067: How to be Happy at Work (even if you hate your job) [Podcast]

If you are not loving your job, you can always quit and find another. But, for some of us that option is either a hard choice or something that will happen over time, not tomorrow. So, whether you are working on a new job or waiting for an event like retirement, the trick is to find out how to be happy at work - today.   Courtesy Flickr/Creative Commons | DVIDSHUB [/featured-image]Click to Listen According to a recent Gallup poll, Americans are “disconnected” at work. This means more people lack any sense of fulfillment - or they are a “cog-in-the-wheel.” This lack of purpose and meaning will quickly drive one to be unhappy at work. We feel it is meaningless drudgery because no one really cares about what we do.Be Happy at Work  - Starting NOWIn this podcast we explore a few things that can turn the page and make work fun.Make a choice. First you make a choice to be happy. Be conscious that you have control over your own emotions. No matter what others do or do not do, they do not have control over how you feel, you do. So you have to make the choice to be happy. When you make the real choice, your brain will start to work. "Making a choice to be happy helps your brain start to take control of your day."]Who am I serving? Second, figure out who you are helping at work. Does what you do help your boss, your co-worker, others? Figure out who you serve. Most likely it is several people you are serving. It is best to get a name of each person you are serving. If you cannot think about who you serve, then ask yourself “If I did not do anything for a week, who would be impacted?” and then ask “How will they be impacted?”Go ask. Next, go talk to those people you serve and ask them how you are doing. If you determined sending Sally a report of sales weekly was the thing she got from you, then ask her what she does with the report and how it helps her. Then ask if there is anything else you are doing or could do to be of more help. This proactive approach generates a conversation. When others realize you are really serious, they start to think about what you do more often.Clean off your workspace. Clutter makes people nervous and stressed. Spend some time cleaning it up. Clean out your desk by getting rid of all those free and useless gifts you have been given. File those papers. Put those cables where they belong. Clearing a space helps you get clarity.Avoid social media. Stay away from the negative social media drain, especially Facebook. Most social media is negative, so turn it off at work. If you need your fix, schedule a few times during the day where you can check in.Take it outside. Go outside a few times a day. Just get out and take a walk. Many people go to the office and never walk out till they go home. They eat in the lunchroom and take a break in the break room. Get outside of the office somehow a few times a day.Be the CEO. When I was at a job that I hated, I decide to role play. I started wearing suits and thinking like the CEO. What would the CEO do with this information? How would the CEO plan this meeting? I started realizing I had no idea what the CEO thought, so I found myself searching out corporate goals and strategic plans. I looked at our customers differently. As a result, the people around me became more positive and gave me a greater aDale Callahan, Ph.D.Business Coach for Professionals Ready to Take Control Helping you move from stuck to in-demand — or start something of your own. Grab the Idea Engine: 7 prompts to find your next move Book a Next Step Strategy SessionDirector of Engineering Management @ UAB (205) 790-8447 dalecallahan.com LinkedIn

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