There are days when you will struggle to do even the easiest task. A short email can feel like an hour long torture session. These days can really test your will.

These rough days also give you a great opportunity to achieve significant personal growth at work. When you are struggling the most, you should rely on every resource you have.

I put together a list of 9 things you can do to shake off your blues and boost your motivation:

1. Make Someone Laugh

Enticing a laugh out of a friend is one of my favorite energy boosters. I’m not a comedian, but I do like to be goofy and let go of my serious side. A little silliness can make most people laugh. If you not a silly person then just strike up a light hearted conversation about family, sports, or movies. The laughs should come naturally and if they don’t, at least you got to know your co-worker a little better.

2. Drink Coffee/Tea

I’m not much of a coffee drinker; I like to drink iced or warm tea as a pick-me-up. However, when I’m at work and my energy is low there are times when I go for a cup of coffee.

Whatever your drink of choice may be, sometimes you just need an extra boost to bring that energy level up.

3. Find Purpose in Your Work

I’ve had plenty of terrible projects to work on at various jobs. One of my most dreaded was stuffing marketing bags by the 1,000s for an event. One year I had to stuff 3,000 bags with our newsletter, small flashlight, and a coupon. My neck, back and wrists were throbbing after it was all over. This tension caused a splitting headache for the drive home.

I vowed to find a mental hack so that this type of task did not feel so torturous.

I almost gave up after trying various techniques that didn’t work, but then I tried the most obvious hack of them all. I looked for the reason why I chose to stay with the work. Whether I thought about the fact that I was making my boss happy, keeping my job so I could pay my rent, and developing my internal happiness during tough situations. I realized that it kept coming back to purpose. By finding a reason to stay engaged with my work, I was able to relax and not wish that I was doing something else.

4. Picture a Positive Outcome

Your motivation may be low because you can’t envision the outcome. Or maybe you see a finished product that looks terrible.

I have a friend who loves to draw, but every time he is asked to do a drawing he hesitates. He told me that the first thing that pops in his head is a disappointed face when he hands over the drawing to his client.

My friend is an amazing artist and yet he can’t envision the value that other people see in his talents.

Next time your motivation is low, try picturing the person who receives the finished project as being so happy that s/he can’t help but give you a big bear hug.

5. Ask for Positive Feedback

Many of us are too shy to encourage a compliment out of someone. It’s a shame because even a compliment that we fish for can boost us.

So give this a try:

Don’t ask a boss or co-worker for an outright compliment, but talk about how you see yourself and ask them how they see you. 99.99% of people will start listing your strengths. If they start listing your weaknesses don’t cut them off. Just listen with an open mind and know that you can focus on the positive aspects after the conversation is over.

6. Apply an Eight Hour Habit Fix

Let’s say you procrastinate when it comes to writing certain emails. Today, just for today, you won’t procrastinate. No matter what type of email that you have to write, you will just do it.

You need to stop letting habits get in the way of accomplishing your goals. I would suggest a 30 day “habit fix” to make it permanent, but that requires a lot of work. Many of you don’t have time to focus 30 days on such a fix. So try 8 hours and see how you feel. Take one work day to focus on breaking a habit that you think is holding you back. Every time your attention slips away and you fall back into old habits, gently remind yourself to stay focused.

After your 8 hours is up, check in to see how you feel. Did you get more accomplished? Do you feel more relaxed, or are you more stressed? If it felt good then try a 30 day habit fix and see if you can’t make this positive habit a regular habit.

7. Clean Your Work Space

A clean workplace helps clear the mind. It’s hard to focus when you’re surrounded by clutter. There are more distractions to get lost in.

Try cleaning up your desk. Put away any extraneous papers, dust off your monitor, and clean up the files on your computer. Once you have a clear external area, it’s easier to deal with your internal decision making process.

8. Make a Short and Easy “To Do” List

Too many of us try to make a list that we can’t accomplish, then at the end of the day we feel depressed and unproductive. The reality is that we still got a lot done. Yes, we probably could have been 10% more efficient, but that doesn’t mean we should beat ourselves up. We need a little day dreaming to keep our creative juices flowing.

Try making a short and easy list that you know you will be able to accomplish. I know those of you who are “go getters” will try to push yourself to get more done, but try with all your might to refrain from doing this. A short and easy list makes the work seem possible

9. Reward Yourself for a Completed Task

You need to take time to feel good about the work that you do. If you are too busy rushing to the next thing then you aren’t soaking in the feelings that keep you motivated.

