Editor’s note: this is a guest post from Kaley Klemp the Co-Author of The Drama-Free Office

It’s gossip, turf wars, water cooler talk, and the chronic complainer no one can stand. When you talk with people about the organizations they work for, it’s common to hear about the “Drama” plaguing their companies: the energy-draining behaviors that keep people from focusing on the creative projects and basic business practices that make the company successful.

If we could just get through the drama, the business decisions and real work isn’t that hard…

Blame Game

It’s easy to blame drama on others.  After all, you’re the good guy in these dynamics; why don’t they get it?  One of the most difficult challenges for aspiring leaders is to “own their stuff”—to acknowledge that they are equally responsible for creating any situation where drama exists.

I learned this lesson working on a writing project with another author – my dad. He had some great ideas that I was happy to work with. But then he became controlling. It was easy for me to see how things were falling apart – and it was his fault! He was the one who wasn’t listening. He was the one who was setting impossible deadlines. I was ready to take all I knew about eliminating drama and apply it to him.

Four Energy-draining Personalities

Most drama is caused by four primary energy-draining personalities that sabotage workplace collaboration and synergy:

• Complainer
• Controller
• Cynic
• Caretaker.

The Complainer is the one who is never at fault – not enough time, resources or support. The Controller has to be in charge – perhaps micromanaging, sometimes being the bully. The Cynic must be right; often pointing out how others’ ideas will never work and making fun of the person who brought it up. The Caretaker wants to be liked so much that they say yes to everything, which becomes a problem when they bite off more than they can chew and they miss deadlines.

Like me, most people want to start with the question: how do I help others change? But, we have found that before you can guide others, you have to take inventory of your interaction strengths and the ways you sabotage relationships. The strength inventory is usually easy. It’s fun to appreciate your talent and amazing ability to do what you do. The sabotage inventory is more difficult. It requires the vulnerability and courage to seek others’ candid observations and advice about your behavior.

Watch Yourself

Taking my own advice, I asked myself what my part was in creating the drama. I wondered which Drama personalities I was using that were sabotaging us. I noticed how I had fallen into Complainer. I didn’t have enough time to do everything he asked and his requests were too hard. I realized that I would have micromanaged someone acting the way I was. Then I saw my Cynic. The enthusiasm I had at the beginning of the project had become critical… I saw everything wrong with what we were doing, but didn’t offer any suggestions to change. Once I saw myself in these drama roles, I could shift into taking responsibility – renegotiating our deadlines and making suggestions for how we could change the writing to be better.

By identifying and correcting the four drama roles (Complainer, Controller, Cynic, Caretaker), you are well on your way to eliminating drama. If you want even more clarity, invite your work colleagues, family members, and friends to give you timely, direct feedback.

Quick Drama Reducing Tips

Here is a quick way to start looking at how these drama roles show up for you.  Ask friends and coworkers:

• Where do you see me complaining? Not taking responsibility for my situation?
• Where do you see me controlling? Taking over and micromanaging?
• Where do you see be being cynical? Discounting others or being sarcastic?
• Where do you seem me care-taking? Rescuing others instead of letting them do things on their own?

You can also take a free drama assessment for yourself. Let me know what you find out about yourself. And what can you do to change?

Kaley Klemp and Jim Warner are the authors of The Drama-Free Office: A Guide to Healthy Collaboration with Your Team, Coworkers, and Boss.

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!

I’ve had some real “fire cracker explodes in your hand” kind of days. You know those days when you take a chance and it back fires in your face.

The old Karl (before Work Happy Now) usually got all depressed and sulked for days on end when I had a lousy day. I now practice being happy at work. I don’t put up with a lousy day any longer.

I’ve learned how to let the pain go and move on.

Last Week

I was stuck working on some reports. I couldn’t get the data to match up and I was freaking out. My hands were sweating, I was feeling hot flashes from my anger, and I was unable to focus. My day kept getting worse and worse. I got a phone call from a client who was in desperate need of help.

How could I help when I was freaking out myself? I told her that I would call her back in 20 minutes.

I decided to step outside and sprint down the block (well nowadays with my old man legs it’s more like a fast jog) until I ran out of breath. It was a lousy day multiplied by 7. It was some kind of shit storm that came out of nowhere.

