08 Oct Quick Wins for One of those days…

We all experience days when we are in need of a boost – or at least a shift towards a more positive mindset. Kat Boogaard put together a very helpful list of some easy and productive “wins” for those moments, which have the added benefit of having little to no chance of backfiring on you!

If you have only five minutes…

1. Perform a Random Act of Kindness
   Unexpectedly doing something thoughtful hardly ever works against you and one of the very best ways to give the vibe around the office a boost (and your own outlook) is to perform a random act of kindness. So when you next head for a break for a coffee or a mid-morning treat, grab something for your colleague/s too; It’s a small gesture that’s sure to be appreciated.
2. Send a Networking Note
   Nurturing our professional relationships often suffer when we get too busy at work, so take a few minutes to send a message to a contact you haven’t reached out to in a while and keep that connection strong.
3. Take a Break
   Get away from your desk, even for a couple of minutes, to spend some time outdoors for a change of scenery and a chance to refresh and ‘press the reset button’, particularly when you’re feeling drained or having a bad day.
4. Pay Someone a Compliment
   Spreading a little positivity never hurts and sometimes offering a genuine compliment feels just as good as receiving one. So, when a co-worker has done a great job or something else that you appreciate, tell them – and hopefully make their day as well as improve yours!

If you have 20 minutes…

5. Disinfect Your Phone and Computer
   Your cellphone can get seriously dirty and is probably not something you think about cleaning all that often. Grab some disinfecting wipes and give it a good scrubbing and, while you’re at it, you might as well get the germs off your keyboard, mouse, and computer monitor!
6. Clean Off Your Desk
   Another quick cleaning ‘win’ you could tackle, even for a few minutes, is to tidy up your desk – Clear away any unused glasses, mugs and other crockery; Throw out the junk mail and random notes; Sort through and order the piles of papers.
7. Unsubscribe from Unwanted Emails
   Never-ending emails likely just add to your stress – “Unsubscribe from all of those sales messages and lists that you were mysteriously added to. It’s cathartic and can give you a greater sense of control on those days when it feels like you can’t make anything go right.”
8. Read a Couple of Articles that You’ve Been Saving
   “If you’re anything like me, you have an ever-growing list of things you eventually want to read saved or bookmarked. Take a quick time out to actually consume some of those articles. You’ll probably learn something, while still giving yourself a little breathing room on a tough day.”

If you have an hour…

9. Organise Your Computer Files
   Take a quick look at your desktop and the state of your folders and spend some time organising for greater ease of navigation, deleting or archiving anything you no longer need.
10. Clean Up Your Inbox
    Similarly, inboxes can quickly spiral out of control – Spending an hour or so deleting, replying, and organising your emails will pretty much never end poorly for you.
11. Get Lunch with a Colleague
    Nurture your connections and professional bonds – Invite a co-worker, particularly someone that you haven’t spent much time with, out for a lunch break where you can get to know each other a little better outside of the office.
12. Make a Plan
    Tackle that dreaded project or task you have consistently rescheduled – “You know, the one you’ve written on your to-do list so many times, it’s sort of become like an unwanted piece of furniture that you just operate around? Give yourself a major confidence and productivity boost by sitting down and finally outlining a plan and timeline for that assignment. Sometimes getting started is all you need to do to spark your motivation.”

So give yourself a happiness boost by tackling “one or even a few of these quick and easy wins to turn your attitude (not to mention your entire day) around. You’ve got this!”

Go to: “12 Things You Absolutely Won’t Regret Doing at Work Today“, “3 Questions to Ask Yourself After a Bad Day (That’ll Make You Feel Better)” and “How to Make Sure Your Bad Day Doesn’t Turn You Into the Office Buzzkill” to read Kat’s original articles, published by themuse.