Find happiness in what you do!
- Happiness, a good attitude, and optimism are contagious (and so are glumness, a bad attitude, and pessimism).
- Take a break once in while.
- Have a complete personal life and encourage everyone else to do so as well.
- Sometimes you must think, don’t do (stare out the window).
- “Be happy, don’t worry!”
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This is essential! No matter how bad things are or can get there is always some good and you can be happy and optimistic. Do something completely different (as Monty Python would say) — you’ll find that it sparks your creativity and can also make you really happy. And when you’re happy, people around you will be happy, too.
Sometimes librarians assume that the boss wants them to work unceasingly. That is not usually true. When the boss says ‘go home’ to someone working too long, she/he means it. The work will always be there. But who needs migraines and premature gray? When you are gone, only your friends will remember you, so find satisfaction for yourself.
I absolutely agree, the attitude and mood of the boss/director/manager/supervisor sets the mood for everyone else. A smile and cheerful disposition go a long way to promoting good morale, productivity and a sense of security among staff, even when things are not all that rosy. Take a break, walk around the building with your favorite daytime beverage in your hand and say hello to your staff.
I particularly like “have a complete personal life” — it think this is better than striving for “work/life balance” which seems to imply a dichotomy between your job and everything else. The key is to have a complete life that makes room for all of the things that are important to you and that you are passionate about.
“Have a complete personal life and encourage everyone else to do so as well.” It’s all about Balanace. If my office is a mess and I’m a mess, I’ve lost my sense of balance and I’m in danger of falling over. I need balance in both my work and home life. I keep the Serenity prayer posted above my desk at work and on the refridgerator at home.