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Happiness at the workplace
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It seems like there is bad news coming from every direction you look at- From young celebrity deaths, parking lot collapses, political scandals, never ending wars, corporate failures, economic recession, hiring freezes to the day to day problems in your personal lives. You may ask how one could feel happy with all this surrounding you, especially at the work place.
In fact, it is more important now, than ever to maintain one’s self of calm & find inner happiness, not just for yourself, but also for the one’s surrounding you. You will find that by making very subtle changes in your daily lives, you can increase the collective well being of your community. Here is a quote that I came across yesterday, which inspires the rest of this article.
“When I was a young man,
I wanted to change the world.
I found it was difficult to change the world,
so I tried to change my nation.
When I found I couldn't change the nation
I began to focus on my town.
I couldn’t change the town
and as an older man,
I tried to change my family.
Now, as an elderly person I realize
the only thing I can change is myself.
And suddenly
I realize that if, long ago, I had changed myself,
I could have made an impact on my family,
My family and I could have made
an impact on our town,
their impact could have changed the nation.”
- An unknown monk 1100 A.D.
Pay attention to people – It is amazing to see what a cheerful smile, a warm hello, a random compliment & or even eye contact to do. Most people are so busy with what they are doing, they don’t want to take a break & pay attention to others, unless they want something in return. Take a moment to say something nice to everyone you meet, even if they are strangers. A string of kind words, smiling faces & road love throughout the day could change a receiver’s perspective of his/her day, somewhat negating the bad news bombarded by all directions.
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It is also important to understand that your coworkers, managers, executives (even if you don’t like them) are just like you. They also have the same desires for good health, wealth & happiness. They too cherish the important of relationship with family & close friends. Once you learn to connect with each individual at this core level, it would be quite easy to look past their biases & accept them as ordinary human beings, trust them & treat them with kindness.
Don’t worry, be happy- Very few know that this Bobby McFerrin's 1988 Grammy Award winning song was inspired by a popular quote of Meher Baba, an Indian mystic and spiritual master, who spent 44 years of his life in silence. Several spiritual leaders preach the importance of living in the moment, of not thinking about the past or the future. Doesn’t mean we should not learn from our past & plan for the future, but by simply worrying about something that is not foreseen or beyond our control is a total waste of time & effort. Moreover, it affects our physical & mental health leading to growing ailments such as depression, hypertension & obesity.
Take a break from monotony- It is no surprise that US is one of the most overworked industrialized nations. Given that, America is not as happy-scoring 7.3 and ranking 17th in the world-as it is wealthy. U.S. residents are three times richer than they were in 1950, but the happiness ratings haven't shifted in the past decade. After Sept. 11, researchers found no significant decrease in measured levels of happiness.
Some ways to deal with increasing your level of happiness at work without breaking your productivity are by challenge yourself in your job, having an enthusiastic attitude, trying different approaches & encouraging creativity. Most of all, if you don’t like what you do, find something that you love. It is true that when you are doing something you are passionate about, it doesn’t feel like “work” anymore.
Also, it is important not to get stressed & take breaks during the day to have lunch with friends, have face to face conversations with coworkers, work out, listen to music or read. Do take mini-vacations throughout the year where you are not carrying your blackberry & laptop.
Practice happiness – Find your own reasons to feel motivated. Visualize a great day ahead before going to work in the morning. Create a "happy" folder in your email inbox, where you collect your compliments received. Take a moment to read them when you are feeling low. Nurture relationships at work with gratitude & compassion. Be inclusive with your teams at work & family at home. Be aware of your negative thoughts & feelings towards others. Let go of situations that are beyond your control. Have fun in what you do & take pleasure in the simple things in life.
They say happiness is a state of mind. It is our perception of the situation that makes us feel happy or unhappy. Today, I request you to start looking with a lens of positivity & to reflect that lens onto everyone you meet.
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