Even if you enjoy your job, there are going to be days when you don’t feel happy. Tight deadlines, stress, communication difficulties, and project setbacks can cause anyone to feel upset and discouraged. But according to research, there are simple things you can do to make yourself feel a little happier. Here are a few ideas:

  • Start things right – When you get up in the morning, don’t jump right into your work. Take some time to have a cup of coffee, watch the news, or cuddle with your cat. Do whatever you enjoy doing. And then spend a few minutes identifying the tasks you’d like to accomplish during the day. Starting the morning off in a positive way will help you to be more productive and effective, and make you feel a little better.
  • Move around – Don’t sit in front of your computer all day. Taking breaks is important for your physical and mental health. So stand up, stretch, and get a little exercise. Even a short walk around the block can help to make you feel a little more upbeat and energetic.
  • Avoid multitasking – Multitasking drains you of energy and creativity, and actually makes you less productive. If you can, try to focus on one task at a time.
  • Help out your coworkers – Researchers have found that people who are kind to their coworkers and assist them when they can tend to feel happier and more satisfied at work. And by helping out your coworkers, you’ll also be creating a kinder workplace that’s more effective, engaging, productive, and rewarding for everyone.
  • Recognize and appreciate your accomplishments – Try not to focus on the negatives. Instead, take some time to think about all of the great things that you’ve accomplished at work and appreciate what you’ve done.  
  • Identify one good thing – At the end of every workday (even the terrible ones), try to think of one good thing that happened. You might even want to write it down in a notebook. That way, you can look at your list of good things whenever you’re feeling down. And hopefully, it will make you feel a little better.   

Chowdhury, M. R. (2020, January 9). Happiness at work: 10 tips for how to be happy at work. PositivePsychology.com. Retrieved from: https://positivepsychology.com/happiness-at-work/

Rampton, J. (2014, December 1). 15 proven tips to be happy at work. Inc. Retrieved from: https://www.inc.com/john-rampton/15-proven-tips-to-be-happy-at-work.html