You’re overloaded with projects, you’ve been putting in extra hours, and you cringe every morning when your alarm goes off. Even worse, someone keeps eating your lunch from the communal fridge.
In certain situations, it can feel impossible to keep a positive attitude at work. At times, you may not be sure why you should bother. But positivity can be a powerful tool in the workplace—and it goes beyond simply painting on a pretty smile. Here’s why a positive attitude matters, and how to develop one.
Why A Positive Attitude Matters
That “think positive” attitude won’t necessarily make you any better at your job. It won’t make any concerns or struggles go away overnight. It won’t erase the larger company culture you deal with on a regular basis. So why bother?
On a general level, research shows that a positive attitude can have a tremendous effect on your life in general. From helping your physical well-being to transforming your mental health, a positive mindset can do a great deal for you.
In the workplace, having a positive attitude can help you on a social level as well. A positive mindset makes it easier to rise above and even reshape a toxic environment. Being happier can make you more productive. It can radiate confidence, which in turn can make you more likely to succeed.
In the end, attitude is everything—and a positive attitude matters.
How to Cultivate it at Work
Sure, the idea of expanding your mind and becoming more positive sounds great in theory. But how can you develop those skills naturally? There are a few key ways to develop a positive attitude in the workplace:
- Surround yourself with positive people. Connecting with others who enjoy their work and who have a positive mindset makes it much easier to do the same. And while you can’t always pick your team, you can be careful about who you spend the most time with.
- Avoid complaining. Hand in hand with the tip above, try to avoid complaining and negative speech. It’s tempting to get drawn into office drama and negativity, but negative language can tear you down and make you feel more tired than positive language.
- Be the cheerleader you want to have. Encouraging people, showing empathy, and giving respect is a great way to get it back—not to mention that being kind to others makes you happier in turn.
- Stop making assumptions. It’s easy to assume that a comment or message was meant with a negative attitude, but this isn’t always the case. Ask follow-up questions and—especially in the case of email and text messages—seek out conversations face-to-face where possible.
- Stay curious. People who strive to learn new things are often happier than those who stagnate in the same old ideas. Take on new projects, try to develop new skills, and tackle learning opportunities as they come up.
- Fake it ‘till you make it. Even if you don’t feel positive, try to radiate positivity. More often than not, the real emotion will eventually appear, just as the act of smiling itself can make us happier.
Positivity goes far beyond a smiling facade. Changing the way you approach your work environment can go a long way in improving your own outlook, your mental and physical health, and even your chances of long-term success.
If that sounds like something you’d be interested in, don’t forget that learning and personal development can also be key components of staying positive. Check out our podcast with Allison Krawiec on getting your leadership development on point to learn more!
