accelerating happiness- pg dip prafful project
TRANSCRIPT
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STUDY ON ACCELERATING HAPPINESS @ WORK
(A study of selected people at Pune)
A Project Report Submitted In
Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for
Post Graduate Diploma in Value Education and Spirituality
By
CA PRAFFUL SINGI
Chartered Accountant, M. Com, DipIFRS
Enrolment No. 2941000794
TO
DIRECTORATE OF DISTANCE EDUCATION
ANNAMALAI UNIVERSITY, CHIDAMBARAM
2010-11
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C E R T I F I C A T E
This is to certify that the Field Project titled Study on accelerating happiness at
work is my original work and is being submitted in partial fulfilment for the award of the
Post Graduate Diploma in Value Education and Spirituality of Annamalai University in
technical collaboration with Brahma Kumaris Education Wing. This report has not been
submitted earlier to any other University or Institution.
SIGNATURE OF STUDENT
Place: Pune
Date: 23rd July, 2011
Submitted for practical examination held on ..
Internal Examiner External Examiner
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APPROVAL LETTER
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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
Happiness is something everyone wants to have. You may be successful and have a
lot of money, but without happiness it will be meaningless. That is why I am excited in
exploring more in this area. I must mention the gracious powerful showers of Almighty
Authority enabled me to complete this study with a great vigour. Powers received from the
Almighty authority indeed played a significant role in successful field study through this
report. This study may help in improving behaviour of people and the factors influencing the
various fields.
I am grateful to Rajyogini Dadi Jankiji whose constant happiness and enthusiasm
even at the age of 95 has given me courage to take up this project. I kept her as a live role
model to benchmark the level of happiness. She became the one and only live example for
me who exemplified such high extent of happiness at all points of time.
During this study I had an opportunity to meet and interact with the experts in the
field. Final results and generalization derived from study undertaken with specific objective
give me immense pleasure. Rajyogini BK Sarita Didiji and Rajyogini BK Nalini Didiji helped
me in all means to complete this project with their valuable blessings. It is pertinent to
mention the various faculties who motivated me to the complete this project with their
valuable guidelines.
I also got various insights from the SpARC (Spiritual Applications and Research
Centre) a wing registered under Rajyoga Education and research foundation which conducts
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similar researches in order to improve efficiency. This project could not be completed unless
I would have got support from Rajayogi Anuroop Marathe, Maharashtra zone co-ordinator
of SpARC wing.
I am thankful to all the respondents / participants who could spare their valuable
time in providing with valuable information and patiently replying to all my questions and
doubts during the course of investigation to complete my study with this relevant and
updated topic. The problems and issues they came across was a major contribution in
devising strategies to accelerate happiness at work. Their increase in happiness level itself
increased mine multi fold times.
I am also grateful to my parents and my brother who constantly kept me motivated,
and encouraged and inspired, in pursuit of excellence during the course of this study. In fact
the meaning of my name Prafful itself means to be happy. The very meaning of my name
and the intention my parents of me being happy throughout the life helped me to go deeper
into this subject. They spent their time in helping me study this course material and
preparing me to appear the examinations confidently. The moral values which they
inculcated within me right since my childhood has played a significant role in counselling the
participants and further developing successful strategies for the participants to implement.
I also extend a heart filled thanks to the all the members of Education Wing of
Brahma Kumaris Organisation as well as Annamalai University who have become instrument
in designing and letting me undergo this course of PG Diploma in Value Education and
Spirituality. The wonderful course material, syllabus, course structure, PCP training session
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and the personal progress workbook added dynamic flavour to the research work. It is their
primary motivation due to which this project could be in front of the reader.
Finally last but not the least, I acknowledge the assistance, support and
encouragement showered on me by all those who have supported this study in any form.
Prafful Singi
Date: 23rd July 2011
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CONTENTS
1. Introduction ........................................................................ 82. Objective and Importance of study ..................................... 133.Limitations of study ........................................................... 16
4.
Collection and Presentation of data ................................... 19
5.Analysis and Interpretation of data .................................. 246. Suggestions and recommendations ...................................... 357. Conclusion .......................................................................... 558.Bibliography ...................................................................... 579. Sample questionnaire ......................................................... 58
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1.Introduction
If we survey in society as to what is the desire of each one, or why is anyone working
hard we get a few common answers such as to gain peace of mind or to gain success or to
gain money or to establish relationships. These entire if further drilled down leads to
happiness and bliss. Hence it is safe to conclude that each one of us in some way or another
is trying to search the happiness.
. But, before we move further, its a good idea to get deeper understanding of the
word happiness itself. Understanding what happiness is will give us good ground upon
which to build the project.
Happiness is hard to define but most people are aware of whether they are happy or
not. Many people believe that happiness is a form of luck and that some people are
destined to be happy while others are destined to be unhappy. We have tried to incorporate
a few tips in chapter 6 later and found it having great success in achieving happiness.
We studied what the great minds in history say about being happy and went through
hundreds of quotes on being happy and extracted the best lessons out of them. Not only are
these lessons useful, they are also timeless in nature.
Let us start with an official definition. According to Merriam-Websters Online
Dictionary, here is the definition of happiness:
a state of well-being and contentment
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a pleasurable or satisfying experience
This definition is a good starting point and we can dig deeper from it. The best way
to do that is to consult some of the greatest minds in history. So we researched what these
people say about happiness and found 10 essential definitions. Each of them has deep
meaning.
Happiness is when what you think, what you say, and what you do are in harmony.
- Mahatma Gandhi
Happiness is that state of consciousness which proceeds from the achievement of
ones values.
- Ayn Rand
Happiness is something that you are and it comes from the way you think.
Wayne Dyer
Happiness is essentially a state of going somewhere, wholeheartedly, one-
directionally, without regret or reservation.
William H. Sheldon
Happiness is not a reward it is a consequence.
Robert Ingersoll
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Happiness is different from pleasure. Happiness has something to do with
struggling and enduring and accomplishing.
George Sheehan
Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human
existence.
Aristotle
Happiness is not something you experience, its something you remember.
Oscar Levant
Happiness is not a station you arrive at, but a manner of travelling.
Margaret Lee Runbeck
Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace and
gratitude.
Denis Waitley
All in all, we can say that happiness is a decision. Your happiness is your decision to
make. All the quotes above require actions on our part and actions require decisions.
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Further, we can frame 4 broader levels of happiness which gives a fare
understanding of the degree in which one could possess happiness.
Happiness Level 1:
The first and most basic level of happiness comes from things outside ourselves and
involves one or more of the five senses. The pleasure they give is immediate and direct
such as eating an ice cream cone, buying a brand new car, going on vacation. Their pleasure
is short lived and intermittent. They must be replaced by yet another ice cream cone, or
new car, or vacation. Until such replacements take place our happiness is on hold.
