The Secret to Being Happy at Work

3 Simple “Secrets” to take back control of your daily happiness at work 

You know, it’s interesting when you look back at your career and reflect on how you started and what happened along the way. I honestly don’t think most people start out with the end in mind. Or at least I didn’t anyway. It’s been 20 years this year since I started my working career, so lately I find myself reflecting on all the jobs and employers and colleagues I have had. It’s been empowering and life changing; it’s been eventful and amazing; it’s also sometimes been heartbreaking but I have learned so much along the way. 

I founded Work of Heart in 2017 as a way to help people help themselves and in some respects to share with others what I’ve learned and experienced. Most of it is pretty common sense, but sometimes we get so caught up in life (or work) that we forget how to do the simple stuff. So I’m here to let you in on something … the “secret” to being happy at work is actually pretty simple.

So let me try to sum this up in 3 simple steps (aka the secrets) … because if you’re like me, you need this to be simple and to the point. If you felt compelled to read this, there is a high chance that you’re likely already sleep deprived, stressed or overwhelmed. So trust me, I get it. (Now get your pen out and write down what you’re going to do next to help yourself.)

1.   Take Time for Yourself

Okay some of you are reading this thinking “ah yeah, of course I know that” but trust me when I say that this is not always easy for people to do. When you get so caught up in the chaos at work and with responsibilities at home, it sometimes feels like there really ISN’T time. And if you’re really in a bad mindset, or having a tough time, you don’t even realize that you AREN’T taking time for you. But you need to make this happen. I beg of you. Ideally this time for yourself would be doing an activity you love. It would be doing exercise, meditation or getting fresh air. It would be self-care, a hot bath or some pampering. But since some of us need the beginner version (that was me a few years ago and I still need this reminder weekly) … start with closing your eyes in your car or at your desk. Set a timer for 5 minutes. Let your mind wander but keep your eyes closed. There you did it. Start with that. And if 5 minutes sounds like a lot? Start with less and build up.

2.   Set Boundaries (and take your vacation days!)

Alright, here is where I am either going to yell at you or plead with you (whichever suits your fancy) to please set boundaries for yourself around how much time you are working or thinking about your work. Why should you listen to me? Because I did it all wrong. Wrong. Wrong. Wrong. For 15 years. For 15 years, I thought I was an incredibly hard worker who was so passionate about my work that I just wanted it in my life every day 24-7. NOPE. Looking back I was a workaholic … I found purpose and satisfaction in my work, in being needed and from the adrenaline rush I felt. I’m not saying you should give that all up. You need to do what’s right for you.

But I’m asking you to consider giving yourself some guidelines. It was only after a health scare and subsequent burnout in 2015 that I realized (and admitted) that I had not taken a day off in 15 years. Yes, you read that right. No real day off from work in 15 years. Don’t get me wrong, I took time off on paper according to the companies I worked for. But I always had my phone on. I sometimes worked on projects on vacation.  I would check emails daily. I would text my colleagues who had become my friends and family. And yes, I would do that even from a beach chair or a family trip. For 15 years I did that, and looking back, it makes me incredibly sad. So in 2015, I created “guidelines” for myself around the hours I worked. I created rules for not checking messages and I took real vacations with my phone and email turned off. It changed my life. Duh, that’s what vacation is for right? So please, take your vacation days … with your phone off and your mind focused on anything but work.

3.   Follow your Passion

“The things you are passionate about are not random, they are your calling.”

It never ceases to amaze me how people lose sight of what they truly love to do when things start to get busy with life and work. In almost every workshop or presentation I have done this past year, it comes up. People actually forget what they like to do in their spare time … because they no longer HAVE spare time. Don’t worry though, figuring this out doesn’t need to be complicated. Think about what you find yourself daydreaming about. Think about the things that you do that sometimes cause you to lose track of time. And if they still don’t come to mind, just start paying more attention to things that pique your interest. And follow your curiosity: Google them, research them, ask friends about them. Ideally, you’ll make a bit of time to do these things once a week. Or start with once a month. Or just do the research. Just start.

Lastly, if you have the opportunity to mix some of your passions into your work, even better. I was fortunate over the years to have companies that supported my ideas and my passion for coaching and training others and for event planning too. So I encourage you to try to be creative and to talk to your employer … you might just be surprised at what you can make happen.

So there you have it, 3 simple secrets to help you take back control of your daily happiness at work. Turns out they aren’t so secret at all. The secret is in actually doing them.

Angela Harris is the founder of Work of Heart and spends every day promoting positive thinking. She is a consultant, coach and motivational speaker trying to make a positive difference in the world. angela@workofheart.me