10 awesome tips to achieve a Happier Workplace
Does the beginning of your work week have you belting out Gloria Gaynor’s hit, I Will Survive?
If so, you’re not alone. In a 2003 survey, less than 50 percent of workers said they were satisfied with their jobs – a percentage that has consistently dropped since 1995. Though there are tons of books on succeeding at work, what are the keys to truly enjoying your job? Do success and satisfaction automatically go hand in hand? Not always. Developing the keys to thrive – not just survive – at your job requires effort, but the payoff is well worth it. Here are 10 tips to get you started.
1. Strike a Balance
Your work is only part of your life – not your whole life. It’s important to keep a balance between work and play. You can’t expect to enjoy the whole of your life if all you do is work and go home. By enjoying other interests, you’ll be more prepared to handle the stress of your workday.
“People should have at least one activity, hobby, or sport they participate in outside of work that brings them pleasure and gives them something special in their life that is not related to their work,” says Terri Levine, a professional master coach and author of “Work Yourself Happy.”
If you want to enjoy your work more, make your work a portion of your life and find other outlets for relaxation and enjoyment.
2. Stay Healthy, Fit, and Rested
In order for you to give your best at work, you need to be healthy, fit, and rested. Make a point to eat healthily, exercise, and get eight hours of sleep each night. This will help you start each day with energy.
Levine also encourages you to avoid eating every lunch at your desk or working through every lunch hour. “When all we do is work, it’s overwhelming,” she says. “It isn’t natural nor is it healthy.” As alternatives for eating lunch at your desk, meet a friend, take a walk, or go window shopping. Levine also suggests munching on small, healthy snacks throughout the day to keep your energy level high.
3. Create a Pleasing Environment
“Arrange your environment so it’s a pleasure for you to be there and work,” Levine encourages. If you have personal space at work – an office, desk, or locker – make those areas comfortable. By adding a few personal mementos, like a small plant or a couple of photos, you’ll add warmth and meaning to your space, while keeping it professional and clutter-free.
4. Make Mondays Fun
Instead of accepting that Mondays are drudgery, schedule fun ways to make them enjoyable. Levine suggests inviting a co-worker to lunch or joining friends for coffee or a movie after work. By scheduling fun activities in advance, you won’t suffer from Monday-itis; instead, you’ll have something to look forward to.
5. Choose Your Comrades Carefully
“If you constantly go out to lunch with the company’s whiners and complainers, you’ll become a whiner and complainer,” warns Patti Hathaway, a business advisor and author of Untying the ‘Not’s’ of Change Before You’re Fit to Be Tied. Though it’s easy to get drawn into a group of co-workers who incessantly complain about the workplace, it’s dangerous for your professional well-being and peace of mind. Instead, surround yourself with people who are more positive in nature, and together you’ll encourage each other to look at the brighter side of work and life.
6. Set Daily Goals
“Often it’s when we procrastinate and fall behind that we dream about getting out,” Hathaway warns. Instead of allowing your work to overwhelm you, she suggests setting daily goals for yourself and rewarding yourself once you accomplish them. As you do, you’ll enjoy the satisfaction of knowing that you have completed your objectives.
7. Praise Others
“A grateful mind is both a great and happy mind,” the famous Archbishop Thomas Secker said. According to Hathaway, praising or thanking someone each day will help you look for and see the positive aspects in others. By looking for opportunities to praise your co-workers daily, you’ll develop a more appreciative attitude in general. And even better, you’ll encourage others to do the same.
8. Discover Your Work Rhythms
Everyone has unique work rhythms throughout the day. Perhaps you’re a morning person who’s ready to tackle the world as soon as you get to work. Or maybe you’re someone who works best in the afternoons. Whatever the case, you know when you are most alert and productive. Suzanne Adele Schmidt, a professional coach and co-author of Running on Plenty at Work: Renewal Strategies for Individuals, encourages you to discover the time of day when you are most creative and schedule your most challenging tasks during those times. Then during the times when you are less productive, schedule the tasks that are routine and require less mental and physical energy.
9. Make a Friend
Some people believe that it’s best to keep their personal and professional lives completely separate. But having at least one friend at work will help you feel more connected and encouraged – especially on difficult days. “Taking the time to foster [friendships] can lighten your load, provide a place to connect, and give you a place to be heard – all of which is renewing to your spirit,” Schmidt says.
If you don’t currently have any friends at work, make a point to get to know people in your office. From there it’s likely some friendships will develop.
10. Stay Focused
“Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable – if there is any moral excellence and if there is any praise – dwell on these things” (Phil. 4:8). The Apostle Paul said it best: Think about good things.
Becoming a positive person – in your work and life – depends on your focus. If you continually think about the negative aspects of your job, you’ll only see the negative. On the other hand, if you continually refocus on and remind yourself of the positive aspects of your work, you’ll be more appreciative of it.
“Deliberately look for and focus on every good thing you can find – no matter how small and seemingly insignificant,” Levine encourages. If it’s difficult to find anything pleasing in your job, then Schmidt offers this advice: “When you’re feeling down about your work or challenged by it, step back and look at the bigger picture. Explore how and why what you accomplish in the workplace is linked to a greater purpose.”
Within Your Grasp
Thriving during your workweek isn’t only plausible, it’s possible. With a little perseverance, the right influences, and a thankful, positive attitude, you can enjoy your work. As you begin to practice these keys, you’ll find greater fulfillment in your work and life. Instead of just surviving, you’ll be thriving.
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