Finding real happiness at work is not easy

Humans are not wired for intense and repetitive work cycles; they need options

The pursuit of happiness is propagated as the ultimate goal in life. Over time, this has permeated the world of work too. The cliché ‘what gets measured gets done’ couldn’t be further from the truth.

We have been measuring workplace satisfaction for decades. Yet, only 15 per cent of employees worldwide feel ‘engaged’ at work. The more worrisome fact is that 67 per cent feel ‘actively disengaged’.

It is becoming clear that solely focusing on happiness in your career can be misguided. Let’s consider the three distinct places in our lives: Home, work, and the ‘third place’.

Home represents our deep relationships with loved ones, while work pertains to our pursuit of economic security. The ‘third place’ acts as a socialising place between home and work.

Not designed for work

Humans were not designed to sit for long periods, nor undertake physically strenuous work. We are not designed to be constantly bombarded with information. Nor do we thrive in environments where we need to be constantly connected.

Career burnouts are caused by work overload, lack of control, and not knowing what is expected of you at work.

Our relationship with loved ones is like a lighthouse — helping us find refuge in the storms of our lives. We won’t be happy all the time, but strong bonds of loving relationships will help us bounce back to happiness.

Beyond family are our friendships and social network. We all need to maintain a vibrant network supported by small actions of connecting, talking, sharing and reciprocating. Research shows that a strong, not necessarily large, social network also fuels a fulfilled life.

Virtual connections help

Unlike the widespread negativity related to social media, it is very effective to connect with each other and interact, supporting our well-being.

Even virtual connections can help us weather storms. The

documentary ‘We Met in Virtual Reality’ explores the social relations developed by the users of VRChat during the pandemic, and how time on the platform helped them connect, express and find community.

Happiness has its place in our lives and is supported by focusing on deep relationships. Career pursuits should not dilute the time and effort it takes to nurture these relationships.

Instead, the focus of our career should be to create the economic security we need in order to sustain the relationships that matter to us.