As a teenager, I was advised by a wealthy businessman that “work is what you do during the day so that you can afford to do what you want on the weekends.” I found this to be an awfully upsetting prospect that didn’t quite settle with how I’d want to spend 40 or so hours a week.
Happy Hour is 9 to 5 has a completely different idea of the role of work, recognizing that happiness at work makes a hug effect on the rest of one’s lives – and that work happiness is important and obtainable. This must-read mini book really changes the way one thinks about life and work:
I want you to imagine waking up early on a Monday morning. Picture yourself as you turn off the alarm clock, and lie in bed for a moment before getting up…just thinking about the workweek ahead of you is making you smile and get ready to jump out of bed…You just know it’s going to be a wonderful week. You will get to do great work you can be proud of. You will get to make a difference, as you did last week and every week before that.
For myself, happiness comes from self-direction, creativity, flexibility, curiosity and continuous learning. Given this, and my role here at Needmore, I often feel this excitement about my work. But, not all the time. Without fail, when I am feeling a lack of happiness about work it is because I have gotten too busy and forgotten to allow myself ample time for learning and exploring creatively. The interesting thing is, work happiness is different for each of us and is obtainable! A big part of finding happiness at work is to discover what makes you happy and strive to place yourself where those needs are met.
