness too aggressively or treating it as an output metric can distort behavior. Seeking constant validation from work or managers can reduce resilience. Some studies even show productivity rising while reported satisfaction falls. The point is not to optimize for happiness itself, but to create conditions where meaning, progress, relationships, and growth naturally emerge.
There is also a backlash worth noting. When happiness becomes an obsession, it can flatten reality. Emotions are signals, not truths. Seeing reality clearly, including discomfort, is healthier than forcing positivity. The goal is balance, not constant joy.
Key Lessons
1. Happiness is not the absence of pain, it’s the ability to carry it without losing direction.
2. Relationships are the strongest predictor of long-term happiness.
3. Progress and small wins drive engagement more than comfort.
4. Meaning comes from contribution, not ease.
5. Vitality and learning reinforce each other and sustain performance.
6. Work environments shape happiness through autonomy, trust, and clarity.
7. Chasing happiness directly can distort behavior, focus on conditions instead.
8. Clear-eyed realism beats forced positivity every time.
May 29, 2025
The book "Happiness" from the Harvard Business Review Emotional Intelligence Series is a curated collection of essays and research-based articles that explore the role of happiness in professional life. It’s designed to help tech professionals like me understand how emotional well-being intersects with productivity, leadership, and workplace culture.
Each article offers a unique perspective on happiness, backed by psychological research and workplace studies. The book is about 176 pages long and is part of a broader series that focuses on emotional intelligence at work. So far, none of the HBR series books have disappointed me. This one is a concise read well worth your time as it pays dividends in insights.
Here’s a breakdown of the main articles included and their core takeaways:
“Happiness Isn’t the Absence of Negative Feelings” by Jennifer Moss (2015)
This article challenges the idea that happiness means constant positivity. It emphasizes emotional authenticity and resilience, especially during personal or professional crises. Reading this reminded me of the expression that happiness is more about the journey than the destination. I believe the self-help guru Dr. Wayne Dyer put it, “there’s no way to happiness. Happiness is the way.” It involves gratitude and lots of PERMA (positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishments.)
“Being Happy at Work Matters” by Annie McKee (2014)
This article argues that happiness is essential for engagement and performance and that purpose, hope, and friendships at work are key drivers of happiness. To be fully engaged and happy at work, we need three things – a meaningful vision of the future, a sense of purpose, and great relationships.
“The Science Behind the Smile” – Interview with Daniel Gilbert (2012)
AN investment in your smile will pay off if you leverage it. I know this for a fact. This article also explores how people mispredict what will make them happy and highlights the importance of psychological flexibility and gratitude. I also learned the concept of synthesized happiness. I’ve seen it a lot but never realized it had a name. Also, it contained an awesome infographic on how a focused mind is a happy mind.
“The Power of Small Wins” by Teresa M. Amabile and Steven J. Kramer (2011
Small wins are very important. In fact, we need to look at them more in the aggregate. “Victory by a thousand sparks.” Or “ a mosaic of Triumphs.” As in the opposite of “death by a thousand cuts.” This article demonstrates how incremental progress in meaningful work boosts motivation and happiness. It encourages managers to recognize and support daily achievements and for workers to track accomplishments of all types. Includes a great template.
“Creating Sustainable Performance” by Gretchen Spreitzer and Christine Porath (2012)
This article identifies two components of thriving – vitality and learning. It links employee well-being with long-term organizational success and advocates for energizing work environments and autonomy.
“The Research We’ve Ignored About Happiness at Work” by André Spicer and Carl Cederström (2015)
This article critiques the commodification of happiness in corporate culture and warns against superficial well-being programs that ignore systemic issues.
“The Happiness Backlash” by Alison Beard (2015)
A fitting final article and one that actually was a pleasant surprise after reading so much on happiness. They saved the best for last – navigating the happiness advocacy jungle. The article discusses the growing skepticism around the “happiness industry” and encourages a balanced view that includes both joy and discomfort as part of the human experience. It is the most important chapter from a takeaway standpoint in that it encourages you to find your own model. For me that model requires security, variety, stability, and regularity.
________________________________________
Each article offers a unique perspective on happiness, backed by psychological research and workplace studies. The book is about 176 pages long and is part of a broader series that focuses on emotional intelligence at work. So far, none of the HBR series books have disappointed me. This one is a concise read well worth your time as it pays dividends in insights.
