Gretchen Rubin's Blog, page 265

Eighteen Tips for "Little Things" to Boost Your Happiness at the Office.

Every Wednesday is Tip Day.

Your happiness at work will depend mostly, of course, on how much you like your job and your co-workers. But, as Samuel Johnson observed, "It is by studying little things that we attain the great art of having as little misery, and as much happiness as possible."

Here are some little things to consider that have helped me find more happiness at work. A few minor adjustments can give a...

Eighteen Tips for "Little Things" to Boost Your Happiness at Work.

Every Wednesday is Tip Day.

Your happiness at work will depend mostly, of course, on how much you like your job and your co-workers. But, as Samuel Johnson observed, "It is by studying little things that we attain the great art of having as little misery, and as much happiness as possible."

Here are some little things to consider that have helped me find more happiness at work. A few minor adjustments can give a...

A Happy Story of Virtue Rewarded. Plus the Weekly Video.

Every night, when I tuck my older daughter into bed, I lay down next to her for ten or fifteen minutes. Every once in a while, she asks me to "tell a happy story," and the following story is one of her favorites. I've repeated it to her many times.

I got the story from an acquaintance who lives in Geneva, who emailed me this account:

"I went into Harrods in London (huge department store I am sure you have heard of!) to buy some Minton China plates for a wedding anniversary which was to be a...

"In the Long Run, Men Hit Only What They Aim At."

"In the long run men hit only what they aim at. Therefore, though they should fail immediately, they had better aim at something high."

-- Henry David Thoreau

* I'm excited because this afternoon, I get to meet some of the members of the fantastic LifeRemix network in person for the first time. So many great bloggers.

Happiness Is…a Great Book Event at SXSW in Austin.

Yesterday, I spoke at the Reading Stage at SXSW Interactive, the big annual conference for people engaged in the online world -- like bloggers.

It was a lot of fun, with a great crowd and great questions. It was especially thrilling for me to talk at SXSW, too, because of all the resolutions I tried as part of my happiness project, launching a blog is certainly one that has added most to my happiness.

In fact, looking back in my archives, I see I'm just two weeks shy of the four-year...

Relish the Moment. In My Case, Ten Weeks on the Bestseller List.

I'm working on my Happiness Project, and you could have one, too! Everyone's project will look different, but it's the rare person who can't benefit. Join in -- no need to catch up, just jump in right now. Each Friday's post will help you think about your own happiness project.

In his book Happier, Tal Ben-Shahar describes the "arrival fallacy," the belief that when you arrive at a certain destination, you'll be happy. (Other fallacies include the "floating world fallacy," the belief...

Eleven Tips for Boosting Your Sense of Quiet Focus.

Every Wednesday is Tip Day.

We all know the feeling of being overwhelmed, of being beset by distractions.

The problem is – too many things are clamoring for your attention. People are trying to reach you, by phone, email, text, Twitter, IM, or old-fashioned yelling up the stairs. There are the interesting subjects you want to learn more about, on the TV or the internet or the newspaper. Noises in the background occasionally...

"The Office," Pam and Jim, and the Mystery of Love. Plus the Weekly Video.

My husband and I record The Office and watch it together, so I felt a little guilty for catching this scene on live television the other night, until I realized it was a re-run. But I couldn't turn the channel – the scene featured my two favorite characters, Pam and Jim, and I'd never seen it before.

A friend told me that when she was studying to be a family therapist, they'd watch clips of the Carol Burnett show, Mama's Family, because it showed how to do everything wrong. I love watching...

"In Order That People May Be Happy in Their Work, These Three Things Are Needed..."

"In order that people may be happy in their work, these three things are needed: They must be fit for it. They must not do too much of it. And they must have a sense of success in it."

Agree? Disagree?

* Interested in starting your own happiness project? If you'd like to take a look at my personal Resolutions Chart, for inspiration, just email me at gretchenrubin1 [at:] gmail [.com:] -- and don't forget the "1". (Sorry about writing it in that roundabout way; I'm trying to...

Use Up What You Have.

I'm working on my Happiness Project, and you could have one, too! Everyone's project will look different, but it's the rare person who can't benefit. Join in -- no need to catch up, just jump in right now. Each Friday's post will help you think about your own happiness project.

I've found an easy way to expand my wardrobe, find more books to own and read, discover movies to watch, and unearth lovely objects to use – all without leaving my apartment or spending a penny.

How? I've resolved to...