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.

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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.

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Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Chrissy Scivicque of Eat Your Career.

About a month ago, I was out walking my dog (a 15-pound golden yorkie-poodle mix named Mollie) and, from a neighbor’s house a large, black pit bull came bounding out at us. Without any hesitation, the dog attacked. All I could hear were the cries coming from Mollie as she tried frantically to get away. Thankfully, her collar was just loose enough that, in that moment of pure terror, she was able to squeeze her head out and run. That beast of a dog chased her a few streets and then gave up. After running back home, I found Mollie, God love her, waiting for me on our front porch—a little torn up, a lot scared, but 100% alive.

I’m very fortunate; I haven’t experienced much in the way of trauma. This was, by far, the most terrifying event of my life.  At some point during all the commotion, I became convinced that I she was going to die and for a split second, I imagined my life without Mollie. That, my friends, was the scariest part.

Life without pets? No thank you. I’m a huge animal lover (I also have two cats) and Mollie is my best friend. I’m not ashamed to admit it. As someone who has experienced sporadic periods of mild depression throughout life, I adopted Mollie after a friend convinced me that a dog was the perfect remedy for a blue mood. After two years as a dog owner, I can safely report: It’s absolutely true.

The reason I’m sharing this here with you fine readers of Work Happy Now is because Mollie has gotten me through some extremely rough times at work. It might sound odd, but her presence in my home life helped improve my work life. Here’s how:

The Welcome Wagon

It’s true what they say about dogs—they are truly the most loyal creatures in the world. It used to be hard to come home after a stressful day at work to a quiet house. I would sit around and stew about all the things that made me upset, all the work I didn’t accomplish, the things I’d like to say to my boss. It was very negative and non-productive.

Now, I’m greeted by pure, unadulterated joy. Mollie jumps up on her hind legs and does a little dance every time I walk in the door. In that instant, the worries of my day at work fade away. No one could watch her bounce around like that and hold on to a bad mood.

Instant Social Bond

I don’t have kids so, at times, I felt a little left out of conversations with my co-workers. Now, everyone wants to hear stories about Mollie. I found that an instant bond happened with those who also have dogs. My social life at work has dramatically improved—an unexpected benefit of dog-ownership.

Walking, the Outdoors, and Thinking

Owning a dog requires a pretty serious commitment to exercise. I didn’t realize at first how much time I would spend outside with Mollie, walking and playing. And I didn’t realize how great that would be for my mental attitude. Like most dog owners, I make sure Mollie gets a minimum of two walks a day—one in the morning and one at night. During the morning walk, I’m able to mentally prepare for my workday. I think about all of the positive things I will accomplish. During the evening walk, I’m able to decompress, think about my victories and clear away any residual negativity.

Fresh air and exercise are two of the most powerful things for creating a positive mental attitude. Owning a dog ensures you get plenty of both.

Ultimately, the pit bull attack was awful, but we all survived. Mollie’s wounds are healing and she’s back to her old chipper self. For those of you animal lovers, you can see a few pictures of her on my blog’s “about me” page (just scroll down the page a bit). And, if you’re the kind of person who experiences intermittent blue patches or needs some help leaving the stress of work at the office, consider adopting a pet from your local shelter.

Bio: Chrissy Scivicque is a writer, nutritionist and career coach. She trains others to manage their career path with a holistic point-of-view. You can find her at EatYourCareer.com, a blog dedicated to helping you create a nourishing professional life.

* 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.

* Alexandra of Water Cooler Wisdom wrote a well thought out piece about selling excellence. So many of us are scared to do it right.

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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 be happy at work.

There are so many amazing people in the blogging world, but one of my more recent finds is Jason of Escape Adulthood. He and Kim (his wife) have created a business out of bringing the fun back into life.

The first impression of Jason was a video that I watched of a water balloon fight between Jason and Kim. They were sitting in chairs and throwing water balloons over their garage to see who had the better aim. It was right then that I was hooked. Having fun in life is a big part of being happy, so I’m glad to bring you an interview with Jason.

Karl: On a scale of 1- 10 (10 being very important) how important is work happiness to you? Why did you pick that number?

Jason: I would have to say 10. As a teenager, I worked at a car dealership and hated nearly every minute of it. But I knew it was only a part time job. Even more troubling were some of the mechanics who worked there that also seemed to hate every single minute of it. I decided right then and there that I’d do whatever it took to find a job that made me happy. Now that doesn’t mean it’s always easy or fun, but the challenges are what help make it interesting. Life is too short to spend most of it doing something you hate. Life is also too short to spend most of it doing something you only kinda like.

