If you're unhappy at work, you're probably unhappy in life

It’s simple: if you’re unhappy at work, you’re probably unhappy in life. Fortunately, this is possible to fix. Harvard’s Arthur C. Brooks says that people who are happy at work usually have two traits in common: They feel that their work creates value and they feel like they’re serving others.

Brooks, who co-authored (with Oprah Winfrey) the book, “Build the Life You Want”, sat down for an interview with HBR’s editor in chief, Adi Ignatius, for HBR’s live series, “The New World of Work.”

You can watch new episodes every week on LinkedIn and Facebook.

[teeohnetasse]

This is quite untrue. I am happy in life and am at the same time proud of what I have achieved at the workplace. BUT toxic colleagues and lack of communication with the higher ups are making my daily job very difficult. I feel dread turning up to work every day.

[TheReubstar]

Completely wrong. The amount of horrible jobs there are out there are bewildering. To say that people are just unhappy at life shows how oht of touch this person is. Needs to work in an Amazon "fulfillment centre" on a nightshift and then see if he is just unhappy in life.

[Deaf.Creative.Artist]

He thinks he knows what's going on, but he completely turned me off. It's easy for him to talk about this, but it's quite difficult for those people to take action. If he was in the same shoes as those people, then he will come to a complete understandable, therefore to complete understand what's going on.

[RodS_]

Say this to people that live in countries that are really hard to find another job and have to handle toxic workplaces to pay the bills.

[UCanCallMeLou]

I’m curious if he’s speaking about specific types of work? This is such a sweeping generalization. I need more context because the holes in this argument are almost too obvious.

[KarmaPondue]

Actual #1: Happy workers get paid what they are worth. With all time high CEO payments and all time low worker payments, this is really a no-brainer. HBR, be honest with yourselves, this is not the take.

[ronin]

" if you hate your job it's your fault, now be happy and get back to work"

[Gordie]

What if the idea that I have to work my entire life (which is a waste of my only life I get) is the problem.

[Randomthingsilove]

Im actually happy outside of work altho we all have life challenges. Your JOB can be something that you are unhappy doing, you spend 8+ doing this work and these tasks that make you wonder why you do it. Money? Yeah sure. But money isnt worth questioning your own worth or meaning in life. People tell me to think about the benefits and the salary. I say fuck a salary i rather have nothing and go day to day helping people than to have all the money in the world and be too tired to live my life.

[shivanidharmadhikari]

Yes. Lack of communication ability and self compassion makes it almost impossible to solve simple problems.most people don't think they deserve it after a bad review, so they end up being harsh on themselves instead of asking how to make it better.

[tmmckee]

Bullshit. I just put my notice in. Making me work for free again and again and again.