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Working productively: Keeping a positive attitude

A positive attitude doesn't just make you feel better. It can also strengthen your relationships with friends, family and coworkers, as well as make it easier to deal with everything from a bad day at work to a major life change.

Turn negative thoughts into positive ones
Instead of thinking, "I'll never make it to the end of my shift," say, "At the end of the day, I'm going to go for a long walk to reward myself for getting through this crunch." When you have a problem, instead of saying, "This is terrible and there's nothing I can do about it," tell yourself, "Things are going to get better."

Try to be around other positive people as much as possible
Negative thinking spreads quickly, especially at work. But if you make an effort to spend time with people who have a positive outlook, you might find that you'll start thinking more positively, too.

Choose your attitude
A positive outlook isn't something that you're born with -- it's a skill that you can learn with practice. Choose your attitude by focusing on the positive side of things.

Keep learning and growing
Learning new things gives you confidence. Make it a point to try something new whenever you can, and avoid thoughts that begin with, "I'm too old to ..." or "I don't have enough time to ... ."

Make time for the things that make you happy
Whether it's spending time with friends, going to the movies or playing with your kids, make the activities you love to do a priority.

Maintain your sense of humor
A sense of humor can help you get through tough situations and it's a great way to relieve stress. Spend time with fun people, share jokes or funny stories at work, or watch comedy movies at home.

Have things to look forward to
Whether it's a weekend get-together with family, going to the gym at the end of a tough day at work or calling a friend you haven't talked to in a long time, it is important to have things to look forward to.

This article is adapted from Ceridian's LifeWorks Online service. Contact your Ceridian representative for more information about Ceridian's health and productivity solutions.