happiness does work

One of the reasons we started the collaboration of Two Happy Muses was that we felt that too many people are either just putting in time going to work day in day out, week after week, month after month, year after year or are completely unhappy at their place of work. Which is simply awful, this is not how life should be. For anyone.

With the right attitude from the employer, the company, shareholders and employees, not to mention the society as a whole (inequality and gaps between rich and poor being two major factors for unhappiness), we should all be able to create a workplace we love to spend time at (and a planet to spend time on).

And seriously, what is the purpose of economic growth at every cost if people and the planet aren't happy? It's about high time we start seeing work and how work works in quite a new light.

We are all responsible for how we act and react to actions and interactions, whether it be in life as a whole or in a workplace. We're in it together and happiness is so much nicer, on so many levels, than unhappiness.

I think the Action for Happiness movement is one example of a step in the right direction, just the realisation that with small deeds most of us can do so much more to change our own lifes to the better not to mention other people's is a pretty major step actually.

That said, back to the workplace. I listened to a TEDx talk today about how happiness works - listen to it here and it brought up the idea (or why not the truth) that happiness is something universal, it is functional and it makes us thrive. It is important business.

According to recent Gallup polls only 13% of all people are passionate and happy about their work. People happy at work are less likely to get sick, they are less likely to leave the company, they are more productive and companies with happier employers have fewer workplace accidents. The cost of ignoring unhappiness is immense and yet happiness as a motivator and increased revenues factor is not being taken seriously in general.

I don't believe that an unreasonably high salary will make you happier, nor will status symbols or shopping in general. Consumerism is neither good for the soul nor the planet. I do believe however that a sense of purpose and meaningfulness will make you happier. And of course a stable financial situation based on a reasonable salary for a job well done at a workplace you enjoy going to with tasks you feel passionate about.

How such workplaces and worktasks should be shaped to create sustainable wellbeing and happiness for both individuals and the planet, that is something we should all take a serious think about. What do you think?

More about how I found my happy place you can read here

Currently dancing a lot to Happy makes me happy.

And watching singing kitty and dancing pony always push my happiness button.