This International Day of Happiness let’s be kind; and let’s not take anything for granted: the handshake, the crowd, the school rush, the conversations, even life itself.
Just two and a half months ago, we were celebrating the start of a new decade. We were predicting trends, reading horoscopes, making resolutions, and anticipating what the next decade will have in store for us.
Cut to today. The world is grappling with what has been declared as a pandemic – schools are shut, public places are being locked out and house arrests are being implemented. Companies are taking responsible steps to ensure the safety of their employees and social distancing is becoming the new norm.
In this time of social isolation, while scrolling through my Instagram feed, I came across this video where people in Italy, a country currently in lockdown, are singing songs from the balconies of their homes. Even in this time of gloom, people are trying to keep each other motivated; and happy! The Potterhead in me was instantly reminded of the following:
“Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light”
– Albus Dumbledore, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban –
And amidst all this craziness, today is International Day of Happiness. But are we happy?
Happiness. The dictionary describes it as a feeling of joy, of contentment, enjoyment or motivation. William Arthur Ward rightly said it, ‘Happiness is an inside job!’ Presently, all (or most) of us working professionals are working from home – managing multiple video conference meetings, calls and tasks. There are tips being circulated to be more efficient while working from home, memes on what it might mean for parents who have young children and people who have old parents. Have we, however, considered that this social distancing can cause loneliness or lead to anxiety, lower team morale and demotivation in people? PR is anyway known to be one of the most stressful professions across the world and so do we let it be? Or should we be kind – to each other and most importantly, to ourselves? We all know the answer. It is that kindness will lead us to being happy.
It is delightful to have and be managers who empathise with their people, especially in these times of distress. It is equally important to find ways to keep yourself happy. A puppy to destress while working from home (check out how the RSPCA in Australia is offering temporary foster a puppy at home) or a workout break to keep you physically fit or a quick read of the chapter of the book that you are currently reading – all great ways to be happy. The point is that you need to find that gleam of happiness even in the darkest of times. Making that effort is in your hands. (And wash those hands please, while you are at it. 😊 )
As we work together whether remotely or otherwise the thing that strikes me is that I am able to do my best when I am trusted and when I am happy. The two are very closely linked.
Trust is a two-way street, and whether at work or otherwise, it needs to be earned. It is important that each of us earn the trust of our teams by doing our jobs well and on time and with integrity. But it is equally important for a manager to trust their teams to do so. This is a choice one makes, often not easy. Needless to say, it is imperative that managers also establish themselves as trustworthy. The idea of trust within teams has become all the more important in the current remote working environment. Let us ask ourselves. Are we trusting our teams enough? Are we being trustworthy enough ourselves? And how can we all improve, so we can get our jobs done better and faster.
Let us not forget that this is a phase. This too shall pass. Let’s use this time to do something more fruitful, more effective, something that will bring happiness to all of us. And take lessons from this phase into how we live the rest of our lives.
This International Day of Happiness let us be more kind and more empathetic, more trustworthy and trusting, and wash our hands again. Because we must hold hands even if we are working remotely and be #HappierTogether!