Hello happiness seekers. Welcome back to the Happiness Challenge. This is September Back to Work series. I'm Klaviye Mitura, work psychologist, learning and development specialist and your guide to the science based happiness at work. And today's episode is all about something we often overlook at work. Joy. That spark of the light. The little moments that make us smile, laugh or just feel good about our day even. Even when things get busy or stressful. Why joy actually at work matters lot Many times when I start talking about the signs of happiness or joy at work, people often say I don't come to work to be happy or to be joyful. I'm coming to work to well do my job. Actually, we need to be rethinking those statements because research consistently shows that joy at work isn't just a nice to have, it's actually a must have for our well being and performance. When we experience joy and happiness at work, we are more creative, resilient and engaged. We build stronger relationships with our colleagues. We bounce back much faster from setbacks and are much more likely to stay motivated and productive. Studies have also found that joyful teams are more collaborative and innovative and at individual level. From that well being perspective, joy boosts our immune system. It lowers our stress levels and makes work feel meaningful, not just manageable. And actually the good news here is that joy doesn't have to come from big wins, grand gestures. It's often, often the small everyday habits that create the biggest happiness gains. So how can we nurture more joy in our workday? Here are five easy ideas you can try this week. Tip number one is to start meetings with gratitude. So before you dive into your meeting agenda, take a moment at the start of each meeting to share something you are grateful for. It could be a colleague's help. It could be that you're drinking a lovely cup of coffee. It could be a specific project milestone. There is just so much literature around the topic of gratitude in the workplace. And research consistently shows that expressing gratitude not only lifts your mood because you're concentrating on something positive, but also strengthens team bonds and and sets a very positive tone for the rest of the meeting. So ultimately we creating a positive environment that we all working in and of course as part of that gratitude, laugh with others. When we laugh, we activate the right hemisphere on our brain which awakens our more creative abilities and relaxes us. It allows us to have this kind of emotional release and also creates that bonding when we laugh with others. So start with gratitude. Start with laughter. Tip two is about be positive in your communication. So really positive communication is the base of human connection and healthy relationships and in turn human connection and healthy relationships heavily impact happiness and well being. So this week when you are about to say something, follow excellent advice from the Happiness Business School and ask yourself the following Is it true what I'm about to say? Is it inspiring? Is it necessary? Is it kind? I think those questions are so spot on to make sure that when we say something is positive is constructive. And also I think we need to understand that complaining at work, strategically, let's say, and in moderation can be effective because when we complain we are able to realize what the problem is. But really complaining in itself is the solution that we need. So try putting a rubber band on your right wrist each time you complain at work and write down in a notebook possible solutions of what is it that is bothering you and then try to seek those solutions again that strengthens a positive environment, more accountable environment for our teams Tip Number three have Playful breaks. So enjoy a little play into your work day. It would be a quick game, it can be funny, meme exchange. It could be a five minute dance break. Whatever it is, playful moments can relieve stress and really spark creativity. Studies show that play really increases our sense of connection and makes us more adaptable to change because play takes us out of routine, which is really important. Otherwise we just stuck on that autopilot. Number four Personalize your workplace. So bring a bit of you to your desk or digital workspace. Photos, plants, maybe some inspiring quotes, a favorite mug. Something that makes the environment you are in feel more joyful and welcoming. And personal touches often remind us of what matters and brings a smile to our day, which is exactly what we need. And tip number five, the final one. Celebrate small wins. We don't have to wait for the big project launch or an annual review to celebrate of what are we achieving and the impact we are having. Acknowledge progress on the little things. Finishing a tricky task, learning something new, supporting a teammate. Starting. Celebrating small wins keeps us motivated and actually reminds us that our efforts matter. But also neuroscientists have proven that the brain processes a complement in a similar way to a financial reward, especially if we share it with other people. So this week, why not choose one person a day to praise in spoken unwritten words. Give more compliments to others. Be the strength spotter. Bring that joy to other colleagues. So have a think about which one of these joy habits you can try this week. Remember, you don't have to do them all. Actually it's much more simpler and much more achievable to pick one or two and very much notice how they shift your mood and energy. And before I go, I would love to remind you that I'm running a free webinar about the science of Happiness at work on 29th of September at 6pm UK time. You can sign up on my website under TAB Courses and I feel particularly joyful today because my book launch for the Alphabet of Happiness will be taking place at the iconic Science Museum in London on Friday 31st of October at 6.30pm Arrival from 6pm I am so excited that I will be celebrating at the Science Museum with some of my colleagues and you are all very welcome to join. The event is free. It will include a talk about the science of happiness, there will be a book signing session and also you get a special access to Science Museum late Halloween themed 31st of October it's Halloween adults only after hours events when you can explore the museum at night. So if you are interested in attending and you are based in London, please head to the Happiness Challenge book or join my Substack newsletter. Just simply search for the Happiness Challenge on Substack. But whatever you do this week, let's nurture some joy and make every day, every workday a little bit brighter and joyful. Have a lovely ones. Bye.