Infuse Joy at Work!

Joy, joy, joy – we’ve been hearing this buzzword for so long now. How we should discover joy within, how to spread joy to others, and how to find the joy you’ve been missing for so long.

Well, we’re here to add another list to it – how to create joy at work!

But first, why is it important to have joy 9-to-5, Monday to Friday? Precisely that – imagine if you were spending all that time at work in a joyless situation! That’s bound to make anyone sad, unmotivated, less engaged at work, and not motivated to excel. After all, countless research has shown that employees who are happy at work are also more productive. The correlation is easy – when you are happy, you find yourself a purpose to give and do more!

So how do you infuse joy at work but not spend anything at all (so no flowers or redecorating the workplace tip!)? Here are some ideas.

#1 Go in each day with a smile
Whether you are having a tough time, trying to find your footing, or simply feeling blah for the day, a genuine smile can bring you genuine joy. The next time you go to work, greet your colleague and offer them a smile. You’ll soon notice that the workplace environment lightening up and becoming a more comfortable and joyful place to be with. Now imagine isf everyone smiled at one another at the office instead of scowling! Wouldn’t that be a much happier office to be in?

#2 Attend non-work related events
Team events create fun and exciting moments with your colleagues that don’t involve meeting deadlines, listening to the client berate you for your less-than-perfect work, or the boss constantly breathing down your neck for a report that is due in 10 days. In fact, team events take you out of these stressful situations and put you in more casual settings that allow you to connect with others and show a little more of your personality. Participate in them to create a more meaningful connection with your colleagues that go beyond deadlines. It’s a more joyful way to get to know one another better. Better yet – plan some events yourself to get others together!

#3 Drink tea
Tea has an amino acid known as theanine that is shown to reduce stress. Several studies have shown that individuals who take tea regularly have lower levels of stress. The next time you need to take a moment, brew yourself a cuppa, sit back, and sip slowly. That ritual can easily help infuse joy in those quiet moments.

#4 Laugh!
Feeling all kinds of stress and anxiety? Lighten up! Crack a joke or watch something funny on YouTube when you’re on your break. After all, studies have found some serious benefits to laughter, and it also helps to stimulate your lungs, releasing endorphins – that feel-good hormones that not only relieves stress but also improves your immune system.

#5 Surround yourself with joyful people
Ah, we hear this all the time and let us say it again, it really works! Love saying good morning to the security guard each morning because of the big smile he gives you in return? Make it a ritual so you’ll always start each day with such joy. Plan lunch with people who are not emotional vampires. Connect with those who clearly don’t have a chip on their shoulder. Joy guaranteed!

#6 Make joy a ritual
When you can, create little joyful rituals each day. Look at funny memes on your commute to work. Pass a compliment to someone every day. Treat yourself to a favourite snack once you’ve completed your tasks for the day. Whatever it is that makes you smile, see how you can incorporate it into your daily routine. Remember, it doesn’t have to take much effort but enough to make you smile and think everything’s all right.

How else do you infuse joy at work? Share it with us @Graduan!

Photo by Madison Oren on Unsplash.