Spending forty hours a week at a job that makes you miserable is a recipe for disaster. Regardless of the circumstances, there are things you can do to make the best of a negative situation. Find the things you can change and use these tips to become happier at work.

Control your Space

Identify the things you can control in your job and focus on arranging them to your liking. This could be a variety of things and may include a system of organization, a daily routine or developing a workspace that you feel happy in. It could also be something as simple as listening to your favorite music. When you take the time to make things your own, you will feel happier and more invested in your work.

Develop Relationships

The right coworkers can make any job fun! While it is important to remain professional at work, you can still enjoy positive and friendly relationships with your coworkers. Take time to get to know them a bit. Work together to cultivate and maintain a positive work environment. Reach out when you are feeling overwhelmed. Your officemates will understand what you’re going through. Having someone to listen to you and help when you need is a priceless asset. Don’t take it for granted and make sure you reciprocate help when you can.

Take Breaks

When you’re stressed and in the middle of a million different tasks, it’s easy to say you’re going to skip your break. Stop doing that immediately. Those breaks are mandated for a reason. The likelihood of feeling burnt out and overwhelmed at any job is high. Take your breaks and give yourself the recharge you need. In addition, take your lunch breaks. Use the opportunity to get out of the office! Even if you bring a lunch from home, move to another location to enjoy it. You will be surprised what a change of scenery will do for your mental state.

Fuel your Body

Have you ever been so focused on working that you forgot to eat or drink? Sometimes the day slips away from you or you feel like you don’t have time to take a break. The fact is, you will be more productive and happier if you hydrate and fuel your body properly. Make sure you’re getting the appropriate amount of water each day and eating healthy meals. There are foods you can eat that have been scientifically proven to increase your happiness. A couple of these foods include dark chocolate, and vegetables. Cynthia Sass wrote an article about this for Health.com. If you’d like to read more about this, you can find her article here.

Life is too short to spend forty hours a week feeling miserable. If you look hard enough, you will be able to find positive qualities in any job. Ultimately, you are responsible for your own happiness. Focus on the things you have control over and work on becoming a happier you.