Tim Bono

In this highly polarized, post-lockdown world, the college transition can seem especially difficult. WashU happiness expert Tim Bono explains how students can set themselves up for success.

The coronavirus pandemic has led to plenty of uncertainty. Tim Bono, assistant dean in Arts & Sciences and a lecturer in psychological and brain sciences at Washington University in St. Louis, offers tips for managing parts of life that are still under our control.

There is no secret to happiness, but there is a science to it, says Tim Bono, a psychology lecturer in Arts & Sciences who teaches courses on happiness at  Washington University in St. Louis.

Social media has transformed the ways we connect with others. We’re able to get updates and learn information about others faster and easier than ever before. But just like any new development, it can backfire if it’s not used correctly. Let’s take a look at how it often ends up doing more harm than good—and what we can do instead to avoid its potentially damaging effects.

How can we be happier? In a world where stress, anxiety and bad days can easily overtake the good, Washington University happiness expert Tim Bono strives to answer that question in his book, “When Likes Aren’t Enough: A Crash Course in the Science of Happiness.”

As a PhD student, Tim Bono submitted article after article to leading psychology journals and was rejected every single time. “No one thought I was making a substantive contribution,” he said. But that failure led Bono, now an assistant dean, to discover positive psychology, a field he loves to research and teach.

While cynics may scoff at the United Nations’ March 20 observance of International Happiness Day, a positive psychology researcher at Washington University in St. Louis says it’s high time for happiness to be taken seriously.

Wishing family and friends a “Happy New Year” is all well and fine, but if you’re serious about spreading cheer in the New Year, consider passing along more specific advice from a psychologist who studies the science of happiness at Washington University in St. Louis.