How to be Happy at Work

This year, make an effort to be positive at work. Here’s how to thrive in the nine-to-five

Take control Recognise that your happiness is your responsibility and focus on the positives in your job. Organisational psychologist Dr Ben Palmer says happy people make time for things that up their feel-good factor. So build at least one activity you love into every day.

Open up The relationship you have with your boss is key to your happiness at work, so take the lead if necessary. Make sure you understand what’s expected of you and ask for regular feedback. Maybe you can negotiate taking on more of the work you like and lose the tasks you enjoy least.

Say no to negativity Whether it’s whining about the workload or beefing about the boss, negativity drags you down. If your colleagues want to wallow, leave them to it and hook up with more positive thinkers. Research published in the British Medical Journal stated that happiness is contagious – hanging out with the happy gang lifts your mood.

Make time for people You spend a lot of time with colleagues, so invest in those relationships. Do a good deed if you can and build a strong network that gives you moral and practical support. Never underestimate the power of laughter: a shared joke relieves tension, stimulates creativity and enhances your feelings of connection with colleagues – good for you, great for business.

Up the energy factor Moving around boosts your mood and your metabolism, and fresh air and sunlight give you a natural high. If you can’t get outside, escape your e-mail and go to see a colleague to deliver news or ask their opinion. Energy is infectious – if you have it, you’ll soon find your colleagues are feeling the buzz, too.

Don’t procrastinate If there’s something on your to-do list that’s bugging you, commit to tackling it – 15 minutes at a time if it’s a big job. Keep chipping away and you’ll get it done sooner than you think.

Persephone Nicholas