Happiness Level 2:
The second level of happiness involves the ego. (Ego is Latin for I) This kind of
happiness comes whenever I am in control, the focus of attention, the object of admiration,
whenever I see myself as superior to others. Hence, whenever I win, gain power, am
admired, or gain popularity I feel happy and pleased with myself. My ego has been affirmed.
That which I think is the most important thing in the world (me) has received approval.
Happiness Level 3:
The second level of happiness is not totally satisfying. There is something missing.
Humans also desire love, truth, goodness/justice, beauty, and being. These desires are
often expressed in acts of charityseeking cures, being concerned with ones neighbour,
making sacrifices, forgiving personal injuries. We want to make the world a better place and
so we offer our lives, time, energy, and talent for the welfare of others. Our happiness, we
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learn, cannot be separated from the happiness of others. The common good is an integral
part of our personal happiness.
Happiness Level 4
Even the third level of happiness does not exhaust the scope of human desire.
Humans are pulled by their desire for the sublime, something beyond their imagination,
beyond their complete understanding. To be sure, they desire love, goodness, truth, beauty,
and being as they experience them in the world; but they also desire these in their
perfected and unlimited form. Those of faith recognize this as their desire for God. For those
having no faith, they can treat this as an awareness of a seemingly unconditional horizon
surrounding human curiosity, creativity, spirit, and achievement.
This is the highest stage of happiness and is received when one connects his intellect
with the Divine. The above 3 levels of happiness could be temporary or limited in extent.
However when one connects with the Supreme soul, the experience of bliss is to the highest
extent. This is also referred as unlimited happiness. Supreme Being is being referred as
Source of Happiness and Source of all values. Thus if one needs to experience the highest
level of happiness, one can derive this by way of meditation where one identifies the
original state of ones being and the Supreme father. It is by this way one cannot get carried
away by temporary bondages, relations, materialistic pleasures, etc.
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2.Objective and Importance of study
The primary purpose of the field project is to give a practical experience of applying
of what we have learnt in the PG diploma in Value Education and Spirituality of issues in my
local community that exist due to erosion of values. The significance of the well known
slogan Think globally, act locally becomes clear at the work of field project.
The study is undertaken the following specific objectives.
a) Apply what I have learnt in this course, to social and other issues. In this project,
specific focus is made on an organisation.
b) To make positive contribution to life of my fellow colleagues at work by sharing
with them a few simple techniques to stay happy during work
c) Observe that even small step can improve quality of life as many of us simply
ignore some small tools which could be very effective.
d) Show how each individual can take responsibility for bringing in positive change.
If each of us develops a good environment at work, the total organisational
climate would be highly effective and productive.
e) Develop tools to assist me in finding solution to social and other issues
f) Promote an interest in life long learning and developing the Level 4 of happiness
as discussed in 1st Chapter
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To become happy may be an easy cake for many. However, to sustain it or to
accelerate it is the real challenge. Many researches have made a study to find the optimum
solution with an objective.
Normally, business and corporate sector focus on the profit enhancement and deal
less with the individual interests. Economic regression world wide created insecurity among
the employees and everyone is worrying about their future. Presently, no strict labour laws
are considered in the corporate sector. The professionals are not equally paid with their
working hours. In India, especially in any developing countries many people are ready to
join the organisation at lower salaries. However, the stress levels in the organisation have
the direct impact on the production and progress of the company. Spirituality helps the
organisation by reformation of the human moral ethics and directs them to follow the
ethical conduct in order to progress the self, which will directly help the organisation to
prosper. The study is focused in that category of society who are in corporate sector.
Various factors are identified due to which the happiness is lost or reduced. The study
involved an active participation by all the participants which motivated them to adapt to the
strategies to increase happiness. This study will be beneficial to the analytical study of the
factors responsible for ensuring successful integration of strategies of increasing happiness
through spirituality to attain organizational goals. It will highlight the issues, such as job
satisfaction, level of motivation, career development and attitude of employees related to
different branches of management prevalent in the organization.
This study is expected to pave the way for the further studies in the same discipline
in due course of time in the interest of individual in particular and society in general.
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It is believed that once the happiness level rises, the job becomes more satisfying no
matter how huge it would be. Thus the mental stress is reduced to a huge extent. The study
is also important for identifying the internal happiness which brings bliss and which is long
lasting instead of finding happiness by going outside or external means which is short term.
The study lays down a foundation for spiritual development and total personality
development of an individual.
The study also sets a pathway which will not only help the participants during the
project period but also to lead the path in future to accomplish their other goals. Efforts
have been laid down to make the approach more systematic and simple which everyone can
easily follow.
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3.Limitations of study
Initially we thought to do a study on different aspects of society by considering
people of different age groups and different profession and occupation. However later we
realised that a close monitor on the sample size is very necessary in order to establish
concrete principles of accelerating happiness. Since the researcher is an employee in a
multinational bank, it was very easy to measure the happiness level of the employees in that
company. Also personal counselling was easy as both the researcher as well as the research
population could meet each other at their convenient time. Hence the entire sample size
was taken from one bank and a similar hypothesis was extended to all the people working
under similar situation. As the corporate culture is more or less same through out the world,
the model laid down in this project should benchmark with rest of the organisations.
Further due to constraint of time to complete the field project, we could not extend
the research to different organisations or to the people of various walks of life. The research
was kept more focused to get guaranteed results. Though at a spiritual level, one solution
would apply to almost all the sectors of society, when we drill down further each individual
requires separate counselling due to different work requirements and expectations of
society towards them and their expectation towards the society. It is due to these reasons
that we have restricted the scope of the project to a limited group. However the study for
this group is done in depth and various aspect of the daily work is taken into consideration
while devising the tools to accelerate happiness.
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Another limitation of the study will be in terms of getting appointments from
concerned administrators because of their busy schedules. To get the participants
motivated towards the successful completion of the project is another great challenge.
Many may outright agree to participate in the project but over a period of time lack
attention or show limited interest in disclosing the true state of affairs which could lead to
different inferences. The questionnaire is designed in such a way that the responses of the
respondents can be checked easily. For example, the respondents who believe that the
spirituality helps at personal level effectively cannot ignore the effect of the spirituality in
the society. If they are not giving the appropriate answer then their responses also noticed
and their inferences are drawn carefully.
The study is based on the responses from the respondents in an organisation based
at Pune and it was restricted to 50 respondents as a representative sample for the study.
The mood and way of expression at the time of filling questionnaire also affects the study.
In order to eliminate the same, we have taken interview with some of the respondents for
counter checking the responses and even collected their practical experiences after filling up
of questionnaire.
This study may work out as pilot study and complete comparative study may be
conducted on the study to explore the advantages of accelerating happiness at work. The
comparative study may be based on respondents from absolute organisational personnel
without the knowledge of Spirituality, and other group with professional knowledge of both
fields of organisation and spirituality. The inferences may be drawn out that the effect of
spirituality in the present time may be configured accordingly.
