6 ways to be happier at work 快乐工作六大秘诀

   This is no time to wallow in negativity. New brain science reveals why staying positive is your best defense against career stagnation.

 

    By Anne Fisher

    With widespread job cuts and a recession to deal with, it's not easy to maintain a positive outlook at work these days. But being upbeat, despite the stress, could actually help you thrive during a downturn.

    "Most people make the mistake of thinking that success leads to happiness. In fact, our brains work precisely the other way around," says Shawn Achor, head of Aspirant, a consulting firm that advises clients like Microsoft (MSFT, Fortune 500), American Express (AXP, Fortune 500), Credit Suisse (CS), and UBS (UBS) on how to keep morale and productivity up in these extraordinarily difficult times.

    A positive approach to the daily grind, he adds, "gives rise to resilience, energy, and the ability to influence other people -- all things that create success."

    So if you want to come through this downturn with flying colors -- and maybe even a promotion or a raise -- you need to think positive.

    Achor, who is also resident psychology tutor at Harvard, has done 5 years of research into "positive psychology," otherwise known as the formal academic study of happiness. The field itself has only been around 15 years, but it's made some interesting findings

    Among them: "The two most important predictors of success are, first, whether we believe our behavior matters, that is, whether we think we can make a real difference -- and many people lose that belief in hard times, because so much is out of their control," Achor says. "And second, how do you manage stress? Does it paralyze you, or does it move you forward to action?"

    Want to train your brain to stay upbeat? Here are six ways to get started:

    1. Practice looking for the good. Achor cites studies showing that people who keep a daily "gratitude list" become happier and more successful over time. "For the next 21 days, every night before you go to sleep, think about three things you're grateful for. Say them out loud," Achor suggests. "If you try to make at least one of them work-related, you're training your brain to let go of the daily hassles and notice the good things about your job" - including, of course, having one in the first place.

    2. Have some fun. "Many people think the words 'work' and 'fun' are mutually exclusive," Achor notes. But research shows that bursts of lightheartedness, whether from a smile shared with a colleague or a funny clip on YouTube, actually cause people to think more clearly and creatively.

    "It turns out that, when we're happy, our neurons fire faster and more efficiently," Achor says. Even when you're working flat-out, use something you enjoy - photos of your last vacation, or reading a blog you get a kick out of - as a reward along the way, he suggests.

    3. Brighten your office space. Everything around you affects your frame of mind. "Certain environmental cues can trigger your reflexive brain into needless panic, while others can prime you for creative thinking or calm reflection," Achor notes. "The good news is that you have the power to control much of this input. Surround your desk with pictures and objects that lead you toward positive thoughts. Your mood and your brain will thank you."

    4. Keep a journal. If you find yourself worrying about bad news, a scary rumor, or a stressful deadline, take three minutes to write down how you're feeling. "Neuroscientists have discovered that verbalizing negative thoughts can act like a wet blanket on a fire of negative emotions," Achor explains. "The simple act of putting emotions into words immediately decreases their magnitude." So dust off that old diary, or open up a Word document, and try it. Just make sure no one else sees it.

    5. Invest in people. "Smart people do stupid things during times of stress, like shutting down their social networks to focus on work," Achor observes. "But in working with companies around the world, I've found that the greatest predictor of success during stress and challenge is the quality and quantity of your relationships."

    Decades of research have shown that close ties to family and friends are among the biggest contributors to happiness, and may even help people live longer. "Now more than ever, take the time to strengthen those connections in your life," urges Achor. "You can start small by reaching out to just one person a day."

    6. Think of work as a series of sprints, not a marathon. You know what happens when you've been sitting at your desk too long: Your muscles tense up, your eyes glaze over, and your energy lags. What you may not realize, Achor says, is that after two hours of continuous work, your brain function actually slows and your body starts to rapidly accumulate stress and strain.

    "So try to split up your workday into short sprints of 90 to 120 minutes each, with a 5-minute break in between," Achor says. "Walk down the hall or around the block, call a friend, listen to a calming piece of music, do some stretching exercises, or eat a high-protein 100- to 200-calorie snack. Not only will you feel less run-down and worn out, but you'll see a jump in your concentration and productivity."

