Happiness at work
Happiness at work represents an issue of great importance because most human beings work out of both necessity and desire: It is a source of income and also offers an opportunity to implement personal abilities and skills, face challenges, and achieve personal fulfillment. This is true to such an extent that people who like their jobs would choose not leave them, even if they no longer needed the money.
In terms of studies that examine factors giving rise to happiness at work, it can be said that this is explained by a sum of:
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(1) job characteristics, such as the salary, promotion opportunities, schedule, the level of danger of the job, its monotony, etc.;
(2) work environment characteristics, such as the environment of the company, the average salary compared to their own, the size of the company and its potential, etc.; and
(3) worker features, such as age, gender, educational level, relationship status, etc.
In a fundamental sense, workplace happiness comes when:
A company with happy employees could increase their sales by 37%, productivity by 31%, which directly contribute toward building a high-performance work environment and improves the quality of life for all people involved with the work.
A happy worker will reach office on time because he respects his punctuality and will perform all the daily tasks because he enjoys doing it. He will work out of love, not out of compulsion.
1. Happiness Multiplies Success - Employees who feel pleasure in doing their work form a great example to others who are less motivated. Happiness in the workplace is directly correlational to increased productivity and better group performance at work.
2. Happiness Builds Positivity – A professional who has strong positive feelings about his job will undoubtedly be more enthusiastic and focus on building himself. Rather than focusing on the problems, he would look into ways of solving it.
3. Happiness Reduces Stress - when employees are unhappy, their brain starts to disconnect from the positive emotions, and damages their power of creative thinking and reasoning.
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If we feel happy in the 8 hours that we spend at work, if somehow we can hit the strings of positivity that will keep us uplifted, it can remarkably improve our responses to stress and redirect our focus to the positive aspects of the work-life.
4. Happiness at Work means a Healthy Life
Successful professionals who can optimize their work are less likely to suffer from hypertension, cardiac arrests, substance abuse, and other stress-related disorders.
5. Happiness at Work Increases Likeability
We all like to stay around people who have a positive attitude and look content with themselves. In a happy state of mind, people are more innovative and inspired. Happy workers can create a pleasant environment at work that is easy for others to cope in, and the more people get into it, the better the team grows.
10 TIPS FOR FINDING REAL HAPPINESS AT WORK
1. Declutter your Workplace
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The phrase “a cluttered desk means a cluttered mind” is perhaps correct. Getting creative with the workspace can enhance feelings of exhilaration and refresh the mind. It reinforces concentration and is a great way to feel good at work every day.
2. Mindfulness
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“People wait all week for Friday, all year for summer, and all life for happiness”. Mindfulness is not a buzzword, neither is it an overrated concept. The effects of mindful meditation are real and proven.
3. Work it out
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A 15-minute daily workout routine makes the body energetic and releases the toxins that cause the weariness. Any form of exercise – walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, or anything else, is bound to bring more productivity at work, more energy to give it the best shot, and more fulfilment throughout the day.
4. Engage in Feedback Mechanisms
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Decisive and immediate feedback are predictors of workplace happiness and job satisfaction. Studies have shown that employers or supervisors who regularly offer feedback and acknowledge efforts are more successful in having a happy team.
5. Reflect on One Task at a Time
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Multitasking ‘wastes more time’ and can be the reason of unhappiness among professionals at different levels.
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When juggling with various tasks at the same time, it is almost impossible to devote an equal amount of attention to each detail, thereby resulting in distractions. To avoid this, we can prioritize our to-do list and focus on dealing with the more important tasks first.
6. Help a Colleague
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Studies have shown that altruists in the workplace are more likely to feel satisfied and are happier at work.
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The level of happiness that we derive from helping others cannot be equated with anything else in the world. It gives a sense of empowerment, enhances wisdom, and makes us feel more connected to the organization. Simple acts of kindness, expressions of gratitude, and offering support to colleagues in times of need can make us feel a lot better about ourselves and make us happier at work.
7. Choose your Responses Wisely
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Evidence has proved that individuals can voluntarily choose responses that can make them happy at work. Regularly practising mindfulness, gratitude, and effective communication can ease the stress and help employees in progressing towards their goal.
8. Value yourself
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A gentle reminder to self, a little throwback to the past achievements can work wonders in bringing back the happiness at the workplace. Happiness is sustained when we can step back and take a moment for appreciating ourselves.
Exercise:
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9. Start Your Day on a Good Note
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Take some moments each morning to collect your thoughts and plan your day ahead. Go for a walk, sip a hot coffee and create your goals for the day. A day that is started well is more likely to bring in more productivity and yield more fruits.
10. Adjust your Schedules
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Effective communication is the key to a happy work life. Happy professionals are always one step ahead in maintaining and following a flexible schedule. Prolonged working hours without breaks can take a toll on the brain and bring us down, thereby making way for unproductivity and distress.
How happy are you at work?