5 Ways to Love Yourself More at Work

5 Ways to Love Yourself More at Work 5 Ways to Love Yourself More at Work Even in the best of workplace environments, you may at times find yourself doubting your career choice, dealing with office politics, and/or wondering why youre not as far ahead as youd like to be. During those times, it can be all too easy to internalize your negative  feelings. The result is growing self-doubt and possibly even depression. Dont let external factors cloud your self-image or bring you down. Here are five ways to get in front of your feelings and remind yourself of all that youre capable of: 1. Be Your Own Desktop Image. Sure, it sounds egotistical. You may be thinking, Youve got to be pretty full of yourself to set a picture of yourself  as your desktop image! But the other day, I noticed our receptionist had a larger than life photo of herself saved on her desktop, and that wasnt my thought at all. Somehow, I instantly got it. It wasnt about being boastful, it was about self-acceptance. Whats so wrong with  loving ourselves just a bit more, anyway? When youre frustrated by a report youre putting together, feeling challenged by a new program youre learning, or just generally having a bad day, let your own face staring back at you serve as a reminder of all you can accomplish if you stop being so hard on yourself and start loving yourself more. 2. Detox Daily Theres no way around it: Work is stressful, and stress will deplete your  energy, clarity of mind, and sense of inner peace. Find a way to recalibrate daily. Ten minutes of morning meditation will pay off exponentially. It can boost your immune system and  increase your self-confidence. When your mental clarity improves, so will your work performance and your ability to take a step back from emotions that may be clouding your judgement regarding certain situations. Meditation isnt the only way to clear your mind or decrease stress. Taking time to exercise or walk around the block in the fresh air are great alternatives. The important thing is that you make it a priority to give yourself even just a few minutes that are all your own. 3. Get a Life Being a workaholic may get you closer to a corner offer or a coronary â€" or both. Work is surely an important part of life, but you shouldnt let it consume you entirely. Outside interests and hobbies offer a great escape from the realities and obligations of daily existence. Perfect that soufflé recipe or get back to finishing that novel you started writing. Whatever outlet you have, give your creativity a chance to get out. Some breathing room will allow you to gain perspective and a better handle on whatever challenges work throws your way. 4. Get Schooled Taking a class in any area of interest is a great way to expand your mind and honor your continual process of growth as a thinking creature on this planet. Dont make the mistake of thinking that this needs to be work-related. Interested in French literature, foreign film, or Platonic philosophy? Theres a whole world of stuff to get lost in and learn about. Youll start looking at things with fresh eyes, and when youre open to new things, youll bring that openness to other areas of your life â€" including your work. 5. Stop the Negative Self-Talk In the course of a day, Id bet that roughly 80 percent of your thoughts are negative. You may not even be aware of all of these negative thoughts, but they  can be pervasive. Quite frankly, you sometimes have to defend yourself from yourself. Can I really take on this responsibility at work? What if I fail? Am I good enough?  When you have these self-doubting thoughts, youre creating a negative thought pattern you may not necessarily be aware of. Catch yourself and try to record how many of these negative thoughts you have throughout the day. Each time youre in the middle of a negative  thought, try to turn it around. We tend to exaggerate the effects of potentially negative things on our lives and careers. Of course, catastrophic things do happen on occasion. Usually, however, these situations blindside us â€" they are not the small events  we spend our time fretting over. You are more resilient than you know, and worrying about things wont make them better. It just makes you worry. Remind yourself that you are capable of handling the good and the bad. Youre smart, unique, and have special talents to offer. If you find it hard to keep that in mind, just look at your desktop image for a reminder. Michele Mavi is  Atrium Staffings resident career expert.