December 2009 - The 10 Commandments of a Happy Work Life

The 10 Commandments of a Happy Work Life

by Tom Terez

1. Thou shalt honor thyself
Your brain can process 100 trillion instructions per second while using the equivalent of just 12 watts of power. Your heart beats 100,000 times per day, carrying your blood some 12,000 miles (19,000 km). You’re built to imagine, create, communicate, and love. If you do nothing else today, sit back in awe of yourself.

2. Thou shalt be true to thyself
Only one person has your portfolio of experience, know-how, skills, and style attributes. You’re in charge of putting it to work without compromise. If you need inspiration, consider Mother Teresa, Martin Luther King Jr., and Thomas Edison. All of these greats — and many more — enriched the world by rejecting conformity and making the most of their differences.

3. Thou shalt speak up
When you have a good idea, share it. When you have a question, ask it. When you need help, say so. When your help is needed, offer it. When you see a scene of disrespect, step forward and set things right. When you envision a better future, put it in spoken word. Your voice needs to be heard.

4. Thou shalt strive to simplify
Whenever people congregate, they tend to overcomplicate. That explains those countless workplace rules, objectives, projects, deadlines, and meetings. It’s up to you to challenge the raging routine. Take a fresh look at your schedule, and eliminate every activity that seems important but isn’t. An action is either mission-driven or mere motion. Keep the former, ditch the latter.

5. Thou shalt assume the best
Few people wake up and declare: "I’m going to make this a horrible day. I’m going to foul things up and make life miserable for my co-workers." No, most people want good days in which they use their know-how, exercise their creativity, and make a positive contribution. Assume and expect the best ... and that’s what you’ll get.

6. Thou shalt fix processes, not people
It’s tempting to blame that missed deadline or fouled-up project on Debbie, Dan, or some other nearby human punching bag. But the fact is, problems almost always occur because of process issues, not people. So cut Debbie and Dan some slack — and enlist their help in analyzing and improving the flow of activities that make up the process.

7. Thou shalt serve a greater purpose
Henry David Thoreau lived 150 years ago, but his words seem especially relevant in today’s Blackberried world: "It is not enough to be busy — so are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?" Nor is it enough to have a mission statement that lies forgotten. What’s needed is a heartfelt mission that gives meaning to all the work-related busyness. What’s yours?

8. Thou shalt be interested
Want to be interesting? Then be interested — in people, processes, clients, customers, competitors, and more. Open your eyes a bit wider. Be more curious. Seek new challenges. Start more conversations. Make a point of asking questions rather than making statements. Turn your work world, and the larger world, into your own lifelong school.

9. Thou shalt honor time away from work
You’re more than an employee. You’re more than the sum of your tasks. You’re a human being, not a human doing. Treat yourself accordingly by rounding out how you spend your time. Balance your time at work with time at home, outdoors, in the community, and elsewhere. You’ll recharge your battery while gaining new insights and perspectives that inform your work.

10. Thou shalt be thine own best manager
Guess who’s in charge of you. Hint: It’s not your boss, your boss’ boss, or anyone else. The sooner you take responsibility for your own happiness and fulfillment, the sooner you’ll achieve it.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Tom Terez (TomTerez.com) is an international consultant and frequent speaker on organizational performance (BetterWorkplaceNow.com) and personal excellence (InnerBest.com). Copyright © 2007 Tom Terez Workplace Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission of the author.

Internet Resources

Click here to download this article in PDF format (104K) http://www.betterworkplacenow.com/HappyWorkLife.pdf
Tom Terez' website www.betterworkplacenow.com
How to be good Employee – lessons from SpongeBob http://www.blogcatalog.com/blog/satisfying-career-happier-life/b63b496fa9643889a7b60b9750d32cc1
Attorney Work-Life Balance Quiz http://dwp.bigplanet.com/workingresources/work1lifebalanceattorneysurvey/
Cultivating a happy work life http://www.monstersandcritics.com/lifestyle/life/news/article_1490133.php/Cultivating_a_happy_work_life
Are You Happy With Your Work/Life Balance? http://www.myglobalcareer.com/2009/09/18/are-you-happy-with-your-worklife-balance/
Top 10 Ways to Be Happy at Work http://humanresources.about.com/od/success/tp/happy_work.htm
What Brings You Joy in the Workplace? http://humanresources.about.com/cs/worklifefamily/qt/Joy.htm
Laughing Your Way to Organizational Health http://humanresources.about.com/od/stressandtimemanagement/a/laughter.htm
Why You Really Ought to Want to Love Your Work http://humanresources.about.com/od/careerplanningandadvice1/a/loveyourwork.htm
Top 10 Ideas About What Employees Want From Work http://humanresources.about.com/od/rewardrecognition/tp/recognition.htm
Passion Pays http://management.about.com/cs/yourself/a/PassionPays.htm

Books - Disclosure: We get a small commission for purchases made via links to Amazon.

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference. Malcolm Gladwell./ Back Bay Books, 2002. ISBN-10: 0316346624 ISBN-13: 978-0316346627
The 21 Irrefutable Laws of Leadership: Follow Them and People Will Follow You. John Maxwell. Thomas Nelson, 2007. ISBN-10: 0785288376 ISBN-13: 978-0785288374
The Power of Full Engagement: Managing Energy, Not Time, Is the Key to High Performance and Personal Renewal. Jim Loehr, Tony Schwartz. Free Press , 2004. ISBN-10: 0743226755 ISBN-13: 978-0743226752
First Break All the Rules, Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman, Simon & Schuster; (May 1999) ISBN-10: 0684852861 ISBN-13: 978-0684852867
Now, Discover Your Strengths, Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton. Free Press, 2001. ISBN-10: 0743201140 ISBN-13: 978-0743201148
Income Without a Job: Living Well Without a Paycheck. Michael Jay Anthony, Barbara J. Taylor. Lulu.com, 2008 ISBN-13: 978-0-557-00377-8. Website: www.income-without-a-job.com. Tap into your own creativity and use your full potential. Learn how to see opportunities that others miss.

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