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Americans spend 1,700 hours a year working (read that again: 1,700 hours. Working.). Unfortunately, the majority of us (52.3 percent) are unhappy for these 1,700 hours. That’s right: many of us spend huge chunks of our lives feeling unfulfilled and dissatisfied.

But wait! Don’t give up on finding personal fulfillment at work. If you’ve been waiting for a sign to go after a happier job existence, this article is it. Read on for just a few of the important reasons why seeking personal fulfillment will pay off.

It contributes to your health. If stress is to blame for your workplace unhappiness, know that it continues to affect you even after you’ve left the office. As WebMD.com explains, in addition to increasing your chances of heart disease, work stress can increase chances of complications with diabetes, lead to panic attacks, and cause headaches. When you can eliminate this stress from your life, your overall well-being will improve.

It makes you a better employee. When you’re happy at work, you’re actually more productive. In fact, according to this BloombergBusiness article, a Gallup study found that American companies lose $300 billion each year as a result of disengaged employees.

When you’re happy, your chances of success improve. If you’ve been slogging away at work hoping that success will make you happy, you may be going about things the wrong way. As PsychCentral notes, more and more studies are actually finding that happiness begets success not the other way around.

Work doesn’t have to feel like work. When your work is meaningful to you, when it’s your true calling, you enjoy what you do and get the most out of each second you’re there.

It decreases chances of relationship problems. Just as job stress negatively affects your health, it also negatively impacts your relationships. In 2010, the Seattle Times reported on a study that found that nearly 50 percent of those surveyed couldn’t leave work at work and that “their relationships suffer because of it.”

So, if you’ve been putting off opening that business you always dreamt of, going after a promotion, or switching to a new career, wait no more.  Spend just 5 minutes today (yes, today!) writing down how you can actively seek personal fulfillment at work. Then, make a plan: how will you make job satisfaction your reality over the next several months?