5. Practice gratitude. Ultimately, much of what makes our day good or bad, says Webb, is our mindset. When you make a point to note the good things (however small), your brain gets into the habit ...
· First is the two-system brain. The idea there is that we’ve got a “deliberate system” in our brain that takes care of everything we do deliberately and consciously: That’s reasoning, self ...
· 4) You Will Be Overlooked. 5) You Will Bounce Back. You will be underestimated at some point in your professional life. If you haven't yet been the underdog, it's bound to happen. It doesn't ...
· (He is always hitting on the salesgirls, in a good-natured way.) Billybob ends up being fired for sexual harassment when one of the salesgirls complains. Jennifer's new boss, …
Webb: The book was really based on asking that question to hundreds and hundreds of people over the years. I used to ask them, “What’s a good day for you? What’s a bad day for you? And what would it take to get more good days?” So I feel pretty confident in giving a kind of general answer that everyone’s different.
Author Caroline Webb’s new book, "How to Have a Good Day," dives into the latest behavioral science research on a question we all want answered: What can we do to be happier at work – and elsewhere ?
It turns out there’s something about the discovery-defense modes that gets triggered there. If you are focusing on negative language, then it seems to trigger more of a defensive response . We perform better when we’re in discovery mode. There are all sorts of little things like that that are quite interesting that most people don’t know — but even more than that, what’s perhaps even less well known is that when we carry a certain set of assumptions of attitudes into any interaction or any task, it’s going to affect what we perceive. That’s because our brain can only actually perceive consciously part of what’s going on around us at any time. What we tend to see is whatever matches what’s already top-of-mind for us. This is one of those “head explodes” moments, where you think, “Oh my gosh. I thought I was perceiving reality pretty objectively.”
Competence and purpose are inherently rewarding for the brain. If you can get the brain to focus more on the rewards than the threats in the situation, then you’ll get to clearer thinking.
These modes result in quite different approaches to life. When you are in defensive mode, you are quite tunnel-visioned. You’re closing down: It’s fight, flight or freeze. What happens in defensive mode — and we know this when we’re put on the spot — is it becomes harder to think straight. What’s been found is that there’s actually less activity in the prefrontal cortex when people are even mildly stressed. In other words, when we’re on the defensive against some kind of threat — and it can be as small as being cut off in a meeting or being put on the spot — it’s enough to actually make us seize up slightly and not be able to think straight, just at the moment when we want to raise our game.
The second big theme is the discover-defend axis. The idea there is, your brain has a couple of different modes. One is defending you against threats, and the other is going out and seeking and discovering rewards.
Webb: Yes, there’s so much great research out there being done by behavioral scientists, which is the umbrella term for neuroscientists, psychologists and economists who look at why we behave the way we do. But a lot of it isn’t really making the leap from the lab into real life, so that’s really where my work focuses.
In part 2 ( You Will Be Offended During the Course of Your Career), I emphasized the importance of believing that you're never wrong for feeling something. Emotion is human, and our reactions to people and circumstances are often hardwired into us.
Admittedly, this is pretty generic advice that you could apply to any area of your life, especially in relationships. But in a professional setting, writing your value proposition may be difficult because it's tied to your income and livelihood.
If you're already well-versed in knowing your worth and presenting yourself accordingly, but you're still getting treated like less than, it may be time to take corrective actions.
When stepping up to the plate to present your worth to those who underestimate you, remember these two things:
Sometimes it doesn't matter what we do, we can't make the wrong job right for us. If you work for a decent company where you're treated fairly most of the time and you feel that management works hard to ensure that each level of the organization is incentivized, that's one thing.
Jessica Champion is a content marketing consultant and writer for a number of companies and online publications. She specializes in helping businesses convey their unique message with creativity and precision. For more information, visit her website at www.25hoursconsulting.com .
