In the 1950′s experts were concerned that we wouldn’t know what to do with all our spare time in the future. Experts like, Harvard University’s David Reisman feared that with technology speeding up as it was and automation taking over at every level, people would not be able to cope with this overabundance of free time that we were going to have on our hands. The work day would be drastically changed, with people having little to do.
Well, it hasn’t quite worked out that way. In fact today, most North Americans are working more and harder than ever. Not only that, but job satisfaction levels are also down.
According to a report by The Conference Board in 2005, there is a decline in job satisfaction among workers of all ages and across all income brackets in the US workforce. About half of all Americans surveyed at the time said they were satisfied with their jobs, but this was down from nearly 60% ten years before. To add to this, among the 50% who said they were content, only 14% said they are “very satisfied.”
So what is this telling us? It is telling us that most of us are not happy doing what takes for most of us the majority of each day, week and year! When you reflect on this, doesn’t it seem bizarre that we would dedicate the majority of our lives to being in a place or doing something that does not make us completely happy?
Well this is where Karl Staib from Work Happy Now comes in. Karl is a passionate advocate of happiness in the work day. In fact, he has deemed today – October 5th, 2009 – Happy At Work Action Day. Thus to celebrate this day, we are going to talk today a little about how to achieve more happiness in the workplace.
How Did We Get Here?
As I stated above in the few statistics that I shared with you, in North America we seem to be spending more time in places and doing more things there that we perhaps least enjoy. I know to some people this is “just the way it is” and they cannot see it any other way. In fact I still know a lot of people who will say the famous words “I have no choice.”
Well – you may or may not agree with me – but we ALWAYS have a choice. Just by saying “we have no choice” we have chosen to say those words. We could have chosen to say so many other things, but we chose those specific words.
So why we are most people not happy doing what they do as part of their “job” and how did we come to this?
In my opinion, when I look back at trends over the past decades, one thing really stands out and this is the push for the economy. After the great depression and the major world wars, North America, especially the US started to focus and build everything around the economy.
New items, more diverse items, more color, more choices, more gadgets, more of everything started to become available. People started to get a new taste for life where we were seeing a boom in almost every sector. Well, the more that was produced, the more people wanted, needed or felt that they should have.
The era of the “Joneses” began and we were all striving to have all the things that our new world was presenting us with. There was always more one could acquire. Of course in order to have these things, we needed to go to work to make money. To add to this, we also had an older population of people who believed that in order to get anything in life, one had to work hard.
And so, one by one, I think more and more people began to become more swayed into enjoying the material items money could buy, rather than enjoy how they were going to get that money. It seems that one by one, our focus changed from, “enjoy the now” to “suffer now, to enjoy the future“. But somehow, those future moments just didn’t add up to what was lost in the present.
We may look to the governments and try to lay blame, but there is no point. We can look to the companies and try to lay blame, but that also is useless. Looking for something or someone to blame here is not the answer, as in the end, we are the ones who are going to these jobs, agreeing to unfavorable working conditions and then going to the stores to spend the money we just earned.
There is no one to blame. In fact there needn’t even be anything wrong here. If you genuinely love your job and enjoy working at it 40 or even 60 hours a week, then that is wonderful. However, one may have a part time job where they only work 20 hours a week or less, and are hating it – making themselves miserable.
The point I am trying to make is for each one of us to realize that there is a vicious cycle out there, but we do not need to be a part of it. We have a choice.
We have a choice in the job we choose, the conditions, the coworkers, the hours and even the pay. Again, I know for many first time readers of this, it may seem like I am saying something heretical here. However, when we look within, become conscious of our own being, and began to consciously attract and manifest what and how we really want life to be, we began to see astonishing results.
This is why today, I invite each and every one of you to reflect on your own job situation. Consider the following questions:
Are you happy doing what you are doing for a “living”?
Are you happy in your current workplace? How happy?
If you are not happy with what you are doing, what are you doing to change those circumstances?
Can you look at your workplace in a brand new way? At your coworkers? At your boss?
Can you start to see the situations and scenarios in your workplace, as ones of your own making, not ones that were made by another?
Can you accept that there are no victims and villains, but only what we choose to perceive ourselves as?
If you do not like how someone in the workplace is treating you, why do you allow it?
What work would you do for free because you love it THAT much?
Why aren’t you doing that for a living?
Allow these questions to rest in your mind today. Perhaps you will want to talk them out with yourself or someone else. Perhaps you will even want to journal some ideas. Whatever you do, do not dismiss your happiness. Whether you are 25 or 55, it is never too late, to have the work happiness that you seek and deserve.
