Tips to stay positive at work

“May you never forget what is worth remembering or remember what is best forgotten.”

As we head into the months of March and April, the seasons starts to change, daylight savings springs ahead, we see sunlight longer during the day, and we all start to come out of our cocoons! Times are still tough as we see businesses still looking for employees, prices for housing rising and growth in the area progressing at a rapid pace!

It’s also easy to get bogged down with the daily grind of work, but it’s important to stay positive when you’re on the clock. Even if your boss isn’t the type to pat you on the back, there are ways to keep from being bummed out every morning when your alarm goes off. If you are the boss, this may help you keep the positive vibes flowing!

I picked up these following tips that I have tried to follow to stay positive at work!

KEEP LEARNING — On-the-job education is the best way to build up your resume. Learn as much as you can from every work experience you have, from presenting during a meeting to giving a tour of your workplace to outsiders.

TEACH OTHERS WHAT YOU KNOW — You want to accompany others when they do their jobs, so offer that opportunity to your coworkers. Instead of helping them out only when they ask, offer to teach them what you know. You know the saying: “Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him how to fish and you have fed him for a lifetime.”

GIVE YOURSELF A BREAK — Trying to work nonstop means you’re wearing yourself out, and each subsequent task you do will get a little sloppier as you lose focus and motivation. Take a short break every hour or two. Step away from your desk and stretch, get some fresh air.

LEAVE WORK AT WORK — It’s important to have time to yourself, your family and your hobbies. Make a rule where you must leave your work at the office. If you don’t complete a task while you are clocked in, make it a priority for the next morning. The more you put out of your mind, the more rejuvenated you’ll feel each morning when it’s time to go back to the office.

MAKE YOUR WORKPLACE NICE — Whether you have an office, a cubicle, a classroom or a desk in the middle of a crowded room, make your workplace nice! Even something as small as bringing in your own coffee mug instead of using a Styrofoam cup can make your desk seem homier. Sitting in an environment that looks nice and makes you feel good will do wonders for your motivation!

CONCENTRATE ON ONE THING AT A TIME — You have a lot of things on your To Do list but concentrating on one thing at a time will help you be more motivated and focused. If you stay on task until it’s finished, you won’t lose time by multitasking or changing course from one topic to another.

SET ATTAINABLE GOALS — Instead of setting your sights on the moon, set attainable work goals. If you meet them, you’ll be more inspired to set more goals you can reach.

USE YOUR IMAGINATION — Don’t restrict yourself to straightforward business practices — use your imagination! Take a creative approach to your projects and presentations, and brainstorm any task you’re given to see how you can impress your bosses and co-workers!

DON’T BEAT YOURSELF UP OVER MISTAKES — If you make a mistake, whether it’s a verbal slip-up in a meeting or a typo in an email, let it go, everyone makes mistakes. Learn from it and move on. Take comfort in the fact that people won’t remember it for long and use it to push yourself to do better next time.

REWARD YOURSELF FOR YOUR ACCOMPLISHMENTS — Every time you finish a task, pat yourself on the back. When you finish a major project, treat yourself to dinner or a new movie. It’s just as important to reward yourself for your accomplishments as it is to not beat yourself up over mistakes!

SMILE MORE — Smile when you greet your coworkers and clients. Smile even when you don’t want to smile and see how much it improves your days! Smiling even if you don’t feel happy will make you feel better and seeing a smile on your face will make others feel better too!

I can’t believe we are already into month three of this year. The Hayden Chamber had our first event of the year with Sip, Sample & Savor at Liveforblu Gallery and Wine Bar on Feb. 9. Thank you, Cameron, for letting us host it at your gallery. Also, thank you to Wayne Cofield with Knudtsen Chevrolet for donating the wine and M & M Event & Party Planning for the fabulous food display! Luke Yates and Christy Lee thank you for your musical talents.

February also welcomed a new Dairy Queen to Hayden as we celebrated their grand opening and ribbon cutting. Valentine’s Day was a great time to stop by and visit with some of our seasoned members letting them know we appreciate all of you for supporting the Hayden Chamber and we hope to get out to everyone for a visit before the end of the year. February also brought us to our monthly Networking Breakfast & Connections meeting for the State of the City address with former Hayden Mayor Steve Griffitts. He gave us a warmhearted speech about the city of Hayden happenings and then with dignity and grace, said his good-byes! We will miss you and all you have done for us at the Hayden Chamber!

Please help us welcome the Idaho Army National Guard as a new member!

Marching forward, the Chamber is ready to launch into a bevy of activities and events. Keep on the lookout for our Lunch & Learns, Chamber After Hours, Networking Breakfast & Connection meetings and our upcoming 2nd Bacon, Bloody’s & Brews Festival!

“In March, the worst of the winter would be over. The snow would thaw, the rivers begin to run and the world would wake into itself again.” — Neil Gaiman

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Andrea Fulks is the president/CEO for the Hayden Chamber of Commerce.