TL;DR:
- Learn 5 research-backed strategies to boost happiness at work, applicable both in and out of the classroom.
- Embrace negative emotions as signals, rethink productivity, and practice self-compassion to reduce stress.
- Craft your job to align with your strengths and nurture belonging for a greater sense of purpose.
We made it to October! First Days of School, Back to School Nights, and syllabus reviews are all in the rearview mirror. Presently, we are staring at routine. Some predictability and maybe a bit of monotony. Some of us have the annual back-to-school cold. The novelty and unwavering optimism has quieted down a bit, and many of us need to be a part of our own rescue and take charge of our happiness at work.
Most of you know one of my favorite podcasts is The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos. On her May 6th episode titled, “Five Tips to be Happier at Work,” I learned…wait for it…5 things we can do to increase our happiness at work. I highly recommend listening to the entire episode that was showcased at South by Southwest 2024 (the link to the full episode can be found here.)
I will do my best to paraphrase and reflect on these 5 findings that are summarized from data collected over 3 decades (with some teacher stuff sprinkled in because that’s what we do here). What I like best about these 5 recommendations is that yes, they can positively impact our happiness at work, and they can also positively impact our happiness at home.
5 Ways to Increase Our Happiness at Work
#1. Find ways to use negative emotions wisely.
Wait a minute. The first recommendation about increasing our happiness at work is to highlight negative emotions? Yep. And that’s because we all have them. The invitation is not to suppress or ignore these emotions (like frustration, annoyance, or resentment) because when we do, it negatively impacts our performance. That’s because instead of our energy going towards productive, fulfilling work, it’s going towards actively suppressing negative emotions.
Rather, let’s acknowledge when we feel a negative emotion and use it as a signal. Dr. Santos claims those inevitable negative emotions are like a little metaphorical “check engine light” and can be used to inform our next right thing or focus area. She says, “Negative emotions are trying to be an alert signal that we need to pay attention to, so we can ask ourselves, ‘How can we take care of ourselves?'”
For example, are you feeling resentful? That’s a signal to ask for help. Feeling frustrated? Maybe it’s time for an honest conversation with a colleague. Overwhelmed? Try to get something off that full plate of yours. Using negative emotions as information is essential to happiness in the workplace.
Using negative emotions as information is essential to happiness in the workplace. Click To Tweet#2. Rethink productivity.
When it comes to our time at work and considering all that we have to accomplish, it can become overwhelming. Research continually says that those who are happiest are those who believe they have enough time to do 2 things: the things they have to do and the things they want to do. As teachers, our schedules are packed with everything from curriculum expectations to meetings, grading, and emails (hello, time termites!).
What small shift can we make to move from a time poverty stance to a lens of time affluence believing you have enough time to accomplish what you want (and need) with the students in front of you? The mindset shift here is recognizing that there’s enough time for everything—both the tasks we need to complete and the moments of fun, stillness, or simply disconnecting. These are essential for long-term productivity. Those things we want to do are just as important as the things we have to do. Providing time for the “fun” stuff isn’t an extra/nice to have. It’s essential to have outside of our classroom walls if we want greater capacity for productivity inside of those walls.
#3. Self-Compassion.
We’ve heard it a million times, but that’s because we need reminders to do this: talk to yourself like you would a good friend. Try (as best as realistically possible!) to focus on your accomplishments rather than what hasn’t been done yet, celebrate the wins (big or small) rather than the times you came up short, and honor the progress that’s been made so far.
Ask yourself, “What do I need right now?” Maybe it’s a walk outside when you get home. Maybe it’s logging off right at the end of your contracted day. Maybe it’s a phone call with your bestie. As teachers, we get enough feedback from the outside world, so make sure you are doing what you can to be a green flag to yourself. Like Kelly Corrigan reminds us, “We are in our heads all of the time. Might as well make it nice up there.”
#4. Craft your job so it becomes a calling.
This is an exercise on your values and your job. Just about all of us got into teaching because we want to help kids and make a positive difference in the world. But sometimes the tasks of our job don’t feel like a direct correlation to those reasons. When that misalignment of values occurs, Dr. Santos encourages us to take a free quiz that comes from the University of Pennsylvania (viacharacterstrength.com) where it will rank your 24 signature strengths, highlighting your top 3. For example, my top 3 signature strengths are gratitude, humor, and social intelligence.
Once I consider how my signature strengths work in my daily life as a teacher, I am able to see how my unique gifts are integral to my success as an educator. For example, the definition of social intelligence is “being aware of an understanding my feelings and thoughts, as well as the feelings of those around me.” As a teacher and instructional coach, this is my superpower! This exercise of examining my strengths and how they align with my work reiterates how this work is my calling—my unique gifts allow me to make positive contributions each and every day. It gives me purpose and joy.
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#5. Find ways to seek out more belonging.
Do you have a work best friend? If your answer is yes, then you most likely feel like you belong at work which increases not only your happiness and wellbeing, but also your productivity, energy, and creativity. Knowing your contributions matter at work makes you feel seen, heard, and valued. Essentially, we feel like we belong when our positive emotions outweigh the negative ones.
As teachers, we understand that the line between our personal and professional lives can be quite blurred. Considering these 5 steps to increase our happiness at work can also have a positive impact on us at home and all of the other roles we play. Consider which one is easiest or most natural for you to lean into and spend some time thinking about your next right thing. What small two-degree shift in thoughts, language, or actions can help you feel a bit more grounded, steady, or aligned at work? Try a few ideas and see what makes a positive impact.
In other words, consider this your own little Happiness Lab.
Small Shifts, BIG Gifts!
When reading about the 5 things research tells us increases our happiness at work, what is the one thing you would like to lean into? Maybe put a reminder on your phone to help keep it a priority and see if it makes a positive impact on your happiness at school…or home!
About Suzanne Dailey
Suzanne Dailey is a proud member of the Teach Better Family! She is an instructional coach in the Central Bucks School District where she has the honor and joy of working with elementary teachers and students in 15 buildings. Suzanne is Nationally Board Certified, a Fellow of the National Writing Project, and has a master’s degree in Reading. She is dedicated to nurturing and developing the whole child and teacher. Suzanne lives in Doylestown, Pennsylvania with her husband and two children.
Check out the Teach Happier Podcast here!
