I was reading some marketing articles over the weekend and came across an article about “Happiness in the Workplace”. Skimming it briefly, I didn’t see much in value for my marketing endeavors but then I came across another article on the same topic.
So it gave me pause. What is happiness in the workplace anyway? It sounds a little ambiguous to me since “happy” is a relative term and can change from day-to-day. After reading the article more in-depth, the point became clear: Happiness is really more of a choice than a feeling. It’s an action. I also think that the more engaged you are at your job the “happier” you are.
A happy person is also contagious. If you work around people who always complain, the natural effect is to start looking at your work world a little more negatively. But if you are surrounded by happy, positive people, you tend to see your environment in that way as well.
In the article “15 Proven Tips to Be Happy at Work,” John Rampton offers these tips that are worth repeating. I picked my top 10 and expounded on them.
- Have a sense of meaning. Think about what your role is in your company. How are you impacting those around you? Your clients, your co-workers, the UPS person. You may dislike parts of your job, but they have meaning. Your role can influence others and you may not even know it.
- Create an office nest. The environment that we create around us is so important in how we view ourselves. Pictures of people and phrases that are important to you or motivate you can be a reminder of why you do what you do.
- Smile- So simple, so easy — makes a difference J
- Be future-oriented.- Do you have goals? Does your company have goals? If you keep those goals in front of you, your perspective will change as you go about your day. Take time during each week to consider these goals and how you and your company are working towards them.
- Say “thank you.”- This is something so simple to do and it will impact those around you.
- Take a breather.- Taking time away from the office and daily stresses can help. We can recharge ourselves both mentally and physically by just taking a little time for ourselves.
- Eat healthy & stay hydrated.- Taking care of yourself can impact your life in subtle ways. Our concentration improves. When we feel good physically, it makes an impact on our mental state and thus the result is “happy.”
- Accept people for who they are.- We are all different. No one thinks exactly like you. This is a great thing. When we can embrace this concept and accept this you will naturally become happier. Realize that you cannot change people.
- Reward yourself.- You work hard. Sometimes just a little reward for that work can change your perspective. If you had a hard week or a big goal was met at the office, reward yourself with a nice dinner out or purchase that new gadget you have been wanting.
- Reflect- Why do you do what you do? Take time to evaluate what you do, why you do it and what brought you to this career path. Reflection is a reminder that what you do is for a purpose. it may refocus you and the result is happiness.
While these tips seem basic, it is important to remember that we are all responsible for ourselves and how we interact day-to-day with our coworkers. If you are a leader in your organization, putting some of these tips into practice will transfer to your staff. When employees see their managers and coworkers happier, they will naturally strive towards the same.