Infuse Happiness Into Your Work Day
So you may still be feeling and thinking that “you have no choice” working where you are and doing what it is that you do. However, even if that is the case, we always still have a choice in terms of how we act or react to something.
Hence to infuse more happiness into your work day, try these simple ideas:
- Start each day with a fresh mindset. Do not bring past baggage to each new day. Sure yesterday may have “sucked”, but today is a new day, where you get to create a beautiful new day. Be open therefore to a new outlook.
- Learn to see the glass half full. Sure you may be in a company that isn’t going anywhere, but there is still opportunity in every situation. You get to declare yourself in every moment to the Universe and based on how you declare yourself, you attract more of that. This is why you have to realize that you have the choice to make every moment count and be as meaningful as you choose it to be.
- Learn to become more optimistic. Yes you may work with a grumpy and negative coworker or boss, but it does not mean that you need to be grumpy and negative as well. Instead of those people’s energies rubbing off on you, try for a change letting your positive attitude rub off on them.
- Be authentic. If you are finding that you do not enjoy your job due to poor relationships with other coworkers, try a new approach as to how you present yourself. In the end you really have nothing to prove. We are all one, and thus each one of us deserves to be treated with respect, kindness and care. Be real, be authentic and reach out to others the way you would like them to reach out to you. And most importantly don’t keep score. Do what you do because it feels right to you, not because you owe something to someone.
- Understand that things don’t just happen to us. Know that you are an active entity in your own life, not a passive bystander. Therefore, the sooner we drop the victim mentality and begin being accountable for all that is in our life, the sooner we start creating all that we want in our lives consciously, and drop all that we do not want.
- You get out, what you put in. If you are really unhappy at your workplace, ask yourself what you are actually contributing to making it a better place? If you give negativity, you get negativity. If you give value, you get back value. So don’t expect for your work to magically give you everything you want, when you do not put in a fair effort into it yourself.
If you have honestly given it all you could have, and tried your best to increase your level of happiness in your workplace, but nothing seems to have changed or be changing, learn to recognize the message. Perhaps this just isn’t the best place for you – your growth and your happiness. Have the courage to leave a place or a position that is not making you happy, and find one that is. It may take many tries, it may take just one – but in the end you are dealing here with your life, and you – and that is worth everything!
Celebrate the Day
For great ideas on how to celebrate Happy At Work Action Day in your workplace, visit Karl over at Work Happy Now!
Here is to your happiness!
Feel free to share below, your current level of satisfaction at your workplace or reflect with us on anything that stood out for you from this article.
*Photograph provided by KM Photography..
About the author:Evita Ochel, B.Sc., B.Ed., CHN - is the founder and editor of EvolvingBeings.com – an online publication featuring various topics on spirituality and metaphysics. Evita teaches consciousness expansion and heart-centered living to help people attain deep meaning, peace and happiness in their life. She is also a nutritional science and holistic health expert for optimal health and longevity. Learn more about Evita Ochel or Follow her on Twitter.
17 Comments to “Infuse Happiness Into Your Work Day – Happy At Work Action Day”
Hi Evita — I liked what you said about letting go of the image we try to present to others in our work — like I’ve said to some people I’ve worked with, it’s hard enough to be organized, creative and so on in what you do without striving to look a certain way to somebody else. If we feel the need to stay late in the office to get “face time” with the boss, for instance, in addition to actually doing our project, no wonder we don’t want to come into the office.
Hi Evita,
I agree with how we all became so unhappy at work but can’t I please blame the Jonses?!?
I remember when I was working as a therapist in private practice sharing the building with 2 men that drove me crazy. They weren’t my boss but sure thought so and it affected the energy between us.
The things I did to help me get through it were:
I prayed for them every time I saw them come and go out my windows. (I was in the sunroom!)
I decided I wouldn’t talk down about them to anyone else in the office.
I realized I was projecting my stuff on to them and began looking closer at what it was and did the work required to heal it.
I would mentally wish them well when I thought of them.
I don’t have to tell you I became much happier at work. Even if people believe they can’t leave the position they’re in they can take action to change the situation because when we change within without changes as well.
When in a difficult situation I pull out every spiritual principle I believe in and put them into practice. It never fails. Of course once I leanred my lessons the opportunity came up to move to a different office which I did!
@ CHRIS – Thank Chris! You are so right, I guess people do try to go out of their way to impress others, but it actually ends up backfiring onto them in one way or another.
I am not naive and I know there are a lot of cut throat jobs out there that the person who “proves” themselves the most is the “winner”. But if you are aware of an environment like that and it bothers you – then I think you are also conscious enough to know it will not lead to your greater growth and satisfaction.