When I got back inside I called the client back, gave her two good options and then I felt this calm come over me.

That phone call took the stress off of me and made me focus on someone else.

Keys

It was like God handed me a key to my own brain. I’ve actually known this trick for a long time, but it never fully registered. I have a good feeling that I’ll forget again and I’ll need to go for a sprint again, but that’s just who I am.

By shifting my focus on to helping this client, I got out of my own emotional shit storm. It was beautiful.

I know that I teach about happiness and should have 10 tools at my disposal at any given time, but for some reason I couldn’t let go until I called my client back.

Turn the Focus Outward

Next time you are caught in a shit storm, stop whatever you are doing, sprint 100 yards and then help someone else with their problem.

When you get back to your own problem, you’ll have a clear mind and a relaxed heart.

Your Turn

What do you do when you are having a lousy day?

Do you marinate in it or do you find a way to turn it around?

* Need a boost to your work happiness? Then check out the Happy at Work Project and start one yourself.

* Been wanting to start a blog, but don’t know where to start? Check out my friend Johnny’s offer of helping you set-up a blog for free. He’s not doing it because he is Mother Teresa, he profits from hooking you up with hosting. You have to pay this anyway so may as well get a free blog set-up out of it. The offer ends today – December 19th.

If you found this post insightful, you will probably like these too:

> Are Friendships the Key to Workplace Happiness?

> 6 Tips on How to Have a Productive Day at Work

Image courtesy of Wes & Eli

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Estela M. L. Go of My Dog Ate My Blog

Want to improve both your productivity and happiness level? It’s time to feng shui your workplace. Feng shui is a practice that will help you design your environment so that it brings the best of you out. By following the 10 practical feng shui tips listed below, you can increase your productivity, your positive energy, and your working experience.

10. Practical Tips

1. Position your desk so that you are facing the entrance of your office or cubicle.

Since business and people are coming in through that entrance, it is important for you to not have your back towards them. Placing your desk this way will allow you to be less stressed out because you are not surprised at what is lurking behind you and are well prepared to attend to whatever comes through the opening. Worst case scenario that you cannot move your desk, place a mirror so you can still see the entrance.

2. While facing the entrance is good, do not place your desk in line with the door but either towards the left or right of it.

Sitting in the pathway of the entrance does not give off positive energy. You become the thing right behind the door that instantly receives whatever comes in, both good and bad. Just by positioning yourself off to the side of that entrance way, you are increasing your prosperity. The absence of a desk in this pathway allows people to enter the office space with a welcoming feeling of spaciousness.

3. For irregularly shaped rooms, jutting pillars, and boring walls, consider placing mirrors, plants, or paintings.

Making the environment more pleasing through these tactics will increase the positive energy and good fortune of the workspace. You will feel more relaxed in an area filled with beautifully arranged decorations.

4. Glass walls can help with your productivity but too many can create privacy issues.

One of the main benefits of having glass walls is that you are approachable to your office mates. You are also held more accountable for your work and are more aware of what is going on in the office. But glass walls gives a vulnerability that is only corrected by the protection of blinds. Even when blinds are not used, their presence gives you the option of privacy.

5. Design your office space with a balance of yin and yang in mind.

What this means is that there should be a balance of colors, shapes, and textures in the room. Too much of one thing makes the room too strong and hence a balance of different things creates a welcoming and peaceful environment for you and your visitors.

6. Make sure you have proper lighting.

Fluorescent lights may do their job but can make your eyes sour, so if you are stuck with these lights in your office, think about replacing them with full-spectrum lights or table lamps that are healthier for your eyes. Lighting will improve your productivity by making your eyes less tired and stressed out.

7. Increase the air quality in your workspace by adding air-purifying plants to the setting.

Your brain desires more oxygen and what better way to satisfy this need than to decorate your office with plants that not only make the air better but also create a more refreshing work environment. Good plants for the office that bring good luck are fortune plants.

Top 10 Plants for Cleaner Air

> Areca palm

> Reed palm

> Dwarf date palm

> Boston fern

> Janet Craig dracaena

> English ivy

> Australian sword fern

> Peace Lily

> Rubber plant

> Weeping fig

8. Decorate your office with some water, such as a miniature fountain or fish tank.

According to feng shui, water is associated with bringing in money. The rushing of water will also soothe your mind as you work. Amazon has a nice assortment of waterfalls. (yes, this is an affiliate link.)

