Our Occupation Affects Our Happiness

We generally spend a third of our lives at our occupation so it’s a given that how happy we are at work has a bearing on our general wellbeing. How our work affects our happiness and how we can be happier there below

What is it?

How Our Occupation Affects our Happiness

30 Ways To Be Happier at Work

Further Exploration – Articles & Media

Where to Go Next on Peaceful Soul

Your Take – Comments

Our Occupation?

Our Occupation – Our job, living, work, toil, labour, profession, career, business or trade. Whatever you like to call it, the vast majority of us have to do it to make ends meet.

Is it that thing that you drag yourself out of bed for every day? Or that thing that you can’t wait to get to continue the progress you’d made on the previous “working” day?

Being happy and content in our work can be a massive satisfier or dis-satisfier. Should we worry about work if we don’t enjoy what we do or treat it for what it is, a means to an end. How it affects our happiness and 30 ways to be happier whilst there below.

“Pleasure in the job puts perfection in the work"

Aristotle

How Our Occupation Affects Our Happiness

On average we spend at least a third of our working week at our occupation. This is most likely or equivalent to the time than we spend with our family and friends. It is a given that our entire life is impacted by our level of happiness at work

The Positives

Feeling like we are making a positive impact can bring a sense of accomplishment and self-satisfaction
Being challenged and stimulated by the work that we do
We work with great people who stimulate us and we in turn stimulate them

The Not So Positives

Stress at work can be brought home affecting our relationships, sleep and overall wellbeing
Unfulfilling work can make it feel like we are wasting our precious time (and often this can be true)
Similarly, being overworked takes time away from the doing the things we find pleasurable in life
Money – Not being paid enough can leave us feeling under-valued and demotivated

"If you don’t feel it, flee from it. Go where you are celebrated, not merely tolerated."

Paul F. David

30 Ways To Be Happier At Work

How should we treat our occupation to ensure that we are as happy as possible. 4 factors to take into account and 30 ways to be happier below;

1. Positive Ways To Look At Your Job

That you are making a positive contribution to something that you want to make a positive contribution to
That you are adding value in some shape or form
It is a means to an end to allow you to do all of the other things that you are able to do in life

Look at the bigger picture and what your role actually does, you will be adding something to society in some, way, shape of form – nobody is employed for no reason

2. Work Life Balance

A phrase that is over-used by many companies these days. On paper, it sounds all well and good however if you’re told you should have a good work life balance and you’re working 80 hours a week then you don’t

You should ensure that you have a good balance between work, time for yourself, your family, friends and partner
If work is taking over your life, speak to someone in your company about it. Life is too short to spend our time working every hour of the day
If your job takes you 80 hours per week to complete, there should be 2 people doing your job at 40 hours each (unless you are contracted to 80 hours in which case you might want to take another look at that contract)
Make sure you take your holiday
Companies whether aware or unaware will allow you to work the hours that you do. If you are working an obscene amount of hours and it is going unnoticed at the very least do not be afraid to call it out. Nothing can be done if it is not known.

Bronnie Ware, a palliative care nurse from Australia recorded the biggest regrets from her dying patients (see article here). The second was that they wished they hadn’t worked so hard. See what is important in life.

3. Other Ways to Make Us Happier At Work

If you feel that you are being underpaid and can put forward legitimate reasons – say something. Even if nothing is immediately done at least you have made people aware the next time salary discussions come up
Treat others with the respect that they deserve. If you show others respect they will do the same and that in turn will create a good working atmosphere. If someone is not showing you the respect you deserve, rise above it. You will feel a better person in the long run.
Look for the parts of your job that you enjoy doing and do more of it
Make friends with the people you work with
Add some creativity to your work – look at the tasks that you do and how you can make them faster, cheaper or better – this will give you a sense of accomplishment and put you in good stead if you want to get to that next level
Make sure your goals and targets are challenging but most importantly realistic
Take charge of your own personal development and work towards what you want to do
Avoid negativity and office politics (and don’t talk about people behind their back)
Help others at work – it will bring meaning to what you do
Ask for feedback. The positive feedback will help motivation and the constructive feedback will help to see how you can improve yourself
Go for a walk around the block at lunch time – get some fresh air and stretch your legs
Listen to music when doing admin or mundane tasks
Take any breaks that you are allowed
Don’t over-commit
Try and instill a bit of fun into your work
Make the most of your weekends and evenings outside of work

Take time to look after yourself outside of work. Look at the various areas of this site such as exercise, meditation, food and drink & sleep. If you feel good within this yourself, this will have a knock on effect to your attitude to work.

4. Really Unhappy in Your Job? Change It

Like anything in life, if you are seriously unhappy then make a change. Our time is too limited to be unhappy day in day out.

Look at exactly what it is that is making you unhappy about your job – identify ways that you can make this better or if you work for a company, speak to your boss or someone trusted about your problems. Nothing can be done if it is not known about
Think about the things that you really want to do and what inspires you. Find something in that field
Different companies have different people and different ethos’s. Research companies and apply for jobs elsewhere
Alternatively, start your own business. Find something that you enjoy doing and make a living out of it (see guide from Entrepreneur.com below)
All of the skills, knowledge and experience that you have built up through work, education and life in general are skills that can be transferred and used in new lines of work or business
If you don’t have the skills required for your dream job, take time to learn related areas that will open more doors and provide a gateway to doing what you want to do. It will be worth it in the long run