Brief Synopsis/Review
Most people approach happiness from the wrong direction. They constantly push their own happiness off into the future, promising themselves that they’ll find ways to become happy after they make a bit more money, become a bit more productive, or achieve a bit more. But all of the research out there says that this doesn’t work. In fact, it points in the other direction.
Shawn Achor, the author of The Happiness Advantage, has picked apart all of the studies out there and conducted a few of his own, and has found that “happiness leads to success in nearly every domain, including work, health, friendship, sociability, creativity, and energy”. It doesn’t work the other way around.
In The Happiness Advantage, Achor makes the convincing case that happier people not only enjoy themselves more, but they’re also more productive. The data shows that “happy workers have higher levels of productivity, produce higher sales, perform better in leadership positions, and receive higher performance ratings and higher pay. They also enjoy more job security and are less likely to take sick days, to quit, or to become burned out. …The list of the benefits of happiness in the workplace goes on and on.”
You should read this book, particularly because your happiness has been shown to positive affect pretty much every aspect of your life–including your productivity.
What you’ll get out of it
- Seven practical strategies for how to become happier, so you can live a more meaningful life and become more productive
- A no-bullshit look at the scientific research surrounding happiness and productivity
- A lot of entertaining and engaging stories that make the book fun to read
Will it make you more productive?
The reason I wrote this review is because I think this book will absolutely make you more productive, and that you’ll get a lot of value out of it. Since your happiness has such a profound affect on your productivity, I think this book is a must-read.
