How to be happy AND productive (Work on your emotional stability)
How do you stay sane in a hyper-unpredictable, white-knuckle, roller-coaster world? By maintaining a healthy overall balance – physical, spiritual and emotional – and never neglecting your feelings, which act as your bona fide internal compass.
The Australian tennis player Ajla Tomljanović knocked out Serena Williams, the reigning champion and favorite, in the third round of the 2022 US Open after three hours of a historic match. With almost the entire stadium shouting for her rival, Tomljanović cut off all her emotions and intrusive thoughts. She was totally unfazed, and played ruthless tennis.
Although performance peaks like this are the exception rather than the rule, they can inspire you to aim for your optimal zone on a daily basis and live a productive, enjoyable professional life, regardless of the obstacles you encounter along the way.
What is your optimal zone? (and why you might not get there)
“Flow” is a concept first highlighted by researchers at the University of Chicago to denote a state of grace where you’re in top form[1] You don’t just forget about your ego, but also about what other people think of you, and your past and future worries. You’re totally, effortlessly absorbed in what you’re doing with a feeling of utmost well-being.
Although you can’t be on the top of your game all the time (that would be an unrealistic, guilt-laden goal), you can edge nearer to this state of grace if you’re in your optimal zone day in, day out. You’ll then be productive, motivated and creative. Obstacles will seem like challenges to be overcome, and you’ll feel comfortable asking for, giving and receiving help. What’s more, you’ll be able to enjoy the “small wins” that help you move towards your goals and nurture a positive frame of mind[2]. You’ll be in fine spirits, meaning you’re better at organizing things: you won’t get bogged down in detail, you’ll be better at prioritizing, you’ll develop a holistic outlook, and you’ll find it much easier to tackle several jobs at once.
In a 2013 McKinsey survey of 5,000 executives[3], lrespondents felt they were five times more productive when they were on form than when they were in a poor or so-so mood.
But your brain has its limits: it can’t keep you in your optimal zone if its alarm systems fail because you’re not in a stable emotional state. When you’re having a bad day, your stress hormones torpedo your cognitive abilities, hijack your attention, and heighten your feelings of frustration and self-pity. Finding solutions to problems becomes even more difficult since this behavior doesn’t draw support from other people… which is why it’s important to look after your emotional intelligence.
Marianne graduated from HEC in 1998 and is now a freelance journalist specializing in management and higher education. What really fires her up is the human dimension and she is c taking a psychology course at Rennes 2 University.
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