At EMS, we pride ourselves on respect, dignity, honesty, fairness, innovation, and improvement. Attitude is everything. So how do you maintain a positive attitude at work?

Studies have shown that being in a negative mood is actually bad for our health and can be harmful to our productivity. There are many ways to stay positive at work, even when things get hard. The key to success in this area is to realize what resources you have and what to do when you see yourself heading to a negative place. There are ways to boost your morale. A positive attitude at work can lead to many great things, including success and profitability.   

According to the Wall Street Journal, happier people miss work less often and receive more positive evaluations from bosses. So how can we help you with this? Keep reading.

Here is how you can have a better day overall… 

1. Communicate with others. Many people have an idea or a need but are too afraid to speak up and tell someone about it. If you have a concern or an idea about ways to improve your work – tell someone! Getting something off of your chest is a great way to improve your overall mood. Perhaps you just need to vent to a friend. Maybe you have someone you need to run an idea by. As long as it is done in a professional way, questions and concerns should be welcomed in the workplace. Ideas from employees are what make the workplace successful.

2. Take a break when you need it. Research says that just 5 minutes outside can boost your mood. Do you just need a short break from your work? Pay attention to yourself. Do what you think you need to do in order to stay positive and successful. Maybe it’s just a quick break to the water fountain to refresh your water bottle. Have you been skipping your lunch breaks and working through them? A short break and eating right can help you stay in a good mood. Try it and see if you can tell a difference.

3. Use your manager as a reliable resource. Use the resources you have available at your workplace. Do you have a manager that you can talk to after an angry caller? Is there a co-worker that can help you understand a problem you’ve been having? Don’t skip the resources you have. That’s why they are there. Working together as a team is a beautiful thing!

 4. Set goals and meet deadlines. Having something to strive for is a great way to feel better about your work. Make short-term goals and deadlines to help yourself stay focused and driven. Remind yourself regularly about your goals. You might also want to celebrate each achievement and important deadlines that you excel at. Remembering what you have done a great job at can help you understand why you do what you do. Consider putting a few sticky notes at your desk with reminders about these achievements. You’re doing a great job!

5. Understand yourself. Have you ever done a personality assessment? Do you know what makes you happy in your career? What energizes you? What drains you? Understanding yourself is a powerful thing. For example, knowing that you are more of a hands-on learner could be a way to have greater success in your field. Are you someone that needs to stay busy? This could be something to talk to your boss about – if you find yourself bored in your current role.

There are many ways to help you stay positive in your workplace. Do you have any secrets to your positive success? Share them with us on our Facebook page. We’d love to hear from you!