Fortunately, my employer understands this too and allows us to make the work environment a place of play as well. Older generations don’t seem to “get it” like the Gen-Xers and the Millenials do. But then, too, the older generations also didn’t work 12-18 hours per day. Times have changed, work has become the central focus of life for many software engineers and other IT professionals. We deserve to be in an environment we enjoy if we’ve agreed to trade in our waking hours for a paycheck.

Mack: That’s an interesting question. What is it about happiness at work and why do we want it?

I passed the question on here:
http://positivesharing.com/2006/10/ask-the-cho-whats-with-all-this-happiness-crap

Grow up! This constant moaning from people really annoys me. If you are not happy at your Job leave. How about this for a motivation to do your job, your SALARY!!

Look at people in the third world and their plight and get some perspective! Be glad you have a Job!

However, whenever I sit at my desk I usually stare at the “monitor” of my computer. And since it’s the “monitor” of my very own laptop I have the freedom to at least make that one a nice feature on my desk. I change my wallpapers regularly, I have a litter-free desktop, i.e. all the icons are stored in a drop down menu at the top border, there is a functional and beautiful calendar on my desk which I can hide easily, I applied a different theme to my operating system and I use several other special tools to speed and lighten up my work process.

So if nothing else, at least get a nice Wallpaper. I recommend pixelgirl’s webiste [http://www.pixelgirlpresents.com/].

I feel sorry for people that have to work in conditions described by Office lady. I know that I could not do it, keep it up and hang on there!

I can kinda understand. But I still got really pissed off and removed every single non-work item from my desk so now my work-space is just purely work. (Imagine what would happen if decorated my desk ala that Simpson’s desk at Google…)

My boss is notorious for her…err…opinions? We can wear a dark shirt and skirt to work and she can still can that “casual wear” when it actually is the most formal wear that I have. We can be eating Disney-themed chocolates and she’ll call us childish.

So forget it. I’m not risking it again. I’ll stick to my grey old desk decorated with post-its.

That means that physically I can not change anything. So most everything I do to get creative relates to my own attitude or the way I use my strictly standardized office.

Creativity, I insist, is all about attitude – but can of course be promoted by the surroundings.

The standard and evident: Pictures of non-business stuff on my desk – like my beloved wife – is possible.

I occasionally fill up a basket of fruits or sweets which make a lot of people pop by my glass-walled office.

Furthermore I often sing semi-loudly when going to the copier – often songs that relate to the situation I am in – and that is sure to always make some people shake their heads and others in a better mood.
The headshakers often soften up when they get used to it. I have even heard one or two begin humming – but that is extremely rare.
Psalms make for a particularly interesting reaction.

I often picture the whole office spontaneously joining in on the song and the whole floor turning in to a scene from Moulin Rouge – which is never the case.

Sitting in new ways on the chair is a very powerful way of thinking differently in an uncreative environment: For example, sit on your knees, chair backwards. Sit on the table for a while. Or find other places to work in the office! If you have a laptop, sit in the canteen for a bit. If you don’t – then take the opportunity to stand/walk around when you have material to read.
This definitely works for me when I want to change perspective, corny as it may sound.

Meetings can be held by taking a walk or inviting for a cafe nearby.