By Angelica Ribeiro, PhD

Imagine this: You get a new job, which makes you very happy. But soon you realize that the job involves the following aspects, to mention a few:

• too much sitting, too little movement
• too much computer work, too few social interactions
• too many demands, too few flow experiences

After experiencing all those issues on a daily basis, you notice that they negatively impact your well-being and happiness level. What do you do then?

A few years ago, I experienced that situation. However, knowing that we spend about one third of our lifetime at work, I decided to avoid the negative effects of those aspects which can be the root cause of unhappiness in today’s modern work life. That was when not only did I start learning more about the importance of movement, social interactions, and flow, but I also started to incorporate them in my workplace. My experience was so successful that I even wrote a book, How to Create Happiness at Work, to inspire others to increase their job satisfaction (Ribeiro, 2024).

Below is why and how you can incorporate movement, social interactions, and flow in your workplace. 

Movement

Why you should move: When you move, you feed the cells, grow new brain cells, and improve your metabolism. You also promote oxygen delivery to the brain, which activates the prefrontal cortex, making more brain resources available, and increasing your productivity, creativity, and decision-making skills. Moreover, you feel good when you move because dopamine and endorphins are released in your body (O’Mara, 2021).

How you can make time to move: You can take a few one-minute breaks throughout the workday to do jumping jacks, do squats, stretch at the desk, or go for a brisk walk. Also, if possible, you can take the stairs instead of the elevator, walk to a coworker’s desk instead of sending an email, have a walking meeting, and park farther away from your workplace entrance.

Social interactions

Why you should create social connections: Social interactions are essential for your well-being and happiness. Social connections make you have less depression, recover faster from illness, be less likely to get diabetes and heart disease, stay healthier, feel happier, and have a longer life (Waldinger, 2023). Also, when you have social connections at work, you have a sense of belonging, get more done, have innovative ideas, make better decisions, experience less stress, and feel more engaged. As a result, you thrive at what you do and increase your job satisfaction (Amabile & Kramer, 2011). 

How you can create (more) social connections: If possible, talk with your coworkers in person instead of via email, have lunch with a colleague, strike up a conversation with someone, even if they are a stranger to you (Epley & Schroeder, 2014). You can also create social connections by saying hello to the barista when buying coffee, smiling at someone, and making eye contact with people who walk by you in the hallway (Epley, 2018).

Flow

Why you should experience flow: Flow is “the state in which people are so involved in an activity that nothing else seems to matter; the experience itself is so enjoyable that people will do it even at great cost, for the sheer sake of doing it” (Csikszentmihalyi, 2008). You should experience flow at work because when you engage in flow activities, you “feel skillful and challenged, and therefore feel more happy, strong, creative, and satisfied” (Csikszentmihalyi, 2008).

How you can experience flow: You reach flow when doing an activity in which the level of challenge matches the level of skill (i.e., both challenge and skill levels are high). To better understand flow, imagine two lines: the y-axis represents the challenge level, and the x-axis represents the skill level. If your challenge is high and your skill is low, you will experience anxiety because the activity is too difficult for you to perform. If your challenge is low and your skill is high, you will feel bored because the activity isn’t engaging. In other words, the task is easy for you, and you don’t need to devote much attention to it. To experience flow, your challenge level and your skill level are high. As a result, you enjoy what you are doing.

Bottom line: You can create happiness at work by making time to move, creating social connections, and experiencing flow. By consciously working toward happiness in your professional life, you will reduce stress, improve your work performance, and feel happier a lot more than one-third of your life.

Note: This blog post is based on my TAA Webinar: How to Create Happiness at Work and in Your Writing Sessions. You can find it here on the TAA website.

References

Amabile, T., & Kramer, S. (2011). The progress principle: Using small wins to ignite joy, engagement, and creativity at work. Harvard Business Review Press.

Csikszentmihalyi, M. (2008). Flow: The psychology of optimal experience. HarperCollins e-books.

Epley, N., & Schroeder, J. (2014). Mistakenly seeking solitude. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 143(5), 1980-1999, https://doi.org/10.1037/a0037323.

O’Mara, S. (2021). In praise of walking: A new scientific exploration. W.W. Norton & Company.

Ribeiro, R. (2024). How to create happiness at work: Seven evidence-based strategies to enjoy your day. Kindle Direct Publishing.

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Angelica Ribeiro is a writer, researcher, and professor. She is the author of How to Create Happiness at Work, Running into Happiness, and My Happiness Habit Journal. She holds a Ph.D. in curriculum and instruction with a focus on English as a second language from Texas A&M University. She has taught English learners and preservice teachers in the United States and Brazil for over 25 years. Angelica has several publications on second language acquisition. She works as a professor in higher education and helps others benefit from her happiness research. When she was a Ph.D. student, Angelica struggled with balancing her academic commitments and personal life, which motivated her to embark on a journey to increase happiness. Her journey was so successful that now she encourages others to create happiness in their busy lives by sharing science-based strategies. Visit https://www.creatinghappiness.today