January 22, 2007
Change Your Mood, Improve Your Business
We all fall into a slump from time to time. The key is not to let your bad mood affect your performance at work. As a business owner/leader you really can’t afford to have a bad day. You have to bring your “A-Game’ to work every morning.
Here are five tips to help you break out of the bad mood funk:
Pick the low-hanging fruit. Do some of the easy tasks on your to-do list. If you don’t have a to-do list, start by writing one. The longer the list is, the better. Write the list in black ink and then cross off the items off as you complete them. Use a red pen to cross each item off your list. It may take you a few days to get the entire list done. That’s fine. Take some time and reflect upon the list and enjoy the sense of accomplishment that comes from a job well done. Look at all the red marks on the paper and recognize that you had the power to get them done.
This tactic works for a couple of reasons. First it gives you a sense of accomplishment because of the volume of work you were able to do in a short period of time. Second, it will help you build momentum. Once you get started working you will gradually get into a grove that will help pull you out of your malaise.
Do some type of physical activity that you are good at. Go outside and shoot baskets. Go bowling. Shoot pool. Go to the gym and work out. Find your significant-other and have a passionate afternoon rendezvous. All of these things get your blood flowing and they keep your mind off of whatever is bothering you. The physical nature of the activity brings about positive physiological changes in your body. You’ll feel a sense of calm come over your body and that will help you clear your mind.
Make some changes in your immediate surroundings. Rearrange your office. Change your dress. Shift the furniture around in your living room. Little changes will help you get into the mindset of making changes in your life. Once you embrace the physical changes in your life you will be able to make the mental changes necessary to improve your attitude.
Go to the beach. Get some sunlight. You’ll be amazed at how the bight sunshine can pick up your spirits. A brand new day can also bring about a brand new attitude. Getting some sun (particularly from a walk on the beach) is a great way to shift your mindset.
Write down your negative thoughts. When you have negative or career-limiting thoughts you should write them down on a piece of paper immediately. Acknowledge the fact that they exist and that they are hurting your ability to do your job. Once you do that, throw the paper away. Acknowledge the fact that the thoughts are gone – gone from your hand (on the paper) and gone from your life. Dismissing the negative thoughts will help you get them out of your system.
Getting yourself out of a bad mood is important to getting you business on the right track. Do not let a bad mood effect your business.
Filed under: Attitude
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