Top 5 Ways to Stay Positive at Work

It’s all too tempting to get into the habit of watching the clock at work all day, logging out at the end of the shift, and heading home to binge watch Breaking Bad. Unfortunately, that routine will quickly lead to a decline in job productivity and overall life satisfaction.

Although you might dream of being financially free and not dependent on having a job, right now you have to earn an income and could be dealing with a work life not entirely within your control. So how can you easily cultivate a positive attitude when the circumstances at your job aren’t ideal?

Here are five scientifically proven tips for increasing a positive attitude that you can take with you to work.

Learn a New Skill on the Job

Seeking out additional training for your personal growth or choosing a new skill to master is one way to increase your day-to-day, even hourly, sense of satisfaction on the job.

A study has shown that when participants learned a new skill to merely increase competency at work it lead to a momentary increase in stress. However, when the participants received training that also allowed them to be self-governing while experiencing connectedness with others it improved their work happiness on both an hourly and daily basis.

Additionally, learning new skills keeps your mind engaged and may ultimately lead to more satisfying job opportunities.

Seek Connection With Others

Though you can’t always choose all of your job circumstances, it’s within your power to experience more satisfaction and well-being by connecting with others. Numerous studies demonstrate that people who pursue social goals experienced more life satisfaction and contentment when compared to those that only pursued individual goals.

So even if you’re used to solely focusing on your work tasks and counting the hours until the end of your shift, setting the intention to have more conversations that go beyond the usual small talk with your co-workers or clients will result in more positive feelings during the work day.

Say Thank You

It’s typical to expect employees or co-workers to follow through with their job tasks because it’s in their job description and that’s what they’re employed to do. However, science shows that when people go the extra mile to make others feel valued by giving thanks, it leads to more productivity.

Saying a simple thank you and even expressing specific appreciation for a job well done or valuable support goes a long way in making your time at work more productive and pleasant.

Take Up a Creative Hobby

Taking up a creative activity that isn’t work-related while you’re off the clock also has been proven to increase overall positivity for the day. The Journal of Positive Psychology published a study that demonstrated that people feel a more positive affect and “flourishing” following days that they spent more time engaged in creative pursuits. The results support the idea that everyday creativity leads to an overall more positive attitude.

Discovering a creatively stimulating hobby that you enjoy during your free time, especially if it involves connecting with others, will keep your mind growing and increase feelings of joy even during your work hours.

Practice Gratitude Every Day

Lastly, practicing gratitude regularly will continue to maximize your positive attitude while you’re at work. Numerous scientific studies have proven the benefits of gratitude on relationships, physical and mental health, empathy, sleep, self-esteem, and mental strength – all of which will have an enormous impact on the positive outcome of your work day.

Find anything and everything you can be grateful for about your job. It could be your colleagues, the convenient location, certain skills and talents you get to utilize, the income you receive, or even that it’s just a current means to an end. Whatever it is, acknowledge it with gratitude by saying a quiet thank you.

Implementing these five simple, scientifically proven positivity practices in your life will dramatically improve your mental outlook at work.

Homebase offers free shift scheduling, hiring, and punch clock software to local businesses.