Are you happy when you’re at work?

Because today is the International Day of Happiness, I’m writing about how to increase contentment in your job.

If you haven’t heard of the Day of Happiness before (I hadn’t until recently), in 2011, the United Nations declared March 20 as the International Day of Happiness as a way of recognizing the importance of happiness in the lives of people around the world. The day was first celebrated in 2013.

According to Action for Happiness — a non-profit movement of people from 160 countries that coordinates a movement to create a happier world — there are 10 keys to happier living, which are represented by the acrostic GREAT DREAM.

Giving – do things for others

Relating – connect with people

Exercising – take care of your body

Awareness – live life mindfully

Trying out – keep learning new things

 

Direction – have goals to look forward to

Resilience – find ways to bounce back

Emotions – look for what’s good

Acceptance – be comfortable with who you are

Meaning – be part of something bigger

Based on research into the science of wellbeing, Action for Happiness suggests using the 10 keys at work “to recognize how your work influences your happiness and how your behavior affects colleagues, customers, and others that you interact with.” The organization also recommends that managers use the keys to make practical changes that will create a happier team environment.

According to Action for Happiness: “Research shows that happier workers are more liked by their colleagues and co-workers, earn more money, are seen as performing better and as having more fresh ideas than their less happy colleagues. They stay with their employers for longer, are more likely to contribute beyond the requirements of their job and help out colleagues, have fewer sick days and are more punctual.”

So I thought I would pick one of Velsoft’s 167 softskills courses to illustrate how to be happy at work. But I had trouble picking just one because so many of them relate to different aspects of this concept. Taking any of these courses can help make you happier at work, while also fulfilling ‘T’ — keep learning new things, by embodying the 10 keys in a variety of ways:

A challenge for the International Day of Happiness: Follow the 10 keys (or take a Velsoft course!) to make yourself happy and mark this year’s theme of ‘Share Happiness’ by spreading some cheer in your workplace today.