5 Ways To Be Happier and More Productive @ Work

In my consulting practice clients often share with me that they feel overworked and are not completely happy with how they are spending their time at work. I've also felt unhappy and unproductive at work at different points in my life. To combat these feelings here are the 5 things I've implemented that help me feel happy and be productive at work. '

Disclaimer: I'm a lawyer and a business consultant and not a psychiatrist or a career coach. These are things that have worked for me and may not work for everyone. Success is not guaranteed.

1. Help Others

Nothing feels better than helping others. Nothing. Not even the 3 letter word. Whenever I help others at work I feel the happiest and the most fulfilled. To feel happier at work see if you could help one of your colleagues with a project they are working on. This shouldn't be done instead of your own work, but should be done in conjunction with your work, instead of browsing the internet aimlessly for several hours a day.

Don't impose yourself on anyone, but if if you someone working hard on something or stuck on some aspect of their project, offer to help and then genuinely help. It doesn't matter if it's not in your job description.

2. Go For a Walk

The best ideas come to me when I'm away from my phone and my computer and there is no Wifi. If you're stuck in a rut at work or are looking for the next great idea to propel your business forward, take some time away from the office and away from the internet. Time at the gym is also great at this, just make sure to leave your phone in the locker. Some of my best work ideas have come while I was running on the treadmill at Orange Theory.

3. Take Every Vacation Day

Your vacation and personal time is there for you to use. Please use it. If you are your own boss do not become your own enemy by not allowing yourself time to rest. You will not win any awards by being the person who never takes a break, instead you'll burn out and begin to resent everyone around you, including your colleagues, your family, and your customers.

With my own team I encourage everyone to take as many vacation days as possible. I haven't quite figured out how to implement unlimited vacation days in my companies, but I'm perfectly fine with people who are not customer-facing working from anywhere in the world.

4. Don't Try To Be The Last Person In The Office

Don't try to outwork your colleagues or your competitors. If you want to be competitive, outsmart them. Think about your time on a dollar per hour basis. What could you do right now that will add the most value per hour, both to your employer and to yourself. There are only 24 hours in a day and at least 14 of those should not be spent working. Remember this: Even if you work 24hrs a day, there will always be more work the next day.

If you see your competitors seemingly working more than you, remember that emails can be scheduled with apps like Boomerang and Instagram posts scheduled with apps like HootSuite so even if you're getting emails at 2am it doesn't mean someone was actually awake to send them.

5. Work Somewhere That Aligns With Your Values

Make sure the mission, the goals, and the values of your employer align with your personal mission, goals, and values. If they are not aligned, they will eat away at your happiness day by day, no matter what your compensation package is. For me, transparency and kindness are important values and I am happiest when I help companies and people that have the same values.