Happy @ Work: 60 Simple Ways to Stay Engaged and Be Successful

Even in a challenging economy, more and more workers report dissatisfaction with their work life and frustration that they aren’t contributing more to the world and feeling better about doing it. In recent years numerous studies about happiness and fulfillment in the workplace report dismal numbers when it comes to employee happiness. A 2012 Gallup poll reported employee disengagement in U.S. companies to be as high as 70 percent, costing businesses more than $550 billion a year in lost productivity.

Jim Donovan, a small business owner, consultant, and speaker, has offered workplace advice to employers and employees for 25 years. He considers himself a “happiness expert” because he has helped thousands of workers discover ways to make their work more fulfilling and enjoyable without changing jobs or even getting a raise. In the tradition of such inspirational writers as Richard Carlson, Jim offers 60 simple tips that will help anyone discover the reasons they took the job in the first place and increase their levels of productivity and fulfillment.

Each of the short chapters in this book offers a pithy “instruction”, some simple, some more complicated, such as “break your patterns”; “become a value finder”; “focus on what is working”; “don’t gossip”; and “arrive at work early.” The chapter goes on to explain the reasons behind these attitude and behavior adjustments and examples from the workplace of how these small changes can lead to big changes. According to Jim, being happy at work (or anywhere) requires you to take control over your thoughts and emotions, begin to define what it is you want, and follow some time-tested principles for a more successful life. Each entry suggests ways workers can take charge of their feelings and emotions and develop strategies to become more engaged, fulfilled, and productive both at work and in their personal lives.

Each chapter in Happy @ Work is designed to stand on its own, containing a single idea that readers can embellish upon and integrate into their daily lives. Throughout this book readers will learn simple, practical, easily implemented ideas and techniques to feel better about themselves and their work. These are actionable ideas that can help anyone move toward advancing their career and creating their most amazing life.