What is one task that annoys you? How do you make it more enjoyable or at least tolerable?

I’m not a big fan of the accounting side of things. As an entrepreneur, having a good handle on the finances is important, but paying bills and tracking expenses is my least favorite thing to do. So I do a couple of things to cope. I use a payroll service to take care of the check writing and let me know how much tax to pay Uncle Sam. I have an accountant who takes care of the annual corporate tax return. I hire someone to enter orders from our online store into our accounting software. And I schedule the rest of the stuff that I have to do early in the week so I have fun stuff to look forward to when I’m finished.

What is your favorite part of your job? Why?

There are two, and sometimes they overlap: 1) being creative and 2) making people think. That’s when I feel most alive and am most fully using the talents God’s given me. I’ve finally gotten to the point where those areas are where I spend the majority of my time, whether it’s through a speech, a blog post, or a drawing.

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

For me, they blend together quite well. A few weeks ago, I spoke at a conference held in a resort that features three indoor water parks. I brought my wife and daughter with me to the program, and we spent some time the day before my talk splashing around. I was thinking that although it’s not unusual for a person to combine work and play with their family, it is a little unusual that for me, I’m kind of expected to. That’s freakin’ cool. Of course, this didn’t just happen; it required a lot of planning and effort and sacrifice along the way. Life balance is a real priority for me and Kim, and we are very mindful and intentional about how we spend our time. Contrary to the old adage, I like to think that I try to “preach what I practice,” which helps keep things pretty harmonious.

What is your favorite stress reliever?

Going for a walk by the lake on a sunny day. Easy. Simple. Cheap.

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

Eat something comforting, like a big bowl of macaroni and cheese. If I’m ready for something a bit more productive, I’ll go for a walk, bring my iPod, and listen to songs that remind me about God’s love for me. My down moments usually are the result of me drifting too far away from him.

What is your biggest detriment to enjoying your work?

Just like anyone, it’s super easy to get bogged down in the details of the day-to-day. The stuff that piles up, needs to get done, and takes on an overblown sense of urgency. It’s always a challenge to keep from confusing the urgent with the important; a lot of the stuff we get stressed out about doesn’t amount to a hill of beans in the big picture. It’s important to regularly stop and reflect to maintain a sense of perspective. If you get too caught up in the busyness of life, stress piles up and you miss out on some of the best stuff.

What do you do to stay motivated and productive?

At first, the avoidance of going out to get a real job provided ample motivation. Then the pressure of paying rent (and now a mortgage) did the trick. But more and more, the gravity of this issue and how it affects families and relationships is what’s driving me. The speed of life continues to increase and create new challenges for people. Life balance is a real struggle. And there are too many people looking back on their life saying, “I wish I woulda…” The mission that motivates me is to help people have as few “I wish I wouldas” as possible.

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

Don’t wait for permission. Follow your dreams. Work really hard. Don’t give up. And most importantly, don’t forget to have fun along the way.

If you want to learn how live with less stress and more fun then check out Jason’s blog Escape Adulthood.

* Join over 600 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)

* Terry Starbucker wrote Don’t Be A Victim of Success (Keep Climbing). I loved the concept of striving to bring more value every single day.

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

Editor’s note: This is a guest post from Susan C.

I’m a big believer in relaxing with our work. I’m not talking about laziness. I’m talking about finding your rhythm that allows for optimum levels of performance. Knowing when you need a break and knowing when to keep working because you are in the zone. Today we talk about: Using meditation to expand mindfulness.

This mindfulness meditation has its roots in an earth-based (pagan) spiritual path and was inspired by a short morning ritual in Yasmine Galenorn’s book Embracing the Moon.  Ideally, it’s great to be able to do this outside, but it works just as well indoors, in which case, looking out a window can help to initially bring our focus to the natural world.  One could do this mindfulness meditation at any point in the day, but it’s a nice way to start the day.

Let’s get started

Stand with feet slightly apart and knees gently bent, shoulders back and relaxed, take a few deep breaths and feel the floor or earth under your feet, supporting you, and notice your surroundings (preferably those outside the window).

