“Working happier accomplishes much more than working harder.” – Sarah Ban Breathnach, author of “Simple Abundance”
No matter what kind of personality you have, you can become a more joyful person. How much more is up to you. Maybe you just need a little boost. You’re a positive person but would like to get some new tips. Perhaps you know you need some improvement and just want some guidance here and there.
Or maybe your boss has flat out told you that you need to work on your attitude to improve your career – or else! I hope that’s not your situation, but no matter where you are currently, today’s column will give you some ideas.
My biggest tip? You need to become the healthiest person you can possibly be. You’ve got to feel good to do good, right? We can’t be joyful if our bodies aren’t emotionally, mentally, physically, and spiritually healthy.
You’re so lucky – you have a great resource right here in this newspaper to help you get healthier. Check out Sharon McMahon’s column every week. If you haven’t been reading it, I encourage you to start.
In summary, here are some things we all gotta do:
- Exercise
You’re hearing a lot about this right now, but it’s always good to have a reminder. And many companies encourage it. According to a Time Magazine article from May 2009, nearly six in 10 big companies offer some sort of wellness program.
But what if you work for a small company or one that doesn’t offer a wellness program? You can sneak in small amounts of exercise that will add up to big results.
Park further away from your building to increase your walking each day. Take the stairs as much as possible versus the elevator. If you work in an office, stand while you work. Take a 20-minute walk outside on your lunch hour.
If you’re an early bird, walk with a family member, friend, or neighbor before work each morning. If you’re more like me, you can take a walk after dinner three or four times a week.
I’ve talked a lot about walking, and I encourage you to do at least a little of it each day since it’s one of the easiest ways to get moving. But maybe it’s not your thing. If you’re not currently exercising, you must do some thinking and research to find an exercise you love. If you love it, you’ll exercise often.
- Eating right
We must eat well to feel good. The American Diabetes Association says the same thing. They encourage people to take small steps to change eating and exercise habits. Once again, Sharon’s column can help you immensely!
- Sleep
We need to stop skimping on it. As a nation, many of us are not getting the sleep we need to be healthy and happy. If you are having trouble with your sleep, please do all you can to seek out solutions.
This goes beyond being alert enough to be a positive person and to bring joy to your workplace. The right amount and quality of sleep can boost our immunity and reduce inflammation in the body. It helps us stay emotionally healthy and improves our social interactions.
- Volunteer
Volunteering and helping others are fantastic ways to stay positive and productive at work. Salesforce believes in this, and they prove it by giving their employees seven paid days for volunteering each year.
If you don’t get paid to volunteer somewhere, I would still encourage you to donate just a few hours of your time each week or month to an organization that lights your fire.
- Talk to the Big Guy… or the universe… or whoever/whatever.
I had to end this column with this suggestion because it’s at the very center of my being and probably the number one reason why I’m so joyful.
I’m talking about prayer here, folks. I know not everyone believes in God or a god, but it sure helps me get through each day. If you don’t believe in anything like that, there’s always chatting with the universe.
I worked with an amazing, spunky lady named Liz years ago at Agape in Cicero. Whenever any one of us was stressed or worried, she would quietly ask, “Did you Philippians 4:6 it?” She was referring to the passage in the Bible that starts out essentially saying “Don’t worry about anything but pray about everything.” It’s a statement I use to this day, and it eases my burdens both in and out of the workplace.
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I hope you’ve been able to jot down at least a few new ideas throughout this column to help you be your healthiest, happiest self. You’ll already be an example of joy to everyone you know and meet just by adopting some of these habits. Are you ready to wow them even more?
Amy Shankland is a writer and fundraising professional living in Noblesville with her husband John, two sons, two dogs and a cat. You can reach her via email at amys@greenavenue.info.