If you feel like you hate your job or are miserable in your workplace, you’re not alone.
Around the world, a mere 13 percent of workers feel energized and engaged in their workplace. There are many reasons you could hate your job, maybe you are exhausted from another aspect of your life, or you don’t feel appreciated for the work you do.
Believe it or not, it might not be the case that you simply despise your job.
Many workers are suffering from burnout, and that can lead to feelings of despair, depression, fatigue, and ineffectiveness in their jobs. Combine that with long hours, harsh lights, and old coffee, and you’ve got a recipe for a soul-crushing workplace.
However, there is an answer to your problems. Work doesn’t have to be a dark and bleak place where you spend 8 hours a day waiting to go home. It can be a special place, that helps you grow and enjoy your life. There are easy and simple tricks to help you make your workplace a happier place which subsequently makes you a happier person.
Feeling better about your work situation takes a special effort, but once you’ve done it, you might remember why you accepted the job in the first place. We’ve gone through and picked out 3 ways in which this individual can improve their performance at work. Try following along with these simple and easy tasks and watch your workplace mood improve.
The Top 3 Ways to Feel Better at Work
1. Take a damn break
In fast-paced modern society, especially in office environments where quick deliverables and looming deadlines make everything feel hectic and stressful, it’s easy to feel like you can never stop working. But let us not forget about you, don’t neglect your need to take some time to recharge.
Take full advantage of your legally mandated breaks and consider actually using that vacation time rather than cashing it out. Cashing it out might sound like a valuable avenue to pursue. The reality is that stocking up and saving your vacation days could cause burnout. Like anything else, you need a break occasionally to recharge and motivate. Being remotivated and committing is a simple and easy way to improve work performance.
Sometimes something as simple as getting up from your desk for a few minutes can recharge you. Try taking small easy walks around the office. Maybe after you complete a task or a project, you allow yourself to take a simple and quick victory lap to the coffee pot and back before starting the next project.
You could also try simply stretching at your desk. Take a big deep breath, stretch out and close your eyes for a second. Take a few deep breaths and then get back to it. Being constantly plugged in is not natural, and it’s not good for you.
2. Find ways to engage with coworkers
Part of being in a workplace is taking advantage of the social connection it provides. Try moving beyond the water-cooler gossip by grabbing lunch or coffee with your coworkers. You can do this in the office or out if there’s a specific spot with a quick turnaround. Having lunch outside of the office allows you to find friendships and company with your coworkers. Coworkers that are friends and get along have a better work atmosphere and that leads to improved working conditions and performance.
Find fun and creative things to do at meetings or retreats. If you’re not in a position to organize activities, suggest it to management. Just because you aren’t the one “making the decisions” doesn’t mean that your input isn’t valid and valuable. Speaking up and being heard is an easy way to improve the workplace environment and performance.
Need a motivating factor? Tell your manager that companies with engaged and happy employees are safer and more profitable.
Taking time to socialize and connect with others won’t take away from your work: It will add to it by helping you build camaraderie and boost your sense of belonging. Plus, you just may develop some beneficial, trusting relationships!
3. Don’t multitask
It’s tempting to knock out several projects at once when you have dual monitors, a smartphone, a tablet, and a phone, all at your disposal. Don’t do it! Workers who multitask are less productive, not more — and they’re much more likely to feel stressed and burned out. One easy way to improve workplace performance is to keep tasks separate.
Try thinking of your workday as a plate at a buffet. Finish one thing at a time then go back for more. There is no need to pile up on a single plate, this causes the food to mix and all become one. That can happen with your work too. Keep things separate and finish one at a time, then go back for more.
Think of it this way: Your brain can’t effectively devote attention to more than one task. That’s just not how humans are made. We need to be able to focus on a task, but we’re also wired to be distracted in case of danger. Now, we’re willingly allowing ourselves to be distracted in the name of getting two things done at once. That really doesn’t make sense, when you think about it. Focus on the task at hand and resist the temptation to multitask!
A simple way to do this is by closing those pesky tabs. It’s okay, you’ll be able to find the project, website, or email again. When you’re organized, your brain can stay organized.
Wrapping Up
By following these three simple steps to improve the workplace environment and performance, you should start to feel less burned out and stressed, yet more productive and relaxed while at work. That in turn can boost your feeling of comfort and belonging in your workplace. Don’t let your job suck you dry; by implementing self-care as part of your work routine, you’ll feel much happier and more fulfilled in your job. What’s the worst that could happen? Maybe you’ll actually enjoy your job!
