Research across industries, age groups, and cultures suggests that happiness is a major contributor to success and productivity. The research finds that a positive, happy mind is an extremely powerful tool, allowing us to overcome crisis and illness, to change our habits, and reach and exceed our goals. Society has been slow to catch on to these findings, as the ingrained notion of success is equated with corner offices, fancy titles, exhaustion, and overwork.

Many high-ranking individuals, including The Huffington Post cofounder and editor in chief Arianna Huffington, a very successful woman by its traditional definition, recently awoke (by health scare or another close call) to this reality: Maybe we’ve been measuring success all wrong. In Huffington’s book Thrive, she redefines success as a focus on sleep and health, deep and personal connections, and delight in the everyday, called the Third Metric. She posits that a life well-lived is one-third of the success equation that includes the accumulation of money and a rise to power.   

Foremost expert in the field of happiness research, Psychologist Shawn Achor, states that indeed happiness is fuel for success, not the other way around. Achor’s research says that every business outcome shows improvement when the brain is positive. Productivity increases 31% when the brain is at positive versus negative or neutral. At positive, our brains become more engaged, creative, motivated, energetic, and resilient, and therefore more productive at work. And people who cultivate a positive mindset perform better in the face of challenge. This is what Achor calls the happiness advantage.

The happiness advantage is a clear boon to companies, their owners, and the people who work at them. A positive mind, determined to thrive and not just survive, is beneficial to everyone. Mahalo recommends five tips for harnessing happiness at work and at home, in or outside of the corporate world:  

1. Practice gratitude. A simple and learned habit, practicing gratitude has numerous positive benefits on health and well-being, such as reducing stress and increasing immunity. Psychologist and author Brene Brown says, “it’s not possible to be stressed about something when you’re being grateful for it.” Moreover, gratitude promotes a self-fulfilling cycle in which the more you practice the more benefits you reap. At Mahalo Digital, gratitude gives us a channel to keep us grounded here on the mainland.

2. Learn from the Tetris Effect. Just as the game of Tetris trains the mind to see Tetris blocks everywhere, you can teach your brain to scan for positivity instead of negativity, thereby channeling stress into opportunity. Achor says, 75% of job success is predicted by optimism level, social support, and ability to see stress as a challenge instead of as a threat. At Mahalo, we take the stress of client’s requests for near impossible feats and say thank you for the opportunity to use our brains every day.

3. Be social. Achor argues that social support is not only a great predictor of job success, but it is, in fact, the single greatest asset in life. Despite being an independent society, we all have a biological need for social support, and the effect of these interactions have both physiological and psychological benefits. Those who invest in their social support systems are better equipped to thrive in even the most difficult circumstances, both at work and at home. We’ll drink to that! (Company-wide happy hours are a monthly occasion at Mahalo Digital.)

4. Meditate. A small, daily habit that can have permanent positive effects on the brain, the practice of meditation is a powerful happiness hack. Mahalo’s mindfulness recommendations include modern meditation apps buddhify and Headspace, and author and news anchor Dan Harris’ book and podcast, 10% Happier.

5. Decorate. A sign by the Mahalo Digital front door reads “this is my happy place.” It bears a silhouette of the Hawaiian Islands, and offers a daily reminder to maintain a mentality of relaxation, just as beautiful imagery of the Na Pali Coast and palm tree-lined beaches contribute to the aloha spirit that we invoke in our day-to-day. Even more so, the sign is a reminder that “this” happy place refers to the office itself, and that happiness should not be checked at the door, but instead welcomed in.

6. Bonus tip: Take a trip to the islands! There’s nothing like a beach vacation to get your mind to its happy place.

Rick Barsotti has been doing the digital thing since 1996. Mahalo Digital is the trifecta of his passion for delighting clients with unexpected creative, his love affair with the culture and natural beauty of Hawaii and living each day in the spirit of appreciation and gratitude. He is happiest spending time with his wife Jenn and children Bennett and Viv…preferably on a small island in the South Pacific. Follow Rick on Twitter @mahalorick.