We’ve all met them. The overly demanding boss, the hypersensitive colleague, the customer who can’t be pleased.
Difficult people really can make life at work difficult; if we choose to let them that is. The simple truth is, no matter how challenging people or circumstances become, happiness at work really is up to you.
How we choose to perceive and respond to the world is what determines our happiness. Put simply, how we choose to think, feel and behave dictates the happiness we experience in life.
Among the most important choices you can make to influence your own happiness at work include:
Manage your energy.
When drained of energy we are all entirely more likely to think, feel and act in ways that undermine our success. Working long and hard without taking the breaks you need, for example, is likely to drain your spirit and erode your happiness over time. Start with looking after your body. Adequate sleep, food and water are all essential to maintaining happiness.
Always feel like you are going crazy at work? You might be being gaslighted. Post continues.
Choose to connect.
Take the time to get the know the people you work with. Having friends at work can have big influence on our sense of belonging and ultimately happiness. While not everyone is likely to be the type of person you enjoy spending time with, look for those you can relate to and make the effort to connect with them.
Choose your attitude.
We all have the power to choose what we invest energy in. Recognise when you are choosing to focus solely on what’s wrong, rather than all of the things you can be grateful for. No job or employer is likely to be perfect so don’t expect them to be.
Choose to speak up.
All too often I observe people wallowing in issues that are troubling them without raising their concerns with the people who can do something about it. While it can be confronting to raise concern, the simple reality is unless we voice how we are feeling we have little to no influence on our circumstances.