{"id":609,"date":"2019-02-04T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2019-02-04T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cos.p10.sol1.net\/uncategorized\/5-ways-to-boost-your-mood-at-work\/"},"modified":"2024-05-03T05:57:10","modified_gmt":"2024-05-03T05:57:10","slug":"boost-your-mood-at-work","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/cospedia\/boost-your-mood-at-work","title":{"rendered":"5 Ways to Boost Your Mood at Work"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Sometimes work just seems to drag, but the daily grind can be so easily improved with some really small changes. A tweak to your environment or habits can make a huge difference in your mood on a typical day.<\/span><\/span><\/p>

1. Decorate your space<\/strong><\/h2>

When you were at school, did you express your style and personality through your stationery? Decorated pencil cases, folders and workbooks, carefully chosen coloured pens or sparkly pencil toppers \u2013 they all conveyed a little bit about you. These days your\u00a0stationery<\/a>\u00a0<\/strong>choices are probably more practical, but there\u2019s no reason why the \u2018bits & bobs\u2019 on your desk can\u2019t reflect your personality.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Personalising\u00a0your space doesn\u2019t need to stop at stationery. Why not exercise your green thumb and put a plant near your desk? Indoor plants are thought to have\u00a0a number of\u00a0benefits, like reducing noise levels and purifying<\/a> <\/strong>that stale air around you. Indoor plants have also been shown to reduce stress and increase productivity and a general sense of well-being.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Other uplifting options include positive quotes and photos on your wall or memorabilia which takes you back to that relaxing tropical holiday you took last year.\u00a0Decorating office space at work is meant to\u00a0make you smile,\u00a0so\u00a0your\u00a0workday will be full of little cheery moments.<\/p>

2. Take a break<\/strong><\/h2>

Taking five minutes to step away from the hard slog can benefit your mood more than you might think. According to the Mental Health Foundation, a change of scenery can reduce stress, and that in itself is a useful tool to have.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Whether a few minutes of stretching your aching muscles, stepping outside for a moment of sunshine, or just visiting the coffee room for a pick-me-up, taking a break can\u00a0energise\u00a0you mentally and physically. Aftercare, an Australian support group focused on mental health, suggest taking five slow, deep breaths in and out. Almost like a mini-meditation, breathing exercises can improve your energy and reduce anxiety.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Taking a break might also include some time away from technology. For those addicted to social media, be aware that some studies show that it\u2019s beneficial to mental health to step away for a short period of time. While it\u2019s tempting to check in on your growing list of notifications, time spent outside or\u00a0socialising\u00a0in real life will leave you feeling better in the long run.<\/p>

3. Be kind<\/strong><\/h2>

\u201cWhen you are kind to others, it not only changes you, it changes the world.\u201d \u2013 Harold Kushner<\/i>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Performing a random act of kindness is a\u00a0sure-fire\u00a0way to improve someone\u2019s day, but it will also leave you feeling great. With a little thought, incorporating acts of kindness into your work day can be quite simple. Try leaving some change taped to the vending machine for the next\u00a0person or\u00a0cleaning the microwave or the kitchen bench (even though it isn\u2019t \u201cyour job\u201d). Giving a shout out to a co-worker for a job well done can make someone\u2019s day, as can leaving a kind note on a colleague\u2019s desk.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Kindness can be as simple as acknowledging someone else. A cheery \u201cgood morning\u201d, a passing compliment, or a \u201cthank you\u201d as recognition for a colleague\u2019s support are all little acts of kindness that add up to a workplace full of happier people.<\/p>

4. Hydrate<\/strong><\/h2>

While you may feel the urge to pour yourself a hot cup of coffee <\/strong><\/a>or tea<\/strong><\/a> when that late afternoon slump creeps in, you should actually be reaching for good old H2O. \u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Dehydration has been found to negatively affect mood, and even mild dehydration can bring on that \u201clow\u201d feeling.\u00a0 Other signs of mild dehydration can include thirst, having a dry mouth, a headache or feeling light-headed.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Being well hydrated is great for your energy and immune system too, and there\u2019s no doubt that good health is linked with good mood.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Express your creativity through a reusable water bottle with a cute design, or contribute to a great social enterprise with Yaru Water<\/a><\/strong>.<\/p>

5. Get your groove on<\/strong><\/h2>

There is no question that music is a great motivator. Have you ever tried going to the gym without music? It\u2019s just not the same. Listening to music you love on your headphones or earbuds<\/strong><\/a> while you work helps to dull the background noise and makes work a little more fun.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

You know those songs you love that give you chills? Scientists have found that listening to your\u00a0favourite\u00a0music\u00a0actually releases\u00a0the pleasure chemical, dopamine. So, creating a \u2018feel good at work\u2019 playlist is a simple step towards a happier work day.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Grooving along to your\u00a0favourite\u00a0songs might increase your productivity \u2013 just make sure it isn\u2019t at the expense of your colleagues\u2019 productivity. Playing your music through headphones at a low volume means you can enjoy your music without disrupting others.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>

Some workplaces have introduced a communal radio, which keeps staff quietly toe-tapping while they work more productively, and with a smile.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t

0<\/span><\/a><\/div> <\/div>
<\/div><\/div>
<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A tweak to your environment or habits can make all the difference between a normal day and a great one.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":610,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,8],"tags":[229,207,230,231,232,233,234,235,236],"class_list":["post-609","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-cospedia","category-productivity","tag-bottled-water","tag-coffee","tag-colourful-stationery","tag-decorating-office-space-at-work","tag-happiness-at-work","tag-music-at-work","tag-stationery","tag-work-mood","tag-work-stress"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/609","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=609"}],"version-history":[{"count":34,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/609\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":41052,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/609\/revisions\/41052"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/610"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=609"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=609"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.cos.net.au\/c\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=609"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}