National Random Acts of Kindness Week
National Random Acts of Kindness Week is coming up, February 12th -18th. There are some extreme benefits that come from being kind to others. A study conducted by the University of British Columbia found that, “doing nice things for people led to a significant increase in people’s positive moods. It also led to an increase in relationship satisfaction and a decrease in social avoidance” (Castillo, 2012). If everyone in the workplace has a positive mood then this could lead to happier employees that are more productive.
February is also American Heart Month. David R. Hamilton’s new book The Five Side Effects of Kindness explains how being kind is good for the heart. When we are kind to one another our oxytocin levels increase, which causes nitric oxide to also be produced. The increase of both of these molecules acts on the heart and the arteries to keep them healthy (Hamilton, 2017). Keeping your heart healthy is extremely important and being kind can help you with that. Kindness will form a better sense of community in the workplace by bringing positive energy, which could also lead to making the workplace more enjoyable. Here are some suggestions of Random Acts of Kindness in the workplace…
- Hold the door/elevator for someone
- Invite someone new to lunch
- Compliment a co-worker
- Buy someone’s lunch behind you in line
- Bring a healthy snack for your coworkers
Take the pledge to become a Random Acts of Kindness Activist https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/become-a-raktivist
Whether it is a co-worker, a stranger, or a family member, make an effort to be kind today; you never know who could need it! Kindness can be contagious so do not be afraid to start the movement.
Here are some additional resources that could be used for Random Acts of Kindness Week:
https://www.randomactsofkindness.org/the-kindness-blog/2930-10-worldkindnessday-ideas-for-the-office
http://www.hrzone.com/lead/culture/kindness-connection-important-values-in-the-workplace