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www.happingineering.com

Publisher: tredition GmbH, Halenreie 40-44, 22359 Hamburg, Germany

Photography: Cover image used under license from Shutterstock.com Kieferpix Photography / Shutterstock.com

ISBN

Paperback: 978-3-347-01002-4

Hardcover: 978-3-347-01003-1

eBook: 978-3-347-01004-8

Printed on demand in many countries.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain other noncommercial uses permitted by copyright law. For permission requests, write to the publisher.

Trade marks

The trademark HAPPINGINEERING © is a registered trademark belonging to the author; he does not give any permission for the use of this trademark and such use may constitute an infringement of his rights. The third party registered and unregistered trademarks and service marks that feature in this book are the property of their respective owners and, unless stated otherwise in this disclaimer, we do not endorse and are not affiliated with any of the holders of any such rights and as such we cannot grant any licence to exercise such rights.

No advice

The book contains information about 1. social relationships, 2. health and well-being, 3. education, personal, and professional development, 4. finances, and 5. hobbies & leisure. The information, suggestions, or tips of any kind whatsoever contained or expressed in this book are non-personal from the author to you and are not relating to any kind of personal or specific situation you are in; in no case shall these be construed or understood as professional advice. You must not rely on the information in the book as an alternative to medical (including psychological), financial, educational or legal advice from an appropriately qualified professional. If you have any specific questions about any such matter, you shall consult an appropriately qualified professional. You should never delay seeking any of the above advice from a competent professional, disregard such advice, or commence or discontinue any related action because of any information or suggestion in this book.

Limited warranties

Whilst the author endeavours to ensure that the information in this book is correct, he does not warrant or represent its completeness or accuracy. The information contained in this book are - to the best of the author’s knowledge - up to date as of the year of the 1. edition 2020. Where reference is made to third party apps, software, external links to third party websites, or services of any kind, the author does not assume any liability for the content or the use of the same. The author does not warrant or represent that the use of this book will lead to any particular outcome or result. To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, the author excludes and limits his liability relating to the information provided in this book and the use of this book.

PREFACE

Part 1: GETTING PREPARED

Introduction

#1 A Journey of a Thousand Miles

#2 Be Honest with Yourself: No Excuses!

#3 A Personal Heat-Map: Color-Coded Self-Reflection

#4 A Mission Statement: All Goals at a Glance

#5 Write a Letter to Your Future Self

#6 Optimism: The Key Factor for Success

#7 Build your Success on Solid Ground

#8 Sustainability

#9 The “You” Business

#10 Carpe Diem: Give Your Best Every Single Day

#11 Your Attitude Toward Change

#12 Dealing with Envy

#13 Become Your Best Self as You Age

Part 2A: SOCIAL RELATIONSHIPS

Introduction

#14 Connect Beyond Your Virtual Network

#15 Be Honest and Reliable

#16 Saying Sorry: It’s Never Too Late to Fix Regrets

#17 Find Peace of Mind by Getting Rid of Grudges

#18 Avoid Toxic Relationships

#19 Finish the Day Peacefully

#20 Be a Role Model

#21 Make a Difference for the Better

#22 Use the Power of Modesty

#23 Actively Show Gratitude

#24 Aim for Win-Win Situations

#25 Unplug for Quality Time with Your Family

#26 Manage your Family Appointments Electronically

#27 Leave a Legacy for Once You’re Gone

#28 Understand the Power of Love

#29 What If Today Was My Last?

