Life is full of ups and downs and these cannot help but have some effect on our work life. But, we need to remember that we are being paid to work and it is necessary to be able to give our employer and those we serve our very best, and not any less. What can we do to help overcome adversity when the tough days are out in full force? Here are three antidotes that are sure to help you get through, if you apply them. They won’t change the path, but make it much smoother for you to travel down.
1. Change your focus. When we are faced with trouble times, like sick children, financial issues, personal life struggles or just having a bad day, we tend to keep our focus on us and our trouble. Now if you think about it, how is anything going to seem better when we are looking inward at the issues that are causing the struggle. The more you focus on your problems the worse they will look to you and become overwhelming. While you are at work look outward, think about what you do and how it effects those you work for, those you work with and customers you serve. Ask yourself “what can I do to make their day, their experience, a better one?” Focusing outward usually has a positive effect on you and you begin to lift yourself up from the issues that are weighing you down.
2. Practice what psychologist call “reframing” you know “is the cup half empty or half full?” Are you an optimist or a pessimist? When the situation does not go like you planned, for instance, you were planning on taking the kids to the park to play, but it started to rain, do you get upset and say “the rain has ruined our play day, now we cannot go play?” Or do you look at the situation and say “well we have rain let’s see what fun we can have making a tent in the house, or baking cookies, etc.” Reframe the negative by finding something positive to replace it, take on the challenge you will be so glad that you did.
3. Make a Happy Thought List. This is a list of things that make you happy. Take the time if not each day, several times a week to jot down big and little things that make you happy and bring a smile to your face. Maybe it is watching your kids play, or a favorite childhood memory. When you find it, write it down or put pictures of them up around you or in a binder, this way when you are down you can look at your happy thought list and be lifted up and when you are lifted up you will lift others up too.
We have the choice on how we look at situations, making the decision to do something positive when you are facing difficulty will only benefit you and those you work with. Grab a pen and begin your happy thought list and then print copies off and keep them at home, in your car and at work. Add to it daily as new happy thoughts happen.
“Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds.”~ Franklin D. Roosevelt
4-28-14
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