How to find more joy at work: 4 of my favorite ways

America is going through something. It’s big and pretty ugly. Yet, we hope the result will be better work practices and culture on the other side… and ultimately lead us to how to find more joy at work.

As a result of my work experience from 2012-2023, including wonderful and challenging managers, interviews, and schedules… I started talking a lot about joy. It’s what it all came down to many times and was ultimately the tipping or breaking point for me when I made changes.

I enjoy talking about and asking others: How to find more joy at work?

Reality of work

The reality is that the daily grind of work is necessary for most of us, and it’s not the most joyous thing, even if we love it, even if we are good at it, even if we have the best manager.

Whether we’re having a hard day, week, month… or we’re easing back into work after a break: What do we do when joy feels out of reach? How to find more joy at work?

The joy we feel during breaks and time with family and friends contrasts with the grind (and sometimes, the joylessness) of work. It’s not that we necessarily despise work (though some might), but it’s often a challenge to muster the same level of enthusiasm for it as we do for other aspects of our lives. This dichotomy, while intriguing, can make the return to work a struggle.

4 ways to find more joy at work

Here’s a list of things that help me out when joy at work feels out of reach.

PREP

Meal prep for a few of your favorite foods and drinks. Whether that’s simply planning (and looking forward) to what you’ll have, or making it ahead of time, meal prep will help you stay energized (and joyful).

NATURE

Go for a walk as soon as you make progress on a couple of tasks. Do not keep going. Take your break, look around, and enjoy the small things.

FOCUS

Instead of competing for the coolest story or trip, focus on slow, rhythmic breathing during your meetings. You’ll have your chance to share, but if your stress hormones are revved up to compete, your energy (and joy) will be drained much faster.

COLLABORATION

Teamwork makes the dream work. And it ain’t easy to find or create, either. I talk more about this on Nicole’s new podcast: She Lights The Way.

What would you add to this list?