A recent University of Laval article, revealed that we spend “One-third of our life at work.” The article explores the notion that “work is more than just a way to support oneself financially. It is a psychological necessity: it is how we express our potential, demonstrate our skills, excel, define our identity and do something useful for ourselves and for others.

Since we spend a significant amount of our lives at work “not even counting the time we spend commuting, working overtime and thinking about work after we go home”, it is important to find out if one can be happy at one's job regardless of if one's current role is ideal.

The University of Laval study shows that “while many people develop self-confidence and a feeling of accomplishment through work, it can be a source of stress. The combination of employer requirements and the demands of modern life are a growing burden for individuals.”

So how does someone develop a healthy work ethic in which one is committed to excellence without been exhausted from working? The answer, regardless of one's job or employment environment, is to learn how to how to deal with stress; and to have a clear understanding of what happiness means to you.

No matter how you define happiness, the need to be able to sustain that state of being, is one of the reasons we sometimes require employment.

The pursuit of happiness, at work or at play, is a significant driving force. So it is easy to understand that anything or anyone who threatens or compromises one's happiness, is a source of stress.

In the face of a potentially recovering economy, it is important to find the sources of our stability and happiness at work. Here are five practical ways to achieve contentment whether you love your job or otherwise.

• Have a life plan: Have a short term and long term goal professionally and personally and review these plans frequently. Having a life plan allows focus because of the realization that there is a purpose to one's current job.
• Have an active and Virtual portfolio: A portfolio (on-line) provides the ability for you to showcase all your skills. This allows you to show your range. You might be working as an Accountant but you may also be a skilled Graphics Designer. Should a potential project come up with your current employer, you can showcase your unknown skills or decide to explore a change in career. A portfolio allows you to be detailed in your abilities versus a resume that has length restrictions and requires that you focus on one particular job.
• Know what makes you happy and what stresses you: Being able to do so, allows you to attend quicker to stressors. Prevention is better than cure. If one identities a source of stress, one can come up with a viable plan on the necessary course of action.
• Become an expert: do a lot of research and learn more about your role. This allows to accomplish two things. First, you are the person, people will come to in your place of work, making you irreplaceable. Secondly, this makes you more attractive to a potential employer or makes you tremendously skilled if you decide to start a company of your own.
• Become a writer or hire a ghost writer: writing allows people to understand your expertise but it also allows them to hear directly from you. It gives you an international stage to share the resources you have, and in sharing, you are known as the person to go to. If you'd rather not write, hire a ghost-writer. Ghost writers convey not just your message, but your message the way you want your audience spoken to.

T?lyn McArthur is the CEO of Let It Shine (www.letitshine.ca). She is an HR and Promotions and Communications expert and a published author. For more information: www.talynmcarthur.com.