How to get your happy back at work

A positive emotional state can be when we experience feelings such as happiness, pride, comfort, love, purpose, or passion. So, how regularly do you experience a positive emotional state when at work? And are you aware of what prevents and what contributes to it?

The average full-time worker spends around 1,700 hours a year at work, which is a really large proportion of our time. For those of us who dislike our jobs or experience a lot of stress or fatigue, these hours may feel much longer. If we aren't always in a positive emotional state at work, it can affect us in many ways.

You may well have had thoughts about quitting and finding a new job to satisfy the needs that your current role isn't meeting, but it isn't always quite that simple. Or maybe you enjoy your job, but don't get on well with your boss or colleagues, or simply find you're not making the contribution you want to at your current company? Whatever your situation, you can inject some happiness into your everyday routine to start increasing your well-being at work.

You are in control of your happiness, and once you're aware of that control, you can easily contribute to your well-being in different ways. You'll begin to feel happier, more confident, and experience an increase in self-belief. So, here are a few ways in which you can make that difference for yourself in the workplace:

Reframe your focus

When we feel stuck in a bad mood, the most likely reason for feeling 'stuck' is that we are withdrawing into ourselves. We may do this to try and manage the bad mood, but in fact, it only makes things worse. So next time you feel like this, shift your approach. Focus on small positive interactions: say 'please' and 'thank you' to colleagues in a warm tone of voice, hold the door open for others, or drop a friendly note to a team member online. Taking a moment to connect will help lift your spirits and reframe your perspective on whatever was troubling you.

Have fun!

You can introduce fun activities into your routine to increase not only your own positive emotional state, but also that of others. This could be as simple as organising lunch break games to raise money for charity, like 'guess who' using childhood photos of staff, or hosting a team 'Bake Off' competition. If you manage a team, it might involve ordering pizza for a team lunch or hosting a virtual Friday catch-up to thank them for a hard week's work. Whatever you choose to do, it shows that work doesn't have to be strictly targets, serious conversations, and deadlines, so why not make it fun when you can?

Be open with others

Having work friends we trust and can confide in is essential when we are going through a tough period, such as navigating challenging communication with a tricky client or feeling stuck on a new project. Having someone in your work environment who can offer reassurance, whether by grabbing a coffee together or taking a short break to chat, can really help us offload.

It is equally important to be open with key decision-makers. If you want to reduce your hours or apply for a promotion, be direct and clear about your goals. When you present a clear, compelling case to support your request, you'll feel more confident in your value and are much more likely to secure buy-in from leadership.

Start taking control of your happiness today and begin saying, "I've had a good day at work" every day!