What Makes Me Happy At Work?

"What Makes You Happy? Training 2014 Conference & Expo and keynote speaker and happiness guru Shawn Achor wants to know." 

I won't be able to join Shawn at Training 2014 Conference & Expo, February 3-5, 2014, in San Diego but I'd like to thank him and the organizers for this opportunity to reflect and share my version of 'what makes me happy at work'. I just submitted the following as my 'response' to the survey question, "What (specifically) makes you happy at work? What are you doing and what are other people doing?". 

What makes me happy at work?

This list is partly what I do and partly what others do. But at the end of the day, I know that I am responsible for my own happiness. And the way to begin is to be happy.

I am happy at work when I...

• am happy with myself and the direction of my personal life.
• exercise, meditate or listen to good music before I start work. 
• begin work with a positive mind and feel open to taking up challenging tasks and additional responsibilities.
• feel grateful for the day and know that I will be able to accomplish something significant and important.
• am motivated to accomplish meaningful, interesting and creative tasks every day.
• work with supervisors, colleagues and clients who smile often, enjoy an intellectual discussion and are open to convince or be convinced by others.
• receive positive feedback and reinforcement for a job well done and developmental feedback when I go wrong.
• receive time, attention and encouragement to focus on my own professional development and participate in continuous learning.
• get to reflect on all my experiences, publish a blog and receive encouraging reader comments.
• feel I have impacted the world (or a part of it) in a positive way.

PS: Judging by Shawn's TED talk, I am sure there will be several happy people at the end of his keynote address!