Ways To Keep Positive During Work (In These Trying Times)

We've all been there. You are excited about your productive workday. We get up, freshen up, maybe even some meditation, and BOOM! “It” happens. Whether it's the traffic on the way to the office or dropping your toast on its avocado-caked side, the day can start badly.

While it's easy to fall into a "meh" attitude based on one little experience, it can be just as easy to refocus your mind and see the positive experiences in your day.

While having a positive attitude doesn't always do the trick, it is a handy tool for making the best of your day and, more importantly - moving forward!

Below are just a couple of ways that you can fight off the "Monday's" even though it could be a Thursday:

Self Care. Every. Day.

Today's millennial/gen z world is full of ways to establish self-care routines. From bubble baths to tattoos, find something that says, "I am treating myself." No matter what it is, it would be best if you got into the habit of self-caring every day. Enjoying these blips of rest, you can enable a positive outlook when you're crushing the 40+ hours during the week.

Take a Break

As someone who actively ignores this advice, I feel a tad hypocritical but it is essential. For those of you like myself, working 8-10 hours straight isn't uncommon for the day-to-day. A break doesn't need to be a long one. It can be as short as 10 minutes. Give yourself time to recharge your batteries, breath, and you'll be sure to finish the day out strong.

Music

Whether you use the sweet melodies of break-up songs, heart in an anthem, or smooth jazz ensembles, listen to as much music as you can. If you find that words distract you, there are plenty of classical, lo-fi, and lyric absent covers that will allow you to feel your favorite bops but still stay laser-focused in your work life.

Laugh - Make jokes out of the small things.

Laughter is a powerful "drug." It increases endorphins, relieves stress, and releases tension. Long-term laughter is said to improve your lifespan. By making memes and cracking more jokes, you can create humor out of the tense environments at work (or home).

Learn the power of "Maybe."

The power of "maybe" is best illustrated in an old Chinese Proverb. When I heard this story, it opened the world for me:

A farmer and his son had a beloved horse who helped the family earn a living. One day, the horse ran away, and their neighbors exclaimed, "Your horse ran away, what terrible luck!" The farmer replied, "Maybe so, maybe not." A few days later, the horse returned home, leading a few wild horses back to the farm as well. The neighbors shouted out, "Your horse has returned, and brought several horses home with him. What great luck!" The farmer replied, "Maybe so, maybe not." Later that week, the farmer's son was trying to break one of the horses, and she threw him to the ground, breaking his leg. The neighbors cried, "Your son broke his leg, what terrible luck!" The farmer replied, "Maybe so, maybe not." A few weeks later, soldiers from the national army marched through town, recruiting all boys for the military. They did not take the farmer's son because he had a broken leg. The neighbors shouted, "Your boy is spared, what tremendous luck!" To which the farmer replied, "Maybe so, maybe not. We'll see."

The perspective of "maybe" frees you from being your own worst enemy in the ever-changing work world. Even though it may seem like a "mistake" right now… maybe it isn't.

Laugh. Feel. Take care of yourself. With all of this in mind, I'm sure we can wade through the craziness of working in the '20s.

"This is the real secret of life -- to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play."
-Alan Watts