--------------------------------------------------------------------------- bing The Power of Creative Writing with Author9211: October 2015 --------------

Show CareerBuilder how you #WorkHappier



Follow @CareerBuilder on Instagram. Show us how you #WorkHappier. Win a GoPro Hero4. More details below!
There's a fairly simple idea that pops into my head just about everyday I'm sitting in my cube: How can I add more happiness to my day at work?
According to the Organization for Economic Development and Cooperation, the average American spends 1,790 working annually. When you consider that's roughly 30 percent of the time you'll be awake each year, I hope it becomes clear you should strive to be happy while you're on the job. You'll eventually spend a giant chunk of your life working; why not improve those times as much as possible? Why save happiness for when you leave the office?

Take action and #WorkHappierMuch like a job search, much like your career development, you must be active in your pursuit of happiness. You can't just sit and do nothing but hope you find happiness tomorrow, next week or next year. You have to go after it.
That's where the idea of #WorkHappier comes in. When the going gets tough at the office, how do you remain positive? When things become stale, how do you lift up your spirits and those of your co-workers?
The actions you take to add happiness to your workday don't have to be complicated. They can be as easy as saying thank you to a co-worker who makes your job easier. Working happier can mean taking a walk when you're out of ideas or simply need a break but don't think the walk to the vending machine is enough. Even getting out of the office for lunch with your co-workers will help you #WorkHappier. #TheMoreYouKnow

Show us what you've got!Now that you're basically a #WorkHappier expert, we want to see how you add happiness to your days. Submit a photo on Instagram using that hashtag before Oct. 16, 2015, and you could win a GoPro Hero4 Session, a pair of Shure SE215 Sound Isolating Earphones, and more to make your work life better.

Here's how to get started:
1. Follow @CareerBuilder on Instagram.
2. Photograph how you add happiness to your workday.
3. Post it on Instagram, tag it #WorkHappier, and mention @CareerBuilder. You're now entered to win!
See official contest rules (and a really awesome landing page) here.

Additional inspirationIf you were an expert before, these tips will make you a bona fide guru of working happier:
  • Explore your surroundings. Try that new place for lunch even if there's a line. Take a walk and don't follow a route you've taken before.
  • #TreatYoSelf. Don't settle for snacks out of the vending machine. Reward yourself with a gourmet snack after completing a hard task… or just because.
  • Take your breaks, and use your vacation days. You're given both for a reason. Recharge when you have the opportunity to do so.
  • Get more sleep. You'll have more energy, better ideas and an improved mood when you go into the office.
  • Welcome distractions from time to time. Distractions allow your mind to wander and they'll often boost your mood. Sometimes, those will be enough to help you break through a roadblock or solve a complex problem.

What it's Like to Have the Best Job in America Right Now

Demand for this job increased more then 300 percent in three years.


13 Things Successful People Do Between Jobs

Career and workplace experts suggest taking at least one week off to allow yourself to refresh


Taking some time between jobs also gives your brain a chance to take a break, to process leaving your old job (which can be pretty emotional, whether you loved or hated it), and to prepare for all the new challenges to come, adds Sara Sutton Fell, CEO and founder of FlexJobs.

1. Get organized.

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Minimize the stress of your first week in a new job by taking time to organize your personal life.
"Any projects around the house that have been nagging at the back of your mind? Now's the time to get them done," says Ryan Kahn, the founder of The Hired Group and creator of the best-selling How To Get Hired online course.

2. Schedule appointments and run errands.

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3. Disconnect.

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"Take advantage of not having to be reachable during the day, and stop checking your email or looking at Facebook for an afternoon or two," says Sutton Fell. "This gives you a chance to reset your brain."
Instead of staring at a screen for hours on end — which you'll probably have to do as soon as you start your new job — pick up a book you've been dying to read, or go take an exercise class you've been wanting to try.

Illegal Questions To Ask In An Interview

1 in 5 employers has unknowingly asked one of these questions


One third of employers indicated they didn't know the following questions were illegal to ask in an interview setting:
  • What is your religious affiliation?
  • What is your political affiliation?
  • How old are you?
  • Are you pregnant?
  • What is your race, color or ethnicity?
  • Are you disabled?
  • Are you married?
  • Are you in debt?
  • Do you have children or plan to?
  • Do you socially drink or smoke?
While some of the above questions might seem obvious not to ask, others are more tricky. With some questions, the legality is all in the wording. For example, asking if a candidate has ever been convicted of a crime is okay, but asking about his or her arrest record is not. Or while it's okay to ask if a job seeker is legally eligible for employment in the U.S., it's not legal to openly ask, "Are you a U.S. citizen?"

People with these jobs are the most likely to marry each other

Rachel Gillett and Mike Nudelman


Farmer couple country

If you're a real hands-in-the-dirt, head-in-the-sun kinda fella, there's a good chance your future wife will be, too.
As The Washington Post recently detailed, Priceonomics, a company that helps companies crawl and structure data from the web, analyzed US Census data to see what professions are most likely to marry each other.
Among the top ten occupations more prone to mixing business with pleasure, two are in agriculture.
Agricultural workers, who help farmers maintain crops and livestock, marry others with the same job 27% of the time — and agricultural managers, such as farmers and ranchers, do so 20% of the time.
Other occupations like physicians and surgeons, gaming service workers, and lodging managers also top the list.
BI_Graphics_Percentage of people married to someone who has the same jobMike Nudelman/Business Insider
Dan Kopf, author of the Priceonomics analysis, notes the high rate of agriculture workers and managers comingling may be attributed to the less diverse mix of occupations available to people in rural communities compared to urban ones.
Jerry Miller, founder of niche dating site FarmersOnly.com, says it all comes down to lifestyle compatibility. Many farmers he has talked to say they work seven days a week, 365 days a year. "How many people in regular business could relate to that?" he asks.
In general, Dr. Mike McNulty, a Master Certified Gottman Therapist and relationship expert,notes the list isn't too surprising, considering most of these occupations likely share atypical hours and intense demands and responsibilities.
"Each occupation has a distinct way of life that goes with it," McNulty says. "They all involve long hours, at least during certain seasons of the year, that may result in an inability to participate in the mainstream social activities of one's peers."
This may make it difficult for people in these occupations to meet others outside of work.
"It may feel more workable to marry someone who shares the same kind of schedule, rather than having to constantly explain the demands of one's position to a partner or spouse who works in a different profession," McNulty says. "The fact that partners hold the same type of position may mean that they can relate to each other's compassion for work or the challenges one another face."
While there are lots of benefits for spouses who share the same way of life, McNulty cautions anyone looking for a spouse with the same job about the pitfalls.
"Even when they do have the same job, they still will have individual differences, which will result in those all too common perpetual problems that come with being married," he explains. "Partners must learn to manage such problems over time, through understanding and compromise and putting their relationship first. If partners enter into marriage believing their shared way of life makes them exempt from conflict, they will be in for a big surprise."
It's worth noting that the Census Bureau tracks 500 professions, and data on same-sex marriages was not available for this analysis.