Author: Mike Balof

A retired Air Force Master Sergeant, Mike used to lay in bed at night and worry about what would happen if his plant closed or found himself without a job. One day his plant closed. Rather than panic and hysteria (OK, maybe a little) Mike found himself carried away on the adventure of his life. Mike started with the best job he ever had working at Home Depot. He spent 8 years working with job seekers at a local workforce center, helping them to find employment. He then started his own company developing courses, writing books and urging others to follow their own paths into the future. Mike holds a Master of Arts in Adult Education and Training and a Bachelor of Business Management, earned through the University of Phoenix and an AAS degree in Electronics Systems Technology from the Community College of the Air Force. Mike is a member of the Delta Mu Delta Business Honor Society.

How Can I Handle Workplace Conflicts in A Positive Way 

Conflict will happen. When people come under pressure to make something happen in a short period of time, or someone does not get their part completed when needed, or someone feels they have been dumped on and are carrying the load with little support, conflicts will arise.  

When a conflict happens, it is vital to remember that the work crew is a team. Also, remember that pointing fingers and raising voices will not help the situation.  It is a time for tactical thought on how to solve the immediate problem. And after the problem is solved, a strategic plan for how to keep it from happening again. 

Working together as a team forges a good bond that everyone can benefit from. Hurtful or divisive words, tones, or actions only cause pain and rifts that will last longer than any problem will. 

How Can I Be More Assertive in the Workplace 

Assertiveness is a two-edged sword. It is important for you to be heard and your ideas at least acknowledged, even if not used every time. At the same time, running over everyone else’s thoughts leads to harmful confrontations and hurt feelings when everything is one-sided. Positive discussion and constructive ideas with input from all workers are the best way for everyone to succeed and gain.  

The person who loses the most is the one whose ideas are always chosen and used. It is because everyone else feels left out when they are never considered and slowly lose faith and interest in the projects. They end up doing less and less, which means the main idea person is stuck struggling to keep the projects moving forward. 

A happy office is one where everyone knows they are heard and considered during discussions and idea sessions. Each person knows they have an essential role to play and feels appreciated for their work. 

Ways to Stay Organized at Work 

Organization is among the most necessary and least accomplished tasks in many offices. Unfortunately, an unorganized office is rarely a happy office. Unorganized calendars lead to missed appointments and deadlines. Meetings tend to be ignored or late, and clients end up overlooked. 

The work and concerns only worsen if the files are anything like the calendar mentioned above.  

Work takes time, and even coordination and organization are work. Set up a time on the first day of the work week to review the calendar to ensure it is up to date and that any changes noted. A few minutes upfront will save many hours of embarrassment and Frustration later.  

Make sure the files are done and up to date by the end of each workday. Every day, the pile of unfiled work grows. It just makes the problem worse. On the first day, everything is still fresh in your mind. After two weeks of not filing, who knows what was happening or where it belongs? 

Small actions upfront lead to better organization and much better feelings later on. 

Make The Most of Your Commute to Work 

Many people view the commute to work as a dead time when they can’t do much. They find it boring and hate doing it. The truth is, with a little planning, the commute can be one of the best parts of the day.  

You probably feel bored because you have done the same daily commute for as long as you have had your job. Anyone who did that five times a week would feel that way. Here are some things you can do that will help keep you happy and active during these times. 

If you commute by train or bus: 

Someone else is driving (hopefully), so you can have your mind and your faculties free. If you like to draw or paint, you can pack a small art set and do so while traveling to your destination. If you want to read and do not have motion sickness, you can read a book. You can listen to an audiobook if you have motion sickness (like me). If books do not interest you, maybe play a game or do something on a tablet. 

If you drive to work each day: 

You can listen to a broadcast, podcast, or an audiobook. You can count the number of cars, a certain type, or car color on your trip and make a game of it. You can count the number of red or green lights you are at. Just be sure always to make driving your first concern and not have any accidents.  

