How-To Shift Your Mindset to Be Happier at Work

You’ve most certainly been there at some point. You become so involved in your job that it starts to affect the rest of your life. Before you know it, you look back at the past year and you haven’t done anything but work. Your relationships have suffered, you no longer have any hobbies and your definition of happiness is defined by spread sheets and project goals. No one can blame you for being so dedicated but continuing down this stressful path is a recipe for poor health, failed relationships and unhappiness. It’s time to make a change.

This mindset begs the question, what makes you happy? Is it getting a raise or promotion? Is it crushing a project goal and winning that free trip to Hawaii? If your answer is yes to any of these questions, it’s a sign that your deriving happiness from external factors instead of from within. If this is the mindset you’re in, what happens when you don’t get that promotion or you barely miss that goal? Do you become unmotivated and withdrawn? Does your productivity suffer? Does work become the last place you want to be?

In a culture that is so results oriented, it’s easy to see how people can fall into the trap of deriving happiness from achievements and material things. Think about your neighbor with the Rolex watch, brand new sports car and membership at the fancy country club. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with liking nice things, but are they truly what make someone happy?

If you find yourself in the mindset of measuring your worth and enjoyment in life from what you accomplish, you may want to consider making a change. It’s pretty simple. Instead of focusing on the outcome, immerse yourself in the process of doing your job well.

A good place to start is with four simple questions.

Are you enjoying the problems you’re solving at work?
What kinds of problem solving challenges you in a positive way?
How many goals have you achieved?
Did achieving goals feel make you more excited than the work it took to get the job done?

When you answer these questions honestly, you should gain a keen sense of whether you’re actually enjoying the work you’re doing or not. If such is not the case, it’s a good idea to look at what is causing you to be disheartened. Is it the physical space in which you work? Is it an over-bearing boss that is quick to hand out criticism yet hardly ever praises a job well done? Do you feel stuck by the proverbial glass ceiling? Or is the work itself just something you simply don’t enjoy?

Once you’ve identified some factors that are keeping you from being your most productive and squelching your happiness, it’s time to formulate a plan to improve the situation. The solution might be as simple as getting a standing desk, finding an office with more natural light or making time on your lunch hour to get some fresh air and light exercise.

If making some small environmental changes doesn’t seem to be enough, you might want to consider some more significant changes like a different employer or maybe even a different career altogether. If you get to this point, the first thing you should do is identify what types of work will allow you to enjoy the process. Are you a people person that likes a lot of face time? Or are you sick of people and prefer to be left alone to do your job? Is working from home something you’ve always wanted to do but never had the chance? Or do you thrive in a fast-paced collaborative environment? Whatever you decide, make sure you do plenty of research and ask questions. After all, the reason you’re leaving your current job is to be happier somewhere else.

It’s a shame that so many people in the modern workforce trade days for dollars in jobs they don’t particularly care for. They toil away for years on end always focused on the results of their work without enjoying the process of getting there. If you find yourself in this position, take a step back and look at the situation as objectively as you can. If you come to the conclusion that your happiness is derived solely from the results of your work, it might be time to make some changes, big or small, to increase your productivity, happiness and health.