Every now and then, life throws curveballs that leave us overwhelmed, uncertain, and emotionally drained. Whether it’s workplace stress, personal challenges, or the constant juggling act between the two, many of us find ourselves feeling stuck. But through these experiences, we’ve come to realize that happiness isn’t something to chase – it’s something to cultivate, intentionally, habitually, and joyfully.
At FocusU, we’ve been there too. Tight deadlines, virtual fatigue, and the blurred lines of work-life integration have impacted our team just like yours. But out of these challenges emerged something beautiful: an internal initiative called “100 Ways To Stay Happy.”
Each team member contributed personal habits that helped them feel grounded, connected, and content. What began as a humble list slowly became our guiding light for emotional and mental well-being.
Here, we share 10 of those habits. These are not just concepts – they’re practices rooted in lived experience. And over the years, in our work with organizations across sectors, we’ve found that happiness is not only good for individuals – it’s essential for thriving, high-performing teams.
Related Reading: 21 Micro Habits To Improve Wellness
Happiness Habit #1: Start Your Day with Music That Moves You
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The first hour of your day is sacred. It sets the tone, the tempo, and often, the temperament for what follows. We’ve seen how just a few minutes of upbeat music in the morning can flip the emotional script of an entire day.
In our team, several of us have dedicated morning playlists. Some sway to A.R. Rahman, others pump up their energy with Queen or Lizzo. One of our facilitators even swears by Bollywood’s retro classics for a serotonin boost.
Research backs this up – music activates the brain’s reward system, releasing dopamine and reducing cortisol. In our experience, it helps employees show up to meetings more upbeat, creative, and open.
Corporate Takeaway: Consider starting team calls with a shared musical moment or allow team members to share their current “mood track.” It builds connection while fostering a happier headspace.
Related Reading: How Music Helps With Team Bonding
Happiness Habit #2: Build a Daily Gratitude Ritual
We know how tempting it is to focus on what’s missing – especially when you’re dealing with tight deadlines, performance reviews, or interpersonal tensions at work. But gratitude shifts our mental lens.
Many on our team maintain gratitude journals. Some prefer the classic pen-to-paper route, while others use apps like “Grateful” or “Day One.” Even a simple Slack thread in your team channel where members post one good thing from their day can work wonders.
Over time, this ritual rewires the brain to notice more of what’s working than what isn’t. We’ve seen teams evolve from a place of blame to one of appreciation simply by practicing this habit consistently.
Corporate Takeaway: Gratitude builds psychological safety. Embed it into your team culture through daily stand-ups or reflective wrap-up rituals.
Happiness Habit #3: Perform Kindness Without Expectation
There’s a unique joy in helping someone who can’t repay you. It removes transactional thinking and reconnects us to humanity.
We’ve seen colleagues tutor children in underserved communities, feed stray animals during morning walks, or simply lend a listening ear to someone struggling.
Even at work, helping a colleague with no agenda can uplift team morale. Offering to review a junior’s presentation or coaching someone outside your direct report line builds a culture of care.
Corporate Takeaway: Kindness is contagious. Leaders who model it create ripples of generosity, which leads to higher engagement and trust across the board.
Related Reading: Random Acts of Kindness
Happiness Habit #4: Reconnect with Nature’s Rhythm
Nature doesn’t rush, yet everything gets done. There’s a quiet wisdom in that. Spending time outdoors, even briefly, has been linked to reduced stress and increased cognitive function.
Several of us started micro-habits like walking barefoot on grass, maintaining balcony gardens, or taking work calls while strolling in a nearby park.
In our workshops, we often ask participants to do one reflective activity in an open-air environment. The change in setting often results in deeper insights and more open conversations.
Corporate Takeaway: Encourage walking meetings or outdoor break rituals. It’s a low-cost, high-impact way to promote well-being.
