Are you happy with your work? If you take an informal poll, you’ll find plenty of people who are. You’ll also find many people who think of their career as only a way to pay the bills while others will complain endlessly about how unhappy they are with their job.

What’s interesting is that these differing attitude have very little to do with the actual work being done, what really makes the difference is our attitude toward it. Knowing this is helpful because changing an your perspective is a lot easier than changing your job.

I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes by Abraham Lincoln “Most people are just about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” We spend a substantial proportion of our waking hours at work so why not do what you can to make it a more fun and gratifying experience.

Challenge your thoughts about work in general. Realize that our bodies are hard-wired to work. It’s human nature that gives us our drive to grow as individuals and as a society. It explains the satisfaction we feel after we’ve completed a big project. Think about it, if we were designed to accomplish work then it is not something to be avoided but something to welcome and even look forward to.

Here are some tips to help you switch up the way you feel about your job:

Get motivated – On your way to work think about how the job you have allows you have a life outside of it. The time you spend at work earns you the money you need to be able to do things you enjoy with the people that are important to you.

Look at the bigger picture – How is your work contributing to society? Perhaps you are serving nourishing food, selling attractive clothing, educating children with care and compassion, developing new technology, providing health care or brightening someone’s day with kind words and a genuine smile. There are countless ways we all have an impact on the greater good for mankind.

Learn to relax – No matter how taxing you day is or how demanding your customers may be keep in mind that getting yourself worked-up is not worth the toll stress will take on your emotions and your health. Keep calm and just take the next logical step until the situation is resolved. Looking back you’ll wonder what all the fuss was about.

Steer clear of negativity – Gossip spreads a lot of negative energy so refuse participating or even listening to it. Also make a point to minimize your time with the office haters and complainers.

See your work as a game – Life is meant to be fun. You’re going to spend a good portion of your day working so you might as well enjoy the game. Learn to have more fun at work, laugh more and chill out. Perform your job with a more fun oriented approach.