Gratitude: A Habit That Helps Improve Productivity

Gratitude

Fostering a positive cycle for personal and professional success

Taking advantage of the fact that today, the day this article is being published, is Thanksgiving in the United States—also celebrated in many other countries—I’ve decided to write about the topic of gratitude and how it helps improve productivity.

Although the dates of celebration vary from one country to another, as does the original "excuse" for giving special thanks on that particular day, the goal remains the same: dedicating a day to conscious gratitude.

In this article, I share information about the relationship between the habit of gratitude and workplace productivity.

Indeed, there are proven connections between cultivating a consistent habit of gratitude and positive impacts on productivity levels and the achievement of goals. It’s clear that gratitude helps improve productivity.

Gratitude is defined as an emotional and mental state in which we feel and show appreciation for a benefit received from sources external to ourselves—a benefit or favor that has been granted to us.

It is a response of appreciation, the emotion of expressing gratitude for what one has.

What’s interesting about this mental and emotional response is that it doesn’t depend on circumstances or blessings received but on your personal choice to be grateful for them. Thus, gratitude can be practiced in both good and bad circumstances since even in the worst conditions, there will always be at least one thing, no matter how small, to be thankful for.

Research shows that gratitude correlates positively with mental health and overall satisfaction with mood. Grateful people experience more joy, love, and enthusiasm.

When you are grateful, you focus more on the good rather than the bad. You focus on abundance rather than scarcity.

Why does the habit of gratitude have positive effects on health?

Scientific studies have demonstrated that practicing gratitude increases dopamine secretion. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter in the nervous system that boosts energy, regulates sleep and attention, aids in functions such as memory and problem-solving, and stabilizes mood.

Thus, as dopamine levels increase, our alertness improves, along with sleep quality. Consequently, our immune system strengthens, and stress and anxiety levels decrease. It’s all about the neurochemistry of our brain.

I hope that now you can see why the habit of gratitude effectively enhances productivity and the success of your business.

If your dopamine levels rise and you respond more positively to daily challenges and demands, your ability to focus your attention improves. This enables you to better concentrate on achieving your objectives.

At the same time, feeling better and more satisfied improves your overall mood, leading to more enthusiastic work and creating a continuous cycle.

Just as depression and anxiety can lead to a negative cycle that drags you down, gratitude and joy can lead to a positive cycle that helps you on your path to success.

Gratitude builds resilience

The habit of gratitude also makes us more resilient. By forcing ourselves to focus on the positive and opportunities rather than the negative and failures, it strengthens our ability to face obstacles, get back up, and start anew when our attempts to achieve goals fall short.

How to make gratitude a habit

Gratitude isn’t always easy to remember, so using reminders can help. Gratitude is a habit that requires practice.

Thanksgiving is a starting point—a day to practice this habit. But to reap the long-term benefits of gratitude, it must be practiced regularly.

Here are some ideas to help you incorporate gratitude into your daily routine. All these suggestions are rooted in two basic elements of the habit:

1. Recognizing the good you have

2. Acknowledging that the source of this goodness is external to you

Ways to cultivate gratitude:

1. Practice mindfulness. Pay constant attention to your daily experiences. Never take blessings, the things you have, or the good things that happen for granted. Even small routines and trivialities deserve your awareness.

2. Write gratitude lists. Many sources recommend this habit because it creates a routine around gratitude. Commit to writing a brief daily list of things you’re thankful for—events, people, achievements, or simple joys. Whether in a notebook, digital document, app, or phone note, the key is consistency.

3. Set gratitude reminders. Use alarms on your phone or watch to remind yourself to find something to be thankful for in that moment, such as an opportunity during a meeting or the food you’re eating.

4. Send thank-you notes. Modern communication makes it easy to express gratitude quickly via email, voice notes, or messages. This habit benefits both you and the recipient, multiplying its positive effects.

5. Reduce complaints. Challenge yourself to go an entire day without complaining—it’ll make it easier to recognize things to be grateful for.

6. Pray. If you’re religious, use prayer as a daily moment to collect and express your gratitude.

My personal journey with gratitude

I often try to express gratitude to those around me, whether at home, work, or in public. However, I haven’t been consistent with a formal gratitude habit. Writing this article has inspired me to commit to it more formally.

While gratitude journals haven’t worked for me before, I’ve started to use my personal Instagram account as a space dedicated exclusively to daily gratitude. And it has helped, since I try to capture in photos the moments, persons and occasions that I’m grateful for. In each one of my posts, I use the hashtag: #grateful.

This is a fascinating topic, and today, I am formally grateful for the opportunity to learn from the research I did to write this post. I also thank everyone reading, following, and engaging with my blog. You motivate me to keep writing —an inspiring project for which I am deeply thankful.

What other ways do you practice gratitude? Do you do it regularly? Have you noticed its benefits? Do you have examples of how gratitude has helped improve your business productivity? Share your experiences in the comments below.