Work is unequivocally a part of the overall happiness we experience in life.

You may be confident, qualified and ready to succeed at your job, but there will always be unique challenges you may face from time to time.

Or you might be feeling lost and searching for a career path that will bring you joy.

It doesn’t matter if this is your dream job or something you’ve taken to hold you over in the meantime, you can experience joy and happiness in your 9 am – 5 pm (or your 8 am – 8 pm).

Happiness is an inside job, with a few simple tweaks to your routine; you can begin to feel content where you are right now in your career.

Ready to experience more happiness and well-being?

So we are sharing with you lessons learned from experience to help you get started on building a happy working life.

1. Learn how to set boundaries

Making the line between personal and professional clear will help navigate your job with personal commitments.

There may be times where you have to pull extra hours, but you should balance this by allowing yourself more flexibility and breathing room.

Even at the busiest times, you need to practice some self-care. The happiest and most productive workers are the ones that know their limits and stick to them.

Be clear where your boundaries lay, prioritise yourself as well as your job, and your life is going to feel like a dream.

2. Use your vacation days

You may want to be seen as a hard worker and loyal employee, but nothing good can come from being overworked and overstressed.

Take the time to refresh and rejuvenate. You deserve it.

Not only are holidays great for your personal life, but creative ideas can also come when we truly stop and unwind.

Allow yourself space to be with your thoughts and emotions, and you’ll be amazed at what you come up with. There’s a reason why some of our best ideas come in the shower!

You’re not letting anybody down by taking care of yourself, by taking a holiday you’ll return to the job happy, refreshed and ready to go.

3. Commit to saving

When you have savings in the bank, you’re preparing yourself for the unexpected.

It’s a way to take care of your future by giving yourself a safety cushion if unexpected issues pop up.

Invest in your future and your security, even if it’s just a small amount, each month.

This will give you a nice cushion to consider moving jobs, taking on further study, retirement or to plan ahead with a  little more freedom later on.

4. Take care of your health

Long hours sitting down at the office will start to strain your body.

It may seem hard to tear yourself away from the computer, but small adjustments to maintain your posture and desk exercises will help prevent injury and long term damage that comes from hours of sitting.

Our bodies are designed to move, so keep active. Not only is this good for your productivity, but it also helps you keep a positive mindset.

Google some at desk exercises and set a timer to remind yourself to move every hour.

5. Master the art of communication

More than anything, being a good communicator is one of the best skills you can have in life and work.

You could be the smartest and the most skilled, but it won’t count for anything if you can’t communicate clearly to others.

Like any other skill, you can learn effective communication.

This skill will help you to maintain positive work relationships, stand up for yourself, ask for that pay rise and navigate any of life’s challenges with ease.

6. Explore work opportunities in areas you’re passionate about

Finding work that brings you a feeling of fulfilment and joy can take some effort.

Whether you know what that is or you’re starting to look at where you want to be in the future, explore the things that light you up.

We are continually changing, and it is okay to go and chase something else.

Keep abreast of your passions and explore industries that excite you. Change is good and can lead to a happy, healthy and balanced life.

 

So, what are some tips you’ve picked up that have helped you find happiness at work?