Here’s a breakdown of the main articles included and their core takeaways:
“Happiness Isn’t the Absence of Negative Feelings” by Jennifer Moss (2015)
This article challenges the idea that happiness means constant positivity. It emphasizes emotional authenticity and resilience, especially during personal or professional crises. Reading this reminded me of the expression that happiness is more about the journey than the destination. I believe the self-help guru Dr. Wayne Dyer put it, “there’s no way to happiness. Happiness is the way.” It involves gratitude and lots of PERMA (positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishments.)
“Being Happy at Work Matters” by Annie McKee (2014)
This article argues that happiness is essential for engagement and performance and that purpose, hope, and friendships at work are key drivers of happiness. To be fully engaged and happy at work, we need three things – a meaningful vision of the future, a sense of purpose, and great relationships.
“The Science Behind the Smile” – Interview with Daniel Gilbert (2012)
AN investment in your smile will pay off if you leverage it. I know this for a fact. This article also explores how people mispredict what will make them happy and highlights the importance of psychological flexibility and gratitude. I also learned the concept of synthesized happiness. I’ve seen it a lot but never realized it had a name. Also, it contained an awesome infographic on how a focused mind is a happy mind.
“The Power of Small Wins” by Teresa M. Amabile and Steven J. Kramer (2011
Small wins are very important. In fact, we need to look at them more in the aggregate. “Victory by a thousand sparks.” Or “ a mosaic of Triumphs.” As in the opposite of “death by a thousand cuts.” This article demonstrates how incremental progress in meaningful work boosts motivation and happiness. It encourages managers to recognize and support daily achievements and for workers to track accomplishments of all types. Includes a great template.
“Creating Sustainable Performance” by Gretchen Spreitzer and Christine Porath (2012)
This article identifies two components of thriving – vitality and learning. It links employee well-being with long-term organizational success and advocates for energizing work environments and autonomy.
“The Research We’ve Ignored About Happiness at Work” by André Spicer and Carl Cederström (2015)
This article critiques the commodification of happiness in corporate culture and warns against superficial well-being programs that ignore systemic issues.
“The Happiness Backlash” by Alison Beard (2015)
A fitting final article and one that actually was a pleasant surprise after reading so much on happiness. They saved the best for last – navigating the happiness advocacy jungle. The article discusses the growing skepticism around the “happiness industry” and encourages a balanced view that includes both joy and discomfort as part of the human experience. It is the most important chapter from a takeaway standpoint in that it encourages you to find your own model. For me that model requires security, variety, stability, and regularity.
________________________________________
July 28, 2023
(audiobook version) quick and light, very accessible. it was ok, except some odd ideas here and there like: too much happiness at work is not good because you start acting "risky" - this, for example, was absurd, and contradictory with the actual theme of the Emotional Intelligence book series - are you supposed to be "happy" or what?
...but this is about business happiness, and you also get chapters talking about customer happiness, something to note.
otherwise, the ideas are good, for example:
people are happy when the personal vision for the future, or their future, is aligned with the company's vision,
when they do not feel capped in their growth and the future is open to expansion,
when they can focus on things that are important to them, in parallel, or as part of the work towards the business goals,
when they can form connections at work and build, or become part of a community, to fill personal needs
...
now, conceptually speaking, i do disagree with other things from the book, for example the concept that happiness is not high intensity feel-good moments here and there, but consistent low-intensity feel-good moments that have highly recurrent pattern - i do not think this fits everyone the same way, my opinion is that for some, the latter can actually cause boredom, and/or depression in time. there are some that take more lasting pleasure from the comprehension of the delta between normal-life-moment levels and happy-moment levels, and that can be sustainable for them. we do not all fit the same patterns, some have more patience than others, some are more appreciative than others, just these two things can change perception of happiness considerably, for example.
then there is the discussion about making mistakes, as in do not tell people the made mistakes publicly, but i think the bigger problem is the culture around making mistakes, maybe a mistake was made, but that is some both the employee and the business can accept and work to improve, and nobody is looking at it as passing judgement.
then there is a discussion than can be had about values around statements about happiness from the book, like "you can be happy by being altruistic". one person can be altruistic because it makes them look good (technically _act_ altruistic, not _be_ altruistic, but sometimes the difference is subtile to the person themselves), they look good to themselves and/or others, so they are happy, while another person can be altruistic because it's the right thing to be, this is what normal looks like to them, this does not add to their happiness, it's neutral, but not being altruistic would make them sad.
