Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Lisa of Lisa of Getting to Zen

Have you ever driven to work only to not remember how you got there? You know the route you took, however you cannot remember a single detail along the way. It was like your brain shut off and you went on autopilot-you were there, but you were not there. This happens to us when we are not present. Not being present can cause us to miss out on so much of what is going on in the moment. It puts us in a past or future time which either has already existed or not existed yet.

For example, if while you are taking a shower you are thinking about the next thing that you need to do, like making a cup of coffee or selecting what you are going to wear, you are not fully experiencing the shower. And if while you are drinking that cup of coffee, you are thinking about what you would like to accomplish at work, you are not experiencing the joy of each sip.

1. Slow down

Avoid rushing through your morning routine. That means not sleeping until you absolutely have to get up and then rushing around like mad to get ready for work. You could be stressing yourself out before you even get into the office.

Set your alarm clock so that you have enough time to get up and have a relaxing morning routine. If you need 8 or more hours of sleep, this may mean that you go to bed earlier. Trading night activities or entertainment for a relaxing morning routine is worth it.

2. Pack and go

I have heard many times over the years to pack my lunch and lay out my clothes the night before, yet I have only done it a handful of times. In the mornings I often find myself searching for something to wear (and a lot of the time it need to be ironed) or scavenging through the refrigerator for something to make for lunch. And although I always find something in either of these cases, I often don’t feel good about it. Maybe the shirt isn’t as ironed as well I would like, or the lunch is a bit bland.

Getting yourself ready the night before you go into work will make a bigger difference than you to your ability to stay present in the mornings.

3. Listen to the beat

There is nothing like walking into the office after having a good laugh. Everything just seems so much brighter. In fact, many times I have found myself sitting in the parking lot outside of the office, waiting to catch the last bit of a story that I was listening to. It amazing how such a small act like turning on the radio station can transform your attitude over the course of a commute.

Listening to your favorite radio stations or cd’s are good ways to prepare your mind to stay present for the day’s activities.

4. Ease into it

You begin an exercise program by first warming up your mind and body for the challenge ahead. This is also a good way to start your work day. Begin by following a routine that gently allows you ease into your daily tasks.

If that means drinking a hot cup of tea and performing a mini-mediation, then do that. If that means making small talk with a few of your coworkers, then do that. If you don’t have the luxury of warming up for work while in the office, begin to get your mind ready during your commute, or during one of your early breaks.

Practice

Being present isn’t difficult to achieve, however it does take discipline. It can be a challenge to break our habit of living in the past and future. So if you find yourself going backward or forward in time, try to stay present by reminding yourself gently that the only time is now and that the only place is here. The more you do it, the easier it will become and you will find yourself having more moments where you are completely aware of the details.

Your world will come alive and burst with vibrant color.

Your Turn

What do you do to stay more present in your work?

Do you meditate or take a walk break?

Lisa (aka RunningBear) is the founder of Getting to Zen which includes articles on personal development, enlightenment, consciousness and awareness. You can sign up for her RSS feed or follow her on Twitter. In addition to blogging, Lisa enjoys long distance running, cooking, and sewing.

* Need help leveraging your superpowers? Then check out my Superpower Coaching to see how I can help you become more productive and feel less stressed out.

If you found this post insightful, you will probably like these too:

• Your Attitude and How it Affects Your Career
• 9 Tips to Boost Your Motivation

Image courtesy of Torley

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

Your internal battery needs to be recharged on a regular basis. You can’t continue at break neck speed and expect to stay happy and keep reaching your goals.

The hard part is making your recharge a daily habit. If as many people meditated as much as they drank beer we would not be so stressed out and exhausted.

Drinking alcohol is fun. I enjoy a good dark beer every so often, but I stopped drinking every day because of the drag on my body.

I also stopped relying on vacations to recharge my battery. Needing a vacation is a myth that I want to crush right here. You don’t need a vacation. Yes, it may be nice, but you don’t really need one.

The Reality

In reality a vacation is nice, but I will say that vacations actually make you feel more tired. Think of the last vacation that you went on. How did you feel after you got home?

Tired?

You probably felt tired because taking a vacation takes you out of your element, which is fun but not usually refreshing. Dealing with the packing, double checking reservations, checking in to your flight online, getting to the airport, sleeping in a weird bed, new noises, more drinking than usual, staying up late, and all the other stuff that comes along with traveling it can be exhausting.