9. Eliminate any clutter in your office.

Hide cords, organize your papers, and make sure there is a place for everything. A cluttered workspace will drain your energy while a spotless place welcomes a clean mind ready to take on any task.

10. Have your office reflect the kind of energy you desire by choosing the right colors for its interior design.

Each colors represents one of the five feng shui elements–fire, earth, metal, water, and wood–and with each element, a quality that you may desire for your work. To find out what each colors means, check this Feng Shui color guide.

Estela M. L. Go is a guest blogger for My Dog Ate My Blog and a writer on getting a bachelor’s degree for Guide to Online Schools.

* Don’t miss out on any more great articles. Sign up for my RSS feed or email feed and you’ll stay updated on the latest tips and ideas to bring more happiness to your working life.

* Lori of the Tiny Buddha has a guest post that caught my attention. My favorite is #21. “Fears – So you know your opportunities for growth.” I’m coming out with a product soon (Announcing it quietly right here. Shhh don’t tell anyone yet, but it will be about using fears to fuel your passions. I’m excited. It’s going to knock your boots off. That is if you are wearing boots.)

If you enjoyed this post then you will probably like these too:

> I Don’t Try to Motivate Myself

> A Pimped Out Cubicle

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Wendy Graham of online colleges.

If you work from home or attend online college, you know the importance of keeping productive; while working from the comfort of your house may seem like the best of all possible work environments, it can have its drawbacks. For one, you must have strong reserves of self-discipline and treat your work life as it were… a job. This can be difficult if one uses the same home computer for work and leisure. If this applies to you, consider the following programs.

Organize and color-code your notes and tasks with Notekeeper

I have tried many free and shareware PIMs (personal information managers) but I use Notekeeper the most. It is simple and is designed for maximum efficiency not only for documentation but for finding information quickly. You can organize your notes into groups, and the ability to add tags to each ensures the ability to cross-references anything from the fruits of online research to a simple to-do list. I find being able to add a color bar to each note particularly useful. You can track your information at a glance.

Watch your time with WatchMe

WatchMe is a simple, free program that sets a timer in the background and will alert you at a defined time. What makes this program so effective is its small footprint and how well it does what it is designed to do: no extra bells or whistles are included that you don’t want or need. You can define multiple tasks, each with its own timer, and set it up to add the total time. Timestamps can be exported into XML or CSV format or simply cut and paste into another program or document. I particularly like that it runs as a standalone .exe on the desktop with no installation required. If you are looking for a robust, but pared down time program, WatchMe is worth trying.

Manage your projects by task and time with Slimtimer

Slimtimer is an efficient and surprisingly feature-packed tool that will allow you to break your various projects into individual categories of tasks- both personal and business. You can set a timer for each task to see how long it takes you. You can also run reports to keep track of your projects and overall use of time when working. This tool is a godsend for collaborative projects or to keep track of billing.

Keep your eyes on the prize with k9webprotection

It happens to the best of us. We begin work with the best of intentions, but decide we will take ‘just a quick peek’ at our Twitter feed, etc. Before you know it, hours have passed, even if you feel like you have “worked.” If you can’t stay away from the social network sites during work hours, let k9webprotection.com be your ‘bad cop.’ Designed to filter web content, it can also be used to block access to certain sites during pre-defined times.

It took some time, but I am now more efficient working out of my home office than I ever was working in a cubicle!

This guest post was written by Wendy Graham, a stay at home mother and freelancer who often writes about education for Online College Guru, a directory of online colleges.

* Are you on Twitter? Then join over 3,300 people who get my stress relief tips, happiness ideas, and thought provoking quotes. @workhappynow

* Jason over at Escape Adulthood wrote a cool piece about living in the present moment. Click here to read the whole article.

If you enjoyed this post then you will probably like this one too:

> 7 Tips to Overcome the Monday Blues

> Time Management is a Waste of Time

Image courtesy of Rev. Xanatos Satanicos Bombasticos

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!