So in the end, I know we have to decide, declare authenticity and attract more of that, or be someone we are not and attract what comes with that.
@ TESS – LOL Tess, I think most of us should be asking who the heck are the Jonses and why do we care about what they think, have or do so much?
Now all joking aside, you displayed some amazing qualities Tess and thank you so much for sharing in how you dealt with those two men you worked with.
I hope that is what people also can gather from my article, that I understand that sometimes quitting is not a viable option (for the moment) but how we choose to react or respond to a situation always is.
And what beautifully profound words you stated Tess:
“when we change within without changes as well”
If people only can walk away from this understanding and putting that into practice, they can drastically change their work conditions – and for the better of course!
We do have a choice. How we view our job, whether we are happy or sad, depends on the things we choose to focus on. I like how you said, “Understand that things don’t just happen to us.” Many of us, me included, put blame on outside circumstance. We blame others for our problems. The solution is within us, not just changing who we work with or what we do. When we can learn to love (find compassion for) the jerk in the office that’s when we’ve reached a new level of happiness.
This was a wonderful post. I love the statistics that you found. I’m going to borrow them for a future post.
Hi Evita,
Great post and I agree with all that you wrote.
I remember being in school and seeing how much many of the teachers hated being there. I think they hated being there as much as we did. When I went to college and law school, I began to see people who really loved their jobs. I am also fortunate to have a father who loves his work.
I think it boils down to mindset about oneself and the world. We are meant to have lives that we love and I think so many people forget that because money has become a god as oppposed to what it truly is which is a resource or a tool for living. Happiness is our birthright and money is not the end of all of human existence.
Apologies for the long comment but this is one subject I am so passionate about. :)
I think it’s important to realize, that sometimes it takes practicing happiness to actually be able to choose happiness. To become aware that we are heading into a negative place and acknowledge that! It’s like training a muscle or the body to run a marathon…step by step the shift occurs. Often we want things NOW and FAST…we get discouraged when it doesn’t happen that way.
I love reading all of the views on work happiness…thanks to Karl for the “movement”!
@ KARL – Hello Karl and thank you so much for the feedback, I am glad you found it useful too with the stats and all.
Well, I have you to thank for this inspiration – you are targetting an amazing area of life and adding so much value to people who are looking for another way, when it comes to their work and being “happy”.
Like I said, this is a place where we spend the majority of our lives for most of us, so I cannot imagine not making it a pleasant environment, a happy place – at least the majority of the time.
Sure there can come ups and downs, but it is also as Tess mentioned a choice how we react and whether we choose to instill a spiritual perspective to it or not.
@ NADIA – Thanks Nadia!
LOL, you made me laugh a little, being a former teacher and all. I totally know what you mean, but not because I didn’t want to be there – I really loved it there, and my kids (well now former kids) can attest to that. But both the kids and other coworkers knew who just hated being there, or who was there for the perks of a 2 month summer vacation.
I don’t think we can fool these things. We may try to fool ourselves for a while in whatever situation we are in, but sooner or later, our transparency shows.
And no need to apologize for the long comment – I love passion and especially when others are passionate, it is contagious – a wonderful feeling to really find that happiness and know that life was indeed meant to be “happy”! You said some amazing things in your comment and I am so glad you took the time to do so – thank you Nadia!
@ STACEY – Yes, Stacey great point. Many of us I think get impatient quickly and lose hope and/or faith. Change can happen in an instant, but for many it does not happen this way. So yes, recognition and consciousness is what I would also recommend to raise oneself to a better place.
It is so easy to get stuck and then dragged down by negative emotion, but when we become aware and as you say “practice” happiness, before we know it, we become the happiness.
Well said Evita. And by bringing quality to the workplace, the grumpy boss doesn’t stay grumpy and the environment as a whole lightens up. A positive state of Being then becomes contagious and the outer world then reflects the inner world. Its just then about not trying so hard and learning to make it flow easily.
@ BERN – Thank you Bern :)
Those are wise words and ones that I invite all people to put into practice – laughter, happiness, positivity are contagious – so you are so right, the outer world is greatly influenced by the inner world. We give what we have, and if within us we have no happiness or joy, then we don’t have that to give to others. On the other hand if we allow that in, then one by one it spreads to others.
Hi Evita,
As I was reading this, I thought, “this should be inserted in an employee handbook”. Too often people take a job because it pays better than the last one and they believe the grass is greener on the other side.
