Being Kind Can Have a Huge Impact on Your Well-Being. Here's How

Researchers have been trying to figure out how to maximize the pursuit of well-being and happiness.

Many people focused more on their mental health and buffer against threats to well-being as a result of the social effects of the Pandemic.

The intersection of ethics and well-being is studied by me as a social scientist. Last year, my colleagues and I decided to explore ways that people could increase their sense of well-being and decrease the feelings of depression and anxiety that came with the Pandemic.

We wanted to further investigate the best way to increase one's happiness and mental health given the recent popular movement towards ideals of self-care and focusing inward.

We compared people who treated themselves by spending money, time, or resources on their own happiness to people who treated others by giving.

People mostly did simple, low to no-cost acts on a daily basis.

Committing to kindness

It was surprising to find that kind acts had no effect on the well-being of people who didn't do them often.

When it came to their well-being and mental health, acts of kindness had a bigger boost than those who treated themselves.

Those who engaged in their kind acts were associated with reduced anxiety and depression.

There is a long line of research findings that agree. These effects are found in research. Spending our energy on other people has been found to make our own problems seem less pressing.

Strong social relationships are one of the keys to happiness, and others have noted that treating others often means spending time with them.

We tend to smile more when other people are around.

It has been shown that leading a meaningful life is a good indicator of feeling good. Spending your limited resources on other people can make life more fulfilling and worthy of living.

Spending on yourself doesn't seem to have the same benefits.

Predictors of happiness

A follow-up study is being conducted to better understand if all of the kind acts people engage in are equal predictors of happiness or if there are specific characteristics of certain acts that may make them more helpful in increasing positive feelings.

It has been found that if you don't do the same thing over and over, you will gain benefit from being kind.

There are three factors that affect happiness.

• First, doing something outside of your normal routine – for example, driving your neighbor to his doctor's appointment – affects your happiness more than routine acts, such as helping your spouse with the dishes.
• Second, changing the kind acts that you do is important. For example, one day you might help a co-worker finish their tasks, while another day you might choose to spend time helping your niece learn to play soccer. So, variety is key.
• Third, happiness is boosted when you receive positive feedback about the kind act that you did. Knowing how you have helped someone or receiving gratitude and appreciation for your act amplifies your positive feelings.

It's possible to increase your happiness and mental health. It can be done in 60 seconds or less if you hold a door for a stranger or give a compliment.

In helping others, you really can help yourself, even if engaging in kind acts isn't a universal remedy for emotional needs.

The assistant professor of management and organizations is from Toronto.

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