“The Dalai Lama, when asked what surprised him most about humanity, answered “Man! Because he sacrifices his health in order to make money. Then he sacrifices money to recuperate his health. And then he is so anxious about the future that he does not enjoy the present; the result being that he does not live in the present or the future; he lives as if he is never going to die, and then dies having never really lived.”
Why do I think that happiness at work is overestimated? My job is okay but am I really happy? I don’t think I would stop working in the sense that I would sit doing nothing, but I would no longer work for money. I would dedicate myself to one of my passions, for example writing. I would also volunteer, and go to Pilates more often.
I would more or less continue to live the life I am living now without doing the same job and without feeling obliged to earn enough to make my living. This is actually the core issue. In most of the cases we work to support ourselves and our families and not because we like it. So talking about happiness at work is overestimated, at least in some cases. Ask some underpaid workers who work on the assembly line if they are happy to go to work. Or to a teacher harassed by the students if their job motivates them. Or a nurse doing stressful night shifts, if they’d rather work during the day.
The concept of happiness at work seems to me a bit forced, yet a lot of people talk about it, without considering that a large number of employees do not like the work they do but have no other choice, especially in an economic downturn such as the current one (at least in Europe). It seems to me a bit like a race towards a goal that cannot be achieved.
Then let’s look at the increase of the cases of burn-out. In Europe, France holds the record with their 10% of active population suffering from burn-out. Is it better in other European countries? Actually, the key question to ask would be if there is a good balance between private life and working life. People are better where governments implement policies to balance work with life.
The problem of work is therefore the space it occupies in our lives, space and not time. Space means not only the time actually spent at the workplace, but also the time spent thinking about work, the famous work that you take home and that interferes with your private life.
What to do then to change this constant thought that we have towards work?
Have a look at the techniques I described in the following posts:
5 Tips to Start The Day Anxiety-Free
5 Reasons Why Hiking Is Good for the Body, Soul And Spirit
How to Relax in 10 Steps: Making Space Within You
Try also to be grateful for what you have without thinking that this means lack of ambition. It simply means to stop chasing a chimera and to seek your well-being in what you have. Well-being, not happiness, because well-being is a state that can become permanent, while happiness is a moment, or some moments, that may fade away soon.
Pursuing well-being means beginning a journey made of small steps that could lead us to happiness but if the longing for happiness is not achieved, the most important thing is being well.
What about you? If you would win € 2 million, would you keep going to work?
Crisbie Coach 
If you’d asked me this question a couple of years ago, I think I probably would have continued to work, although I suspect I’d have reduced my hours. But now I have a different perspective, my priorities have changed and I’d say no. My job fundamentally hasn’t changed, I work with a great team and my linemanager is brilliant – such a positive change from the previous incumbents – but I’d still give up work to go exploring and to blog. Since getting a better balance with my health, I want to get out there and live life.
"Mi piace""Mi piace"
I re-edited this article because some years ago, I wanted to change career because my job had become unbearable. Unsupportive team and line manager. I completely changed job (from HR manager to project manager) and now I work with a great and supportive team and excellent managers. As a result I have a better work-life balance. I had to give up a promising career with HR but like you I want to live life. Thank you for your comment, Brenda!
"Mi piace""Mi piace"
It’s sad that managers can have such a significant impact on their teams
"Mi piace""Mi piace"
Yes, it’s sad, but sometimes things happen. Today we received a communication announcing that 50 managers will participate in a 360 leadership evaluation and I am invited to assess my own manager!
"Mi piace""Mi piace"
Is it a trial? And how do you feel about that?
"Mi piace""Mi piace"
Excited, I can finally speak freely. Of course the survey is anonymized but the results will be shared. Then the managers will receive ad hoc coaching. It’s not a trial, it’s a project our HR department carries out regularly but with the pandemic it was stopped. Now they as slowly starting again, because we have changed our working way, they called it hybrid, a mix of teleworking and office working. Then we will also move as of September into collaborative dynamic working spaces (a nicer way to call open spaces). So, I think there is a lot to evaluate!
"Mi piace""Mi piace"
Sounds like a good time to evaluate too
"Mi piace""Mi piace"
Love this sentence, “Try also to be grateful for what you have without thinking that this means lack of ambition” Right! Thanks for another thought-provoking post, Cristiana!
"Mi piace""Mi piace"
Thank you Wynne, I think being grateful brings us so many positive results !
"Mi piace""Mi piace"