Are These 3 Things Ruining Your Happiness?

We all strive to be happy in some way. We may have different interpretations of happiness, but we all seek to find it. If you asked five people, what three things would make them happy, it’s likely they would have different responses. However, if you asked those same people what is preventing them from being happy, it’s likely there would be some crossovers. Everyone is unique. But there are some common factors that are preventing us from contentment.

1. Work/Life Balance

In a modern, digital world, it’s hard to escape from a society that is increasingly driven by technology. Most people have mobile phones or electronic devices of some description. Apps are easy to use and have made communication a 24/7 phenomenon. The expectation of finding information at the tap of a screen makes it difficult to shut off and relax. Work encroaches on our personal lives as we check emails and respond to social media posts. The see-saw of work/life balance increasingly tips towards work.

To be healthy our mind and bodies need time to relax. If we’re unable to do this, we can expect many negative consequences. In the short term, we will become tired and unable to focus. Our concentration and short-term memory will be affected. Over time, we will become vulnerable to physical and mental illnesses. Conditions such as stress, depression, and anxiety are often reported. Try these tips to redress the balance:

• Take regular breaks from the screen at work
• Take a full lunch break and leave the office for an hour
• Move around during the day, even if it’s just for a few minutes
• Take control of your working hours
• Schedule in time for to do the things you enjoy
• Don’t check emails after a certain time
• Leave work at the office
• Turn your phone and electronic devices off a few hours before bed
• Take regular technology breaks

2. Unresolved Issues

Many of us have unresolved issues. These may be recent issues but may also stem from childhood. It could be that you didn’t receive enough attention or care as a child. Or, it could be that you were pushed too hard to achieve. When issues in our lives go unresolved, they can lead to problems in our relationships, at work, hrough anxiety or anger.

If you feel that there are areas of your life that need addressing, it is important to seek professional help. This could be counseling, psychotherapy, or something more specific like anger management therapy. A professional practitioner will work with your to identify the root causes and help you to overcome these problems.

3. Social Media Effect

It’s hard to escape social media. Even when our apps are closed, it is quoted on TV and in the printed media. Lives are shared with total strangers in a way that was not possible a few years ago. And of course, when we’re posting about our lives, we present our best selves. Though we may take 27 photos to get just the right effect, we only post one. And only after it has been filtered. We share pics of our beautifully presented lunch a stylist would envy. While just off camera is the chaos of the kitchen and two days’ worth of dirty dishes.

Seeing all of these ‘perfect’ posts and pictures each day creates something we refer to as the social media effect. We compare our lives unfavorably with these posts, and this makes us miserable. The reality is that no-one has a perfect life and what we see on screen is not the full picture.

If social media is making you miserable, it’s time to take a break from it. Having regular tech breaks is good for us in many ways. It helps us to switch off and put things into perspective. Reaching for our phone or tablet may seem instinctive to us now. But after a few days, the urge to be constantly in touch will lessen. You will find that you’re not a slave to Facebook or Instagram, and you can focus on other areas of your life.

Make a list of things that are getting in the way of your happiness and take steps to address them.