In a fast-paced, deadline driven-work environment, it’s easy to feel stressed out, overwhelmed and lose focus. It can be difficult to juggle responsibilities, keep clients satisfied, maintain relationships with colleagues and display a positive attitude at the same time.
This leads us to the question: how do you create positivity in the workplace?
At The Event Team, we incorporate positivity with our weekly Positivity Box. Every Monday morning, the person running our staff meeting (we rotate to keep it fresh) will close by reading aloud positivity emails that were submitted to our president throughout the week. These notes are directed to either individuals or the entire office, and may include recognition for a job well done, appreciation for assistance on a project, apologies for a short temper, or encouragement going into a busy week. It is amazing how five minutes every Monday can improve motivation and morale throughout the week.
If the Positivity Box is too “kumbaya” for you, here are five other tips you can use to create a positive work environment:
Make a Top Ten List: Write down 10 things you like about your job and post them somewhere in your workspace. Whenever you feel frustration or negativity looming, take a glance at that bad boy and remind yourself why the obstacles you face at the moment pale in comparison.
Switch Strategies: Whether you’re trying to get a client to sign a contract or a coworker to fork over an expense sheet, sometimes you may feel like you’re beating your head against a wall, which may result in a serious hissy fit. Think outside the box and approach the situation from a new angle. Try replacing the phrase “I need” with the phrase “I would appreciate it if…” Note: You must also switch the tone of your voice or else you will just sound sarcastic.
Clear the Clutter: Feeling out of control is one of the fastest ways you can snap. This is an easy fix. Devote 5-10 minutes at the end of every work week to tidying up your work space. Get rid of those coffee-stained sticky notes from 7 months ago. Throw away those chachkies that are forming a small army on your desk. How many calendars do you actually need? Don’t forget to clean up your online workspace too. Organize your Outlook inbox into clearly marked sub-folders and unsubscribe from any online newsletters you no longer find useful. These steps will help “defragment” your brain and keep you from feeling frazzled.
Must Have Music: Depending on the nature of your work, you may need to clear this one with the boss. Music has been proven time and time again to affect mood and productivity. What sounds do you hear at work, and how do they affect your overall attitude? Do you want to scream every time the guy in the office next door spends an hour checking his voicemail on speakerphone? Or is there something about the incessant drone of office machinery that makes you irritable? If it is allowed in your office, try listening to music. Plug a pair of ear buds into your computer or smart phone and pick a genre of music that matches the attitude you’d like to have. (Just use one of the ear buds if you still need to hear the phone ring, etc.) We recommend creating a Sade station on Pandora. Pretty sure it’s impossible to throw a temper tantrum while listening to Sade.
Be Good for Goodness Sake: At the end of the day, it all boils down to the golden rule. Respect everyone that you come into contact with as an equal, and never assume that your time is more valuable than theirs. Keep a handful of thank-you cards tucked away in your desk and find reasons to use them on a regular basis. If you think someone’s new haircut looks great, let them know. Don’t hold grudges. Accept the fact that no one is perfect, including yourself. If you make a mistake, own it, apologize and move forward. Do favors for others and expect nothing in return but the good feeling it gives you.
So go ahead. Try it out! You’ll love it. We’re positive.
Feel free to share other ideas of maintaining a positive work environment below!