If you are reading this post and you got this far, I bet that you are a self motivated person. This goes double for you.

You need to thank yourself for all your hard work because it’s the only way you know you will get rewarded. You can’t always rely on someone else, so…

-        Take five minutes and look back on your good work

-        Go for a short walk (Out in nature. It’s the best place to rejuvenate yourself)

-        Buy a healthy lunch that won’t weigh you down

You know the type of rewards you like best, so make sure to give yourself the time and attention that keeps you feeling good.

What about you?

What would your #10 be? How do you keep your motivation pumping along?

* Join over 1,000 people who have already subscribed to the FREE Happy at Work 10 Week eCourse. Learn how to discover and leverage your superpowers so you can do amazing work. (Sign up is in the top left corner)

* Doing work you love doesn’t always mean you will make more money. Over at Get Rich Slowly, Bon wrote a guest post about quitting his job and joining the Peace Core.

If you enjoyed this post then you will probably like these too:

> Life Without Passion is No Life at All (Great interview)

> 7 Tips to Overcome the Monday Blues

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!

Every now and again, I like to bring you short interviews to give you a new perspective on work happiness. During my study of work happiness I have found that there are many paths to the same goal. Some people believe that loving what you do is a must, while other people believe that relationships are vital to enjoying the work that we do. Interviews are a great way to get out of your own perspective and see what other people are doing to develop their strengths and live their passions.

If you have never visited I Can Has CheezBurger you are missing out. It is simply one of the funniest websites around. People add comments to pictures of cats doing something weird. I borrowed one from the site. It’s in the upper left hand corner of this post. It’s a wonderful break from a tedious task. Ben Huh is the brilliant mind behind this website. I was lucky to have met him at SXSW this past month and he agreed to do an interview.

Karl: Do you believe that you must love what you do to be successful? Why?

Ben Huh: The world is filled with accidents and chance events. It’s possible to be successful doing something you don’t love, but why would you want to take that risk of being successful in unhappiness?

How do you cultivate work happiness in your company?

The most important thing we cultivate is a culture of listening. If you can’t hear what your employees are telling you, then you’ve become deaf to the world.

What do you do to help your people stay motivated and productive?

We focus on goals, not hours worked. We set team goals and measure our ability to get there. People can’t be forced into productivity for long, the only way to sustain motivation and productivity is have it come from within.

How do you maintain harmony between your working and non-working life?

I don’t. I love what I do, and I don’t see working long hours as much of a sacrifice.

If you are feeling down, what do you do to lift your spirits?

I have a guilty pleasure and cheat a little… I visit our sites like http://icanhascheezburger.com or http://failblog.org

What is your biggest detriment to work happiness? How do you deal with this issue?

I sometimes deal with unhappy users, for one reason or another. It sucks to know that we’ve disappointed them in one way shape or form. I dealt with this by delegating the everyday task to customer service people who enjoy solving their problems and I get to work on helping the team learn about customer service, which makes me happy.

If you could give work happiness advice to someone just starting their own business in 140 characters or less (Twitter style) what would it be?

Do wht U luv & luv yr customers. Spend less than U earn. nevr, evr, compromise quality & hire & keep the best ppl. Win slowly, fail quickly.

* Join over 700 people who have already subscribed to the FREE Happy at Work 10 Week eCourse. It will arrive in your inbox every Monday morning, when you need it the most. (Sign up is in the top left corner)

* Nadia of the Happy Lotus wrote a piece called Passion…It’s A Way of Life. It’s what I am all about.

If you enjoyed this post then you will probably like this one too:

> The Myth of Discovering Your One True Calling

> How to Write a Career List

Image courtesy of http://icanhascheezburger.com.

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!

In a perfect work environment we give 100% and our company gives 100%. Of course this never happens because we make choices based on how well we think we are treated. If your company didn’t give you a promotion, that you thought you deserved, would you still work as hard the next day?

No?

Wow, big shock.

When your manager/boss sees that you just don’t have the pep that you once had, they also pull back their desire to help you. This creates a divide that leaves everyone searching for answers

You may pull back and only give 75% of your energy, maybe taking slightly longer breaks or surfing Amazon for a new book. Your company wants you to work harder, but they’ve seen this reaction 700 times before and they don’t try to open a conversation to improve the disconnect.

Now that you’ve pulled back to 75% and no one cares, you realize that you can pull back to 50%.

