Here are ten simple ways that can help us in rediscovering workplace happiness and sustain it for a long time.

1. Declutter your Workplace
The phrase “a cluttered desk means a cluttered mind” is perhaps correct. Getting creative with the workspace can enhance feelings of exhilaration and refresh the mind. It reinforces concentration and is a great way to feel good at work every day.

2. Mindfulness
“People wait all week for Friday, all year for summer, and all life for happiness”

Mindfulness is not a buzzword, neither is it an overrated concept. The effects of mindful meditation are real and proven.

Studies conducted in the Harvard Medical School and the Bender Institute of Neuroimaging in Germany have shown that people who practice mindfulness and meditate before or after working hours feel more connected to and more emotionally stable at work (Hölzel et al., 2011).

3. Work it out
A 15-minute daily workout routine makes the body energetic and releases the toxins that cause the weariness.

Any form of exercise – walking, jogging, cycling, swimming, or anything else, is bound to bring more productivity at work, more energy to give it the best shot, and more fulfilment throughout the day.

4. Engage in Feedback Mechanisms
Decisive and immediate feedback are predictors of workplace happiness and job satisfaction. Studies have shown that employers or supervisors who regularly offer feedback and acknowledge efforts are more successful in having a happy team. 5. Reflect on One Task at a Time
Several scholars have found that multitasking ‘wastes more time’ and can be the reason of unhappiness among professionals at different levels (Ophir, Nass, & Wagner, 2009).

When juggling with various tasks at the same time, it is almost impossible to devote an equal amount of attention to each detail, thereby resulting in distractions.

To avoid this, we can prioritize our to-do list and focus on dealing with the more important tasks first. Applications like AnyDo, Wunderlist, and Evernote has made this easier to accomplish.

6. Help a Colleague
Studies have shown that altruists in the workplace are more likely to feel satisfied and are happier at work (Post, 2005).

The level of happiness that we derive from helping others cannot be equated with anything else in the world. It gives a sense of empowerment, enhances wisdom, and makes us feel more connected to the organization.

Simple acts of kindness, expressions of gratitude, and offering support to colleagues in times of need can make us feel a lot better about ourselves and make us happier at work.

7. Choose your Responses Wisely
Evidence has proved that individuals can voluntarily choose responses that can make them happy at work. Regularly practising mindfulness, gratitude, and effective communication can ease the stress and help employees in progressing towards their goal (Boswell, Boudreau, & Tichy, 2005).

8. Value yourself
“Nothing can bring you peace, but yourself.”

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Kate White, former editor-in-chief of the Cosmopolitan, mentioned that work stress often makes us forget our real worth. A gentle reminder to self, a little throwback to the past achievements can work wonders in bringing back the happiness at the workplace.
9. Start Your Day on a Good Note
Happiness is sustained when we can step back and take a moment for appreciating ourselves.
Take some moments each morning to collect your thoughts and plan your day ahead. Go for a walk, sip a hot coffee and create your goals for the day. A day that is started well is more likely to bring in more productivity and yield more fruits.

10. Adjust your Schedules
Effective communication is the key to a happy work life. Happy professionals are always one step ahead in maintaining and following a flexible schedule.

Prolonged working hours without breaks can take a toll on the brain and bring us down, thereby making way for unproductivity and distress.