Key Messages
How To Become Happier By Understanding Human Nature
If you truly want to enjoy every aspect of your life, it is essential for you to develop your understanding of human nature.
Understanding how we are all hard-wired can help us find a greater sense of meaning in each day, and also allow us to approach work and relationships more strategically.
With this knowledge, we can utilize the tips in How to Enjoy Your Life and Your Job, such as the power of old floppy socks for mental health, what’s really happening when people brag about their kids, and the three-letter word that works magic for motivation.
Ultimately, having a greater understanding of human nature will help you live life more fully and truly embrace the moments with joy and appreciation.
Combatting Work Exhaustion By Relaxing The Brain And Body
It’s easy to think that feeling exhausted after a day at work is just a natural part of the job, but emotional factors can be the real root cause of fatigue for desk workers.
According to influential psychiatrist Dr.
A.A.
Brill, feeling anxious and unappreciated leads to nervous tension which wears you out even if your job doesn’t involve physical labor.
This means that when we physically tense up due to our emotions, we end up using up a significant amount of our body’s energy reserves – leaving us feeling tired and drained at the end of the day.
Thankfully, there’s an antidote: relaxation!
It starts with closing your eyes and telling your eye muscles to relax followed by focusing on other parts of your body until all those knots start to let go.
This is why Dale Carnegie kept an old maroon sock on his desk as a reminder to relax even amid work-related stressors.
Remember that feeling tired doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve done well in your job; it could mean instead that you’ve worked inefficiently instead!
So, take some time each day to assess where your exhaustion is coming from so you can make changes and improve how you do things at work rather than burn yourself out.
We All Need Something To Look Forward To To Beat Boredom And Tiredness From Work
Many of us suffer from exhaustion due to long hours at the office.
Oftentimes, however, it’s not the physical exertion that leaves us feeling so drained – it’s boredom.
In 1930s psychology tests, students experienced physical symptoms such as fatigue and drowsiness due to having to work on tasks that didn’t interest them.
When our minds are energized by activities that we’re passionate about or interested in, our bodies respond in kind.
That’s why even when a physically demanding activity like mountain climbing causes sore muscles, the sense of mental exhilaration overcomes fatigue.
Unfortunately, if you don’t enjoy your job then you’re more likely to feel burned out quickly – but it doesn’t mean you have to be set for eternal exhaustion.
The key is learning how to generate interest in what you do and discover ways to tap into that energy.
Simple changes such as setting yourself challenges – like competing against yourself in how many forms you can fill out in one hour or taking a break from work-related activities to think positively – can make all the difference when trying to stave off boredom-induced tiredness.
Unfair Criticism: How To Turn Envious Attackers Into Respectful Friends
In order to enjoy your life and job, it helps to have the right attitude toward criticism.
Too often people can be quick to take offence or get defensive when criticised – whether unfairly or legitimately.
It’s important to understand why people attack others in such situations; usually it’s because they’re trying to feel important or resent outcomes that have been better for someone else than themselves.
Rather than allowing yourself to become angered by unfair criticism, you can learn to control your reaction towards it.
Remember that even if an attacker causes a reaction, chances are their thoughts will have moved on soon after.
People are naturally preoccupied with their own lives so another’s viewpoint often isn’t an issue anymore.
A good method is to follow your heart – know what you believe is the right thing and do it regardless of any potential judgement from those around you.
You can also find humour in unjust criticism – a well-timed one liner might just cut off further attacks and show the other person that their comments aren’t worth your time.
Firing back with angry words only serves as fuel for the dispute, but laughter will disarm them instantly and will allow everyone to move on from the situation quickly and easily
The Power Of Appreciation: How Acknowledging Someone’S Value Can Unlock Hidden Potential
The secret to influencing others is appreciation.
We all have a need to feel important and valued, and this need is often unmet in our daily lives.
So when we find somebody who truly values us and expresses sincere appreciation, we become motivated to do something for that person.
This was true for Stevie Morris, the school kid who was asked by his teacher in Detroit to help her find a mouse in her classroom.
It was the first time someone noticed his special gift, which ultimately led him to becoming the renowned singer and songwriter Stevie Wonder.
We should all learn from this example, as it demonstrates just how powerful expressing appreciation can be when it comes to motivating others.
If you want your family members or co-workers to do something for you, simply show them some genuine gratitude or admiration and they will likely be inspired enough to do what you ask of them.
This really goes a long way in forming deeper relationships with people around you.
If we all made an effort to show each other some sincere appreciation on a daily basis, it’d make the world a happier place!
How To Form Genuine Connections With Others By Showing An Interest In Them
Showing an interest in the people around you is a great way to form strong connections with them.
Just think about what happens when you meet a dog.
He’ll wag his tail and bound over to you – it’s because he’s genuinely showing interest in you, which makes you like him even more!
