Your happiness at work matters. It’s connected to your energy levels and motivation, your ability to prevent burnout, your productivity, and many other areas. There’s no doubt that most of us can have stressful days, but when that becomes chronic, it can really start to impact your success. The good news is that there are plenty of small changes we can make that will often give our happiness levels a boost. Here are a few of my favorite tips:
Change Things Up
Whether you have the flexibility to work from a new location or you simply adjust your desk set-up, creating a physical change in your space can help things feel fresh. It’s also worth considering your workflow here. Maybe there are tasks you usually do in the afternoon that you could try doing in the morning. Especially if you’re feeling like you’re in a rut, creating some change is a great way to get things moving and bring in a bit more positivity.
Create Rewards
It’s simple but effective; especially when it comes to those tasks you don’t enjoy as much as others. Rewarding yourself for accomplishing something sends a signal to your brain, and that can be an instant mood booster. It might be as simple as finishing a project and taking a five-minute walk, or working through your whole to-do list and picking up your favorite food after work. Though small, when we set these actions up as rewards, we’re creating little bursts of happiness throughout the day.
Listen to Some Tunes
Not every type of work will be fitting for this of course, but often, we have some type of task that doesn’t require our listening. Those projects that need powerful focus, for example, are a great time to take out the headphones. Finding lyric-free tunes to create a background for your work is a great way to enjoy your focused time a bit more. If you have a task that really doesn’t require much focus, throw on your favorite tunes; just remember that lyrics can often disrupt our concentration.
Stay Hydrated
Having a reusable water bottle at work is a game-changer. If we’re waiting until we’re thirsty to get a drink of water, we’re likely a bit dehydrated, and that can have a real impact on mood and performance. Keeping your water bottle nearby throughout your day is a great reminder to stay hydrated as you work.
Take a Moving Break
Many of us feel happier after moving. Whether you have time for an actual workout or just a few stretches at your desk, pausing to move is a simple strategy to recharge your mood, energy, and focus.
Start a Gratitude Practice
It might be coworkers who love to complain or some particularly tedious work. Whatever the cause, it’s easy to slip into a negative mindset about our work from time to time. A gratitude practice is a quick way to combat that. Creating a list of a few things you’re grateful for in your work when you first get to the office can be a nice way to start the day, or leaving on a good note and doing this before your leave can be great too. Test it out and see which works for you.
Who wouldn’t like to be a bit happier at work, even if you already love your job? What I like about these strategies is that they’re all simple enough to start today. Don’t let their small size fool you though. These actions can have a significant impact on your happiness.