IT’s WORK NOT FUN. And 4 other myths to stop believing so you can be – Happier at Work

“If it was supposed to be fun – they’d call it fun – not work.  It’s called work for a reason.” – someone somewhere

I literally can’t count how many times I’ve heard that. Maybe there is some truth to it.

Certainly not all aspects of work are fun. Like expense reports, no one has fun with expense reports. Regardless, it’s more likely to be one of the many justifications fed to us by people who are stuck in crappy jobs. People who’ve accepted a less than motivating or inspiring fate – unhappiness at work.

My guess is you are not one of those people.

You’re not interested in being bummed out. Burnt out. Or unhappy. You want to be inspired, motivated and challenged.  You want to come home at the end of (a possibly long) day at the office and feel good about how you spent your time.

I am right there with you. If you want to be happier at work, then you’ve got to stop believing that work needs to feel like work.

While we are talking about it, go ahead and debunk these myths as well:

Myth #1: You Can’t Be Yourself at Work

A recent study by Deloitte found that more than 61% of Americans admit to covering up at least some part of their personality in the workplace in order to fit in. The numbers increase when broken down by race, gender and sexual orientation. That means that 61% of us (if not more) feel incomplete at work.

Whether its covering or just not being authentic, there is a difference between being professional and playing a part. Authentic is comfortable – playing a part is hard work and zaps energy.

Not being you at work comes with consequences. Physical, mental, emotional and energetic.  And its impacting your overall happiness.

Being authentic at work comes with the added side effects of increased self-confidence, better reported levels of trust, improved relationships and higher levels of energy – and happiness.

So go ahead try it. Be you.

Myth #2: You have to work hard to create Work/Life Balance.

The debate about work/life balance is hot as ever.

Between the lack of disconnection from work, lingering fears over job and economic stability and headlines telling us to Lean In; its no wonder the question of how you balance work and life seems to have gone unanswered.

That’s because there isn’t one answer.

We all have the same 168 hours in a week. Thanks to technology there isn’t really a clear division in those hours. But if you want to stop feeling unbalanced and time poor – you have to get really clear about how you choose to spend those 168 hours. This means choosing and setting priorities and boundaries based on your values.  Not someone else’s’. Being clear on what matters most to you is the first step. The second step is to then align your career and life to those values.

That’s how you find balance.

Myth #3: You have to multitask to be successful

Busy is the new black.

Really, it’s more of a cultural epidemic than a fashion statement. Workers in organizations that promote extreme busyness report lower levels of engagement than those who don’t. So it’s an important thing to look at if you want to boost your happiness at work.

Luckily, science has disproven the long held belief that success in the workplace hinges on our ability to multitask. Research from Stamford University found that multitasking is actually less productive than single tasking.

Crazier still – it actually changes your brain – and not for the better.

What’s more, extreme busyness keeps us functioning in the part of the brain responsible for fear and actually shrinks the part of our brain responsible for creativity and strategic thinking.

We all derive a certain level of happiness from being productive and accomplishing something.  The best way to do this is to focus on one thing at a time. That means choosing one task- and shutting down everything else.

Myth #4: No one likes their job.

Please. Stop. Spreading. This. Myth.

First of all, it’s just not true.

Second of all, simply believing this greatly detracts from your ability to be happy at work – and in life.

So maybe you aren’t happy at work right now. That might mean you have to ride it out, change jobs or change your perspective (hint: that’s what this whole post is about.)

But happiness at work is possible. You need to believe it to receive it.

Go Ahead – Debunk Them. Don’t feel bad if you’ve been buying into these myths.  Now’s your chance to let them go and watch your happiness at work soar.