5 Ways to Enjoy Your Job a Little More and Become a Better, Happier Employee  

We all have days when we wish we could click our heels together three times and be transported to the comfort of home rather than face the workday ahead of us. Whether you experience these moments frequently or rarely, take advantage of some small, manageable things you can do each day to ensure you’re truly making the most of your professional experience and enjoying yourself along the way.

Bring Passion to Work
Identify a personal passion and bring it to the workplace. The notion of work/life blend is important. It encourages us to prioritize our personal and professional responsibilities in a way that makes us feel happy and fulfilled. However, even though we often think of “work” and “life” as two separate entities, the truth is we can’t always draw a solid line between the two. Many of us answer business emails after hours or take personal calls during the workday. Life cannot be fully compartmentalized, and that’s OK. Make the most of work/life blend by bringing favorite elements of your personal life into the workplace. For example, if you are a sports fanatic, consider rounding up a group of your coworkers to join a recreational league in your area. If you enjoy attending trivia nights with your friends, consider starting weekly trivia challenges in your office. If you enjoy cooking, organize office potlucks around holidays and other special occasions. By incorporating personal passions into the workplace, you accomplish several things:

• You allow your coworkers to learn something new about you, giving you the opportunity to connect with others around shared interests.
• You elevate yourself as a leader by demonstrating an interest in improving office morale and culture with the ability to organize and spearhead office initiatives.
• You have more fun during the workday, increasing your overall happiness and job satisfaction.

Become a Mentor 
Helping someone succeed at work is one of the most rewarding things anyone can do, and it almost guarantees job satisfaction. If your office does not offer a formal mentoring program, consider building an organic relationship with someone in your office who you respect and who can benefit from learning from your work experience. Of course, a mentoring relationship can’t be built overnight. Start by acting as a resource to junior employees who report to you and consider adopting an “open door policy” that encourages colleagues to come to you for feedback and advice when they need it. Slowly, over time, you’ll find yourself helping others succeed at their jobs, and that will give you extra job satisfaction, as well. 

Get Outside!
No matter how busy your day becomes, take at least five minutes to go outside. By stepping away from your email, meetings, and other work obligations, you allow your mind a moment to relax and refocus. Take a short walk, listen to your favorite song, and think about anything that isn’t work-related. After a few minutes with fresh air, that one task you just couldn’t muster up the energy to tackle will seem a little more manageable, and that meeting you were nervous about will seem a little less daunting. Sometimes all you need to love your job more is a moment away to clear your mind.

Have Fun with Your Wardrobe 
Of course, different businesses have various dress codes. However, regardless of whether you go to work in a suit or street casual, adding some personality to your wardrobe can go a long way. In school, my friends and I would say “dress well to test well.” If we went to class looking clean and put together, we were much more likely to be focused and calm during exams. The same concept applies in the workplace. If you go to work feeling confident about how you look, you’re likely to perform better, thereby increasing overall happiness at work. Don’t be afraid to have fun with it. Show your personality with statement jewelry, bold colors, interesting patterns, etc. 

Raise Your Hand 
Everyone from interns to CEOs needs to test his or her limits and remain open to new opportunities. The best way to do this is to raise your hand and say “yes” to new responsibilities and experiences. New experiences can feel incredibly intimidating, but nothing is more rewarding than successfully completing a task that seemed impossible at first. For example, in my office a standout intern volunteered to organize regular educational mixers for our colleagues, featuring guest speakers. It was a huge undertaking, and I remember her being extremely nervous, wondering if she could pull it off. Watching her joy after the first event was a huge success was heartwarming and served as a reminder that sometimes just saying “yes” is what a person needs to find passion in his or her job.

Liking what you do is good, but loving what you do is even better. By identifying easy, manageable ways to find passion in what you do each day, you will become a better, happier employee.