I’m sure you have heard it before — just stay positive at work, don’t let your emotions cloud your work, or keep the work-life balance, but how do we actually do this? Do we stray away from the common tips and tricks, or combat workplace struggles with a unique 8-step morning routine? The truth is, everyone has a different workplace experience, and there is no perfect, all-encompassing solution. What we can do is find the root of positivity and productivity and make use of it in our lives.
Support from The Corps Community
Everyone has a responsibility at the Corps to create consistently and keep production up, but it can be tiresome when it feels like the world is crumbling around you. That’s why The Corps is built around teams — a shared responsibility and an outlet when creation feels stuck.
In addition to work, school can also be a factor in the reduction of productivity and positivity. Burnout is common, and the constant stream of negative news can weigh heavily on anyone’s spirit.
Nora Brock, Project Manager at The Corps and an engaged Elementary Education major, understands the toll burnout can have on work and school, but it’s important to keep on chuggin’,
“I know that no assignment or project is going to last forever, so as long as you keep going, things will change and get better.”
In a world that rarely offers good news, change is the one thing that stays consistent. Change, even when it feels uncomfortable, is better than being stagnant.
What is everyone else going through in their workplace?
When you feel defeated, you’re not alone. Companies across the world are feeling the effects of restless employees. UPenn says some employees can contribute to diminished organizational morale and job satisfaction. Employee performance can affect efficiency, productivity, and profitability.
The mental health impacts of juggling the negative world and the need to be productive
When assessing workplace productivity, most people’s initial thoughts are about internal processes, but what about when employees leave work? Their life outside of work is exposed to real-world events. These conditions can translate into a loss of productivity in the workplace. Modern Health has reported on the mental health of employees in the workplace due to external world factors.
Half of working Americans are pessimistic about the country’s future, a number that jumps to 59% among women.
71% of employees say global political tensions make it harder to foster a positive workplace culture.
61% of Gen Z workers are questioning their career path due to the impact of politics on their mental health.
If you find yourself relating to these statistics, you’re not alone. As tensions rise across the globe, you’re not crazy to feel scared or trapped.
What can we do to settle the feeling of panic?
How to stay positive in a negative workplace/world
Staying positive at work is challenging amid global tensions. While we can’t control outside events, we can influence the positivity we bring to our workplace. Positive Psychology suggests that workplaces can help people thrive and be productive, even when the world feels overwhelming.
The good news is that you can take your positivity and productivity into your own hands. Martin Segilman at the University of Pennsylvania has developed the PERMA Model, which includes five essential components to living a balanced, fulfilled, and happy life:
Positive emotions
Engagement
Positive relationships
Meaning
Accomplishment
Positive Psychology explains flourishing as “a state where employees prosper, thrive, learn, engage, self-motivate, express themselves, and experience happiness.”
This state reinforces the psychology behind positivity. Combating the negative news is hard, and it may take time to find a path that strengthens your positivity and productivity.
The benefits of staying positive
UPenn says that the results of being happy at work are satisfied employees who are more confident in their abilities, engaged in their roles, positive in their mindsets, and experience higher levels of productivity. Employees are more likely to be creative and passionate about their work.
How to stay productive in a negative workplace/world?
Now that you have mastered staying positive during your workday, the next step is to keep creating and producing work that means something. Having the energy to stay consistent in your work can also be exhausting when the world doesn’t seem to care. Work Life from Atlassian gives us tips to boost productivity at work:
Manage your energy, not just your time
Build a better to-do list.
Tune out distractions
Focus on one thing at a time.
Batch your tasks
Change your scenery
Let go of perfectionism.
Don’t let the rat race distract you from the real-world problems, but don’t let it consume you either. Give yourself grace and understanding because we are all navigating this scary and crazy world.
