Are you easily distracted? If you are like many (and myself) keeping a tight focus on the task at hand can be a challenge. Oh look, a bright shiny object… In his research on mind-wandering, Matthew Killingsworth shows how losing focus on the job reduces both happiness and productivity.  In fact, it appears that about half of our waking hours are spent thinking about what isn’t going on. Yikes. It seems then that a good idea for managers is to look for ways to help their themselves and their team members stay focused.

Be Here, Now

It seems that no matter what people are doing, they are much less happy when their minds are wandering than when they are focused. Killingsworth argues that in order to optimize our emotional wellbeing, we should pay at least as much attention to where our minds are as to what our bodies are doing. Interestingly, this seems to echo the message of spiritual teacher Ekhart Tolle  whose primary message is about living in the “now”.

Mind Wandering & Productivity

Data suggests that letting your mind take a stroll down the garden path reduces productivity, even if you do creative knowledge work. Even if your mind rambles to positive thoughts, it does little to impact your productivity. If your mind ambles into negative territory, your output is curbed markedly. Thus, managers might want to look for ways to help employees stay focused, for both the employees’ sake and the company’s sake.

A Simple Tool

Back in December, I wrote about a simple yet powerful technique that I believe deserves repeating. In order to minimize mind wandering and increase focus, simply set a timer to go off every hour and ask yourself the following two questions:

1. Am I doing what I most need to be doing right now?
2. Am I being who I most need to be right now?

So if you want to increase the happiness & workplace productivity of yourself or your team, try the above strategy and let me know the results. If you’re like me, you just may be surprised at how impactful these 2 simple questions are.

The chorus is growing. Happy people are more creative and productive. Recent work by noted psychologist and organizational expert Daniel Gilbert adds yet more heft.  The problem is that many managers believe that you have to keep people “on their toes,” perhaps even anxious about their job to make them more productive. Fact is that there exist no data that shows that anxious, fearful people are more creative or productive. Given the global tumult effecting western economies, I would argue that now, more than ever, it is important to ensure your employees are happy. Would it not make sense to have your human capital at its best during the toughest times in recent history?

Sources of Happiness

The findings of the science behind happiness may surprise you:

1. A primary ingredient is having a robust social network of friends and family. In fact, Gallup researchers Tom Rath & Jim Harter point out that we need six hours of socializing a day.

2. Frequency of happy moments is important. It is not necessarily how good a particular experience was as much as how many good experiences you have. Having a dozen small good things happen in a day is better than having one fantastic thing. Happiness appears to be the sum of hundreds of small things.

Like weight loss, there is no magic pill that gives instant results. Happiness is the result of small daily steps over time.

How to Increase Happiness

The main things to commit to include: meditating, exercising, getting enough sleep, and to practice altruism. This last point isn’t yet commonplace in business literature yet but is well articulated by the work of Robert Emmon.  Volunteering or helping others is a great way to achieve this.

The last piece is a simple yet powerful tool: practice gratitude by writing down at least twice a week three things you’re grateful for. As Gilbert says, “these sound like homilies form grandmother…but your grandmother was smart. The secret of happiness is like the secret of weight loss: It’s not a secret!”

So if you want to improve workplace productivity and hit your competitors hard, why not start with the basics? The path to increased happiness leads to increased productivity and creativity.

No matter what the state of the economy, research shows that the best way to sustain a consistently high performing workforce is to have a happy workforce. In their work on creating sustainable performance, Gretchen Spreitzer and Christine demonstrate the foundation of long term business success. Their message is simple: If you give your employees the chance to learn and grow, they’ll thrive – and so will your organization.

What does it mean to be happy in your job? For Spreitzer & Porath, it means to ‘thrive’. A thriving workforce is one where employees not just satisfied and productive but also engaged in creating the future – the company’s and their own. Thriving employees are highly energized and, importantly, they know how to avoid burnout.

