I
was thinking the other day that I have been working ever since I graduated from
college, and I graduated from college 22 years ago, y’all. 22 YEARS AGO!!! I’m at that point in my career when I think
I’ve come a long way, but then I look ahead and realize that I still have several
more years of work before I hit those golden retirement years.
Isn’t
it funny how your mid-career and mid-life crisis hit around the same time? I digress …
I
have definitely learned some valuable lessons over these 22 years of working with
many different people in many different places.
I’ll share a few with you.
Here
are seven ways to make work suck less (lol):
1. Decorate your space. Let’s face it. We’re at work for 8+ hours a day for 5 days a
week. We spend a considerable amount of
time at work, so we might as well make ourselves comfortable and at home. Who wants to stare at blank, drab walls all
day? Decorate your work space. Bring in pictures of your loved ones. Brighten your space with a lamp. Add a plant or flowers to the office or
cubicle. Cover your cubicle walls with contact
paper with a bold pattern. Get
creative. It’s amazing how simple things
can lighten your mood. And let’s be
real. Sometimes you need the pictures of
the spouse and kids to remind you of why you are working … to provide them with
a good life. And sometimes you need the
pictures as a reminder not to go off the deep end. Look at those pictures and repeat the things
you know you need that paycheck for … mortgage, groceries, daycare, tuition,
car payment, vacation, etc (lol).
 |
| Cubicle Sweet Cubicle |
 |
| "Black Girl Magic" Wall |
2. Play some music. Keep an iPod and a speaker or earbuds at your
desk and have a playlist going to get you through the day. Music is good for the soul.
3. Take breaks. This sounds simple enough, but I have lost
count of the times that I have been so busy and consumed with work during the
day that I don’t realize I didn’t take a break until it’s time to go home. You need that time to unwind to keep your
sanity. Take a walk around the parking
lot or deck. Get out of the office and
go to lunch. Just get up from your desk
and clear your head. The break will do
you some good.
4. Avoid negativity or your negative
coworkers. That coworker
that’s always complaining but never offers any solutions? Yeah … steer clear of Doug or Debbie
Downer. Don’t get sucked into their pity
parties.
5. Avoid all office gossip. For real.
For real. Run away like Usain
Bolt when folks start talking. When
stuff starts to hit the fan around the office, you don’t want your name
attached to any mess or messiness. You
hear folks talking? Keep it moving.
6. Stay away from the office “Becky” or
“Jeff”. Who are Becky and
Jeff, you ask? They are the backstabbers. They are the smile-in-your-face but
talk-behind-your-back and throw-you-under-the-bus coworkers. They are the insecure ones who are always figuratively
(and sometimes literally) shouting “look at me!” and reminding folks every
chance they get how they worked hard to make their way up the ladder. They are also the same ones in the corner
pouting when others in the office are getting some shine. They hate when you call them out for being
wrong or messy, and they throw a loud temper tantrum about it until you ask them
to repeat themselves. Then, all of a
sudden, they are church mouse quiet.
Every office has a “Becky” or a “Jeff”.
If they speak to you, be cordial and say “hello”, but keep it moving. Becky and Jeff are not to be trusted. Disclaimer – These are generic names that I
randomly chose, so don’t go getting all in your feelings if your name happens
to be Becky or Jeff … unless, of course, YOU are your office’s Becky or Jeff (lol).
7. Your coworkers are not your friends, so
keep your private life private.
Seriously, keep your work life and private life separate. The workplace can be cut-throat at
times. Don’t share your personal
business with people that aren’t in your inner circle. Your coworkers don’t need to know you like
that, and you don’t need them knowing anything they could possibly use against
you later. Be careful when choosing
which coworkers to connect with on social media sites. To be safe, don’t connect with them at all.
Follow
these rules to help eliminate workplace drama and stress and to attempt to
create a more productive work environment.
Give ‘em a try!