East

If you are not already facing the direction of east, turn in that direction and greet both the direction and the element of air.  The east is associated with the element of air, the season of spring, the morning, beginnings, and thinking.  I usually ask that the cool, gentle breezes of the air to sweep away any cloudy or gloomy thinking, leaving my mind clear and fair.  Visualize a gentle wind (or a stronger breeze if that’s more your style) sweeping away dark clouds or any kind of mental fog.  The more you can visualize or feel this process, the more powerful it is.  Thank the east and the air, and then face south.

South

The south is associated with fire, transformation, summer, midday, culminations, passion and creative energy.  Welcome or greet the direction and the element of fire.  Imagine the process of turning your heartfelt desires and thoughts into the energy or fuel that transforms the ideal into the real.  Visualize the warmth of the sun and/or a nice, well tended fire that provides you with a steady source of energy to accomplish your actions, tasks and goals throughout the day.  If you are feeling stuck or that there are barriers to moving forward in some way, see those barriers being reduced to ash (in a controlled and productive way).  Thank the south and the element of fire, and then face west.

West

The west is associated with water, autumn, evening (twilight), water, harvesting/withering away, and emotions.  Welcome the direction of the west and the element of water into your day.  Visualize being near a body of water (it could be a lake, the ocean, a river, even a fountain), hear the water moving and feel it moving over and around you, cleansing and renewing you.  I like to imagine a wellspring filled with joy, love, hope and laughter bubbling up in my heart and circulating through me.  Thank the west and the element of water, then face north.

North

North is associated with earth, winter, midnight, the fallow season, and the physical body. Welcome the north and the element of earth into your day.  Feel your connection to the earth, and visualize your interconnection with other beings and life forms as a network of deep, strong, intertwined roots that support and nourish each other and help us to bring forth the lives that are best for each of us.  When I’m feeling particularly ungrounded or buffeted about by a lot of change, I visualize myself as a tall tree that playfully engages the crazy winds of change because it has sturdy roots that will support it.  Connect with whatever earthy symbol or structure helps you to feel grounded and secure.  At this point you can turn and face east again and see yourself as being in the centre of a circle.

Center

The center is associated with the element of space/aether, the spirit, and either silence or the primordial sound “om”. Visualize being in a quiet, calm sanctuary or place that fills you with a sense of equanimity, acceptance of what is, detachment from outcomes (Yes, I know: easier said than done!), and an attentiveness—or mindfulness—to the present moment. When you feel that you have a sense of this, thank the center and aether, and remember to take these connections and gifts with you throughout the day.

What do you do to energize your workday? Besides coffee.

* It’s Spread-the-Love Day, when I encourage you to spread the word about Work Happy Now. You might:
- Forward the link to someone you think would be interested
-  Link to a post on Twitter (follow me @workhappynow)
- Sign up for my FREE 10 Week E-Course and join over 450 people who have already improved their happiness at work. You will also receive a bi-monthly newsletter that gives you great tips and ideas on how to improve your career.
- Put a link to the blog in your Facebook status update
Thanks! I really appreciate any help. Word of mouth is the BEST.

*  Evita over at EvolvingWellness has a brilliant interview about exercise. It’s so very important to exercise if you have an office job. The article is called Common Fitness Questions Answered by Fitness Expert Marta Montenegro.

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

Every week I like to bring you a work happiness tip that can help improve your mood, relationships, productivity, or reduce your stress. The idea is to put you back in the driver’s seat. This week’s tip: Walk to the bathroom very very mindfully.

Our minds love to follow distractions. It makes sense.

We like to be distracted. So even when we are walking to use the bathroom, we notice a co-worker’s cough, which makes us think about our own throat, and this leads to a reminder to go to the doctor for a check-up, then we are done.

We finished in the bathroom and we are back at our desk. 99% of our focus is not about enjoying where we are, but rather random thoughts.

I advocate developing your mind at work because it will help you to become happier and more productive. The reason this works is because you are focusing your energy on the part of you that matters the most. Without developing your emotional intelligence, you are flatlining your ability to feel good.

It works like this…

You can be Stucky or you can be Snappy.

A typical day being Stucky at work:

Stucky walks in and lets his focus bounce from email, to a report, to going to the bathroom, to coffee, to answering the phone.

His mind is jumping from object, to noise, to task, never really taking time to focus on any one thing.

I know you know a person like this.

A typical day being Snappy at work:

Snappy focuses on one task at a time. When he is working on an email he sticks with it, finishes it then sends it off.

He then works on a report until his shoulders have that slight ache that encourages him to take a break.

He walks to the bathroom, taking his time to soak in the moment, allowing his muscles to release their tension.

After the bathroom he grabs himself a cold glass of water and heads back to work.

