Wilma Jones - Living Happier

Working It at the National Conference

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Working It at the National Conference

One of the best ways to stay current in your industry is to join and participate in local and national associations. Learning about new information, resources and techniques as well as meeting and networking with other professionals is just the beginning of what you can benefit from by attending and participating in an association.

Although I have been speaking in my corporate and leadership volunteer positions in my community and church for over 25 years, I became a member of the National Speakers Association in 2013. In 2014 I joined my local chapter in Washington, DC. Being an NSA member has provided so many benefits to me as I have become a full time professional speaker.

This week I am participating in Influence 2016, the National Speakers Association National Conference in Phoenix, AZ. Earlier this year I began to give back and volunteer my time with one of the Community Organizations that are a part of NSA, the Black NSA group (BNSA). This is a group of professional speakers  of color who support one another’s journey to build and grow our respective speaker businesses.

I am honored that BNSA group leadership appointed me to the Executive Leadership team as the Chief Engagement Officer, working to grow our membership and increase participation of our current members. It is a privilege to be appointed and I am grateful that my skills and contributions can help support this valuable organization.

In this role I have the opportunity to work with some of the best speakers in the world, like in the picture above taken after our meeting last night with Dr. Willie Jolley. Willie has been named one of the Top 5 Leadership/Team Building speakers by Speakers.com, one of the top speakers bureaus. He is currently headlining the “Get Motivated” tour with the legendary Les Brown.

I am honored to learn from these master speakers while I contribute to the organization with my time, talent and resources. Check out my short clip speaking at the annual meeting.

I’ll be back next week with more information, resources and tips for living happier at work.

Declaring Independence! (In the Way You Think about Your Job)

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Declaring Independence Day map Declaring Independence!
(In the Way You Think about Your Job)

Happy Independence Day!

I’m sure you’re loving this Monday holiday. Me, too. When holidays fall on Wednesday somehow they don’t seem the same. But this year the fourth occurring on a Monday gives us a sweet three day weekend. It’s the kind of Monday we all look forward to. But it’s nowhere near the way most of us feel about the other Monday’s in the year.

Here are the opening words to my new book, Is It Monday Already?! where I shine some light on those feelings many of us have about that place we spend over a quarter of our time every week – our jobs:

“You hate your job. Well, maybe it’s not that you “hate – hate” it. You just don’t look forward to it anymore, except on payday. Every week you dread Monday unless it’s a holiday; then that week, you don’t like Tuesday.”

A Gallup poll reflects the situation perfectly. Only 13 percent of workers in the industrialized nations surveyed felt ‘engaged’ at the job. Engagement reflects workers “psychologically committed to their jobs and likely to be making positive contributions to their organizations.” That’s a pretty sad statistic.

It’s a fact that American worker productivity has increased 400% since 1950. A large part of that can be credited to technology. But a significant factor is also the fact that the American workforce is doing more work with fewer people. Anyone who has lived through a RIF, whether corporate, government of non-profit organization knows someone always end up performing the job responsibilities of the people who were let go. They may later add employees, but trust that the volume of work is exponentially heavier.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported a startling divergence of productivity and pay from 1973 to 2014, where productivity rose over 72 percent but worker pay rose only 9.2 percent. It’s no wonder many of us don’t have good feelings about going into the office every day.

The only options to make a change is to change how you view the situation or actually change jobs. Going to work each day with a negative attitude only hurts you, personally and professionally.

Having a negative outlook impacts you physically because unhappy people are less healthy than people who look at life positively. In addition, it’s been long established that happy people are more successful than unhappy ones.

On this day where we celebrate our country’s independence, I encourage you to declare your own independence in the way you think about going into the office tomorrow. Try to shift the attitude to a little gratitude about your situation.

RELATED READING: Appreciation Increases Satisfaction

THE NEW BOOK: Is It Monday Already?!

is it monday already?! book cover

3 Reasons Monday Sucks and What You Can Do About It

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3 reasons Monday sucks3 Reasons Monday Sucks and What You Can Do About It

Most people don’t like Mondays. That’s no secret. According to Gallup, 70 percent of American workers are unhappy and disengaged at the job. And since Monday is the first workday of the week, we are not happy about the shift from Sunday brunches and lazy afternoons to going to work Monday morning.

While researching information for my new book, “Is It Monday Already?! 197 Tools and Tips to Live Happier at Work,” I learned a lot about why Monday is such a funky day of the week. But regardless of the reasons Monday is not a lot of fun, there are ways to make Mondays better. You can look at Monday in a more positive light.

