Wilma Jones - Living Happier

Planning for More Life and Career Happiness in 2017

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planning for success

Like many people I start thinking about whether there are any things in my life that I want to change as I approach a new calendar year. I no longer make official resolutions, but I have made lifestyle changes over the past 8 years that have made a big difference in my happiness and success. The way to actually accomplish these things to start planning. Implementing more principles of wellness and positivity into my life has helped me stay at a healthy weight, improved my diet, increased my physical activity and increased my courage.

I have stepped out and accomplished a lot of things that I never would have tried to do in the past. Taking classes. Hiring a life and business coach. Writing a blog. Self publishing books. Starting a speaking business. Pitching Arianna Huffington to write for HuffPost (more than once). Quitting my job of 10 years to step out and discover what else might be out there for me. And trusting that the Universe would guide me to where I am supposed to be.

I did all this stuff by making two simple changes. I scheduled the time on my calendar and made the investment of time, resources and work to make it happen. I learned to be mindful of my dreams and show kindness to myself by making a commitment to myself and keeping it.

Scheduling the time and following through is the first step. As the old saying goes, “80 percent of life is just showing up.” Yes, get yourself out there. You have to take the class, go to the event, launch the blog (and write regularly), or whatever the first benchmark is to your goal in order to get there one day.

Making the investment is a biggie. This stuff isn’t free and most of the time the good stuff isn’t cheap. And there are people out here who aren’t as good as they think they are about helping others get to the next nevel. So you have to watch out for the people who would take your money and teach you very little.

For the next week I’ll be nailing down my life plans for 2017. Writing down the goals I want to acheive from a career and personal pespective. Creating a vision board to help with visualizing where I am heading. Setting a schedule and adding the target dates to my iPhone calendar. Creating a budget for investing in myself and for hitting my savings goal.

A new year starts in less than a week. Do you have plans to start living happier in 2017 – in either your career and/or personal life?

5 Ways to Practice Mindfulness @ Work

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5 ways to practice mindfulness at work

5 Ways to Practice Mindfulness @ Work

Almost everything you have to do at work can be improved by using mindfulness. When you start applying mindfulness to your workday, you learn to control your thoughts. Studies have shown you can improve your focus and control your emotions better when you’re more mindful.

I learned to be mindful by taking yoga classes. It was hard for me at first. I had never been interested in stopping to focus on my breathing. But I after I started thinking of my yoga as a ‘practice,’ and learning to really concentrate on being in the present moment, I saw all these great benefits begin in my life.

You can’t just break out in a Downward-Facing-Dog at the office when something happens that stresses you. I wanted to figure out the best ways to implement mindfulness at work into my day.

1. The first step starts before work. Take at least a 10 minute walk. If it is raining try to jump rope on the covered porch. If both those options are out, walk in place with high knees to get my body moving. Thirty minutes would be the best option, but I’ll take what I can get.

2. As your computer powers up, stop and breathe. Focus on breathing in and out and quieting your mind. Be in the moment.

3. Take a short walk mind-morning. Just step away from the desk and give your brain a mental break. Maybe you ride the elevator to the lobby and go outside to walk around the building. That burst of fresh air will help you think more creatively and have better focus when you return to your job.

4. Eat a good lunch. If you go out, try to walk and get more body movement during the day. If you eat at the office, try not to do it at your desk. But if you have to, reserve 5 minutes of quiet time or time for a little movement before you return to your tasks.

5. When the 3 PM slump hits walk right by the coffee pot to get water. Hydrate your body and your brain works better and faster. As you drink, quiet your mind. If you can, add a quick walk around the floor to your afternoon water break.

There are lots of other ways to incorporate mindfulness in your work day. I’d love to hear what works for you.

 

10 Kickass Ways to Be Happier at Work Today

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10 Kickass Ways Happier at Work Pic Resize

10 Kickass Ways to Be Happier at Work Today

Your happiness is controlled by one person. You. It’s your outlook that makes the difference in whether today is a happy one, or not so much. Maybe you think that those things that irritate you at work have big impact regarding whether your day is good or bad. But in reality you have control over how you view the things that happen today.

People focused on positivity are sometimes characterized as viewing life through ‘rose colored glasses.’ And I ask, “Why not?” What is wrong with putting a positive spin on everything that happens in our lives? It’s like that Dr. Seuss quote advises us, “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.”

In the spirit of finding something to smile about, even when things don’t go your way, I offer these 10 suggestions to increase the positivity in your workday, today!

BEFORE YOU GO TO THE OFFICE/START WORK

1. Start Your Day with a Positive Outlook

The way you start your day has a big effect on whether that day turns out to be good or bad. Your thoughts, speech and behavior definitely influence the mood of your day. Make sure the thoughts you allow yourself to think and the words you choose are positive. When you emit negativity, that is the energy you attract.

2. Drink a Glass of Water Before You Have Your Morning Coffee

Many of us need that jolt of caffeine to get us started in the morning. But we also need to hydrate our bodies. Science has proven that drinking water as soon as you awaken boosts your metabolism and helps your brain function better. It addition, it helps to rid your body of toxins.

3. Take a short walk before you head to the office.

Whether you take a few moments to walk around the block or jump on treadmill (dreadmill for me) you will lower your stress levels. If that walk is outside you will think more creatively. In addition, you gain a sense of accomplishment from having completed a little exercise. Trust that it really works!

4. Eat Breakfast with Plenty of Protein.

People who eat a breakfast with at least 13 grams of protein are better able to manage their weight. In addition, this helps to keep your blood sugar and cholesterol at a healthier level.