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Regarding the questionnaire, we believe that the questions mentioned in it were not
exhaustive i.e. we could not rate a person to be completely happy even if one scores 20 x 5
= 100 marks over a period of time. There are additional parameters onto which we could
measure the happiness level. However, in order to make the study easier and compare the
results easily, we have selected only 20 representative questions. We believe that these
questions are representative indicator of testing and measuring the happiness level of an
individual. A good score in these questions would definitely have an impact on overall
happiness of the individual.
A similar analogy applies to the tips or strategies mentioned in section 6 of this
project report. Although there can be various more strategies of improving happiness, we
have selected the top 50 ones so that it would be easy for the respondents to select 10
strategies and prepare their own action plan.
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4.Collection and Presentation of data
Every research project conducted scientifically has a specified framework for
controlling the collection and analysis of data in a manner that aims at combining relevance
to the research purpose with effect of spirituality in management. So, research design
constitutes the data collection, analysis of the data. A research design involves the
following steps:-
(a) Deciding the approach to be used in the sample design.
(b) Deciding what data will be needed.
(c) Deciding how the relevant data should be collected.
(d) Procedure and technique to be used for gathering information.
(e) Computing the results, their interpretation and presentation.
Methods of Data Collection.
As the main objective of this study is to look into the accelerating happiness, the
exploratory study makes use of the secondary data and emphasis is more on the analysis
and interpretation of the existing available information. There was a research on the ways
and means of accelerating happiness based on their present situation.
The following methodology is observed in the study:-
(a) Tools of Data Collection.
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The tools of Data Collection required for this study is the observation by a researcher
having experience of intense spiritual practices of more than 8 years. According to CM
Kothari, Observation method is the most commonly used method especially in studies
relating to behavioural sciences. Observation becomes a scientific tool and the method of
data collection for the researcher, when it serves a formulated research purpose, is
systematically planned and recorded is subjected to checks and controls on validity and
reliability. The main advantage of this method is that subjective bias is eliminated, if
observation is done accurately.
We have interviewed various employees of the financial accounting department on
which the research was conducted. To enable us successful research we also interviewed
those of Brahma Kumaris zonal and sub-zonal in charge along with various department
heads of the International Head Quarters to get their expert advice.
Questionnaire was used for the obtaining valuable inputs from respondents. The
questionnaire is designed in such a way that the respondents easily so as to find the actual
responses may fill it.
(b) Primary & Secondary Resources of Data.
As the researcher is associated with the institution for several years his participatory
observation help is expected in extracting the primary data. The secondary data will be
obtained through various magazines of the institution and various books of behavioural and
spiritual practices. The primary data is intended to be gathered by meeting the personnel
associated with the Brahma Kumaris and working at different levels. Information on Study
on Accelerating happiness @ work and data regarding the actual management strategies
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can be gathered from there. In order to avoid any bias the scholar intends to gather data
from the different locations, working at different trends in different capacities. Some of the
important magazines / periodicals are Gyanamrit, Purity, World Renewal, etc. The
organisation is very rich in the literature and international acclaimed in this field.
(c) Managers without formal education can have efficient managerial capabilities and
control the administration effectively. The analysis of the data based on the questionnaire,
interview and participatory observation gives the impact of the spirituality on the functions
of the work performed rather than technical details.
(d) Questionnaire is designed in such a way that the respondents responses may
directly contribute to make the study more inclusive and conclusive. The respondents are
chosen from different sub process having dynamic socio economic profile. The responses of
the respondents are counterchecked by taking interviews of various respondents and
recorded their experiences to reach conclusions.
(e) All three methods of collection of data namely Observation method, Interview
method and Questionnaire method are used in this research.
Stages / Procedure used in this Field Work:
1. Briefing the project:We selected a controlled group of 50 employees of a banking company. We interacted
with each one of them and gave them a background of this field project and their role in
completing and analysing the research data. We motivated them to come out with
innovative ideas to build upon concrete strategies to accelerate happiness.
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2. Preparation of Questionnaire:Based on experience of different spiritual experts and books, we designed a
questionnaire of 20 small questions each related to a different parameter to happiness.
These were relating to different tasks and feeling while doing them during the day. The
marking was a simple analysis in 6 parameters namely
a. Strongly Disagree
b. Moderately Disagree
c. Somewhat Disagree
d. Somewhat Agree
e. Moderately Agree
f. Strongly Agree
3. Personal Counselling:We analysed each question separately and personally consulted the participants about
the reasons for marking a particular question in extremes and what they feel could be
beneficial to improve the low scores or sustain the high scores.
4. Accelerating Happiness:We further prepared some simple strategies which could help them increasing
happiness levels. Most of them focused on their behaviour or the challenges faced at the
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work environment. In total about 50 tools were prepared which could boost the
happiness level.
5. Action Plan:We shared the list of 50 strategies with each participant and helped them identity 10
strategies of their choice or based on their needs and requirements. We encouraged
them to prepare an action plan and evaluate the plan each day whether the 10
strategies identified by them were really followed.
6. Happiness re-measurement:After a period of one month practice, we re-conducted the questionnaire with same
questionnaire and evaluated the individual and total scores of each participant.
7. Conclusion:Based on the above plan, we concluded upon the effectiveness of conducting the
project. Each of the above stages is here after detailed in the following chapters of this
report.
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5.Analysis and Interpretation of data
The quantitative data was collected twice and is represented by a summary table to
interpret the data and draw conclusions and response of the respondents. The response of
the respondents is taken from the questionnaire and it is being entered in MS Excel sheet
and the data is compiled in order to draw the inferences. As per the requirement, various
tools of analysis are used for the interpretation purpose, the results of the data from various
interviews, observation will be analysed to reach final decision. On the basis of the analysis
necessary findings and recommendations will be drawn and suggestions will be made in
different branches of management to introduce spirituality to increase the level of Job
Satisfaction and Quality of Work Life so as to tackle the present economic regression and
enhance the productivity of the organization in different fields.
The data compilation of the total 50 respondents, which were collected and
compiled, the total data was based on the questionnaire. From the results of the same,
most respondents are taken out from the different categories, one who follows spirituality
in their life, some of them are having adequate knowledge of the operational work without
the knowledge of spirituality and the rest are the respondents who are in mixed nature. The
questions are formulated in such a way so that we can draw out the inferences on the study
in various degrees as mentioned in previous chapter.
The questions asked in the questionnaire were of two categories with respect to
marking. One of which marking was in progression with the answer. This means.
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O mark for Strongly Disagree
1 mark for Moderately Disagree
2 marks for Somewhat Disagree
3 marks for Somewhat Agree
4 marks for Moderately Agree
5 marks for Strongly Agree
These questions consisted of the following:
I feel that life is very rewarding.