...but, yes, book, tell people being altruistic will make them happy, it's gonna be beneficial to the world :) win!
...but this is about business happiness, and you also get chapters talking about customer happiness, something to note.
otherwise, the ideas are good, for example:
people are happy when the personal vision for the future, or their future, is aligned with the company's vision,
when they do not feel capped in their growth and the future is open to expansion,
when they can focus on things that are important to them, in parallel, or as part of the work towards the business goals,
when they can form connections at work and build, or become part of a community, to fill personal needs
...
now, conceptually speaking, i do disagree with other things from the book, for example the concept that happiness is not high intensity feel-good moments here and there, but consistent low-intensity feel-good moments that have highly recurrent pattern - i do not think this fits everyone the same way, my opinion is that for some, the latter can actually cause boredom, and/or depression in time. there are some that take more lasting pleasure from the comprehension of the delta between normal-life-moment levels and happy-moment levels, and that can be sustainable for them. we do not all fit the same patterns, some have more patience than others, some are more appreciative than others, just these two things can change perception of happiness considerably, for example.
then there is the discussion about making mistakes, as in do not tell people the made mistakes publicly, but i think the bigger problem is the culture around making mistakes, maybe a mistake was made, but that is some both the employee and the business can accept and work to improve, and nobody is looking at it as passing judgement.
then there is a discussion than can be had about values around statements about happiness from the book, like "you can be happy by being altruistic". one person can be altruistic because it makes them look good (technically _act_ altruistic, not _be_ altruistic, but sometimes the difference is subtile to the person themselves), they look good to themselves and/or others, so they are happy, while another person can be altruistic because it's the right thing to be, this is what normal looks like to them, this does not add to their happiness, it's neutral, but not being altruistic would make them sad.
...but, yes, book, tell people being altruistic will make them happy, it's gonna be beneficial to the world :) win!
November 28, 2023
The last two essays are what I connected to most.
"After all, how we feel is linked to what and how we think."
"A recent study showed that very few experiences affect us for more than three months."
"...commit to some simple behaviors - meditating, exercising, getting enough sleep - and to practice altruism."
"one major finding is that people's minds wander nearly half the time, and this appears to lower their mood."
"But no matter what people are doing, they are much less happy when their minds are wandering than when their minds are focused."
"...people are more creative and productive when their inner work lives are positive - when they feel happy, are intrinsically motivated by the work itself."
"A person's inner work life on a given day fuels his or her performance for the day and can even affect performance the next day."
"In fact, our study and research by others show that negative events can have a more powerful impact than positive ones. Consequently, it is especially important for managers to minimize daily hassles."
"Work with less profound importance to society can matter if it contributes value to something or someone important to the worker."
"...flight is not possible, therefore fight is probable."
"And if he could not make that judgment, he asked."
"The challenge for managers is to avoid cutting back on empowerment when people make mistakes."
"The quicker and more direct the feedback, the more useful it is."
"Happiness can also be exhausting. The pursuit of happiness may not be wholly effective, but it doesn't really hurt, right? Wrong. Ever since the eighteenth century, people have been pointing out that the demand to be happy brings with it a heavy burden, a responsibility that can never be perfectly fulfilled.. Focusing on happiness can actually make us feel less happy."
"Essentially, when happiness becomes a duty, it can make people feel worse if they fail to accomplish it."
"...a small part of me regards my nonbliss not as unproductive negativity but as highly productive realism."
"Those who accept feeling stressed as the body's natural response to a challenge are more resilient and live longer than those who try to fight it."
"After all, how we feel is linked to what and how we think."
"A recent study showed that very few experiences affect us for more than three months."
"...commit to some simple behaviors - meditating, exercising, getting enough sleep - and to practice altruism."
"one major finding is that people's minds wander nearly half the time, and this appears to lower their mood."
"But no matter what people are doing, they are much less happy when their minds are wandering than when their minds are focused."
"...people are more creative and productive when their inner work lives are positive - when they feel happy, are intrinsically motivated by the work itself."
"A person's inner work life on a given day fuels his or her performance for the day and can even affect performance the next day."
"In fact, our study and research by others show that negative events can have a more powerful impact than positive ones. Consequently, it is especially important for managers to minimize daily hassles."
