Crina and Kirsten Get to Work

Joy For You and Me!


Listen Later

Joy! Joy! Joy!

SHOW NOTES

Let’s start with a clarification: happiness and joy are not identical twins. Happiness is that bubbly high you get from winning a raffle or finding a parking spot downtown—it’s external,  fleeting, like confetti in the wind. Joy, on the other hand, is more of a soul-deep warmth—steady, internal, and linked to meaning and purpose. Happiness is like a 4th of July sparkler and joy is a campfire that keeps you cozy when life gets chilly.

Research says we all need three things for a fulfilling life: achievement, meaning, and joy.

Most overachievers nail the first two. But joy? That elusive third wheel often gets left in the dust under a pile of emails and grocery lists for our resident overachievers.

Why? It is just a matter of time, or rather lack thereof. A study of 1,500 busy Harvard alums found that after work, chores, and basic hygiene, people had a whopping three hours a day left for discretionary joy-seeking. How those three hours are spent is as important as the three hours themselves. Some folks squeezed the last drop of joy out of those hours and others, well, not so much.

So, how do the joy-masters do it?

  • Engage with Others: Want joy? Get yourself some good friends—and Kirsten called it -particularly some friends who are good at joy - aka Crina. Meaningful conversation, shared laughs, music and maybe even some outdoor adventure. Joy multiplies when it’s a group project.
  • Avoid the Couch Trap: Passive downtime (we’re looking at you, Netflix and doomscrolling) scores low on the joy meter. Opt for active pursuits—gardening, hiking, baking, even volunteering. Your joy-o-meter will thank you.
  • Follow Your Passion: Do what you love. Autonomy is joy’s secret sauce.
  • Mix It Up: Variety is the spice of joyful life. Too much of one hobby leads to diminishing returns (yes, even pickleball). Keep your free time fresh.
  • Protect Your Time: Guard your off-hours like a mama bear. Detaching from work is essential. Each extra work hour may rob you of joy—each hour of leisure gives it back.
  • In the end, joy isn’t a luxury—it’s a rebellion, a survival tactic, and maybe, just maybe, your best productivity hack yet.

    Good Reads:

    How the Busiest People Find Joy

    Unwrapping the Science of Joy - John Templeton Foundation

     

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    Crina and Kirsten Get to WorkBy Crina Hoyer and Kirsten Barron

    • 5
    • 5
    • 5
    • 5
    • 5

    5

    67 ratings


    More shows like Crina and Kirsten Get to Work

    View all
    This American Life by This American Life

    This American Life

    90,949 Listeners

    Fresh Air by NPR

    Fresh Air

    38,189 Listeners

    The Moth by The Moth

    The Moth

    27,325 Listeners

    TED Radio Hour by NPR

    TED Radio Hour

    22,074 Listeners

    Criminal by Vox Media Podcast Network

    Criminal

    37,377 Listeners

    Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

    Hidden Brain

    43,483 Listeners

    The New Yorker Radio Hour by WNYC Studios and The New Yorker

    The New Yorker Radio Hour

    6,670 Listeners

    The Daily by The New York Times

    The Daily

    111,917 Listeners

    Up First from NPR by NPR

    Up First from NPR

    56,231 Listeners

    Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel by Esther Perel Global Media

    Where Should We Begin? with Esther Perel

    14,849 Listeners

    Dateline NBC by NBC News

    Dateline NBC

    47,886 Listeners

    SmartLess by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes, Will Arnett

    SmartLess

    58,143 Listeners

    Good Inside with Dr. Becky by Dr. Becky Kennedy

    Good Inside with Dr. Becky

    4,381 Listeners

    Good Hang with Amy Poehler by The Ringer

    Good Hang with Amy Poehler

    7,419 Listeners

    What Happened to Holly Bobo? by ABC News

    What Happened to Holly Bobo?

    1,312 Listeners