I have very warm feelings towards almost everyone.
I find most things amusing.
I am always committed and involved.
I laugh a lot.
I am well satisfied about everything in my life.
I always have a cheerful effect on others.
I can fit in (find time for) everything I want to.
I feel fully mentally alert.
I often experience joy and elation.
I feel I have a great deal of energy.
I have answered all the above questions correctly
The second category of questions was those of which reverse marking was done for
progression in answer. This means:
5 marks for Strongly Disagree
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4 marks for Moderately Disagree
3 marks for Somewhat Disagree
2 marks for Somewhat Agree
1 mark for Moderately Agree
0 mark for Strongly Agree
These questions consisted of the following:
I rarely wake up feeling rested.
I am not particularly optimistic about the future.
I dont think I look attractive.
There is a gap between what I would like to do and what I have done.
I feel that I am not especially in control of my life.
I dont find it easy to make decisions.
I dont have fun with other people.
I dont have particularly happy memories of the past.
INTERPRETATION OF SCORES
For each question regardless of what score one got, following is the parameter of
interpreting the happiness level for everyone.
Score 0-1:Not happy. If you answered honestly and got a very low score, youre
probably seeing yourself and your situation as worse than it really is. One should
immediately go to a nearby Rajyoga meditation centre and conduct the meditation
course there. This will help in immediate relief. One can take even other measures
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but strictly follow them. However if one does not take immediate measures, one can
go in depression.
Score 1-2: Somewhat unhappy. Try some of the exercises which are mentioned in
the next section of this report. A regular monitoring of daily activities and bringing
spirituality and positive attitude towards work would help improve the score very
soon.
Score 2-3: Not particularly happy or unhappy. A score of 2.5 would be an exact
numerical average of happy and unhappy responses. Some of the exercises
mentioned just above have been tested in scientific studies and have been shown to
make people lastingly happier.
Score 3: Somewhat happy or moderately happy. Satisfied. This is what the average
person scores.
Score 3-4: Rather happy; pretty happy. However there still needs some attention as
there may arise situations where you might not get the similar score. These scores
are average and should not be confused with score in all situations.
Score 4-5:Very happy. Being happy has more benefits than just feeling good. Its
correlated with benefits like health, better marriages, and attaining your goals. One
should now aim at sustaining this through out the life.
Score 5: Too happy. Yes, you read that right. Now you should aim at making your
colleagues happy as the more you make other happy, the more you would receive
blessings from them which will help you reach towards your ultimate goals easily.
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Respondents rated the importance of asking about their happiness levels at various
points of day; how comfortable, knowledgeable and competent they would be discussing
this topic; and how likely they would be to implement a spiritual assessment in practices of
day to day tasks. While preliminary, these findings suggest this practical approach is one
way to incorporate spiritual training into existing curriculum of education in professional
studies. Such approaches may be helpful to training programs that are hoping to improve
students understanding of the importance of religious and spiritual issues in professional
and in the field of management.
Each respondent had to rate himself for 20 questions separately from 0 to 5 each.
Thus the maximum score which could be achieved was 20 x 5 = 100. The total of each
questions were communicated the total score to each respondent.
A summary of marking for each question by 50 respondents based on three
parameters i.e. Maximum score, minimum score and Average score can be seen in the
below chart. Scores with least average score are highlighted which is analysed further.
S.
No.
Questions Maximum
Score
Minimum
Score
Average per
question
1 I feel that life is very rewarding. 5 2 3.96
2 I have very warm feelings towards almost
everyone.
5 2 4.04
3 I rarely wake up feeling rested. 3 0 1.06
4 I am not particularly optimistic about the future. 3 0 1.12
5 I find most things amusing. 5 1 3.64
6 I am always committed and involved. 5 2 3.72
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S.
No.
Questions Maximum
Score
Minimum
Score
Average per
question
7 I laugh a lot. 5 1 3.56
8 I am well satisfied about everything in my life. 5 0 3.62
9 I dont think I look attractive. 5 0 1.54
10 There is a gap between what I would like to do
and what I have done.
5 0 1.1
11 I always have a cheerful effect on others. 5 2 3.96
12 I can fit in (find time for) everything I want to. 5 2 4.04
13 I feel that I am not especially in control of my
life.
3 0 1.06
14 I feel fully mentally alert. 5 2 3.88
15 I often experience joy and elation. 5 1 3.64
16 I dont find it easy to make decisions. 3 0 1.28
17 I feel I have a great deal of energy. 5 1 3.56
18 I dont have fun with other people. 5 0 1.38
19 I dont have particularly happy memories of the
past.
5 0 1.54
20 I have answered all the above questions
correctly
5 5 5
TOTAL SCORES 43 70 56.7
If we analyse the above table, we observe that many question got a full score of 5
points and also many questions got a nil score. This made us investigate further as to what
makes the difference in two colleagues of the same team having such variations in score.
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During counselling, we understood that the past experiences and way an individual is
brought up, the past company culture, etc played a major role in building the attitudes,
perception and ultimately character of an individual. Due to this the happiness
measurement made a difference for many questions.
Upon comparing the averages of individual questions, we observe that the minimum
average score was for the statement I feel that I am not especially in control of my life.;I
rarely wake up feeling rested. was 1.06; for statement There is a gap between what I
would like to do and what I have done. was 1.1 and for statement I am not particularly
optimistic about the future. was 1.12. If we observe these three questions we find that
there is a gap between the thinking and action which causes life out of control or
uncertainty about future. Thus if planning and implementation if brought together with
minimum number of difference, we could probably improve the scores much better. In such
a manner each statement were analysed in depth and found out solutions which could help
the participants improve the scores.
We had purposefully added a last statement which is I have answered all the above
questions correctly This was added for two good reasons.
1. To develop an element of honesty within the participants. If the questionnaire is
filled incorrectly, then the whole analysis goes for a toss. Hence this question was a
caution for the participants to answer all the above statements correctly.
2. There could be differences in scores in all the rest of the question due to any number
of reasons. However there can be once question where irrespective of any
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background, culture, belief, etc each can score a full 5. Thus this could increase the
morale of a person under depression or intense unhappiness.
In reality we found that in both the instances, i.e. filling questionnaire before spiritual
practice and filling questionnaire after spiritual practices each of the 50 participant got the
entire score of 5. The next best score obtained was I have very warm feelings towards
almost everyone. which got an average marking of 4.04. We asked the participants upon
the reasons which made them score a particular score equal to 5 and we got interesting
answers which we shared amongst ones who could not score well in that point. This thus
contributed to all the respondents answering and sharing their experiences of happiness
which has even increased our level of understanding in this subject.
Further when we totalled up all the scores we found that the minimum score
obtained was 43 and the maximum was 70 which brought up to an average score of 56.7
thus the individual total score was not very poor. Also no one could score an outstanding
marking above 80. On an average the score 56.7 seems to be above an average happiness
level.