Serious Impact

If you remain skeptical, here’s some numbers. People who thrive have:

• 16% – 27% better performance
•  125% less burnout (read: big impact!)
•  32% more committed to the organization
• 46% more satisfied with their jobs.

People who thrive also miss less work and have fewer doctor visits. This means significant health care savings and less lost time due to absenteeism. This is further backed up by recent work from Gallup which demonstrates that having high levels of wellbeing is good for both employee and employer alike.

Two Components

Spreitzer & Porath point to two underlying components of thriving: vitality and learning.

Vitality is the sense of being alive, passionate, and excited. Employees who experience vitality spark energy in themselves and others. Companies generate vitality by giving people the sense that what they do on a daily basis makes a difference.

Learning is the growth that comes from gaining new knowledge and skills. Learning triggers a virutous cycle: People who are developing their abilities tend to believe in their potential for further growth.

The two qualities work in concert. One requires the other. Each alone is unsustainable over the long term. The combination of vitality and learning is powerful.  It leads to people who deliver results and find ways to grow.

How To Help Your People Thrive

The best part is that leaders can spark a culture that supports people to thrive without dramatic measures or huge chunks of change. There are 4 mechanisms that set the foundation for employees to thrive. Like learning and vitality, all are necessary.

1. Provide Decision-Making Discretion – Empower your people at every level to have more say in the decisions effecting their work. This will energize them and provide them with a greater sense of control.
2. Share Information – Working in a vacuum sucks. It neither inspires or feeds innovation. Workplaces that make information widely available build trust and gives people the knowledge they need to make good decisions and take initiative with confidence.
3. Minimize Incivility – I can’t emphasize this enough. The costs of incivility are great. Employees who experience uncivil behaviour at work intentionally decrease their efforts and the quality of their work. A single bad player can set the culture awry.
4. Offer Performance Feedback – Feedback creates opportunities for learning and the energy so critical for a culture of thriving. The quicker and more direct the feedback, the more useful it is.

Creating the conditions for thriving requires focus and determination. As I’ve argued in the past, helping people grow and remain energized at work is worthy on its own merits. But by doing so, you’ll also boost your company’s performance over the long haul. Isn’t this the bottom line that we all want anyways?

Looking back, its been quite the year.  Across the planet seeds of change appear to be taking hold. From the occupy movements and political uprisings like the Arab Spring, to eurozone meltdowns, to American political and economic strife, financial markets are trembling and geopolitical shifts are taking shape. Amongst all the tumult and perhaps because of it, a new perspective seems to be surfacing of what it means to be successful and thrive as individuals and societies.

Necessity is the Mother of Invention

It seems necessity truly is the mother of invention and this has given me both renewed hope and inspiration for our collective future.  The predominant economic model of infinite resource, intensive growth and ever increasing profit has clearly pushed people and the planet to the edge. In its place a new paradigm where maximum wellbeing for minimal planetary input is sprouting.  New ways of doing business are emerging from a global re-examination of the link between wealth, growth, wellbeing and prosperity.

The Human Element

I have spent the last decade as an executive coach helping individuals, professionals and leaders find their way to lives that bring them wellbeing. My clients have spanned all levels of economic and professional success. Many of the most unhappy have had more money and status than all the rest combined.

I have observed that company cultures and practices still rarely reflect an understanding of what truly matters to people, whether it be their customers or their employees.  And many leaders still don’t always have the skills to lead in a way that reflects an appreciation of the human experience of daily life.

While happiness or wellbeing are subjective in nature, it is particularly helpful for a company to set about figuring out what makes people “feel” good, positive, engaged, connected, needed etc. as that can be a driving force behind a company’s success.

Many leaders are starting to see this and realizing that just moving in this direction is a good thing because underlying the process is the need for leaders and companies to become more aware of those around them and their relationships in their world. Finding happiness and meaning is a complicated process, but I believe that companies and leaders who value understanding what really matters to people, and are willing to take the first step, will indeed find new ways to prosper and help re-define prosperity even in the face of the challenges of today’s world.

