Happiness is the key to anything. Albert Schweitzer said it is the key to success. What does it mean to be happy? What is the meaning of happiness? Being happy is being blessed; it is having joy in your heart. Attaining happiness may seem to be easy for few, but at work, it is tough to achieve happiness. According to Forbes, most Americans were unhappy at work. And according to Gallup’s World Poll on June 2017, only 15% worldwide are engaged employees and many people hate their job especially their boss. Susan Adams, a Senior Editor of Forbes, mentioned in her article Unhappy Employees Outnumber Happy Ones By Two To One Worldwide that work is more often a source of frustration than one of fulfillment for nearly 90% of the world’s workers.
Is it necessary to be happy at work by the way? Why is it vital to be happy at work? When you are happy, you are more productive. The author of The Happiness Advantage, Shawn Anchor has found that the brain works much better when a person is feeling positive. Happiness can grow your success, as it is the main key to success. Happiness reduces stress as well. When you are happy at work, then you have a balanced and healthy life.
Whether you love your job or not, anyone is bound to have good times, bad times, or stress at work. Having a bad day at work that causes anything is normal and common to all employees. Some drag their feet in going to work because they are no longer happy but they have to work. I experienced that many times from my previous jobs. However, that does not mean that your entire life at work will be stressful and miserable. There are several ways to achieve and maintain happiness at work, here are some of them.
1. Do What You Love
The best way to be happy at work is to do what you love, do what you are passionate about. Having a job that you love is a blessing. If you love what you do, you will enjoy every single moment at work and every single thing you do at work. There are times that you will be stressed but because you love your job, specifically what you do, you can overcome easily. And on the other hand, if you don’t enjoy what you do you will get tired and bored easily. No matter how much you earn, if you don’t love what you do, you will still feel empty inside. Aristotle said, “Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work”. Hence, it is advisable to apply for a job that you think you will enjoy and love for you to be happy at work. However, not many have a choice and given a chance to have a job that they love. If that is the case, then find something in your current job that you may find interesting to do, something that you will enjoy, and as time goes by, your job may not seem bad and you will start to find happiness in it.
2. Leave Your Personal Problems at Home
Personal life should be separated from work however, there are times that your productivity at work will be affected because of personal problems. When you leave home, make sure to leave your personal life behind specifically your personal problems. Do not let yourself be pre-occupied with your personal issues so that you can focus at work and have all the chances to enjoy work, be happy at work, and then productivity and effectivity will follow.
3. Choose to Be Happy
You are responsible for your day and so you are responsible for what you will feel. No matter the circumstances is, choose to be happy. As James 1:2 said, “Count it all joy when you meet trials of various kinds.” Whatever the situation is, shake it off, get over it, and be happy. Being happy is a decision that can be done by you alone. Aristotle also said, “Happiness depends upon ourselves”. It may be difficult but deciding to be happy is a choice that will benefit you the most, so chill and be happy!
4. Think Positive and Avoid Negativity
To be happy and maintain happiness at work, try to be positive in every situation. Work is not always smooth-sailing, the truth is, most of the time there are several obstacles in being happy at work. In times like these, do not focus on problems but find a way to solve them. When your boss gave you negative feedback, don’t take it personally but take it as a challenge then improve yourself. Have a positive mindset and don’t let anything and anyone bring you down. Another means to be happy at work is to avoid negative conversations, gossip, conflicts, and unhappy people as much as possible. Being with unhappy people, people that always complain, and bitter will greatly affect your positivity; so, avoid them and do not get yourself involve with these kinds of people.
5. Make Good Friends
According to a Gallup Poll, employees who report having a best friend at work were 43% more likely to report having received praise or recognition for their work in the last seven days; some percentages wherein a best friend at work encourages their development, has talked to them about their progress, opinions seem to count at work, and have the opportunity to do what they do best every day. And a Relationships @Work study done by LinkedIn in 2014, revealed that 46% of professionals worldwide believe that work friends are important to their overall happiness.
Having fun with your coworkers is a trait of a happy and enjoying work experience. Learn to mingle and get to know your coworkers. Join them on a coffee break at work or during lunchtime and enjoy each moment with them. These people will be your source of happiness, they will also be your support system and comfort at work. Start sharing and caring and gain great friends that you’ll never know that you will keep for life. And what is more precious is, you are also their source of joy, support, and comfort.
