be happier at the office

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Take a Quick Break from Being the Office Hermit

The old routine: A demanding job means you're laser-focused at work with not a social minute to spare.
The new habit: Check in daily with your work wife, even if it's just a fly-by at her desk.
Why you'll be happier: First, the extrinsic motivator: People with a best friend at work are 47 percent more likely to have received praise or recognition in the past week, possibly because having a buddy at the office increases your motivation and productivity. But there's a deeper reason too: Social time with your colleagues is the only thing proven to even come close to making us as happy as we are outside the office, reports a study from the London School of Economics.