According to Moodle’s (global ed-tech leader) State of Workplace Learning Report, 66% of American employees are experiencing work-related burnout.
For some, it is the job itself. For others, just the idea of spending 8+ hours in an office every day sounds miserable.
But it doesn’t have to be that way!
By adopting a few small mindset shifts and simple habits, you can make going to work feel more enjoyable.
I am fortunate to have a job I truly love. As grateful as I am for my job, I have also faced a fair share of anxiety about creating work-life balance.
I am actively learning to overcome this struggle, and I am passionate about guiding others on this topic.
I know that not everyone loves their job. If you are in a negative work situation, I want you to know that I acknowledge how challenging that is.
I hope this post gives you the tools and empowerment to improve your time at work.
Given how much of our lives we spend at work, it is important to make working as enjoyable as possible.
This post covers a range of simple tips to help you make going to work a more positive experience.
I broke these tips up into Mindset, Office Habits, and Self-Care. Keep reading to learn how these three elements can transform your work life, starting with adjusting how you think about working.
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Mindset
If you ruminate on how much you hate going to work and how miserable you are, you will continue to feel that way.
By telling yourself a different story, you can create a different experience.
Zaithwa Matemvu’s article goes more in-depth into how this mindset can improve your life!
Accept That Going to Work is Part of Life
This tip was one of the biggest game-changers for me!
Once you accept that working is part of life, you can start making shifts so going to work feels more enjoyable.
The most anxious I’ve felt about going to work is when I compared working to some imaginary scenario where I had unlimited free time. That just isn’t helpful.
I support myself financially. I am solely responsible for paying my rent and buying groceries. If you are reading this post, there is a good chance that you are in the same boat.
For the 99% of us who are not billionaires, going to work is how we afford to live.
You might find yourself wishing you didn’t have to work for a living, but I encourage you to stop romanticizing that idea.
And stop listening to those influencers who tell you that they “work 2 hours per day and make a bajillion dollars.” That content is only going to make you feel worse.
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Choose Your Desired Reality
Your thoughts shape your reality. This is exciting because it means that you get to choose how you want to live and create that experience.
I want to live a meaningful life where I enjoy going to work and find purpose and fulfillment in my job.
I am so sick and tired of the Sunday Scaries. This is why I’m using all of these tips to rewire my brain to focus on the positive aspects of working.
You control your thoughts. Your thoughts do not control you.
If you want your work week to feel exciting, you can make that happen!
View Monday as a Fresh Start
What if we got as excited for a New Week as we do for a New Year?
So many people hate Monday. Yet, so many people love the first day of the year and even the first day of the month.
Tap into that January 1st mindset and view every Monday as a fresh start and an opportunity to improve. Set goals, find things to look forward to, and get excited!
Reflection: What is one thing you can do to make Mondays feel more fun?
Appreciate Having a Job and Practice Gratitude
Having a job is not a given. Do not take your job for granted.
I don’t want to turn this into a lecture, and everything is relative, but this is a good reminder to realize how fortunate you are to have a job.
Sometimes, I have to remind myself of this. Express gratitude for all of the positive elements of your job.
These positives can include: career opportunities, mental stimulation, money to pay your bills, and health benefits (just to name a few).
The more you focus on these positive aspects, the better you will feel. For example, researching and writing this blog post got me looking forward to practicing these strategies to feel my best at work.
Photo by Lesly Juarez on Unsplash
Stay Present
Live in the present moment.
When you are at work, focus on work.
I discovered that I feel the best when I really drop into the present moment and focus on my work tasks. This helps me stay grounded and keeps my mind occupied.
If you find yourself feeling negatively during your work day, try to take some deep breaths and bring yourself back to the present moment.
When you are off work, focus on enjoying your free time.
It is important to set healthy boundaries and give yourself mental breaks from your job. This is especially important if your job is highly stressful.
I realized I had a bad habit of spending my free time worrying about when my relaxation was going to end. That is no way to live.
Learning to enjoy your free time without worrying about work will help you feel more rested and energized.
Photo by Jacqueline Munguía on Unsplash
Avoid Negativity
Try not to engage with media or people that speak negatively about working. Hearing others complain about their jobs can influence your attitude, as well.
Make an effort to limit those conversations as much as possible.
Some amount of commiserating is normal, but if you start feeling like excessive negativity is rubbing off on you, it’s time to set some boundaries.
This can look like unfollowing triggering social media accounts, or changing the conversation if someone starts speaking negatively.
Maintaining a positive mentality about your job makes a huge impact on how you feel.
Embrace your job
We just established that going to work is essential for most of us. Instead of dreading that, embrace it! Find a sense of purpose in what you do.
I appreciate that having a job allows me to participate in a shared human experience. I truly enjoy exchanging work stories with my friends and family members.
This makes me feel more connected to the people around me.
Photo by Antonio Gabola on Unsplash
Understand That Work Creates Balance
This is another game-changing mindset shift!
Working is the reason that relaxing is enjoyable. If I did nothing all day, I wouldn’t feel fulfilled. Going to work and accomplishing things makes me feel good.
Working creates a sense of structure and achievement that allows us to enjoy time off.
