It’s a tough time for libraries, and people in customer service. And while we don’t want to veer into any toxic positivity, it is good to spend a little time focused on building your happiness level. We are not going to solve people’s serious mental issues here. But bringing some happiness skills to your week can be helpful to everyone!
Mondays can be a little hard, even when things are going fine. Use this small injection of a happiness skill to your week. We are here to support you, and to help you to be a little happier in the library.
You spend a lot of your life at work; and while libraries are not always perfectly happy places, it’s a good goal to strive toward.
Check out this excerpt from the article Three Secrets to Happiness at Work According to Research:
“Organizations are investing increasing amounts of money and resources in improving happiness at work, from team-building exercises and fun consultants to Google’s Chief Happiness Officer (Spicer & Cederström, 2015; Tan, 2014).
After all, the benefits are obvious. Happy workers enjoy what they do and work harder and smarter. Companies take fun, play, and satisfaction in the workplace seriously because they recognize the importance of happiness for productivity, staff retention, and employee wellbeing (McKee, 2014).
1. Happiness in the workplace is essential
Research suggests that it improves sales, productivity, and accuracy while boosting health and quality of life. Despite a clear link between employee happiness and business outcomes, it needs to be taken more seriously (Achor, 2011).
2. Positive psychology
When Achor introduced positive psychology principles into KPMG, one of the big accounting companies, following the 2008 banking crisis, they saw an increase in life satisfaction, work optimism, perceived effectiveness in work, and a reduction in perceived stress. Moreover, the effect was not short-lived. Four months later, improvements to personal and professional happiness were maintained (Achor, 2014).
3. Job crafting
However, while research typically finds a positive link between happiness and productivity in the workplace, chasing it may leave us feeling less happy and even frustrated.
Instead, we may be better off focusing on crafting our jobs and living our lives to align with our values, creating long-term meaning and fulfillment (Seligman, 2011; Ryan & Deci, 2018).”
CMLE can be part of your support network; we are here for you, and support you in your library work. Take a nice deep breath in, and whoosh it out; it’s going to be okay today.