The real reason you go on vacation is for some extra excitement not to recharge your battery.

Your Help

I’m putting together an e-course to help you keep your energy at a high level so you can get more done and feel happier doing your work. I need your help. If you could fill out this online survey right here and let me know what you need in an e-course to help you with your energy at work I would be very appreciative. It should take less than a minute to fill out.

The thing is I don’t want to create something that none of you care about, so if this course doesn’t interest you then that’s cool. I’ll move on to a different project.

Your Need for Relaxation

It all comes done to creating habits that will support your energy level. You have to learn how to develop habits that fit into your day. Your body is giving you a lot of cues that you are probably ignoring. The human body isn’t meant to sit for 8 hours at a time.

You have to move around and keep that blood flowing.

Check in and notice how you feel throughout the day. Is your back getting tight or maybe you are feeling anxious. What are you doing to balance out these feelings?

Recharge Tip

You need to make time during the day to recharge your body without having to go for a quick fix like coffee. Drinking coffee at 4 in the afternoon so you can make it til 5 is not the healthiest choice. It’s better to have a routine during the day that helps you sustain your energy without too many spikes.

Every time you are done a project take 60 seconds to check in with yourself. Notice where the energy is trapped. My energy usually gets caught in my neck and lower back. Take 60 seconds to do a back twist, neck stretches or whatever else you need to slow down and release that tension.

By using this transition time to slow down and check in with your body you are more apt to make smarter choices.

Your Turn

What do you do to recharge your battery at work?

How do you check in with your body, so not to let irritability take over?

Side note: Party Time

I’m throwing a Twitter Party with Johnny B. Truant and Pace Smith this Wednesday 2-16 at 8pm ET. We are celebrating the launch of Profitable Idealism. You should join us and hopefully win some free prizes. Over $300 in prizes will be given away. Check out the details and sign up at Party Biz Connect.

* Join the Work Happy Now Facebook Page and interact with other people who are trying to improve their superpowers. It’s very basic right now, but it’s a fun place to visit. We ask good questions, support each other, and laugh. Stop by and hang out.

If you found this post insightful, you will probably like these too:

• Holiday Stress Relief Tips that Last All Year Long
• How to Stop Interruptions and Be More Productive

Image courtesy of candrews

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

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Michelle of Wicked Whimsy.

At any give time, there are a great amount of people who are working their current job as a “day” job or a “right now” job, while they work on their dream job or passion projects on the side. I know I’ve done my share of this, and sometimes, it’s not easy! If you feel forced into your work arrangement, it can make you resentful, angry, and unproductive at work – which doesn’t do anyone any favors, since you’re spending most of your waking hours there! If this happens to you, try using the following tips to improve your attitude & productivity at your day job.

Set goals

Instead of doing the bare minimum to get by, set aside a few minutes each week to think of ways you can go above and beyond, putting emotional labor into your work and not just “showing up”. If you’re motivated by something intrinsic (like a feeling of accomplishment) instead of extrinsic (money), your satisfaction when you complete your goals is likely to skyrocket. A great book on this topic is Linchpin, by Seth Godin.

Make a list of things your day job provides for you

Karl has written before about the power of gratitude, and this is another great example of it. Instead of thinking “My day job makes me get up early five days a week and spend 40 hours slogging away”, think of the things you couldn’t have without your day job. Try to get creative with your list – instead of saying “my apartment”, say “my two bedroom home in the heart of the art district”, or instead of saying “cat food”, say “the ability to feed my beloved pets”. Make the list as long as you can, and keep it on hand for when you start getting frustrated with work.

Make it a game

This doesn’t mean, don’t take your day job seriously – just maybe not quite as seriously. If you’re finding it impossible to have fun at your day job, make an effort to make it fun. Give yourself points for handling a customer or coworker successfully & professionally, subtract points if you don’t. At the end of the day, add up your total. If your points are above a certain number, treat yourself to your favorite meal.

