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9 Secrets to Being Happy at Work
The days are gloomy. You’ve taken down the festive decorations. You’re sitting in the office and have already aborted your new year’s resolutions. It’s Blue Monday – legitimately the darkest day of the year. The latest statistics show that 822,000 employees suffered from work-related stress, anxiety, and depression in 2020/21 – that’s a frequency rate of 2,480 per 100,000 workers.
Before sinking deeper into the pits of despair, we’ve pulled together a few strategies for managing job stress in the workplace, so you can battle the blues and stay upbeat. But first, let’s take a quick look at the prime causes of stress at work below.
Causes of stress in the workplace
Work pressures and factors that lead to job stress typically include:
- Working long hours
- Changes within the company
- Hefty job pressures
- Unreasonable deadlines
- Alterations to job responsibilities
- Job uncertainty
- Lack of independence
- Mundane workload
- Lack of expertise for the position
- Feeling micromanaged
- Insufficient working atmosphere
- Unsatisfactory resources
- Shortage of equipment
- Hardly any opportunities to progress in the company
- Feeling harassed
- Feeling discriminated against
- Inadequate relationships with team leaders and colleagues
- Workplace bereavement or armed hold-up
Ways to beat work depression
Below are some ways to beat the Monday blues from our team:
1. Get organised
Feeling unhappy at work and weighed down by your workload? Is your brain feeling muddled? If so, this can trigger a considerable amount of work stress. We suggest keeping a diary and recording all your tasks and to-do lists inside – it’s a terrific way to offload your workload! Writing things down in a list format or keeping a week-by-week desk organiser with every single ongoing task to hand means you’re better prepared for handling your workload – as you’ll have organised the points on your list logically.
2. Create a home-away-from-home
Decorating your desk can be a great way to feel more at home at work. Over the years, workers are now sitting at their desks for lengthier periods, in which case, it’s time to personalise your workspace. And don’t neglect the power of home comforts – even placing a plant on your desk or having a hot water bottle to hand can add a little personality and warmth to your workstation.
3. Don’t get sucked into office politics
It’s all too easy to get drawn into cynical conversation and events going on around you. So, steer clear of engaging in and listening to downbeat conversations or futile chatter with your fellow workers, as doing so will likely leave you feeling distressed or worried. While it can be tricky to avoid office politics, it’s best to avoid it, as you’ll feel better in the long run.
4. Open up about your emotions
A lot of experts undervalue the significance of having a support network in the workplace. Sure, you might find it tricky to form comfortable, lasting friendships with your workmates. However, once you get to know them, you may discover they’re a godsend when something is upsetting you in the office. Relaying your feelings to someone you trust in the workplace can potentially lessen your work worries and help you see things in a different light.
5. Organise before and after-work activities
Inject some fun into your life by doing activities before and after work. To boost your morale, you could go for a drink with a friend, head to the gym, attempt an art class, or simply go for a walk. If you find you’re pulled into the ‘work to home to work’ existence, you may be feeling like you’re working for nothing. It’s time to introduce outside-of-work hobbies – this is key to a successful work-life balance.
6. Take frequent breaks
It’s easy to form habits like constantly working throughout the day with only an hour’s break. We advise against this, as it just isn’t healthy – you’re on the road to ‘self-burnout’. Instead, we suggest taking frequent, short breaks to enhance your brain function and concentration levels. By doing this, you’ll be able to reflect on your assignments much better.
7. Stay healthy
If you’re feeling the work blues, it’s more important than ever to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Granted, you may feel like treating yourself when you’re unhappy, but this only leaves you feeling unhealthier, not to mention sadder. The secret to staying healthy is eating a well-balanced diet, keeping fit, and staying hydrated throughout your day.
8. Maintain a positive outlook
Remember – look at the positives. Adopting a negative way of thinking towards work is easy, but forming an upbeat outlook can help you feel more productive and do wonders for your confidence. Once you start seeing the good things in your office, you’ll start seeing other good things, too.
9. Think about a job change
If you’ve tried to be happy at work but you’re still miserable, it may be time to find a new job in finance. Whether the environment is too toxic or you’re bored in your current role, it can be too stressful to remain in the same position that’s causing you so much grief. Continuous anxiety can have an impact on both your physical and mental health. We can help you throughout the whole recruitment process, from interview prep to CV success.
Contact us
If you’re feeling the blues in the workplace and are up for boosting your workplace morale, we hope the above tips will help. Alternatively, if you’re seeking a new finance position elsewhere, drop us a line now at info@markettalent.co.uk or give us a call on +44(0)20 7971 7700, and one of our expert finance recruitment consultants will be more than happy to help.