Complete non-peak hour work. The end of the day is the best time to handle paperwork and tasks that don’t require phone contact. “E-mails, reports, status memos and thinking projects are best handled when phone calls, texts and other distractions have subsided,” Taylor says. Hopefully, you’ve maximized the peak hours to contact the people you need so that you can complete the administrative side of your job armed with their input. The end of the day is the time to determine who you need to reach first thing in the morning.
Another reason to end your day the right way: Michael Kerr, an international business speaker, author and president of Humor at Work, says it has a huge effect on the level of stress and happiness you carry home, “which in turn can impact your health , your marriage and family life, your ability to sleep and your overall level of happiness. ”. ...
Shindler adds: “Don’t stay just to keep up with the boss. Don’t leave just because you can. Your colleagues may depend on you. Do the right things and do things right.”
Taylor agrees. “If you have people reporting to you, say a few words of encouragement before you head for the door ,” she says. “Most workers want to feel appreciated and know they’re making a difference in the big picture.”
Leave on a positive note. Take note of something that went well, compliment a co-worker on an accomplishment, or drop a thank you note to a client, Woodward says. “The idea is to find something positive that makes you feel good about your job and make sure that moment is the last thing on your mind before walking out the door.”
Say good bye. Kerr says it’s important to create routines and rituals at work that will helps us feel more fulfilled and happy in the long run, “so that we go home feeling reenergized and inspired, instead of fried and dead tired.”.
Write down your accomplishments. “Happiness researchers suggest that writing down three positive things that happened during our day is one of the most effective ways to boost long term happiness levels,” Kerr says. “It’s not enough to simply reflect, you need to put them down on paper. The end of the work day is a perfect time to do this.”
What could make you happier than your own work kit? A personalized laptop, a colorful crayon support, an elegant agenda – all these little things are details that could change the way your day unfolds.
The same applies to your desk, your files and, of course, your desktop. A clean workspace gives you a great push when you want to start new things or tasks. And a happy wallpaper should bring a wide smile on your face.
Smiling co-workers. A smile never cost anybody anything and a day seems to go better when you are surrounded by colleagues that smile and are willing to help you anytime or just to hug you when you are not feeling ok. 5. Having a mentor. Not anybody can brag about having a mentor at their job.
A cozy chair. Sitting at a desk all day long could have long-term negative effects on your health. And as we all know, unhealthy people are not happy. A chair that makes you feel relaxed can make work seem more enjoyable, especially when it comes to repetitive tasks.
Complete non-peak hour work. The end of the day is the best time to handle paperwork and tasks that don't require phone contact. “E-mails, reports, status memos and thinking projects are best handled when phone calls, texts and other distractions have subsided,” Taylor says. Hopefully, you've maximized the peak hours to contact the people you need so that you can complete the administrative side of your job armed with their input. The end of the day is the time to determine who you need to reach first thing in the morning.
Another reason to end your day the right way: Michael Kerr, an international business speaker, author and president of Humor at Work, says it has a huge effect on the level of stress and happiness you carry home, “which in turn can impact your health , your marriage and family life, your ability to sleep and your overall level of happiness. ”. ...
Shindler adds: “Don’t stay just to keep up with the boss. Don’t leave just because you can. Your colleagues may depend on you. Do the right things and do things right.”
When you walk out that door be sure to tell your colleagues the period of time you will be unavailable and stick to it. "It’s important to be present for your family and friends," he says. Leave your stress at the door. When you walk out that door commit to leaving your stress behind.
Taylor agrees. “If you have people reporting to you, say a few words of encouragement before you head for the door ,” she says. “Most workers want to feel appreciated and know they're making a difference in the big picture.”
Leave on a positive note. Take note of something that went well, compliment a co-worker on an accomplishment, or drop a thank you note to a client, Woodward says. “The idea is to find something positive that makes you feel good about your job and make sure that moment is the last thing on your mind before walking out the door.”
Kerr says it’s important to create routines and rituals at work that will helps us feel more fulfilled and happy in the long run , “so that we go home feeling reenergized and inspired, instead of fried and dead tired.”. One simple routine that falls into this category is saying a proper good bye to your colleagues.