The 10-5 Way: A Happiness Hack

It's no secret that happiness is contagious.  At work, taking time to acknowledge others and share a friendly smile or greeting can go a long way. 

In Shawn Anchor's book, "Before Happiness: The 5 hidden keys to achieving success, spreading happiness, and sustaining positive change," he shares a simple example that many organizations have now adopted called the 10:5 Way. 

The rules are simple:

• If you are within 10 feet of someone, you make eye contact and smile.
• If you are within 5 feet of someone, say "hello" or another friendly greeting. 

A simple smile or hello in or outside the office can have a ripple effect across our campus and beyond, spreading happiness.  

In Shawn Anchor's TED Talk, "The Happy Secret to Better Work" he outlines 3 easy ways to boost your happiness, including being grateful, meditation and completing random acts of kindness.

Try practicing the 10:5 Way at work for one week and notice the difference it makes for you and others. 

"Each one of us is like that butterfly the Butterfly Effect . And each tiny move toward a more positive mindset can send ripples of positivity through our organizations our families and our communities." - Shawn Anchor