Category: Finding Happiness at Work
What the research says about wellbeing at work, and how reliably it contradicts our intuitions about it. Meaning, gratitude, connection and the things people chase that turn out not to help.
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You Should Talk to Strangers. Science Says So.
Research by Nick Epley and Juliana Schroeder demonstrates that people systematically underestimate both how willing strangers are to talk and how much they themselves benefit from those conversations. We are crap at predicting how it feels to talk to strangers We nearly all typically predict that talking to strangers will be awkward […]
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You Can Only Have So Many Real Friends. Here’s Why That Matters.
Robin Dunbar’s research established that human beings have a cognitive limit of approximately 150 stable social relationships, arranged in concentric circles of intimacy: roughly 5 intimates, 15 close friends, 50 friends, and 150 acquaintances. Relationships are not static — they decay without investment, and maintaining a close friendship requires approximately monthly in-person […]
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A 90-Minute Walk in Nature Measurably Changes the Brain Region Associated With Depression
Rumination (repetitive, self-focused negative thought) is one of the strongest psychological risk factors for depression and anxiety. A single 90-minute walk in nature significantly reduced both self-reported rumination and neural activity in the subgenual prefrontal cortex, the brain region associated with depressive thought patterns. Urban walkers showed no such change. The effect […]
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Gratitude: The Psychology Behind Appreciation at Work
Gratitude is a multifaceted psychological construct involving both cognitive and affective dimensions, distinct from mere thankfulness or politeness. Research consistently links gratitude to improved wellbeing, prosocial behaviour, and stronger relationships, but its effects depend heavily on whether it arises authentically or is institutionally mandated. Gratitude is not what most people think it […]
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Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: An Introduction for the Workplace
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a third-wave cognitive behavioural therapy developed by Steven Hayes. It’s organised around six core processes. Unlike traditional CBT, ACT does not attempt to change or eliminate difficult thoughts and feelings; instead, it aims to develop psychological flexibility, the ability to be present, open up to experience, […]
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Connection Is Not a Preference. It Is a Biological Requirement.
Human beings are not merely social by preference, we are social by our biological design. Social pain activates the same neural circuits as physical pain, but social connection is a salve for many of our woes. We are biologically wired to be social Matthew Lieberman’s neuroscience research shows that the brain’s default […]
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The Career Life-Line Activity: A Reflective Career Development Tool
The “career life-line” is a reflective activity that involves thinking through your career and drawing a line mapping how engaged you were in work (or another factor) against the time in your career. Career Life-lines Career life-lines are a very simple yet helpful tool for reflecting on what matters at work. A […]
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Feeling Understood – A Starting Point for Connection
The sense of feeling understood by other people can be very powerful, and can be a key starting point for improving our mental health and thriving in what we do. Being Understood We were very struck by a comment by Peter Fonagy in a BBC radio 4 episode of The Life Scientific. […]
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Play Personalities – What is your style of play at work?
Play and playfulness yield great benefits for individuals, teams and organisations, but not everyone plays in the same way. There are thought to be eight distinct play personalities. Understanding them can help improve your own and your team’s playfulness. Play Personalities Play is an essential part of human behaviour. It serves as […]
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Subjective Wellbeing – What it is and how to boost it
Subjective wellbeing is, broadly speaking, how someone rates their own life quality. It encompasses things like their emotional experiences, how they assess their life outcomes and whether they feel a sense of meaning in their lives. Subjective Wellbeing Subjective wellbeing is a concept closely related to happiness, but a bit broader. The […]