Work to improve your environment

If you have control over a small amount of space, improve it. Add pictures of things that make you happy or your list of things your job provides for you. Any time you start feeling frustrated, take a deep breath and look at these things to remind yourself of the positive things your work brings into your life. Make an effort to improve your work environment in other ways as well – try instituting a no gossip rule for yourself when talking to coworkers. Gretchen Rubin recounts a tale in the Happiness Project of a friend who worked under a notoriously difficult boss. Gretchen’s friend made a rule for herself that she wasn’t going to say anything negative about her boss or his habits, and that if others were saying negative things, she’d walk away. Not surprisingly, the friend turned out much happier with her job than her coworkers, and even found herself liking her boss.

Watch your labels

This can be one of the toughest tips to follow. If you’re constantly referring to yourself – out loud or in your head – as a “wage slave”, that’s going to be reflected in your attitude and the way you act at work. Remind yourself that the place you work for is renting your time, and that your time is valuable. If you feel like the title your place of employment gives you isn’t very empowering – say, secretary, or sales associate – think of a spin on it that does make you feel good (instead of secretary, try administrative assistant).

There’s five ways to start improving your attitude & productivity at your job right away. What are your favorite ways to flip a negative work attitude around?

Michelle is a rainbow haired freelance writer & blogger located in Austin, TX. She writes about life creation for thoughtful renegades at Wicked Whimsy. You can sign up for her free e-course, Finding Yourself 101, here.

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* You may want to check out How to Discover Your Superpowers over at my marketing blog Super Power Coach. It’s a lot easier to have a great attitude and stay productive when you are doing work you enjoy, gets you in the zone, and plays to your strengths.

If you found this post insightful, you will probably like these too:

• Your Attitude and How it Affects Your Career
• How Transitions Can Dramatically Improve Your Productivity

Image courtesy of Dunechaser

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

As my 1 Sentence Journal fills up I’m beginning to see my happiness patterns. For example when I start writing early in the day I can get my thoughts on this track that allows me to write in large quantities. I plant the seed early and I can’t let go. I almost always end up surprising myself with my productivity levels.

I never would have discovered this if I hadn’t taken the time to contemplate my workday. You don’t need to meditate in the typical sense to enjoy the benefits of contemplation. The idea is to find a way to relax your thoughts and be in the now, so you can improve just a little bit each day.

Habits

A big portion of my happiness felt anchored to how much I could write/create, especially on the weekends when I needed to get a bulk of my writing accomplished. Understanding my process allowed me to bring clarity to what made me happy.

Adding the one sentence journal helped me expose some hidden happiness that I hadn’t expected.

The older I get and the closer to death I get less likely I am to fool myself into sticking with the same old patterns. My fear just doesn’t have a strangle hold on my emotions like they used to. I’m much more willing to expose the lies that I hold on to, so I can make positive changes.

Excerpts from my one sentence journal:

3-20-10 – I had trouble staying focused, still need to work on relaxing with my work.

4-12-10 – My mind was scattered trying to focus my energy on how to reach my right people. I was grumpy and frustrated. My mind was focused on my mistakes instead of the possibilities that I could create.

5-25-10 – Planning my day each morning is very important. Helps me stay focused.

6-15-10 – Called out sick because I had Saturday hours, got some good work done. Nice to have the house to myself so I could stay focused.

10-19-10 – Got some little stuff done. Need to stay focused on big picture.

12-11-10 – I was a little disappointed in myself this Saturday. I need to get my work done so I can hang out with the family on Sunday. I putzed around and when I did work I wasn’t very focused. I don’t think the two beers and green helped very much.

This is only a small portion of my 1 Sentence Journal. There were many patterns that I found and improved. To help me keep my focus I’ve implemented the technique I talked about, Doing the Important Stuff Early.

I also implemented two other techniques:

• Review big picture each week and each month. This helps me get my focus back on track. I use my 1 Sentence Journal to do this as well. (Macro)
• When doing singular tasks I use an egg timer to stay on task. As long as my egg timer is counting down I refuse to check out my Twitter account or my email. (Micro)

I know myself. When I’m productive I’m happy. I love knocking out an ebook, e-course or interviewing someone. It makes me proud. That’s time well spent.

You

You probably hold back from happiness to placate others or because of your fear. It’s natural. I still do it. The thing is – what are you doing to expose these lies you are telling yourself?

