Work matters
Work can be very stressful for any of us. Whether you work in a hospital, an office, or even work from home.
The pressures of work, colleagues, and customers can start to get to you. These can have a detrimental impact on your positive attitude.
Maintaining a positive attitude at work is very important. There are many personal benefits to remaining positive, along with the many professional benefits.
Most employers consider positive attitudes an asset, so this can create new professional opportunities for you.
Maintaining a positive attitude at work
Positive language
The things you say can have a huge impact on the work environment. It can be detrimental to the positive attitude of others. Try to use positive language and remain professional at all times.
It is especially important to never swear at work. It can come across as very unprofessional and can contribute to a negative work environment.
Of course, work can sometimes become very stressful and occasionally in these circumstances, a swear word may slip out. This can often be forgiven, as long as it is kept to an absolute minimum.
Don’t criticize
If a co-worker makes a mistake, try not to be too critical as this could make them feel bad. Instead, use constructive criticism to help them learn.
Try giving them a compliment about what they have done, followed by a suggestion of how to improve. This technique can reduce any feelings of shame or negativity when mistakes are made.
Also, when providing feedback, do it in private. Don’t embarrass someone by commenting on their mistakes in front of others. They will appreciate that you have discussed this in private. As such, they will be more likely to listen to your comments if they are said in a respectful manner.
Avoid gossip
It is very common to find people gossiping in the workplace. Do your best not to get involved if you happen upon this. Talking about co-workers behind their backs is a quick way to ruin staff relationships. It can create a hostile environment in the office and can make people feel very uncomfortable.
If you hear colleagues talking about others negatively, tell them you are not comfortable engaging in the conversation. Or simply just walk away. Maintain your own positive attitude and don’t allow others to impact that.
Be kind to your colleagues
The best way to spread a positive attitude to others is to be kind. Give your colleagues compliments when they do a good job. They will appreciate the recognition and it will boost staff morale. This in turn will create a positive environment and increase productivity.
If you hear colleagues speaking negatively about themselves or others, offer to help. You could make suggestions on how to improve their situation and offer to assist in this.
Try to respond to difficult situations with a positive attitude. This will set a good example for others and could help to reduce negativity.
Don’t complain
Work can be stressful sometimes and often customers provide a bit of a challenge. Always maintaining a positive attitude at work can feel particularly difficult some days.
It can be easy to respond to challenges by complaining about them. However, for your colleagues around you in the office, it may seem that you just have a bad attitude.
Your complaining could bring down the mood of the whole team and contribute to negative attitudes in others. It can also encourage other members of the team to join in. This then results in a toxic environment in which everyone struggles to stay positive.
Be a positive role model and decide to either resolve the issue or simply let it go.
Give yourself breaks
Being a hard worker is a great quality to have. However, working hard consistently without a break will just lead to burnout and stress.
Overdoing it will quickly diminish your positive attitude at work and will eventually lead to poor quality work. Give yourself some downtime away from the office, so you can breathe and recharge.
Similarly, leave work at work. When you leave the office, try not to take any work-related stressors home with you.
Allow yourself to enjoy your free time and relax while at home. It will ensure you can return to work the next day with a positive attitude.
Surround yourself with positive people
Who you spend time with at work can have a huge impact on your mindset. Being around negative people will contribute to you having a negative attitude. Try to avoid these people in the office and spend time with positive people at work.
Attitudes can easily rub off on other people, particularly in a work environment. Be cautious about who you spend time with and try to avoid people who regularly complain or gossip.
Make connections with positive people in the office and surround yourself with these people to maintain a positive attitude.
Engage in positive activities
Prior to work, listen to music that puts you in a good mood, positive or educational podcasts, and any other activity that feels positive for you. Aim to arrive at your workplace with a positive attitude.
Avoid reading upsetting news or angry youtube comments. Things like this can lower your mood and set you up for a bad day.
Take responsibility
When you make mistakes, own them! Admit when you are wrong and aim to learn from this. Your colleagues and superiors will respect you for this and will appreciate your positive attitude. Accept when people offer constructive criticism and acknowledge any advice they provide.
The worst thing you can do when you make a mistake is to try to push the blame onto someone else. It will create many negative feelings amongst you and your colleagues. Plus, you won’t learn anything by doing that.
