How To Make Work Interesting

Unexpected rewards give you hikes in your brain's dopamine, making you happier.

When you work on X, you get predictable results; when you get predictable results:

• You: I SO BORED I SO BORED

Well, you don't need to be so bored. HI FIVE 2 YA

Just try this:

• Tackle new problems everyday; the unexpected results/rewards you'll get from tackling a variety of problems gives you hikes in your dopamine, boosting your happiness levels with your work.

Managers + Work

Managers can make work TEH SUK when they assign the same, repetitive tasks each and everyday; since their workers know what to expect, work becomes boring boring boring.

BUT WE NEED PREDICTABILITY!

But get this:

• A kid plays Tetris over-and-over-and-over-and-over.

He does so because for every game that he plays, he doesn't know what scores he'll get; the game gives him unexpected rewards if he gets a high score, boosting his dopamine, making him get his jolts of happiness.

• Similarly, say if you make a game for a waitress/waiter (e.g., try to beat the % of tips you get from your orders; keep leader board, etc., etc.), work becomes FUN.

Does the waitress/waiter know what to expect today? OH NO. The unexpected rewards she'll start to get boosts her happiness juices, and increases her morale about work.

FUN.

The unexpected.

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