Mindset shift: Stop thinking of work time and free time as polarities. You know that work-life balance that we strive for?
Work is just as essential to work-life balance as life is!
Even if it is hard to see this at times, understand that going to work creates the foundation for a balanced and fulfilling life.
Photo by Randalyn Hill on Unsplash
Your Job Funds Your Passions.
Time at work is time you aren’t spending with your loved ones, on your hobbies, or on other meaningful activities. But, as I mentioned in the last tip, it helps to stop framing these as opposing forces.
Viewing your job as something that takes time away from your passions creates a lot of mental struggle. Instead, try focusing on how your job provides the financial stability you need to pursue those passions.
For example, I started viewing my day job as an opportunity to make a living and support my blog and social media content creation.
Johanna Helena’s YouTube video inspired this tip.
Johanna talks about the importance of having hobbies and passion projects to bring joy into your life outside of your job.
I wanted to add to this and encourage you to view your job as a means to support these hobbies. I mentioned that I feel very fortunate in that I enjoy my job, but it is also nice to have outside interests.
Office Habits
While your mindset is the foundation, simple office habits can also make your time at work more enjoyable. These tips can help you, whether you work in an office or work from home!
Make Your Workspace as Comfortable as Possible
Creating a comfortable environment makes the work day more pleasant. I keep a blanket and a small space heater at my desk. Those cozy touches make a big difference.
Photo by dominik hofbauer on Unsplash
Find the Aspects of Your Job You Enjoy the Most (And do More of Those)
I intentionally seek out interesting work tasks. Knowing that my calendar is full of engaging projects makes me feel that much more excited to go to work.
As much as you can, try to come up with enjoyable projects to work on!
Reflection: What is one aspect of your job that you enjoy?
Seek Learning Opportunities
Explore different aspects of your job. Find opportunities to learn. This is a great way to discover what you enjoy.
I love taking free online trainings to help me at my job. And I love gaining knowledge from my more experienced team members.
Reflection: What is one aspect of your job you would like to learn more about?
Photo by Nick Morrison on Unsplash
Break Up Tasks You Don’t Enjoy
Just like there are enjoyable parts of your job, there are also parts of your job you don’t enjoy as much. That’s okay.
You can use this information to improve your work experience by breaking up the tasks you don’t enjoy into smaller pieces.
For example, if you hate writing reports, try to spend 30 minutes on that task at a time.
Take Breaks Throughout the Day
Taking short breaks has made a positive shift in my work day. This will vary by state, but (in California) I get to take two 10-minute (paid) breaks every 8-hour work day.
Here is a summary of the paid rest period laws in different states. (Disclaimer: I am not a HR expert. You should talk to your boss if you’re not sure about the break laws that apply to you.)
Taking short breaks gives you a chance to get some fresh air and reset your mind.
I encourage you to use your breaks to bring joy into your day. I like taking these few minutes during the work day to create Life By Julia social media content, which is important to me.
Connect With Your Coworkers
Building a good relationship with your coworkers is a great way to make the work day more fun! I love chatting with everyone in my office.
If you typically keep to yourself, make an effort to reach out to the people you work with. See how that sense of connection changes your day.
Photo by Lindsay Moe on Unsplash
Pack Good Snacks
Having good snacks to eat also makes the day more fun.
Eating breakfast and lunch at my desk works best for my schedule. Packing meals I enjoy gives me something to look forward to.
Take a Later Lunch Break
I prefer to take my lunch break as late into my work day as possible. There is something nice about being closer to the end of the day when you come back from your break.
In addition to office habits, there are also things you can do outside of the office to improve the way you feel at work.
Self-Care
Practicing good self-care sets you up to feel your best at work. These are some key areas to focus on.
Get Enough Sleep
I know everyone says this, but getting enough sleep is so important! Feeling tired at work is miserable. Not to mention that prolonged sleep debt has significant physical and mental health consequences.
I definitely notice how much better I feel when I get adequate, quality sleep.
Photo by Annie Spratt on Unsplash
Get Enough Rest
Rest and sleep are not the same! If you constantly feel exhausted despite getting plenty of sleep, you are likely missing out on one (or more) of the 7 types of rest.
According to Dr. Saundra Dalton Smith, there are 7 different types of rest that we need to feel restored:
Physical rest
Mental rest
Emotional rest
Social rest
Spiritual rest
Creative rest
Sensory rest
It is important to get enough of all of the types of rest to feel your best. Read this blog post to learn more about Dr. Dalton-Smith’s 7 Types of Rest and how to use them to prevent burnout.
If You Really Don’t Like Your Job, Consider Looking for a New One
This is a tough subject. I am not at all saying that you should quit your job without a backup plan. But it doesn’t hurt to start seeing what’s out there.
I hope this post helps you. Changing the way I think about going to work is making going to work a more positive experience.
Not only can these mindset shifts improve your work day, but implementing these tips can make your overall life feel more enjoyable (thanks to reduced work-related turmoil).
Let me know in the comments which of these tips you want to try!
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This post was largely inspired by conversations with my dad. I highly recommend gaining as much knowledge and insight from the wise people in your life as you can. And to act on that advice!
Life by Julia 