I loved the idea of paying my readers back with a contest for 2 Free Superpower coaching sessions. I’m sorry that I couldn’t have picked everyone. The entries were very heartfelt and inspiring. Click here to read them. I can see that there is a lot of fear when it comes to taking a career to the next level. This is a big part of what makes up my superpowers. I was afraid to start my own business, but I’ve talked to the right people and learned a lot of tricks and good habits along the way.

It’s all about asking the right questions. If you can’t ask the right question, you’ll never get to the root of the problem. I had a coaching session with Katie of the Levity project that inspired me to help you. She made me dig into my heart by asking the right questions.

Why did I create Work Happy Now?

The answer kept coming back to how I’ve conquered many of my own fears and how I’d like to help people push through their fears in order to to become happier.

I feel blessed to be able to do this work. This deep connection to helping others has helped me overcome many of my fears.

I wish I had the time to offer 2 hours of free coaching to every contestant, but over 20 entries were submitted, so this just wouldn’t be feasible. I did create an offer to help more of you. My wife said I was crazy, but so be it. I’m doing this because these people cared enough to leave a touching comment.

Limited Offer

I will be giving away a free 20 minute session to 9 of the other entries, for a total of 10 winners. You’ll be contacted by email if you have been chosen to receive a coaching session.

Offer to Every Contestant

All of the contest participants will be allowed to purchase a Superpower coaching session at 50% off my regular rates. I don’t do this very often, so if you are on the fence about this great offer, you probably should take action. I’ve been told my skills are life changing.

Thank you for all the wonderful submissions. If you didn’t have a chance to leave a comment you can still purchase a Superpower Coaching session. As always I’ll continue posting articles and encouraging you to do the work that you love.

The Winner

Okay, enough of my rambling; it’s time to announce the winner.

The winner by a slim margin was Jenny. She left such a meaningful comment that I was compelled me to pick her. She will be receiving 2 Free Superpower Coaching sessions from me.

Great job Jenny.

So Awesome

My readers are amazing. Thank you for coming back on a regular basis and inspiring me to do great work.

I will be contacting everyone by the end of day on May 19th.

* Don’t miss out on any more great articles. Sign up for my RSS feed or email feed and you’ll stay updated on the latest tips and ideas to bring more happiness to your working life.

* I just let my Work Happy Now newsletter subscribers in on really cool product launch from Chris Guillebeau called Empire building Kit. I couldn’t leave you out, so check out the link. He has a bunch of great products to help you live your passions. The doors close at midnight (I think that’s the right time). All you need to know is the doors are closing soon, so go check it out.

If you enjoyed this post then you will probably like this one too:

> What to do When You Hit a Creativity Wall

> Why Take the Risk of Being Successful in Unhappiness?

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!

* I was afraid to publish this post because it may seem too simple for some of my advanced readers, but even my advanced work happiness people had to start somewhere. And yes, even advanced people need refreshers. So here it is.

Work has hundreds of little annoyances that can kill your happiness if you don’t create a system to deal with your problems.

Co-workers, bosses, and tedious tasks can throw us off our emotional center. We must find creative ways to deal with these issues.


1. Understand the root problem.

You.

You are the cause of your pain. It hurts to actually write that because I know some people will tune the rest of this article out, but it must be said.

You are the one who interprets people’s actions. You are the one who makes the experience positive or negative.

2. Listen to your favorite song.

Sometimes we just need to get away. Pull out your iPod and blast your favorite song. I have a few songs that help me gain perspective, but right now it’s Everybody’s Gotta Live by Love.

I can’t stay mad when I’m listening to this great tune.

3. Write 5 solutions to your most difficult problem.

Every problem has a solution. Sometimes we just need to take time to step back and find the solution that will meet our needs.

Make a list of 5 solutions. Pick the best one and try to apply it. If it doesn’t work then pick the next best one until you ease your pain.

4. Ask advice from a friend.

My friends are my rocks. I can lean on them and they never run away. They are always there to listen to my latest rant.

I’ve learned not to just complain though. You must ask for their opinion and be willing to listen. Come right out and ask them for a solution. You’ll love the creative responses.

5. Create a ritual.

Annoyances are never going away. It’s what being human is all about.

