How Can You Switch to a Positive Mindset at Work? Part One

It’s no secret that life can be full of difficulties. Sometimes, when things go wrong, it can seem almost impossible to maintain a positive mindset. If you are going through a difficult time at work and are starting to feel there is no way you can handle your roles’ difficulties and maintain a positive mindset, then there are some easy ways to maintain a positive attitude.

Did you know that we’re bombarded with negativity? This is especially true if you are a user of social media. Certain social media sites love angry people. Their algorithm is fine-tuned for them. When everyone clicks the angry reaction, it means that content spreads far and wide across the feeds of other users and whatever message is being disseminated catches on faster. Bad news travels faster; it also gets more reactions. The human brain is triggered and ready to react faster to negative information. It’s why the nightly news for the last few decades has focused on the misfortunes of others. Bad news sells, and it also fires up your brain cells. We turn our attention toward misfortune because we’re always analysing the situation around us (or on our screens) to determine if we need to react (known as the flight or fight mechanism). So that constant acclimatisation to negativity can well have a knock-on effect at work. What seemed like a minor issue with a work colleague can, if left unchecked in your mind, become greatly amplified out of proportion.  Also, even beyond the influence of social media algorithms on our psyche, we’re actually wired to pay more attention to negative experiences. It’s a self-protective characteristic. We are constantly scanning for threats from when we used to be hunters and gatherers. But such vigilance for negative information can cause a narrowing, downward spiral and a negative feedback loop that doesn’t reflect reality. 

Fortunately, we aren’t doomed by our natural disposition towards negativity. What’s amazing is that we have the ability to break out of that negative feedback loop and we can actually rewire our brains to think positively. Understanding how the brain can refashion its own connections is the key to unlocking the durable power of a positive mindset.

If no one else at your job has a positive mindset, you can start the trend. It’s as simple as eliminating the sources of negativity in your life and replacing them with positive thinking.

Here’s a practical and easy list of things you can try for two weeks to re-wire they you perceive things at work:

• Turn off commercial television. The ads mostly show you where you’re lacking.
• Stop reading the newspapers. They thrive on the sensational and the horrible. Remember the old newspaper motto?  ‘If it bleeds, it leads.’
• Get rid of your magazine subscriptions. Some are good, but most are questionable.
• Start your day by reading a good book for 1/2 hour.
• Learn to adjust your attitude moment by moment so you focus on what’s working, instead of what isn’t working in your life.
• Replace worry and negative thinking with positive affirmations. Think about downloading some of the many apps out there and view them with an open mind. One of the best is called, ‘I Am’. Try it.  

Next is to seek out those who share your newfound positive minset. It’s a scientific fact your brain automatically imitates the behaviours of the people around you.  (It’s because of something called a mirror neuron).  Therefore, you should surround yourself with positive thinkers and shun those who are excessively negative. If this works for you, maybe look into the principles of neuro-linguistic programming (NLP) as a means to help you switch to that positive mindset. Here’s a useful link to get you started. 

Also, don’t take yourself so seriously! If you want to be more positive and make those around you feel more comfortable, cultivate the ability to laugh at yourself.  If you don’t (or can’t) laugh at yourself, I guarantee you that the people you work with are laughing behind your back! 

In Part Two, we’ll take a look at more strategies to keep you in a positive mindset.