I hear so many people I know always say how they wish they could be happier at work. Or even how easy it is to get stressed out while at your desk. It made me think, what do I do at work that makes me happy? I am naturally a happy person but I am human and we all have those off days. So I came up with a list of things I do now, or have done in the past, to help beat those workday blues and be happy!
1) If you have your own desk, I always try to put a picture of a loved one on it. Perhaps set it as your computer background or in a pretty frame on your desk. It is an instant way to turn a stressed frown upside down and remember that you are loved!
2) I love inspirational quotes. In fact every day before I start my work I read one inspirational quote and boy does it make a difference. On my desk I have a framed print that reads “Start each day with a grateful heart” and I always make sure to look at that in the morning. It is so important to be aware of the things we are grateful for each day and not to take anything for granted.
3) I love the smell of lilacs. The scent reminds me of my childhood home and all the happy memories I made there. At my desk, I have a scented wax bar that smell of lilacs and lavender. It is very faint (nobody wants to have a scent so strong the office next to yours can smell it!) and it sits right next to my computer. When I get real stressed out I just grab it, inhale for a few seconds and smile. Then back to work I go!
4) I like to handle all my “hard tasks” or tasks that I know will be very time consuming before lunch. Let’s face it, most of us are the most productive before 3pm. Block your time in the morning allowing enough time to finish the tasks. I even put on some music and shut my door to really focus. Also, it is helpful to do tasks you may have questions on in the first half of the day that way if your boss leaves earlier you can have them there to help clear anything up instead of having to communicate via email and it take that much longer. Plus, it is nice coming back from lunch knowing your hardest part of the day is behind you. How can you not smile at that?
5) My last tip is to block your time! I recently started to really block my time and it is so great! I come in and block off when I will do marketing calls, when I will call candidates and so on. I don’t become stressed or overwhelmed now since I have a list of what I am doing and when I am doing it. It also helps if your coworkers can see your calendar and vice versa because they will know when you are free to answer questions and when you are not. This way, you get your work done faster with minimal interruptions.
Start each day with a smile and your head up. You can do this!
