Ways to Beat the Blues at Work

We often hear the saying that if you love what you do, you will never have to work a day in your life. While that’s good for those people who feel that way, how do the rest of us mortals survive and thrive at work? While productivity is the name of the game, mental health can seriously deteriorate with today’s hustle culture. Statistics reveal that over 75% of employees experience burnout in their professional careers. Here are some tips which can help boost your happiness at work:

Flexible Work Schedule

The pandemic changed how we view life. It changed the way employees think about going to work. It challenged the notion that work can only be done from the office and showed that your home can be your workplace.

Companies that are more flexible about allowing employees who want to work from home the opportunity to do so will have less trouble retaining their employees. Some companies even allow their workers to have free time so they can cultivate a happier workplace. In cases where the employees are remote, this can mean encouraging them to turn off their computers at the end of the workday or to not look at e-mail again until the next morning. For others, it could mean being creative about hybrid or in-office schedules and breaks, depending on the employee’s preferences and family obligations. Offering flexibility is key to creating a happy workforce.

Communication is Critical

The feeling you get when you fail to keep commitments is not a happy one. In fact, it is one of the most important causes of work stress and unhappiness. In many instances, you spend more time finding excuses for failing to keep a commitment and worrying about the consequences than you do completing the work. Create a method for tracking your commitments and managing your schedule to reduce stress and unhappiness at work. Stay organized enough that you can decide quickly and accurately whether you can accept a new assignment or commitment or not. If you’re busy, do not volunteer for extra projects or office duties. Ask your co-workers if anyone else is feeling the same way, and then talk to your boss about how the company can provide the extra time, help, or resources that employees require.

Say No to Procrastination

Procrastination is one of the silent killers of productivity. If you dread a task, you tend to put it off and this can cause a lot of stress and anxiety. In the long run, this can affect your mental health. Some other rules like, the 5-minute-rule can help you if you struggle with procrastination. The rule says to dedicatedly work on a task for 5 minutes without any distractions. After 5 minutes, see how you feel. If you feel like you can carry out the task, do so. If it is too hard, you can try again later. The magic of the 5-minute rule is that usually people end up finishing the task because they feel like it is not as bad as it seems.

Reward Yourself Because you Deserve it

Finishing a task is hard work and you deserve appreciation. In fact, rewards or even appreciation can go a long way in feeling happy at work. If you don’t like the tasks on your to-do list, consider encouraging yourself with small bribes. Rewarding yourself with small incentives can help you complete the task along with feeling good about it. Thereby, enhancing productivity along with your mental health. You could even set up a rewards jar to keep yourself motivated.

Turn that Frown Upside Down

Fake it till you make it might not apply everywhere, but it definitely applies to the act of smiling. Smiling has shown to make you feel good. Research has proven that smiling, whether it comes naturally or is forced, makes your brain perceive the physical reaction as positive, and then it will recognize whatever activity you’re doing as enjoyable. Smiling is also contagious, so smile with all your 32 teeth and watch those around you do the same.

Practice Gratitude

We all have our bad days. While practicing gratitude on a daily basis can make you feel happy. It is especially important when you have a bad day. We tend to forget the good things when something negative happens. Consider your blessings and make a list of three things that have shown you positive social, psychological, emotional, and even physical benefits. Think about even the smallest things that happened in your day and be grateful for that.

Take a Walk

Sometimes moving around a little or taking a walk is all that is needed to make you feel better. Walking is not only good for your physical health, but works wonders for your mental health as well. You can take your co-worker with you for a walk and indulge in some good conversation.

Eat your Foods that Lift Spirits

What you eat can also regulate your mood. There are certain foods that are proven to improve your mood. Indulging in some avocados, bananas, beans, and lentils which contain Vitamin B can help lift spirits by synthesizing the feel-good hormone, serotonin. Even goods like dark chocolate and berries can lift your spirits. Pack these foods as a little middle day treat and watch your blues go away (1^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Mood state effects of chocolate

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Drink Enough Water

It is so annoying to think that water fixes everything, but this might actually be true. Studies have correlated lower anxiety and depression with people who drink more water compared to those who don’t. It has also been linked to a better mood. When researchers increased the participants’ water intake, people in the study felt more happiness, no matter how much water they normally drank. Stay hydrated and be happy (2^✔ ✔Trusted Source
Drinking plain water is associated with decreased risk of depression and anxiety in adults: Results from a large cross-sectional study

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