9 Tips for Cultivating Happiness and Increasing Productivity at Your Workplace

Introduction

The common perception of work is “something one must do”, an unpleasant obligation, a chore. However, it is possible to be happy while working. In fact, there are statistics that show that the more happy people are while carrying out work assignments, the more productive they tend to be. Unfortunately, very few employees are motivated and engaged at their workplace. Below, we will explore 9 effective tips to help you cultivate happiness and increase your productivity.

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What you will read:

1. Uphold healthy relationships
2. Be passionate about your job
3. Achieve Set Goals
4. Accept Self-Recognition
5. Prioritise Self-Care and Work-Life Balance
6. Cultivate Positivism
7. Seek Career Growth Opportunities
8. Automate or Delegate Tasks
9. Leave

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1. Uphold healthy relationships

Build and sustain healthy relationships with fellow colleagues and the administrative staff. Initiate interactions, engage in conversations, be polite and pleasant, offer help, share information and celebrate co-workers’ wins. Building both personal and professional relationships that are healthy will enhance your overall well-being at your workplace.

2. Be passionate about your job

Sometimes, the problem is not the job. Frankly. Normally, job descriptions give us a peek into what we will be doing routinely at a job, so that  we know what we are getting ourselves into before we apply. So, are you at the right workplace? Do you like what you’re doing? Is it merely a means of livelihood? Doing what we are passionate about energises us to go the extra mile, even on flat tires. Try to love what you do—find meaning, purpose and direction, and you will feel happier at it.

3. Achieve Set Goals 

1. Uphold healthy relationshipsPhoto Credit 📸: BetterUp Select an ImageBuild and sustain healthy relationships with fellow colleagues and the administrative staff. Initiate interactions, engage in conversations, be polite and pleasant, offer help, share information and celebrate co-workers’ wins. Building both personal and professional relationships that are healthy will enhance your overall well-being at your workplace. 2. Be passionate about your jobPhoto 📸 credit: Istockphoto Select an ImageSometimes, the problem is not the job. Frankly. Normally, job descriptions give us a peek into what we will be doing routinely at a job, so that  we know what we are getting ourselves into before we apply. So, are you at the right workplace? Do you like what you’re doing? Is it merely a means of livelihood? Doing what we are passionate about energises us to go the extra mile, even on flat tires. Try to love what you do—find meaning, purpose and direction, and you will feel happier at it. 3. Achieve Set Goals Photo credit 📸: Paper Napkin Wisdom

Failing to achieve company or personal goals can be overwhelming and outrightly unbearable. Recently, have you been unable to complete your expectations successfully? If you have been on a unending streak of failed projects, unprofitable negotiations, etc., that could be the reason for your unhappiness at your workplace. Instead of feeling downtrodden, reflect and restrategise, improve your self, breakdown your goals into smaller, achievable milestones, and seek for help.

4. Accept Self-Recognition

Stop. Appreciate every little progress you have made. Constantly troubling yourself about uncertainties at work will only make you worrier. Achieving goals and reaching targets are great for career growth, but don’t wait until you have climbed your Everest before you celebrate your progress. Celebrating mid-completion achievements stimulates the brain to create more dopamine, the "feel-good" and, subconsciously, sets you on the quest for more rewards.

5. Prioritise Self-Care and Work-Life Balance 

Restore yourself at regular intervals. Over the weekends, have fun with family and friends. Request for a work leave and visit places in town or out of town. Do not strain yourself continuously for long, because your mind may trick you into believing your job is difficult and unmerciful. Prioritise a work-life balance mentality: 8 hours at home, 8 hours of sleep and 8 hours of work. If it is not possible, seek a work-life integration scheme which offers you more flexibility without impacting your productivity. Remember: work smart, not hard.

6. Cultivate Positivism

It is absolutely alright to paint, once in a while, the devil on the wall. Sometimes, we simply do not feel like our efforts are worth it, and are noticed. But you need to understand that sunlight will always chase darkness from east to west. Cultivate the spirit of positivism. Be optimistic. Instead of dwelling on the mistakes, shortcomings and problems you spot at your workplace, move a step further to seek sustainable solutions to those issues you dislike. Generally, people feel better when they are discussing solutions rather than problems.

7. Seek Career Growth Opportunities

Career stagnation instills job dissatisfaction. Improve your skillset and challenge yourself through continuous learning, in-service trainings and positions of responsibility. Attend industry events, sow nuggets of work wisdom in younger colleagues, and learn new tools and ways of doing your daily activities. Routine and monotony may give you the impression that your job is boring, and bored people are generally unhappy people.

8. Automate or Delegate Tasks

We live in a technological period where task automation is possible in almost all industries and at almost all the levels of process cycle. For those tasks you do routinely, search online for a tool, a template or an open source material that will automate them. Though technology is great at making our lives easy, do not rely entirely on it for the job you're should be doing as it may make it monotonous. Regarding delegation of task, understand that you cannot do it all by yourself. Cultivate the mentality of working in teams, even with superiors.

9. Leave

If the above tips do not revamp your impression of your workplace, you’re definitely not at the right place. Leaving may be difficult, but you ultimately will have to take it into consideration if you are routinely unhappy at your workplace. Consider leaving or requesting an internal transfer to another department, team, etc. Tender your resignation letter and take your bow, before it is too late—an unhappy employee is an under-productive employee and under-productivity can lead to termination. However, before you leave, I need you to understand that there is a difference between an unhealthy workplace and an unsatisfying job. You may be doing what you love at the wrong workplace, so change your workplace not your job.

Conclusion

Creating happiness and job satisfaction at the workplace is within your control. By fostering positive relationships, seeking purpose, setting goals, prioritizing self-care, embracing growth opportunities, adopting a positive mindset, and striving for work-life balance, you can create a more fulfilling and enjoyable work environment. Remember, a happy employee is a productive employee, and the efforts you invest in your happiness will ultimately benefit both you and your organization.