Cultivating Happiness and Joy in Professional Life

by | Apr 21, 2023

We think, mistakenly, that success is the result of the amount of time we put in at work, instead of the quality of time we put in. 

– Arianna Huffington

Do you enjoy what you do? Does it bring happiness and joy to you? A few years back, my answer to these questions would be an unhappy ‘no.’ I used to wonder what it must be like to wake up and actually look forward to one’s work. Can one really cultivate happiness and joy in their professional lives?

In our Impact of Coaching webinar this week, Coacharya alumnus Paula D Wishart and Kiwa Singh, the Director of Marketing at Coacharya, discussed the ways in which happiness and joy can be cultivated in professional lives. An Executive Coach, Paula truly believes that work is an integral part of life and that being able to bring our most authentic selves at work gives utmost happiness and joy. Paula shared insights from her remarkable coaching journey, what inspired her to be a coach, the challenges that came her way, and her learnings while setting up her coaching business. Paula and Kiwa delved deeper into how we can create harmony between our life and work.

Workplace Happiness: What Does it Mean?

Throughout the webinar, Paula’s infectious smile and radiant energy clearly expressed the joy that her work brings to her. As she talked about her work in the space of Executive Coaching, I could sense the innate happiness and fulfillment she gets from her work. And I thought to myself, this is what it feels like. This is what being happy at your workplace or with your work truly means.

Talking about what it really means to be happy and joyful at work, Paula aptly said that it is not about perfectionism. “ It’s really just about when you get up in the morning, you have the energy to do what you want to do. Even if you are tired at the end of the day, you feel what you did was worthwhile.”

Connecting with Oneself

So much of our dissatisfaction and unhappiness at work comes from not knowing who we really are and a disconnect between our work and values. Think about the one thing you like to do that fills you with happiness. Is it part of something you do professionally? Do you genuinely align and resonate with what you do?

Talking about the ways in which one can cultivate happiness and joy in professional life, Paula beautifully said, “My catchline is always – connect who you are with what you do.” She also touched upon the fact that feeling unhappy at work could also indicate that there is a potential disconnect and an opportunity for one to shift.

Workplace Happiness & Coaching

For me, coaching emerged seamlessly while thinking about workplace happiness and joy. It is a fact well-known and proven that creating psychologically safe spaces at work is correlated to fulfillment and happiness in one’s professional life. Coaching allows people to talk freely, openly, and honestly about their feelings and challenges. A judgment-free space, coaching is one of the best possible ways to talk about what’s missing and how the gap can be bridged. At the larger systemic level, coaching brings teams together and leads to a healthy working culture.

As the conversation steered further, Kiwa asked why Paula uses coaching as a tool to raise awareness about workplace happiness. In her effervescent and inspiring way, Paula said, “Coaching is just such a fun process for getting a deep sense of who you are and thinking aspirationally about who you could be.”

Webinar Highlights

Here are some of the key questions that were explored during the webinar:

  1. What do happiness and joy mean in professional life?
  2. How can one cultivate happiness and joy in their work?
  3. What resources or support are needed while starting one’s own business and what are the potential challenges?
  4. How can these challenges be navigated?

My Takeaway

Work is a major part of our lives. It’s what we do for a significant number of hours in a day. Why shouldn’t it be happy and joyful? One of the key takeaways from this webinar for me was that work is not just about ticking things off of our to-do list. It’s more than just being productive. It is fulfillment and being at peace with oneself. I would encourage you to watch this webinar to know how you can cultivate happiness and joy at your workplace and the amazing work Paula does to make workplaces a happier experience, one coaching session at a time. How do happiness and joy manifest for you at your workplace? Tell us in the comments section below or feel free to share your thoughts with us on CoachNook.

Click here to know more about our upcoming courses.

Webinar: Cultivating Happiness and Joy in Professional Life

Like to listen instead? We have a podcast!

This session is also available as audio-only on our podcast. Listen below or find Coach to Lead wherever you listen to podcasts.

Yamini
Yamini

Yamini

Yamini Kandpal works as a Content Specialist at Coacharya. With a background in writing and editing as part of journalism, she has found her own corner in the stories of the coaching world. While away from work, you can find her traveling or scribbling her musings in a notebook.

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