August | Make Time for Joy

“Joy is not made to be a crumb” from “Don’t Hesitate”, a poem by Mary Oliver

Make time for joy. That is a nice thought. Maybe a little too nice. Given the current state of the world, taking time for joy might sound like a frivolous distraction or a privileged luxury. But what if it goes deeper than that? What if joy isn’t frivolous at all but rather essential to our collective success and well-being?

This invitation to “make time for joy” might imply that it’s possible to access joy at any time. Is it even realistic to assume that joy is always possible? There is an important distinction to make here — “joy” is not the same as “happiness.” There are many definitions of these two words, but, generally speaking, happiness is a feeling we experience through positive external circumstances, whereas joy is guided by internal feelings of deep connection to, and appreciation of, oneself and others. If happiness is driven by our circumstances, then we can probably agree that it is not always possible to feel happy. On the other hand, if joy is driven by something deeper than our circumstances, then it would stand to reason that it’s possible to experience joy even in the most unlikely places. I have heard stories of feeling joy when surrounded by friends and family at the funeral of a loved one or when a team comes together to solve an unexpected problem at work.

Not only is joy always possible, but it’s also essential to our success and well-being. In a recent HBR article, organizational and social psychologist Rebecca Newton writes, “research has shown that joy is an emotional response and outlook that’s vital to our well-being, cognitive functioning, and our performance at work.” Wait – joy is vital at work? That’s right, folks. Given how much of our time is spent “at work,” if we don’t experience some joy, our well-being is at risk. A lack of joy could be an indicator that our nervous system is dysregulated which impacts things like our mood and our brain’s ability to function well, which would ultimately diminish our ability to lead others effectively. In short, joy at work is not a “nice-to-have.” It’s a must.

Even with all of this in mind, making time for joy might still feel out of reach. Below are three simple ideas that will help you make more time for joy at work:

• Focus on Strengths: Get to know the types of activities, behaviours, and ways of thinking that energize you and bring more of those things into your day. You can also support others in getting to know their strengths as well.
• Find your People: Part of joy at work is feeling safe enough to share your whole self. In reality, we don’t always feel safe doing that. But you don’t need to share your whole self with every single person you work with to feel joy. Find the people with whom you do feel safe to share and connect more regularly with them.
• Celebrate Impact: One of the best examples of joy is when a team celebrates a goal they’ve just achieved together. Find moments, big or small, to celebrate shared wins!

Journal Prompts

I hope you do make time for joy today. Even better, I hope you make time for joy immediately after reading this. Here are some reflection questions that you can journal about right now:

• What in my immediate environment is bringing me joy right now?
• Which activities or behaviours have brought me joy at work most recently?
• Who has brought me joy at work most recently and why?
• What do I want to celebrate at work, and who do I want to celebrate with?
• Given your answers above, intentionally make time for at least one of those items:
  1. In the next 5 minutes
  2. In the next week
  3. In the next month

It’s neither frivolous nor selfish to make time for joy. In fact, it is quite the opposite. When we make time for joy, we deepen our connection to ourselves and to others, which has a positive impact on our physical and mental health and gives us the strength and resilience to lead effectively. In the words of poet Mary Oliver, “If you suddenly and unexpectedly feel joy, don’t hesitate. Give into it… whatever it is, don’t be afraid of its plenty. Joy is not made to be crumb.”

Listen and Learn

A can’t-miss podcast this month

IdeaCast co-host Alison Beard speaks with Marcus Buckingham, head of research on people and performance at the ADP Research Institute and author of the new book Love + Work. This episode is part of a special series from HBR, looking at how to craft your current job around the work you really love.

HBR IdeaCast | Find Joy in Any Job: What do I really love to do?

What’s On Repeat

Songs we can’t get enough of:

Each song below sparks joy in each of our team members. Wonder if you can guess who? Listen to the entire Leaders @ Scale playlist here!

Valerie – Mark Ronson, Amy Winehouse

New Shoes – Paolo Nutini

Together – Alisa Amador

Feeling Good – Nina Simone

About this edition’s author:

Miranda Donald is a certified professional coach whose current work focuses on cohort-based learning and group facilitation in the area of leadership development. She believes that everyone has the capacity for excellence and leaders with a coaching mindset are able to draw out that excellence. Miranda is currently living in downtown Toronto but she and her husband, Mike, often head out of town to take their endlessly energetic dog, Frank, for a hike!