Chai, Chatter and Chasing deadlines…

Happiness at work—a concept as elusive as finding an UBER during rush hour. Yet, it’s the holy grail that every office warrior chases, even if it sometimes feels like we’re armed with nothing but a spreadsheet and a cup of tea or coffee.

Let’s start with the basics: happiness isn’t just about flashing a Colgate smile every time you pass the boss. No, real workplace happiness is more like that sneaky Wi-Fi signal—sometimes strong, often elusive, but absolutely essential for survival.

Let’s talk about meetings. Oh, meetings! Where brilliant ideas go to nap, and time forgets its very existence. But here’s a secret: happiness in meetings isn’t about dodging them but embracing them with the enthusiasm of someone who just discovered the mute button on Zoom. It’s about the thrill of contributing a “Yes, I totally agree,” when you have no clue what’s being discussed. That’s the art of office survival, my friends.

How about your desk (at work or at home)—the tiny square of freedom where you’re the ruler of all things sticky notes, pens and stationary. A desk is not just a place; it’s a statement. A cluttered desk often says, “I’m busy and important.” (or I’m all messed up).  A clean desk says, “I may have OCD, or I’m planning to leave early.” But a desk with a secret stash of snacks? That’s pure genius. Because nothing says happiness like knowing you’ve got a hidden KitKat or Lays for when the slump hits.

Now, colleagues. We all have them—the ones we adore, the ones we avoid, and the ones who’ve mastered the art of hovering just when you’re about to leave. The trick to happiness here is simple: find your work buddy, the one who shares your love for office memes and hates the same policies. Together, you’ll laugh through the nonsense and, if necessary, plot your escape for that cup of Chai.

Happiness at work isn’t about grand gestures or monumental achievements. It’s in the little things—the perfectly brewed cup of coffee (which u'll never get from the damn coffee machine which has a button for 'cappuccino' ), the shared laughs, the quick game of foosball or TT, and the satisfaction of closing your laptop at the end of the day knowing you’ve survived another one.

So, here’s to you, the office warriors! May your Wi-Fi be strong, your snacks be plenty, and your meetings mercifully short. Cheers to finding happiness, one quirky moment at a time.

Megha Mallan

Assistant Director -Talent Development at EY| Leadership Development| Learning solutions|Mentor| Author| Writer| Authentic| Empathic Talks About: Growth Mindset|Biases|Emotional Intelligence|All things Human

4mo

Beautifully written, no one could have said it better than YOU!perfect blend of sarcasm, humour and truth! Keep these coming Pavan Zachariah 🤩

Unnikrishnan Balakrishnan

Director- HCLTech | CX Expert | Growth and Transformation Enabler| IIM - K Alumini

4mo

And the Story Teller is Born. Awesome Pavan. Hoping to see you publish these into a book and/or podcasts and have rolling them out on Amazon in the near future. Keep it coming.

Aradhana Dubey

Seasoned Talent Development professional adept at harmonizing Impact-driven Learning Design with focus on human behaviors across diverse global regions

4mo

Beautifully written, Pawan. In just a few seconds, so many cherished memories and wonderful people came rushing back, filling the heart with nostalgia😊

Freddy Koikaramparambil

Brand Custodian & Value Enhancer @ My Persona™ | L&D Facilitation, Training, & Theatre to help discover strengths | Employee Engagement, Live Show Hosting to energize events | Creating audio magic as a Voiceover Artist!

4mo

Love it, Pavan Zachariah ! Our work space constantly has snacks floating around - and it's SO hard to make sure they are healthy ones! LOL! We also try to celebrate birthdays and other occasions with actual activities (and not just cake and wishes), so much so, that we've designated a team to ensure that we come up with something. Substantial portions of our team meetings are also dedicated to simply checking in on each other. It's a lot of work, but it's worth it!

Suneel Shankar

India Head - Creative Production at Tag

4mo

Love it Zac. Rang v true. I was smiling and nodding at the snacks I keep more to get people in and break ice and just out of arms reach of me so I don’t junk. Work buddies that I could just sit around with and not talk shop for hours! They’re a rare breed much like that WiFi signal!!!!!

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