Workforce Development

3 Productive Ways to Stay Happy at Work

We do our best work when we are feeling good and having fun.


We do our best work when we are feeling good and having fun. I’m not suggesting that time at the workplace should be wasted goofing around, but when work is too serious, too daunting and grueling productive tends to drop. It’s when we are engaged, working hard and also having a good time that we really hit our stride and get the most done.

Here are 10 productive ways to have fun, keep up engagement while staying productive.

One - Take Lunch Away from Your Desk

I often bring lunch to work to save a little money. I know several of my co-workers do as well. I fell into this habit of eating my lunch at my desk everyday. At first, it was a way to keep working and squeeze in a little production while I ate. But, then I found myself working away while munching on chips when I didn’t really need to or I’d be staring off into space with no social interaction at my desk. I noticed that many of my co-workers did the same.

I realized that after a long work day, I often only got up from my desk a couple of times to use the bathroom or pick up a work document from somewhere else in the office. One night after work, I was walking to my car and I realized that it was the first time I’d been outside since first arriving at the office. It’s my belief that being in an office and sitting at a desk without ever going outside or getting out at all is a productivity killer. Sitting motionless and fixated in one place makes me feel sluggish and tired.

I started to take my lunch outside. Fresh air, short walks just getting out of the building and away from my desk helped me come back to work after lunch feeling refreshed. So get away from your work for 45min to an hour. Take lunch outside or in a different location. The change of scenery will keep your mental gears fresh.

Two - Dress for Happiness

You don’t have to break the bank to look sharp. Taking the extra effort can go a long way in self-pride and focus.

It’s my belief that when a person feels confident about their appearance, they have a better chance at succeeding. I’m not advocating that physical appearance is king (because it isn’t) but I do believe that when a person feels they look sharp, they will feel sharp and embody higher standards.

I don’t dress nice to impress my boss or clients. I get dressed for me. It feels good to look clean and professional and when I feel good things tend to go better for me. One of the easiest ways to feel better about yourself is to look in the mirror in morning and make sure that we are professionally dressed. This sets the mindset and attitude for a productive and high morale day.

Three - Start meetings something fun

No matter who you are or how much you love your job there have been many Monday mornings when you woke up and didn’t want to go to work. Even the most passionate and enthusiastic person has to push through mental barriers and inertia to start working from to time.

I’ve walked into meetings on Monday morning where I felt half the staff were asleep or drained from the weekend. By Tuesday, the staff were much more alert and getting work done but it took a whole Monday to get back into production mode. A good way to handle this is to start off Monday morning meetings with something fun, something that perks the attention of employees and engages them right off the bat.

A simple way to do this is to start meetings with a simple ice break question or ice breaker game. For example, everyone shares their favorite meme or what business idea do you think would be ultra-profitable, but you would never pursue it?

The questions are as important as the social discourse. Getting in communication before diving into work can shake off the rust of the weekend or awkwardness of a meeting.

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