Staying happy at work possible

Dixie State College students are finding effective ways to combat frustrating days at the workplace.

To make challenging jobs more tolerable, students say optimism in the workplace makes a huge difference.

Freshman Braedon Clawson, a general education major from Bountiful, owned a landscaping business from 2007-2009. He said the best thing to remember as you go into the workplace is to be happy about the work you're doing.

"If you aren't social and you are put in a situation where you have to be involved with a lot of people, you need to be optimistic about the situation," he said. "Doing that could help you in a lot of ways, including getting you out of your comfort zone [and] strengthening your confidence."

He said optimism means appreciating the little things in the workplace instead of waiting for big events to make you happy.

"Notice those little things that make you happy at work," he said. "For example, focus on the skills that will help you later in life and work on improving them a little bit each week."

He said avoiding drama in the workplace is very important. Instead stay busy with the work you should be doing and stay away from personal business that could get you in awkward or dangerous situations.

However, Clawson said the best thing you can do to ensure a happy workplace is to stay focused on what you're there for.

"Remind yourself why you need a job," he said. "Then give that job your very best shot."

Junior Josie Bahr, a radiology major from Delta, worked at a grocery store for five months.

Bahr enjoyed her job, but she said things can get very tedious if they are done over and over. To make her job more enjoyable she created goals for herself as a challenge.

"I mixed up my regular routine with fun challenges to complete," she said. "By the end of the night I was feeling accomplished about what I had done."

Bahr said paying attention to details will also make work more tolerable.

Going to work with a full stomach and wearing appropriate clothing will make a huge difference. She said eating before work will give you the energy you need to keep you from dragging, and wearing temperature-friendly clothing and comfortable shoes is important.

Bahr said students should be grateful to be employed.

"You might as well enjoy the job you have; at least you are getting paid," she said. "As students we are gaining an education so that someday we will be able to work where we want to work. Make the best with what you have now and look forward to the future."

Freshman Rieley Brotherson, a biology major from Roosevelt, worked at a hardware store for three years. She said in today's declining economy, you're lucky if you have a job.

"If you have a job do everything you can to keep it because you'll never know how long you'll be employed," she said.

To stay happy at the workplace, Brotherson said making a friend at work is very important.

"Find someone you can talk to at work," she said. "It will make your day better to have someone to look forward to seeing when you go into work, and it's always nice to have someone to listen to you when you need to talk."

She said even befriending a boss or manager is a good idea because then you'll have a relationship established if you ever have a problem that needs to be resolved.

Finally, Brotherson said having a happy attitude is the best thing you can do at work.

"If you're in a rotten mood act happy anyway and you'll eventually start feeling happy," she said. "You're in control of your attitude and emotions, and you can make your job a good experience."