When you finish work and are asked “How was your day?”, what is the tone of your response … does any of the following statement strike a chord?
“Urgh, it was okay, but I didn’t manage to speak to so-and-so, or complete the task I was working on, or even touch on anything other than the really urgent items on my to-do list.”
These may all be valid reflections, but they all focus on what is still outstanding for the future, and the negative, rather than celebrating the progress you made that day.
Ruminating on the areas where we have not made progress can make us feel like we are in a rut and we can become overwhelmed by feelings of under-achievement and thoughts of what we still have to do. Research has shown that we are less productive, creative, and motivated when we are in a negative mood than a positive one.
So, what’s the solution?
Wellbeing Tip
Think of how you feel when you are praised for piece of work you completed or an idea you suggested, or a friend pays you a compliment over a dish you cooked for them. Does it make you feel good and motivated to do more?
With many of us working remotely and currently unable to cook for friends, we can re-create this boost to our wellbeing and motivation ourselves by noticing and celebrating our small daily successes.
When you are finishing up at the end of each day, instead of ruminating on what you haven’t achieved, ask yourself, “what are the small wins that I have accomplished today?”
Noticing these small progressions, and pausing for a moment to celebrate them, will have the effect of increasing your satisfaction which will not only help your engagement and happiness but also motivate you to achieve further progress tomorrow. And, as we all know, small seeds can grow into large trees!
This tip appeared in our Autumn newsletter, if you would like future editions of our quarterly workplace wellbeing newsletter to be sent directly to your inbox, you can sign up here.
Categories
Recent articles on our blog....
They may not be apple or key lime, but Ted Pies can really help your communication skills
In this article, we include a visual illustrating what the acronym Ted Pies stands for and look at how it can be used to benefit workplace wellbeing.
Read More →
Winter newsletter has tips to boost workplace wellbeing
The latest edition of our quarterly newsletter aims to boost workplace wellbeing with tips, resources and a story to warm your heart.
Read More →
Tips for overcoming a culture of false urgency at work
For our latest wellbeing at work tip, we look at some signs that a culture of false urgency may exist followed by suggested tips to overcome it for individuals, managers and team leaders.
Read More →Testimonials
-
A very interesting tutor who kept us motivated throughout the session" "Dawn was an excellent presenter who is clearly passionate about her subject" "Dawn was excellent and very attentive A very interesting tutor, excellent presenter -
I really enjoyed this delivery as David mixed the “formal” with anecdotes and true examples whilst allowing for questions. He is obviously learned and interested in the subject and he is an inspirational gentleman. Aberdeen City Council Delegate -
The Trainer was brilliant - extremely knowledgeable, had lots of examples of experience and was really engaging - I wanted to know more. Adult MHFA comment from delegate
Our purpose is to provide training and consultancy services to enhance resilience, health and wellbeing in the workplace.
Differentiation is one of the most strategic and tactical activities in which companies most constantly engage
It's natural to have questions about training and how it fits with your organisation. Our FAQs can help you find out more.
View case studies for some of the in-house training courses we have delivered to different types of organisations across the UK.