Here’s to green shoots in 2012!

Like the year before it, 2011 has been quite the wild and exciting ride. A year full of extraordinary conversations, further business development in Asia and expanded growth in North America. I’ve upped my social network game and have discovered the joy of twitter. I’m in the process of re-vamping my blogsite to offer improved access to leading edge research and practical tips on leadership, engagement and wellbeing. Along the way I’ve had the joy of simply doing my job; connecting with amazing men & women driven to make their lives and that of others and of their organizations better.

During a year where much of the media has been consumed with the ubiquitous socio-political and economic upheaval sweeping the planet, I discovered a rich vein of hope.

Perhaps late to the game, since starting to twitter a few months ago, I’ve come across people working hard to improve the planet and the lives of all with profound research that implores us to not do ‘business as usual’.

Veins of Hope

Here’s a sampling of some of my favourite thought leaders and organizations that show us not only why but how to not do business as usual:

• The New Economics Foundation:  The tag line says it all: economics as if people and the planet mattered. A veritable treasure trove of evidence based research on how to do business more sustainably.

• Jules Peck: Shows why the holy grail for enlightened companies has become the “wellbeing dividend” where sustainability efforts can be shown to increase rather than damage customer and societal quality of life and wellbeing.

• The Sustainable Business Blog: Explains why we need to radically redesign our business models with less emphasis on growth and more on wellbeing.

• Action for Happiness: This is a movement for positive social change. Through articles by thought leaders and their research, this blog brings together people from all walks of life who want to play a part in creating a happier, healthier society for everyone.

• The Happy Manifesto: In this short volume, packed with stories and practical examples, Henry Stewart sets out the principles that could transform your workplace into a truly great place to work in.

These and other sources of inspiration have further fueled both my mission and resolve to continue making a positive impact on our planet, people and the way we do business. I’m looking forward to continuing to bringing you the latest thinking and tools to help you and your company thrive.

What’s your resolve for 2012 and beyond?

Each year, we see the dawning of the New Year as a time for fresh starts. More exercise, a better job, more time with family and friends, perhaps quitting smoking? No matter what the goals, they’re usually focused on upping ourselves in the big game – the game of life. Well, why not use the ultimate template to help you set your goals? For more than 50 years, Gallup researchers have been exploring the raw materials of a life well-lived. They’ve come up with 5 essential elements that transcend countries & cultures.

So if you’re setting goals for 2012, why not set them based on the elements that differentiate a thriving life from one that’s simply endured?

The Central Five

1. Career Wellbeing: how you occupy your time or simply liking what you do every day is key.  Get this right and you’ll never look back.
2. Social Wellbeing: having strong relationships and love in your life can make a profound impact.  Building connections with friends, family, colleagues and neighbors will support and enrich you everyday.
3. Financial Wellbeing: effectively managing your economic life can remove untold stressors from you life. Learning to live within one’s means is a good place to begin.
4. Physical Wellbeing: having good health and enough energy to get things done on a daily basis. Go for a walk or run. Step outside. Garden. Dance. Exercising makes you feel good. Straight up.
5. Community Wellbeing: the sense of engagement you have with the area where you live is a cornerstone. Volunteer your time. Join a community group or your kid’s school sports committee. Being linked to the wider community can be incredibly rewarding.

So while it might be easier to treat these critical areas in our lives as if they were separate, they’re not.  They’re all interconnected and shape our lives.  So why not plan to get more out of each day, and your life, in 2012 by ensuring your goals take into account these essential five?

Follow these five and you will not only feel the better for it but you’ll be boosting the wellbeing of your friends, family members, colleagues, and others in your community.  Now that sounds like a great outcome.

Here’s to the best in 2012!

