LTAW March Theme is Spring Cleaning: Do you worry too much about work? Are your personal and professional relationships messing up your workplace happiness? Does your workspace define you properly? Are you focusing on the right things? This month we will focus on ways to declutter your life, mind and space to help make work more enjoyable!
 

Remember that Bobby McFerrin song, Don’t Worry, Be Happy? In the beginning of the song he says, “in every life we have some trouble, when we worry we make it double.” Do you constantly worry? Do you work yourself up over concerns such as finances and job security? Is this constant worrying effecting your productivity at work, your relationships both at work and at home? Well, find comfort in the fact that you are not alone. Gallup found that nearly 3 in 4 Americans say they worry about the economy a “great deal” in a survey conducted last year. Over half of Americans (57%) worry about unemployment. This is not surprising since we have been navigating through one of the worst recessions the country has seen since the Great Depression.

Worrying clutters your mind with negativity. Worrying preoccupies your thoughts with negative possibilities – things that have not even happened that you have already deemed to happen! The more you worry, the bigger your worries become. You may even find yourself worrying about all the time you’ve spent worrying! And all of this worrying can have tremendous physical effects on your body. A cluttered mind takes away from clear, positive, and innovative thinking needed to be productive in the workplace.

So what do we do? With the constant reminders of the fumbling economy, and the unemployment rates fluctuating, it’s no wonder we are in a constant state of worry. How do we go from this state of worry, to a state of happiness?

Turn off the TV. The news is notorious for showing us what is wrong with the world. So to the extent you can, tune out the negativity. Stop reminding yourself of all of the things you worry about by hearing it over and over again on the news.

Make a plan. Because of the state of today’s economy it’s a good idea to have a plan. In the event that you were to be laid off, could you survive financially?

Meditate. This may sound a little off the wall for some, but studies have shown that meditation makes people calmer and happier. Create your quiet space and set aside a time every day to simply breathe.

Exercise. Exercising increases your endorphins which make you happier. Make exercising a part of your daily routine like brushing your teeth and taking a shower. If you feel you don’t have time, find creative ways to exercise at work.

We all worry. It’s a natural human emotion. It can at times, even be a healthy human emotion, stopping us from reckless situations, encouraging us to take control. But when worrying gets to be too much take pause and do some of the things listed above to declutter your mind.

Declutter!