Lived Experience Forum

[NikNik]

However much we enjoy our job, there are times when it can become a bit of a chore. And if you don’t really want to be there at all – apart from the pay check – it can be harder still.

So how do you maintain a positive attitude? Not only appear to, but feel genuinely positive about being there and succeeding at work? Do you search for big ticket wins? Or just look for positives in the small things and hope it has a flow on effect? Different strategies will work for different people – what’s yours?

We’d love to hear, and so would other members of the Forum. 

So join us for tomorrow’s weekly Career Chat forum with @Renstar from Ostara as we discuss maintaining a positive attitude at work from 10am-4pm AEST.

Can't make the session? Leave a question below to be answered during the session.

Hit the 'Like' button below to get an email reminder about the session.

[Renstar]

Thank you for that introduction @NikNik and good morning and welcome to today's forum 😊😊

Today's topic is maintaining a positive attitude at work, a very interesting topic I think.

The truth is sometimes it's not easy especially, when you have been doing that particular job for a long time or when there are influences out of your control that are affecting the way you also feel at work.

It can be especially hard for those of us with mental health issues because unless we are staying positive outside of work it's hard to then be positive within our work environment ...these can be special challenges.

Later I'll be sharing more tips and ideas... for example do we focus on the small things and exercise gratitude or is it equally valuable to aim high for bigger payoffs ...?

That's for later ...

In the meantime, I would love to hear from you if you have your own strategies for staying positive at work and also from those who find that it's hard for you to stay positive at work due to certain barriers ...

[Renstar]

Well i've been thinking about it and here are some things that I do to maintain a positive outlook at work ...

• I set up my work area just the way I like it - fave cup, pics and a few little things that make me feel this is my workspace. I know some don't have this luxury, but I think it's important to have a space that's your own - even if it's a locker or shelf space.
  
  
• I focus on the here and now MOSTLY haha, sometimes I let other things creep in like thoughts about things that aren't going so well, but mainly I find if I focus on the here and now (like typing this forum post) in a thoughtful way then the day just wizzes by!
  
  
• There are great people in my office and we chat sometimes, maybe even sit down to lunch but mainly just share a smile and maybe a little good humour and that helps me stay positive
  
  
• I'm a counsellor and my client's stories can be distressing :staying positive for me is fundamental if I'm going to remain in good mental health ... so to achieve this I actually do A LOT of stuff outside the work environment to stay positive in the work environment ...!
• For example I ..
  • meditate
  • go on long walks
  • read/watch only fun movies/tv/books
  • journal and do self-reflection
  • my hobby is arty stuff so I do a bit of that too

Research shows that staying positive at work includes maintaing your motivation at work as well, how do we do this?  That's coming up next.

How do you stay positive and motivated at work?:cathappy

[Former-Member]

I like to have a list of things that I want to do or achieve over the term behind my desk and cross them off as I go ... That way when it feels like I'm not being productive or successful with something I can at least see I've done something... I also try to write an achievement for the week that's stood out on Friday afternoon in my planner so that I can look back over the weeks and remember some positive things (ie a child just achieved a reading level or just a lesson that was really successful etc)
Lj

[Renstar]

Hi @Former-Member great to hear from you!

 Thanks for sharing ...

Yes absolutely a set of goals to mark off is excellent and having them right in from of you is perfect (for those that have a desk space otherwise try having a journal in your bag that contains your goals!)

It's also a favourite thing of mine - I love lists to cross off - just so satisfying to whittle the list down!

And of course the list serves as a marker for remembering the good things that have happened ... 

Which leads me to the importance of being grateful for the little things as a way to stay positive ... a child achieving a new reading level is actually a huge achievement ... and when you look back you can feel great .. there are also small things like ...

Yesterday I found the perfect carpark !!!

Starting a gratitude list is therefore like a 'goals list' except in reverse - instead of setting out to achieve something we can feel positive about the things that we looked for that went well in our day to day activities ... 

Any one else like gratitude lists to stay positive?

[2or3thingsIknow]

Such great suggestions, @Former-Member and @Renstar! I love the idea of using checklists to remind me of progress on some of the bigger tasks, and also of the 'reverse' goal list - the gratitude list. I am going to start doing both of these TODAY!

I also work in a helping profession and find that doing something to help those less fortunate is a really great way for me to check in with my own graitude and also to feel good for making a difference in someone else's day. Through my workI recently learned of a community organisation that supports new parents with access to babygoods. Given I work with many colleagues who have young children, I thought I would start a drive to have colleagues bring their unwanted baby items into the office and I would deliver them to the organisation. Does any one else find helping others useful in helping to maintain a positive outlook at work?

