The Top 10 Ways to Bring More Joy to Your Workday

1. Start your workday by jotting down 3-5 things you are grateful for. Place the list where you will see it on and off throughout your day.

When we focus our attention on our blessings and on gratitude, we fill our heart and mind with positive energy. That energy assists us in bringing a positive attitude to each of our tasks each day.

2. Spend your lunch hour and breaks doing activities that energize and revitalize you.

So often we feel the need to work through lunch and breaks or at least to spend those times in tasks. Instead, choose to use that time to energize and revitalize yourself. Take a walk at lunch, paying attention to the trees, animals, and people around you. If you enjoy reading, use one break a day to read a few pages in a novel or an inspiring collection of essays. Chat with people at the local newsstand or coffee shop. Taking a real break from our jobs, even for only ten minutes, allows us to return to our tasks with more energy and a fresh perspective.

3. Make your workspace more attractive.

We all work better when our space attracts us to it. A single flower in a bud vase takes little space but adds beauty that we can both see and smell. A small painting with bright colors can provide us with a focal point of beauty. An attractive pen and pencil set, especially one given us by someone we care about, can provide us with beauty as well as a reminder of our important relationships.

4. Commit yourself to making only positive comments about others you work with.

When we verbalize the negative, we give it power. Rather than making those around you wrong with the words you speak, focus on what makes them right. When problems exist, find ways to make the situation win-win instead of trying to affix blame.

5. Laugh.

Find humor in the little things that happen every day. When the copier jams, rather than getting frustrated, laugh. When you drop a pencil or a file folder, laugh. When the elevator seems to be taking forever, laugh. If you react to such things with humor instead of annoyance, your blood pressure will remain normal, your frustration level will decrease, and your colleagues will appreciate your attitude. Reader's Digest was, indeed, right. Laughter is the best medicine -- and stress can kill.

6. Work smart, not hard.

Too many of us base the value of our work on the number of hours we put in or the stress level we endure. Instead, take time to appreciate each accomplishment, no matter how small, and give yourself credit for finding ways to delegate what can be appropriately delegated and for finding appropriate shortcuts that decrease your work time while increasing your productivity.

7. Appreciate those you work with.

Acknowledge the contributions, both large and small, of those you work with. Let them know that you see and appreciate the contributions they make, not only to the goals of the organization, but also to the culture of the workplace. Acknowledging the contributions of those we work with helps us to see our colleagues more clearly as people. It also reminds us to contribute positively to the workplace ourselves.

8. Be your Authentic Self.

By sharing our true self with our colleagues, our superiors, and our clients, we give them our most precious gift. When we act against our own authenticity, our work becomes struggle. We can only be truly joyful when we are true to ourselves.

9. Learn to accept change willingly.

No matter what the job, changes happen. When we resist change, holding on to our past understanding of expectations, frustrations grow. Learn to be flexible. The willow weathers storms more gracefully than the mighty oak. And the more gracefully we weather the storms, the more fully we can find joy in our work.

10. Hire a coach.

With the partnership of an unconditionally supportive coach, we can find ways to reduce stress and increase joy in our daily lives, both on and off the job. With a coach we can align our core personal values with the work we do, providing us with a greater sense of meaning and purpose in our lives.

This piece was originally submitted by Debra Teachman, Ph.D., author of three books, who can be reached at dteachman@yahoo.com or visited on the web. Debra Teachman wants you to know: I am a coach with over 20 years experience as an educator, trainer, and writer. I work with people who want a supportive partner as they move to the next level of their lives, professionally and/or personally.