Many workers are working from home these days, which is quite a big change. A sudden upheaval, such as what the world has recently encountered, can create a lot of stress. Families aren’t just working from home either – students are also likely home. While for some this could be what they’ve wanted, others are finding themselves lacking the happiness they thought they would experience.
Happiness helps us stay resilient. It is characterized by joyfulness and satisfaction with life. When we are happy, we are better problem-solvers, more productive, and have stronger immune systems. That’s why we want to offer these three tips for staying happy (and healthy) working from home.
Create Both Structure and Flow
We need routines, but we also need downtime. If we create a structure that is so rigid it doesn’t allow for natural shifts, we can increase our stress. For example, if you’ve scheduled back-to-back meetings and one goes long, it can be anxiety-inducing. On the opposite side, if there is only flow and no structure, it can feel chaotic – like you are putting out fires all day.
Creating both structure and flow means there are appropriate parameters in place to accomplish the priorities, with enough space for things that may come up. This creates a healthy balance for happiness.
Continue to Connect
Relationships with genuine connections are also important for happiness. While away from coworkers, plan time to still connect whether by video, phone, or chat. If comfortable and laws allow, consider ways you may be able to meet in person, such as for an outdoor gathering. Virtual happy hours or water cooler meetings could be a fun way to continue to deepen social bonds.
Team building activities can include wearing the same color to a meeting, wear a funny hat day, and more. Get creative in how you ‘hang out’ and bring joy and laughter to your new work environment.
Practice Gratitude and Kindness
Gratitude practices include sending thank you cards, offering kudos to coworkers, or even making lists of things for which you are thankful. Gratitude helps us feel more positive and hopeful. Kindness has a similar effect. When we demonstrate kindness to others, it is shown to boost our happiness as well.
Finding ways to show kindness to coworkers by expressing gratitude or other acts of care is a great way to lift the spirits of both parties.
If you are in search of employment opportunities in Colorado, let Colorado Network Staffing (CNS) help you find your next position. Our employing companies are looking for the best and brightest talent, and trust us to provide exactly that. Contact us at 303-430-1441, and discover why our clients come to us to fill their staffing needs, and get started in your new career faster.
