10 Tips for Better Job Happiness in 2021

Are you stuck in a job rut? Are your colleagues driving you crazy? Maybe you’re seriously questioning why you even picked your field in the first place?

Some people have no choice in the type of work they do – it’s just about paying the bills and putting food on the table. Other people spend years studying and enter a field of work only to discover that they don’t really like it! Other people (the lucky minority) find a job that inspires them. These are the people that say, “it’s not a job but a calling,” but even these lucky few don’t wake up every day excited to go to work.

Job happiness can be elusive… but there is a secret. It’s not the job that will bring you happiness, in the end it’s got nothing to do with the job. It’s you!

Many people who have found the key to happiness head off every day to unfulfilling jobs but have a blast anyway. I remember some of my most enjoyable jobs were during university when I was waitressing or serving coffees. I loved my team, and we had some great laughs, even though I only saw the job as a temporary thing to pay the bills.

You see, to find job happiness you need to be intentional about doing small things throughout the day to boost your mood. And here’s the best part, if you’re happier at work, studies show you’ll also be more successful in your career, getting more promotions than your grumpier colleagues. According to ScienceofPeople.com, if you’re happier at work, you’ll also be more productive and more engaged. You’ll also have better health and be more resilient, so when things go wrong, you’ll be better able to bounce back and move forward.

So how do you get greater job happiness? Here are 10 ideas and tips.

1. Start Off the Day on a Good Note

Happier.com describes this aspect of job happiness by saying that “researchers analysed the moods and performance of customer service representatives. Those who were in a good mood in the morning were more productive during the day and reported having more positive interactions with customers.”

Taking a few minutes in the morning for yourself to have breakfast and drink some tea or coffee can significantly affect how the rest of your day is going to go. Another option is going outside for a walk to get some fresh air or maybe even doing an at-home workout or yoga routine.

2. Help a Colleague

Helping others, in general, has been proven to make people feel more productive and better about themselves. It doesn’t have to be anything huge or lifechanging, but even just grabbing a quick coffee for a colleague can go a long way. Not only can it make your day better, but also theirs.

3. Make Progress and Acknowledge it

You may feel like your work sometimes goes unnoticed, which can be very demotivating. So, why not try flipping the script and instead of looking for extrinsic recognition, go for intrinsic motivation instead. Start each day by writing down some daily goals and get to work completing them. As you complete each task, cross it off your list (is there anything more satisfying!?) At the end of the day, you can look back and acknowledge your progress. Although this encouragement isn’t coming from a supervisor directly, this affirmation goes way deeper and providing a sense of confidence and self-worth that you give yourself… not that’s reliant on someone else.

4. Find an Alternative Career or Side Job that you Enjoy

Not everyone has the luxury of working in a career that they particularly enjoy. Whether or not this is true for you, it’s always an option to switch to a different career or find another job that brings you more job happiness.

As The Balance Careers describes, “no employee is happy at work every single day, and even jobs you are passionate about can sometimes be frustrating or tedious. But if your career is something you generally enjoy and feel proud of, you are more likely to feel happy at work.”

Whether you start a blog, or make jewellery to sell on eBay, or create artwork or any number of other side gigs, you’ll be in good company. In the U.S., about 36 per cent of workers are now involved in the gig economy, according to SmallBizGenius. In Australia, ABC News reported that close to a million people have a second job or side hustle. While it’s true that many of these people are simply paying the bills, it’s also true that many people are simply following their passions and dreams… and in the process finding happiness that permeates all parts of their life, even their 9-5 job too.

5. Take Responsibility for What’s Going On at Your Job

It can feel frustrating to feel out of the loop at work. Not knowing certain information or being uninformed about things going on at your job can leave you frustrated, confused, and dissatisfied. Instead of relying on others to keep you up to date on everything and involved, take initiative yourself to seek out information and make important decisions.

The research backs this up, people who are more autonomous and feel a sense of purpose at work are generally happier in their jobs. This is about being involved in decisions, contributing ideas and generally being engaged. So take control and get involved. You may find that your supervisors or colleagues didn’t even realise that there was a lack of communication.

6. Make Friends

Regardless of how your work environment is as a whole, making friends with your colleagues can change the environment completely. As an employee, you spend a lot of time at work. Feeling understood and valued by your colleagues can help you feel more encouraged and productive.

Having friendships inside of work can also bleed into your regular life, and every now and then, a friend you make at work ends up being a friend you keep for life.

7. Give Yourself Some Fun Rewards

If you don’t love the work that you do, you can try and use small rewards that are almost like bribery for yourself. Make a game of it. You could try something like, “If I finish this paperwork, I’ll order lunch at my favourite place down the street on my lunch break.” Or “yesterday I completed seven reports, and today I’m going to beat that and do eight.”

Although this is a very small way to keep things exciting and interesting for you, it’s a good way to keep yourself on track and productive in your work. You could even create a rewards jar, putting multiple rewards in there and drawing them randomly to celebrate your productivity.

8. Create a Playlist to Boost Your Mood

Music can change everything. It has been scientifically proven that music can raise your serotonin levels and make you happier. In fact, a recent study showed that music can foster interpersonal connections, growth and even healing.

So, unleash your favourite beats at work and watch your mood lift! When you’re having a rough day at work, turn up that playlist and crank your tunes. It might turn your entire mood around. Also, you can find many playlists on apps such as Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube, etc. that are designed specifically to keep you productive at work.

Need some inspiration? Check out these 10 songs that neuroscientists say are the 10 happiest songs ever.

9. Organise or Attend Social Events for Co-workers

Remember when we mentioned making friends with your co-workers? This is the perfect opportunity. Sometimes in a work environment, it can be difficult to truly socialize because of the tasks you are trying to get done.

Attending a social event with co-workers can allow you to break these barriers down and allow you to socialise with your co-workers in a way that may not be possible in some work environments. Plus, it’s nice to go out and have fun every once in a while!

10. Smile

They say if you smile, the whole world smiles with you. So, I’ll leave you with a simple reminder that sometimes all it takes is a smile to turn your mood around.

Research from the University of South Australia confirms that the act of smiling can trick your mind into being happy. As you’re coming into work in the morning, make a conscious effort to smile at every person you see on the way in. If you’re not in a job where you see people much or often, you can simply smile to yourself to get the benefits of this exercise… you might feel silly, but who’s going to see you?!

Remember, at the end of the day, finding job happiness is up to you. Use these tips to help propel you forward and make 2021 your year of job happiness!

Want to learn more about the science of happiness? Make sure to subscribe to my podcast Happiness for Cynics and my email newsletter for regular updates & resilience resources!