"Work with less profound importance to society can matter if it contributes value to something or someone important to the worker."
"...flight is not possible, therefore fight is probable."
"And if he could not make that judgment, he asked."
"The challenge for managers is to avoid cutting back on empowerment when people make mistakes."
"The quicker and more direct the feedback, the more useful it is."
"Happiness can also be exhausting. The pursuit of happiness may not be wholly effective, but it doesn't really hurt, right? Wrong. Ever since the eighteenth century, people have been pointing out that the demand to be happy brings with it a heavy burden, a responsibility that can never be perfectly fulfilled.. Focusing on happiness can actually make us feel less happy."
"Essentially, when happiness becomes a duty, it can make people feel worse if they fail to accomplish it."
"...a small part of me regards my nonbliss not as unproductive negativity but as highly productive realism."
"Those who accept feeling stressed as the body's natural response to a challenge are more resilient and live longer than those who try to fight it."
February 14, 2024
🌞 Điều tâm đắc nhất: Hạnh phúc có thể xây dựng được từ lòng biết ơn, sự gắn kết tích cực, làm những điều ý nghĩa cho người khác và nhìn thấy những thành tựu nhỏ đều đặn mỗi ngày.
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🎋 Rút ra 01: Hạnh Phúc không chỉ là những cảm xúc tích cực mà là cách mình đón nhận tất cả cảm xúc, kể cả là tiêu cực.
🎋 Rút ra 02: Hạnh phúc tại nơi làm việc thật sự quan trọng, 1 ngày dành 12 tiếng ở cơ quan, việc được học tập, phát triển và ghi nhận là cách để mỗi cá nhân cảm thấy hạnh phúc.
🎋 Rút ra 03: Hạnh phúc đến từ những việc nhỏ nhặt hằng ngày nhưng được cố gắng tạo ra đều đặn và liên tục. Khoa học cũng chứng minh hạnh phúc nhân tạo và hạnh phúc tự nhiên thì kết quả và cảm nhận cũng không khác nhau là mấy.
🎋 Rút ra 04: Hạnh phúc là khi tâm trạng tập trung làm việc mà không nghĩ về nhiều vấn đề khác, là thấy bản thân được tiến bộ từng ngày, chậm rãi nhưng chắc chắn.
🎋 Rút ra 05: Hạnh phúc không phải lúc nào cũng tốt cho cộng động. Nghiên cứu cho rằng hạnh phúc làm cho con người nghĩ nhiều hơn về bản thân và vô tình bớt nghĩ cho người khác.
Một quyển sách ngắn 150 trang, có phiên bản EN-VI, có thể hoàn thành nhanh trong 2 tiếng tại quán caphe. Không quá sâu, nhưng có nhiều ví dụ thực tế
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🎋 Rút ra 01: Hạnh Phúc không chỉ là những cảm xúc tích cực mà là cách mình đón nhận tất cả cảm xúc, kể cả là tiêu cực.
🎋 Rút ra 02: Hạnh phúc tại nơi làm việc thật sự quan trọng, 1 ngày dành 12 tiếng ở cơ quan, việc được học tập, phát triển và ghi nhận là cách để mỗi cá nhân cảm thấy hạnh phúc.
🎋 Rút ra 03: Hạnh phúc đến từ những việc nhỏ nhặt hằng ngày nhưng được cố gắng tạo ra đều đặn và liên tục. Khoa học cũng chứng minh hạnh phúc nhân tạo và hạnh phúc tự nhiên thì kết quả và cảm nhận cũng không khác nhau là mấy.
🎋 Rút ra 04: Hạnh phúc là khi tâm trạng tập trung làm việc mà không nghĩ về nhiều vấn đề khác, là thấy bản thân được tiến bộ từng ngày, chậm rãi nhưng chắc chắn.
🎋 Rút ra 05: Hạnh phúc không phải lúc nào cũng tốt cho cộng động. Nghiên cứu cho rằng hạnh phúc làm cho con người nghĩ nhiều hơn về bản thân và vô tình bớt nghĩ cho người khác.
Một quyển sách ngắn 150 trang, có phiên bản EN-VI, có thể hoàn thành nhanh trong 2 tiếng tại quán caphe. Không quá sâu, nhưng có nhiều ví dụ thực tế
August 24, 2025
BÍ QUYẾT ĐỂ CÓ MỘT CUỘC ĐỜI HẠNH PHÚC?
