Positivity precedes success! <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n And the best thing is \u2014 a positive work attitude is a skill that can be learned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The benefits of workplace positivity<\/a> extend to both individual employees and entire organizations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n On a personal level, these benefits include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For organizations, the benefits of workplace positivity include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The tips we\u2019ve prepared will help you strike a more positive attitude at work to realize these benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But first, let\u2019s get on the same page about what positivity in the workplace means, since you definitely want to avoid toxic positivity.<\/p>\n\n\n \n Elevate productivity with CAKE.com<\/p>\n \n Combine time tracking, team communication, and project management to boost your organization\u2019s productivity \u2014 with the CAKE.com Suite.<\/p>\n \n Workplace positivity (also known as psychological capital<\/a> in psychological literature) comprises these 4 traits: <\/p>\n\n\n\n To strike and maintain a positive attitude at work that will enhance your career growth, you should focus on the 4 traits outlined above. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So, that\u2019s what I\u2019ll focus on with these tips.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This isn\u2019t to say that general advice for being more positive \u2014 like smiling more and treating people with kindness \u2014 is wrong! <\/p>\n\n\n\n But hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism are the traits used to define workplace positivity in all the research that resulted in the benefits I listed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n By contrast, the benefits of being nice<\/em> are anecdotal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your closest colleagues are chronic complainers who love office gossip, you\u2019ll find it impossibly difficult to maintain a positive attitude \u2014 even if you don\u2019t actively contribute to the gossip or complaining.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s because their negativity is contagious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But the good news is that positivity is also contagious, so you can increase your positivity by choosing the right company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Replace those complainers who are holding you back with more productive and constructive company. Ideally, you should surround yourself with the so-called positive persuaders <\/em>\u2014 colleagues or mentors who give genuine, constructive feedback and verbal encouragement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Doing this will make you positive by decreasing hopelessness and increasing efficacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Nursing a victim mentality at work means having no hope. Bad things are happening to you (they\u2019re never your fault), and there\u2019s nothing you can do about it except complain. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But that\u2019s not true \u2014 you can<\/strong> do something about it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Start by shifting your language.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Instead of saying \u201cIt\u2019s not my fault,<\/em>\u201d ask \u201cWhat part of this situation can I influence moving forward?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Victim mentality thrives when you focus on things outside your control, so spend more energy on things within your control.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You cannot control the economy or your boss\u2019s mood, but you can control your efforts, reactions, and boundaries. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Lastly, replace complaining with requests.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re swamped with 5 high-priority <\/em>tasks, take this up with your manager and ask which tasks you should de-prioritize so that you can do the remaining ones well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Doing this will increase hope and efficacy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Did you lose a client? Well, don\u2019t celebrate that \u2014 but don\u2019t fall into an existential crisis either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Do the positive thing (and, frankly, the only productive thing) \u2014 treat failure as a growth and learning opportunity! <\/p>\n\n\n\n Analyze what happened. Could you have prevented it? Try to find a solution and apply it going forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You don\u2019t have to do this alone. Ask your colleagues for feedback. They may well spot flaws or inefficiencies in your work patterns that you subconsciously turn a blind eye to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n And when you do this, don\u2019t take feedback personally. Feedback is not an attack on your personality \u2014 it\u2019s advice on improving at your job. If your goal is to do the best job that you can, you should treat feedback as the precious gold mine for career advancement that it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is how you build resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Further reading<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Giving constructive feedback is just one way to cultivate positive communication at work. For more tips, read this guide:<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you hit a snag in your projects, give yourself a maximum of 24 hours to feel the frustration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once your psychological state returns to its baseline, shift the focus to what you\u2019re going to do next. Frustration first, solutions second.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Why a maximum of 24 hours?<\/p>\n\n\n\n The exact timing changes from individual to individual, but research shows that trying to reframe the situation too early isn\u2019t an effective way of regulating emotions<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In science speak, you have to wait for the amygdala to stop being highly active before your prefrontal cortex can take over and do the reframing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In everyday language, trying to suppress or reframe emotions while in \u201cthe heat of the moment\u201d is less effective than giving yourself a bit of time to calm down first.