Happiness at work
The idea of being happy at work may seem unconceivable to some people. There is a misconception that all people have to feel miserable at their workplace. The problem is that most people are looking for an external factor that would make them feel good about their work instead of trying to find happiness at work that comes from the inside. People are waiting for someone to do something about their happiness instead of them taking action. If you would like to make a change in your life, read on to find how you can make your own life better.
Ways to be happier at work
1. Address your needs
2. Like your job
3. Take charge of career
4. Power up on knowledge
5. Get feedback
6. Do not overcommit
7. Avoid all negativity
8. Accept challenges
9. Create goals
10. Take breaks
11. Be comfortable
12. Make friends
How to Find Happiness at Work to Increase Your Productivity and Be Joyful Each Morning You Walk through the Door
So, how to be happy at work? What do you have to do in order to achieve a certain level of happiness even at your workplace?
1. You have to know what you want
In order to achieve happiness at work, first you have to want to be happy. You have to choose to be happy and then you will be happy. You may say that this is easier said than done. It is true that it takes some work, but you do want to be happy, right? — In order to get to a good place, you should focus on the positive sides of your job, all the things you like about it and all the things you wanted this job for in the first place. Think about your coworkers you like and that you like hanging out with.
2. There must be something you love about it
The secret to finding happiness at work is to do something you like on a daily basis. You might say that there is nothing you like about your job (except for lunch breaks), but there must be. Just think about yourself, your interests, and your skills. There must be something that got you started in the first place. If you can find that one thing, you can make those work days not only bearable but even pleasant. It is just natural to have bad days at work, but (and a bit of self-pity is acceptable), but you shouldn't let it take over your professional life.
3. Take charge of your professional life
A lot of people say that they aren't happy at work because nobody does anything for their professional development. If you are one of these people, ask yourself: who is the most interested in your development? You, of course. This means that you have to be the one to be in charge of it. If you decide to ask for help from your boss, you have to know exactly what you want from them. Be specific about your needs. Set up professional goals and don't let anyone stop you. If your boss sees that you know what you want, they will offer more support.
4. Knowledge is power
There are a lot of people complaining that they don't really know what is happening at the company they are working at. They don't know about new possibilities or new departments and they wish to be kept in the loop. If you want to find real happiness at work, you should make sure you know what's happening in your surroundings. If you wait for other people to fill you in, it might never happen. The best thing you could do is to develop your information network and use it. For sure you know who the people who know everything in the company are and you just have to talk to them.
5. Ask for feedback
Some people say that they are not happy at work because they don't get feedback and they don't really know how they are doing. The truth is that people always know how they are doing. If they know they are doing fine, they are just seeking recognition from their boss. If they aren't doing so fine, they are looking for guidance. If you still want to receive feedback, you might want to ask for it. No boss was ever mad about am employee asking for their feedback (besides, this will make them feel important). In case you are handling clients, you could talk to them as well.
6. Be careful about the commitments you make
In case you are wondering how to find happiness at work, here is a rule of thumb for you: never make commitments you can't keep. Failing to deliver is one of the major sources of unhappiness at work. In order to avoid situations of this kind you should set up a system that tracks your activity so that you will know at all times whether or not you can take on another commitment. Don't raise your hand if you're not sure you have the time. Also if you believe that the tasks you have exceed your physical time and energy, let your boss know and ask for additional resources.
7. Avoid negativity
If you think finding happiness at work is difficult, most probably your coworkers feel the same way. However, if you are seeking freedom of this vicious circle, you have to make sure you avoid all negativity. This means that you should avoid unhappy people, negative conversations, and gossip. As silly as it may sound, it helps a lot with positivity to sing on your way to work or listen to music that lifts your spirit. This way you will start the day in a good mood and it will be more difficult for the people around you to bring you down.
8. Accept the challenge
If you are looking for ways to be happier, you should find some challenge in your job. As one of the steps to happiness, you will have to find a competitive coworker to compete with. They don't necessarily have to know, this could be your little secret if you think you can't compete with yourself. This way you will be more motivated.
Some people might ask why it matters to be happy at work. Well, since work is something you have to do on a daily basis, most probably you want to enjoy it while you're at it.
9. Create tangible goals
At work you need to have a sense of meaning. The way to create meaning is to have purpose in your work and reason behind everything you do. It should be for a greater purpose than just how it rewards you now. There needs to be intrinsic motivation in order to push you to new heights of productivity. If our job actually has a lasting impact in our community, it makes work an exciting prospect day in and day out. If we had the chance to save the world and make a living doing it, I'm sure anyone would accept that job offer. Employees that know their work has a meaningful impact on others tend to be happier in their line of work than those who don't. Happiness in the workplace comes from intrinsic rather than extrinsic rewards. The best kind of rewards are the kinds you can't see. Those are the kinds that gets us up out of bed early in the morning.
10. Take frequent breaks
Get up and move around. Any activity we spend doing more than one hour needs constant breaks to get your mind on something else. This focuses our attention better when it is time to work. Going for walks and other exercises to get the blood flowing will keep your mind active and more productive. A stationary body leads to a stationary mind. If you sit a lot as part of your job, you are especially prone to burn-out if you don't go outside and take a breather. Another tip is to not stay idle in one position for too long. Take breaks to stand up and stretch to avoid degenerative disease in your muscles.
11. Make yourself at home
Decorate your office space the way you want. Colorful plants, memorable photographs, cute knickknacks are a way to be happy working. Personally, I like keeping my desk clean and free for space in case I ever need it. I also don't like any distractions in places where I spend a lot of time. But it's personal preference. Do whatever makes you comfortable at work. Don't be hesitant to bring things from home that relax your nerves. It really does make a big difference.
12. Make Friends at Work, and Find a Best Friend
People are more productive in a relaxed atmosphere where they are having fun. What better way to do that than by being relaxed and having fun around people you actually enjoy to be with? It can only help. And it's such a rare thing in the workplace these days. At least find one friend that makes work a better place to come to. People are more productive when working together as a unit and moving towards the same goal. Teamwork makes the dream work and things go a lot more smoothly if you and your co-workers trust each other. So make the effort to bond and everyone will work happy and hard. The feeling of being part of a team working together is a lot more worthwhile experience than working by yourself for your own betterment.
