59.0°,
Mostly Cloudy There are 4 P’s in happy
Identifying the key ingredients for 9-5 success
Many of us struggle with finding happiness at work. We chase the elusive ideal where all the elements coexist in perfect balance for our lives. However, we often find ourselves at a loss when attempting to define exactly what those elements are. I was searching for my own happiness when Joanne Gordon’s book,’Be Happy at Work: 100 Women Who Love Their Jobs, and Why’ jumped out at me in the career section of the Baldwin Public Library.
Published in 2004, Be Happy at Work encapsulates the happy profiles of 100 women whose stories resonate regardless of gender. From their experiences, Gordon identifies the Four Ps, four common denominators for being happy at work.
Process: You’ve got to like what you do and the process of doing it. “It” can be talking to people, crunching numbers, writing, working with your hands, driving, singing, or making the donuts – happy workers find joy in “it.” When you’ve found the right “it” there’s a comfort and a rhythm in day-to-day tasks that adds to your happiness. When you lose this rhythm, your job loses some of its luster. (One example of this would be a manager responsible for tactical execution who gets bumped up to the next level where he or she must strategize instead of execute. This person’s happiness would be reduced by a promotion.) Identifying those things that make you whistle while you work is a good starting point in the quest for happiness.
Purpose: The mission, the meaning, the ultimate goal of what you do matters too. Lately, people want to feel good about their jobs. What purpose do they serve? Do they make someone’s life better? Each of Gordon’s “Happy 100” found something with a purpose they could get behind. Whether it was providing safety instruction, making great soundtracks for the movies, teaching children how to read, or feeding the hungry, the purpose is of your work is just as important as the process… and the people.
