How to improve happiness at work: Useful tips

Many of us spend large parts of our waking hours at work, which is why finding happiness in your daily activities is so important. Ongoing power cuts and the resulting dysfunctionality of life are leading to higher levels of anxiety and discontent for a great number of South Africans.

These emotions often spill over into our work lives, making it hard to be happy in our workday. A disruptive power supply at work can create a stressful environment where we do not feel effective or able to do our best.

For many people, increased amounts of daily loadshedding mean less time to overcome more obstacles.

Leading British work psychologist, Professor Cary Cooper has shared some tips with The Conversation on how to make the workplace a happier place.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS ON HOW TO IMPROVE HAPPINESS AT WORK

According to Aleteia, the average person spends up to 90 000 hours of their life at work. Being easier said than done, it is essential to know when to switch off from work.

While this may require setting realistic deadlines, trying to work more efficiently or saying no to your boss; making time to enjoy life outside of work can help you to be more efficient and content at work.

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IMPROVE RELATIONSHIPS AT WORK

Your work day might become a lot more pleasant if you are able to count on colleagues for support.

Connecting with co-workers is a good way to improve happiness at work. Cooper believes that “the more you invest in your relationships at work, the more enjoyable you may find your day.”

This does not mean having to be best friends with colleagues, but it is beneficial for one to develop trust and understanding with colleagues.

BE ACTIVE

The importance of keeping physically active cannot be stressed enough. Exercise helps to reduce emotional intensity which often builds up in the workplace.

It is a good way to clear out the cobwebs, free up some head space and think about things that are on your mind.

Being active can have a positive impact on your heart rate and boost oxygen to the brain – which can help with any mental health issues, such as depression or anxiety.

LIVE IN THE PRESENT

A large part of our lives at work often involves thinking ahead and planning for the future. We may become too focused on long-term needs that we move away from what is important in our present lives.

Cooper says that taking time to appreciate the present can help one to appreciate what is going on in one’s life.

ENHANCE YOUR SKILLSET

Learning new skills such as updated software programmes can be useful to our brains and our careers.  It can also give us improved confidence and expanded abilities.

Research has shown that learning a new skill is an effective way to boost the brain. Cooper says that staying cognitively active is beneficial to our general mental health.

ACKNOWLEDGE POSITIVES

We often focus on the negatives in our lives. Cooper says being more positive at work can translate into improved general happiness.

This doesn’t mean having to become an overly positive person. Instead, it requires recognition of the things that are good in life.

“Accept there are things at work or in life you can’t change and concentrate on the things you have control over,” Cooper says.

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