Many people grow up hearing that positivity is key. Unfortunately, as we grow up, it can be harder and harder to be positive. Life has many snags and issues that we all must learn to deal with. Work can be an especially stressful place, with deadlines and clients and co-workers.
“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”
– Confucius
15 tips to Add Positive Energy to Your Workplace:
Are you ready to spread some positivity throughout your office? Here is how!
1 – Stay Organized
Much work stress comes from deadlines that you miss and disorganization. Keep a color-coded calendar of all work events, deadlines, meetings, and client updates. If you find paperwork challenging, use your smartphone or online apps to keep on-task. Being able to consult the schedule of all daily events will make work less stressful.
2 – Practice Effective Communication
Most people negatively communicate with one another because the conversation is not productive. Send emails updating colleagues on the things that each person must be aware of and, while speaking in person, genuinely listen to one another rather than being abrupt. Better communication produces positive communication and positive feelings.
3 – Smile
Many people do not make a habit of smiling and looking cheerful at work, but looking approachable will get you many different results than looking standoffish. Practicing smiling and having a more upbeat attitude makes it likely that other workers will approach you with the same view. Clients also prefer working with someone professional yet friendly.
4 – Make Small Goals
Most of the time, people don’t feel accomplished at work, which leads to feelings of negativity. Setting small goals that lead to more substantial accomplishments will help keep you focused will help keep your attitude positive and upbeat.
5 – Leave work at the office
If you have a stressful job or a job that can be brought home, it can become easy for your life to be overwhelmed with work. If you vow to leave work at home and spend your personal time with family, friends, and your hobbies, work will appear much less like an albatross and must more like a part of life.
6 – Personalize your desk
Your desk is where you spend many hours of your day. Therefore, it is essential to personalize your area, to make it your own. You can adjust the height of your desk, set a plant, a photo of your dog, or a cute motivational sign on your desk for a little personalized touch. Having personal items on your desk makes your area feel more comfortable and gives you some positive motivation when you’re feeling distracted.
7 – Reduce your stress
Work stress is real. Hours on end at your computer, intense meetings, and long Skype calls raise stress levels. You can add some positive energy at work with a walk during your lunch break or squeeze a squishy stress ball that you keep on your desk. Try doing some breathing exercises.
First, take a big, deep breath, hold your breath, and then let your it out slowly. After work, be sure to get some energizing exercise. Whether you walk your dog, head to your gym, or ride a stationary bike at home. Training is the best way to reduce pent-up stress.
When you do strenuous exercise, your body discharges endorphins, hormones that make you feel happier. Plus, endorphins improve your self-esteem. All in all, your work stress needs to be dealt with. Find what stress buster works best for you, then add a little positivity to your workday.
8 – Stay upbeat
Studies have found that people with an upbeat, positive mentality typically have better health, less risk of heart disease, and lowered blood pressure. Having a positive outlook doesn’t mean you never feel down or anxious, but you can bounce back and adapt to your circumstances.
So, find ways to keep your mental outlook at work positive. Step back from situations at work that feels overwhelming. Set aside time during the workday, even if it’s just five or ten minutes to let your mind wander in a daydream. Daydreaming is a healthy way for your brain to detach from your work problems.
Plus, sometimes, answers pop into your head while you’re daydreaming. Staying upbeat gives you a chance to get your positive outlook back on track.
9 – Be a good listener
Another way to add positive energy at work is to be a great listener. Good listening takes practice and determination to focus. Here are some tips to enhance those all-important communications and listening skills.
- Be attentive: Look thoroughly at the person’s face while they’re speaking to you-This lets them know they have your full attention.
- Don’t move around: Shifting your legs or moving your hands is a sign you’re impatient to speak or get away from the conversation. Quiet yourself and simply listen.
- Rephrase what they say, and turn it into a question: For example, “You mentioned that your division wouldn’t fund the new site. Where do you think that start-up funding should come from?”
- Be curious: What can you learn about this person? Are they nervous? How do they approach problems?
- Find joy in conversing: All discussions are unique. Enjoy the back and forth of talking and listening.
10 – Be a learner
When work becomes predictable and rote, you get dull in the brain. Being a learner keeps you mentally fresh. It instills creativity and enhances your mental flexibility. Researchers say that people who keep learning are less apt to underperform or get stagnant at work. Stir up your desire to learn anything you can about your job.
Connect with people at work who understand aspects of the job that you do not. Or interact with younger people who may have a fresh perspective on the work. Ask them questions, ask for feedback, and try new ways to do aspects of your job. You will be surprised and delighted at the positive energy you get from taking a few steps towards learning something new.
11 – Say thank you
Adding positive energy at work is as easy as a simple thank you. Being grateful is a small action that reaps big rewards. Saying thank you at work helps others feel appreciated and valued. It takes just a minute to say it, but you’ll feel positive about yourself, too.
Gratefulness is contagious. Once you express your gratitude to a co-worker, you won’t be surprised if they express gratefulness to another co-worker.
12 – Don’t multitask
You heard, right? Contrary to popular belief, your brain isn’t made for multitasking. One study found that people tend to overestimate their ability to do two or things at once. When you try to multitask, you’re putting undue stress on one part of your brain and aren’t using your mind to its full potential. It may sound boring, but you’re more productive when you do one task at a time entirely before you move onto the next job. Try it.
13 – Have a bowl of healthy snacks on your desk
Set a little bowl of wrapped granola bars, tiny boxes of nuts, or raisins on your desk for a quick energy boost. Of course, your co-workers will drop by to say hello and gaze longingly at your snacks, so be ready to share. Sharing a little treat and chatting with your co-workers can lighten your day and add a bit of positive energy to others’ day as well.
14 – Practice calming mindfulness
Because work can be stressful, mindfulness can help you reduce your mental stress. Here are some ways to incorporate the art of mindfulness into your day.
Focus on your senses:
What do you hear? How do your toes feel inside your shoes? Listen to surrounding sounds. Listen to your heartbeat. All these little mindfulness activities help you relax and feel calmer.
Let your mind wander:
Give your mind a little break. Let it wander a bit. Think about tonight’s dinner plans, hanging out with friends or family. These little brain breaks release your stress and refresh your thinking.
Deal with your feelings:
Did you have an upsetting conversation this morning? Are you feeling irritated or anxious? Picture those feelings as stones. Toss each feeling one by one into a deep lake and watch them sink to the bottom out of sight. Imaging can help you let go of burdensome thoughts and feelings, so they don’t weigh you down.
Mindfulness not only relaxes you but can add positive energy to your workplace. Here are some other benefits of mindfulness in the workplace.
- Reduce stress
- Lowers anxiety
- Encourages focus
- Improves relationships between co-workers
15 – Make friends
You’re with your co-workers for many hours each day. There are probably several people at work who you will get to know as good friends. Good friends at work make your job more fun. Having a good friend at work makes sense since you both have a common bond through work. You can relate to one another, emphasize with each other’s struggles, and encourage one another when feeling discouraged since you both understand. Make efforts to make good friends at work to enhance your positive energy and the positive energy of those around you.
Final Thoughts on These Fifteen Easy Ways to Bring Positive Thinking Into the Workplace
Did you know that you will spend approximately 90,000 hours at work in your lifetime? That number represents a lot of your life spent on the clock. All the more reason for you to find creative ways to add positive energy to your long work hours. Hopefully, these suggestions help enhance your quest to add positive energy to your work experience, plus give you a real sense of joy in your accomplishments.
Community
