Word: csikszentmihalyi
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...Csikszentmihalyi (pronounced Chick-Sent-Me-High-ee) isn't the only social scientist working on this subject. Positive psychology has been exploding in popularity. Systematic measurement of well-being is challenging because its definition is elusive. But researchers at Princeton University have been developing a new technique for collecting data about what activities make people feel good - and what they find bothersome. Many academics employ an older system that Csikszentmihalyi helped develop called the Experience Sampling Method (ESM). Subjects are beeped (via a pager or hand-held device) at random intervals during the day, usually every few hours, at which...
...Csikszentmihalyi, who earned his undergraduate and graduate degrees at the University of Chicago, says findings about happiness often surprise people. Those at work generally report that they wish they were at home, he says, but when they're home they often feel passive, depressed or bored. "They have in mind that free time at home will make them feel better, but often it doesn't,"he says. Group activities and socializing tend to yield more joy. One thing Csikszentmihalyi won't test his new students on is the spelling or pronunciation of his name. "They can just call me Mike...
...Drawing on his research on happiness, Csikszentmihalyi has three general pieces of advice...
...Study yourself. To better understand their own happiness, Csikszentmihalyi says, people should systematically record their activities and feelings every few hours for a week or two. In recording your observations, try to focus on how you actually feel, rather than what you think you ought to be feeling or what you expect to feel. Afterwards, note the high points, particularly, and the low ones. Then try to adjust how you spend time according to your findings...
...Take control. Repairing unhappy conditions requires active effort. People often assume external conditions will change for the better or let chance determine their response. That's a mistake. "Get control," Csikszentmihalyi says. When things aren't right, "you have to put in the same effort you would if your business were in trouble. Just as markets move, life changes...