Happiness at work.
There’s something unimaginable about the above phrase because of the sheer picture it presents to us. How can someone be happy while working? Where on this planet does it happen?
People don’t necessarily hate their jobs or offices but neither are they in absolute love with them. If we put ourselves in their shoes and go through this psychological battle with overwhelming stress and cut-throat competition, we would understand how difficult it has become to be
#1. Start your day on a good note
Let’s start with the basics. How you start your day will eventually set the mood for the entire day. To find out how start-of-workday mood plays out in the real world, a group of researchers analyzed the moods and performance of full-time customer service representatives in a call center over several weeks. The findings were something like this. Those who were in a good mood in the morning were more productive and had positive interactions with customers than those who had a rough morning.
Make it a point to do something in the morning that makes you feel good. Now this will differ as each one of you, needless to say, is different and different things induce different emotions for us. Some like to settle down in peace whereas tapping their feet to rock music would work for some.
#2. Surround yourself with happy employees
Happiness is contagious. It spreads like a wildfire in a forest. The easiest way to make yourself happy is to surround yourself with people who create their own happiness and share it freely. At times, we start our day on a neutral note but as soon as it progresses, it takes the path of irritability for no reason as such. I’ll tell you why it happens – our environs that majorly include our co-workers.
I’m sure we all have frustrated and angry co-workers that suck all the energy and positivity to fill it with undesired angst and annoyance. Isn’t it refreshing to see someone who is willing to see good in everything? That’s the kind of people you need to surround yourself with. The kind of co-workers who lift your spirits. If you can’t find someone like that in the office, become one!
#3. Look for opportunities for growth instead of failure
So often at a workplace, we look at situations not as opportunities but as a what-if-I-fail. We are putting too much of energy into protecting ourselves to be not given a responsibility. As a result, we hinder our growth and end up becoming professionally unsatisfied. This dissatisfaction is often the reason for our unproductivity and unhappiness at work.
Every day there are so many new projects coming up in the workplace. See these projects as opportunities for your growth. Don’t let them go away because of the the fear of failure. There’s always something new that could be done and learned. Take joy and make the most of such opportunities because if you put yourself in the same routine, you’ll always end up draining your energy and be unhappy.
#4. Take a breather
There’s a lot of competition these days amongst organizations to stand out from the rest. The humongous workload takes a toll on employees. Employees typically tend to assume that if you are at your desk that means you are doing your job and working. As human beings, it’s impossible to be hundred percent focused eight hours a day five times a week. Thus, taking small breaks to stay focused is critical to maintaining your focus and happiness levels at work.
Take a conscious breather when you get low on energy and need to distance yourself from the work – physically and mentally. Go for a quiet walk to relax, reduce stress, and give yourself some time to ease up. Watch a TED talk or listen to something soothing to relax and refuel your energy.
#5. Eat for happiness
The food you put inside your body can be a friend or a foe, depending on what its inherent nature. Elizabeth Somer, food expert and author of Food & Mood and Eat Your Way to Happiness confirms, “What we’re putting into our bodies has a profound impact on our emotions and can make a big difference in our energy levels and attitude.”
Excessive sugar intake and processed foods are more likely to make you irritable and anxious. Ditch those vending machines and office canteens for lunches and evening snacks. Switch to those healthy foods such as yogurts, berries, bananas, salads and more. Don’t forget to hydrate yourself every hour because most of us aren’t drinking as much water as we should be. The next time you’re feeling blue, anxious, or a little off, you might need to take a look at what you’ve been eating and drinking all day long.
Wrapping up
In your pursuit of happiness at the workplace, think and do good to others as happiness in the workplace is easy when goodwill is abundant. Give someone a compliment for a job well done and avoid indulging in office-politics. Create happiness for your co-workers. Surround yourself with a circle of positive and happy individuals at the office. As Dalai Lama said good things happen to those who act on them. Try some of the above-mentioned ways and put yourself in a happier position ASAP.
