Communications of the ACM
A Few Simple Pointers For Being Happier at Work
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You need to enjoy yourself at your place of employment. If you aren't honestly glad to be working there, your mood will suffer and nothing will help to improve it. It's a challenge that all office workers need to face: Either figure out how to make your occupation and workplace more enjoyable, or else find something new to do that you will enjoy better.
Brother and sister Tom and Dian Griesel, the co-founders of The Business School of Happiness, have studied the various ways people can improve satisfaction with their lives including their hours on the job. According to Tom and Dian, a few simple pointers are worth considering in order to meet this goal.
"You should like your boss, or at least respect him or her," says Tom. "You should also like and respect your co-workers. Try to avoid confrontations with superiors and colleagues; if there is an issue that you feel needs to be addressed, there is always a diplomatic forum in which to resolve it. If you don't think such a forum exists, work on creating one."
"It is important to set a positive example for your co-workers," adds Dian. "Always work to your highest capacity, regardless of what others are doing or what is going on around you. Focus on controlling your own behavior. This approach to your work will do wonders for your productivity as well as your self-esteem."
Tom and Dian additionally offer the following considerations:
- Make a list of the steps you can take to become more productive and carry them out.
- Focus on the most important task at hand and attempt to finish it before moving on.
- Avoid all Internet surfing while on company time.
- Avoid chit-chat beyond what's necessary to be social; save gossip for breaks or lunch.
- Restrict your personal business to your personal time; if you have no exciting personal interests, you need to become more active and "get a life."
"Your mood will definitely suffer if you're suffering from a lack of sleep," notes Tom, "so be sure to get 8 to 9 hours of sleep every night. Sleep recharges your system; to work at your highest capacity and feel your best, you need to be adequately rested."
"Improving your diet is also critical," Dian advises. "There is always room for improvement no matter how healthy you think you are eating now. A better diet will improve your mood for both physiological and psychological reasons. There is absolutely no drug, pill or supplement that will upgrade your health and your mood more than diet.
"There is a great deal of dietary misinformation that is commonly accepted as gospel, so you need to take the time to educate yourself," continues Dian. "An incorrect diet is the biggest factor driving poor physical health as well as numerous mental health and cognitive problems. Start by eliminating all sugar and refined products, and pack your own lunch and snacks."
Most important, says the Griesels: Count your blessings! In the current economic environment, the fact that you are employed should have a positive impact on your mood, even if you do not believe your current occupation is the ideal one.
The Griesels' guidelines hold equally for employers and supervisors, along with a few additional ones:
- Create an open environment where your employees can express themselves, and communicate with them often.
- Encourage suggestions and ideas for improving the workplace.
- Offer praise, as well as constructive criticism, early and often. Avoid favoritism.
- Deal with all employee issues, problems and conflicts quickly and fairly.
- Set a proper example; leaders need to show why they are the leaders if they expect to have happy, productive employees.
Paying attention to the rules above is a virtual guarantee that one's happiness level at work will rise. Even if perfect satisfaction is unattainable, it's possible to keep a smile on your face all day long—and that's a goal definitely worth working toward.
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