16 Ways To Stay

Positive at Work

Having a positive attitude in the workplace isn’t about ignoring the bad and hiding
what you really think behind a smile. Instead, it’s about choosing to focus on the
good while recognizing the negative aspects of a situation and working to find
solutions when something bad happens. To create and keep the kind of positive
mindset that can help you overcome occasional low points in your workweek, here
are 16 ideas for staying positive at work:

1. Develop a solid morning routine.

Start every day with habits that put you in a good mood like making
your bed or meditating for 10 minutes. As tempting as it is, try to
avoid stressors like checking your phone the moment you wake up.

2. Practice gratitude.

Make a point of expressing thanks to another person each day, or

find other ways to acknowledge the good things around you. You
can increase your long-term well-being by more than 10 percent
simply by keeping a daily gratitude journal.

3. Live healthily.

Health and positivity are related, so the more you take care of your
body, the better you’ll feel mentally. Come to work well-rested,
bring a healthy lunch, and take small walks throughout the workday.

4. Celebrate often.

Find ways to recognize the contributions of your coworkers. A

simple “thank you” is the preferred form of reward for 25 percent of
employees.

5. Keep learning.

Whether it be a new job skill or a personal interest, keep learning.

Positivity comes from appreciating all the world has to offer.

6. Take breaks.

Don’t let yourself reach the point of burnout! Take small breaks
every workday, and take time off regularly so you can really
recharge. Even just thinking about watching your favorite movie or
taking a trip can boost your endorphin levels.

7. Maintain balance.

Never overlook the importance of a solid work-life balance. Happy

and healthy relationships outside of work will pay dividends in your
workday attitude. Consider the alternative: working more than 40
hours a week is tied to higher rates of depression and anxiety, and a
workweek that’s 55 hours or more increases risk for heart disease
and stroke.

8. Make your coworkers your friends.

As you practice generosity and kindness to your coworkers, they’re

more likely to return the favor. Find shared interests beyond work,
and practice kindness to everyone you interact with.

9. Avoid negative people.

Be careful not to spend too much time around those who are
disgruntled or gossipy. Their attitudes may start to rub off on you,
steering you into a dead end of negativity.

10. Decorate your workspace.

Make your workspace your own. Whether that means family photos
or Star Wars paraphernalia, you should surround yourself with the
things that remind you to be happy and positive. Place a plant on
your desk to squash negative feelings by up to 60 percent.

11. Reframe negative thoughts and emotions.

This has a lot to do with changing your perspective. If you come to

work and think, “I have so many things on my to-do list,” you’re
more likely to feel overwhelmed and exhausted than if you were to
come to work and say, “I have a lot of opportunities to prove
myself.”

12. Set realistic goals.

If you’re setting achievable goals regularly, you’ll constantly feel

accomplished. Follow the SMART goals model so you can get into a
steady flow of satisfying work and consistent achievement.

13. Focus on your strengths.

Instead of dwelling on your shortcomings, identify your strongest

areas. Lean on your strengths as a way to make small improvements
in a few key areas. Remember, world-class athletes master the
fundamentals of their sport first and rely on those foundational
skills when tweaking their swim strokes, tennis serves, or triple
axels.

14. Be creative.

Even if you’re not in a traditionally creative career, you can still find
ways to be creative in your work, processes, and problem-solving.
Being creative brings personal satisfaction, and if you come up with
something that will improve your company, everyone is better off.

15. Find the positive.

One of our values here at BambooHR is “Assume the Best,”

meaning we try to assume that our coworkers are working to create
the best outcome for the company—not being petty, political, or
self-centered. You’ll be surprised how much good there is in every
situation.

16. Assume the posture of happiness.

You can’t force happy emotions on yourself, but you can try to coax
them to appear. Research shows that putting on a smile,
straightening your posture, and taking deeper breaths can invite
happiness and calm. Replicate the outward appearance of a happy
person, and hopefully, those feelings will show up in you.

BambooHR is the only HR software designed to help small and medium businesses create amazing workplaces. Our software
makes it easy for HR to collect, maintain, and study employee data, and it helps improve the way they hire talent, onboard new
employees, manage compensation, and develop company culture. We want to set organizations free to focus on what matters
most: their people. To find out more, visit bamboohr.com or follow @bamboohr on social media.

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