Be Happy In Your Job!

To be happy in your job sounds like one of those cliche, "easier said than done" kind of things. But really, you control your own happiness. Repeat - YOU control your happiness.

...But My Boss is a Jerk!

Too often, we find excuses for why we're not happy. Perhaps you’re unhappy in your current position because your boss is a jerk, or you feel like you’re underpaid or not appreciated or rewarded for what you do. All of this may very well be true, but I ask you to put all of this aside. You cannot control your boss being a jerk, or not getting recognized for your efforts, but you can control your reaction to these things.

In order to be happy in your job, control your own actions and reactions, and do what's in your power to make things better. Don't worry about things that are beyond your control.

5 Day Challenge

For the next 5 days, concentrate on applying some of the following activities into your work. You'll be amazed how different you feel, and realize that you CAN be happy in your job by creating your own happiness.

A critical piece to making this work is simply ACCEPTING where you are today. Leave negative thoughts and feelings behind. You are where you are, and it's okay. Starting now, start taking measures to change in order to get to where you want to be.

With negative feelings out of the way, and a fresh outlook, try the following:

  • Each day, go out of your way to tell at least one co-worker how much you appreciate what they do.
  • Write down all the things you enjoy about your job, and focus on those activities (if possible). On the flip side, don’t procrastinate on activities that you know need to be done, and you just don’t want to do. Get them over with and out of the way.
  • Confront negative situations immediately – don’t let them fester!
  • Leave things better than you found them.
  • Don’t make yourself sick from stress. It’s easy to get wrapped up in company goals and objectives to the point where you start feeling sick and get stressed out (which makes it worse). Talk to your boss about the stress and make sure you’re constantly communicating any challenges you might have to meeting a particular goal, and how he/she might be able to help with the situation. If needed, take a break from your desk for a few minutes to clear your thoughts.
  • Be thankful for what you have.
  • Do your best! Don’t do mediocre work because you think you’re getting mediocre pay. With a mediocre attitude, you will only ever get mediocre results.
  • Leave personal baggage at home, and work baggage at work.
  • Laugh! I used to have a Dilbert calendar on my desk – the kind that has a different cartoon for each day of the year. You can only take yourself and your job situation but so seriously. After all, you only live once, right?

Following the tips above for at least 5 days will help you to be happy in your job, even if your current situation is less than ideal.


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