5 Ways to be happier at work (Schopenhauer was right)

Philosophers have discussed the pursuit of happiness down the ages. In classical Greece, there were three main schools of thought. 

The Stoics advocated detachment from material things and the search for balance within ourselves: the rule of reason over physical needs. 

Epicureanism proposed exploring all kinds of pleasures, attaining ecstasy through sensory and intellectual experience. 

And third, the Cynics questioned what the pursuit of happiness meant, arguing that there are no hard and fast rules: it is better to live as one wishes and to justify one’s actions as the need arises.

Nevertheless, I would venture that none of these outlooks fully satisfies the aspirations of most of us, who are neither skeptics, nor want to live as hermits, or in a state of permanent excess.

Arthur Schopenhauer, the 19th century German philosopher who described himself as a pessimist, nevertheless attempted to create a theory of happiness, using the word eudemonology, which comprises a series of recommendations that as well as being useful for everyday life can also be applied to the world of work. If we spend at least half of our time engaged in some form of labor, perhaps we should attempt to outline some guidelines or recommendations to help us be happier about how we earn our living.

Schopenhauer’s first recommendation is to understand happiness as a path, not a destination, as the result of permanent exercise and not as a goal that we will ever achieve. Life is a journey, a belief reflected in literature since The Odyssey. The people we think of as happy are not happy because they have arrived at a situation and are content. In fact, to stay in a given situation, to maintain a personal relationship or to persist in a balanced state of mind, we need to keep making an effort. 

The same applies to business strategy: the marginal option of "business as usual" implies investing in maintaining market share, continuing to improve customer relations and enhancing brand image, rather than doing nothing. As we have all learned over the last year: resilience means continuing to move forward. When we stop, we go backwards. 

The principle also applies to work. To be happy in our profession, we need to improve permanently, to acquire new knowledge, to set ourselves new goals. It’s a mistake to think that we can live on our reputation and the achievements of the past. We must continue to demonstrate our competence and worth through personal performance: this is how to improve our self-esteem and happiness.  

A key consideration, we shouldn’t confuse self-improvement and progress with simply accumulating more things.To be is not to have, as many philosophers have explained. Schopenhauer believed that the expectation of attainment that comes with purchasing material things merely leaves us feeling empty. “Wealth is like sea-water; the more we drink, the thirstier we become; and the same is true of fame.” I would add that this applies to power and senior positions in the Company that are not driven by a vocation to serve.  

We should also avoid extreme feelings, especially envy, hatred and anger. We’re all familiar with the portrayal of irascible CEOs constantly barking at those around them, but real leaders teach by example and by inspiration. Unapproachable bosses simply drive people away. 

Envy is a particularly harmful vice, and merely generates bitterness. It is the sadness that comes from wanting what others have. As the Roman philosopher Seneca noted: "You will never be happy if you are tormented by the fact that someone else is happier than you". Sadly, his pupil emperor Nero failed to learn his lesson.

Instead, my experience is that generosity is the winning strategy in the long run. I believe that an essential part of management consists precisely in teaching, that a good way to characterise the CEO is as a coach. This provides transcendency to management and also enhances personal happiness.

Happiness is intrinsically related to health. As Schopenhauer explains, “nine-tenths of our happiness is based solely on health". We can see now that he also anticipated the advances in neuroscience and the the well-being trend that has been transferred to the corporate environment.

Given that physical health is relatively ephemeral, resilience and the search for balance, understood as a state of consciousness that allows us to cope with pain, are essential. In any case, as the Latin adage goes, "men sana in corpore sano," if you take care of your physical health, you will be building better mental health. 

It is essential to systematically cultivate the ability to experience joy. Joy is a state of mind that can be developed, and the more you practice it, the more you achieve it. As Sigmund Freud explained, humor loosens repression, generates closeness and contributes generally to a better atmosphere. That is why it is advisable to use humor in work meetings, perhaps not at the outset, so as not to trivialise the exchange of ideas, but at certain times, to break the ice or to ease tension. Again, we spend so much time at work, so why not enjoy ourselves from time to time.         

And if anybody was in doubt as to the wisdom of Schopenhauer, let Hollywood legend Rita Hayworth have the last word. One of her most memorable performances is in the 1957 was the musical Pal Joey, where she plays a wealthy philanthropist pressed by Frank Sinatra tosing Zip, from her days as a vedette at a charity auction: 

"Zip! I was reading Schopenhauer last night. 

Zip! And I think that Schopenhauer was right."

I think Rita was right.