Do you feel happy at work? This is one of the most significant questions we all should ask ourselves. If you wonder why? The answer is simply because life is a pursuit of happiness. Do you ever want to be unhappy? Obviously no! Isn’t it? But, if you don’t feel happy at work, this implies that every day you spend most of your time in unhappiness. This is not good for your physical and mental well-being. So, don’t you think now is the time to change things? It is time to make your work life happy. You may wonder if this is actually possible. Definitely!
In this blog, we are going to discuss it only. Let’s proceed:
First of all, it is important for you to find out the reason for your unhappiness at work. A toxic work environment, disliking the kind of work you do and inner unhappiness are the three most common reasons for feeling unhappy at work. If the work environment is toxic and it makes you extremely unhappy, then, you should definitely try to switch your workplace.
Further, if you have an extreme disliking for the work you do, then also, you should try to develop some skills in the field of your liking. Once you have sufficient skills, you can switch to a new job.
But, if you think that the workplace environment is okay and you are fine with the work you do, then, working on increasing your inner happiness will definitely help you be happier in the workplace. So, let’s discuss 5 actionable ways to be happy at work.
5 actionable ways to be happy at work:
1. Start your day with exercise:
Do you know that sitting too much and engaging in a sedentary lifestyle leads to unhappiness and depressive symptoms? Yes, this is true. It has been highlighted in a scientific study. So, it is very much possible that a lack of physical activities makes you feel unhappy.
I know that it is hard for most of us to work out after getting back from work, but we can definitely start our day with exercise. Exercise stimulates the brain to secrete happy hormones like Serotonin and Dopamine. These hormones trigger positive feelings and make us feel happy. This means that you can start your work day on a happy note by exercising in the morning.
2. Develop a good friend circle at work:
The company of good friends makes a barren island turn into an adventure spot. Don’t you agree? I’m sure you do. So, why not create a good friend circle at work? If you’ll have your friends around, you will be able to have a word with them whenever you begin feeling low. Moreover, you can also have a fun-filled lunch break with your friends, laugh and enjoy.
So, you should try to win friends in the workplace. For this, there are two important factors that you’ll need to work on. One is your body language and the other is your behavior. If you have open and influential body language along with nice behavior, your colleagues will definitely develop an inclination toward you. As a result, you’ll have greater chances of attracting friends in the workplace.
3. Practice mindfulness to create a state of flow:
In psychology, flow is the state in which you are fully immersed and engrossed in the work you are doing. In the presence of such an engrossment, you experience a kind of inner joy flowing through you. So, if you can enter a state of flow while working, you’ll actually feel joyous within. Now, how can you get completely immersed in your work? The answer is by becoming mindful.
Mindfulness involves paying close attention to what you are doing. For example, if you are typing, then you can practice mindfulness by feeling the texture of the keys on your laptop and the sound they create. As you begin doing so, you’ll naturally enter into a state of flow and a river of joy will start flowing through you. This is one of the biggest secrets to being happy at work.
4. Make use of the Pomodoro Technique:
Stress is one of the major causes of unhappiness in the workplace. No doubt, some amount of stress is inevitable, excessive stress leads to frustration and unhappiness. One of the best ways through which you can prevent yourself from becoming overly stressed and can try stress management is by utilizing the Pomodoro technique while working. It involves working for a dedicated duration of 25 minutes and then, taking a break for 5 to 7 minutes.
When you use this technique, you do not engage in continuous working for long periods of time, which is a cause of stress for your brain. So, you should always try to take regular short breaks from work with the help of the Pomodoro technique. Moreover, during the short breaks, you can engage in activities that make you feel happy. Reading your favorite blog, listening to songs and taking a walk in the sunlight are some examples of rejuvenating activities which you can try during short breaks.
5. List at least 3 good things which happened at work during the day on a daily basis:
Our brains are so programmed that they focus more on the negative aspects of things than the positive ones. Thanks to the survival mechanism. So, the negative aspects of your professional life are likely to attract more of your attention than the positive ones. This can make you feel unhappy even when there are reasons for you to be happy about your work life.
So, you should try to list at least 3 good things which happened at work during the day on a daily basis. This activity will slowly drag your attention toward the positive elements of your professional life. As you begin to feel positive about your work, you’ll naturally start experiencing higher levels of happiness in the workplace.
You spend most of your time at work. If you want to live happily, it is crucial that you feel happy at work. The above-mentioned tips will help you become happier with your professional life. Now, wishing you all the best and may you be bestowed with immense happiness in life.
