5 ways to counter a depressing work environment

I am very excited to feature a new guest writer today - Melanie Slough. Thank you Melanie for your wonderfully positive and refreshing article!

 

To me, working in a cubicle is the ultimate form of mental torture. Well, maybe I won’t go that far, but still, it is pretty bad. Staring at boring beige walls eight hours or more a day can really get on your nerves. Then the personalities of your co-workers come into play. If they are as drab as the walls, or worse, it can really bring you down. But what can you do? Here are five tips on overcoming the beige blah of work.

1. Brighten your space – If your company allows it, decorate! Get some photos of your friends and loved ones, add some knick-knacks and add color with posters of vacation destinations. If you’ve got a hobby you love, bring that into your space too. Anything that reminds you there is still a life outside of these four walls. 
2. Get some green – Another thing that will help you is adding some plants. Green is the easiest color on the eyes, and plants also offer another advantage- some extra oxygen. They are proven to be relaxing and give you a grounded feeling. All it takes is a little indoor plant on the corner of your desk to make the space feel alive. 
3. Make it yours – If your company doesn’t allow you to personalize your space (why are you working there, again?) then you’ll have to find other ways of making it yours. A favorite scent, in candle or spray form, can help you focus. Some comfy shoes tucked under your desk or a fuzzy pair of socks to keep your feet warm. If you are consistently cold, find a stylish but warm coat to wrap yourself in when the going gets tough. These little comforts will help to turn a blah day into an ahh day. 
4. Connect – If your co-workers are the problem, then there is one solution. I know it is painful, but you may have to connect with them. There are very few people that are actually boring. Most are overworked, stressed, or just shy. If you can find some common interest, it will help the day pass faster, and make it a lot less depressing.
5. Get creative – If all of the above fail to lighten the mood, you may have to get creative. Talk to management about ways to brighten the workspace. Maybe movie Fridays or birthday lunches. Remind them that happy workers work harder, and then point out the bare walls. You might be surprised by the light bulb that suddenly appears above their heads.

No matter what you do, enjoy yourself. Work is not the be all and end all of existence. Have a life outside your job and you will be a happier, more balanced person. Remember that life is what you make of it. Set your mind on the positive and don’t let circumstances get you down. One happy person can change an entire office.

Melanie Slaugh is enthusiastic about the growing prospects and opportunities of various industries and writing articles on various consumer goods and services as a freelance writer. She writes extensively for internet service providers and also topics related to internet service providers in my area for presenting the consumers, the information they need to choose the right Internet package for them. She can be reached at slaugh.slaugh907 @ gmail.com.