Over the last 30 days I have shared with you how to sustain happiness at work, looking at specific issues. Today I want to recap what we have covered so that you have the key points in one place and the articles are organised by theme.

Now that the puzzle is complete you should be able to see the key principles that will help you create a happier life at work long term.

Happiness at work: looking after yourself

If you have been following this blog for a while, you will know by now that I believe that happiness come from within ourselves, and that we just have to learn how to tap into it.

So obviously I have focused on what you can do to increase your feeling of happiness at work. And it starts with looking after yourself.

This is why I talked about How To Put Yourself First At Work (Without Losing Your Job), and Working from home or living at work? How to keep the balance.

I also wanted to dive a little deeper into mental health issues and work with tips on How To Bring Yourself Back To Calm When You Feel Stressed At Work, 6 Infallible Hacks To Use When You Feel Down At Work, and Should You Talk To Your Boss About Your Mental Health.

Finally, I approached a topic close to my heart, 6 Well Guarded Secrets To Navigate A High-Pressure Workplace, with the hope this will help you to not getting stressed or depressed because of work.  

Happiness at work: improve relationships with others

“l’enfer, c’est les autres” Jean-Paul Sartes, Huis Clos

Let’s be honest, the biggest cause of stress at work is others. Colleagues, clients, suppliers, line managers, direct reports, the senior leadership, people you might know well, others you might not…

This is why if we can get on top of the basics of communication and conflict management, we can greatly improve our happiness at work.  

I started with the one person you should focus on making happy (because he pays you!) with How To Keep Your Boss Happy (And Why You Should Care).

I carried on with the biggest source of conflicts: colleagues: 3 Secrets To Get What You Need From Your Colleagues, 4 Undeniable Reasons Why You Should Help Your Colleagues, How To Be Respected By Your Colleagues, How To Push Work Back On Their Rightful Owner.  

For direct reports, I specifically discussed the all important  4 Must-Know For Managers Dealing With Mental Health and The 3 Steps To Delivering Feedback (And Stay Friends).

I covered the wider work community in 7 Unbeatable Ways To Build Your Network Within Your Workplace and How To Make Your Workplace A Better Place.  

Finally, I discussed relationships with external parties in How To Negotiate Without Losing Your Shit.

Productivity

One of my favourite topics! I strongly believe that this is key to becoming the best you can be at work and get promoted: Should You Structure Your Day Or Go With The Flow and 4 Steps To Stop Overwhelm At Work And Get On Top Of Your Workload.

Performance

A natural follow-on was performance. How to do it well (4 Simple Actions To Ace Your Performance Review) and what to do when it all goes wrong (How To Cope With Being Put On A Performance Plan).

New job

When all fails and you are just in the wrong place, what to do then (Help! My job is making me miserable!) and How To Find A Job That Makes You Happier.

If like me you like to mix work and travel, then check out How To Get The Expatriation Opportunities.  

And finally, 4 Essential Hacks To Overcome Interview Anxiety and once you got the job, How To Prepare For Your First Day At Work.  

How to sustain happiness at work – key take aways

In my opinion, the keys to sustain happiness at work are:

• work on your own happiness first
• find a role that suits you and your career objectives
• nourish the relationships with your boss, colleagues, direct reports
• be productive and perform at your best
• always look after yourself and your mental health first

If you follow these principles using the practical tips I gave you, it should substantially improve your long term happiness at work.

Further resources

These are my go-to books on this topic, which I have mentioned during the month, in no particular order.

Job Interviews: Top Answers to Tough Questions by John Lees

The Happiness Advantage: The Seven Principles of Positive Psychology that Fuel Success and Performance at Work by Shawn Achor

Judgement Detox: Release the Beliefs That Hold You Back from Living a Better Life by Gabrielle Bernstein

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie

Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World by Cal Newport

The 4-Hour Work Week: Escape the 9-5, Live Anywhere and Join the New Rich by Tim Ferriss

Routine = Results by Rob Moore

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Powerful Lessons in Personal Change by Stephen R. Covey

I hope that you have enjoyed this month as much as I did! Let me know in the comments which article of this series is your favourite and why.

And remember, happiness is a choice, and you are in charge!