You’re now working at 50% of your capacity because you can. You avoid work on some days and accomplish a lot on others, but on average you are giving 50% of your energy.

Your employer is troubled, but thinks it’s probably just a phase and before they do anything about it they realize that they’ve just created your expectations about what kind of work you need to do to get by.

Only 50%

You are caught in the 50% working cycle and you’ve become complacent. You don’t want to go above and beyond because it doesn’t get you anywhere. Your employer has accepted your average work and you’ve found that you can get by without giving all of your effort.

There is no reason to change because everyone is comfortable right where they are at. Wrong!

Are you happy with your job? Do you look forward to coming in every morning? Is your boss satisfied with your production? Does s/he praise you for a job well done?

The answers to these questions are most likely no.

So now what?

Would you be satisfied with your personal relationships if you only gave 50% of your love? Probably not. You give your spouse, girlfriend/boyfriend, children and friends 100% of the love that is within you because it feels good.

It’s time to increase your effort for your own health and the company’s. The Japanese consider work a privilege that should be used to its maximum potential. To waste one’s resources is to waste an opportunity.

Motivation from within

You can have someone give you more money or be a cheerleader, but none of it will work unless you’ve become emotionally invested in the company. You have to care about the outcome of the project as if it was a part of you.

You can do this by finding the right angle.

Companies understand that when they hire a person with children that he is going to work hard to support his children. He can’t fail.

A person with a trust fund and no attachments may not feel the same amount of pressure to get the job done well, unless he has become emotionally attached in a different way. Maybe he has something to prove to his parents, that he can do it on his own.

Whatever it is that motivates a person, it must connect from within them.

Your job plays an important role in getting your emotions in line. If you have a passion for money then working as a social worker won’t fit your needs. You have to understand what job will fulfill your needs.

For most people the job is not the problem. You may have a job that fulfills some of your needs, but not all of them. That’s okay.

I don’t know anyone who gives 100% all day long.

There needs to be down-time or me-time. If you can get your emotions to become 85% to 95% invested then you have a chance to improve your work day and the value that you provide the company. This is not easy to do when you’ve started at a job at a high energy level, like most people do, then dropped off because your expectations weren’t met.

The Switch

Making the switch from “what are they doing for me” to “what can I do for them” is the hardest part in a wealthy society. We expect to be given everything. Google provides a free t-shirt if an employee doesn’t have time to do laundry.

They also have on-site health care, dental care, laundry service, gym, and so much more. They do this because they understand that if they give, the employee will give back even more. Most companies don’t do this, so you need to find another angle to get yourself motivated.

You need to create an attitude of generosity within yourself. Give until you’ve reached that subjective 90% threshold and see what happens.

You’ll notice that people will treat you better and your manager will trust you with more work. Yes, you will get more responsibility, but this will most likely create more emotional involvement, which will create more happiness.

When you are given too much work, you must be ready to say “no” only when necessary. You don’t want to overwork and exhaust yourself.

An individual must use their own discretion to determine when to give more and when to learn to say “no.” There is no black and white answer that will solve your work woes. I wish that I could give you a pill and you would love your job. Well, not really, because I would be taking away half of the fun.

The solution to the work happiness puzzle is within you. You just need to take the time to mess with the pieces until you find the right fit.

This will not be an easy adjustment, especially if you leave your co-workers behind at that 50% threshold. If you do, you may create jealousy within yourself and them.

I’ve seen this backfire at other companies. The employee picks up his work energy and the people around him mock his new attitude. Then he gives up and rejoins the pack. Or he picks up his work energy and misses the lower stress work-style.

He sustains his energy for a couple of weeks then falls back to the pack. It’s hard to sustain the motivation that is required to improve your work environment.

New Mentality

Managers are vital to a good company because they can set the rules for the department and make hard work fun while encouraging everyone to join the new mentality of their co-workers.

If you want to stay at your job, you must have a plan to increase your motivation slowly.

Talk to your boss and ask for a little more responsibility, or try encouraging the group to try something new. You can become more engaged and happier at your job if you apply a little pressure in the right emotional places.

If one plan doesn’t work then try again until you’ve found the right combination. If nothing else, you’ll take some valuable information with you to your next job.

Your work is constantly changing and you’ll have to adapt. If you do increase your work involvement I won’t guarantee that you’ll get paid more (although it will probably happen). But I will guarantee that you will get more job satisfaction than ever before.

*Are you on Twitter? Then check me out at @workhappynow. I give stress relief tips, happiness ideas, and thought provoking quotes.