Create a ritual to help channel your feelings. I love doing a little drawing of the situation. The act of creating a drawing out of my annoyance helps me deal with my feelings.

There is something calming in exaggerating a situation through a cartoon.

6. Know it won’t last.

Nothing lasts forever. Why does it seem like a difficult situation will make us feel like crap forever? Because we get sucked into the intense feelings that won’t seem to let go.

When this happens, look back on a difficult situation and notice how it feels afterwards. Most of my past difficulties were my greatest learning experiences. Like dealing with a roommate who smeared dog shit on my bed because he was high on acid. That haunted me for weeks, but now I know not to take people’s freak-outs personally.

7. Celebrate the pain.

An annoyance isn’t an annoyance if you can turn it into a celebration. I recently dealt with a failed attempt to speak at a conference. I was upset because I thought I had a shot, but they decided to hire someone else.

I tried to turn it into an event. I bought a small cake, some candles and created a lame song during lunch. I lit three candles and sang my song. The absurd nature of the situation forced me to laugh at myself and move on. I decided to call a few other organizations that would want my enlightening presentation.

8. Reframe your perspective.

It’s up to you to reframe a situation to help you become smart, stronger and happier. You can do this by creating emotional space. List as many perspectives as you can in order to help you gain a grip on your emotions. If your boss is being a jerk, then think about personal issues he might be dealing with, the overbearing father who influenced his personality, or possible bosses who might have taught him his terrible people skills.

Keep listing until you create that emotional separation that allows you to see all the possible sides to a person or task.

9. Use your annoyances as a growth opportunity.

You can either use annoyances to make you happier or you can let them tear you down. Your choice.

What do you do to deal with your annoyances at work?

* Join over 800 people who have already subscribed to the FREE Happy at Work 10 Week eCourse. It will arrive in your inbox every Monday morning, when you need it the most. (Sign up is in the top left corner)

* Many of  you are bloggers and try to use social media to it’s full potential, but it hard. So very stink’n hard. Tess over at the Bold Life wrote about failing as social media. Check it out.

If you enjoyed this post then you will probably like this one too:

> Ways to Conquer Your Fears

> 9 Bold Tips to Work Place Happiness

Image courtesy of Shawn Econo

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!

You may have noticed some of the changes going on around here. I’ve been talking more about developing your strengths and living your passions. This is what we should all be doing. We need to leverage what we already are good at and develop the skills we are passionate about.

Many of you don’t get to apply your strengths and passions in your careers. I was talking to a client of mine about these issues. She knows what she is good at, but can’t seem to make the transition. Her boss gives her the same work day after day that makes her unhappy.

As we continued to talk I began to see a theme. She did not want to say “no” to the crappy work or negotiate to get the work that excited her. She felt stuck.

Take Back Control

This scenario happens millions of times a day. People do work that they dislike because they are afraid to take control of their career. They think that if they continue to do what is asked of them they will be rewarded. This is wrong. Most people won’t get rewarded for doing as they are asked. The rewards come from doing something out of the ordinary. I know every culture is different. I’ve only worked in American, Icelandic and German cultures, so I can’t speak for everyone, but these three cultures want employees who go for the unexpected.

If you want to put yourself in the position to create a project that unexpectedly “wows” your manager and colleagues, you have to negotiate.

You need to ask for work that will make you happy. I worked along side a colleague who negotiated her way to a promotion. It was actually very cool to watch. If our boss made her do something terrible like send out 1,000 letters, she would counter with, “No problem. Do you think I could also work on bringing in a free speaker for our meeting next month?”

Her boss hated to say no. Her boss knew she was dumping a crappy job on her and felt like she needed to be rewarded.

My colleague wanted to be in HR. She loved helping people learn, so she jumped on any opportunity to practice these skills.

How to negotiate your job duties

1. Use emotional leverage.

If your boss wants you to do some tedious task that they don’t want to do themselves, try saying, “Yes and I would also like to (fill in blank here).” Like my friend, you can use your managers emotion’s to help your career.

2. Get results

Once you ask for a task that you enjoy, you must do an amazing job. That means double and triple checking your work. My friend brought in a fantastic speaker who “wowed” the company. Everyone thanked this woman for making the meeting enjoyable.