[Renstar]

Hi @2or3thingsIknow, thanks for sharing and good for you for staring a gratitude list ... I personally love them.

Your comment about helping others is so true and one of the great things about helping others is that it fills you up! It gives you a sense of gratitude as well as one of joy and happiness.

In a recent workshop with women out of work, one lady told of the volunteering she has been doing and how much it has helped her to stay positive whilst she was looking for work. Definite benefits!

Also, your idea of delivering donated babygoods sounds tremendous and there should actually be babygoods donation centres everywhere! ... you may be onto something @2or3thingsIknow 

[Renstar]

Okay ... as promised here are the expert’s tips for staying positive at work:

1. Choose a great role model, whether in the workplace or out of it. How do they stay positive? What tips can you pick up from them? Begin to tailor and put them into practice in your own life.
   
   
2. Get a work buddy who would also like to stay positive and motivated at work – it helps when that person is on the same wave length as you are and you can keep each other motivated and positive, you’ll lift each other when the motivation goes down and share ideas for staying positive.
   
   
3. @Former-Member mentioned setting goals and the experts think this is a great idea too. Remember to make them realistic and achievable, use your role model to guide you and your motivational buddy to help you to achieve them.
   
   
4. Use humor, I must say I’m a huge fan of humor! I love it, and physiologically it’s producing all those great endorphins in your body ... can't beat a natural high ... I know something else that produces those good hormones ... physical activity of course.
   
   
5. Keep a log or a journal. It’s great to look back and see how you’ve grown/changed/achieved your goals. Also good to get into a reflective practice if you work with others, just to keep and eye on how you're travelling.
   
   
6. Individualise your approach – horses for courses folks – just because your workmate gets involved in every social event and you don’t – don’t worry that you’re not ‘out there’ enough ... know yourself and accept that the best approach for you to stay positive is YOUR approach, one that’s tailored to YOU.
   
   
7. Get active Why? As we said, activity stimulates your body to produce endorphins and these help you to feel good and are naturally occurring in your body, they will support your ‘stay positive’ efforts.
   
   
8. Have a mantra or something you like to read daily ... for example I have a little note that is set as a reminder on my phone, it goes off every morning “I lovingly accept my past and choose to fill my life with joy” ... create one for yourself and when you’re feeling vulnerable or in need of a lift, it’s right there.
   
   
9. Reward yourself. Do you do this enough? Set up goals at work and maintain your positive outlook through celebrating your successes – these don’t have to be promotions (but they can be) - they can be small to mediuam type goals which you can reward yourself for when completed. 
   
   
10. When frustrated take inventory. Yes, take stock; write a gratitude list, write a list of achievements, talk to your motivation buddy, createa a file or box of things that remind you just how good things are for you or just how awesome you really are, think of your role model... stay focussed on the here and now.
    
    
11. Watch your thoughts ... if you’re not feeling positive why not? What are you thoughts are you thinking? TBy reflecting on what you tell yourself you get to the bottom of why you feel negative, your thoughts are very powerful ... watch them.

[Renstar]

Hey I like these tips as well ... they're related to motivation ...

1. Find out what motivates you personally, it might be the big ticket items like promotions or it might be small things like finishing a couple of things on your to do list. Know what motivates you - if you understand yourself better you will stay motivated you will remain positive.
   
   
2. Speaking of to do lists ... when you set goals make them long, medium and short term. By doing this you can keep track of long term goals (reflecting on their relevance and validity), aim for the medium term goals to be achieved (keep your motivation buddy on hand for this) and complete your short term goals daily or fairly quickly ... then celebrate!
   Each level of goal and its hopeful completion (or completing changing in favour of another alternative goal!) will give you plenty of reason to celebrate and therefore ... stay positive!
   
   
3. Don't be put off by set-backs: Just because you didn't achieve what you set out to achieve, just because today is a bad day ... don't let yourself get down. Maintain all those things you put into place to stay positive in the first place: goals, motivational buddy, role model, good thoughts, gratitude list, exercise, laughter ... tailor this list to suit YOU.

[Renstar]

As we wrap up today's session I just want to express my thanks to @Former-Member and @2or3thingsIknow for sharing on our 'How to stay positive at work' forum.

I hope you were able to get something from the many tips and strategies that were shared today.

Also remember to tell your friends and colleagues about this great platform for sharing and learning!

Thanks also to @NikNik together we look forward to seeing you again on the Ostara CareerChat forum, same time, same place next week.

Have a lovely weekend friends 😊😊