If you love getting your creative work done early why are you putting it off until the afternoon? If you hate doing to Sunday Brunch with the Stewarts and their annoying kid then why do you do it? If you hate cold calling why do you do it?

We know what we need to do to be happy, but for some reason we don’t do it until we see the patterns for ourselves and feel enough pain to take action.

You have to find a way to stimulate yourself to ask yourself these tough questions. It’s the only way you will expose your willingness to accept the unhappiness. No one likes to ask and answer these tough questions. I understand that, but what is the alternative? You can’t go on living in unhappiness.

I couldn’t do it any longer. I had to expose the lies I was telling myself so I could open myself to changing my bad habits.

What things do you do now that makes you happy? (i.g. Eat fried food during lunch or cold calling customers.)

What changes have you made to improve your happiness? (i.g. You go to the gym during lunch or you only make warm calls to people who already know you.)

* Need a boost to your work happiness? Then check out the Happy at Work Project and start one yourself.

* I’m co-hosting the Book Yourself Solid Twitter Party this Thursday with Michael Port. Come check it out and win some cool prizes. Did I mention it’s free.

If you found this post insightful, you will probably like these too:

• Is Work Stress Hurting Your Family Life?
• What You and a Hermit Crab have in Common

Image courtesy of Policardo

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

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Estela M. L. Go of My Dog Ate My Blog

Want to improve both your productivity and happiness level? It’s time to feng shui your workplace. Feng shui is a practice that will help you design your environment so that it brings the best of you out. By following the 10 practical feng shui tips listed below, you can increase your productivity, your positive energy, and your working experience.

10. Practical Tips

1. Position your desk so that you are facing the entrance of your office or cubicle.

Since business and people are coming in through that entrance, it is important for you to not have your back towards them. Placing your desk this way will allow you to be less stressed out because you are not surprised at what is lurking behind you and are well prepared to attend to whatever comes through the opening. Worst case scenario that you cannot move your desk, place a mirror so you can still see the entrance.

2. While facing the entrance is good, do not place your desk in line with the door but either towards the left or right of it.

Sitting in the pathway of the entrance does not give off positive energy. You become the thing right behind the door that instantly receives whatever comes in, both good and bad. Just by positioning yourself off to the side of that entrance way, you are increasing your prosperity. The absence of a desk in this pathway allows people to enter the office space with a welcoming feeling of spaciousness.

3. For irregularly shaped rooms, jutting pillars, and boring walls, consider placing mirrors, plants, or paintings.

Making the environment more pleasing through these tactics will increase the positive energy and good fortune of the workspace. You will feel more relaxed in an area filled with beautifully arranged decorations.

4. Glass walls can help with your productivity but too many can create privacy issues.

One of the main benefits of having glass walls is that you are approachable to your office mates. You are also held more accountable for your work and are more aware of what is going on in the office. But glass walls gives a vulnerability that is only corrected by the protection of blinds. Even when blinds are not used, their presence gives you the option of privacy.

5. Design your office space with a balance of yin and yang in mind.

What this means is that there should be a balance of colors, shapes, and textures in the room. Too much of one thing makes the room too strong and hence a balance of different things creates a welcoming and peaceful environment for you and your visitors.

6. Make sure you have proper lighting.

Fluorescent lights may do their job but can make your eyes sour, so if you are stuck with these lights in your office, think about replacing them with full-spectrum lights or table lamps that are healthier for your eyes. Lighting will improve your productivity by making your eyes less tired and stressed out.

7. Increase the air quality in your workspace by adding air-purifying plants to the setting.

Your brain desires more oxygen and what better way to satisfy this need than to decorate your office with plants that not only make the air better but also create a more refreshing work environment. Good plants for the office that bring good luck are fortune plants.

Top 10 Plants for Cleaner Air

> Areca palm

> Reed palm

> Dwarf date palm

> Boston fern

> Janet Craig dracaena

> English ivy

> Australian sword fern

> Peace Lily

> Rubber plant

> Weeping fig

8. Decorate your office with some water, such as a miniature fountain or fish tank.

According to feng shui, water is associated with bringing in money. The rushing of water will also soothe your mind as you work. Amazon has a nice assortment of waterfalls. (yes, this is an affiliate link.)

