Brightening Up Your Mood In Your Workplace
Now that you’ve had a chance to settle into the new year and the excitement of the holidays has worn off, we know you might be experiencing a bit of a slump–especially during these colder, darker winter days. But keep in mind that the solstice has passed, and each day moving forward will only be getting brighter! Let that brightness inspire a holistic sense of positivity, allowing you to increase your energy both physically and mentally. After all, you’ll be showing up for your workplace community as your full self each day. Let your unique professional strengths shine. The suggestions from the pros that we’re highlighting below will help boost your mood and brighten up any professional environment.
We love this quick, easy, and free method for mood boosting from Kenya McCullum at Learn to Become: “Drink water. People who are suffering from anxiety and depression often neglect basic self-care activities, including drinking water. Staying hydrated at work can go a long way toward helping people concentrate and stay centered, which may reduce the effects of stressors in the office.” We’re mentioning this suggestion because we need to remind ourselves, too! If you’re reading this, pause what you’re doing and take a sip of water. Also consider other activities you may have allowed to fall by the wayside: for instance, have you eaten yet today? And if you HAVE eaten, was it just a sugary snack or something with more nutrients? Staying properly hydrated and fueled will help boost your mood. If you’re struggling to attend to these tasks, don’t feel ashamed–given the time of year and the current unprecedented circumstances, we know you might be struggling with mental health. And if you’re experiencing that, these small tasks can seem like huge obstacles. Our job is to serve as your cheerleaders, to offer you friendly reminders and insights. And today, as your cheerleaders, we’d like to remind you that you have the strength to drink some water. Please do so!
The pros at Beyond Blue also offer up a tip to help you exert a bit of agency amidst our current, chaotic circumstances: “Set boundaries for ‘me time’. Put some time in your planner to recharge and not think about work. Turn your phone or emails off during that time to allow yourself to have a proper break and pursue something that will help you unwind. This should be a daily thing – whether it’s time for family, friends, exercise or watching TV.” Just like making a to do list, setting up a schedule will also allow you to break down nebulous entities into manageable, concrete increments. Setting a reminder on your phone to take time for yourself can also help provide you with an extra push to actually engage in an activity that brings you joy. Even though you’ll be using your phone for this task, be careful to not get sucked into “doomscrolling.” You’ll be okay even if you don’t catch each breaking news development right as it happens. And don’t worry about feeling indulgent. You may not feel like you’re allowed to have fun. But you are! So, please don’t punish yourself. Instead, let yourself do something you love. Doing so will provide you with an extra boost to help you keep going, within your workplace or beyond.
If you’ve made it this far, stop what you’re doing and take another drink of water. Now, welcome back! Throughout difficult periods (and we know that now is an especially difficult period in time) it can be easy to forget to prioritize your needs. Making sure you’re hydrated and fed is the first step in pulling yourself out of a bad mood. Once you’ve met those basic needs, make sure you’re also taking time to unwind, to rest and recharge, and to put some mental distance between you and whatever it is that is upsetting you. It’s more than okay to turn off the news for a bit, and to instead put on a fun TV program or dance music. Leaning into what brings you cheer will help keep you going, allowing you to show off your professional strengths in any professional environment all throughout January 2021 and beyond. Join us again tomorrow for a midweek boost with our Wednesday Wellness: Happy edition!
Image retrieved from Pixabay under the public domain.
This posting is brought to you by Contemporaries Inc., one of the best temp agencies in Boston MA. Also available for payrolling employees in Boston and Greater Boston
Recent Posts
Navigating Change In Your Workplace
Welcome back! While the imminent return to your typical workplace patterns will be a source of familiarity, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that there have been several changes to the world we live in. For this week, as June kicks off, we’ll be focusing our posts...
Feel Good Friday: Return
Happy Friday! Think of “return” not just as turning back but a way to move forward--another “turn” in the game of life and thus another opportunity to forge new paths as you proceed. Take all of the experiences you’ve had during these uncertain times and use them to...
What To Do When Planning to Go Back
With the summer in sight, your return to your workplace is likely approaching. This may feel like an abrupt shift, especially after you’ve established new routines that have helped you succeed while working remotely--which is why today we’re focusing on what you can...
Wednesday Wellness: Return
As we move closer to summer, let the return of this sunny season inspire your return to work. Find joy in returning to your regular workplace rhythms while applying the new lessons you’ve learned in adapting to the unprecedented circumstances you’ve experienced. It’s...
Making Your Return to Work Easy
We know that if you’ve been working remotely, or if you’ve been unemployed during these uncertain times, the prospect of returning to an in-person professional environment might seem overwhelming. But don’t panic! We’ve got ways to help you ease into that transition....
Monday Mood Booster: Return
Welcome back! While it’s important to live in the present and be mindful in completing your work, it’s also necessary to think about the future. There will come a time when you’ll need to get back into the normal swing of things; take a moment now to start...
To the Class of 2021: Congratulations and Welcome!
You’ve spent the last several years working hard on your education, taking steps towards your degree, and finally earning the title of “Graduate.” Congratulations! What you’ve just done is a huge accomplishment. You should be enormously proud of yourself and all of...
Monday Mood Booster: Guidance
Welcome back! We hope you had a wonderful weekend with plenty of chances to connect with those in your life to whom you turn for guidance. This week, we’ll be focusing on just that: guidance. A helping hand can come from both sources familiar and those you might not...
Resilient In The Workplace And Beyond
Today’s examination of ways to expand on your resiliency takes a holistic approach, considering ways both in and out of the workplace to create a more resilient you. You don’t have to tackle that task alone--and shouldn’t be! Know that within your workplace, you have...
Wednesday Wellness: Resilience
As you practice building up your workplace resilience using the skills we’ve shared, remember that your knowledge and capabilities are growing with every step along the way. While these unprecedented circumstances may feel overwhelming, each and every day you’re...
Monday Mood Booster: Resilience
Welcome back! As we kick off the first full week of May, we’ll be focusing on resilience. Just as flowers survive the cold of winter to bloom again each spring, you have the strength to pull through even the most difficult of times. Let these warmer days reinvigorate...
Feel Good Friday: Community
Congratulations--you’ve successfully made it to the end of another week! And we know that even if it doesn’t feel like it, each day you’ve made a difference in your communities. All of the contributions big and small that you make in your workplace add up to important...
Creating Workplace Community Virtually
Amidst this week’s focus on community, we know that it can feel isolating to work from home, with your teammates located far from you. Today we’re looking at ways to establish a sense of connection with your colleagues and employers while completing your work...
Wednesday Wellness: Community
Welcome back to Wednesday Wellness! Whether already you realize it or not, you are a powerful force for change within your communities. Your presence impacts the lives of others. Though simply being there may not feel like doing much, remember that being an active...