Are you happy at work? It’s a question most of us have asked ourselves at one point in our careers, and for many people, the answer is often ‘no’.
While factors like your career path or your environment may have a greater impact on how you feel about work, there are a few things you can do to bring a little more happiness into your work day.
1. Smile
Smiling is infectious. It’s something we do when we feel happy but it can also help to make us and the people around us feel happy. Make the effort to smile as you walk in first thing in the morning and you can feed off that positivity for the rest of the day.
2. Remember what you are working towards
The key to being happy at work is realising that your job matters. Nobody wants to feel like their job doesn’t really make any difference. Take the time to find the meaning in your job, however insignificant that might seem at first. If you understand the importance of your job, and every job is important in one way or another, you will be happier doing it. You might even find that you do better work too.
3. Be Social – Take time to get to know your co workers
We spend most of our time in work and we are social creatures. It only makes sense that you get to know your colleagues. Get involved in out of office ours social events or make sure you make the next group lunch. We are all happier when we are surrounded by people that we are comfortable with, so get to know your colleagues. It’s guaranteed to make your work day happier.
4. Exercise
If you spend most of your time at work sitting down it’s not just your muscles that suffer. Being stuck in one place can be emotionally draining, while moving around and exercising can actually make you feel happy. Get some fresh air at lunch or take a walk around the office to loosen your muscles, clear your head and give yourself a little refresh. You could take it a step further and go for a run or visit the gym before work or at lunch.
5. This is my desk, there are many like it but this one is mine
Try to make your work space a happy place for you. Every company has different policies but they all allow for some customisation. I have my own picture as my computer login so as soon as I log in it’s like my own computer. Even my little desk calendar was a gift from friends and makes my desk even more mine. These are all little things that bring a smile to your face and can make work feel more like home! During the day take the time to savour the things that you enjoy. It could be that first sip of coffee or a 10 minute break to browse your favourite website.
6. Reward Yourself
When you make progress towards your goals, make sure you acknowledge it. We can often get focused only on the end result that we forget the many smaller milestones to get there. It can be as simple as just realising that you are a step closer (or you could get that extra cookie from the canteen!)
7. A dog’s tail
You can make your day happier by sharing something funny with a friend, or a blog reader, We want to do our bit to spread some joy today – so watch this GIF with your colleagues and just try not to smile.
