Tracking Happiness with a Researcher Mindset | PERMA Model

My Journey to a Happier Self

Applying Researcher Mindset to Daily Life

Introduction: Context & Goals

<ul><li style='margin-bottom:20px'>Internship is meaningful, but daily life feels repetitive.</li><li style='margin-bottom:20px'>Happiness is present, but not always stable.</li><li style='margin-bottom:20px'>Applying psychology principles to improve daily experience.</li><li style='margin-bottom:20px'><strong>Goal:</strong> Achieve stable happiness through intentional action.</li></ul>

Theoretical Framework

To measure happiness scientifically, I deconstructed it into five core dimensions (PERMA model):

Positive Emotion: Joy, gratitude, serenity.

Engagement: Being in the 'flow', fully absorbed.

Relationships: Connection and social support.

Meaning: Purpose beyond oneself.

Accomplishment: Achieving goals and mastery.

Baseline Happiness (Before Experiment)

<table style='width:100%; border-collapse:collapse; font-size:24px; box-shadow:0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);'><thead style='background-color:#2c3e50; color:white;'><tr style='text-align:left;'><th style='padding:20px;'>Area</th><th style='padding:20px;'>Score</th><th style='padding:20px;'>State (Before)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr style='background-color:#ffffff; border-bottom:1px solid #ecf0f1;'><td style='padding:20px; font-weight:bold;'>Positive Emotion</td><td style='padding:20px;'>6.5</td><td style='padding:20px;'>Depends on routine</td></tr><tr style='background-color:#f8f9fa; border-bottom:1px solid #ecf0f1;'><td style='padding:20px; font-weight:bold;'>Engagement</td><td style='padding:20px;'>6.5</td><td style='padding:20px;'>Focus comes and goes</td></tr><tr style='background-color:#ffffff; border-bottom:1px solid #ecf0f1;'><td style='padding:20px; font-weight:bold;'>Relationships</td><td style='padding:20px;'>6.5</td><td style='padding:20px;'>Social but not deep</td></tr><tr style='background-color:#f8f9fa; border-bottom:1px solid #ecf0f1;'><td style='padding:20px; font-weight:bold;'>Meaning</td><td style='padding:20px;'>7.5</td><td style='padding:20px;'>Feels useful</td></tr><tr style='background-color:#ffffff;'><td style='padding:20px; font-weight:bold;'>Accomplishment</td><td style='padding:20px;'>6.5</td><td style='padding:20px;'>Progress unclear</td></tr></tbody></table><p style='margin-top:30px; font-size:24px; color:#c0392b; font-weight:bold;'>Summary: Happiness exists but is unstable.</p>

Baseline Score Visualization

The visualization reveals that 'Meaning' is the strongest anchor, while other areas average around 6.5, indicating room for significant improvement in daily emotional regulation.

Happiness Experiment: What I Did

<table style='width:100%; border-collapse:collapse; font-size:24px; box-shadow:0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);'><thead style='background-color:#2980b9; color:white;'><tr style='text-align:left;'><th style='padding:20px;'>Area</th><th style='padding:20px;'>Actions (Intervention)</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr style='background-color:#ffffff; border-bottom:1px solid #bdc3c7;'><td style='padding:20px; font-weight:bold;'>Positive Emotion</td><td style='padding:20px;'>Mindful lunch breaks, savoring good food</td></tr><tr style='background-color:#eaf2f8; border-bottom:1px solid #bdc3c7;'><td style='padding:20px; font-weight:bold;'>Engagement</td><td style='padding:20px;'>'SO101' robot play & customization</td></tr><tr style='background-color:#ffffff; border-bottom:1px solid #bdc3c7;'><td style='padding:20px; font-weight:bold;'>Relationships</td><td style='padding:20px;'>Active lunch with friends</td></tr><tr style='background-color:#eaf2f8; border-bottom:1px solid #bdc3c7;'><td style='padding:20px; font-weight:bold;'>Meaning</td><td style='padding:20px;'>Exploring future internship direction</td></tr><tr style='background-color:#ffffff;'><td style='padding:20px; font-weight:bold;'>Accomplishment</td><td style='padding:20px;'>Scheduled basketball practice</td></tr></tbody></table><p style='margin-top:30px; font-size:24px; color:#27ae60; font-weight:bold;'>Strategy: Small, consistent actions done daily.</p>

Action in Focus: Basketball & Robot Play

Results: Before and After

<table style='width:100%; border-collapse:collapse; font-size:26px; box-shadow:0 4px 6px rgba(0,0,0,0.1);'><thead style='background-color:#27ae60; color:white;'><tr style='text-align:left;'><th style='padding:25px;'>Aspect</th><th style='padding:25px;'>Before</th><th style='padding:25px;'>After</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr style='background-color:#ffffff; border-bottom:1px solid #bdc3c7;'><td style='padding:25px; font-weight:bold;'>Mood</td><td style='padding:25px; color:#e74c3c;'>Unstable</td><td style='padding:25px; color:#27ae60; font-weight:bold;'>More stable</td></tr><tr style='background-color:#eafaf1; border-bottom:1px solid #bdc3c7;'><td style='padding:25px; font-weight:bold;'>Focus</td><td style='padding:25px; color:#e74c3c;'>Sometimes</td><td style='padding:25px; color:#27ae60; font-weight:bold;'>Often</td></tr><tr style='background-color:#ffffff; border-bottom:1px solid #bdc3c7;'><td style='padding:25px; font-weight:bold;'>Stress</td><td style='padding:25px; color:#e74c3c;'>Hard to recover</td><td style='padding:25px; color:#27ae60; font-weight:bold;'>Recover faster</td></tr><tr style='background-color:#eafaf1;'><td style='padding:25px; font-weight:bold;'>Joy</td><td style='padding:25px; color:#e74c3c;'>Easy to miss</td><td style='padding:25px; color:#27ae60; font-weight:bold;'>Easy to notice</td></tr></tbody></table><p style='margin-top:30px; font-size:24px; color:#2c3e50;'>Key drivers: Nature context, quality food, and physical sports.</p>

Quantitative Impact

The qualitative feeling of 'stability' is reflected in the scores. Engagement saw the highest leap due to the introduction of novel stimuli (robotics) and sports.

Reflection & Takeaway

Outcome: Happiness became more stable and less dependent on external validation.

Awareness: Engagement increased daily; I started noticing small moments of joy.

Barriers: Physical tiredness and lack of time were the main challenges.

Key Takeaway: Small habits work. Consistency > Intensity.