Leadership

Somebody once quipped that the happiest workers in the world are traffic cops. They whistle while they work. An even wiser man said .. find a job you’ll really enjoy doing every single day and you won’t feel like it’s work. Unfortunately, we can’t all be loving our work like Tiger Woods, Roger Federer or Taylor Swift and make lots of money while enjoying a terrific rush swinging a golf club, a tennis racket or belting out a country song. We, modern slaves of the bundy clock will have to be a little more creative and innovative so we don’t drag our feet on the way to the office as if we’re headed for the dentist. And, we’re not talking of salary raises and promotions either. Of course, that helps too but that doesn’t happen everyday. Below are five of the most popular tips that are known to have had positive results among people who work under much pressure and stress: Make the choice to be happy at work. Being happy at work is essentially a choice. It’s true. Think positively about your work .. how it contributes to the company and what important role it plays to the satisfaction of a customer or client. Focus on the facets of your job that you like doing. Go with co-workers whose company you enjoy. Psych yourself up. Even in the midst of pressure and deadlines, you can choose to be happy at work. Get rid of negativity. Making a choice to be happy in the office means staying away from gossip, negative talks and disgruntled people. You can feel positively great at work but negative people can have a dramatic impact on your attitude. Don’t let these types of people get you down. Take responsibility for your own professional development. The person with the most to gain from continuing to professionally grow is yourself. So, take charge of your career growth. Don’t stay put. Seek some meaningful help or feedback from your superiors and as you see them complementing your planned goals, work them into your plans. Strike a happy balance. Your job is only a fraction of your life. It is not your total life. You cannot and should not get into a go-to-work-go-home-and-back-to-work cycle. Outside of work, find and do something that interests you, a hobby or a sport, or Friday nights out with friends that’ll serve as an outlet for relaxation and enjoyment. Create a pleasant work station. If you’ve got your own office, desk or cubicle, arrange your surroundings so it gets to be nice and comfortable for you to be there and work. Make your area pleasant. Tack on a few personal mementos, a cute little plant at the corner or Brad Pitt’s photo if it’ll make you happy. These will add warmth and meaning to your work station and ease up the daily pressure of the job. If none of these ideas help to make you a bit happier at work after applying them over time, it would make sense for you to reevaluate your employer, your job or your whole career. You wouldn’t want to spend the rest of your life in a job you can’t stand in a work environment that’s unfriendly. Go look for another job with a smile.