Maintaining a Good Attitude by Meggin McIntosh, PhD

You will recall that in a previous Top Ten Productivity Tips, I posited that your attitude is one of the areas of your life that you can control. I am hoping that you would prefer to have a good attitude versus a crummy attitude and if I am right, please keep reading.

1. Imagine that in your job, you get paid to smile (or at least to be pleasant). There are VERY few jobs where this would not be the case. So, if this is your job, ask yourself this question, “Should I be getting a raise because I am so good at it?”
2. Compare your circumstances with others’. In essentially every case, there are others who are in far worse shape than you, and you have much to be thankful for.
3. Get as much sleep as you can.
4. Cut back on (or even cut out) sugar and caffeine. Please note, one of my assistants made me write this.
5. Play with kittens/puppies at every opportunity (unless you’re allergic, and then I suppose watching fish in an aquarium will have to do).
6. Bring in homemade treats for your immediate office staff every now and then.
7. Notice someone else’s good attitude and compliment him/her on it.
8. Write down one thing every day that you are grateful for (I think Oprah calls this a ‘gratefulness journal’ or something like that).
9. Think about what others say about you and your attitude. Is what you imagine they are saying what you want them to say? For example, do others say, “Wow, she has the best attitude–and I always feel better after I’ve been around her.” Or maybe, “He is amazing. No matter what, he seems to look for the good in the situation rather than the negative.”
10. Smile. Refer back to #1.

Our attitude and outlook are part of what can control. See if yours are positive and optimistic.

Keeping a positive attitude is critical. If you would like weekly doses of positivity you will want to access the Staying Positive in a Freaked-Out World. We are a positive bunch and would love for you to join us!