Part 2B: HEALTH AND WELL-BEING

Introduction

#30 Give Up Victimhood

#31 Rely on Yourself and Your Self-Esteem

#32 Learn How to Say No

#33 Reduce the Complexity in Your Life

#34 Clean Out All the Clutter

#35 Make Yourself Comfortable at Home and at Work

#36 Systematically Eliminate Time and Energy Wasters

#37 Stop Feeling Rushed: Ditch Your Wristwatch

#38 Mindfulness Comes in Many Different Flavors

#39 Use Solitude to Maximize Your Consciousness

#40 The Importance of Having Rituals

#41 Set Nutritional Ground Rules

#42 Make Time for Regular Physical Activity

#43 Use the Stairs, Not the Elevator

#44 Exchange Your Desk Chair for a Gymnastic Ball

#45 Recharge your Batteries

#46 Reward Yourself

#47 Motivation: Have Something to Look Forward to

#48 Enjoy When Everything is on Track

#49 Escape Technology and Go Offline

#50 Escape the City and Immerse in Nature

#51 Accept What Cannot Be Changed

Part 2C: EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT

Introduction

#52 Find Your Professional Niche

#53 Maintain Your Work-Life Balance

#54 The Importance of Lifelong Learning

#55 Stay Efficiently Informed

#56 Read It Later: Offline Reading

#57 The Importance of Focused Reading

#58 Write Your Own Summaries

#59 Make the Best of Meetings

#60 Practice Active Listening

#61 Feedback: Request It Today

#62 Strive for International Experience

#63 Beware of Perfectionism

#64 Your Personal Elevator Pitch

#65 See Opportunities in Failures and Setbacks

Part 2D: FINANCIAL SITUATION

Introduction

#66 Spend Less Than You Earn

#67 Save Immediately When You Get Your Paycheck

#68 Manage your Debts

#69 Create a Financial Asset Inventory

#70 Regularly Review Your Financial Commitments

#71 Remember That Less Is More

#72 Plan Ahead to Get Good Value Deals

#73 Make Smart Investments

#74 Wait for the Right Opportunity to Invest

#75 Earn Passive Income

Part 2E: HOBBIES AND LEISURE

Introduction

#76 Let Your Hobbies Balance Your Life

#77 What Did You Enjoy When You Were Young?

#78 Creativity: Discover Your Hidden Talents

#79 Start Learning a Foreign Language Today

#80 Choose to Travel Off the Beaten Track

Part 3: PRODUCTIVITY

Introduction

#81 Be an Early Bird

#82 The To-Do List: Your Constant Companion

#83 Align your Decisions with Your Priorities

#84 No Multitasking: One Task at a Time

#85 Always Know What’s Next

#86 Get It Done Step by Step

#87 Achieve Your Goals by Habits

#88 Continuity and Endurance

#89 Synergy: Combine Your Skills

#90 Innovation and Optimization

#91 Working Smarter, not Harder

#92 Batch Recurring Tasks

#93 Do Yourself a Favor by Outsourcing

#94 Delegate Efficiently

#95 The Purposeful Use of Your Idle Time

#96 Make the Best of Your Commute Time

#97 Dictation: The Goodness of Voice-to-Text

#98 Avoid the Peaks

#99 Allocate Time to Every Task

#100 Develop a Sense of Urgency

CONCLUDING REMARKS

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

PREFACE

Happiness. Happiness means different things to different people. What is it that makes you happy? Have you ever been truly happy? If so what would it take to make you happy (again)? And, now that you’re about to start reading HAPPINGINEERING, are you happy right now? As often our own mind is the worst obstacle between us and happiness, know this: happiness is a choice.

The concept behind this book is pretty simple and much of its content is based on common sense. Nevertheless, even if you will only put a few of the tips in this book into practice — particularly in the areas of your life where there is most room for improvement — you will experience a dramatic increase in the quality of life. Used with an adequate level of commitment and endurance, this book will be your powerful and transformative companion.

Think of life as resting on five pillars: 1. your social relationships, 2. your health and well-being, 3. your education, personal and professional development, 4. your financial situation, and 5. your hobbies & leisure. Life will only be happy, fulfilled, and sustainable, if none of these pillars is being neglected, if all of them are being maintained adequately.

To build and maintain these five pillars, not only do you have to do the right things, you also have to be productive and efficient; otherwise, your time at disposition will hardly ever be enough.

This book contains 100 “handpicked” tips grouped and listed in the order you will need them along the way toward happiness: for getting prepared, i.e., to define where you are right now, where you want to go and to establish the respective attitude (Part 1); for building, improving or maintaining the five pillars of your life (Part 2); and for applying selected productivity tips so you can make it all happen (Part 3).

First, familiarize yourself with the concepts of Part 1 (there’s some homework involved here) and dedicate some undisturbed time to getting a clear picture of yourself and your life. Next, pick a few tips that matter most to you from Part 2, i.e., the ones that may have the most profound positive impact on your life. Start small to eventually turn them into integral habits that feel natural and align with your goals and overall direction in life. Finally, increase your productivity to sustainably maintain your multifaceted lifestyle.

You will be equipped with the mind-set and tools to engineer a happy and fulfilled life based on sustainability and productivity — you will be taught HAPPINGINEERING. It’s an invitation to reflect more on what you do, how you do it, and, to actually DO IT.