Research Hit: Just One Week of Micro-Acts of Kindness Improves Wellbeing

Small acts of “micro-joy” over only one week saw significant improvements in multiple wellbeing ratings

You have a major focus on wellbeing with your SCOAP model don’t you?

Yes, indeed SCOAP is a general model but focuses on “big-ticket” items and this research just out fascinated me because it focuses on small interventions.

Micro interventions can have surprisingly large effects in multiple areas in life and business. For example, small breaks allow your brain to consolidate information and learn better, micro learning interventions are similarly effective because the brain can process the information without getting tired, even micro-bouts of exercise (e.g. doing a few bodyweight squats very hour or so) have been shown to be effective in improving physical health.

What was this research?

This was an impressively large-scale study tracking 17’598 people from 169 different countries and territories with on online project. In this participants were encouraged to engage in 5–10 minute micro acts of joy for 7 days only. They self-reported on their activities and on various ratings of their own wellbeing.