It can be difficult to find the energy to lift your head off the pillow each morning. Especially when your journey to work will end in a cubicle, a computer screen, and artificial lights for the next eight to ten hours.
And while some days may be better than others, work can often be a horrible place to be, especially if you really don’t like your job. If you’ve felt more like a Debbie Downer lately, it’s time to crank up Pharrel’s Happy and put these tips to the test.
Do one thing you love
Don’t let money be your only motivation. Although work is obviously the means to surviving, finding an element of your job you like that has nothing to do with your pay can make a world of difference.
Focus on one element of work that keeps you inspired and challenged, and then dive in to it. Having even one positive thing to reflect on will give purpose and fulfillment to your job when your mood gets weighed down.
Find your happy place
Our mood is directly connected to our immediate surroundings, so that boring workspace and those difficult coworkers won’t help. Making the effort to spruce up your space with personal touches could be a quick fix in boosting your energy levels at work. Plants have been shown to increase comfort, reduce noise, and help improve stress levels, so that’s a great place to begin.
When it comes to coworkers, choose your tribe wisely – preferably one with lots of LOL’s and cat memes. Don’t contribute to conversations that include gossip or pity parties. Happiness comes from your own actions so choose to participate in only uplifting conversations to help fuel a positive environment.
Learn something new
Part of our job satisfaction comes from feeling like we’re continuing to develop and learn, whether we’ve been in the same job for 10 months or 10 years. Having little to no growth at work is stifling; so let someone know.
Offer to collaborate on something new or ask to sit in on a meeting that deals with a topic you don’t often get to work on, but have been interested in. Not only will you appear eager to learn, but also taking on something new will keep you focused on something other than how many hours you have left until you can go home.
Spread good vibes
Making the effort to help out a coworker who seems bogged down can cause positivity to grow leaps and bounds. In John Maxwell’s book, Everyone Communicates, Few Connect, he explains that the most successful people in the world are excellent communicators: people who not only communicate their message, but create a connection. Making a habit of offering up help and showing gratitude when someone helps you will definitely boost office connectivity.
Also, set out to smile to someone new in the office each day or strike up small talk when you’re sharing a space with someone else. Being confident enough to be the one that makes the first move in happy actions is contagious. And residual happiness is a concept we can all agree doesn’t suck.
Set goals
Having something to strive for is a top way to combat feeling stagnant. Set benchmarks and timelines, and then take action. I learned from experts like Michael Hudson at ENS International on how to practice personal development and set goals for long-term and short-term success. Long-term goals should be about three to five years. A smart CEO knows that setting goals ensures that you’re always moving toward something.
Plus, no one successful ever got to where they’re at without a goal and a vision. Visualise your version of success, aim and shoot.
Love yourself before you love your job
Here’s a secret for you: fear is the only thing holding us back. Isn’t that a relief? It’s not a lack of skills, funds or support. So go back to the tip on setting goals and you’ll overcome those barriers. Evaluate what fears you have and squash them. Evaluate what you love about yourself and what you know you’re good at and bask in it. Get rid of the self-defeating language and give yourself a loving pep talk instead, the rest will follow with ease.
Take a time out
Everyone is entitled to short, productive breaks at work, like walking around your building once to get some fresh air, heading outside the office to eat lunch and reading a book. Rather than working through your lunch hour, take some time to smell the roses.
In the same vein, don’t bolt for the door right when the clock hits 5 p.m. Wait a second and sit back, then mentally go over the day’s highlights and achievements. Ending on a high note will set you up for positivity outside work for whatever awaits you at home, whether it’s a kids, a cat or cocktails.
Now that you have some good starting points for shifting your attitude about work, remember to be realistic and know that change doesn’t happen overnight, just like success.
Make small changes every day and set happiness goals for yourself. If you start today, you’re one step closer to waking up and living the life you want to live.