If you live within a couple of miles of work: 

You can walk to work on good days. It would allow you to get some good exercise and think a little on the way in. You could try different routes to work for a change of pace and note the things you like along the way. 

What do these commuting activities all have in common? They all tend to make you feel better by giving you something you like to do and chasing your boredoms away 

Small Acts of Kindness 

When you are kind to someone else, your body has an opportunity to be kind to you. The act of kindness is not usually expensive or hard. It could be as simple as Holding the Door Open, Buying Someone a Coffee, or offering a stick of gum. And there are many good returns for such a gesture. 

Being kind can bring happiness to both you and the recipient. The recipient will be grateful for your kind gesture, and you will have good feelings for doing something nice for someone else. 

Next time an opportunity arises, do something kind and see what happens. 

Engage In Activities You Love and Bring You a Sense of Fulfillment 

The old saying is about doing what you love so you will not have to work again. Work is a part of everything, although if you love what you do, you don’t mind the work as much.  

In some cases, the job could be fraught with meeting and arguing. Even that, you can get around when excited enough to get to the final product and know you were allowed to do it right. Those endorphins will be buzzing around again, keeping your happy thoughts going. 

If you can work at what you love, you may find yourself less depressed, looking forward to the day, and even healthier. You doing good for you.  

Spending Time in Nature Boosts Your Mood and Gives a Sense of Peace. 

I am lucky. I live in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. My town has parks to walk in and lakes to fish in. I can go to one whenever I want. It does me good to go out and turn my mind from worrying about things to enjoying a little nature. Taking a little time to replenish and restore sanity into my hectic life significantly affects my mental and physical health. 

Enjoy something you like from time to time. A 15-minute walk could clear your head and help make the rest of the day go better. A weekend away every few months could help keep you fit for what happens in the next quarter of the work year. 

It doesn’t have to be extravagant. Simple things work wonders on the mind and the body. If you do not take the time to care for yourself, who will?  

Helping Others Is a Good Way to Boost Your Own Happiness 

It could be holding a door open for someone. It might be giving a smile and saying hi. It could be a cup of coffee or a homemade muffin. Doing something for others is a great way to make yourself feel better. 

There are many people better off than we are, yet I bet there are even more that are not. If you help others, Dopamine and Serotonin starts to flow in the brain, and you end up the beneficiary of your own deeds just by helping. These good brain chemicals help your attitude, feel better, and help keep you healthy. 

When you help someone else, you are helping yourself. You are not giving away your wealth, doing back-breaking work, or endangering your life. Sometimes, taking five minutes to talk to someone who is not being heard or helping another person find a place to help them means more than you know. 

Great things come from small deeds. 

Take Time to Appreciate the Good Things in Your Life Every Day 

Having gratitude for the little things in your life and that you see going on around you is essential. Some people even keep a list of the good things they see happening.  

People who speak on happiness know to give advice suggesting that it is good not to end the day until you have noted something of gratitude for yourself or someone else that you witness in a moment of gratitude. 

Gratitude does not have to be given only for a significant gesture. I have seen people grateful for something as little as a stranger smiling at them and saying ‘good day’ when they were at the ends of their rope. 

Even when you are kind to yourself, isn’t that a moment of gratitude that you have the ways and means to take care of yourself and your needs? 

Gratitude is one of the steps on the path to feeling better and staying healthy. No matter how bad things get, a little appreciation can go a long way to making them better. 

Set goals for yourself. 

A self-help tip for happiness

Setting goals for yourself is a great way to stay motivated and continue to grow in your passion.

Whether it’s learning a new skill, completing a project, or taking on a new challenge, setting goals can help you stay focused and make progress.

Start by setting small, achievable goals and work your way up to bigger ones.

Celebrate your accomplishments along the way, and don’t be afraid to adjust your goals as needed. With dedication and perseverance, you can achieve anything you set your mind to.