Companion pets - especially dogs - are credited with making our lives richer and more fun, but does the science back up this belief? Dr Laurie Santos breaks down what it is dogs can do to make us happier - and what behaviours we can adopt to experience the wellbeing boost of dog ownership even without buying one.
She'll also introduce you to Georgia the motorcycling dog and her owner, Laurette Nicoll.
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Let Slip the Dogs of More Happiness

You might think you know what it takes to lead a happier life… more money, a better job, or Instagram-worthy vacations. You’re dead wrong. Yale professor Dr. Laurie Santos has studied the science of happiness and found that many of us do the exact opposite of what will truly make our lives better. Based on the psychology course she teaches at Yale -- the most popular class in the university’s 300-year history -- Laurie will take you through the latest scientific research and share some surprising and inspiring stories that will change the way you think about happiness.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Health & Fitness

Liz Dunn is a regular guest on The Happiness Lab, but in this extended interview with TED's Chris Anderson she take us on a deep dive into her research. It shows that by increasing our generosity and by giving to others we can significantly boost our own happiness. 
Listen to more episodes of The TED Interview wherever you get your podcasts.   See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Happiness Through Generosity : Liz Dunn on The TED Interview

A chance to hear a recent episode of A Slight Change of Plans in which Maya Shankar asks psychologist Adam Grant about his new book "Hidden Potential: The Science of Achieving Greater Things". They talk about how to filter out unhelpful feedback, the benefits of imperfectionism, and why we need to give soft skills more respect. 
Listen to more episodes of A Slight Change of Plans  wherever you get your podcasts.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Unlock Your Hidden Potential with Adam Grant and Maya Shankar

Work is a worry. Are we paid enough? Should we be getting promoted quicker? Is artificial intelligence about to replace us all? 
Speaking at SXSW 2024, Dr Laurie Santos argues that because of all our career woes we often neglect our happiness. She walks through her top five tips for improving our workplace wellbeing - which will not only make us feel better, but might even cause our salaries to rise!  
Suggested reading from this episode:
Radical Compassion: Learning to Love Yourself and Your World with the Practice of RAIN by Tara Brach
Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout by Cal Newport
Self-Compassion: The Proven Power of Being Kind to Yourself by Kristin Neff
The Truth About Burnout: How Organizations Cause Personal Stress and What to Do About It by Christina Maslach
The Business of Friendship by Shasta Nelson See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Five Tips to be Happier at Work (Dr Laurie at SXSW)

Technology is amazing! We can make video calls, find facts in an instant and watch movies on our phones. We take all this for granted, but have we let our screens and devices take over too much of our lives? 
To mark Digital Wellness Day on May 3, we hear from Amy Blankson (author and "chief evangelist" at the Digital Wellness Institute) about her ten tips to tame our devices at home and in the workplace.  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Tame Those Devices: 10 Tips to Achieve Digital Balance

Karen Guggenheim was devastated by the death of her husband, Ricardo. She was alive, but dead to the world around her. Slowly she put her life back together and found growing happiness. To share her insights with others in need, Karen started the World Happiness Summit. 
Karen's campaign to spread global happiness is just one example of "post traumatic growth". Clinical psychologist Dr Edith Shiro (author of The Unexpected Gift of Trauma) has worked with many people who have recovered from trauma and grown as a result. She explains how we can give ourselves the best possible chance to experience post traumatic growth. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Let Slip the Dogs of More Happiness

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