In the past, I always looked at joy as my reward for a hard day’s work. After I finish this marketing plan, after I sign this mountain of memos, after I complete five meetings stacked one after the other, then I can treat myself to something nice. I could have my glass of wine, a little shopping at Zara or Seektheuniq, a pedicure, a new book for my Kindle.
I decided to change my thinking because after all the hard work and the rewards, I found myself still unhappy and stressed.
So this is what I do now:
1. Put joy first.
Joy shouldn’t be your reward. Joy should be a priority. So now, instead of diving into email and client requirements first, I make time for what makes me happy. Whether that’s a quick yoga class (don’t be too impressed; it’s an 11-minute session on doyouyoga.com), coffee and ensaymada for breakfast, a few rows of knitting, I put happiness instead of work first.
When I finally get behind my computer, my mood is lighter. I’m not easily annoyed. I find myself thinking of creative and joyful solutions instead of succumbing to stressful, unproductive thoughts.
You might say: easy for you to say because you work from home. I say: it can be done even in a busy office. Here are some ideas:
- Invest in a beautiful mug for your morning coffee and savor it without checking your email or Facebook.
- Sign memos with a pen that makes your handwriting look better (I recommend the Pilot parallel pen, 1.5mm).
- Wear a sexy little bralette underneath that stiff jacket you’re required to wear.
- Slip on the loudest, purplest, most comfy, floral panty beneath your work trousers.
- Keep a luxurious hand cream on your desk and slather on some joy before an update meeting with your boss.
- Take 10 minutes to research your dream vacation before the five meetings you have scheduled.
If you’re looking for more ideas to put joy first, check this and this out.
2. Find your inner trickster.
Elizabeth Gilbert says that we shouldn’t be a martyr to our work. Instead, be a trickster to it. Try working from a light and playful space instead of laboring from darkness and heaviness.
Trick yourself into doing work you don’t want to do by trying the following:
- Set a timer for five minutes and say to yourself that you’ll only do the work until the timer goes off.
- Find another space to work.
- If your usual method is to type ideas into your computer, try doodling or mind-mapping in a notebook.
- If your usual method is to write, make a voice memo of your ideas.
- Talk to a colleague about what he or she is working on and it might spark some ideas. Don’t let it devolve into a chismis session though.
- Or my favorite: Take a break and let your mind wander. Do not check Instagram, Facebook or Google. Just stare out the window and let ideas flow.
If you want more joyful ideas like this, sign up for my e-newsletter by filling up the form below. It will appear in your inbox once a month. For a joyful space on Facebook, check out my page.
