Happiness at Work

A recent article, revealed that we spend "One-third of our life at work." The article explores the notion that "work is more than just a way to support oneself financially. It is a psychological necessity: it is how we express our potential, demonstrate our skills, excel, define our identity and do something useful for ourselves and for others."

Since we spend a significant amount of our lives at work "not even counting the time we spend commuting, working overtime and thinking about work after we go home", it is important to find out if one can be happy at one's job regardless of if one's current role is ideal.

The University of Laval study shows that "while many people develop self-confidence and a feeling of accomplishment through work, it can be a source of stress. The combination of employer requirements and the demands of modern life are a growing burden for individuals."

So how does someone develop a healthy work ethic in which one is committed to excellence without been exhausted from working? The answer, regardless of one's job or employment environment, is to learn how to how to deal with stress; and to have a clear understanding of what happiness means to you.

No matter how you define happiness, the need to be able to sustain that state of being, is one of the reasons we sometimes require employment.

The pursuit of happiness, at work or at play, is a significant driving force. So it is easy to understand that anything or anyone who threatens or compromises one's happiness, is a source of stress.

In the face of a potentially recovering economy, it is important to find the sources of our stability and happiness at work. Here are five practical ways to achieve contentment whether you love your job or otherwise.

Have a life plan: Have a short term and long term goal professionally and personally and review these plans frequently. Having a life plan allows focus because of the realization that there is a purpose to one's current job.

Have an active and Virtual portfolio: A portfolio (on-line) provides the ability for you to showcase all your skills. This allows you to show your range. You might be working as an Accountant but you may also be a skilled Graphics Designer. Should a potential project come up with your current employer, you can showcase your unknown skills or decide to explore a change in career. A portfolio allows you to be detailed in your abilities versus a resume that has length restrictions and requires that you focus on one particular job.

Know what makes you happy and what stresses you: Being able to do so, allows you to attend quicker to stressors. Prevention is better than cure. If one identities a source of stress, one can come up with a viable plan on the necessary course of action.

Become an expert: do a lot of research and learn more about your role. This allows to accomplish two things. First, you are the person, people will come to in your place of work, making you irreplaceable. Secondly, this makes you more attractive to a potential employer or makes you tremendously skilled if you decide to start a company of your own.

It's Good to Be Selfish Sometimes

People tell you all the time not to be selfish. But in order to succeed in life you have to be selfish at times. If a person wants to succeed they have to look out for themselves and what's in their best interest to succeed. IF people are not selfish, they often let people hold them back from the things that they need to do in order to accomplish something. So why not be selfish if you're trying to do something positive with your life?

To be selfish means that you are looking out for your own interest or your own life. With that in mind, everything you do to live can be considered selfish. When you eat you are supporting your life, is that selfish? When you are happy of your accomplishments and take pride in your character, is that selfish? When you use your mind to do things in pursuit of your own happiness, is that selfish? What exactly makes selfish a good or bad thing?

If you are not selfish, you will never get the things done that are most important to you. People have to understand that they are the most important thing in their life. If they are not in tune with themselves, how do they really expect to help others?

It is good to be selfish sometimes because it is an overall good and understandable goal to look out for one's self. It's also a good thing to be self dependent, and proud of the achievements that you have accomplished. It is only natural that people act in a manner that is positive for themselves.

How can a person honestly say they don't care about how something will impact them and their life? That right there is an act of selfishness. That kind of selfishness is not the same as being stingy and not helping others. But in order to help others, you have to help yourself first.

There is nothing really wrong with being selfish at times. Selfish will never be a bad thing is you follow a couple of rules. When acting in a selfish manner to succeed, you cannot violate the rights of others in order to accomplish your own goals. You cannot represent yourself as something you are not because that is misleading people and misleading yourself. Finally, you must do your absolute best to continuously think at all times while making sure that your actions bring you nothing but encouraging outcomes.