How to be Happier at Work

Over half of people in the UK are unhappy in their jobs. It can be easy to settle for something that doesn’t make us happy simply because we don’t hate it and we’re not confident that we’ll find anything better.

But what would make you happier at work? First of all, happiness is a fleeting feeling that is impossible to sustain for long periods of time. Of course, everyone is going to have bad days, and this is a normal part of life. We use the term ‘happy’ here to mean contentedness and wellbeing, which is something that can be improved upon in a meaningful way.

Increased happiness can lead to greater resilience, productivity, and career success in the long term, and it’s not beyond our reach. Here are four ideas for how to be happier at work.

Find a career you love

It’s a lot easier said than done, but finding a career that motivates you in the first place is going to lead to you feeling happier at work. Many people aren’t happy in their jobs because they lack a sense of purpose. The good news is, you don’t have to be saving lives every day for your job to feel meaningful. Some people want to work on the front lines, but many others are perfectly happy working behind the scenes. The key is that the work you are doing matters to you.

Maybe you would find more value in your work if you knew that what you were doing was having a positive impact. In the charity sector, you’re making a difference every day for a cause that you believe in. That can be a great motivation for many. Even a ‘boring’ job can feel rewarding if you have a reason for doing it and can see the outcomes of your work. So take a moment to figure out what your motivation is and what sorts of jobs would align with that.

Take an interest in your work

Naturally, if you’re making progress and learning in your job, you’re going to feel happier. This is called the Progress Principle. It’s difficult to measure progress in roles where outcomes are not clear-cut, so it’s important to consult the stats and ask for feedback from colleagues.

Take time each week or month to reflect on the work you’ve done, what you’ve accomplished and what you could do differently next time to get even better results.

Be intentional with rest

Often, what would make you happier at work is the opposite of what you’d expect. It’s easy to think that getting a promotion or a new job will make you happier. But instead of greater success leading to happiness, the reverse is actually true. Happy people perform better, and in turn have higher salaries, than their melancholy peers. Happiness leads to success.

So how do you feel happier at work? The key might lie in having a good morning routine. People who report feeling happier in the morning are more productive during the day and perform better at work. Make sure you have time to breathe in the mornings before heading to work, whether that’s in an office or at home. Put on your favourite song, make yourself a nourishing breakfast, or get outside for some fresh air. Whatever you do, make sure it leaves you feeling relaxed, refreshed and ready to start the day.

Frequently working through your lunch break and doing overtime is going to make you stressed and can lead to burnout if it carries on for too long. The human brain can only focus on a task for around 30-45 minutes at a time without sacrificing productivity. Making sure you take small, frequent breaks will mean that you’re less stressed, happier, and more productive. There’s nothing to lose!

Make friends with your colleagues

Nearly half of professionals believe that having friends at work increases their happiness. On workdays, our colleagues are the people we spend the most time with. So, it’s important to have at least a few colleagues who you can have a laugh with during the day and vent to about any struggles you might be having. Chatting with colleagues also offers a chance to destress and take a break during the day, which also plays into increased wellbeing.

As well as simply chatting with your colleagues, offering to help them out is another way to increase your own happiness, as well as theirs. It’s well-known that helping others can lead to greater happiness for yourself. This also translates to the workplace. In one study, people who believed that helping others at work was important reported feeling happier than those who didn’t even thirty years later!

Overall, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to how to be happier at work. But finding out the reason why you feel unhappy can be the first step in addressing the problem. Think you need to change your job to be happier? Browse new opportunities in the charity sector.