Are you happy at work? Do you consider yourself an engaged and happy employee who doesn’t even like the idea of looking for another job?
If the answer to both of these questions is “No,” then you’re not alone. In fact, the majority of Americans are unhappy at work, according to the 2017 Mind the Workplace Report produced by Mental Health America (MHA) and the Faas Foundation.
The same report also found that the vast majority of employees reported being stressed at work, and 69 percent of them said that their workplace stress “resulted in a significant impact on their mental and behavioral health.”
Clearly, they need something to reduce the impact of work-related stress of their lives because it spills into personal spaces and negatively influences personal relationships.
If you do, too, then take a look at the following tips that can help you to beat the stress.
Learn how to Handle Criticism
No one likes to be criticized, and that’s totally understandable. What’s unreasonable is that people don’t stand constructive criticism as well. For example, they take it personally and spend a lot of time thinking about how inappropriate it was to say the things that were said to them.
It seems that it’s our human nature that prevents us from embracing any kind of criticism.
Unfortunately, handling criticism is something that we have to learn to become emotionally intelligent and reduce the impact of stress caused by that criticism.
Here are some tips for you to learn emotional intelligence:
- Don’t shift the blame
Sometimes it’s much easier to accept responsibility than place the blame on others.
- Don’t sidestep the issue
If you can do this very well like politicians, then you should stop and recognize the existence of an issue before it impacts you.
- Accept constructive criticism
This criticism makes sense and can actually help you to become better at what you do, so accept it and learn from it.
Build Good Relationships with Coworkers
Working in an office where everyone is a friend is much better than having people who respond with a stony stare when you greet them. Here are some strategies for you to try and build positive relationships with your colleagues.
- Keep your commitments
If you work in an office, chances are that your work affects other employees. For example, if your manager requires you to write a professional essay or a letter to send to a partner, a failure to deliver may affect a lot of people in the organization.
So if you fail to meet a deadline for that letter, someone may have to do it for you, or work more and face some other difficulties. As the result, this person may easily think that you don’t respect them if you allowed a deadline to slip by, so keep your commitments to show your respect to others.
- Share credit with others
Work in an office is done by a team. So if the organization achieves a certain goal, it’s very likely that many people made a contribution. That’s why you should always share credit for accomplishments and ideas with people who participated or helped you in some way.
- Look out for a common interest
This is one of the easiest ways to build a relationship with a coworker is to find a common interest. Since such things happen mostly when people openly communicate, use an opportunity to talk with your colleagues and get to know them.
For example, they may talk about a recent game of their favorite basketball club which you also happen to like (or you may like basketball in general). Find that interest and talk about it, and you and the person who shares your interest could become best buddies in just a few days.
Here are 7 things the most interesting people have in common if you want to know more.
- Go to Social Gatherings Arranged by Your Company
If your company invites everyone in the office to an event (for the management, they are important for several reasons) like a networking meeting or even a party, you should definitely go. Events like this are great for creating a bond with coworkers because it is much easier to start a conversation and talk about things that are not related to work.
Or even if the event is work-related, you can also make a good impression by sharing your professional knowledge, talking about positive experiences, and letting other people to get to know you better.
Conclusion
If you’re happier in the workplace, then you’ll have a better mental health as well. This is a great way to be happier outside of the workplace and enjoy your life in the way you’re meant to. Feel free to use these tips and let them be helpful to you to make an environment in which you can freely and comfortably work without any avoidable stress and tension.
Author Bio: Tom Jager is professional writer. He works at A-writer. He has degree in Law and English literature. Tom has written numerous articles/online journals. You can reach him at G+ or Facebook.