🌞 Nằm trong bộ sách Trí tuệ xúc cảm của Harvard Business Review Press, “Hạnh phúc” là một ấn phẩm tổng hợp nghiên cứu của các chuyên gia về chủ đề hạnh phúc trong công việc, đồng thời cũng là một cuốn cẩm nang hữu ích hỗ trợ cho hành trình phát triển bản thân nói chung.
🌞 Một vài nội dung nổi bật của tác phẩm:
• 5 nhân tố thiết yếu gắn với cảm giác hạnh phúc (PERMA)
• 3 điều kiện để có được hạnh phúc trong công việc
• Tần suất trải nghiệm tích cực quyết định hạnh phúc của cá nhân
• Mô hình nâng cao hiệu suất cho doanh nghiệp
• Cạm bẫy ảo ảnh hạnh phúc và tư duy tích cực độc hại
…
🌞 Mình đặc biệt tán thành những phân tích trong chương 4: Sức mạnh của những “thành tựu mỗi ngày”. Các chuyên gia cho rằng “sự phát triển” của con người đến từ hai yếu tố: sức sống (cảm giác tràn đầy năng lượng và được sống) và học tập (đạt được kiến thức và kĩ năng). Bất kỳ tiến bộ nào đóng góp cho sự phát triển ấy, dù là nhỏ nhất, cũng có thể cung cấp động lực mạnh mẽ, trải nghiệm tích cực, hỗ trợ cá nhân tiến đến điểm bứt phá.
Để có được những tiến bộ này, mình gợi ý các bạn nên có những mini project hàng tháng. Dự án cá nhân nghe có vẻ phức tạp, nhưng thực chất chỉ đơn giản là chúng ta dành ra một khoảng thời gian để sự tò mò dẫn lối.
Một vài dự án theo tháng của mình:
• Tìm hiểu về một vùng đất, nhân vật, vấn đề xã hội, sự kiện lịch sử… (Nếu bạn không thể kể ra 3 thông tin cơ bản về đối tượng, đây chính là dấu hiệu để bắt đầu)
• Sáng tạo từ vật liệu tái chế: chậu cây, tranh tái chế, may túi, scrapbook…
• Học những mẹo nho nhỏ: phím tắt trên YT, nút thắt macrame, gấp giấy gói quà…
• Thử nghiệm các “công thức” tự tạo: công thức nấu ăn, công thức trộn giá thể cho cây trồng, công thức viết lách…
• Đầu tư cho trải nghiệm: khám phá quán ăn mới, đi du lịch, làm tình nguyện… (Hiện tại mình đang lên kế hoạch tham gia dự án Bảo tồn rùa biển Côn Đảo)
….
🌞 Nằm trong bộ sách Trí tuệ xúc cảm của Harvard Business Review Press, “Hạnh phúc” là một ấn phẩm tổng hợp nghiên cứu của các chuyên gia về chủ đề hạnh phúc trong công việc, đồng thời cũng là một cuốn cẩm nang hữu ích hỗ trợ cho hành trình phát triển bản thân nói chung.
🌞 Một vài nội dung nổi bật của tác phẩm:
• 5 nhân tố thiết yếu gắn với cảm giác hạnh phúc (PERMA)
• 3 điều kiện để có được hạnh phúc trong công việc
• Tần suất trải nghiệm tích cực quyết định hạnh phúc của cá nhân
• Mô hình nâng cao hiệu suất cho doanh nghiệp
• Cạm bẫy ảo ảnh hạnh phúc và tư duy tích cực độc hại
…
🌞 Mình đặc biệt tán thành những phân tích trong chương 4: Sức mạnh của những “thành tựu mỗi ngày”. Các chuyên gia cho rằng “sự phát triển” của con người đến từ hai yếu tố: sức sống (cảm giác tràn đầy năng lượng và được sống) và học tập (đạt được kiến thức và kĩ năng). Bất kỳ tiến bộ nào đóng góp cho sự phát triển ấy, dù là nhỏ nhất, cũng có thể cung cấp động lực mạnh mẽ, trải nghiệm tích cực, hỗ trợ cá nhân tiến đến điểm bứt phá.