3. Reinforce the good feelings

Once you do this extra task, ask how your manager feels about the results. Is she pleased? If she is pleased then you can use this tactic again and again until you are doing the work that makes you feel energized all of the time.

Career Development

These skills can help you negotiate a new position, find a job that’s a better fit, or start your own business. My friend got the promotion she was after and now she is doing work that she actually enjoys. She had to take a risk and so will you, but if you never ask, you’ll never build up your skills to do great work. If you aren’t creating your foundation now, there is no way to launch in to a career that will make your heart sing.

Announcing a Contest

Next week I will be announcing a contest at Work Happy Now. So stay tuned because my passion train is rolling and I want to help you.

* Are you on Twitter? Then join over 3,000 people who get my stress relief tips, happiness ideas, and thought provoking quotes. @workhappynow

* Nathan Hangen wrote a really cool piece. I’m not a fan of the title (Utopia is within Reach), but the message is wonderful.

If you enjoyed this post then you will probably like this one too:

> Stop Swimming Against the Tide and Meet Your Career Needs

> The One Thing More Important Than Your Career

Image courtesy of Matthias Wagner

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!

I’m a big believer in creativity at work. We need to expand outside our comfort zones to reach the good stuff. That’s why I draw. It forces me to find new angles on work happiness. How do you find new angles?

Too often we get caught up in trying to be amazing instead of just letting our amazing ooze out.

You might try to tackle 5 projects at once, but that won’t let you focus on creating something that will touch people’s hearts.

It takes hard work, love, frustration, calm, fear, and anger to create something special.

Don’t let that focus wonder too far.

Bring that gaze back on that one thing that will drop people’s jaws, tongues, brains and eyeballs all over the floor.

* Join over 700 people who have already subscribed to the FREE Happy at Work 10 Week eCourse. It will arrive in your inbox every Monday morning, when you need it the most. (Sign up is in the top left corner)

* Hugh of Gaping Void has a new business model that made me laugh.

If you enjoyed this post then you will probably like this one too:

> Laugh Until It Hurts – Cartoon

> How to Write a Career List

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Eileen Habelow, senior vice president of organizational development for Randstad.

A recently published Conference Board study found that only 45 percent of Americans are satisfied with their jobs.  While the causes of dissatisfaction may be many, it doesn’t seem to be rooted in the person we sit across from in cubicleland.  In fact, a new Randstad Work Watch survey reveals that American workers seem to be happier at their jobs because of the friendships they cultivate with coworkers – 67 percent reported having friends at work makes their job more fun and enjoyable and 55 percent feel that these relationships make their job more worthwhile and satisfying.

But not all workplace friendships seem to be created equal as the survey also found that people characterize their professional relationships in a variety of ways, from personal friends with whom they interact inside and outside of work (38 percent) to friendships limited to the workplace and workplace functions (32 percent) to even friendships cultivated out of sheer necessity or convenience for work purposes or alliances (17 percent).

Positive Work Culture

Whatever the category or reason for these friendships, Americans seem to be viewing workplace friendships as possessing more benefits than risks.  Interestingly, the top responses from the survey aligned more to workplace culture: a more creative and friendly workplace (70 percent); increases teamwork (69 percent); increases morale (59 percent); and increases knowledge sharing and open communication (50 percent).

There is no denying that workplace friendships can contribute to a positive workplace culture, including increased productivity and creativity, heightened morale, enhanced personal performance and stronger team cohesiveness.  But many times employees aren’t even aware that these small, but positive changes are good for their company’s overall business.  It’s almost hard to not befriend coworkers given the amount of time many people spend at their jobs, whether due to the current economic climate, job responsibilities or one’s own personal work style.

Work Place Friendships

On the flip side, some employees do see risks in having workplace friendships, most commonly because they feed gossip (44 percent), create favoritism (37 percent), blur professional boundaries (37 percent) or create conflicts of interest (35 percent).  Fewer believe that these friendships can cause others to feel uncomfortable (26 percent), reduce productivity or performance (22 percent), reduce constructive feedback/openness (19 percent) or reduce loyalty to the company (6 percent).

Although some working adults see a downside to having workplace friendships, just 12 percent felt that making friends at work was risky.