* Pamela Slim of Escape Cubicle Nation wrote a really cool post celebrating all the hard work  people have done to break out of the corporate world. It’s called Come see the wonderful things my people accomplished this year! We have to celebrate our hard work and that means bragging about how hard other’s worked to reach their goals.

If you enjoyed this post then you will probably like this one too:

- How do I make my people happy?

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!

This is a guest post by Nathalie Lussier of The Raw Foods Witch

Do you feel tired, unnecessarily distracted, or just frustrated at work? What if it were possible to change the way you feel about your work by changing the way your body operates at work. The premise is that by eating more fresh fruits and vegetables, you’re going to experience positive results at work.

The concept of raw food may appear daunting at first, but it’s one of the simplest ways of eating for health. Everyone knows that fresh fruits and vegetables are good for you, and raw food just takes that to the next level by recommending a diet of fruits, vegetables, nuts and seeds that have not been heated above 112F.(Karl’s Note: Nathalie explains why you shouldn’t cook food about 112F on her site, “The reason being that food heated above 112 Fahrenheit loses some of its digestive enzymes.”)

The concept of raw is so powerful because it eliminates certain foods that are bad for your health, such as processed sugar and starch. Here are 5 good reasons why you might want to eat a raw food diet until dinner, and that includes eating raw at work.

1. More Energy

One of the first things that happen when someone increases their intake of raw food (and reduces their intake of processed sugars, processed starch, meat, and dairy) is the increased energy. Your body doesn’t need to spend as much time and energy digesting food anymore, so you get that excess in the form of vitality and a feel-good buzz.

(Note: The energy usually only shows up after a spell of detox. That’s perfectly normal and there are ways to help your body out during these bouts of detoxification.)

2. No Mid-afternoon Slump

When you have a heavy meal for lunch, you get that groggy tired feeling in mid-afternoon. That’s what happens when your body sends all its troops to do digestion work.

With raw food, you’re getting all of the digestive enzymes necessary to digest your meals. That gives your body a break and allows you to keep functioning without turning to stimulating substances such as caffeine.

3. Increased Mental Clarity

Along with the spurt in energy, usually comes a form of increased mental clarity. For some people it feels like a fog is lifted, others just sleep better and can think better. Raw food is like putting the optimal fuel in your body, without diluting it with a bunch of “fillers” so that your brain and body can go to max speeds.

You’re able to think more clearly, make great decisions under pressure, and keep the stress off. That alone is a great reason to eat raw in the workplace, and you will realize the benefits immediately.

4. Potential for Saving Money

If you eat out during lunch most days, eating a raw food meal instead could potentially save you tons of money. A meal out can cost between $5 to $10 per day, whereas a homemade raw salad can be made for pennies on the dollar.

If you are currently going to cheaper fast food joints, you might not see eating raw as saving money. However, your health will be the payment you get in the long run for eating fresh foods instead of mass produced bionic burgers.

5. Fun, Encouragement, Support

If you approach raw food with a positive attitude, you can make the whole thing fun, enjoyable, and bring your coworkers in on the fun. Whenever someone tries something new and different, there’s a bit of resistance from friends and family members.

Making raw food something light and experimental turns it into a challenge and your coworkers will cheer you on. Soon you can have the support of those closest to you, while teaching them about the benefits of healthy eating.

I mean, who doesn’t want a workplace filled with happy, energetic, clear thinking individuals?

If you’re interested in learning more about eating raw food (whether that means 100% raw or not, it doesn’t matter) you can visit me, Nathalie Lussier at The Raw Foods Witch. I take the spookiness out of raw food, so you can enjoy the magick.

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Join the Work Happy Now newsletter today and receive a Free 10 week eCourse. If you are wondering how it could bring you more joy at work then read 10 Part eCourse to a Happier and More Successful You.

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If you want to learn more about raw foods, check out another one of my favorite bloggers. Michelle of Healing With Raw Juices.

If you liked this post you may like:

• 25 Weird Breaks for Stress Relief
• The Target in the Bull(y)’s Eye
• Day 1of 30 – No complaining

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!

(Can’t see the video? Then try watching it at Work Happy Now - Dealing with Dread)

Dealing with dread is one of the hardest parts of working with a difficult project. Watch how I cope and use the dread to my advantage.

Need a little help with your work happiness? Download the free Happy at Work Project with a Happy at Work calendar to complement the content. Try it out! It will bring a ton of smiles to your days. I’ll warn you now; if you don’t like it when you laugh too hard and your cheeks hurt then I would advise you not to download this PDF.

