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How to feel good at work

Posted on 18th February 2016

We're not going to stand here and pretend an office job is completely stress-free, but how you deal with the trials and tribulations of the working day is something you can control. In many cases, the problems people face at work are of their own making and down to either avoidable mistakes or the wrong attitude. So what can you do to ensure you keep a smile on your face even if you're working in a high pressure environment?

Personalise your working area

If you're going to spend eight hours a day at your desk, then make it as pleasant an environment as possible. A photo of a loved one or even a regularly replenished supply of fresh flowers could go a long way towards making it more comfortable and inspiring.

Manage your time effectively

If you feel you're spinning plates every day, then it's essential to get a grip of your various tasks and responsibilities. This doesn't have to be as difficult as it sounds. It's just a matter of managing your time properly and ensuring you are well organised. If you have your workload laid out in a more digestible and logical way, it can be far less intimidating and overwhelming.  

Build relationships with colleagues

While you simply must be professional at work, sometimes you can end up building a genuine rapport and friendship with your colleagues. So don't be afraid if you find you're striking a bond with some of your fellow workers. After all, they will be perfect sounding boards on stressful days and ideal to speak to if you ever want to let off a little steam. You'll have a ready-made support system around you each day.

Be willing to make small talk

Even if you don't want to be best friends with your colleagues, this doesn't mean you should sit in a corner saying nothing. Making an effort to converse even if you don't plan to go for drinks with them afterwards can enhance the working day for everyone and make it pass a little more quickly and enjoyably. It's far more satisfying than eight hours of quiet solitude - and much better at motivating you and keeping you enthusiastic!

Think about what you like about your job

It's easy to complain after a busy day at work, but how often do you stop to think about those elements of your job that you really like? Not often, we reckon! If you make the time to consider the positives a bit more regularly, you'll be much happier and find yourself really appreciating the great things you experience each day.

Don't bring domestic matters to work

You'll often hear tips like don't check your work emails out of hours to help you achieve a decent work-life balance. But it works both ways, which means you can't bring any personal issues you may have into the office either. While there's probably always going to be something going on at home, you can't let yourself get pre-occupied with it at work if you're to perform at your best.

Don't put off the jobs you hate

It's likely that there'll be at least one or two parts of your job you either dread or simply don't find that much fun - so you put it off until another day. But this means the spectre of it is hanging over you for longer than necessary and therefore occupying your thoughts when it doesn't have to. So why not approach these tasks head-on and get them done straight away, so you can forget all about them for a while?!

None of these suggestions require any drastic lifestyle changes, but each and every one can make a big difference to your job satisfaction levels and taking them on board could be key to your future career success.