Your mood can drastically affect the quality of your work. You always work better and time passes faster when you’re having fun. Imagine how great it would be to stay happy at work most of the time. While you can’t control everything at your job, you can take steps to keep a more positive, happy attitude throughout the day.
Help Someone Else
You probably know at least one coworker who could use some help now and then. Lend them a hand when you get a free minute. Even if it’s something as simple as bringing them back a cup of coffee when they can’t take a break, the act of helping others around you makes you feel happier. You’ll definitely smile more when you hear heartfelt thank yous from your coworkers.
Don’t Bother With Gossip
You have no way of knowing what gossip is and isn’t true. Worrying yourself about what you heard at the water cooler is just going to cause unnecessary stress. Avoid gossip as much as possible and never participate in it. Much of what you hear is false rumors anyway. One of the easiest ways to keep yourself happy at work is to stick to the facts only.
Go to Lunch With Coworkers
You’d often be surprised to find your coworkers are different outside the office. Make plans a few days in advance for you and several coworkers to go to lunch together. This is the perfect chance to get to know the people around you better. The more relaxed you become around them, the easier it is to become friends and be happier all day at work.
Trash What You Don’t Need
A cluttered, disorganized office can make you feel overwhelmed and depressed. It just looks gloomy and it’s difficult to find anything when you need it. Take a half hour and clean your office. Trash any papers you don’t need. Put items in their right places. You can easily get organizational supplies if you need them.
Laugh at Your Mistakes
No one in your office is perfect. Even the boss makes mistakes. Instead of getting worked up over every mistake you make, laugh it off. This reduces stress and makes you happier. Once you’ve calmed yourself, it’ll be much easier to figure out a way to fix the mistake and get back to work. Plus, your boss will love that you took responsibility and did what you could to remedy the situation.
Ask for Feedback
A common reason why people aren’t happy at work is because they’re never sure what the boss really thinks of their performance. Stop worrying and just ask for feedback. You don’t have to wait for a yearly review. Instead, take the initiative and talk to your boss face to face. Ask if there are any areas you could improve in. Knowing where you stand with your boss not only improves your job performance, but makes you happier.
Add Color to Your Desk
Bland desks, walls and office chairs tend to sour even the happiest employees. The solution is simple. Add pops of color to your desk. It’s an extremely simple way to keep yourself happy at work. Consider using a neon pink mouse or adding a bright blue stapler to your desk. If possible, bring in a few small posters with colorful scenes. Bright colors boost your mood.
Think About Commitments Carefully
You might want to show your boss that you can handle everything. The truth is you only have so much time every day. Taking on too many projects could ruin both your professional and personal life. If you’re having to always stay late to finish, you don’t get the downtime you need after work.
Before committing to new projects, teams or tasks at your job, think about whether you can realistically handle them. You’ll be happier and more productive this way.
Find New Opportunities
Many employees are afraid of taking chances or changing their routines. They’re afraid they’ll lose their job if anything changes. The routines become boring and you often get looked over for promotions. If you want to be happier, find opportunities to spice up your daily work load. Suggest new ideas to your boss for improving business processes. Take on a new responsibility. You’ll feel happier and more confident. Plus, you boss will love the take charge attitude.
Give Compliments
If you want your coworkers to treat you well, you have to do the same in return. The less tension there is between you and your coworkers, the happier you’ll be. Start by complimenting them over small things such as a great idea they had in a meeting. This makes them feel great and you’ll feel happier just by seeing how good you’ve made them feel.
Take a Meditation Break
While it’s usually not possible to take a long meditation break, it can be beneficial to spend a few minutes every hour to look away from your computer screen and let your mind clear. If meditation isn’t right for you, take those few minutes to daydream about something that makes you happy. In less than five minutes each hour, you’ll be happier and be able to restart tasks with a clear mind.
Bring in One Thing From Home
Many employees have pictures of their family on their desk. Seeing the pictures reminds them of home and it makes them smile. Bringing in at least one thing from home makes your job feel more like being in your own home. Look at the object whenever you’re stressed for an instant mood boost. It doesn’t have to be a picture either. A favorite pillow to put in your office chair or a trinket from a favorite vacation work perfectly too.
It’s easy to keep yourself happy at work. Smile, avoid all the negativity and just focus on being happier.
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