9. Eliminate any clutter in your office.

Hide cords, organize your papers, and make sure there is a place for everything. A cluttered workspace will drain your energy while a spotless place welcomes a clean mind ready to take on any task.

10. Have your office reflect the kind of energy you desire by choosing the right colors for its interior design.

Each colors represents one of the five feng shui elements–fire, earth, metal, water, and wood–and with each element, a quality that you may desire for your work. To find out what each colors means, check this Feng Shui color guide.

Estela M. L. Go is a guest blogger for My Dog Ate My Blog and a writer on getting a bachelor’s degree for Guide to Online Schools.

* Don’t miss out on any more great articles. Sign up for my RSS feed or email feed and you’ll stay updated on the latest tips and ideas to bring more happiness to your working life.

* Lori of the Tiny Buddha has a guest post that caught my attention. My favorite is #21. “Fears – So you know your opportunities for growth.” I’m coming out with a product soon (Announcing it quietly right here. Shhh don’t tell anyone yet, but it will be about using fears to fuel your passions. I’m excited. It’s going to knock your boots off. That is if you are wearing boots.)

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

> I Don’t Try to Motivate Myself

> A Pimped Out Cubicle

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

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!

Why do you choose to get out of bed in the morning?

You may do it because of:

> Love
> Habit
> Fear
> Excitement
> Obligation
> Dedication

Whatever gets you out of bed, it’s enough to keep you moving forward. At what point do you ask yourself…

Am I happy with my career?

This is the question that we all ask ourselves, but we often don’t take the time to figure out the answer. It’s just easier to keep doing the same boring stuff. Why put pressure on ourselves to change when we aren’t sure what will make us happy?

This is the type of thinking that prevents a person from moving forward.

You have an opportunity to create the career that will make you happy if you start right now.

1. Develop Your Superpowers

You may have been writing a while or photographing since you were little, but you haven’t been able to use these skills at your job. No more. You have to find a way to use the skills that you’ve developed over the past years.

These skills will help you shine at work. If you are too busy with mind numbing work – stop it. You must cut out that stuff because it’s not getting you any closer to your goals. If you really want to tread water and wait for someone to save you, go right ahead. But if you want to improve your career and find more engaging work, you have to use your superpowers every single day.

2. Understand Your Needs

If you aren’t happy at work then you aren’t getting your needs met. This can be tricky because our needs are always changing and sometimes the needs we think will make us happy won’t. The idea is to make the best guess of what makes you happy and figure out how to get these needs met at work.

3. Match Your Strengths with Your Passions

Your strength may be writing, but you don’t love to write. This happens all the time. You have to blend your strengths with your passions so you can do great work that gets you motivated.

Maybe you like to speak to get your point across. Then use this strength to help you do more of the work that matters to you.

4. Start Today

Instead of waiting around expecting someone to notice, take charge and do the work. If you do a great job, your clients/co-workers/boss will want you to do more of this amazing work because they see great results.

5. Fail Fast

If you think you are great at planning meetings but something always seems to go wrong, then maybe it’s time to accept that this is a passion of yours but not a superpower.

6. Adjust Course

You can’t be good at everything. You can’t be passionate about everything. When you fail at something, leave it behind and adjust. Figure out what makes you a Linchpin (Amazon affiliate link) within your work. When you do great work, it gives you more leverage to do work that excites you.

7. Work Through the Dip

Every job has its grind. We can’t all jump into the CEO seat and run things. We need to put in our time and work on our skills. Just because you have a string of bad days, don’t let this throw you off course. Keep working hard and you will develop skills that you never realized you had. These skills will bring new possibilities into your career.

* Don’t miss out on any more great articles. Sign up for my RSS feed or email feed and you’ll stay updated on the latest tips and ideas to bring more happiness to your working life.

* Tim Brownson had a guest post that talked about confidence and fear. Click here to check it out. The guest author went crazy overboard giving a ton of value in his responses.

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

> 5 Ways to Conquer Your Fears

> How to Use the 5 Whys to Discover Your True Needs

Image courtesy of Korso87

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

Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Wendy Graham of online colleges.

If you work from home or attend online college, you know the importance of keeping productive; while working from the comfort of your house may seem like the best of all possible work environments, it can have its drawbacks. For one, you must have strong reserves of self-discipline and treat your work life as it were… a job. This can be difficult if one uses the same home computer for work and leisure. If this applies to you, consider the following programs.

