Turn That Smile Upsidedown?

According to a study done by Adam Anderson of the University of Toronto, being in a good mood doesn’t always help you work and focus better. The study showed that happy thoughts stimulated creativity, but if one is doing mundane work then being cranky or sad increases productivity. Anderson compares attention to a beam of a spotlight saying that a good mood broadens that beam and a sad mood and focus the beam of attention.

I found this study interesting because it is counterintuitive. I also often find myself sad or cranky when it comes to doing work. I find it ironic that being in a cranky mood might actually improve my productivity.

http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2006/1218/1