Để có được những tiến bộ này, mình gợi ý các bạn nên có những mini project hàng tháng. Dự án cá nhân nghe có vẻ phức tạp, nhưng thực chất chỉ đơn giản là chúng ta dành ra một khoảng thời gian để sự tò mò dẫn lối.
Một vài dự án theo tháng của mình:
• Tìm hiểu về một vùng đất, nhân vật, vấn đề xã hội, sự kiện lịch sử… (Nếu bạn không thể kể ra 3 thông tin cơ bản về đối tượng, đây chính là dấu hiệu để bắt đầu)
• Sáng tạo từ vật liệu tái chế: chậu cây, tranh tái chế, may túi, scrapbook…
• Học những mẹo nho nhỏ: phím tắt trên YT, nút thắt macrame, gấp giấy gói quà…
• Thử nghiệm các “công thức” tự tạo: công thức nấu ăn, công thức trộn giá thể cho cây trồng, công thức viết lách…
• Đầu tư cho trải nghiệm: khám phá quán ăn mới, đi du lịch, làm tình nguyện… (Hiện tại mình đang lên kế hoạch tham gia dự án Bảo tồn rùa biển Côn Đảo)
….
October 10, 2022
mình vẫn luôn tự hỏi hạnh phúc là gì khi mà đâu đâu trong tất cả những lời chúc hay những hy vọng con người ta vẫn mong chính bản thân và người mình yêu thương được hạnh phúc. Vậy có phải hạnh phúc là 1 đích đến mà tất cả mọi người cùng nhắm đến trong cuộc đời này không?
Nhưng Emotional Intelligence - Happiness đã cho mình 1 cái nhìn khác về hạnh phúc và mình nghĩ đây mới chính là định nghĩa của hạnh phúc.
Có 1 vài câu trích dẫn mình thấy rất hay:
“một trong những hiểu lầm về hạnh phúc, đó là hạnh phúc đồng nghĩa với việc lúc nào cũng vui vẻ, sung sướng và mãn nguyện tươi cười. Không phải như vậy - hạnh phúc và sống một đời phong chú là mở lòng đón nhận những điều tốt đẹp cùng với những điều tồi tệ theo một cách khác.”
Mình vô tình, nhưng cũng cố tình đọc quyển sách này khi bản thân mình muốn biến mất, không muốn tồn tại trên trái đất này, nhưng nó làm mình phải nhìn và suy nghĩ lại. Hy vọng rằng khi bạn đang sống 1 cuộc đời an nhiên bạn có thể cảm nhận được những trải nghiệm trên con đường hạnh phúc của chính mình.
Rất nên đọc nhé
Nhưng Emotional Intelligence - Happiness đã cho mình 1 cái nhìn khác về hạnh phúc và mình nghĩ đây mới chính là định nghĩa của hạnh phúc.
Có 1 vài câu trích dẫn mình thấy rất hay:
“một trong những hiểu lầm về hạnh phúc, đó là hạnh phúc đồng nghĩa với việc lúc nào cũng vui vẻ, sung sướng và mãn nguyện tươi cười. Không phải như vậy - hạnh phúc và sống một đời phong chú là mở lòng đón nhận những điều tốt đẹp cùng với những điều tồi tệ theo một cách khác.”
Mình vô tình, nhưng cũng cố tình đọc quyển sách này khi bản thân mình muốn biến mất, không muốn tồn tại trên trái đất này, nhưng nó làm mình phải nhìn và suy nghĩ lại. Hy vọng rằng khi bạn đang sống 1 cuộc đời an nhiên bạn có thể cảm nhận được những trải nghiệm trên con đường hạnh phúc của chính mình.
Rất nên đọc nhé
June 28, 2020
Happiness is always our primary concern as a human being. It is one of the most strived emotions to achieve. But, how many of us won the game? Very few. Still, we are looking forward to grasping it and lead a fulfilling life.
This book is treating Happiness from a business point of view. I personally liked the first and last two chapters. The final chapters try to figure out why we are seeking happiness, and what is the use of it. And it also highlights our happiness seeking behavior might be self-destructive in the long run.
I think Happiness is a state of mind which should be attained organically. We don't need to fight for it. Focus on things that are worth doing. Constantly try to improve ourselves and help others to improve. Happiness will come to us naturally.
renJith
This book is treating Happiness from a business point of view. I personally liked the first and last two chapters. The final chapters try to figure out why we are seeking happiness, and what is the use of it. And it also highlights our happiness seeking behavior might be self-destructive in the long run.
