How to be happier in the workplace

How to be happier in the workplace

For some people, feeling happy at work is all about doing what they’re passionate about or using the set of skills that they’re particularly proud of. 

The good news is, you’re in control of your own sense of happiness at work and you can increase it with a variety of every day strategies. Take a look at yourself, your skills and interests, what motivates you as an educator and what’s currently missing or could be improved in your workplace. Then find a way to change it.  

Here are five simple tips to help you become a happier teacher in your current school or college:

1. Make friends

Feeling understood and valued by other teachers and co-workers, especially with the ones you interact with regularly, can significantly increase your daily happiness at work. Your school or college can provide you with many opportunities to connect with others. Take a chance and let them get to know you better. You may be surprised how many of your co-workers go through the same things as you do. They may even understand you better than your friends from outside of work.

2. Stay away from negativity

No matter how positive you feel, negative people have a great impact on your mental health. If you find that certain people at work are more likely to gossip or complain, try to distance yourself from them. If that's not possible, do your best to redirect conversations onto more positive topics.

3. Make commitments you can keep

One of the most serious causes of stress at work is failing to keep commitments. To manage stress levels and minimise unhappiness at work, create a way of tracking your commitments and managing your schedule. If you stay organised enough, you’ll be able to judge quickly and accurately whether you can commit to any new request or assignment. Don’t volunteer for additional work if you don’t have time to complete it.

4. Take a short walk in your free time at work

It’s been scientifically proven that exercise is great for our physical and mental health. When we exercise, our brain produces happy hormones which trigger positive feelings and make us feel satisfied. Although you cannot exercise at work, you can still take a short walk during your free time. This will help you induce positive feelings and feel happier.

5. Know your worth

Do you keep your student thank you cards and any feedback from your work colleagues? If not, then start now! Display them around your desk to remind yourself how good you are at what you’re doing and that your work is meaningful. Keep that as a reminder for the hardest days.