A blog post by Alma Tang, Client Services Lead

The environment we surround ourselves into affects our mood. A fun environment creates a positive mood and like a domino effect, your positive mood can create a fun and exciting culture within the office. Now who doesn’t want to spend a third of their day simply having FUN?
Here are my top 10 things that brings a smile to my face in the office.

1. Taking feedback constructively. I LOVE learning. Having a growth mindset allows you to stretch yourself and challenge yourself to always learn something new. Receiving on-the-spot feedback allows me to understand things from a different perspective and helps me continuously improve at my role.

2. Fun and colorful tools. Perhaps this stems from my childhood days. Fun tools like cool pens, bright post it notes, slayin’ notebooks, cute paper clips; these small details add color and spark to an otherwise mono-chromatic workspace. Not to mention they always spark interesting conversations.

3. Creating a to-do list. I like to do this on a daily basis. It helps me plan my day and keeps me focused on what I need to accomplish for the day. Remember to break down your goals into smaller, accomplishable tasks. This will help give you a sense of purpose vs. being a victim to your day. Which takes me to my next point;

4. Checking things off my list. There’s nothing more satisfying than pulling out one of my colorful pens and putting a big fat check mark beside a task that’s just been completed.

5. Coffee. Mmmmmmm coffee. Enough said.

6. Flexible schedule. We all have personal businesses to take care of, and sometimes scheduling them on a weeknight or weekend is near impossible. Having the ability attend to these matters is something very important to me.

7. Sun shining in the office. OK I realize this one is completely out of my control, however living in a city where we have winter for what feels like more two thirds of the year, having the sun shine in just puts me in a positive mood. All of the a sudden, Pharrell’s song “Happy” is playing in my mind.

8. A killer outfit. If you feel good, it definitely shows in your confidence. If you have a presentation, or a meeting with a new client, that extra boost in confidence can’t hurt. And on the other hand, if you have a crappy day, at least you look good doing it.

9. Having great colleagues. Having a team that I can share ideas with and effectively work together makes for a healthy environment. Working with a talented team allows me to constantly learn from them and alternatively, I hope to reciprocate the feeling.

10. Doing meaningful work. We all have tedious tasks in our day, but when I’m working on a project that I believe is providing incredible value, this pushes me to work harder and ensure I do an amazing job. I enjoy the anticipation of knowing that when I’m done, I will feel a great sense of accomplishment.

What makes you happy in the office? Create your own list and share with your colleagues. Collectively, you can create an amazing environment and culture within your workplace.