One thing we taught out kids, and I also mention it to friends, is whatever we learn on a job is something no one can take away from us. Therefore, if we take the opportunity to learn as much as we can (take on extra assignments, etc), we not only challenge ourselves, but in those challenges may find more joy. Instead of looking at a job (whether we like it or not) as “just a job”, but looking at it as an education, we begin to see the possibilities we can take with us into the future.
I was fortunate to be raised by parents who taught us to do the very best we can in all aspects of our lives. Even when I had menial jobs, I did just that and at the end of the day was proud I gave it my all.
As for the answer to your question about what would I do for free. It’s blogging. Imagine that? :) And because of that, I’m now in the process of attempting to turn it into a career. I’m guessing it will be an interesting journey.
Again I must say, this is a fabulous post. Thank you for not only sharing your viewpoint, but for putting so much work into what is truly a value based article.
In my case, I don’t blame the “Jonses” but I do blame HealthNet and Blue Shield. :P I now know more people who work exclusively for health insurance than I did when I was growing up and the situation is getting worse.
#5 is key for me because I am learning day by day that I DO have control no matter how dire my situation may look from the outside.
@ BARBARA – Thank you Barbara – that was a very kind comment you started with.
What a beautiful thing to have learned and pass onto your kids. It is those lessons that serve as such important gems, such valuable possessions that we have to guide us through life.
And as for your answer – how awesome! And I can totally relate! I would write for free – whether blogging or books – because I enjoy it THAT much! And I know you already know this, but I will say it again here for others, that when we go into something for the love of doing, not for the money – the money has a way of coming to us in many forms naturally.
It is just amazing how the Universe works like that, when we give loving energies, we get loving energies – whether that is love, compassion, friendship, money or whatever the case may be. These are all energies simply being transferred.
So thank you again for your feedback – it really means a lot.
@ CARLA – Thank you so much Carla for adding in your thoughts. You know I am based in Canada, but I have heard on numerous occasions the problems with the health care system in the US. It is really too bad that so many people have to “struggle” through that and with that. But there is help – not always easily seen, but there are other choices for people.
For example, I know neither the US or Canadian system focuses on prevention through things like optimal nutrition, but that can add years to someone’s life and reduce if not totally eliminate them becoming part of the disease statistics today. Sure there are genetic problems and rare mutations that one has to consider, but the point is there are ways we can help ourselves, when the health care system that is supposed to help us isn’t.
And that touches upon what you mentioned that speaks for you – we really do have control. Some people don’t understand how this can be. But the control is in how we react and what we do about a situation, not control over a situation perhaps happening.
So thank you again and adding value to this conversation.
I like what Barbara says about being happy even in menial jobs. Well, why NOT in menial jobs?? All work is good work when entered into with a smile and a desire to do our best.
I sometimes think the most challenging thing may be WHO we work with, as our bosses and co-workers can so influence our job happiness, even the “uppest” and happiest of people are often challenged to remain bubbly when others around them are so negative or downright mean. In those instances I think one has to have the courage to make a break for something better.
Yes, we really DO have control. Fear holds many back, but can be broken through with the right attitude. Ahhh, the old attitude theory again. Like J.C. Penny used to say… “it’s All Inside.”
Hey Evita. I enjoyed the post, especially point number 5. I see it happen a lot – people are stuck in a victim mentality. Even worse, they are stuck in it so badly that books and teachers who encourage them to reclaim their power are then seen to be “blaming the victim”. It would be awesome if you could write more on this topic, I would love to hear your thoughts.
@ JANNIE – You got it Jannie, why not? And really what are menial jobs right?
I always love for example when I go out say to the grocery store and I get a cashier who you can just tell loves being there! To her or him this job is awesome and they put their everything into it. And that is something to be admired I think.
Definitely who we work with makes a big difference on the environment. But as I always say, let’s try to get our positivity rub off on “them” first before their negativeness gets to us ;)
@ ALBERT – Thank you Albert for stopping by and sharing your thoughts.
Yes, I see it too, and it is not only in jobs, as I am sure you know but all relationships it seems, we can find people who see themselves as the “victims”. And the second point you mentioned is even more valuable as that is so true! Some people get so bogged down in the “world is against me” mentality that yes, they resent anyone who tries to tell them, that it is not the world but their mind that has to change. Those are some tough cases indeed and a lot of love and patience has to be put in to healing souls like that.
And I would love to write more on this topic. I have seen too many examples of it in my own life where people who took on the “victim” role began to bring me down and that definitely awoke me to an even more conscious state of being. So although I say thank you – I do not recommend that anyone has to suffer as a “victim” or because of someone who thinks they are.
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