Loving what you do, why you do it and with whom you are surrounded by are all very important factors in being happy at work.
In a recent article published in the Harvard Business Review Rob Cross and his colleagues conducted interviews with 160 people from a variety of industries and found that progressing in your career depends not only on the job itself but on the relationships you have in and out of work.
Relationships give you a sense of purpose in life, people who had mundane or demanding jobs felt as satisfied as those with fun or inspiring jobs depending on their investment in relationships that helped them create this sense of purpose.
Do you participate in events where you can meet like-minded people to discuss and build meaningful interactions?
Cross’ research showed that people who thrive are anchored in at least one or two nonwork communities and suggests we should all pick activities where we invest time and participate with a group. Setting goals with other members of that group gives you the motivation to persist and follow things through.
Non-work activities are very important for your wellness both physically and emotionally. When was the last time you did something for the first time? Find like minded individuals and tap into aspects of your identity that don’t ‘rise and fall with how well things are going at the office’ as Cross says. This could be the key to be happier in life, driving happiness at work.
Everything is relative and interconnected.