At a symposium held in June at the Harvard Kennedy School, leading experts in the fields of psychology and behavioral economics were brought together to discuss the science of well-being. Across three days, the speakers and panelists covered how to create a happiness curriculum for universities, discussed the benefits of spirituality, and explored what we get wrong about well-being.
The list of speakers included Robert Waldinger, MD, Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School and the director of the 86-year-old Harvard Study of Adult Development. His research indicates that for happiness, addressing the basic needs of food, shelter, healthcare — is critical for happiness, but also underscores the importance of human connection. Financially, those who make $75,000-$96,000 in the U.S. are happiest, but he notes that “once you get beyond having your basic needs met, you can make millions, and you’re not much happier.”
How leaders find happiness — and teach it (The Harvard Gazette)
