How to be happier at work

This post came out from The Straits Times (11 March 2016)
Title - How to be happier at work

Some pointers that I've got are:
1. Cultivate a positive mindset
2. Manage yourself
3. Assess your emotions
4. Be the change you want to see

On Cultivate a positive mindset

• When you keep focusing on the unhappiness in your workplace, it triggers a chain of negative thoughts that will affect your performance.
• Good thought bear good fruit, bad thoughts bear bad fruit. Changing your interpretations of events from negative to positive is not as flicking a mental switch. We need to work on it. We need to focus and recharge our passion at work.

On Manage yourself

• Self-awareness is the understanding of your emotions and how they affect your thoughts and behaviour. You have to learn to observe your own thoughts and behaviour. If you are caught up in negative thoughts, practice self-management. Discipline your mind to focus on the good.

On Assess your emotions

• How you react to your circumstances affects how others perceive you. This in turn affects your happiness in the workplace. Whatever situation you are in, examine it and think about how it makes you feel. When you are aware of your emotions, direct your behaviour in a positive way and adapt to the circumstances. If the emotion is appropriate, act on it. If not, modify your response.

On Be the change you want to see

• Once you are able to manage your emotions, you are able to stop the negative thought cycle from happening again. Not only will this reduce the negative chain reaction in your thought process and environment, but it will foster good relations with your peers. 

Yours,
Something Small Thinking Big