“Believing in negative thoughts is the single greatest obstruction to success.” – Charles F. Glassman, ‘Brain Drain The Breakthrough That Will Change Your Life’
I doubt there is anyone alive who doesn’t suffer from at least the occasional negative thought. Life throws all sorts of surprises at us, whoever we are, and it can be tricky not to feel a little downtrodden at times. However, building up a stash of tricks and techniques to get you out of a negative headspace is relatively easy. Not only do ideas such as the ones in this post help to get you out of dark and dreary moods, but they also help to rewire your brain to think in a more instinctively positive way.
Your productivity and wellbeing at work and at home can be seriously improved by learning to override creeping negative thoughts. We hope that one of tow of these little tips will help to strengthen your positivity and professional resilience.
1. Meditate
Of course, we begin with a technique that heals so many of our emotional woes; meditation. Meditation is wonderful for many reasons. First of all, meditation can be practiced anywhere, for any length of time, and using a variety of practices and techniques, and be effective every single time. When negative thoughts build up it can be easy to get panicked as many small thoughts build up in the mind; a traffic jam of negative thinking, if you will. Meditation helps to wipe the slate clean. By taking a few moments to clear your head, you can return to your day with a fresh, pragmatic mindset.
2. Take A Break
Similarly, if you are feeling overwhelmed, or the amount of tasks you need to complete are stressing you out, simply take a break. Have a cup of tea, walk round the block, or read a book. These things are activities you associate with enjoyment, with positivity. It may seem counted productive to take a break when you are working to a deadline, however, you are much more likely to work more efficiently if you are feeling happier. One way to ensure your professional resilience is to keep a check on your happiness throughout the workday.
3. One Thing at A Time
Take inspiration from the simplest of meditations; focus on the breath. Negative thoughts have no space to fester if you are focusing on a single task. This takes practice, but, even if you have a million things to do, tasks will be completed more quickly and to a higher standard if you manage to focus on the task at hand. Don’t judge the task. Don’t rush the task. If you can, try not to focus on the other things that need to be done.
A sense of achievement also helps. Take a moment between tasks to tick that job off your list. You’ll be rattling through your day in no time, with little bursts of achievement throughout.
4. Don’t Compare
The only standards that matter are you own. Comparison is the enemy of worth. It is easy to compare ourselves to others; their achievements, their productivity, even their apparent contentment with themselves. Know that they will have anxieties and comparison issues just as much as you do, and the likelihood that they are judging you on your achievements is usually extremely small. As long as you are meeting your standards, that should be all that matters.
5. Positive Thinking
Perhaps this point appears to be somewhat obvious, but it is something that we forget to do. The trick to overcoming negative thinking is recognising that we are in a rut in the first place. If we can manage to do this, then simply telling yourself to be more positive about the given circumstance might be all you need! We are somewhat conditioned to focus on the 1% of negativity in any given situation, as opposed to the 99% positivity. Whatever is going on, do your best to find the good stuff, and focus on that.
6. Positive People
Surround yourself with positive people. If there is someone in your workplace who is guaranteed to cheer you up, or someone who is a great sounding board, go and spend a little time around them! Never be alone. Battling inner demons is all the harder on your lonesome. If you have good people around you, sharing and finding support is all the easier.
By Chris Thomson
Sometimes the negative energy in your workplace comes from other people. This is not always avoidable, so, for the sake of your workplace wellbeing, here are a few ways to combat their vibe… Dealing with Negative Energy from Others
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