The longest study on human happiness, and what it means for us at Daemon

Let me ask you a quick question. If you had to make one life choice right now that would set you on the path to future health and happiness, what would you choose? 

Would you perhaps choose to…

Save more money  💰

Change careers

Travel more

Start exercising

Eat a healthier diet

Something else

What’s the one choice you would make? Robert Waldinger and Marc Shulz posed this question in their book The Good Life. They are in the privileged position of knowing the answer as the directors of an 86-year-long Harvard study on the subject of happiness. This study started in 1938 with the sole purpose of answering the question, “What helps us thrive?” 

The answer may surprise you. While social media may focus on increasing longevity through healthy eating and exercise, the Harvard study has shown that human connection is the key to a long, happy and healthy life. Those who saw more people in a given week or felt happier with their relationships lived longer and stayed healthier, avoiding many of the diseases associated with ageing. In fact, the study could predict who would be the healthiest and happiest at 80 years old based on how happy they were in their relationships at the age of 50. 

It makes sense that spending time with people we enjoy will make us happier, but the positive impact on our physical health is astonishing. 

Need convincing? Luckily for us, the scientists behind the Harvard study have spent the past ten years in the lab trying to work this out. Their best hypothesis, supported by their data and those from other studies, is that having positive relationships helps regulate stress levels. 

In modern life, we are constantly exposed to minor stressors, which leave our bodies yo-yo-ing with fight-or-flight responses. While there is a good level of stress that aids our bodies, constantly being in a state of fight-or-flight can be detrimental and lead to increased levels of stress hormones. This can put our bodies at risk over time. It is thought that having friends that you can call or see helps the body to calm down and regulate itself, reducing the risk.

So does that mean that I need to be an extrovert to be healthy and happy? No, not at all. It is as much about the quality of the relationships as the quantity. Even passing the time of day with the local coffee barista has positive benefits as it fosters a feeling of connection and belonging! 

Ok, so now we know this, what do we need to do? 

• Take time to do a friendship MOT. Which are the friendships that give you energy and which drain you? Aim to spend more time with the friends that lift you up.
• Schedule time in your diary for a regular catch up with people you want to invest more time in (in person is ideal but over the phone is still good!).
• If you have a long drive, use that time to call a friend.
• If you are looking to make new friends, look for activities where you share an interest with people. That makes getting to know them much easier.
• Try to make it part of your morning routine to send a text or voice message to one of your friends. They’ll appreciate the effort and it’s a quick way to invest in your friendships.

We spend a large proportion of our time at work, so work friendships are just as important for our overall happiness and health. We are extremely lucky to have a culture at Daemon that celebrates and encourages collaboration and socialising. Through our People and Culture North Stars, we’ve committed to creating a working environment that maximises human connection. We believe that this creates a virtuous cycle. By making Daemon a great place to work, we can attract more of the best talent and further increase the strength of our team.

One way that we do this is by holding regular social events. Coming up this week we have the Virtual Board Games evening on 8th August. In September, we have our wonderful FestDVal on the 14th/15th and our next Unites Day on the 18th. Lots of opportunities to mingle and make new friends. There are also plenty of chances to meet like minded people on the various working groups and Culture Forum.

If you would like to find out more about the longest study on happiness and this topic, listen to The Mel Robbins Podcast interview with Robert Waldinger.

What Makes a Good Life? Lessons From the Longest Study on Happiness I The Mel Robbins Podcast  

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