However the object of this field project was not only to measure the happiness level;
but also to help the participants in increasing their scores to a significant good level. For this
we researched into various measures to increase happiness. We also took help of available
literature, course notes as well as interviewing of some senior BKs who had experimented
and experienced the tools for improving happiness level.
In the 6th section of this report we have tried to document a few strategies which
we shared with the participants. We encouraged each participant to prepare their individual
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action plan and gave them a period of one month to apply the plan on their work areas and
day to day activities outside office as factors outside office also affects the happiness levels
in office.
After about one month, we redistributed a blank questionnaire to all the participants
and asked them to evaluate their happiness level. To our surprise, we found that each
participant got a significant increase in the score. None of the scores went down or remain
same.
You can observe the graph of scores on the next page where on the X axis
percentage of marks are plotted while on the Y axis, each individual serial number is
plotted. The percentage of marks is derived after considering all the 20 questions filled by
the participants. The lower bar graph of each candidate shows the total score obtained
before counselling and practice and the upper bar graph shows the score after a time frame
of one month which involved personal counselling and practicing personal action plan by
each participant.
All the bars above the first bar seem to be at higher level. This shows that there is an
improvement in the scores obtained after one month. The minimum score was 54 and the
maximum was 80 which bring to average score of 70.9. We thus observe that the average
score is higher than the maximum score of the same exercise held before one month. Also
the maximum score has reached to 80% which indicates that on an average marks for each
question scored by the candidate is 4 out of 5.
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0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
1
3
5
7
9
11
13
15
17
19
21
23
25
27
29
31
33
35
37
39
41
43
45
47
49
51
Before councell ing and practice After councell ing & 15 days prctice
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Upon compairing the variance between the original scores and the revised scores of the
questionnaire, we observe that the Highest incorease of score was in one case whose score jumped
from 28 to 77. The average rise in the scores was 14.2 which is above 20% increase in the original
levels.
When we re interviewed the candidates after the second test, each had a feeling
that the one month of practice of happiness action plan helped them a lot. They agreed to
continue this practice in future in order to improve their scores further.
Due to limitation of time we could conduct this study for only one month. However we
believe that upon applying the strategies further, the average score can further increase above 70.9
and go upto 80s and even 90s. However since the result in all the cases of samples are positive, we
can safely conclude that the hypothesis of this model holds good.
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6.Suggestions and recommendations
Knowledge gained from this study can help educators, managers and institutions
develop improved curriculum in order to train management students to ethically and
positively integrate spirituality issues into future principles of management.
We also researched into the reasons for being unhappy at work. Many people are
unhappy at work, and the reasons for their dissatisfaction vary. I suspect that people who
are seriously unhappy at work usually have more than one source of dissatisfaction on the
job. It is usually not realistic to just blame one's misery on one important cause. However,
the following factors are frequently present together, and cause people to be unhappy
work:
1. Lack of challenging work.One might naturally assume that people in the workplace seek the easiest, least
challenging work possible. In fact, though, people who take their career seriously typically
seek out challenging work. The prospect of doing something new and difficult is actually
much more appealing than the prospect of doing the same mundane, uninspiring worked
for decades. When employees are not challenged enough, they often feel unhappy --
especially in work that is supposed to require a lot of mental work. This situation produces a
feeling of stagnation and makes any job seem like a dead end.
2. Lack of adequate compensation.
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The last straw for many unhappy workers is not being paid what they feel they're
worth. You can put up with a lot of abusive work if you're being paid a lot of money, but
when the salary does not match the level of frustration, it is easy to leave. Employers should
understand that an adequate salary is necessary but not sufficient. It is required to retain
good employees, but other factors are necessary, too.
Person needed for options for well-trained employees, that workers who are unhappy with
their jobs for the reasons listed above, can typically find a better position with a little bit of
effort. Employees who have several decades of work ahead of them are naturally quite
motivated to seek out a position where they'll be happy.
3. One procrastinatesOne really, honestly tries to get some work done. But somehow one never really gets
around to it. Or one only does it at the last possible moment and then only does a half-
baked effort. Many people view procrastination as a personal weakness. It can be one of the
strongest warning signs of unhappiness at work.
4. One spend Sunday night worrying about Monday morning
I never sleep on Sunday night very well because Im worried about going to work on
Monday morning. My job is very stressful and one kind of have to gear up for Monday and
getting back into that. One of the worst things about being unhappy at work is that the
unhappiness bleeds over into ones free time. If some one had a lousy day at work, its
difficult to go home and have a great evening. If ones week sucked, its hard to have a fun,
relaxed, carefree weekend.
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5. One does not feel like helping co-workersOnes colleagues may be struggling. But one doesnt really feel like lending a hand.
Why should one? One very interesting psychological study started by putting subjects in
either a good mood or a bad mood. They were then asked to go down the hall to another
room where the experiment would continue. In the hallway the real experiment took place
the subjects passed a man holding a big box struggling to open a door. Would the subject
help that person? The experiment showed that when were in a bad mood, were much less
likely to help others.
6. Work days feel looooongThe first thing one do in the morning, is calculate the number of hours until one can
go home. Ironically, this makes the work day feel even longer.
7. One have no friends at workFriends at work? Theyre mostly all jerks anyway. Gallup has found in their studies of
workplace engagement, that one of the strongest factors that predict happiness at work is
having at least one close friend at work.
8. One doesnt care about anything.Things can go well or they can go badly for ones workplace. Either way, one doesnt
really give a damn. When one is unhappy, one cares mostly about own self and not so much
about the workplace.
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9. Small things bug youSmall annoyances bug one out of all proportion. Like someone taking up too much
space in the parking lot, someone takes the last coffee without brewing a new pot or
someone talking too loudly in the next cubicle. When one is unhappy one has much thinner
skin and a shorter fuse. It takes a lot less to annoy you.
10.One is suspicious of other peoples motivesNo matter what people do, ones fist thought is what are they up to? Good or bad,
big or small, all decisions and actions made by ones co-workers and managers are seen in
this light. Studies show that were also more suspicious of others when were unhappy.
11.Physical symptomsOne suffers from insomnia, headaches, low energy, muscle tension and/or other
physical symptoms. Studies show that when one is unhappy at work one is more prone to
experience these physical stress symptoms.
We have further analysed the initial questionnaire filled by the participants and
made a research on various aspects which can accelerate the happiness. For this we have
even asked them to find the ways in which they would feel happier. We have further refined
their thoughts. Based on the experience of senior brothers and sisters of Brahma Kumaris
Organisation and experienced people who have tested these techniques. We also took help
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of various books and documented researches done globally and have drilled down about 50
simple techniques to increase happiness.
