BOOST YOUR WORK HAPPINESS
1. Organise your work day
· Make sure you arrive a few minutes early for work and mentally organise your tasks for the day.
· Organise your workspace by streamlining it (including desk clearance and deleting old emails).
· Make a list of everything that you need to do that day in order of priority.
· If you can, try taking care of the more difficult things first to take a weight off your mind.
2. Wear a mood-boosting outfit
· Many of us are required to adhere to a dress code for work.
· If you do have more freedom, try opting for clothes or accessories that boost your mood.
3. Add some variety to your day
· Variety is the spice of life, and this is true even when it comes to your working day.
· Try making every day a little different from your daily drab routine in any way you can.
· Try a different order in doing routine tasks, talk to someone new, or take a different route or mode of transport to work, if you can.
· If you can't change these, organise something different to do on your lunch break every so often.
4. Brighten up your desk
· Try brightening up your individual area by purchasing some nice stationery, putting up a photo, or getting a small piece of artwork for your desk.
5. Stay active
· Squeeze some exercise into your lunch break for boosting self-esteem and letting off stress.
· It also releases chemicals like endorphins and anandamide in the brain which can boost your mood and leave you feeling great.
· If you have shower facilities at work you could go for a lunchtime run and a shower.
· Alternatively, a brisk walk around the shops will get your heart rate up without sweating.
6. Snack on ‘happy foods’
· Try stocking up on well-known happiness-inducing foods such as walnuts (for Omega-3 fatty acids), bananas (for serotonin-producing tryptophan and relaxing magnesium) and whole grains (for mood-boosting B vitamins).
· Also, stick to low-GI foods for slow-release energy, as low blood sugar levels can lead to depression and fatigue.
7. Be positive and friendly
· Regardless of how you feel, try to adopt a positive and friendly attitude towards your colleagues.
· Try to empathise and resolve any conflicts and avoid office gossip.
· Furthermore, try to paste on a smile however you really feel – it may just boost your mood.
8. Appreciate what you have
· Even if you are stuck with your present job for now, try to make the best of what you’ve got.
· Try to identify a sense of purpose or positive of doing the job, by helping others in some way, or taking it as an opportunity to build on certain skills.