Science-based online exercises to boost personal well-being
Got 15 minutes a day to become a happier and more compassionate person? There's now a website for that.
Greater Good in Action (GGIA), an exciting new online resource is now live, offering dozens of science-based exercises to boost personal well-being. The site is a project of the world-renowned Greater Good Science Center (GGSC) at UC Berkeley, in collaboration with HopeLab.
GGIA builds on the premise—backed up by cutting-edge research—that happiness, resilience, and kindness are skills that can be taught and developed over time.
To launch this groundbreaking project, the GGSC synthesized hundreds of scientific studies that point to the best methods for developing positive skills such as gratitude, mindfulness, and empathy. With the launch of GGIA, the GGSC has put these skills at readers' fingertips in a format that's easy to navigate and digest.
"More and more, our readers have been telling us that they understand why these skills are worth developing—now they want more guidance for how to develop them," says Jason Marsh, the GGSC's editor in chief and director of programs. "That's where Greater Good in Action comes in."
Each of the exercises—or "practices"—on the site is broken down into step-by-step instructions, with references to studies that suggest why and how the practice works. The practices are also labeled by difficulty level—casual, moderate, or intensive. Some take just five minutes to complete.
These practices are meant to benefit those who want to improve their social and emotional well-being—or want to help their kids, students, patients, or employees improve their well-being—but don't have the time or money to invest in a formal program.
To design the intuitive, user-friendly GGIA online experience, the GGSC partnered with HopeLab, a health-focused R&D organization that creates tech products to help people flourish.
"Translating insights from research into easy-to-use tools people can use in everyday life is challenging," says Fred Dillon, director of product development at HopeLab. "Greater Good in Action is an example of how researchers and designers can collaborate to create technology that empowers us all to live more healthy and fulfilling lives. We're thrilled to be part of the Greater Good in Action project."
