7 WAYS TO STAY POSITIVE AT WORK DURING ANXIOUS TIMES
Positive thinking doesn't mean that you ignore life's less pleasant situations. Positive thinking just means that you approach unpleasantness in a more positive and productive way. You think the best is going to happen, not the worst.
With so much going on in the world, and so many negative news stories, it’s sometimes easy to forget that there is plenty of day to day difficulties that we faced even before COVID, wildfires, and political disruptions.
Photo by CANVA
All of these have a chance of impacting your mental health and resilience, which is why it’s important to check in with your feelings and make sure that you’re taking the time to build yourself up.
It can be hard to stay positive at work and in life while the world seems full of bad news.
The good news is you can start learning the power of positivity at any time.
Here are 7 ways to focus on staying positive:
- Start Your Day Off Right
What gets you in a good mood right off the bat? As soon as you open your eyes, consider tackling a task or activity that makes you feel upbeat. It sets the tone for the day and when you’re happy and smiling, it’s contagious — in a good way.
A few ways to start your day:
- Meditate
- Workout
- Journal
- Listen to a podcast
- Make a healthy breakfast
- Turn on your favourite playlist
- Work on Your Own Health
We can’t do our best work if we’re feeling unhealthy — either physically or mentally. Make it a personal challenge to focus on your overall well-being. During times of stress, it’s easy to let your workouts fall by the wayside and your negative thoughts balloon up. Instead, see how you can incorporate healthy habits and watch how it helps you to stay positive.
Tips for staying on top of your health:
- Clear your mind with a walk
- Take a wellness challenge
- Check-in with a friend daily
- Schedule your workouts
- Drink plenty of water
- Reduce time on social media
- Start a virtual fitness challenge with coworkers
- Practice Gratitude
When it feels like everything is going awry, that’s the time to look at the flip side. What’s actually going right? The benefits of gratitude are endless, but when you have a daily gratitude practice, that’s when you really reap the benefits.
Why practice gratitude? Here are a few reasons:
- It improves overall lifestyle satisfaction
- It increases positivity at work and home
- It can help you better manage stress
- It leads to better sleep
The benefits of gratitude aren’t just mental; they’re also physical. Try journaling and starting with writing down one thing you’re grateful for during a month-long period. Check out how to make gratitude a part of your workplace culture, too.
- Read a Self-Improvement Book
There’s nothing like a good self-help book. When you’ve got extra time on your hands or feel uncertain about your life — or work — direction, self-improvement is a good distraction. Plus, a good read will give you solid strategies to implement into your life.
- Strengthen Your Social Circle
If you’ve ever been in isolation for any length of time, you understand how lonely it can be. Whether you’re forced into it (sickness) or doing it by choice (introvert tendencies), it’s amazing how quickly you realize how important social interactions are to humans. Keeping the right circle is important for your energy, mental health and productivity.
- Add Value to Someone Else’s Life
Right now, we can all use some uplifting. You have unique gifts and ways of giving back to the world that you may not be using fully. Think about ways you can take action right now to bring some value and joy to another person’s life. Some ideas to try in the workplace:
- Offer your expertise
- Give a free training
- Assist on a special project
- Do Good for Someone Else
It’s nearly impossible to stay in the doldrums when you focus your attention on someone else. Be it your kids, your neighbour, your spouse, a friend, or even a complete stranger — there’s more to the world than just you. Melt your worries away by doing a good deed for someone else.
Good deed ideas to try:
- Donate to a food bank
- Send out an encouraging email
- Write a handwritten thank you card
- Donate your PTO time to coworkers in need
Good deeds also include being intentional about your staff and clients’ wellbeing. We have made this much easier with our customized Wellness Gifts Cards which can be branded for you, for staff/Client appreciation.
Email us at this address (ololade.akinduro@orikigroup.com) for more information on our Wellness Gifts Cards and other Corporate Wellness Services.