You’ve worked hard all year. And what a year it’s been. Economic uncertainty, increased competition and longer hours. So why not reward yourself with some really cool tools to help you optimize your life?  Here’s a top 10 list of fresh and leading edge gift ideas to help you be at the top of your game at home or work.

10. Stickk: A smart way to set and achieve your goals.  Visit Website >

Stickk helps you set a goal and stickk to it, with incentives of monetary rewards and social pressure. Want to quit smoking or lose weight? Get money and friends involved and you’ll hit your goal sooner than you think.

9. AskMeEvery: Track what’s most important. Visit Website >

There isn’t an easier way to self-track than with AskMeEvery, which will text you the same question once a day. How many miles did you drive today? How many hours did you spend with your family? You simply text the response back and AskMeEvery will graph the info for you.

8. Voyurl: Analytics on your personal trends. Visit Website >

Voyurl is a tiny plugin that sits in the background of you browser, logging every website you visit and how long you stay there. In a few days, it will be able to tell you which sites you spend the most time on.  Social networking anyone?

7. Fitbit: Exercise tracker and social motivator.  Visit Website >

The Fitbit is a tiny device that clips onto your clothes during the day, or can be worn on a wrist strap while you sleep. It tracks all your movement, all day long. At night it will determine the quality and length of your sleep. Think of it like a pedometer on steroids.

6. DailyBurn: Reach your health and fitness goals. Visit Website >

Another exercise tracker, DailyBurn is particularly useful as a nutrition log. Enter all the foods eaten at each meal, and receive an overview of how much sugar, fat, carbs, etc. you are consuming. Correlate this to you workout performance and you may find that that double cheeseburger took 10 seconds off your average mile.

5. SleepCycle: Feel more rested.  Visit Website >

SleepCycle is a cheap iPhone app that measures your sleep quallity through the accelerometer in your iPhone. Place the phone at the head of your bed and it determines your level of wakefulness. It’s a cost-effective sleep monitor, and one that I’ve been using myself.

4. Mint: A great free way to manage your money. Visit Website >

Mint tracks your money – all of it. Using the logins from your checking and savings accounts, credit cards and investment accounts, Mint provides an overview of where your money goes every month. You can also set budgets; Mint can be set to alert you when you go over your grocery budget for the month, for example.

3. MoodScope: Lift your mood.  Visit Website >

MoodScope provides a platform for tracking your mood quickly and easily. There are many different philosophies around mood tracking, but give it a try and see how it becomes relevant to you. Did you have a huge fight with your girlfriend yesterday and have no idea why? Maybe it’s because you were in a bad mood, didn’t get enough sleep and skipped breakfast.

2. Lumosity: Improve your brain.  Visit Website >

Lumosity challenges your brain with cognitive skill games. Work through each puzzle to theoretically improve your intelligence.

1.    Engage360º Coaching: Be at the top of your game.  Visit Website >

Part personal advisor, part sounding board and part strategist, Engage 360º is specifically focused on you and your success. It works with you to identify what you want and need personally and professionally and powerfully supports you in making it all happen.

Whatever you chose, chose to reward yourself. It’s been quite a roller coaster year.  Taking the time out to improve your sleep, fitness, wellness or satisfaction will help you tackle whatever the New Year throws at you.

Here’s to your health, success and happiness!

The pace has all of a sudden advanced to light speed. Your ‘to do’ pile just doesn’t seem to shrinking fast enough. Yet more work comes your way.  Welcome to the annual pre-holiday frenzy. Fun right? Thought not.  It’s that special time of year when getting stuff done so you can actually relax over the holidays, becomes paramount. Here’s how you can do just that.

Like many others, I start each day with my to-do list.  It’s difficult sticking to it though with emails, phone interuptions, texts and all the other distractions…particularly at this time of year when everyone seems to need stuff done before the holidays.  It doesn’t take long before I’m off track and by day’s end am left wondering how it was that I was so darn busy yet didn’t knock much off my to-do list. Know the frustration?

