Timing:2 times per Month
One of the most counterintuitive pieces of advice I found is that to make yourself feel happier, you should help others. In fact, 100 hours per year (or two hours per week) is theoptimal time we should dedicate to helping others in order to enrich our lives.
If we go back to Shawn Achor's book again, he says this about helping others:
...when researchers interviewed more than 150 people about their recent purchases, they found that money spent on activities--such as concerts and group dinners out--brought far more pleasure than material purchases like shoes, televisions, or expensive watches. Spending money on other people, called "prosocial spending," also boosts happiness.
The Journal of Happiness Studies published a study that explored this very topic:
Participants recalled a previous purchase made for either themselves or someone else and then reported their happiness. Afterward, participants chose whether to spend a monetary windfall on themselves or someone else. Participants assigned to recall a purchase made for someone else reported feeling significantly happier immediately after this recollection; most importantly, the happier participants felt, the more likely they were to choose to spend a windfall on someone else in the near future.
So spending money on other people makes us happier than buying stuff for ourselves. But what about spending our time on other people?
A study of volunteering in Germany explored how volunteers were affected when their opportunities to help others were taken away:
Shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall but before the German reunion, the first wave of data of the GSOEP was collected in East Germany. Volunteering was still widespread. Due to the shock of the reunion, a large portion of the infrastructure of volunteering (e.g. sports clubs associated with firms) collapsed and people randomly lost their opportunities for volunteering. Based on a comparison of the change in subjective well-being of these people and of people from the control group who had no change in their volunteer status, the hypothesis is supported that volunteering is rewarding in terms of higher life satisfaction.
In his book Flourish: A Visionary New Understanding of Happiness and Well-being, University of Pennsylvania professor Martin Seligman explains that helping others can improve our own lives:
...we scientists have found that doing a kindness produces the single most reliable momentary increase in well-being of any exercise we have tested.
I am willing to join the fight against extreme poverty... with one.org.
Signed the petition and request my fellow melearners to do it as well. Our small contribution can lead to a bigger revolution.
I am following the first step of helping a depressed friend by educating myself so that I can help my friend Thomas. However, I am a part of care giving team, and little bit aware of human psychology yet it is better to educate yourself. Precaution is better than cure.
Please share and support the innocent lives out there in Nepal
Hi Adam, You are right. Even I was thinking where to donate so it reach the needy people. The link you shared very useful. I am happy to be of some help to them..
It is a perfect say; a friend in need is a friend indeed.
The Nepal Earthquake has taken more than more than 7,500 lives and more than 10,000 people got injured. Nepal is country enriched with culture and heritage building. Everything got flattened. I was hoping to help them.. And, food is one thing that they require. So, I decided to donate World Food Programme..
Any one who want to help Nepal and neep guidance, you may refer to this guide article.
HELP NEPAL
One need no money to help others. It is the best of one's sincere emptions that does the magic. Help others, make yourself happy. Just the way, I try to do.. Not necessary that you have help someone stranger or absolutely helpless. I help my friends, my collegues, neighbors and anyone possible. But, try to help one who really need it.
God helps one who helps others.. I believe in this.. And helped an old man today in market.. He was having trouble to make his way in the busy road.. His blessing, made me so rich today..
100 hours in a year ... what a rule!!... Around 2 hours of helping routine everyweek..
How to do that... here Buffer helped me on this.. but any ideas how to help?? What does count as a help?
My co-worker Paul he seeked some help.. for his home renovation. We just had a blast there...8 hours .. gave me immense pleasure and happiness.
Every single moment that I spent with kids or those kids who need support... Are the most happiest moments of my life. I really feel very very blessed to have the opportunity to be with them. I work with Aspies kids.. and honostly they got the most beautiful hearts..
There is a certain peace in helping others. Especially when they give their vote of thanks to you.