DAY 294 -WORKING NINE TO FIVE, WHAT A WAY TO MAKE A LIVING!

Day 294

I was thinking about the fact that I feel very happy when I go to work.  I often tell my students that it is a real pleasure for me to teach them. And it truly is.  I'm not saying that on a dark gloomy day, I wouldn't rather stay in my bed than wake up at 6:30 in the morning and go to work.  But, as soon as I enter my classroom, I feel great joy and if I had a hard time getting up, all my tiredness dissipates.

I know I'm very fortunate to feel that way.  Many people hate their job, but need it to feed their family.  But  even if you don't enjoy your actual work, there are things you can do to at least make your work environment a happy place to be.


When I got to work this morning, one of my closest colleagues had just had her dog euthanized.  When I asked her if she was all right, she burst into tears.  As I was hugging her, I thought of how important it is to connect with people at your work.  I'm not close to many of my co-workers, but I do have a real connection with  a few of them, people I feel I can be myself with.

I also try to keep my desk tidy.  Mess can become a real distraction and even a source of stress, so I try not to accumulate clutter.  I don't always succeed.  But when I do succeed, it makes me feel better, happier and more efficient.

I put up a beautiful picture of my children on the board right above my work desk.  Looking at them never ceases to bring me joy!  It's as though I'm bringing a piece of my home (a happy place) into my work.

One last thing I believe has helped me enjoy my work environment is the fact that I've developed a great relationship with the assistant director of the school who happens to be my boss.  Whenever there is something that bothers me, I can go to him and talk about it.  If you feel intimidated by your superior it must be very difficult to communicate your needs or to go and express your worries.  So, making sure you have good communication with your manager is essential.

When all fails and if you start feeling trapped and unhappy in your job to the point of it affecting your level of health and happiness, you need to find the courage to let it go.  If money is an issue, then you can start looking for a new job while you're still working.  You might be giving up job security and great benefits... but your mental and physical health will eventually thank you for it.

And what about you?  What do you do to create a happy environment at your work?

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