We started with a few simple questions. Would you like to be more engaged, satisfied,
and fulfilled in your work? Would you like to be more productive and feel a greater sense of
accomplishment at the end of each day? Well you can. It just takes a desire and
commitment to renew your habits and routines. Follow these tips and youll see your work
life improve. And that improvement will trickle into the rest of your life too.
1. Planning-
Establish a routine of planning your week and your day. This will allow you to have
your most productive week all the time. Start your day an extra 15 minutes early to do this
planning every day. Write down the top 1-3 important things you must do that day. And
most importantly, set and reach your Goals! Use the power of intention to get there! (This is
what adds jazz to your life! And focusing on your future helps you get through challenging
times.)
2. Power Question-
Keep a question like this at your desk to help you stay focused: Am I making the
most of my time right now? or Is this the most productive use of my time?
3. Accept That Youll Never Finish Your Task List-
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For perfectionists and overachievers this is as frustrating as a greyhound forever
chasing the mechanical bunny around the track. Get off that track. Just make sure you work
on your most important stuff first. Let the fluff slide, not your priorities.
4. Turn off Your Computer-
What?! you say. Everything is done on my computer! Well is it really? What
percentage truly is? Plan to have your computer on only for that amount of time each day.
Plan out blocks of time for different computer tasks and work from a checklist to keep you
focused. Giving your eyes a rest from the screen will give you more energy for creating. Even
if you just close your eyes as you think of a response to an email can help too.
5. Dont Check Email First Thing-
Unless this is required in your job, then let it go unt il after youve completed your
top priority of the day. And then process email in batches, say two or three times a day.
6. Take Breaks-
Its a fact that taking breaks will increase productivity. Its been proven in studies. If
you need to, find someone to help ensure you take a morning and afternoon break.
7. Make the Most of Your Commute-
How do you spend your commute? Make it positive time. Use it for reading, writing,
creative thinking, creative projects, listen to audio books, or, heck, write your own book! If
you enjoy your commute, that happiness will spill over into how you feel at work.
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8. Drop Unimportant Tasks-
Delegate or delete the non-essential items from your to-do list. The best way to do
this is to always do your most important things first. Somehow, miraculously, extraneous
things will fall away.
9. Transitions-
Make sure you plan in enough time between activities and appointments, and find
ways to fail proof being on time.
10.Choose Happiness, Humour, Enthusiasm, Gratitude, Kindness, and a
Positive Outlook-
Being productive and competitive in business doesnt mean that you have to be
serious all the time. Smiling doesnt mean youre not working hard. Enthusiasm doesnt
mean youre not competitive. Being positive doesnt mean youre blind to challenges.
Choose to enjoy your time at work. Find others who are like this and spread good cheer. Its
contagious and it grows. Try to avoid gossip and negative chat. It can be tempting, but it
doesnt serve anyone well, including yourself.
11.Cultivate Compassion for Negative Co-workers-
People who are negative are that way for a reason. They may have difficulties you
dont know about. Try to be compassionate and non- judging. If youre a manager, people
still need to meet benchmarks, but you dont have to dislike them if they are not cutting it.
When you encounter a negative person, you have the choice to either be affected by the
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negativity or to be the one who influences the other person. Its a decision. Choose to stay
positive. Instead of saying (in your head or out loud) Oh, that Suzy-Q! Her negativity always
ruins my day, try thinking Poor Suzy-Q. She must have some difficulties. I wish her peace.
In spite of her negativity I will try to be a positive influence around her.
12.Pace Yourself, Especially on Bad Days-
Go slow. Dont be in a hurry. Just take one thing at a time and keep moving forward.
If youre having a really low day, you might even want to take care of yourself by playing
hooky !
13.Take Everything in Stride-
Deadlines, tough bosses, rude clients, slow computers. Dont make them into large
dramas. Dont lament the challenges of the world. Simply accept that th ey are there, and
just keep moving forward.
14.Conflicts with Others-
Let your goal be to make progress. Dont get caught up in trying to be right or to
win the argument. That will just slow you down. In your mind ask yourself, What will
move this conflict forward right now? And then get busy doing that.
15.Take Your Vacation Time-
http://lifelearningtoday.com/2007/08/20/slow-down-for-peace-of-mind-and-success/http://lifelearningtoday.com/2007/08/20/slow-down-for-peace-of-mind-and-success/http://lifelearningtoday.com/2007/06/01/the-cure-for-overworked-overtired-you/http://lifelearningtoday.com/2007/06/01/the-cure-for-overworked-overtired-you/http://lifelearningtoday.com/2007/06/01/the-cure-for-overworked-overtired-you/http://lifelearningtoday.com/2007/06/01/the-cure-for-overworked-overtired-you/http://lifelearningtoday.com/2007/08/20/slow-down-for-peace-of-mind-and-success/ -
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Try doing something different. If you always go on a trip, try taking a more local
vacation, and really get some good rest time. Or if you always stay local, try visiting a new
place. Variety is one of the keys to happiness.
16.Share Your Results-
This is not about bragging, but about ensuring that you get credit for the hard work
you do. Dont keep quiet thinking that the right people know what you are doing. Speak up
and find ways to let the right people know how you are contributing to the success of the
company.
17.Ask for Help-
Dont be afraid to collaborate withothers. Dont wait for your company to tell you
what to do. Think creatively about how you can work with others to generate a greater
result than if you had each worked on this alone.
18.Face the Tough Stuff Head On-
If there is something difficult that you must do, just bite the bullet and do it. Dont
put it off. Do it first thing in the day. Its like jumping into a cold pool. Just count to three
and do it!
19.Ask for More Time-
If you are asked a question that stumps you or surprises you, never feel like you have
to answer it right away. (Unless you absolutely must) Seek more time to think about or
http://lifelearningtoday.com/2007/05/01/5-keys-to-happiness/http://lifelearningtoday.com/2007/05/01/5-keys-to-happiness/ -
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research your answer. Simple as this, Ill have to get back to you with an answerlater. This
will save you from giving an answer you will regret.
20.Breaking Negative Habits-
For one day, observe yourself. Where do you face difficulties? With people? Certain
people? Certain circumstances? Take notice and then later on during some quiet time, think
about one or two things you would like to work on. Set up some kind of reminder system to
fail proof it, such as a simple yellow sticky note next to your computer.
21.Learn from Criticism-
Dont immediately reject critiques from others, even if you dont like or respect
them. Sometimes people you dont like may be giving you more honest feedback than you
can get from others. Dont take it personally. Even if it is personal, who cares? Listen,
process, and then decide what positive action you might want to take.
22.Adapt-
Adaptation is the number one survival skill of living organisms. Those that dont
adapt, become extinct. In the work world, the same is true for companies, whole groups,
and for individuals. Be open to change. Give it a chance. Adapt to new things while using
your experience to guide you, and you will have great success.