WHILE ON THE JOB

5. Thank a Colleague

Gratitude is called the “Number 1 way to supercharge your happiness.” Take a moment and send an email, call or stop by a coworker’s desk to thank them for something they did to help you or a customer the previous day. It will make your day happier and theirs!

6. Smile

Research has proven that smiling will put you in a better mood and reduce stress. Even if you’re faking the smile, you will feel better.

7. Stay Hydrated and Drink Another Serving of Water Before Lunch

Drinking a glass of water before meals helps you to eat less at the meal. And remember water helps to energize your body. Take a mid-morning break to hydrate yourself. You’ll also boost your brain function again.

8. Eat a Healthy Lunch

Step away from the fast food counter. Researchers have announced yet another study about why fast food is bad for you. The latest results confirm that these processed foods have been show to contain the same components found in soap and makeup. Yup, it’s that scary! Maybe you should consider brown bagging it or hitting up the salad spot near your office for your midday meal.

9. When that 3 PM Slump Hits Take Another Short Walk

Taking a leisurely lunchtime stroll around 3 PM is better for boosting your energy than having yet another cup of coffee. Whether it’s a walk around the building or a stroll among the cubicles, an afternoon walk helps to battle stress and improve your thinking. As little as 10 minutes can

BEFORE YOU DEPART FOR THE DAY

10. Make a List of the 5 Most Important Things to Accomplish Tomorrow

Making a list of your top priorities for the next day helps you feel empowered and in control. You depart from your desk knowing what you need accomplish in the morning.

Do you have other tips to help make us happier at the job?

Two Words Can Make a Huge Difference

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Two Words Can Make a Huge Difference

The workplace is the place you’re least likely to hear the words, “Thank you.” A 2012 study documents that 90% of workers do not show gratitude to their colleagues on a daily basis. And the results are even worse for bosses. Only 7% of workers thank their bosses for anything regularly. That is a pretty sad state of gratitude in American companies.

Statistics document that a workplace environment where people feel gratitude from management and are encouraged to show thankfulness to one another, reduces employee turnover and increases profit. Why then, is it so hard to accomplish? One of the biggest issues is management. As many of us have heard in our careers, the company shows their thankfulness for our efforts in the form of a paycheck. But obviously, that is not enough to motivate people over the longer term. That’s why so many of us think to ourselves at the end of the weekend, “Is it Monday already?”

The best way to begin to change this course is to ask your employees what way they would like to be recognized when management wants to thank them for their efforts. People are not the same and what one person enjoys in terms of thanks may not be accepted the same way by another employee. For example, some people want to be acknowledged in front of other staff, maybe in a team meeting. Others would prefer comp time off to enjoy with their family outside the office. Find out what is important to your staff and figure a way to show gratitude in a way they will really appreciate.

I remember when I started out in my first sales gig. I so craved to be on the top of the stack ranking board. I wanted to earn the glamorous trips the top performers were awarded every year. When I won a trip to London in my second year of sales, I was over the moon with pride and happiness! However, after more than 25 years and hundreds of thousands of miles in travel, the thought of taking a trip with a few hundred of my (not) closest coworker-friends is not something I am thankful for. There are other ways to motivate me as a seasoned sales management person.

Your next best move if you manage a team is to start gradually. If you haven’t been a “thanker’, you can’t just walk in and start showing gratitude to everyone. It will be received as insincere. You need to take baby steps toward gratitude. Start with simple conversations with your team. Or maybe even launch a survey asking your team what they value in terms of recognition and thanks for their efforts.

Be sincere and be realistic. Remember that the most important relationship a person has at work is with their immediate supervisor. Make sure your team knows you care and you appreciate their work. That is the biggest indicator of work happiness. Reduced turnover and increased productivity are the by-products of building a great team based on showing gratitude to one another.

What are your thoughts about showing gratitude at work?

These 3 Tasks May Help You Love Your Job

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These 3 Tasks May Help You Love Your Job

These 3 Tasks May Help You Love Your Job

Source: Seeking happiness at work? Try these simple practices to turn it around

Source: Manage Your Emotional Culture

Many of us live for Friday, that coveted day that indicates the weekend is on its way. This attitude exists because only 13 percent of us enjoy the time we spend at work, according to a Gallup poll. But have you ever thought how much better your experience at work and in your life would be if you enjoyed more of the time where you spend it most during the week?

Negative thoughts are easy to come by; it’s the positive ones that are harder to instill. That sounds counterintuitive, but that’s how many of our brains are wired. In an effort to enjoy more of your time at work, try these three simple tasks:

 

  1.    Start doing 5 minutes of a mindfulness practice – Take 5 minutes just to sit in silence and focus on your breathing. When thoughts start to wander, bring your focus back to your breath. In as little as 30 days this practice can build the part of your brain associated with attention, emotion regulation, and decision-making.
 
  1.  Reflect on 3 good things – Being grateful and showing gratitude is one of the keys to changing your attitude. Although your current job may not be your dream job, you can be grateful that you have a place to work and a source of income. Try writing 3 things you’re grateful for at work.
  1.    Be kind to others – Take some time and analyze your company’s emotional culture; are people joyful, loving or fearful? Be a change agent in your environment; extend an act of kindness to someone who needs it. Research shows that people can “catch” feelings through behavioral mimicking. So just by doing a good deed for someone else, you can set off a chain of good deeds that may help change the emotional culture of your workplace.

Let us know how these positivity tasks work for you.

READ MORE: For People Who are Sick of Attending Boring, Unproductive Meetings

This article covers three pillars of the Living Happier at Work program, mindfulness, kindness, and generosity.

 

Contact

Wilma Jones
Wilma J, LLC
[email protected]

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