I think Happiness is a state of mind which should be attained organically. We don't need to fight for it. Focus on things that are worth doing. Constantly try to improve ourselves and help others to improve. Happiness will come to us naturally.
renJith
August 10, 2020
Seperti judul lain dalam seri HBR, Happiness ini memberikan banyak sudut pandang dan pemahaman baru terkait kebahagiaan dalam dunia profesional alias dunia kerja. Bahwa perusahaan/instansi dapat berperan dalam meningkatkan kebahagiaan pegawainya yang tentu saja akan berpengaruh pada output organisasi.
Buku ini membedah apa-apa yang membuat pegawai bahagia, termotivasi, dan menunjukkan performa baik. Hal-hal ini tentu saja saya garis bawahi dan ingat-ingat agar pelan-pelan bisa saya terapkan (?). Yang menyenangkan dari buku ini, adalah adanya keseimbangan proporsi antara pentingnya kebahagiaan di tempat kerja serta peringatan dampak negatif jika kita terlalu berfokus pada proses mengejar kebahagiaan tersebut.
Seri HBR selalu penuh insight dan menyenangkan untuk dibaca. 4 bintang.
Buku ini membedah apa-apa yang membuat pegawai bahagia, termotivasi, dan menunjukkan performa baik. Hal-hal ini tentu saja saya garis bawahi dan ingat-ingat agar pelan-pelan bisa saya terapkan (?). Yang menyenangkan dari buku ini, adalah adanya keseimbangan proporsi antara pentingnya kebahagiaan di tempat kerja serta peringatan dampak negatif jika kita terlalu berfokus pada proses mengejar kebahagiaan tersebut.
Seri HBR selalu penuh insight dan menyenangkan untuk dibaca. 4 bintang.
August 15, 2025
Felicidad, fue el primer libro que leí de esta colección y me dejó una excelente impresión. Es un conjunto de ensayos y notas de diferentes autores que exploran la inteligencia emocional desde un ángulo muy concreto: la felicidad, especialmente en el entorno laboral. A lo largo de sus páginas, aborda qué factores pueden aumentarla, si realmente es tan importante en el trabajo y cómo, a veces, la búsqueda constante de “ser feliz” puede generar el efecto contrario y dejarnos más insatisfechos.
Me gustó que combina reflexiones con consejos prácticos y que es muy fácil de leer, tanto por el lenguaje claro como por lo breve que es. Se pasa volando y deja varias ideas útiles para aplicar en la vida profesional y personal.
Me gustó que combina reflexiones con consejos prácticos y que es muy fácil de leer, tanto por el lenguaje claro como por lo breve que es. Se pasa volando y deja varias ideas útiles para aplicar en la vida profesional y personal.
May 21, 2017
This collection of articles from HBR about the subject of happiness is full of useful insights that many organizations can use to improve the overall morale of people in the workplace.
The articles I would say is well balanced as there are presentations that advocate the subject while the last two articles gave us caution as to what seemed overemphasis towards the subject.
Nevertheless, I would go with the happiness camp. Too many people around the world are not engage in the workplace. It is already a common occurrence that people are more excited with Fridays than Mondays (the more so during Saturdays and Sundays). This campaign towards happiness sounds just about right.
The articles I would say is well balanced as there are presentations that advocate the subject while the last two articles gave us caution as to what seemed overemphasis towards the subject.
Nevertheless, I would go with the happiness camp. Too many people around the world are not engage in the workplace. It is already a common occurrence that people are more excited with Fridays than Mondays (the more so during Saturdays and Sundays). This campaign towards happiness sounds just about right.
December 11, 2019
In love with this collection I feel like the HBR gathers all the mainstream knowledge about soft skills and examined it through a scientific approach (dans la mesure du possible).
This wasn't a self help book more a practical review of different implicatioms of happiness at the work place especially! So instead of preaching what one has to do to be happy (well it included a few social scientists tricks but this wasn't the main concern).
"Are we finally seeing a backlash against happiness? Sort of. Most of these recent releases rail against our modern obsession with feeling happy and thinking positively."
This wasn't a self help book more a practical review of different implicatioms of happiness at the work place especially! So instead of preaching what one has to do to be happy (well it included a few social scientists tricks but this wasn't the main concern).
