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I believe that the very purpose of our life is to seek happiness. ~ The Dalai Lama
Most people know how it feels like to be happy, but few are truly happy. How do we at least be happier each day? Here are 7 habits that distinguish those who are truly happy.
- They pursue their dreams with dedication.If you don’t set goals for yourself, you will only spend your life dreaming. Those dreams won’t become reality— and you won’t be happier. As Entrepreneur.com points out, people who were 19% more satisfied with life and 26% more positive. There is a huge correlation between goal-setting and happiness. The key to goal setting is to break each goal into smaller chunks. Have a small list of 5-10 things you need to do to achieve your goal, then cross a few of each day. At the end of the month, look at your calendar and mark off your achievements. Compare your success now with who you were last month, last year. Seeing major milestones in a concrete way will help you visualise your goals and celebrate your happiness.
- They learn to say, “No.”The truly happy prioritise the important over the urgent. They guard their schedules carefully and try not to over-commit. By saying no at the appropriate times, those around you will also realise what is important to you and think twice before scheduling something that will not work for you.
- They make exercise a priority.Even if is 10 minutes during your lunch break for a brisk walk, any exercise will help you feel better about your day. Exercise will increase alertness and productivity, helping you get more done in less time. It can be hard to write for hours straight or talk to clients in endless meetings without having a break to recharge. Regardless of how busy you may be, schedule time for some exercise everyday. If you are sick of the gym, you can also try planking, barefoot running or trampolining.
- They build in downtime.Rather than work for hours on end, the truly happy build in downtime. They schedule time to enjoy: time to play with the Pomeranian, read a book, watch the latest musical. If you make every day all about work, you will burn out eventually. Having a fun activity to look forward at the end of the day will give you an incentive to finish your work more quickly.
Having a quality sleep environment is also essential. The truly happy may not have that much time to sleep, but when they do they make it count. That means investing in some things: a good mattress, eye masks and blackout curtains for those sensitive to light, air purifiers for those sensitive to dust, smoke, pollen and other common allergens.
- They fast from email occasionally.Checking your email every few minutes is a big cause of stress. Some employees check their work email at all times and may even interrupt meals with loved ones to respond to emails. Fasting from email occasionally gives your mind a much-needed break.
- They don’t stress over what they can’t control.If you have a huge deadline coming up, and you are a workaholic, you might feel like you need to put in extra hours to get things done and find yourself stressing in a big way over tiny details. The best way to deal with this is counterintuitive: step back and relax a bit. Just relaxing for five minutes before leaving work can help. Go for a walk or listen to music—anything that will help your mind relax. Only when the mind is relaxed can you make the most efficient, optimal decisions.
- They don’t try to be perfect.At the end of the day, you might get the sense you need to go back and do something a little better than you did it the first time. Unfortunately, some folks get trapped in a cycle of perfectionism that makes them perpetually unhappy. If you feel overwhelmed, you need to strike a deal with yourself: what’s good enough is good enough, and doesn’t need to be perfect.
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