As the weather drops in Arizona, the urge to play can grow. We want to go out and enjoy the day; no one wants to be stuck indoors. As we grow a little stir crazy, maintaining a positive work attitude can be more stressful than it was before.
To help you keep your work environment positive take a look at this list of 11 simple ways to handle the day until you can play.
1. Wake up early enough to get ready without rushing. Starting your day in a rush and stressed out impacts your whole day. Starting the day relaxed will help you stay relaxed later.
2. Plan your day. When you look at what you need to accomplish in a day, you might feel a little overwhelmed. Try breaking your work down into smaller tasks. When you do this, the list won’t seem so bad, and you will feel a sense of accomplishment when you see all that you have checked off of your list.
3. Avoid people that suck up your time. The longer you talk about your co-workers cat, the less time you have for your projects, and you could fall behind. Recognizing where your time is wasted in the day and eliminating those obstacles will make for a more productive and less stressful workweek.
4. Take small breaks periodically. If you work at a desk, move your body and stretch for a minute or two. Get a drink of water or eat a healthy snack. Almonds are a great choice and offer a little energy boost.
5. Work on improving your time management and communication skills. Higher-ups love efficient and articulate employees, and that in turn makes things easier on you.
6. Don’t over commit and don’t over promise. Yes it looks good when you volunteer for extra projects, but will you look good in the end? If you pile too much on your plate you are likely to turn in less than fantastic work, and lose your cool in the process.
7. Recognize your stressors at work and set up a plan to work through them.
8. Keep your workspace organized.
9. Take care of yourself. Get enough sleep before work, according to the National Sleep Foundation, that is around 7 – 9 hours for adults ages 18 – 25. Eat healthy foods that will keep you energized throughout the day and drink plenty of water. Try to stay away from eating only high sugar snacks that spike your blood sugar, mix in a little protein for longer lasting energy.
10. Recognize that not everything is in your control and realize that sometimes you may just need to learn to “go with the flow.” Avoid being reactive in situations and keep a cool head. When you let go a little, a weight is truly lifted off of your shoulders.
11. Bring your sense of humor with you. Yes you have a job to do, but at appropriate times it is important to be able to laugh. Laughter is, after all, good for you.