Related Reading: Leadership Lessons from Mother Nature
Happiness Habit #5: Make Time for Solitude
We live in a hyper-connected world, but solitude is still sacred. In our team, “me-time” is now considered non-negotiable. Whether it’s sipping coffee mindfully, journaling, meditating, or just staring into space – these moments recharge us.
Our facilitator Antara put it beautifully: “Sometimes, you need to do nothing, so your brain can do everything.”
Taking 30 minutes daily without screens, notifications, or responsibilities can increase clarity, calmness, and creativity.
Corporate Takeaway: Respect personal boundaries. Promote practices like “Focus Hours” or “Mindful Mondays” where meetings are minimized.
Happiness Habit #6: Play Without Purpose
Play is not just for children. From virtual team games to impromptu quizzes during meetings, we’ve made play an integral part of our culture.
We’ve also seen the benefits of encouraging employees to play with pets, paint, cook, or dance. These acts may seem trivial, but the emotional nourishment they provide is substantial.
Neuroscience tells us that play releases endorphins and reduces the perception of pain or stress. In our current workplace reality, we’ve never needed that more.
Corporate Takeaway: Create space for non-goal-oriented fun. It builds psychological resilience and improves collaboration.
Related Reading: 5 Steps for using Experiential Learning with Power of Play
Happiness Habit #7: Become a Lifelong Learner
Growth brings joy. And in our ever-changing world, curiosity is more valuable than certainty.
Some of us have taken up online courses, others learned how to bake sourdough or speak Spanish. One colleague began studying classical Indian dance. The joy wasn’t just in the learning, but in daring to be a beginner again.
We’ve observed that the happiest team members are often those who are actively learning something outside their job scope.
Corporate Takeaway: Encourage cross-functional learning and passion projects. When people grow, so does the organization.
Happiness Habit #8: Savor Joyful Indulgences (Yes, Even Cake!)
Health is important. But so is joy.
In our office, birthdays come with cake—non-negotiable. One teammate calls it her “weekly dose of unadulterated serotonin.” Whether it’s indulging in your favorite dessert, enjoying a lazy Sunday nap, or binging a feel-good show, occasional indulgence is part of sustainable well-being.
Balance is key. It’s not about excess. It’s about permission.
Corporate Takeaway: Recognize the emotional role of food and rest. Normalize joy as part of wellness.
Happiness Habit #9: Laugh Generously, Especially at Yourself
Humor is healing. Some of our team’s most memorable bonding moments happened while watching each other’s bloopers during virtual workshops or poking fun at our own quirks.
Laughter de-escalates tension, fosters vulnerability, and builds camaraderie. In our leadership offsites, we often use improv-based icebreakers that result in uproarious laughter and deeper team connection.
Corporate Takeaway: Humor doesn’t dilute professionalism – it enhances it. Make room for lightness.
Happiness Habit #10: Find Your Moai (Tribe)
In Okinawa, Japan, people form lifelong social groups called Moai – small circles of trusted friends who support each other emotionally and even financially.
In our context, we interpret it as your personal board of cheerleaders. Colleagues, mentors, old friends – the people who remind you who you are when you forget.
We actively encourage team members to build their own workplace Moais. It improves retention, mental health, and engagement.
Corporate Takeaway: Encourage peer mentorship programs and informal circles of trust. Emotional support networks enhance productivity.
Related Reading:How To Curate A Corporate Wellness Training Program?
Final Thoughts: Happiness is a Skill, Not a Stroke of Luck
Through all our work in learning and development, one truth stands out: happier teams are more innovative, resilient, and collaborative. And happiness isn’t elusive. It’s trainable.
Start with one habit. Share this list with your team. Add your own magic to it. As we’ve discovered, when individuals commit to cultivating happiness, entire organizations transform.
We’d love to hear from you. What’s your go-to happiness habit? Join the conversation below or write to us. Let’s keep learning from each other.
Stay curious. Stay kind. Stay joyful.
Related Reading:A 25-day mental wellness journey using microlearning and gamification