It probably doesn’t come as much of a surprise then that managers have a slightly different view of workplace friendships.  When asked whether they support or encourage the development of friendships in the workplace, 49 percent indicated they did, while only 29 percent of non-managers felt their workplace supported these relationships. This difference in perception provides an excellent opportunity for managers and employees to talk about the importance of building relationships with team members and fostering an environment of support and collaboration.

The survey also found that managers were more likely to feel that workplace friendships create conflicts of interest and cause other employees discomfort.

Blurred Lines

Regardless of personal beliefs, there is no denying that the lines between working Americans’ personal and professional lives have blurred.  One reason may be the expanded roles and responsibilities many have taken on due to layoffs and hiring freezes.  Roughly a third of survey respondents said their family knows their friends from work (39 percent) and that they discuss personal matters with their workplace friends (32 percent).  However, a similar number (37 percent) felt that it was smart to keep personal and professional lives separate.  Not surprising, only 5 percent stated that there was no one at work that they considered to be a friend.

So what do workplace friends do outside of the four walls of the office? According to the Work Watch survey, many felt that activities such as attending movies and concerts or going to bars and dinner (61 percent) or hanging out casually at one another’s home (57 percent) were proper activities. But respondents seemed to draw the line at vacationing together and going on romantic dates.

Clear Boundaries

Remember that it’s always best to establish clear boundaries, keeping in mind that conversations and personal information shouldn’t be divulged, but rather kept within the circle of friendship.  Likewise, maintaining personal time away from the office and away from workplace friends can be very healthy in the long run.

What do you think?

Do you have a best friend at work?

Do you need a friend at work to enjoy your job?

Eileen is currently the senior vice president of Organizational Development with Randstad, the world’s 2nd largest provider of HR solutions and staffing. Eileen is responsible for leading efforts in training and development, performance management, leadership development, HR consulting, and diversity.

* It’s Spread-the-Love Day, when I encourage you to spread the word about Work Happy Now. You might:
> Forward the link to someone you think would be interested
> Link to a post on Twitter (follow me @workhappynow)
> Sign up for my FREE 10 Week E-Course and join over 700 people who have already improved their happiness at work. You will also receive a bi-monthly newsletter that gives you great tips and ideas on how to improve your career.
> Put a link to the blog in your Facebook status update
Thanks! I really appreciate any help. Word of mouth is the BEST.

* J.D. of Get Rich Slowly has a guest post called Reader Story: Be Happy on Your Own Terms. Stop conforming and start living.

If you enjoyed this post then you will probably like this one too:

> How to Build Better Relationships at Work

> Never Stop Expanding Your Network

Image courtesy of The Brownhorse

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Evita of Evolving Beings. In our first part of this series we considered the benefits of allowing employees to work from home and in the second part we talked about how to optimize a tele-commuting situation. Today we follow up with 7 Tips to Survive and Thrive When Working from a Home Office.

Working from a home office, especially for yourself can either be looked upon as a big blessing or big curse. Which it will be completely depends on how successfully you set up your home environment, as well as yourself in it.

(Karl’s note: Below is 5 minute video of Evita giving a detailed tour of her home office and how the layout affects her work.)


I have personally been working for myself, and in my own home office for just over 9 months now. In those 9 months, I have definitely seen what works and what doesn’t, as well as shared stories with other people in similar situations.

Many people fear that working from home may make them lazy. However, if you love what you do, the opposite is more likely to happen. Working from home, may actually make you work more and harder.

Thus in this article, let’s consider how to not just survive, but also thrive in a home office. We will first look at the best potential set-up, and secondly at some practical tips to apply to make the most out of your work at home environment.

1. Your Environment

To begin with, you need to make sure that you can actually have a place for a proper home office. Your spouse and/or kids may be home at the same time as you, and so you need to make sure that you have your own space, which others in the home respect as your working environment. Some people use a spare bedroom, some a part of the basement, and others yet may have a designated study from which to work.

Anyone who is at home with you, as well as other family and friends need to also respect that there are certain hours during which you work, just as you would in a typical workplace, during which you should not be disturbed.

Once you have the right spot, having the right furniture and accessories is next. The most important investment in your home office should be your chair and the technology you need.

