Let’s face it, as we get older, more and more of our time is devoted to work. Whether you work for yourself or someone else, you still have to get up each weekday and get to it. In a full-time career, a minimum of 40 hours per week is spent in the workplace. That’s about 25% of your week! Since sleeping is roughly 30% of your week, that leaves less than half of your time available for you. That means you need to be happy at work.
So if you’re dreading work each day, 25% of your week is devoted to negativity. That is way too much! The CGS Team has done some research on how you can be happy at work. If you have to be there every day, why not make it a positive experience?
Ways to be happy at work include…
Practice Positivity
First and foremost, you can’t expect to be happy when you are always negative. This actually applies to all areas of life, not just work. So, you hate going to work? Well, imagine if you were laid off or couldn’t find a job. Isn’t going to a job you dislike better than not getting a paycheck from a job at all? Instead of seeing the negative in your work related activities, turn it around and focus on what you’re thankful for in your job.
A steady paycheck helps maintain everyday life, so the fact that you have a job should help your positivity levels. If you are happy to be going to work, but notice that you don’t have that same positivity when you leave then evaluate your day. Is there a co-worker who always seems to be nagging and complaining?
Try to surround yourself with positive people throughout your day. If that’s impossible, avoid engaging in conversations – you are there to work after all, right? If work seems to stress you out, take a deep breath and prioritize. It’s best to knock out one task at a time instead of working on multiple tasks at once. Need more reasons to be happy? Read 6 Reasons Why it Pays to be Positive
Create a Workspace Just for You
Decorate your desk with pictures of things and people you love or put up a pictorial calendar. Trust us, staring at a white-sand beach can lift just about anyone’s mood! Make your desk/cubicle/workspace a center for happiness! Having things that mean something to you on your desk can help keep you positive and focusing on the good things. Make sure you are following company policy when it comes to decorating your workspace! Check out the Beautify Your Workspace article for some great ways to make your space at work more suited for your personality!
Always Challenge Yourself
Not only can boredom at work cause time to drag on, but it can leave you feeling negative. It is important to challenge yourself at work. Set mini goals for yourself. If you only have 1 project to get done during the day, make a goal to go above and beyond with it. Do you have meetings scheduled? Take some time to review topics beforehand and come up with some feedback, new ideas or suggestions to share.
If you are in a company you plan on staying with for a long time, challenging yourself is a sure-way to get ahead. Ask your manager if they need extra assistance with anything. Request more responsibilities, if you’re always getting all of your work done ahead of time. As you start to get recognized for your hard work, you will feel a sense of worth. Knowing that you make a difference for your company will make it that much easier to go to work happy!
Utilize Your Breaks
Breaks are mandatory in just about every state, so use them! It’s easy to get lost in your work and let time fly, but doing so can lead to burnouts. Avoid the heat by taking a breather. Go for a walk around the building. Check your cell phone messages outside. Drive to a park to eat lunch.
Giving yourself a little time away from work during your shift can give your brain a break and help you come back rejuvenated. Also, if you stare at a computer screen all day while sitting in a chair, you will be doing your eyes (and booty) a favor by getting up and taking a walk!
Leave Personal Problems at Home
As hard as it may seem, leaving your personal problems at home will make your work day significantly more positive and productive. Depending on what you are actually dealing with, consider looking into any benefits that may be offered by your employer. Some companies offer free counseling sessions or grant bereavement time for a loss in the family.
If you are experiencing major problems that can affect your ability to do your job, bring it to the attention of your manager as soon as possible. Make sure you aren’t sharing your problems with co-workers too! Follow the Dos and Don’ts of Socializing with Colleagues.
Stay Organized
Remember the Get Organized from the Inside Out post? Well decluttering your work space can make a world of difference! Don’t let important papers just pile up, keep your desk neat by filing documents and storing policies in their rightful places. The same applies to your computer. Save online documents in folders so that they can be found easily.
Taking 15 minutes to look for a document on your computer is a guaranteed mood-killer and waste of your valuable time. If work is already stressful, having a clean desk and computer can make it that much easier to stay positive!
Related: 6 Signs You’re Stuck in a Career Rut
Being happy at work is not hard to do, but it does take some effort! Make your life easier by thinking positively, setting and achieving goals, taking your breaks, and staying organized! Do you have any tips to give that help you stay happy at work? We would love to discuss! Leave a comment below to share with the group.
