Treat Yourself: A Little Reward Goes a Long Way

You work hard. You have to treat yourself.
Most Americans feel they aren't having as much fun as they should.

The problem is that people feel like they're not being productive if they're having fun. How can you get ahead if you don't keep your nose to the grindstone and eye on the prize?

Rock band Journey pinpointed the importance of having fun with the lyric "Be good to yourself when nobody else will." You have to treat yourself. Give yourself little rewards. Take a break to go to the movies. Splurge on a new dress for a job well done. You will have greater success at work and in life by being good to yourself.

Employers value creativity. You can tap into your creativity when your mind is at rest.

Take a couple minutes each day to close your eyes and breathe deeply. Think about the good things you have. Consider gratitude. Your work will still be there when you're done.

Listen in as Dr. Emma Seppala discusses the importance of treating yourself.

Additional Info

  • Segment Number: 2
  • Audio File: health_radio/1619ml4b.mp3
  • Featured Speaker: Emma Seppala, PhD
  • Book Title: The Happiness Track
  • Guest Twitter Account: @emmaseppala
  • Guest Bio: Emma SeppalaEmma Seppala, PhD, is Associate Director of the Center for Compassion and Altruism Research and Education at Stanford University and a popular Psychology Today blogger and science journalist. Her work has appeared in Scientific American Mind, Huffington Post, Mindful and Spirituality & Health. She obtained her BA from Yale, her MA from Columbia University and her PhD in Psychology from Stanford University.

    Emma’s areas of expertise are health psychology, well-being and resilience. She has examined the impact of meditation on happiness, social connection, and compassion. She has also investigated the effects of yoga-based interventions for combat veterans returning from Iraq and Afghanistan with post-traumatic stress disorder. She is the recipient of a number of grants and awards including the James W. Lyons Award awarded by Stanford University for service to the Stanford campus: she helped found Stanford’s first class on the Psychology of Happiness and taught a large number of well-being programs for students. Emma’s research has been cited in numerous television and news outlets including ABC News and the New York Times, as well as books such as Congressman Tim Ryan’s Mindful Nation and documentary films such as Free the Mind. Emma often gives talks on the psychology of health and well-being to academic, corporate, and governmental institutions including places such as Google, the National Science Foundation and a U.S. Congressional Hearing. She speaks five languages: French, German, Spanish, English & Mandarin. She is the author of the upcoming book on the science of happiness with HarperOne and the founder of the e-magazine FulfillmentDaily.com.
  • Length (mins): 10
  • Waiver Received: Yes
  • Host: Melanie Cole, MS