Finding Happiness In What We Do

Posted on December 20, 2007
Filed Under Self Improvement |

Do you wake up in the morning with an urge to stay in bed because you cannot face the traffic, the office or your colleagues? Do you find that you are unhappy with your circumstances? If your answer to each question is ‘yes’, then you are in the wrong job. You are not experiencing job satisfaction.

Most people are constantly measuring themselves against other people. Instead of looking at their own situation and finding a remedy, they look at others. And other people just have it all. They are better than us. They are better looking! They have more friends! They have more possessions, money and more comfort! They are just so much happier than we are!

There is absolutely nothing wrong in comparing ourselves with others. People do what they must to get what they want. They work hard and are rewarded. And yes, maybe they are genuinely happy in their circumstances. But what makes them happy?

Happiness in itself is not found in wealth, good health, a satisfying lifestyle or a successful career. No-one should look at these factors as the key to happiness. Yes! Everyone wants to be happy, especially in their career. In life today there are so many options leading to many choices. Making the right choice brings greater satisfaction while the wrong choice brings total misery.

When it comes to a choice in career, choosing the right job is fundamental for happiness. Just looking at the word “work,” is an emotionally challenging experience. Work is important because it provides us with an income, a sense of security and it makes us purpose driven. Work also provides us with many pressures and drains us in such a way that a lot of us lose the sense of being satisfied with what we do. And we end up being unhappy.

Nothing makes life, work or stress any easier, not even technology. Technology only makes it possible for us to take our work home at the end of a long day at the office and we end up spending valuable ‘family-time’ in front of our home computer working or for that matter on the cell phone talking to clients.

What we need to do is cultivate a balanced view of work. Being a workaholic does not add to greater happiness. Staying in a job that brings no happiness is just as bad. Life is just too short to spend in a job that makes you miserable.

What will make it easier? Here are four tips to make your job worthwhile.

1. A Positive Attitude. Think positively about the work you do and what you mean to the company. Find something positive to say about the job and the people around you. If there is absolutely nothing positive to focus on, it is time to find a new job.

2. Good Working Hours. Working long hours 24/7 is a short cut to the grave. A healthy job means healthy hours and enough time to spend with the family, relaxing and re-charging for the next day. If you do not have enough time at the end of a day to spend with your loved ones, it is time to find a new job.

3. Motivate Yourself. If you are organized and your workload is well prioritized, you should get home on time every evening. You will feel less stressed and possibly look forward to going to work every day. Make the next day worth going to the office. Make your job exciting and fun. Gain extra knowledge about the work you do and the company you work for. Get to know your colleagues. Make a friend or two. If you find you are an island in the middle of the ocean and you cannot cope, it is time to find a new job.

4. Be Responsible. Try being in another person’s shoes. The boss is probably the one whose shoes you should try wearing the most. Whenever someone upsets you or the work is making you unhappy, reason about the problem. Why are you upset? Why are you unhappy? Communicate with those that can actually help you in your situation and find a solution as quickly as possible. If there’s no sense in reasoning and you know your efforts at trying to solve the problem will be thwarted, it is time to find a new job.

5. Be Satisfied. More work, higher goals, a better title, more money, a bigger office, promotion, and so much more to work for … Is it all worth the sacrifice of our happiness? Learn to enjoy what you already have. Learn to wait patiently for the things you feel you want or deserve. Speak up if you feel you need to be rewarded. But most of all, be satisfied. Satisfaction creates a positive force which makes you motivated, confident and happy.

“Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.” Albert Schweitzer.

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