Try to keep a positive attitude in these situations. Then, you will make a good impression on others and maintain your professional demeanor.
Deep breathing
Both at work and at home, deep breathing can be a simple and effective way to maintain a positive attitude. Take a few minutes out of your day to practice deep breathing. It can help to reduce stress and clear your mind, making it easier to stay happy and calm.
Use deep breaths when faced with a challenging situation at work. This will help you to react positively and problem solve in a professional manner. This can be a good way to prevent any unnecessary blowouts in the office and maintain control in all situations.
Have goals
A great way to maintain a positive attitude is to feel that you have a purpose and something to look forward to. Take some time to consider your personal goals, both long-term and short-term. This can help you stay motivated, especially when other things in life get you down.
Embrace life
Take advantage of the opportunities that come your way and live your life to the full. Be mindful of the environment around you and keep a positive outlook every day. Try to be open to new experiences so you can keep your life interesting and exciting.
Reward yourself
If you work very hard every day, don’t forget to reward yourself. Give yourself treats to provide positive reinforcement for your efforts at work.
Go and buy that delicious donut, or treat yourself to a new outfit. Whatever makes you happy can also motivate you. Save your treat for the end of the day and look forward to it during work.
Laugh
Have fun and enjoy life! Smile and laugh as much as you can, even when you don’t feel like it.
Workplace relationships can become strained with the stress of the job, so try to bring some joy to the office. Engaging in positive interactions with your colleagues can help you keep your positive attitude at work.
Fake it
Sometimes your job or personal life can be challenging. Even in the face of adversity, try to keep a smile on your face. Maintaining a happy demeanor even when you don’t feel positive can help you retain control and create a more positive outlook.
Your emotions can easily begin to take control of your life if you don’t stop them. So fake it til you make it! Pretending you feel good can start to convince you it is true.
Why you should maintain a positive attitude at work
Health benefits
Stress can be extremely unhealthy for the body and the mind. Stressful situations result in a release of cortisone in the body, creating the fight or flight response. This is useful from time to time. But if you feel this way every day, it can have some very negative effects.
Experiencing consistent stress at work will likely result in burnout and a lack of energy and motivation.
Being able to keep a positive attitude at work, as much as possible, will keep your mind calm and your body healthy.
Be mindful of specific circumstances that create severe stress for you and try to avoid them. If they are unavoidable, try to create a management plan to keep negative feelings to a minimum.
Role modeling
Having a positive attitude at work doesn’t just benefit you, but also the rest of the team. Let your colleagues see you managing difficult situations calmly and maintaining a smile and a positive demeanor throughout the day. This will encourage others to do the same and help maintain positivity throughout the team.
Showing others this attitude will help your colleagues feel comfortable with coming to you for advice. People will feel drawn to you and will see you as an ally and role model. This is a great quality to demonstrate to your superiors.
Positivity is infectious
Just as negativity is infectious and should be avoided, positivity is also infectious and can influence a whole team. Demonstrating a positive attitude at work can create many positive attitudes around you. Be the person who everyone looks to for a mood pick-up when work is becoming stressful.
Creating a positive workplace environment can result in a huge increase in productivity and effectiveness. This can then develop into a positive cycle. People will feel happier about their work, which will contribute to team positivity.
Demonstrate leadership
Using your positive attitude as a role model for the team will help you gain crucial leadership experience. As your colleagues increase their trust in you, staff morale and effectiveness will also increase.
Management will notice these changes and see you as a role model. This could lead to new opportunities and responsibilities at work.
Increase productivity
Various studies have shown that the more positive an individual feels, the more productive they can be. With a positive attitude, employees work are found to work harder. This can result in an increase in productivity of up to 20%!
Get promoted
Management will always be on the lookout for potential in their employees. Demonstrating a positive attitude, leadership skills, and role modeling professional behavior are some key qualities they want to see.
If you can be the person that management turns to for help in challenging situations, you will be high up on their list when a promotion becomes available.
Use these tips
Start using these tips to increase your positivity at work and notice the positive changes begin to happen around you! You will feel better both mentally and physically and see huge benefits for your personal and professional life.