How to improve your time at work -

How to improve your time at work - How important is it to be happy? Its an often-asked question lately, fueled by numerous studies exploring happiness and  what makes people happy. According to a recent study of 82 young adults Facebook habits, spending too much time on that social media website might result in declining happiness over time. In a recent article for the New York Times, Sonja Lyubomirsky, psychology professor at the University of California at Riverside and author of The Myths of Happiness, is noted for saying that each of us has a unique happiness set point that doesnt really change much, no matter what we do. How much influence do we really have on our own happiness? Do we control it? How can we improve time at work? Jude Bijou, psychotherapist and award-winning author of Attitude Reconstruction: A Blueprint for Building a Better Life, has found that anyone can learn ways to  boost their mood and be happier. The science is interesting, Bijou says. But whats even more crucial are the small behaviors over which we have control. Behavioral change is the bread and butter of happiness. Since most people spend a majority of their time at work, here are some of Bijous suggestions for how to remain upbeat and positive on the job. 1. Help a colleague or co-worker.  One of the quickest and most effective ways to change a poor me attitude is to reach out to someone in the workplace who could use your mentoring or assistance with a project. Give without expecting anything in return, Bijou says. This instantly shifts the focus from you to another person, and changes your perspective from an attitude based on anger, fear or sadness to one thats positive, helping and generous. 2. Improve your personal brand.  Theres always one person in the workplace whom  everyone is happy to see, Bijou says. Thats the person who smiles when she sees you, takes bad news lightly and gives genuine compliments or support frequently. Bijou says changing how others perceive you will also change how you feel about yourself. People will love to work with you because youre happy. What they dont know is that youre making yourself happier in the process. 3. Become conscious of time-based thinking.  Bad moods, worry, frustration and general unhappiness occur when we fixate on the past (what you did wrong in the meeting or why you got passed up for the promotion) or the future (worrying about making a deadline or wondering if the team will like your presentation). If youre feeling depressed or stressed out, Take a happiness break with an activity that brings you back to the present moment, Bijou says, suggesting that you take a quick, brisk walk outdoors or do deep breathing while trying to  empty your mind of all thoughts. 4. Replace the negative chatter.  According to Bijou, one way to neutralize unhappy thoughts is to find a statement about yourself that is 100 percent true and cant possibly be refuted â€" then keep repeating it until you feel better. This creates a new, positive thought pattern that replaces the negative one. The negative chatter that goes on inside our head is untrue and based on false assumptions derived from anger, sadness and fear, Bijou says. For example, instead of Ill never get all of this done in time, you might say Ill do what I can. If you can find a contradictory statement to repeat thats 100 percent true, it will quickly change your mood. 5. Say no to the negativity.  You dont have to put up with a bad mood or negative thinking, according to Bijou.  You can say no to it, just as you might to a bully or an unreasonable request. The first step is to become aware of when were thinking mean thoughts about a co-worker, client or employee, or when were being hypercritical about ourselves. The second step is to literally say no to that way of thinking. Bijou recommends you find a private place, such as your car, and say no out loud, at a good volume, while stomping your feet. Pretty soon youll be smiling again. This exercise usually ends up making people laugh and feel mirthful. The takeaway is that there are some very simple ways to change ones mood â€" quickly and effectively, Bijou says. Happiness studies are fun to read, but small, deliberate behavioral change is the real key to feeling upbeat on the job. This post originally appeared on U.S. News World Report