This all changed a few weeks back after reading Dan Pink’s blog on The Power of an Hourly Beep.  In it he interviews productivity expert Peter Bregman and the tools Peter offers are deceptively simple yet incredibly powerful.  Here’s how it all works:

Begin by setting hourly beeps. Each hour when your watch, computer or phone beeps, stop whatever you’re doing and ask yourself two questions:

1. Am I doing what I most need to be doing right now?

2. Am I being who I most want to be right now?

Like Peter, when I first considered this, I thought that this would be in and of itself, pretty disruptive.  But, in fact, these one-15-second-every-hour interruptions proved incredibly effective. They constantly brought me back to doing what, and being who I needed to be to make it a successful day. This happened so quickly and powerfully for me that I was blown away by how much more productive I became.

So, in this lead up to your holiday break, give this strategy a try.  In fact, use it all the time to create a powerful new habit that allows you to do more in less time. For me, it has made the difference between ending the day feeling frustrated that I didn’t get enough priority stuff done and ending it satisfied that I had. Perhaps it could do the same for you.

Here’s to a clean break from work over the Holidays!

You have a passion for your work.  You are driven to do give your best.  You love the challenge of new problems and strive for continuous improvement of your products and services.  Well, what happens when that type of drive and ambition is no longer valued at your job?  Do you tough it out?  Given my experience in working with many high performers, I say you head for the hills.

Whether it be due to restructuring or simply bad hiring, I’ve seen new leaders brought in that are the anti-thesis of the creative, risk-taking visionaries that preceeded them.  For some this presents no problem at all…for others it is slow death by a thousand cuts.  If you are a high performer, you’re likely to feel the latter.  As the boss impacts the workplace culture by promoting or favouring those who are not innovators but instead play it safe, you might begin to feel a slow but tightening stranglehold around your neck.

Leadership affects organizational culture and if the new boss begins to reward mediocrity, it is usually best to start looking elsewhere.  As a high performer you’ll likely not be a good match for this new status quo.  Your finely tuned skill set, drive and winning attitude will likely never be fully appreciated and can even become perceived as a threat.

The bottom line is that if you’re no longer feeling the ‘love’ at work for your skills and abilities you risk becoming bored, frustrated and disengaged…and you know that this is not a place you want to go.

What would it be like to have a neighborhood ‘feel’ at work? Would it add or take away from your ability to get things done or for your company to be profitable?  In a refreshing take on corporate culture, business psychologist Art Markman argues that creating a sense of neighborhood at work can only help it succeed.

In hierarchies, everyone takes on a role.  If you’re at the top of the food chain you get more privileges and rewards.  Those at the bottom usually have less control, input and are often told what to do.  The understanding is that as one works their way up the hierarchy and takes on more responsibility, higher pay and benefits are provided.

In a neighborhood, while not everyone shares equally, we tend to strive for equality.  If you need help doing something like changing your tire, chances are a neighbor might offer to help. It would be strange for you to offer him or her money in return. In turn you reciprocate somewhere down the road and a relationship builds.

Interestingly a company cannot succeed unless you and your colleagues start to think of yourselves as a valued part of a bigger picture.  You might stay at work late a few times out of fear that your boss is watching.  But you’ll be more likely to put in that consistent effort if you feel part of the ‘neighborhood‘ and feel like everyone is pitching in.

To have a neighborhood culture, the company must respond in kind. Seemingly small actions like supporting you or your colleagues families through tough times and providing educational opportunities for you go a long way to creating a general sense of community.  This investment in community is repaid in behaviours that ultimately affect the company’s bottom line.

Fairness is key because it supports the creation of a community.  Ultimately, the loyalty of a company’s neighborhood helps them avoid or lessen the ills and impact of the market economy.

What’s the ethos of your workplace?  Is it a neighborly feel or more of an everyone for themselves feel?