Achieving Workplace Comfort For Yourself And Others

Today we’re considering being cozy in your workplace in terms of not just adjusting and settling in but as maintaining a safe, comfortable environment for both yourself and others. Establishing appropriate professional boundaries is a key step in that process. This will allow you to leave your personal problems at the door, which will help to boost your mood. It will also enable you to create stronger relationships with your employers and colleagues, cutting down on potential workday distractions. Working harmoniously produces the best output. In order to let your professional strengths shine the brightest in concert with those of your bosses and co-workers, check out what the pros below have to say about ways to make your workplace comfortable for everyone.

Beverly West at Monster offers up this great method for establishing workplace baselines: “Keep Personal Problems Personal. When you’re preoccupied with personal issues, it’s difficult to concentrate or be happy at work, says Alison Rhodes, a founding partner of The Balance Team. By all means, make sure you have your kids covered in the event of an emergency, but realize that nobody’s personal life is ever going to be completely problem-free. Just as you need to let go of work to enjoy your time at home, it’s important to leave personal worries at home so you can focus and be productive at work.” While we know that you’re only human, and that everyone encounters difficulties, make sure that you’re not divulging too much personal information while on the clock. Especially as your colleagues will need to focus on attending to their own work in addition to maintaining communications with you. And especially during these unprecedented times, your colleagues simply may not have the capacity to provide you with the amount or type of support that you need, as much as they may wish to assist you. Out of respect for your time, as well as that of your workplace community, make sure that you are maintaining strong boundaries while at work, keeping your personal problems personal to the best of your ability so that you can focus on the professional matters at hand. 

Speaking of focusing on professional matters, we love this suggestion from Angela Copeland at LiveCareer: “Be Good at What You Do. Your interactions with other people in your office become much smoother when you have a reputation for being good at your job. When people know that they can rely on you to get things done and make them look good, then they tend to value your presence in the office. But remember that being good isn’t just about one thing. In part, it’s about producing high-quality work. However, it’s also about being on time and respectful of the time of others. And when it comes to your work, take credit for your piece and give credit for the pieces other people have helped you with. This is a great strategy for how to get along with coworkers.” Take time to focus on yourself, to think about your own unique workplace strengths and how you might further develop them. Striving to reach the goals you’ve set will provide you with an extra impetus to do your best. And when you’re noticeably good at what you do, others will know that they can depend on you, which will amplify your leadership qualities. As part of this process, make sure you’re acknowledging that every step you take is in sync with the goals of the larger organization beyond you. Acknowledge both your own successes, and the accomplishments of your teammates, as well as making sure that you’re not missing basic steps like meeting deadlines as you tackle workplace tasks.

Instead of thinking of the steps involved with creating a comfortable workplace as stifling yourself, consider practicing these tips as a way to improve both your professional boundaries and your career skill set. If you do need to bring up a personal matter at work, make sure you are first checking in with your colleagues to see if they will be able support you—what you view as a bonding experience might be distracting or even upsetting to them. Now more than ever is a time to not lose focus. Placing your energy into your professional endeavors will allow you to connect with your co-workers in a way that benefits everyone, which is a surefire method for creating a comfortable workplace environment for both yourself and others. Improving your skills will also make difficult days times easier, as you won’t have to worry about making errors while also navigating any situations clouding your day. For sayings to help keep you in a great, collaborative mindset, visit us again tomorrow for our latest Wednesday Wellness: Cozy edition.

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