Enough of my cheezy parable.

You get my point.

How do you harness that Stucky mind and make it Snappy?

Start small. Take small steps toward doing small tasks. When going to use the bathroom focus on relaxing your muscles, feeling your thoughts, and keep bringing your focus back to the present moment. Use that small break as a way to release tension.

After thirty days of focusing your mind on present moment bathroom breaks you will see an improvement in your happiness and focus. The next step is to apply this same technique to your work.

What do you think?

Could you use a walk to the bathroom as a way to release tension?

See you in the comment section.

* It’s Spread-the-Love Day, when I encourage you to spread the word about Work Happy Now. You might:
- Forward the link to someone you think would be interested
-  Link to a post on Twitter (follow me @workhappynow)
- Sign up for my FREE 10 Week E-Course and join over 450 people who have already improved their happiness at work. You will also receive a bi-monthly newsletter that give you great tips and ideas on how to improve your career.
- Put a link to the blog in your Facebook status update
Thanks! I really appreciate any help. Word of mouth is the BEST.

* J.D. Roth of Folded Space wrote a cool post called Food Rules. It’s all the don’ts when it comes to eating food. Liked it’s simplicity.

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

So you’re stressed out and you have too much to complete. What do you do?

Usually someone does the opposite of what they should really do. They try to rush through to get as much done as possible without being aware of their body signals.

This is actually funny to me. I have often seen co-workers making calls, writing an email and planning their night all at the same time they’re rushing to get all their work done and then they complain about feeling stressed out.

Instead of looking at the root cause, they apply topical solutions to the problem. I’ll explain as this article continues.

I’ve actually tried talking to these stressed out people about their habits and all I get are grumpy stares. I’m sure they are addicted to the rush of rushing around. We all love to feel important, making sure our ego gets that daily dose of “oh yeah, that’s why I’m on Earth.”

The problem is that our hearts, minds, and stomachs can’t handle the pressure. No wonder we eat for comfort. We are constantly on the edge trying to bring ourselves back to solid ground. We also forget that we have superpowers that need to be used more often.  We forget that we are put on this earth to thrive instead of just survive. That means doing work that gets us excited, gets us in the zone, and plays to our strengths. It’s a lot easier to keep stress back when we are doing work that comes easy to us.

We also need to find other ways to relax with the work that we do without feeling overwhelmed. It’s a mental game that we must all solve for ourselves.

I use 3 techniques that I’ve combined to help me deal with my frustration, plus a bonus idea that has worked well for me:

- Slow your movements for a specified amount of time

- Increase speed slowly

- Be 100% there

* Bonus Tip

Slow Down Your Movements

The whole world seems to advocate slowing down. There are countless songs about it. Here is a small sample of lyrics – Jack Johnson, Bobby Valentine, and Wyclef Jean.

After doing research on work habits and how they cause stress, I found an article on the Wall Street Journal website called Not so Fast.

After reading the piece I understood the root cause of our stress.

It all comes down to how we adjust to the pace of our work.

If you have a lot to get done then of course you need to increase the pace of your work, but how much more can you take? Do you increase your pace by 10% or maybe 25%? And how much can you reasonably handle? How do you measure your stress level so you don’t fall into the fetal position crying and sucking your thumb?

When you feel like work will crash down on top of you, refuse to give in to the game. Take 30 minutes to work at a slower pace. Use this time to type slower, breathe slower, and think slower. You’ll be surprised by the work you are able to accomplish.

I was recently stressed out so I put myself in a slow motion state, working at 50% capacity. I did this for 30 minutes. It was hard to not jump right back up to full speed. There were a couple of times when I caught myself working too fast and I had to pull back. Try typing at 50% reduced speed. It’s hard not to fall back into regular typing habits.

This exercise helped me prioritize. After that half hour was over I increased my speed, but I felt much more relaxed and able to enjoy my work.

When you challenge yourself to work at a more manageable pace, you usually increase your stress level. But you can challenge yourself for a small amount of time to help you reframe the situation. This added stress will help you in the long run.

I know you still need to get your stuff done, but be mindful of your pace. Learning to slow down when the nerves are about to snap is a great tool to improve your work happiness.

Increase Speed Slowly

The only way a professional athlete will get beyond his current skill level is to push outside of his comfort zone. That may mean 30 more minutes in the gym, 30 more minutes of practice, or 30 more minutes of studying. I picked 30 minutes because it seems reasonable. When you want to add 2 hours to any routine you will rebel and fall back into old habits.

