Positive acts shown to lift mood, alleviate depressive feelings

Monday, 08 August 2011 16:00

News - Workplace Stress

User Rating: / 0
PoorBest 

It's often been said that random acts of kindness can help spread good karma. Now, researchers at the University of California, Riverside reported that positive activities can also improve mental health.

In a study, a team of scientists found that individuals who performed positive activity intervention, which included staying optimistic and focusing on personal strengths throughout the day, were effective in alleviating their symptoms of depression.

"Because it is in many ways common sense, it is all the more important to have scientific validation and more low-cost highly effective means to help people submerged in the sea of depression," said Kim A. Jobst, editor of the Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine.

Results of this study suggest that stress management through positive means may be effective in lifting an employee's spirits. Authors of the study said that such wellness-promoting interventions may help individuals eliminate their need for certain pharmaceuticals.

Since feelings of sadness or anxiety can often interfere with employee performance, the findings underscore the importance of employee wellness programs that focus on reducing workplace stress and promoting a healthy staff.