 

不要浪费时间让自己沉浸在消极情绪中了。新的大脑科学显示，保持积极的心态才是获得事业突破的最好方法。       作者：Anne Fisher       面对裁员和经济衰退，实在不容易保持对工作前景的乐观情绪。但是，乐观面对压力的确可以让人在逆境中不断实现突破。     “很多人认为成功能带来快乐，这是一种错误的认识。事实上，人类大脑的运转恰好相反，”肖恩•阿克尔（Shawn Achor）如是说。他是咨询公司Aspirant的主管，这一公司主要为微软（Microsoft）、美国运通(American Express)、瑞信（Credit Suisse）和瑞银(UBS)等客户提供咨询，帮助这些公司在现今这种极端困难的情况下振奋士气，保持高效运转。     他又补充说：“以积极的态度应对日常的单调工作会让人更有韧性和能量，也会使人拥有影响他人的能力，而这些都是成功的因素。”     因此，如果你想成功度过这个经济衰退期—甚至想获得晋升或加薪—那就要开始积极地思考问题。     阿克尔兼任哈佛大学心理学住校导师，研究了5年的“积极心理学”，对幸福感进行理论研究。这一学科诞生也不过15年，却向人们提供了一些有意思的研究成果。     阿克尔说：“两个最重要的成功指向标就是，第一，我们是否相信自己的行为有意义，即我们是否认为自己可以起关键作用—很多人在困境面前丧失了这样的信念，因为太多的东西不受个人控制。 第二，你如何应对压力？压力是将你击垮，还是催你奋进？”     想让自己的大脑保持乐观吗？下面就是6个训练方法：     1、寻找积极事物。阿克尔说，据一些研究显示，每天记“感恩清单”的人往往会更加快乐，更加成功。“在接下来的21天内，每晚睡觉前想出三件值得感恩的事情，然后大声说出来。如果你能让其中一件与工作有关，那么就可以训练自己的大脑忘掉那些日常的琐碎工作，关注自己工作的好处”—当然，最重要的好处就是“有工作”。     2、乐在其中。“很多人认为‘工作’和‘乐趣’两个词相互排斥，” 阿克尔说。但是研究发现，无论是和同事说笑，还是在YouTube上看到一个搞笑视频，不时的轻松情绪都会让人更加清醒和有创造力。     “事实证明，当我们快乐的时候，神经元的传导速度会加快，效率也更高，” 阿克尔说。他建议，如果工作已让你筋疲力尽，你可以在工作中给自己点奖赏——翻看上次度假的照片，或阅读自己特别喜欢的博客等等。     3、将自己的办公空间装点得更加明亮。周围的环境会影响你的心情。阿克尔说：“有些东西会让你的大脑陷入不必要的恐慌状态，而另一些则会让你更有创造力，更加平静。好在你自己可以控制周围的环境。用图片和小物件装饰办公桌，让自己保持积极情绪。你的大脑会放松，心情也会转好。”       4、养成记日记的习惯。如果你总是担心一些坏事，比如可怕的传言，让人紧张的截止日期，那么不妨花三分钟的时间将自己的感受写下来。阿克尔解释说：“神经科学家发现，将消极情绪写下来或说出来，就像给其泼了一盆冷水。这一做法虽然简单，却能够显著缓解不良情绪。”那就拿出尘封已久的日记本，或者新建一个word文档，试一试吧。只要注意不要被别人看到。     5、营造良好的人际关系。阿克尔说：“在压力面前，聪明人也会干傻事，比如只关注工作，而封闭了自己的社交网络。但是，在同全球企业打交道的过程中，我发现，面对压力和挑战，成功最重要的因素就是人际关系的数量和质量。”     十几年的研究发现，与家人和朋友的亲密关系是让人幸福的最重要因素之一，还能助人长寿。阿克尔呼吁道：“我们现在更需要花时间巩固好这些关系，你可以一步一步来，每天关爱一个人。”       6、把工作看成一段段短跑，而不是一场漫长的马拉松。你知道长期端坐在办公桌前的恶果：紧绷的肌肉，呆滞的双眼和无精打采的自己。而阿克尔认为，人们不知道的是连续工作两小时后，他们的大脑便会反应迟缓，而身体则会迅速积攒压力和紧张。     阿克尔说：“把一个工作日分成几个时间段，每工作90到120分钟就要休息5分钟。在大厅里走走，沿着大楼转一圈，给朋友打个电话，听一首舒缓的歌，做一点伸展运动，或吃一点含高蛋白，热量在100到200卡的零食。这样做不仅会降低疲惫感，还会让人注意力更加集中，工作效率也会随之提高。”