Do This Every Day For A Week, And Immediately Boost Your Happiness At Work

Twelve months ago, you were thrilled to get promoted. But the euphoria is gone now. The reality has sunk in and you’re sitting at your desk surrounded by piles of unfinished work and a half dead plant, longing for something more.

This is hedonic adaptation.

Positive psychologists use the term to describe what happens when you take for granted what’s familiar.

The newness wears off; you stop paying close attention and that’s the real enemy of happiness. You’re back to your pre-change happiness baseline.

It’s the reason the new Rothy’s you eyed for months no longer give you a zing of excitement when you slip them on for the tenth time.

It happens in relationships when you stop hanging on your sweetheart’s every word and your fancy underwear stays stuffed in the back of your dresser drawer. It’s there with your new car when the Clif Bar wrappers and empty water bottles build up under the passenger seat.

And now it's here at work, too.

There is a way to re-discover the good in your job. I tried it and it made a massive difference in my workday.

The “Three Good Things” activity counteracts inattentional blindness that detaches you from feelings of happiness.

Research by Martin Seligman shows that doing this exercise every day for a week has a snowball effect on happiness. At one week participants were 2% happier. In follow-up surveys one month out they were 5% happier and at 6-months they were 9% happier. Spontaneously doing this beyond a week helped boost the happiness gains over time.

MY GOOD THINGS AND AN AHA MOMENT

I never thought a call to the IT Help Desk could be a workday highlight. But there it was on my list. A pattern started to emerge a few days into writing down the best moments of the workday.

My favorite times come from connecting, supporting, and collaborating with co-workers.

Seeing it in my journal, it dawned on me that every interaction with colleagues could be an opportunity to enjoy myself. Even working in a bureaucracy. I needed to lighten up!

And that’s how I ended up cracking jokes with the IT guy about my computer ineptitude. He was eager to talk to someone in a good mood. And a 45-minute phone call became a chance to goof off while we diagnosed my finance software problem.

Since then I’ve expanded and deepened my connections with co-workers. Sometimes we blow off stress by laughing at ourselves, and the absurdity of life. Other times, we share tips and strategies to make sense of new systems and processes. Occasionally, I’m just listening and nodding with encouragement.

It's no wonder this feels good. Research says the happiest people are social and have strong relationship ties. Being a social butterfly is good for you.

I CHANGED HOW I WORK- CONNECTION OVER TASK COMPLETION

Logistics and planning are primary duties of my job. Most people would say that a better day is the one where you’ve accomplished the most toward those key objectives.

As an introverted Highly Sensitive Person (HSP), I tended to put my nose down and just get the work done, believing I was conserving energy by staying in my office by myself.

But connection is life giving.

Now that I know, I look for official and unofficial ways to interact with colleagues. I walk to an office to talk, rather than sending another email. While I'm there, I ask how they are doing and I really listen.

I have greater presence in those moments and savor them.

THE SECRET TO FINDING LASTING HAPPINESS AT WORK

Your happiness at work does not have to be dictated by what's listed on your job description.

By doing activities like Three Good Things, you can identify the essential building blocks for your own pleasure and then make room for them in your workdays, a strategy known as prioritizing positivity.

The happiness that comes will make you better at your to-do list.

And your boss and co-workers will love having you as a colleague.  

YOUR TURN

Have you ever had fun talking to the IT Help Desk? Have you tried Three Good Things? If so, did you learn anything that surprised you?LEAVE A COMMENT BELOW.