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is another tip that will increase your resilience, since resilience isn\u2019t just about bouncing back quickly, but bouncing back stronger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Actual positivity requires maintenance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Take breaks. Recharge your batteries. Spend time with friends. Have fun with your hobbies. Fix your work-life balance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Basically, get out of the mindset that, if you aren\u2019t working, you\u2019re not being productive. Time does not equal productivity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you want to have a positive attitude, you need to keep your psyche healthy, since maintaining a positive attitude if you\u2019re burned out is impossible. That\u2019s because burnout impairs the brain<\/a> and its ability to down-regulate negative emotions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So while this won\u2019t directly help build hope, efficacy, resilience, or optimism, it\u2019ll make you more receptive to them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Further reading<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n What can feel like burnout is sometimes just overstimulation. Lucky for you, this guide will show you how to handle it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re a manager or otherwise in a leadership position, you need to understand that your attitude and behavior aren\u2019t just a thermometer for your positivity \u2014 they\u2019re the thermostat for the whole team<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As mentioned, positivity and negativity are both infectious. But you get to choose the mindset you model.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you always stay up late and burn yourself out to do more, your team members will feel like that\u2019s expected of them as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Demonstrate positivity instead. Lead by example. Follow the previous tips and be seen following them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m not basing this on vibes or how I think <\/em>things work based on my common sense. Research on the contagion effect of positivity<\/a> shows that when a leader is high in psychological capital (positive attitude defined by the hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism), it rubs off on other employees even in a global company. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So this kind of positivity doesn\u2019t even need in-person interaction to be contagious.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Regular employees can apply these tips to get the individual benefits, but it takes someone in a leadership position modeling this type of behavior and positive attitude to maximize the benefit at the level of the company or team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Let everyone at your company or in your team know that they won\u2019t be punished or face any kind of retaliation for voicing opinions, making suggestions, or offering criticism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That\u2019s what psychological safety<\/a> means! <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s not like physical safety \u2014 which is not being put in physical discomfort. Psychological safety means feeling safe to put yourself in uncomfortable situations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Pointing out the flaws and risks in your leader\u2019s plan, suggesting changes, taking chances \u2014 these aren\u2019t pleasant activities, but they\u2019re what success is built on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n So let people know that, under your leadership, these things will be rewarded \u2014 not punished. This is essential for workplace positivity to flourish.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Further reading<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Demonstrating positivity and promoting psychological safety are essential, but there\u2019s more you can do to create a positive work environment at your company:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Usually, things that are good for us tend to be uncomfortable and unpleasant.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You wanna be fit and healthy? Well, you gotta eat well and excercise\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n You wanna be an expert in your field? Better hit the books and face your ignorance! <\/p>\n\n\n\n But if you want to improve your career prospects, you should develop a positive attitude by being hopeful and optimistic, confident in your capabilities, and not dwelling on setbacks?<\/p>\n\n\n\n That sounds awesome!<\/p>\n\n\n\n So use these tips to develop a positive attitude at work \u2014 you\u2019ll enjoy both the process and the results.<\/p>\n\n\n \n Elevate productivity with CAKE.com<\/p>\n \n Combine time tracking, team communication, and project management to boost your organization\u2019s productivity \u2014 with the CAKE.com Suite.<\/p>\n \n Learn how to adopt and maintain a positive attitude at work and elevate your career by working on hope, efficacy, resilience, and optimism.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":10,"featured_media":4790,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[54],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4787","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-wellbeing-at-work"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n
The benefits of having a positive attitude at work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n \n\n\n\nWhat exactly does having a positive attitude at work mean?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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How to have a positive attitude at work<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Choose who you interact with<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Don\u2019t fall victim to victim mentality<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Embrace feedback and failure<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Process frustration first, then reframe your mindset<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Prioritize your well-being<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Leaders: Lead by example<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Leaders: Promote psychological safety<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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Improve your attitude to also improve your career<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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