How to stay happy during changes at work

Change is never as easy or seamless as the person in charge preaches it will be. Whether you’re switching to a new CRM, changing offices, or restructuring a department, any disruption to business, as usual, can be taxing. 

When things change in a company, it’s easy to feel lost in an area you’ve always felt capable in. And, sometimes, it seems like leadership doesn’t really know what they’re doing either. Often times, we don’t feel as though we’re getting the training and support needed for a successful shift into the new way of doing things. 

Since it can be frustrating to feel like you’re going it alone, we’ve picked up some tips from Happiness Expert Shawn Achor on how to maintain your sense of happiness through even the most draining organizational changes. 

Keep a daily journal for clarity.

When you’re feeling overwhelmed, it’s hard to see clearly. Your thoughts and emotions become entangled easily, and frustration builds up. This perfect storm often results in an outburst, where everything you’ve wanted to say comes out in a way that’s less than ideal—usually yelling is involved, maybe some curse words (hopefully not aimed at your boss). 

Achor says that journaling about emotional experiences can lead to numerous benefits in your emotional health. When it comes to managing change in your life and the workplace, journaling can serve as a nice place to vent, but it can also lead to clarity. 

Laying out your thoughts and emotions about a change day by day can show you patterns you may otherwise look past. If you hit the same pain point three out of five days of your workweek, it’s time to try adapting in a new way and change a process. 

Keeping a journal can lead to numerous benefits for an employee’s emotional health. (Source)

A daily journal may open your eyes to a fresh solution or a different way to innovate that you couldn’t see when you were grinding away. Journaling will help you release negative emotions while serving as a constructive innovation exercise as well. 

Stay grateful. 

Change is implemented for a reason, but when you’re in the thick of it, this may be hard to see. As much as it feels like leadership is doing this to cause us all a slow, painful death, they’re actually working towards a greater goal. 

Change means growth, which most of the time means the company is either healthy enough to expand or cares enough about their failures to try new things to get them to a healthier place. If you are working for a company that’s changing, you are already in a better place than most people in the workforce. 

Achor says that expressing your gratitude will put you in a positive state of mind, even in a bad situation. When you’re feeling overwhelmed by the changes, take a second to write down why you are grateful for the big picture, and then thank those involved. 

Take care of your physical health, not just mental health

It’s no secret that our physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual health are all connected. When a change at work is mentally straining you, it will also take a toll on all other aspects of your health. 

Achor suggests exercising and meditating to stay on top of your physical and spiritual health. Both are also great ways to relieve stress and clear your mind. 

When changes at work aren’t going as smoothly as promised, take your happiness into your own hands with these three tips. 

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DISCLAIMER: This article expresses my own ideas and opinions. Any information I have shared are from sources that I believe to be reliable and accurate. I did not receive any financial compensation for writing this post, nor do I own any shares in any company I’ve mentioned. I encourage any reader to do their own diligent research first before making any investment decisions.