 

weigh the most monday1. We Weigh the Most on Monday Mornings

Yeah, it’s probably because of those Sunday brunches that we weigh the most for the entire week on Monday mornings. If you didn’t go to sleep by 10 PM Sunday night, you probably feel a bit sluggish, too.

One solution to do something nice for yourself that will also make you feel better, is to join the Meatless Monday movement. You’ll feel lighter and better about yourself for your achievement. Use this strategy Monday to jump start your way to a healthier week.

 

mosre likely to have a heart attack2. We Are More Likely to Have a Heart Attack or Stroke on Monday

More heart attacks and stroke occur on Mondays than any other day of the week. It’s true for both men and women. The easiest and best way to ward off heart attacks and strokes is to keep your blood pressure stable.

A great way to maintain consistent blood pressure is by walking first thing in the morning. That’s it. According to a Harvard study, a 30 minute walk can reduce your risk of stroke by almost 25 percent. Seems like a small price to pay for a big gain. And if you take the walk outside, you gain the benefit of increased brain creativity for the next couple of hours. Nothing but benefits, if you ask me.

 

back to work on monday3. We Have to Go Back to Work Monday

I recently saw a Pinterest board about hating to go to work on Monday. It’s a common feeling. A lot of the issues have to do with working for jacked up organizations. If the company is making money, executive management normally don’t see what a problem. That’s the reason many people dread going into the office.

This issue is tricky because if you’re not inclined to look for a new job for whatever reason…
It’s not that bad…
You don’t want to do the work to look for a new job…
You like the people you work with…
The money is good…
You’re close to retirement…
The benefits are good…
The commute is sweet…
The job finances your dreams on the side…then you may want to consider a mindset shift.

Maybe you need to try to look at the job from another perspective. Maybe you could make it feel less soul-sucking and more a ‘means-to-an-end’ that you should be grateful for. Take a moment and find 3 things to be thankful about on your job. Start with that list of reasons above that you don’t want to look for a new job. That’s a great way to start changing your perspective.

Changing your mindset about work on Monday mornings brings to mind the famous Maya Angelou quote.

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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?

The Pair You Need on a Daily Basis

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 The Pair Pic IMG_1072

The Pair You Need on a Daily Basis

In the workplace there are a lot of tools you need to have in your toolkit to successfully navigate the territory. I’m not talking about the skills, knowledge and abilities you bring to the cubicle. I’m talking about two interpersonal characteristics that can take you far at the job.

Just like that power pair of shoes you always feel confident in, this pair helps to ensure job success. They are kindness and gratitude. As I have studied and observed in over 30 plus years of office work in corporate America, there are three primary reasons for unhappiness at the job. The sources are primarily people, processes and policies. But by far, the overwhelming source of work discord are issues between people.

We know the biggest indicator of happiness at the job is the relationship you have with your coworkers. Of all your colleagues, the relationship with your supervisor – the person you directly report to, is the most important. It’s pretty clear that if you don’t like your boss, or he or she does not like you, you probably won’t stay in that position for a long time. Or if you do, you won’t be very happy.

One of my regular blog readers mentioned an experience in her life when her boss suddenly died one weekend. It was a shock to everyone as he appeared to be in the best of health. She had a great relationship with him and was saddened about his passing both personally and professionally. The new manager assigned by the company was a jerk. He soon made it known that he didn’t appreciate her capabilities like her previous boss. After only a few months she decided to start looking for another job simply because of this relationship. When she resigned the human resources manager was shocked because he knew she was making lots of money and had been pretty happy for her previous 8 years at the company. During the exit interview she revealed the the relationship with her manager was the sole reason for her resignation.

Research has shown that showing kindness and gratitude for others has a huge, positive impact on social engagement. Therefore it seems reasonable that if you are consistent and genuine in being thankful for your job and your coworkers, while being kind in your interactions, you will gain great benefits. And if you’re not, well good employees won’t want to work for you for very long.

This info has been around for a very long time, as evidenced by a centuries old quote from Plato himself which reads, “a grateful mind is a great mind which eventually attracts to itself great things.” So long before the advent of Positive Psychology this phenomenal thinker had observed that people who are grateful tend to draw greatness to their lives.

Do the managers at your office reflect gratitude and kindness to draw greatness from their teams?

 

 

Contact

Wilma Jones
Wilma J, LLC
[email protected]

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