Read & Reviewed | Happy Hour is 9 to 5 by Alexander Kjerulf

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4 stars, Alexander Kjerulf, book review, good read, happiness at work, Happy Hour is 9 to 5, Netgalley, reading, Self-Help

Happy Hour is 9 to 5 by Alexander Kjerulf

My rating: 4 of 5

ebook, 178 pages
Self-Help
Published January 6th 2014 by Pine Tribe (first published 2007)
Available on: Paperback, Kindle

What they say:

What I have to say:

The pursuit of happiness is a fundamental human goal. We all want to be happy in life. We all deserve to be happy. We all must do everything in our hands to achieve happiness.

Sometimes we get all caught up in life’s vicissitudes that we lose perspective, especially those in the work force. Even though you are making a living out of your job, many factors internal and external, divert us from what’s really important. And we forget how to be happy at work. And if we are unhappy at work, we will have a hard time being happy in life in general.

Happy Hour is 9 to 5 by happiness expert Alexander Kjerulf is a wonderful tool everyone must read every once in a while. It is a tool full of invaluable lessons that I’m sure you will highlight every time you read it. It is a very positive read that will help you get back in the happy track of life.

Happy Hour is 9 to 5 by Alexander Kjerulf Book Cover The cover at first sight is a plain, white cover with text; nothing out of this world. But don’t judge the book by its cover. The cover tells you what the book is about. It goes straight to the point. It does its job.

The writing in this book is fast paced and entertaining. The information is complimented by real life case studies of companies that have been successful in achieving happiness, fun illustrations, and links to the author’s website for additional worksheets and related articles. When I first read the book, the links didn’t work, I suppose the author has updated them since the book’s publication date. Another helpful thing is that the key points are clearly marked in bulleted or numbered lists. You can’t miss them. They are very helpful for when you re-read the book.

Like I said, this book is full of important happiness lessons. Those that come to mind are:

Happiness at work is possible. It is as simple as: if you want to be happy at work, be. Happiness is a personal free choice and an invitation for others, that can’t be forced. No one can make you happy, it’s all in your hands, you decide, you choose. But this choice is only the first step. It doesn’t mean that if you choose to be happy, you are going to be by default. You must keep in mind that it requires a little work on your part. The important thing is to be willing to take the step in the happy direction.

Happiness at work doesn’t mean you will be skipping with joy at work every day. There will be good days and there will be bad days, you just have to try to make more happy days than bad days. Don’t focus on what you haven’t done or have yet to do, don’t compare yourself to others. Focus on what you have done, on your accomplishments. Among the exercises/tools the author suggests I found the “Happiness at work” log very interesting. This is a great tool that will help you focus everyday on the things you love about your job and thus be happy.

Happy employees are more efficient than unhappy ones. Those in managing positions play a major role in achieving a happy work environment. Managers have to work harder to be happy themselves. Happy managers create happier atmospheres where it’s easy for people to choose to be happy. Managers should never forget to respect people’s individuality. Happiness is different for everyone. What makes someone happy can make someone else miserable. Managers must remember employees are human beings. They must make them feel trusted and valued. Employees who feel appreciated and involved feel their job has a meaning and contribute to the company’s success.

I could keep going but that would be listing the entire book in a review! Read this book. Happy Hour is 9 to 5 is a great resource for anyone in the workforce, regardless of ranks. Either if you’re going through a Meh! phase at work, or you are just starting a job, you are looking for one, you’ve been promoted, etc. you must read this book. It will inspire a positive attitude and will motivate you to improve your work life and be happy. Highly recommended.

This one had me giggling like a pre-schooler. I bet not many of you knew this fact about Denmark?

One of Denmark’s most successful small banks is from a small town called Middelfart.

I highlighted this book quite a lot. But I’ll post only a few of those I think you’d like:

Happiness at work is not about eliminating all the bad stuff from your job. It’s about being happy at work even though some of those bad things are present.

while you can freely choose to be positive, to learn or to be open, it’s difficult to participate unless you’re invited to do so and your workplace and managers encourage it.

The more freedom and autonomy you experience at work, the happier you will be.

Create good workplace relations. In the happiest workplaces, people care about each other not just as workers but as human beings.

Managers have three responsibilities when it comes to happiness at work. They are: To make themselves happy. To know and care about their people. To create a mood where it’s easy for people to be happy.

It really is that simple to create happiness at work. Make sure that you get:

Results

Relationships

To get great results you must:

Praise

Grow and learn

Find meaning

Be free

To create great relationships you must:

Be positive

Be yourself

Love

These seven actions can be added to any activity in the workplace.

Being stressed about being behind only makes me less efficient and is a waste of my resources. Therefore, I will celebrate and enjoy the work I accomplish and not become stressed about the work I have yet to finish.

There is no such thing as “A Dream Job” — any job is only as good as you make it.

Would you like to receive more praise? Start praising others and they will start praising you more. Want to be surrounded by happy people? Be happy yourself. Want to be greeted with a cheerful “Good morning” every day? Start doing this yourself. If there’s anything you would like to have more of for yourself, see if you can find a way to give that to others. Give to get.