Organize and color-code your notes and tasks with Notekeeper

I have tried many free and shareware PIMs (personal information managers) but I use Notekeeper the most. It is simple and is designed for maximum efficiency not only for documentation but for finding information quickly. You can organize your notes into groups, and the ability to add tags to each ensures the ability to cross-references anything from the fruits of online research to a simple to-do list. I find being able to add a color bar to each note particularly useful. You can track your information at a glance.

Watch your time with WatchMe

WatchMe is a simple, free program that sets a timer in the background and will alert you at a defined time. What makes this program so effective is its small footprint and how well it does what it is designed to do: no extra bells or whistles are included that you don’t want or need. You can define multiple tasks, each with its own timer, and set it up to add the total time. Timestamps can be exported into XML or CSV format or simply cut and paste into another program or document. I particularly like that it runs as a standalone .exe on the desktop with no installation required. If you are looking for a robust, but pared down time program, WatchMe is worth trying.

Manage your projects by task and time with Slimtimer

Slimtimer is an efficient and surprisingly feature-packed tool that will allow you to break your various projects into individual categories of tasks- both personal and business. You can set a timer for each task to see how long it takes you. You can also run reports to keep track of your projects and overall use of time when working. This tool is a godsend for collaborative projects or to keep track of billing.

Keep your eyes on the prize with k9webprotection

It happens to the best of us. We begin work with the best of intentions, but decide we will take ‘just a quick peek’ at our Twitter feed, etc. Before you know it, hours have passed, even if you feel like you have “worked.” If you can’t stay away from the social network sites during work hours, let k9webprotection.com be your ‘bad cop.’ Designed to filter web content, it can also be used to block access to certain sites during pre-defined times.

It took some time, but I am now more efficient working out of my home office than I ever was working in a cubicle!

This guest post was written by Wendy Graham, a stay at home mother and freelancer who often writes about education for Online College Guru, a directory of online colleges.

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* Jason over at Escape Adulthood wrote a cool piece about living in the present moment. Click here to read the whole article.

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Image courtesy of Rev. Xanatos Satanicos Bombasticos

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

There are important things and then there are really important things.

Know the difference.

Stop getting caught up in trying to schedule every thirty minutes of your day. You know what needs to get done. The other stuff can wait.

Amazing results will not happen because you have an amazingly organized schedule. Amazing results are what happens when you focus on doing the really important stuff.

* Need a boost to your work happiness? Then check out the Happy at Work Project and start one yourself.

* I talk about working on your foundation at work and Colleen does a great job of explaining why it is so important in her post – A ridiculously earnest reflection on psychotherapy.

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

> Productivity is a State of Mind

> How Do You Define Success?

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Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Evita of Evolving Beings. In our first part of this series we considered the benefits of allowing employees to work from home and in the second part we talked about how to optimize a tele-commuting situation. Today we follow up with 7 Tips to Survive and Thrive When Working from a Home Office.

Working from a home office, especially for yourself can either be looked upon as a big blessing or big curse. Which it will be completely depends on how successfully you set up your home environment, as well as yourself in it.

(Karl’s note: Below is 5 minute video of Evita giving a detailed tour of her home office and how the layout affects her work.)


I have personally been working for myself, and in my own home office for just over 9 months now. In those 9 months, I have definitely seen what works and what doesn’t, as well as shared stories with other people in similar situations.

Many people fear that working from home may make them lazy. However, if you love what you do, the opposite is more likely to happen. Working from home, may actually make you work more and harder.

Thus in this article, let’s consider how to not just survive, but also thrive in a home office. We will first look at the best potential set-up, and secondly at some practical tips to apply to make the most out of your work at home environment.

1. Your Environment

To begin with, you need to make sure that you can actually have a place for a proper home office. Your spouse and/or kids may be home at the same time as you, and so you need to make sure that you have your own space, which others in the home respect as your working environment. Some people use a spare bedroom, some a part of the basement, and others yet may have a designated study from which to work.

Anyone who is at home with you, as well as other family and friends need to also respect that there are certain hours during which you work, just as you would in a typical workplace, during which you should not be disturbed.

Once you have the right spot, having the right furniture and accessories is next. The most important investment in your home office should be your chair and the technology you need.

