09 Sep 5 tested ways to be happier and more successful at work
Happiness at work is not just desirable…it's distincly possible! And Michelle McQuaide outlines how we can enjoy more happiness at work in this great Huffington Post article…
Like most people, I grew up believing that if I worked hard, then I'd be successful and then I'd be happy. It was only after spending more than a decade of my career chasing the next goal, earning the next promotion, and convincing my boss I was worthy of the next pay rise, that I realized I had trapped myself on a treadmill of stress, exhaustion and discontentment.
And then I hit the wall. It was all I could do to drag myself out of bed each morning.
No wonder, given researchers in neuroscience and psychology have discovered that I had the formula for success completely backwards. It turns out, happiness — not hard work — fuels our success. You see, studies are finding happier employees are more creative, more engaged, more productive and more likely to be promoted. They're also less likely to experience symptoms of fatigue.
How does happiness produce such results?
Scientists have discovered positive emotions — like joy, interest, awe, pride, gratitude, hope, amusement, serenity, inspiration and love — flood our brains with dopamine and serotonin helping us to process new information, to think more quickly and creatively, to see and invent new ways of doing things and to connect better with others at work. When our mindset and mood are positive, we're smarter, more motivated and thus more successful.
So how can you be happier at work — no matter what your job description says, or who you're working for?
"There are five key researched habits we recommend people try practicing to improve their happiness at work," explained Michelle Gielan of Good Think Inc. when I recorded this interview with her recently.
She recommends:
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Counting Gratitude – Write down three new and unique things your grateful for each day. This will help train your brain to constantly scan your environment looking for new and good things.
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Journaling – Each day spend two minutes writing down everything you can remember about the most meaningful moment you've had in the last 24 hours. Relive this moment in detail noting down what you saw, heard and felt. By really savoring this experience you can essentially double the number of meaningful moments in your day…
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