Seven Simple Ways to Enjoy Your Work More

Jakarta (ANTARA) - We sometimes spend more time working than doing any other activity. From morning until night, much of the day is taken up with completing tasks and interacting with colleagues.

Repeating this routine can leave people bored and demotivated. Yet feeling happy at work is important: it can make work feel easier and improve productivity.

Here are several ways to make work more enjoyable.

Avoid unnecessary meetings

Citing Harvard Business School, a study recommends avoiding meetings that consume time without producing clear results, as a way to become happier at work.

Where possible, managers should consider introducing meeting-free days. Researchers found that employee stress fell as the number of meeting-free days increased.

Meetings can also be made more efficient by keeping them to an ideal length of about 25 minutes, which is optimal for concentration. Focus on the important points and set a short time limit.

Make a close friend at work

Having a close friend at work can make employees more enthusiastic and engaged. Ultimately, this can also make a greater contribution to the company. A close friendship can make work feel easier, too.

Workplace friendships do more than improve happiness: a close friend can also provide support when difficulties arise. Such relationships can build trust and loyalty among colleagues.

Tidy your desk

Research suggests that a messy environment can increase stress and anxiety. It can also affect concentration, eating habits and even sleep quality.

Start by clearing away piles of paper, empty coffee cups, unsorted documents and things you no longer use. A tidy desk can improve your mood and productivity.

Decorate your workspace

Many offices now use open-plan layouts, which give employees less privacy. Employees may also feel watched by those around them, making them more easily distracted.

To address this, try decorating your workspace with things you like, such as photographs or artwork. One study found that decorating a work area can make employees feel more comfortable.

Take short walks

Work can sometimes leave people sitting in front of a laptop for hours with little movement. Over time, this can make the body ache and reduce concentration.

The good news is that walking for five minutes every hour can improve mood and reduce fatigue. This does not mean you have to stop working: you could take a relaxed walking meeting or make a phone call while moving.

Get enough sleep

Getting enough sleep can reduce stress and improve mood. Avoid staying up late, as lack of sleep can make it harder to make decisions, leave you in a bad mood at work and make it difficult to concentrate.

Make a habit of getting enough sleep so that you feel refreshed and can approach the working day happily. Sleep needs differ from person to person; you do not necessarily need eight hours every night, so adjust your sleep to your own needs.

Do not bring personal problems into the office

Separating personal matters from work is not always easy. An argument with a partner or concern about a parent’s health can make it harder to focus and reduce productivity.

Try reminding yourself that the issue can be dealt with after working hours, unless it is genuinely urgent. Separating personal matters from work can help you temporarily direct your thoughts away from the problem.