2. Your Work Chair

A proper chair is crucial when working in any “desk” type of environment. A high quality chair, should have proper arm rests, upper and lower back support. It should also not be too high off the ground, so that both feet can be firmly planted on the floor when sitting in it.

3. Simplicity

Make sure your work space is clean and not cluttered. Some studies claim that cluttered desks spark creativity, however most people know that clutter makes us anything but creative. Therefore I normally advise people to simplify their work space. Clean work spaces give us space, and a feeling of lightness, not messy piles of stuff reminding us of how much we have to get done or take care of.

And on that note, let’s move into the practical side of things – organize, organize, organize!

4. Organization

I cannot emphasize this enough. This is not only valuable for your physical work environment, but also for your mental state as well.

Whether you use, alarm clocks, phones, your computer or plain old paper agenda books, organize your time. This means you should have a general start time (you do not need to wake up to an alarm clock necessarily), scheduled breaks, and general end time. Keeping track of course of what a client or customer expects and when is also a key to success.

Some people do really well in working 12 hours one day and only say 5 hours the next day. Everyone is different, and in truth most people need a few weeks to figure out what really works well for them, especially when working for oneself.

5. Motivation and Inspiration

I have personally found that if you love and even like what you do, getting to things and getting them done will normally not be an issue.

However, there will be days, and you have to expect these, or perhaps moments throughout the day where your mind may wonder, or you just plain and simple won’t feel like doing a thing.

In such cases you have two options. One is to just let it be and take a break for that moment or even day. As long as you don’t have any deadlines, this should work just fine and can actually be very beneficial for your mind.

The second option is to have something that motivates or inspires you. Perhaps you have a book of motivational quotes, perhaps an audio series from someone like Tony Robbins that you can listen to for a half hour or so. Perhaps you can talk to a spouse or friend, who you know and trust to be a good source of inspiration/motivation for you. Whatever you do, take action. If your body or mind need a 15 minute brisk walk to feel better, so be it. If you have several things to do, neither of which are more important than another generally speaking, choose the one that you will enjoy most. This will normally get you back into the swing of things, and you will be back in your flow before you know it.

6. Focus

Finally, there is one other thing that you need to take seriously when working from a home office: focus. This two sided aspect can become your best friend or worst nightmare.

Some people get too focused working in a home environment, where they actually neglect proper eating, drinking and movement. The solution for this is simple: organize some alerts using your favorite technology to alert you at well spaced time intervals and follow through of course when the alerts come.

Other people may find themselves on the opposite end, where they lack focus and distractions seem to be everywhere. Minimizing distractions and following through with some self-discipline are key here. Useful tips include: make sure your television is off while working, pick instrumental music over music with lyrics or from radio stations, close all social media and have set times for when it is okay to use those. Even making sure that your email is not on any alerts could be important (unless your job depends on emails) as many of us quickly lose our focus just to check our inbox numerous times a day.

7. Adjusting and Patience

In the end, working from a home office does take some getting used to and everyone will carve our their preferences for what works best for them over a few days, weeks or even in some cases months. So be patient with yourself, but at the same time be conscious that you are improving your efficiency and are satisfied with your results.

In some cases, you must also respect that if you tried everything, and nothing seems to work for you, it is most likely that you are performing tasks or are in a field where you should not be. Find work that you love, and you will truly never feel like you worked a day in your life.

Your Turn

What do you do to thrive in your home office?

Want to catch up on Part 1 and 2 of the series?

> Why Companies Should Allow Their Employees to Work from Home

> 5 Important Rules to Follow When Tele-commuting

Evita Ochel, B.Sc., B.Ed., CHN – is the main author of EvolvingBeings.com where she writes about spiritual and personal development. She hopes to inspire people, to truly live out the life of their dreams and awaken the highest version of themselves. She is also the main author of EvolvingWellness.com where she writes about nutritional science and holistic health for optimal health and longevity. Learn more about Evita Ochel or Follow Evita Ochel on Twitter.

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Thanks! I really appreciate any help. Word of mouth is the BEST.

* Derek of Social Triggers wrote a interesting post called 3 More Ways to Increase Customer Satisfaction. Very much worth your time if you are a small business owner.

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

> Be One With Your Work

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