When I first started blogging, everyone told me to post every single day.

That’s not me.

I started with short posts twice a week, moved up to three short posts, then one long and three short, to one long and one medium and to one video post each week. The idea was to slowly increase the amount I could handle. I’ve also added a cartoon to the weekly mix, so that’s four posts a week. That seems to be a good fit for now.

I know that you may not have this luxury at your job. So try pushing hard for 1 hour then take a break. I means push yourself really hard and see what signals your body gives off.

- Do you feel tense?
- Do you feel invigorated?
- Do you feel tired?

Be aware of how you feel and what you need to do for yourself after 1 hour. That’s when you should take a break or pull way back. If your shoulders are tight and you have a headache then take these signals as a need for a break. If you feel grumpy then you may only need to slow down to let yourself recharge.

Be 100% There

Many of my most frustrating moments have been when I tried to multitask. I try to do a difficult task while also doing more menial tasks.

For example, sometimes I try to work on my blog, while also keeping an eye on my kid. He’s young, so I need to give him my full attention if he isn’t sleeping. I’ve tried researching an article while he lies in his crib, but I end up going in and checking on him every ten minutes. I can’t stay focused. So instead of pushing through, I make a decision to give 100% of my focus to him. Then when Nikki comes home and I let her take over so I can finish my work.

Bonus – Find the Game that Fits You

Many of you probably want to become more productive while still feeling relaxed. This takes practice. So try to make it a game. If you know you want create a blog, write a novel, or learn to draw cartoons then start slowly. The idea should be to devote a little time every day to accomplish your goals. That may mean sitting down every night and refusing to allow anything to distract you for thirty minutes.

The game comes in how much you can accomplish in this short amount of time. Can you write half a page, one page, and then step up to two pages? Can you decrease your TV time while increasing your creative time?

If you feel tired when you come home and all you want to do is relax then you need to make a choice. Push past your present limits or accept where you are?

Putting it all Together

The hard part is relaxing as the stress increases. I focus on my body signals, such as a headache or tightening in my legs, back, and neck (my three stress catchers).

When I feel stressed, I focus on slowing down my thoughts, taking deep breaths, and relaxing my muscles as I work. When I feel the signals again, I bring myself back to the same routine. I keep bringing myself back to the same routine, retraining how I respond to the work. After I’m calm I slowly begin to ramp up my work level.

This has been a long work in progress. After practicing this for a couple of years I’ve learned to notice frustration before it overwhelms me.

I reprogrammed my habits so that I can change the way I feel before I become overwhelmed. Instead of getting all huffy and puffy, which used to force me to take a break, I’m able to pull back for a few minutes then ramp back up again. It has become a more natural work flow instead of forced effort.

Natural Work Flow

As you practice these techniques, you’ll eventually find your comfort zone and discover how to push past it so you can accomplish work that makes you feel strong.

Never think of yourself as lazy. You just need to find a way to enjoy a little discomfort to push to a new level.

* Join over 400 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 also in the top left corner)

* I write about fear on this blog, but have trouble catching it’s true essence. Marc and Angel wrote a wonderful post that gets right to the heart of fear. It’s called I Would Rather Sound Stupid.

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

• How Transitions Can Dramatically Improve Your Productivity

Image courtesy of Perfesser

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 - Hard Fun and The Beautiful – Before it Gets Cold Edition)

Where we are free to talk about the hard, the fun, and the beautiful of our work week.

Whenever I go away I can see time slipping by. I love going back to the place I grew up, but I feel like I fall farther behind on my dream while I am away. Dealing with these feelings is never easy.

So let’s get started.

Hard

Traveling. I went back home for a friend’s wedding. When a person is involved with a wedding there is a lot of chatting, hanging and talking. As the minutes tick by, I think about Work Happy Now and I worry about giving you more value. I know I can’t work all the time, but it just feels a little painful when I’m not working or spending time with Nikki and the kid.

Fall mosquitoes have come out in Texas because we are finally getting rain and all those little puddles are breeding grounds for those blood suckers.

Fun

A friend’s wedding. As much as I feel disrupted by a big event I still feel love for the new people that I meet. There are so many generous and caring people out there. Too often we get caught up in the bad and forget about how 99% of the people we meet are truly kind. We danced to the song “Brick House” and young women were strutting their stuff. That’s what weddings are all about: celebrating the relationships that we have with each other. A lot people say it’s all about the bride, but it’s all about the friendships.

