Joy at Work

A joyful attitude is contagious. It inspires people to engage more fully. Joy brings health which stimulates productivity. What can you do to bring more joy into your professional life?

My Example

When I interviewed with Governor-elect Polis in December 2018 for the State of Colorado Chief Information Officer position, I learned of his leadership approach: Be bold, be consistent, don’t make unforced errors, and be joyous! WOW! It made me so excited to work as the CIO in such an environment. I had the tremendous opportunity to make a meaningful difference for Colorado to keep all systems operating, information flowing, and technology advancing alongside other cabinet members and staff. I determined I would lead joyfully and help everyone have joy along the way. During my weekly 2-minute update for the Governor and then for my team check-in, I started Monday morning with the message, “Have a joyous week.”

Why Joy Is Important

Joy is defined by Merriam-Webster as “a state of happiness or felicity, a source or cause of delight, and the emotion evoked by well-being, success, or good fortune.”

There are health benefits to joy. “Being happy doesn’t just make us feel better, it improves our health. It helps us eat healthier, be more active, and sleep better. Because happiness leads to healthier behaviors, it helps stave off high blood pressure and excess body fat, resulting in lower risk of stroke and cardiovascular disease,” said psychiatrist Dr. Francoise Adan, Director of the Connor Integrative Health Network of University Hospitals in Cleveland.

There are productivity benefits from more joy. “You probably aren’t surprised to learn that employee health directly correlates with productivity. Employees who are doing well in all dimensions of well-being are more likely to do their best work than those who are struggling in these areas.”

Practical Pointers for Bringing More Joy Into Your Life

• SMILE. According to Diana Samuel, MD, Assistant Professor of Clinical Psychiatry at Columbia University Medical Center, “Smiling can trick your brain by elevating your mood, lowering your heart rate, and reducing your stress. The smile doesn’t have to be based on real emotion because faking it works as well.”

• BE OPTIMISTIC. Carry a hopeful, upbeat disposition and believe that good prevails. My research study, Pursuit of Passionate Purpose, concluded that passionate pursuers, those who find and fulfill their dreams, strengthen their SUNFLOWER traits. They look to the sunny side and have the sunflower trait of “O” for optimism. Other research has linked an optimistic mindset to a lower risk of heart attack, stroke, and death.

• EXERCISE. Dr. Diana Samuel says that exercise “releases feel-good endorphins and other natural brain chemicals (neurotransmitters) that enhance your sense of well-being.”

Practical Pointers for Leaders to Bring More Joy Into Work

• SET THE INTENTION. Just like Governor Polis advised, be joyous in your leadership. Set a goal of having more joy in the work environment. Hire optimistic people.

• TAKE ACTION TO IMPACT EMPLOYEE HEALTH. Employers can lead by example by offering more leave options, making healthcare more affordable, and providing well-being programs.

• VALUE AND PROMOTE WELLNESS. More than 90% of business leaders say that promoting wellness can affect employee productivity and performance, according to survey results from the nonprofit Health Enhancement Research Organization (HERO).

Summary

What can you do to bring more joy into your personal and professional life? Be optimistic, smile, and exercise. At work, set the intention to lead with joy and create a joyous environment. Take steps to value and promote wellness.

Theresa M. Szczurek, Ph.D. is a tech and cybersecurity-savvy C-level executive, 3x tech entrepreneur, Certified Management Consultant (CMC®), and Certified Corporate Director (NACD.DC) who is the Managing Director of Government Sourcing Solutions. She is the former State of Colorado Chief Information Officer (CIO) and Colorado CIO of the Year. She researched, authored, and speaks about her best-selling book Pursuit of Passionate Purpose: Success Strategies for a Rewarding Personal and Business Life. 

Featured image by Yuryzap at Freepik