A lot of people just go to work to earn money and do not worry about creating a positive environment and over time, people start to become very unhappy. Fortunately, motivational speaker Joel Zeff has tips that can help us learn how to stay happy at work.
It’s hard to have fun at work during stressful times. Your stress builds after each media report about the recession. You start hearing whispers of a merger, layoff or the all encompassing “restructuring.” Your manager does not listen. Your customers don’t listen. The guy that sells sandwiches in the lobby does not listen. Maybe it is just easier to be cranky.
We are all facing challenges. Today, the economy is our main concern. Tomorrow, there will be other obstacles. How do we continue to motivate and energize our employees during difficult times?
1. Take a break. Again, a simple idea but something that has very real results. Ever try and assemble something from the store? Ever get frustrated? Ever throw the directions across the room in frustration? Stop, take a break, and then reassess. Just a few moments away will give you the energy to move forward. Your employees need a break just like you. Take a minute out of the day and recognize a manager or employee for having fun and creating spirit. Give them a funny spirit trophy. As a surprise, take five minutes and have everyone walk around the building. Even a break that lasts only a minute will refresh our minds and give us the energy and motivation to take on the next task.
2. Think about what makes a great day at work. The next time you have fun at work, take a moment to reflect. Write down what happened that made the day so great. What did you do? What did you say? You now have your “great day” list. You know what you need. Work toward it. Fun is different for everyone.
3. If you really want to reduce your stress, make a list of everything that caused you stress and frustration in the last week. Take a really hard look at what you wrote. You will giggle. Why? Because most of the things on that list don’t matter. Sure, there are some very important items on the list. Most of the items, though, we will forget about in a short time. Why do we forget? Because they really were not that important. When you are in the middle of a stressful and frustrating situation, take a moment and ask, “Am I going to giggle about this in a week?”
Remember the kid in your high school algebra class who got really excited when he solved a complex math problem? That is fun for him. For me, math is the equivalent of jury duty, going to the dentist, and cleaning the garage all in the same day. Take a few moments each day, gather your team, and ask your employees to share something on their “fun” list. Not only will the group enjoy the experience, but will gain appreciation for each other.
When you’re preoccupied with personal issues, it’s difficult to concentrate or be happy at work. There are also times when we get so caught up with
work that we become transformed by it.
Staying happy at work can sound impossible during these hard times, but Joel Zeff makes it easy. Contact Joel Zeff today to learn more about how you can stay
happy at work.
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