6. Be Professional and Keep Your Commitments
Professionalism is a trait that workers or employees must-have. You can never control what would be coming, we all experience bad days sometimes. No matter what and how the situation is, you have to practice professionalism at work. You may have complaints with your boss, coworkers, or anyone but don’t let that get in the way of being happy and never take out your bad mood on to other people. Do what you are asked to do no matter what your mood is and get them done on time. Do not commit to things that you cannot accomplish in able for you to keep your commitments. Being not able to do your commitments can cause conflicts and problems that will lead you to stress instead of happiness.
7. Be Appreciative and Learn to Be Grateful
Gratitude is one of the most important fundamentals of joy or happiness. Gratitude gives you a better perspective on life. Ungrateful people are the most miserable ones because these are people who always complain, murmur, swear, or cuss. The secret of happiness is having a grateful heart. Being grateful is an indication of content and a blessed life. If you receive less than what you expect, don’t complain but be grateful. When things do not go your way, learn to let go, move on, and be grateful. As they always say, everything happens for a reason. Have faith that everything will be ok and God is in control of everything even in that area of your life. Treat each day and each moment a blessing and you will be the happiest person on earth.
8. Decorate Your Workstation and Be Organized
You are spending at least 8 hours in your office a day, 5 to 6 days a week. Your workstation plays an important impact on your mood because it is where you spend most of your office time with. Decorate your desk with something that inspires you and makes you smile like pictures of your loved ones, some stuff of your favorite color, indoor plants, and other things. An organized and well-decorated desk or workstation brings good vibes and uplifts mood. A great workstation can also motivate you to work with a smile in your face and joy in your heart.
9. Reward Yourself
Reward yourself once in a while and indulge yourself with something that will make you happy. We all deserve a good break, a good treat, and good things from ourselves after an accomplished or completed work or project. Fine time to treat yourself dinner or lunch, buy something you love, it may be a bag, purse, dress, or anything that will remind you of the fruit of your labor and hard work. Having this remembrance will push you to do better, work harder, and enjoy work.
10. Engage and Get Involved in Your Company Events and Fun Activities
Enjoying and having fun at work is another key to happiness. Do not hold back from joining your company events and fun activities. Team building, company outing, company celebrations are a few of the events held by every company to boost their employees’ morale and a chance to unwind and enjoy. Engage and get involved with games, contests, and other activities and do not deprive yourself of a chance to be relaxed and happy.
These ways to a happy life at work may be effective if you learn to apply each of them. However, they may not also work for some or there are some that works but not all. Struggles and problems may come and go in everyone’s life what is more important is being grateful in everything, it may be bad or good. Being grateful is the number one key to happiness not only at work but even in life itself. It may sound crazy and hard but we have to rejoice in whatever situation we are in. As Romans 5 said, “We rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope”.
Being happy will still depend on you. Your mood should not depend on the situation or circumstance; your mood will depend on how you will react in every situation or circumstance. It is a matter of choice and how you are determined to be happy. Only you can change and uplift your mood, not anyone and anything around you. It will still depend on your decision; on your choice whether you choose to be affected or to be happy.
Then again, when everything fails and you can’t still find happiness at work, that is the time that you need to reflect. Maybe this is the time that you need to reevaluate yourself on how you are doing at work, reevaluate your job, your coworkers, your boss, and the company. As what others usually say, it is not the work that makes employees quit, it may be a coworker and most of the time, it’s the boss. Maybe it is the time for you to search for another job, a job that really makes you happy; a company that will make you feel you belong and gives importance and care to its employees, a leader (not a boss) that sees your worth and motivates you to do better.
If you are tired of trying to be happy at work especially when you already did your best and tried everything, then it is ok to rest and then start looking for a job that will help you start anew. Resting then starting afresh does not mean giving up, it means trying, persevering, it is actually pressing on towards your goals and to the road of happiness, a joyful and balanced work-life experience.
If you have other tips and ways to be happy at work, feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
Written by: Abegail Galang
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