Beautiful

Fall flowers. With all the rain we’ve been having it has become fertile ground for some beautiful flowers. There was a purple flower that pushed up and out of the earth that took my breath away. I stopped, knelt down, and just looked at all its perfectness. I’m just enjoying these flowers before it gets too cold and everything hibernates till spring.

How about you?

What has been hard, fun, and beautiful in your life? Let us know in the comment section.

Are you on Twitter? Then check me out at @workhappynow. You be glad you did.

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I’m a big fan of Dave Navarro of The Launch Coach. He is putting out a product that looks fantastic. It called More Buyers Mastermind. He is gathering 12 of the brightest internet minds around such as Naomi Dunford of IttyBiz, Brian Clark of Copyblogger, Mark Silver of Heart of Business, Charlie Gilkey of Productive Flourishing, Michael Martine of Remarkablogger, Clay Collins of Project Mojav, Chris Guillebeau of Art of Nonconformity, and Pam Slim of Escape From Cubicle Nation, and a few more. He is going to pick their brains and convince them to explain how they made their internet business a reality. (This is not an affiliate link. I just think this will be a great resource.)

If you enjoyed this video post then you will probably enjoy:

• Hard Fun and The Beautiful – Bamboo Edition
• Save Money and Boost Energy at Work
• Hard Fun and The Beautiful – The Rain Edition

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 – Hard Fun and Beautiful – Dragonflies Edition)

This week I needed to get some stuff off my chest. Working happy is not always about feeling wonderful. Working happy, to me, is about relaxing wherever I am at. That means if I’m pissed off because someone took the last dash of creamer for my coffee then so be it. I have to find a way to relax with whatever emotions are bouncing around in me.

We all get our buttons pushed in various ways. It’s important to learn how to work with these hot buttons in order to enjoy more of what we do while earning a living.

One of my hot buttons was recently pushed by a friend. He told me my videos needed to step up a few levels. They had potential, but needed improvement. I resisted at first, but he was right. So, I changed the format of my videos. As you can see, I’m making it a little more cozy and injecting more of what I’m going through.

I know you go through tough stuff at work too. That’s why I’m covering the hard, fun and beautiful to see if we can explore a deeper level of work happiness.

Here are the topics I cover this week:

Hard

• Computer problems are a part of all of our lives. I just hate when it happens to me. I updated my blog to the latest Wordpress release and I couldn’t upload a photo. I checked the forums, other blogs, and fiddled with it for hours. Nothing worked.
• A meeting can set off internal alarm bells. I had a meeting where I had to present information and I was worried about how it would be perceived. I even had trouble falling asleep the night before. I went into the meeting ready to be confronted. Nothing happened. I was fine. I worried over an event I couldn’t change.

Fun

• Launch of my eCourse. My Free 10 Week eCourse went live and it’s a success. Yeah! Over 100 people have signed up in less than 2 weeks.

Beautiful

• Dragonflies. After my tough day of Wordpress issues and meeting problems I was worn out. Every night I take my dog Addie for a walk. She is a mix of energy and stubbornness, which makes her a lot to handle but for some reason it relaxes me. On our walk I noticed a swarm of dragonflies around one tree. I stood for a good 5 minutes and just watched them dart high and low. It was beautiful. I realized that I have a lot of stress relief techniques that I’m so grateful for.

What about you?

What happened to you this past week? What was hard, fun or beautiful? I would love to hear it in the comment section.

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I’ve been researching social media and how to use it in conjunction with my blog. Valeria of Conversation Agent has been a great read. She talks about how to build value for your people. I need to be as valuable as I can be for you so you keep coming back.

If you enjoyed this post then you might enjoy:

• Value In Effort
• Have Fun and Be Weird
• 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 - Relax at Work)

Have you ever been in a stressful situation and wondered how you can relax with your work? Many of us try to push to get stuff done only to feel stressed out and exhausted. In this video, I explain how I relax with my work and how you can too.

Check me out on Twitter (@workhappynow). I’m dealing out work happiness like it’s the greatest candy on earth. Over 2,000 people agree that their lives are better after following me on Twitter.

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Katie of The Levity Project is creating a laughter movement. On August 22, 2009 a whole bunch of people will be gathering to laugh their faces off. Check out the website and join in. It will take 15 minutes to change your perspective for the happier.

If you enjoyed this video I think you’ll like these too:

• Feeling Comfortable in Your Skin
• Have Fun and Be Weird
• Depression at Work

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