2. Your Work Chair

A proper chair is crucial when working in any “desk” type of environment. A high quality chair, should have proper arm rests, upper and lower back support. It should also not be too high off the ground, so that both feet can be firmly planted on the floor when sitting in it.

3. Simplicity

Make sure your work space is clean and not cluttered. Some studies claim that cluttered desks spark creativity, however most people know that clutter makes us anything but creative. Therefore I normally advise people to simplify their work space. Clean work spaces give us space, and a feeling of lightness, not messy piles of stuff reminding us of how much we have to get done or take care of.

And on that note, let’s move into the practical side of things – organize, organize, organize!

4. Organization

I cannot emphasize this enough. This is not only valuable for your physical work environment, but also for your mental state as well.

Whether you use, alarm clocks, phones, your computer or plain old paper agenda books, organize your time. This means you should have a general start time (you do not need to wake up to an alarm clock necessarily), scheduled breaks, and general end time. Keeping track of course of what a client or customer expects and when is also a key to success.

Some people do really well in working 12 hours one day and only say 5 hours the next day. Everyone is different, and in truth most people need a few weeks to figure out what really works well for them, especially when working for oneself.

5. Motivation and Inspiration

I have personally found that if you love and even like what you do, getting to things and getting them done will normally not be an issue.

However, there will be days, and you have to expect these, or perhaps moments throughout the day where your mind may wonder, or you just plain and simple won’t feel like doing a thing.

In such cases you have two options. One is to just let it be and take a break for that moment or even day. As long as you don’t have any deadlines, this should work just fine and can actually be very beneficial for your mind.

The second option is to have something that motivates or inspires you. Perhaps you have a book of motivational quotes, perhaps an audio series from someone like Tony Robbins that you can listen to for a half hour or so. Perhaps you can talk to a spouse or friend, who you know and trust to be a good source of inspiration/motivation for you. Whatever you do, take action. If your body or mind need a 15 minute brisk walk to feel better, so be it. If you have several things to do, neither of which are more important than another generally speaking, choose the one that you will enjoy most. This will normally get you back into the swing of things, and you will be back in your flow before you know it.

6. Focus

Finally, there is one other thing that you need to take seriously when working from a home office: focus. This two sided aspect can become your best friend or worst nightmare.

Some people get too focused working in a home environment, where they actually neglect proper eating, drinking and movement. The solution for this is simple: organize some alerts using your favorite technology to alert you at well spaced time intervals and follow through of course when the alerts come.

Other people may find themselves on the opposite end, where they lack focus and distractions seem to be everywhere. Minimizing distractions and following through with some self-discipline are key here. Useful tips include: make sure your television is off while working, pick instrumental music over music with lyrics or from radio stations, close all social media and have set times for when it is okay to use those. Even making sure that your email is not on any alerts could be important (unless your job depends on emails) as many of us quickly lose our focus just to check our inbox numerous times a day.

7. Adjusting and Patience

In the end, working from a home office does take some getting used to and everyone will carve our their preferences for what works best for them over a few days, weeks or even in some cases months. So be patient with yourself, but at the same time be conscious that you are improving your efficiency and are satisfied with your results.

In some cases, you must also respect that if you tried everything, and nothing seems to work for you, it is most likely that you are performing tasks or are in a field where you should not be. Find work that you love, and you will truly never feel like you worked a day in your life.

Your Turn

What do you do to thrive in your home office?

Want to catch up on Part 1 and 2 of the series?

> Why Companies Should Allow Their Employees to Work from Home

> 5 Important Rules to Follow When Tele-commuting

Evita Ochel, B.Sc., B.Ed., CHN – is the main author of EvolvingBeings.com where she writes about spiritual and personal development. She hopes to inspire people, to truly live out the life of their dreams and awaken the highest version of themselves. She is also the main author of EvolvingWellness.com where she writes about nutritional science and holistic health for optimal health and longevity. Learn more about Evita Ochel or Follow Evita Ochel on Twitter.

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* Derek of Social Triggers wrote a interesting post called 3 More Ways to Increase Customer Satisfaction. Very much worth your time if you are a small business owner.

If you enjoyed this post then you will probably like this one too:

> Be One With Your Work

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!