INTERVIEW WITH AMY BLANKSON, speaker and best-selling author OF The Future of Happiness

Q: How did you become interested in productivity and happiness surrounding technology?

A: My brother, Shawn Achor, was at Harvard when they started the class called “The Science of Happiness”. It was a new field and Harvard predicted that somewhere around 40 students would show up to the class. To their surprise, 400 students showed up! There were so many people who wanted to be part of the conversation. Harvard soon learned that 80% of students experienced work-debilitating depression at least once during their time at Harvard. This realization motivated them to start paying more attention to these issues and the overall atmosphere on campus.

 I have always considered research to be important. The positive psychology angle, though, looked at psychology from a whole new perspective. Positive psychology looks at people who are above the baseline for happiness and asks “what helps them?”, “how did they get up there?” and “how do they stay up there?”. It teaches that if you want to be your happiest self, you have to aim higher, above the average person. 

 I’ve noticed in the last five years or so that many people are more worried about technology than change. People are scared, specifically, of the speed of technology. Following this realization, I decided to write a book about how technology and happiness intersect. 

Q: In the last year or so, I have read many articles that say teenagers and young adults (especially young women) are reporting higher levels of anxiety and depression. How do you believe social media, specifically, has impacted mental health, especially with my generation?

A: It’s not social media causing anxiety and depression but rather how we’re using social media. Social media allows us to connect with many people both within our intimate social circle and outside of it. However, most of the connections we form through social media are weak ties, meaning that we are connecting with people we don’t really know. These weak ties actually lead to more depression and do not increase our happiness. Instead, we need to leverage social media to strengthen our already-strong ties. This will lead to stronger connections, more productivity, and an increase in happiness. 

Q: What are you currently researching? What are some results that have surprised you? 

A: I am currently working on a project inspired by teenagers and technology. I am looking at how people are perceived by others when they have a smartphone in their hands. My initial hypothesis is that when individuals have a laptop or phone in front of them at a meeting, the perception of their being confident or productive decreases significantly. I believe people are looked down upon simply for holding technology. Through my research, I want to demonstrate that technology can shape your image and change alter the ways in which other perceive you.

Q: If you could offer one piece of advice to a high school student, what would it be and why?

A: If I could offer a piece of advice to a high school student, I would say that it’s important to set your intentions about how you want to interact with technology. Ask yourself questions. Why do you use it? When do you want to use it? Where do you want to use it?

I would also encourage high schoolers to use data and conversation to inspire themselves. Use screen time, the app, to help maintain your set intentions.

Q: What’s a book you’ve read recently that opened your mind to new concepts around psychology or something else? 

A:  One book that I recently read is Tasha Eurich’s Insight: The Surprising Truth About How Others See Us, How We See Ourselves, and Why the Answers Matter More Than We Think.

The book is about learning how to develop self-awareness and use it to become more fulfilled, confident and successful.