23.Learning and Improving-
http://www.dumblittleman.com/2007/08/how-to-fail-proof-your-day-and-your.htmlhttp://www.dumblittleman.com/2007/08/how-to-fail-proof-your-day-and-your.html -
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Always be on the lookout for opportunities to learn and improve your skills. Look for
good seminars and training. Then ask work if you can attend and will they pay for your
admission. If your company pays for education, use it! Borrow books from your local library,
the company library, or even from your boss. Borrow some motivational audio tapes from
your local library. Keep learning to continually renew your enthusiasm.
24.Raise your activity level to pump up your energy-
If you're on the phone, stand up and pace. Walk to a co-workers office instead of
sending an e-mail. Put more energy into your voice. Take a brisk 10-minute walk. Even
better...
25.Take a walk outside-
Research suggests that light stimulates brain chemicals that improve mood. For an
extra boost, get your sunlight first thing in the morning. Find the best walking workout for
your exercise style.
26.Reach out-
Send an e-mail to a friend you haven't seen in a while, or reach out to someone new.
Having close bonds with other people is one of the most important keys to happiness. When
you act in a friendly way, not only will others feel more friendly toward you, but you'll also
strengthen your feelings of friendliness for other people.
27.Practice mindfulness-
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Be in the moment. Instead of worrying about your checkups tomorrow while you
have dinner with your family, focus on the here and now the food, the company, the
conversation.
28.Hum along-
Music soothes more than the savage beast. Studies find music activates parts of the
brain that produce happiness the same parts activated by food. Its also relaxing. In one
study older adults who listened to their choice of music during outpatient eye surgery had
significantly lower heart rates, blood pressure, and cardiac workload (that is, their heart
didnt have to work as hard) as those who had silent surgery.
29.Do one thing at a time-
Edward Suarez, Ph.D., associate professor of medical psychology at Duke, found that
people who multitask are more likely to have high blood pressure. Take that finding to
heart. Instead of talking on the phone while you fold laundry or clean the kitchen, sit down
in a comfortable chair and turn your entire attention over to the conversation.
30.When something goes wrong try to figure out a solution
When something goes wrong try to figure out a solution instead of wallowing in self
pity. Truly happy people dont allow set backs to affect their mood because they know that
with a little thought they can turn the circumstances back to their favour.
31.Finding the humour in situations
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Finding the humour in situations can also lead to happiness. While there are times
that require you to be serious, when it is appropriate, find a way to make light of a situation
that would otherwise make you unhappy.
32.Maintaining your health
Good health is another way to achieve happiness. Being overweight or not eating
nutritious foods can have a negative effect on your mood. Additionally, exercise has been
known to release endorphins that give you a feeling of happiness.
33.Forget the past-
One of the keys to happiness is a bad memory. You wont be happy if you carry the
burden of the past. Did you make mistakes? Did you have terrible experiences? Whatever
they are, you should let them go. Theres nothing you can do about the past, so youd better
let them go and focus your energy on the present.
34.Take responsibility for your life-
The secret of Happiness is Freedom, and the secret of Freedom, Courage. To be
happy you should have freedom and the most essential freedom is the freedom to choose.
No matter how bad a situation is, you can always choose how you respond to it. People can
annoy you, but its up to you whether or not you will resent. But, as the quote above says,
freedom takes courage. Freedom to choose requires the courage to take responsibility for
your life. You shouldnt blame someone else when something goes wrong. Take the
responsibility and you have the power to choose.
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35.Build relationships-
Lifes truest happiness is found in friendships we make along the way. Relationships
are where we can get true happiness in life. The reason is simple: only through relationships
can we love and be loved. Make relationships your top priority and you are on your way to
true happiness.
36.Develop multiple passions-
The more passions and desires one has, the more ways one has of being happy.
Passions lead you to happiness. So not only should you discover your multiple passions, you
should also expand yourself to new passions. This way you will create new ways to
happiness. The key to expanding to new passions is curiosity. If you are curious, you will
have an endless stream of exciting things waiting for you.
37.Build your character-
Character is the basis of happiness and happiness the sanction of character. Building
your character is essential for happiness. When you are true to yourself and others, you will
be in peace. The way to start building character is by making promises and keeping them.
For example, you make promise to yourself that you wont smoke. When you keep it, you
are building your character. Or you make promise to others to be punctual. When you keep
it, you build your character.
38.Be who you are-
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The summit of happiness is reached when a person is ready to be what he is. You can
only be happy if you become who you are. Dont live other peoples life by trying to meet
their expectations. People may expect you to have certain job or certain way of living but
dont be intimidated by them. Find who you are and be yourself.
39.Live your life purpose-
The only true happiness comes from squandering ourselves for a purpose. To have a
fulfilling life, you should find your life purpose and follow it faithfully. Find what matters to
you and build the courage to follow it. Having a one-liner will help you internalize and
communicate your mission.
40.Count your blessings-
Happiness will never come to those who fail to appreciate what they already have.
Being happy is easy if we are grateful. Unfortunately, seeing what we dont have is often
easier than seeing what we have. Sometimes we need to experience loss before
appreciating what we have. So dont take things for granted. Look at what you have and
soon you will have plenty of reasons to be happy. You may start with these simple things.
41.Have positive mind-
It is not the place, nor the condition, but the mind alone that can make anyone
happy or miserable. Happy people know how to control their mind. They dont let negative
thoughts come in. While a situation may seem bad to others, happy people look at them in a
positive way. They always believe that no matter how bad a situation seems that there is
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always something positive to take from it. Your mind can make or break you, so guard it
well.
42.Work creatively-
Happiness lies in the joy of achievement and the thrill of creative effort. When you
work creatively on something you will find happiness. There is a well-known phenomenon
regarding this called flow. When you are in the state of flow, you are fully focused on the
task at hand that you no longer realize the passage of time. This state of flow allows you to
achieve high productivity and being happy at the same time. Here are some tips to achieve
it.
43.Start with what you have-
The foolish man seeks happiness in the distance, the wise grows it under his feet.
Happy people dont need something they dont have to be happy. They dont need certain
job or certain level of income. Instead, they learn to be happy with what they already have.
They have learned the art of contentment. Be content with what you have and you will be
happy.
44.Change-
They must often change who would be constant in happiness or wisdom. Being
happy requires you to constantly grow. In fact, the process of learning itself is essential for
happiness. Have you ever felt the excitement of being enlightened about something? Have
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you ever felt the excitement of achieving a new level in life? Top 10 Things You Should
Change in Your Life gives you some practical tips on changing your life.
45.Use your talents-
True happiness involves the full use of ones power and talents. There are two
lessons to take from this quote. First, you should find your talents and second, you should
use them to the fullest. Working in your talents is a sure way to enjoy your work because its
something you are hardwired to do. Using your talents fully will make you even happier
because of the satisfaction of doing your best.
