E is for Employment

The holiday season is upon us. Despite all the ‘Happy Christmases’ and well wishes, this time of year can be pretty stressful. Professor Paul Dolan shares a dozen tips to guide you through the coming weeks. There are three tips for each of the four stages of the coming season; how to prep for Christmas, what to do during, how to celebrate New Year’s and how to handle New Year’s resolutions. This is a special bonus episode from the Get Happier series, and like all others, comes in at less than ten minutes.

How to get happier is not a one-size-fits-all approach. Whilst some factors will make us all a bit happier, what floats my boat might sink yours.  In this episode, Paul talks about how our own pressures to fit into societal moulds and standards can inhibit us, and explores some of the coping mechanisms we can adopt to deal with these obstacles.Paul's ambition in creating GET HAPPIER goes well beyond simply offering a free copy and ending it there. He intends to foster a community of individuals who can make society happier using rigorous and relevant evidence with minimal effort. Subscribe to Paul's Substack, where he'll share resources and insights so that – as individuals and citizens, employees and employers, parents and policy-makers – we can all GET HAPPIER.Subscribe here: https://profpauldolan.substack.com/The series is brought to you with the support of the LSE.

We spend a lot of time at work – about a quarter of it over the course of our lifetime – so it is crucial that our work contributes positively to our happiness. In this episode, Paul explores the factors that makes us happy – and miserable – in the workplace (our bosses matter a lot) and explains why job security is central to being happier.Paul's ambition in creating GET HAPPIER goes well beyond simply offering a free copy and ending it there. He intends to foster a community of individuals who can make society happier using rigorous and relevant evidence with minimal effort. Subscribe to Paul's Substack, where he'll share resources and insights so that – as individuals and citizens, employees and employers, parents and policy-makers – we can all GET HAPPIER.Subscribe here: https://profpauldolan.substack.com/The series is brought to you with the support of the LSE.

We've all faced moments in our lives where it feels like we've hit a wall. This is when interventions can play a pivotal role. They are all about getting a fresh perspective and jumpstarting our happiness engine. In this episode, Paul looks at some well researched interventions that give you the tools, support, and encouragement you need to break out of a rut and return to a strut.Paul's ambition in creating GET HAPPIER goes well beyond simply offering a free copy and ending it there. He intends to foster a community of individuals who can make society happier using rigorous and relevant evidence with minimal effort. Subscribe to Paul's Substack, where he'll share resources and insights so that – as individuals and citizens, employees and employers, parents and policy-makers – we can all GET HAPPIER.Subscribe here: https://profpauldolan.substack.com/The series is brought to you with the support of the LSE.

In our daily lives, we cannot underestimate the influence the emotional state of other people has on us. This phenomenon, known as emotional contagion, can be subtle yet powerful. In this episode, Paul dissects the impact on our own happiness, exploring the profound influence of factors such as job opportunities, security, social connectivity, and a sense of belonging.Paul's ambition in creating GET HAPPIER goes well beyond simply offering a free copy and ending it there. He intends to foster a community of individuals who can make society happier using rigorous and relevant evidence with minimal effort. Subscribe to Paul's Substack, where he'll share resources and insights so that – as individuals and citizens, employees and employers, parents and policy-makers – we can all GET HAPPIER.Subscribe here: https://profpauldolan.substack.com/The series is brought to you with the support of the LSE.

The quest for happiness is a universal one. Whatever else we do in life, and whatever stories we tell, we are each, in our own unique way, striving to feel good. In this episode, Paul describes how good feelings come in two guises: pleasure and purpose. Whilst we each get pleasure and purpose from different sources, he will show how we are all searching for the right balance between them. Paul's ambition in creating GET HAPPIER goes well beyond simply offering a free copy and ending it there. He intends to foster a community of individuals who can make society happier using rigorous and relevant evidence with minimal effort. Subscribe to Paul's Substack, where he'll share resources and insights so that – as individuals and citizens, employees and employers, parents and policy-makers – we can all GET HAPPIER.Subscribe here: https://profpauldolan.substack.com/The series is brought to you with the support of the LSE.

In our fast-paced, distraction-ridden world, our ability to focus and pay attention to what matters most is often compromised. In this episode, Paul describes how what we pay attention to is central to what we do and how we feel, and discusses some of the tools that you can use to pay more attention in ways that will improve your happiness.Paul's ambition in creating GET HAPPIER goes well beyond simply offering a free copy and ending it there. He intends to foster a community of individuals who can make society happier using rigorous and relevant evidence with minimal effort. Subscribe to Paul's Substack, where he'll share resources and insights so that – as individuals and citizens, employees and employers, parents and policy-makers – we can all GET HAPPIER.Subscribe here: https://profpauldolan.substack.com/The series is brought to you with the support of the LSE.

In our everyday lives, we make decisions that are influenced by biases and mental shortcuts. Sometimes these rules of thumb can be helpful in guiding our choices, but they can also get in the way of us being happier in the modern world. In this episode, Paul discusses how to overcome some of these hurdles using simple tools to tackle them and enhance our decision-making.Paul's ambition in creating GET HAPPIER goes well beyond simply offering a free copy and ending it there. He intends to foster a community of individuals who can make society happier using rigorous and relevant evidence with minimal effort. Subscribe to Paul's Substack, where he'll share resources and insights so that – as individuals and citizens, employees and employers, parents and policy-makers – we can all GET HAPPIER.Subscribe here: https://profpauldolan.substack.com/The series is brought to you with the support of the LSE.

There are countless tales or stories about how we ought to live our lives. From the earliest cave paintings depicting spirits to the fairy tales that offer moral messages to children, stories are universal reference points that guide our lives. We're expected to be ambitious, to find everlasting love, to take care of our health, and so on. In this episode, Paul focuses on how we can be alert to these stories, especially when they might get in the way of us being happier and more authentic versions of ourselves. Paul's ambition in creating GET HAPPIER goes well beyond simply offering a free copy and ending it there. He intends to foster a community of individuals who can make society happier using rigorous and relevant evidence with minimal effort. Subscribe to Paul's Substack, where he'll share resources and insights so that – as individuals and citizens, employees and employers, parents and policy-makers – we can all GET HAPPIER.Subscribe here: https://profpauldolan.substack.com/The series is brought to you with the support of the LSE.

Happiness is not only – or even – about monumental life events but about the small, daily experiences that bring you happiness. By implementing a more evidence-based approach to your daily life, you can cultivate a lasting sense of happiness. In this episode, Paul discusses the difference between evaluations of overall happiness or life satisfaction and experiences of happiness on a moment-to-moment basis, and makes a strong case for focussing on the latter as we go about lives.Paul's ambition in creating GET HAPPIER goes well beyond simply offering a free copy and ending it there. He intends to foster a community of individuals who can make society happier using rigorous and relevant evidence with minimal effort. Subscribe to Paul's Substack, where he'll share resources and insights so that – as individuals and citizens, employees and employers, parents and policy-makers – we can all GET HAPPIER.Subscribe here: https://profpauldolan.substack.com/The series is brought to you with the support of the LSE.