Humans are no different – we are incredibly self-centered so if someone shows genuine interest in us, we feel special and connected to them.
This has been proven by studies such as the one conducted by New York Telephone Company which found that “I” was the most frequently used word in 500 phone calls.
Additionally, when looking at group pictures, our eyes usually go straight to ourselves first!
Furthermore, Theodore Roosevelt’s staff were some of his strongest supporters, even after he left office.
This was due to him taking the time to learn their names and greeting them all individually – no one was beneath his notice!
He would also remember details such as their hobbies and interests, thereby winning over their hearts.
By doing small selfless acts like remembering someone’s birthday or asking how they are doing, you can connect with others on a deeper level and make them feel valued.
Connecting with people takes effort but it will be well worth your time as these connections can last for many years.
Create Space For Understanding Rather Than Berating People To Get Them To Admit They’re Wrong
Theodore Roosevelt, one of the most influential figures of the twentieth century, knew that no one could be right all the time.
In fact, according to him even being right 75 percent of the time was an extraordinary achievement.
Most people don’t have Roosevelt’s level of intelligence and power, yet many behave as if they are always right and make it known when someone else is wrong.
This rarely brings about a positive resolution though and often person seen to be wrong ends up getting hurt.
Therefore, instead of pointing out someone’s mistakes or telling them they are wrong outright, suggest that perhaps you’ve made a mistake and ask them to consider other facts in order to find out what is correct.
Admitting that we may not always have perfect accuracy creates space for others to do the same without feeling inferior or replaced.
Dale Carnegie gives us an example; when he bought drapes for his home and his friend mentioned that he had been overcharged for them he felt attacked yet still defended his decision.
The next day another friend admired the drapes which allowed Carnegie to admit that was an error on his part due to her gentle nature which made him feel safe enough to own up.
Humans are flawed due to ego-driven pride and fear so if someone can feel safety supported chances are they will reconsider their stance on a matter.
Showing understanding prevents arguments from escalating into unwinnable battles that only leads everyone further away from discovering actual truths so letting go of such strong convictions will ultimately lead to meaningful dialogue between individuals.
Socrates’ Method Showed Us How To Use Buy-In For Mutual Gain
As Socrates of Athens showed, a positive approach can be a powerful way to change views and win support.
He used questions that led those he was talking to to an answer of yes.
That’s why people in authoritative positions, such as Adolph Seltz – an automobile showroom manager – use this to motivate employees.
Instead of trying to force ideas on them, they draw out the team’s own ideas, creating a moral bargain between manager and employee based on the team’s input.
The same approach can also be used in everyday life, from making decisions with family members or friends more smoothly to resolving conflicts without leaving anyone feeling defeated.
For example, if you want your family to vacation in Washington DC but your partner wants to go to California, instead of arguing about it you could ask your daughter if she’d like to explore all the places she’d been learning about in her history course.
This plants a seed in your partner’s mind and soon enough you may have them coming around naturally, just because it seemed like their own idea!
Positivity is key here.
Making sure that everyone feels included throughout the decision-making process and that no one gets left behind helps create a winning atmosphere where everyone comes out feeling good about what was decided.
Ultimately this is much better than forcing other people into agreeing with something they don’t want!
The Lesson Of Charles Schwab: Delivering Constructive Criticism In An Effective And Empowering Way
Delivering constructive criticism can be a challenge for many, but if you want to maximize results, it’s important to do it the right way.
The key is to focus on different ways that you deliver criticism so that it is received more positively and effectively.
One simple trick is to replace “but” with “and”.
For example, instead of saying “I’m proud of your grades, but you could do better in algebra,” try saying “I’m proud of your grades and I believe if you continue to work hard your algebra grades will improve too.” This way Reese focuses not on his past failure but encourages success in the future.
Another important tip is to talk about your own mistakes when delivering constructive criticism.
That’s what engineer E.G.
Dillistone did when he noticed his secretary was making the same spelling mistakes in her correspondence: he shared with her about his stuggle with spelling and how he overcame it by writing difficult words in an index book he kept on his desk.
This gave her insight into a possible solution without being directly told what she should be doing and showed her she was valued.
Using these two tips can help make sure criticism is received better and that employees stay motivated as they develop their skills further.
Wrap Up
The key takeaway from the How to Enjoy Your Life and Your Job book is that our emotions have a huge impact on how we live our lives.
It’s important to understand our emotions and how they affect us, so that we can take control over them.
We should also use this insight to make those around us feel valued, which will lead to greater positivity in all areas of life.
The most effective way to do this is to embrace who you are, no matter what other people may think.
You are the product of millions of chance occurrences coming together in a perfect combination – so it’s time to stop worrying about what others think and start living an authentic life.
This will allow you to reach your fullest potential and bring more joy into the world.