"Are we finally seeing a backlash against happiness? Sort of. Most of these recent releases rail against our modern obsession with feeling happy and thinking positively."
April 8, 2023
While traveling through Chicago Ohare airport, i stumbled across this book to read. I thoroughly enjoyed reading it because it introduced me to new aspects of happiness that I would have overlooked. I especially liked the chapter that dealt with progress principle and how it affected peoples day. It emphasized the idea that while happiness is all around us it can sometimes become out of reach; however, small things matter and happiness is truly the sum of hundreds of small things. This book gave me a new outlook on achieving happiness rather than looking to chase it. It also taught me the importance of gratitude which is something I often struggle to enact in my daily life.
January 25, 2024
Este libro lo parti porque es un formato pequeño, perfecto para leer en la micro o en los tiempos muertos, pero la verdad me pareció tan interesante que finalmente lo lleve a la playa.
Son una serie de libros que hablan de distintos temas: empatía, mindfulness, liderazgo, etc... donde explican los diferentes estudios y conclusiones que se ha llegado en cada ámbito.
La felicidad es un concepto que esta a la moda, todos buscamos la felicidad, pero ¿cómo podemos medirla? es lo mismo para cada persona? un libro bien interesante que te hace pensar si eres feliz y como puedes encontrar la felicidad desde lo mas simple.
Son una serie de libros que hablan de distintos temas: empatía, mindfulness, liderazgo, etc... donde explican los diferentes estudios y conclusiones que se ha llegado en cada ámbito.
La felicidad es un concepto que esta a la moda, todos buscamos la felicidad, pero ¿cómo podemos medirla? es lo mismo para cada persona? un libro bien interesante que te hace pensar si eres feliz y como puedes encontrar la felicidad desde lo mas simple.
May 9, 2019
They say that it takes one book to spark a passion for reading. This was it for me. Although the book is mostly focused on the business side of happiness, it is certainly applicable to every life situation. This book was key to my understanding of human behavior. The book offers a view on the positive sides of happiness as-well as the negative ones. I believe this is truly important to really understand a particular subjects. Overall, I really enjoyed the book.
December 30, 2019
It helps you understand happiness on a deeper level and helps you fix your meaning of happiness. It helps you understand how to obtain it and what it is like to chase it.
In the first chapter you will understand happiness and on the other chapters it will talk about happiness in a worker’s life; in a sense, we are all workers (also, students). It is small with good graphs here and there. It can be read multiple times till it gets stuck in the head, the true meaning.
In the first chapter you will understand happiness and on the other chapters it will talk about happiness in a worker’s life; in a sense, we are all workers (also, students). It is small with good graphs here and there. It can be read multiple times till it gets stuck in the head, the true meaning.
June 18, 2020
Interesting book. Collection of articles that talk about various aspects of happiness, what it is and what it isn't. What I liked is that it gives different definitions and ways of looking at 'happiness', which enable people of various personalities to get something out of this book.
It gives practical advice for what companies and leaders can do in order to improve daily lives and performance of colleagues.
It gives practical advice for what companies and leaders can do in order to improve daily lives and performance of colleagues.
July 8, 2023
Purchased this one in the DSM airport last week, so I would have something new to read on the plane. The essays were well written, and the book was a very quick read. I agree with a lot of the book, that happiness is a mindset, and it's okay to not be happy all the time. Sometimes, not being happy at work, is a good thing, as it allows people to get more done. Like all things in life, it's a balancing act!
April 29, 2018
"As bird is born to fly, a human is born to be happy."
This book summarises recent researches in the happiness areas and shows interesting results. First, the pursuit of happiness does not make a person happy. Happiness does not improve performance.
There are links to scientific articles. However, since it is a review and not proper book, I'm not sure if there are no contradicting researches.
This book summarises recent researches in the happiness areas and shows interesting results. First, the pursuit of happiness does not make a person happy. Happiness does not improve performance.
There are links to scientific articles. However, since it is a review and not proper book, I'm not sure if there are no contradicting researches.
August 30, 2025
Looked like a good choice while traveling through the airport. The first couple of essays held promise. Was really looking for some research on how to achieve happiness in daily life. But, it quickly became a set of essays on job satisfaction. The examples, of "look at me, look at me" for how some companies implement HR policies felt pretty self-serving. Not much substance here.
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