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Need help with your blog’s content? One of my favorite resources was created by James Chartrand of Men With Pens. There is always some take-away that I find myself using.

If you liked this video then see if these fit your taste:

• Feeling Comfortable in Your Skin
• The Effects of Fast Food
• Depression at Work

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!

(Can’t see the video? Then try watching it at Work Happy Now – Value In Effort)

The value that you feel you are giving matters. That’s what this video discusses. I talk about connecting to your actions and how easy it is to stay motivated when you care.

How does the value you extract from your effort affect your motivation?

Need a quick burst of work happiness in your life? Follow me on Twitter (@workhappynow) and get your work happiness fix.

***

Whenever I need down to earth advice I visit Good Life Zen. Mary always has something wise to say.

If you enjoyed this video check out…

• Motivated By Mistakes
• How to Build Confidence at Work
• Stressed Out and Loving It

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!

(Can’t see the video? Then click here and try watching it at Work Happy Now)

There is so much more to a project than just the results. If you play a game to win then you are setting yourself up for emotional pain. If you play to enjoy the game and you win in the process then you are creating emotional freedom.

Don’t depend on the results for your happiness. Enjoy the buildup, process, and the result and you will walk home a happy person.

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When I need a fresh perspective on social media and how to engage my audience I visit Karen’s blog Words for Hire.

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Need help feeling happy at work? Then try reading my free report The Happy at Work Project. If you like it then email me at karl (AT) workhappynow (DOT) com and I’ll send you my weekly planner and resolutions ideas.

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If  you liked this video post then try these out:

• Depression at Work
• How to Build Confidence at Work
• The “Yes, And” Technique

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!

(Trouble viewing the video? Then click here and try watching it at Work Happy Now)

How can you use mistakes to motivate you? That’s what this video explores.

I used to mentally beat myself up after every mistake. I was killing my own confidence. I needed to learn how to use mistakes as a way to give myself energy instead of sucking the life out of me. I figured it out. Can you?

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Sometimes we forget why we are creating relationships with customers/clients. Naomi of Ittybiz does an excellent job of explaining why we need to focus on giving value so people keep coming back to buy our stuff.

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You may have noticed the new banner on the left hand side – the smiling face. Happy at Work Action Day has been prelaunched. It’s not quite ready; I’m still looking for sponsors. But check it out. I just know you’ll want to join in.

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If you liked this video then check out these motivational boosters:

• Unleash Your Creative Beast
• How to Build Confidence at Work
• Indulge Your Senses At Work

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!

(Click here to view video at Work Happy Now)

We all have itches we can’t scratch. The question is…How do you deal with it? This video post discusses how to deal with your itch and figure out a way to indirectly scratch it, so you feel satisfied and ready to scratch that itch when the time is right.

*

I love the blog Marc and Angel Hack Life. One of my more recent favorites is How To Choose Happiness With Words.

*

Are you looking to expand your Twitter universe? Then check out my tweets @workhappynow. Your happiness will never be the same.

*

If you enjoyed this video post then check these out:

• Where is Your Focus
• Your Emotional Boxes
• The Work Buzz

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!

(email subscribers: click here to go to Work Happy Now to view the video)

Once again the great lady, Gretchen Rubin, over at the Happiness Project gave me a post idea. She was talking to Justice Sandra Day O’Connor and the Justice gave her some advice on happiness that I couldn’t agree more with.

“I can tell you what I believe is the secret to a happy life,” she said.

“What’s that, Justice?” I asked. (Sidenote: when you speak directly to a Justice, you address him or her as “Justice” – e.g., “Justice, the cert petitions are here.” This, I always thought, must act as a frequent reminder to them about the value they are supposed to embody!) “What’s your secret?”

“Work worth doing,” she answered firmly.

We all need to believe in the work we are doing otherwise we are just going through the motions.

*

Every small business needs guidance and one of my favorite small business blogs is Small Business Branding.

*

Twitter is a great tool for quick burst of new ideas. Follow me on Twitter (@workhappynow) and improve your work happiness by 20%. This percentage hasn’t been proven yet, but I suspect it’s actually much higher.

*

If you liked this video then try these on for size:

• The “Yes, And” Technique
• You Are Awesome
• Indulge Your Senses At Work

Download the Free eBook Work Happy the Google Way * Post from: Work Happy Now!