Three Ways to be Happier at Work

Over the last few years we have watched the Great Recession wreak havoc on major companies, shutter small towns, and devastate entire industries. These impacts have been dissected and analyzed by media pundits in more ways than the NFL playoffs, but one that was hit hard has been overlooked: the American psyche

The fact is, happiness is hard to come by these days. The Great Recession has so deeply cut into our trademark of American optimism that we are starting to develop a new norm of pessimism.

Recently I had the opportunity to interview executive coach and New York Times best-selling author Dr. Cathy Greenberg about the science and practice of happiness at work. In her book, What Happy Companies Know, Greenberg and her co-authors discuss the traits of “happy companies” and the type of people that make them successful. With so many people feeling down about the economy, Greenberg believes that individuals need to seek out ways to find their own happiness during tough times.

According to Greenberg, “happiness is a way of being, it’s a state of mind” and a big part of happiness at work is focusing your energy in the right places. It’s easy to get pulled in a lot of directions by the multitude of people you encounter on a daily basis.

Here are three things Greenberg says individuals can do to help themselves be happier at the companies they work for.   

Avoid Energy Vampires: All too often we waste our high-energy time on people who Greenberg refers to as “energy vampires.”  These are low energy people you struggle to connect with that require a lot of your time and energy just to have a simple conversation with.

We all have natural energy cycles where at certain points of the day we have more energy and better ability to focus. During these upticks in our energy cycle, Greenberg suggests focusing on those who really matter. In other words, save your high-energy time for those who are energizing to you and use your low-energy time to deal with the energy vampires, so as to avoid being unnecessarily drained.   

Be Wary of the Open-Door Policy: Yes, there is such thing as being too available. One of the most over used and least effective management tips is the good old “open-door policy.”

By opening the proverbial door, you are inviting any and all who feel they may be able to get something from you, including those energy vampires looking to suck the life out your day. This doesn’t just apply to those in management positions; colleagues can be just as bloodthirsty as direct reports. The lesson here is to be smart about how much you make yourself available and avoid spending too much time with takers.   

Be Intentional:  According to Greenberg, you have to “spend time focused on your intentional activities” to be happy and successful in your career. Greenberg advises making a  list of the activities you engage in each day, pick the three activities you enjoy the most and consider how much time you spend on each. Then think about how much of your budget you spend getting them done. Ask yourself: Which of the three activities do you spend the most amount of time on and the least amount of your budget? Greenberg says the things that cost you the most time and money, yet don’t maximize your strengths are the things you need to delegate. Whether you have management responsibility or not, be intentional about what you do and how you do it.  

The road ahead is most certainly going to be riddled with potholes, but it won’t be impassible. The key to your success will be rooted in your own happiness. Happiness starts with knowing yourself and knowing what works for you. Pay attention to your energy cycles, your availability, and how you focus your activities. Your happiness is up to you—as Greenberg says,  “you are not responsible for anyone’s happiness but your own, so focus on what works for you.” 

Michael “Dr. Woody” Woodward, PhD is a CEC certified executive coach trained in organizational psychology. Dr. Woody is author of The YOU Plan: A 5-step Guide to Taking Charge of Your Career in the New Economy and is the founder of Human Capital Integrated (HCI), a firm focused on management and leadership development. Dr. Woody also sits on the advisory board of the Florida International University Center for Leadership.