We all know that exercising our bodies is key to greater physical health and longevity. But did you know that boosting our levels of happiness is just as powerful?
Just as we engage in physical practices for greater physical health, we can also engage in mental practices for better mental health.
The bonus? These also lead to greater happiness in life. And thereās no better time to adopt these powerful mental practices than during the Dubai 30x30 Fitness Challenge!
Inspired by this world-class annual event and the growing science of positive psychology, this November, Happiness Matters launches the Dubai 30x30 āHappinessā Challenge.
For 30 days, weāll be āexercisingā our mental fitness for greater happiness, physical health, longevity and other beneficial outcomes alongside millions taking part in the Dubai Fitness Challenge ā proving that fitness isnāt only about muscles, but also mindset.
WHY HAPPINESS?
Happiness is more than simply feeling good. Decades of research in positive psychology including studies in the UAE and beyond (references below), show that:
- Happier people live longer. For example, women at age 50 who score higher on happiness measures outlive less happy women by around 6 years, while for men the difference is 11 years.
- Happier employees perform better. A recent study showed that publicly listed companies with happier employees outperformed the S&P500 Index and saw 1.2 percentage points higher returns.
- Happier students learn faster. Studies showed that happier students have bigger learning gains, some by as much as 11 percentage points and the equivalent of six months of additional learning.
- Happier people are healthier. Studies show they have stronger relationships, sleep better, smoke less, and are more physically active. A UAE study on over 9000 people specifically showed that happiness levels positively influenced health.
With so many benefits, happiness is a competitive advantage not only for health, but across many life domains.
Isnāt it time we learned how to build happiness?
BUILDING HAPPINESS
Just as physical fitness builds health, mental fitness builds happiness ā and both grow with regular practice.
The Dubai 30x30 Happiness Challenge is led by Dr. Louise Lambert, a regional leader in positive psychology. Based in Dubai since 2003, she is a psychologist, researcher, editor of the Middle East Journal of Positive Psychology, and an international consultant on wellbeing and happiness. Through her work with governments, organizations, and schools, she has spent nearly two decades designing evidence-based programs that help people thrive.
Her 30-day challenge stems from the research in science-backed positive psychology interventions. Daily habits like gratitude, savouring, connecting with others, showing appreciation, spending time in nature, reducing screen time, and focusing on what matters most can literally rewire the brain for greater happiness and overall health.
The best part?
Happiness habits spread. A happier you makes for a happier work team, family, and community. It also means a happier Dubai!
GETTING STARTED
The 30x30 Happiness Challenge is simple: one science-backed strategy every day, for 30 days. Each activity takes just a few minutes, from writing down three good things before bed, building greater workplace connections, to putting away the phone and stepping outside into nature.
You can take part in two ways:
- Join as an organization ā rally your teams, track progress, and share stories. The Employee Playbook and HR Playbook offer daily workplace activities, internal communications guidance, management and leadership action ideas, as well as community initiatives. (It also includes a bonus section from which to make your business case about why happiness at work matters and how to measure its returns).
- Join as an individual ā follow along with the Individual Playbook from anywhere in the world and watch your mood, health, and relationships shift over the month. Share your progress on social media and challenge others.
If you're in Human Resources and received this email directly from me, Dr. Louise Lambert, sign up to get on the newsletter list. Iāll be sending timely posts from how to build a Happiness Team to using the Challenge as a springboard for broader initiatives. Visit www.happinessmatters.org to sign up or get in touch at [email protected].
See you next time for more...
Want those studies? Here they are!
DeāÆNeve, JāE., Kaats,āÆM., &āÆWard,āÆG. (2024). Workplace Wellbeing and Firm Performance. University of Oxford Wellbeing Research Centre Working Paper 2304. https://wellbeing.hmc.ox.ac.uk/papers/2304-workplace-wellbeing-and-firm-performance/
Karabchuk, T., Lambert, L., & Hasan, F. (under review). Is āhappinessā the key? Subjective wellbeing, self-rated health, and satisfaction with healthcare in the United Arab Emirates. (study available upon request).
Kushlev, K., Drummond, D. M., & Diener, E. (2020). Subjective wellābeing and health behaviors in 2.5 million Americans. Applied Psychology: Health and Well-Being, 12(1), 166-187. https://doi.org/10.1111/aphw.12178
Marquez, J., Lambert, L., & Khanna, D. (2024). Exploring factors associated with student wellbeing in the United Arab Emirates: PISA 2018. Journal of Research in International Education, 23(1), 41-59. https://doi.org/10.1177/14752409241243011
Zaninotto, P., & Steptoe, A. (2019). Association between subjective well-being and living longer without disability or illness. JAMA Network Open, 2(7), e196870. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.6870
