Welcome to the inaugural episode of Office Hours with Arthur Brooks. I’m thrilled to start this podcast with a topic I’ve devoted much of my life to: how we can be truly happier.This episode draws from my new book, The Happiness Files, a collection of essays from my How to Build a Life column in The Atlantic. But more importantly, it’s grounded in science, drawing on a 2020 study where top researchers ranked the most practical and effective ways to get happier.Today I discuss: • The top 5 research-backed ways to improve your well-being• Why investing in your close relationships is the single most powerful thing you can do to be  happier• How joining a club or values-based community can restore your sense of belonging• The link between lifelong learning and growing happiness over time • Why transcending your ego through faith, philosophy, or awe brings clarity and peace• How physical exercise reduces unhappiness (and why that matters more than you think)• Why self-esteem alone won’t make you happy—but understanding your emotions might• The three elements of a real happiness strategy (and how to build your own)• How to move on from heartbreak (and why sad music really does help)• And much more!Since it’s the very first episode, we’d love to hear any feedback you have. Please email us at officehours@arthurbrooks.com. And please leave a review on Apple or Spotify. Thanks for listening! —Where to find Arthur Brooks: • Website: https://arthurbrooks.com/• X: https://x.com/arthurbrooks• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arthurcbrooks/• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ArthurBrooks/• YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCGuyFRjJQFGCKzfHTBvWM6A• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/arthur-c-brooks/• Email: officehours@arthurbrooks.com—Timestamps(00:00) Intro(02:25) Introducing The Happiness Files and “10 Practical Ways to Increase Your Happiness”(07:16) Principle #1: Invest in your relationships(12:20) Principle #2: Join a club(16:26) Principle #3: Be a lifelong learner(20:11) Principle #4: Focus on something bigger than yourself(26:03) Principle #5: Get more physical exercise(29:35) Recap of principles 1–5(30:22) How to craft your own happiness plan(31:44) Strategy #1: Deepen your understanding(32:30) Strategy #2: Practice regularly(32:42) Strategy #3: Crystallize your learning by teaching others(35:06) Q&A: Getting over a breakup and Arthur’s most surprising research finding—• The Happiness Files: Insights on Work and Life: https://www.amazon.com/Happiness-Files-Insights-Arthur-Brooks/dp/B0F4MFQ6VN • Leadership and Happiness course: https://www.hbs.edu/coursecatalog/1885.html• How to Build a Life: https://www.theatlantic.com/projects/how-build-life/• What the Longest Study on Human Happiness Found Is the Key to a Good Life: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/01/harvard-happiness-study-relationships/672753/• Ways to Greater Happiness: A Delphi Study: https://link.springer.com/journal/10902• The Harvard Study of Adult Development: https://www.adultdevelopmentstudy.org/• The Drive with Peter Attia: https://peterattiamd.com/podcast/• Huberman Lab: https://www.hubermanlab.com/podcast• America’s Declining Social Capital: https://psycnet.apa.org/record/1981-25768-001• The Best Friends Can Do Nothing for You: https://www.theatlantic.com/family/archive/2021/04/deep-friendships-aristotle/618529/• Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of American Community: https://www.amazon.com/Bowling-Alone-Collapse-American-Community/dp/0743203046• Daily Stoic: https://dailystoic.com/podcast/• Johann Sebastian Bach: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johann_Sebastian_Bach• Vipassana Meditation: https://www.dhamma.org/• Insight Meditation: https://www.insightmeditation.org/—Production and marketing by ⁠https://penname.co/⁠. For inquiries about sponsoring the podcast, email jordan@penname.co

Hi Friends, I’m Arthur Brooks. I’m a social scientist, a professor at the Harvard Kennedy School and Harvard Business School, and a columnist at The Atlantic. I write, speak, and teach about the science of human happiness. This is a field that blends neuroscience, behavioral science, philosophy, and religion for insights on how all of us can live better, and be happier. This work is more important now than ever. Happiness has been falling, and unhappiness rising, marked by increases in depression, anxiety, loneliness, and polarization. My life’s work aims to address these problems head-on, and turn them into opportunities for growth and learning. I have dedicated the remainder of my life to lifting people up and bringing them together, in bonds of love and happiness, using science and ideas. And that’s the purpose of my show, Office Hours. Each week, I will give you a glimpse into the cutting edge research on happiness, and explore how you can use it right now to improve your life—and share what you learn with those you love. So join me in the movement to build a happier world–starting with you.