46.Beware of small things-
The happiness of most people we know is not ruined by great catastrophes or fatal
errors, but by the repetition of slowly destructive little things. This is very true. Often its not
big things that ruin your happiness. Its the small things that do. Perhaps you dont like
someone or break some small promises. But even small leaks can sink your ship of
happiness, so beware of them.
47.Distil your ambitions-
Where ambition ends happiness begins. While wanting to achieve more in your life is
good, being obsessed by it is not. Do your best to improve yourself but dont be obsessed by
it.
48.Make others happy-
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Happiness is a perfume you cannot pour on others without getting a few drops on
yourself. The way to being happy is to make others happy first. The more you help other
people and make them happy, the more you will be happy. Happiness doesnt come through
selfishness but through selflessness. You reap what you sow.
49.Practice compassion-
If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy,
practice compassion. Compassion is perhaps the highest level of selflessness we could have.
As this quote aptly says, practicing compassion can make both others and you happy. But of
course, it requires practice. Start with thinking about the people around you. Look at their
needs and find ways to meet them. Even if you dont do it out of compassion in the
beginning, your compassion will grow over time.
50.Writing a few statements-
Each night when you go to bed, complete the following statements- I am thankful
to God for; Today I have accomplished When you wake up in the morning, complete
the following statement. My purpose is to today.
Finally, it is important to understand that you deserve happiness. Those who believe that
they are not worthy of happiness may subconsciously sabotage their efforts to achieve
happiness. If necessary, tell yourself each day that you deserve to be happy and remind
yourself what steps you will take to achieve the happiness you desire.
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The highest stage of happiness and is received when one connects his intellect with
the Divine. The above levels of happiness could be temporary or limited in extent. However
when one connects with the Supreme soul, the experience of bliss is to the highest extent.
This is also referred as unlimited happiness. Supreme Being is being referred as Source of
Happiness and Source of all values. Thus if one needs to experience the highest level of
happiness, one can derive this by way of meditation where one identifies the original state
of ones being and the Supreme father. It is by this way one cannot get carried away by
temporary bondages, relations, materialistic pleasures, etc. Below listed are other reasons
why this kind of yoga is insisted.
Every human being in this world aspires for peace and happiness. Happiness and
Peace have in fact, less to do with gross objects they refer to state of mind.
Moreover there is another kind of experience, which is the highest and is
independent of worldly objects and senses. It is called Bliss. For this one should
practice Yoga.
Super sensuous joy enables a person to break from die hard habit and addictions.
For, it is so rewarding an experience that nothing stands in the way.
Yoga enables a man to have deep relaxation also. By two ways: yogi does not have
spoilt relations, secondly he feels detached from the world and from the situations.
This relaxation enables him calm and to take decisions without any tension or
pressure.
Further it brings behavioural transformation of man without any therapy. The
thoughts which a yogi makes use of, during meditation, works like mental surgery.
Positive virtues are implanted in him in place of negative traits. His outlook changes
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and bad habits loosen their grip on him. His energy is used for creative and useful
work.
Brings overall enhancement in his personality. Shyness replaced with a feeling of
confidence. He now becomes a man of sociable and charming manners.
He can meet up with all people and remain unprovoked. He does not mind small
things and laughs away things instead of taking tough positions, so that he has
health, happiness and a pleasing nature.
Another thing; yoga also enables a person to experience the Heavenly love, which
only comes from God as the souls Mother-Father, Friend, Saviour and Sweetheart.
This Godly love plays such a melody in ones mind that one really feels enraptured. It
can better be experienced then said.
Last but not least, Raja yoga enables a person to control his mind and to have an
economy of thoughts. One is freed from purposeless and negative thoughts. In a
word it is said that Yoga brings about fulfilment in mans life.
You can say that a yogi is a person who is in harmony with Nature, at peace with his
own self and in connection with others and in unison with the Creator. His mind is
not in conflict with his intellect nor do his actions disturb nature.
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7.Conclusion
Due to highly competitive world and heavy work pressure on various segments of
society including degradation of environment and other increase in diseases, in order to
cope up the tremendous stress and effective time management with self-motivation skills,
spirituality increases the work efficiency to achieve big goals in shorter span of time. This
helps us in increasing happiness.
True happiness liberates us from all these negative and irrational attitudes and asks
us to give up defeatist mentality, to build up our confidence, to be in high spirits and to
March forward. Though this study gives innovative techniques to be adopted in the work
space and can also be applied universally as to enhance the capability in all personal and
create a harmonious environment as exist in this institution.
Brahma Kumaris is an NGO governing with Godly principles and its main aim is
service for mankind but contrarily all corporate sector aims for profit maximization leave
moral ethics aside. But many governmental organisations and corporate sectors are inviting
faculties of Brahma Kumaris to their offices for educating them on the spiritual management
techniques for improvement of work efficiency and harmonious relationship along with
communication skills. This study has adapted various techniques taught by the organisation
to increase happiness.
The study also proves that by putting little efforts everyday, one can increase the
scores to much higher level. This increases the confidence and morale of the participant.
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Also it was found that the happiness derived from external objects like TV, cinema, games,
picnics, etc are short termed. However those involving spiritual aspect helps to sustain
happiness for a longer period of time.
This study may pave as stepping stone for many studies relating to spirituality and
personality development in this field in order to enhance the effectiveness of people in
different fields.
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ANNEXURE 1
8.Bibliography
Books
The Conquest of Happiness by Bertrand Russell
The Happiness Hypothesis by Jonathan Haidt
Internet Websites
http://www.lifeoptimizer.org
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ANNEXURE 2
9.Sample questionnaire
Name ......................... Age. M/F.
Address.. Contact No.
Happiness Measurement
Please tick in any one of the box against each statement to the degree in which you agree
with the statement in your context.
Sl.No. Questions
Strongly
Disagree
Moderately
Disagree
Somewhat
Disagree
Somewhat
Agree
Moderately
Agree
Strongly
Agree
1. I feel that life is very
rewarding.
2. I have very warm
feelings towards almost
everyone.
3. I rarely wake up feeling
rested.
4. I am not particularly
optimistic about thefuture.
5. I find most things
amusing.
6. I am always committed
and involved.
7. I laugh a lot.
8. I am well satisfied
about everything in mylife.
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Sl.No. Questions
Strongly
Disagree
Moderately
Disagree
Somewhat
Disagree
Somewhat
Agree
Moderately
Agree
Strongly
Agree
9. I dont think I look
attractive.
10. There is a gap between
what I would like to do
and what I have done.
11. I always have a cheerful
effect on others.
12. I can fit in (find time
for) everything I want
to.
13. I feel that I am not
especially in control of
my life.
14. I feel fully mentally
alert.
15. I often experience joy
and elation.
16. I dont find it easy to
make decisions.
17. I feel I have a great dealof energy.
18. I dont have fun with
other people.
19. I dont have particularly
happy memories of the
past.
20. I have answered all the
above questions
correctly
Date: Signature.