Studies vary on levels of work satisfaction, but most people have been dissatisfied with their job at one point. But just because your job is not as satisfying as you may want it to be, there are steps you can take to make it a better place for yourself and others.

Below are 5 things you can do to make your work environment a more positive place:

  1. Create your own advancement: If there is a skill you would like to learn that is relevant to your current position, suggest taking it on to gain experience from it. This will not only increase your skills in your current position, it can help you advance to newer positions when they open up. By increasing your skillset, you will feel a sense of growth, even if your current job is not currently open to advancement.
  2. Encourage kindness: Chances are you are not the only one struggling to keep a positive mindset at work. Rather than making it worse by joining in rant sessions with your coworkers, perform small random acts of kindness on a regular basis to encourage a more positive environment. Share a cute animal photo, bring in baked goods to share or make an effort to compliment people on a regular basis. Kindness is contagious and will promote a more positive environment.
  3. Focus on your successes: In a negative work environment, there tends to be a major focus on what is going wrong. However, this mindset can be a self-fulfilling prophecy, leading you to make mistakes since that is what is on your mind. Instead, step back and look at your accomplishments each day or week and focus on all the good you have done. If you have the mindset that you do a good job, you will tend to continue doing a good job.
  4. Take breaks: Have you ever had one of those days at work when you realize it’s afternoon and you haven’t even gotten up to go to the bathroom? Studies have shown that people who break up sitting time throughout the day are in better general health than those who do not. Take a short walk outside to give your immune system and mood a boost by getting a dose of vitamin D through a few minutes in the sun. Taking breaks will also allow you to refresh your mind so you can think more clearly, thus allowing you to work more productively.
  5. Make a “happy place”: A lot of offices do not follow rules of feng shui and can be sterile looking or cluttered and not the best visual environment. If you spend more waking hours in your office than anywhere else, you should ensure it is pleasing to look at to improve your mood. Sticking within your company’s decor rules and being mindful of others, decorate your work space with things that make you happy, such as photos, plants, motivational sayings, positive emails, posters or small items. Every time you need a boost of positivity, look at these items and take a break from email and spreadsheets.

What are ways you make your work environment more positive?

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