6 Steps to Start Rebuilding Joy at Work

If you do not change direction, you may end up where you are heading. – Lao Tzu

Let’s be honest for a moment.

Have you noticed that your hit rate for great days at work has reached a new low? Have you not felt the “gusto” when approaching the tasks that you would normally find engaging. Does your work somehow feel much more difficult?

In “core-stability” terms — your psychological resources may be depleted. And this can definitely include your levels of joy.

Now, first things first. Have you stopped to process or have you simply continued to muddle through without pausing? Know that to remain on the positive side of the joy equation, a level of attention is vital. Step one is to slow down, acknowledge the issue and develop a plan to work your way out of that deficit.

Here are a few steps to consider:

• Allow yourself that moment of recognition. Stop fighting what you are feeling. Offer yourself the freedom to admit that things are “off”. Attempt to leave any judgement concerning this state behind. Simply feel the emotion. We cannot affect — what we do not recognize.
• Acknowledge joy as a priority. Where has it been written that joy cannot be synonymous with work life? In fact according to research, most of us expect joy from our work, yet many fail to experience it. There is always room in our work lives to build or seek joy — in elements both large and small.
• Examine your personal history. I’m certain this isn’t the first time you have felt weary at work. Look to your past and note when you might have felt the most drained (psychologically, spiritually, creatively). What was happening? Then, examine how & why you came through that impasse. Was it simply the passage of time? Was it a change of pace? A new chapter? What impacted your joy factor? What moved the needle?
• Try the arts for a kick-start. Solace can arrive in a multitude of forms. The arts can offer a time-worn solutions to spark the joy that could spill over to your work life. Choose one form — art, film, poetry, photography, short-stories and dive in. Try the Pomodoro Method to help get the momentum going. Give it 5 days. Then check back with your mood & see if anything has shifted.
• Talk it out. Never over-estimate the power of sharing your feelings with another human being. Explaining how you feel, to a sympathetic ear should never be avoided. Whether this is a friend, counselor, psychologist or trusted colleague, try the cathartic method and share, share, share.
• Write it down. I’m not going to go on and on about the benefits of writing/journaling. The process of laying out your experiences in written form & crafting a plan to affect it, can become a joy deficit shifter. Begin by answering this question: What brings you me at work? Is it landing a new client contract? Building a great team? Sharing your work? Recognizing the contributions of others? The connections you’ve made among colleagues? Self-knowledge is power.

Have a minute? Share the elements that increase work life joy for you in comments.

Marla Gottschalk is an I/O Psychologist & work life blogger who explores core stability and its impact on the nature of work life. A charter member of the LinkedIn Influencer Program, her practice helps people, teams & organizations build stronger work life foundations through the practice of core stability. Her thoughts on work life have also appeared at the Harvard Business Review, Forbes, BBC Work Life, Quartz and The Huffington Post.