It happens to the best of us, especially people who are very intelligent, very competent, and very talented.

It’s “analysis paralysis” – and the process of overthinking reduces our effectiveness and intelligence by producing inaction. Taking any action is likely to be better than inaction and indecision, but we can get so caught up in trying to find the perfect decision that we make no decision.

The answer is to cut through indecision and overthinking with action.

Before we talk about that, let’s look at what’s going on with smart, competent people who get stuck in their beautiful minds.

The Trap of Overthinking

For someone who doesn’t see a lot of possibilities, sometimes a choice is easy – you just choose the one that looks obvious.

But for someone who has an abundance of intelligence, there are many more doors than that. And choosing can seem impossible. So this person starts creating a decision tree in their mind: “If I choose this, then this might happen, which means I need to decide if I want this, and then that might happen… but then this other option brings three more decisions…”

They also will research every option, which leads to more research. It becomes an endless cycle of thinking through options, researching it, and through the research finding even more things to think about. No decision can ever be made!

It’s also impossible to analyze so many endless options, because each option contains a lot of uncertainty – you can never know how each will turn out, how important every factor is, what the probability is of each possibility happening.

The uncertainty in this kind of thinking is what keeps us stuck in indecision. We fear the uncertain outcome, and would rather have cold hard data, and much more certainty.

But we can never have the kind of certainty we’d like. We’d have to run experiments or do scientific research on every single thing before taking action, which means we’ve just missed out on opportunities as we did that research! Spending a lot of time analyzing comes with opportunity cost.

So how do we deal with this? By cutting through the overthinking with action.

Cutting Through With Action

If overthinking can be a trap of indecision, an unsolvable knot… how do we untie it? By cutting through it.

There can be no solving this knot through thinking – it’s thinking that gets us into it. Now, I’m not saying that “thinking is bad”… I believe we should contemplate pros and cons, that we should take a step back from action and get some perspective, see the big picture, consider the deeper “why” of what we’re doing. But at some point, we have to say, “Enough!” And then take action.

Setting a limit for thinking can be a good way to do this. “I’m going to spend the next 2 days thinking about it, and then make a decision on Tuesday.” You consider the merits, you do a bit of research, you talk to other people. Then you decide, and take action.

How do you decide when there is no certain answer? You have to just pick something that seems to be the best, given your limited information. It’s like poker – you never have complete information, but have to make a decision based on what you do know, and the most likely outcomes (the likelihood is based on what you know, but you can adjust your mental probabilities with experience).

You start by taking a step back, think about your deeper “why” as it relates to this decision… and also what you’re basing this decision on. Is it based on fear? On instant gratification of a desire? These don’t lead to good long-term outcomes, in my experience. The place to come from is long-term benefit – is this a loving action for those you care about, or for yourself?

Then you think about the different factors that weigh into the decision, and how important each are to you. You think about likely outcomes of each possibility (don’t limit yourself to just 2 possibilities), and weigh the probable benefits with the probable costs.

And then finally, you just go with the decision that seems best. Do a quick review of whether this is for the best long-term benefit. And then pull the trigger. Step off the plank.

You cut through all the doubts and fears and hand-wringing that are holding you back, and just dive in.

Get good at this diving in by doing it in small versions:

• Write something short and publish it
• Take a small action to your long-term dream career or business
• Take a small action to be healthier
• Declutter one thing that’s easy to decide on, rather than getting stuck on things that are hard for you to make a decision about

What decisions are you stuck on? Can you make a small decision that’s easier, and take action? It might give you more information that helps with the bigger decision. And in the end, the real benefit is practicing taking action without getting caught up in indecision and inaction.

About the author:

Leo Babauta is a writer, former journalist and former editor of the Pacific Daily News. Babauta is a Top 100 blogger, as the creator of the popular Zen Habits blog and mnmlist, and author of the best-selling book, The Power of Less. He is married to Eva Cruz Babauta and has six children: Chloe, Justin, Rain, Maia, Seth and Noelle.

“Every time we choose safety, we reinforce fear.” – Cheri Huber

Fear of something bad happening in the future is one of the things that make us human.

Animals might fear an immediate danger that is happening right now, but only we fear something that might happen, that isn’t happening now, that isn’t even showing its ugly face at the moment.

This fear, some might say, is necessary — it stops us from doing something stupid. But I’ve found most of these fears to be unnecessary, to be baseless, to be holding us back from achieving something.

I recently asked my Twitter friends: “What fear is holding you back?” Their responses included:

• failure
• abandonment/rejection
• intimacy
• success
• being broke
• not being good enough

I think the last one — not being good enough — is actually at the root of all the others. We fear we’ll fail because we’re not good enough. We fear we’ll lose our relationships, that we’ll be abandoned, that we’ll be rejected — because we’re not good enough. We fear intimacy for the very same reason — we might get rejected because we’re not good enough. Even the fear of success is based on the worry that we’re not good enough.

Do you have this fear? That you’re not good enough? I have, for all my life, and I still have it today.

But here’s the thing: having the fear is natural. Letting it stop you from going after your dreams is a tragedy.

I did this for well over a decade of my adult life. I let the fear of not being good enough stop me from even trying, from even daring to dream.

It turned out that my fears were baseless. I am good enough. I’m not perfect, but who is?

When I was able to overcome this fear of not being good enough, this fear of failure and rejection, and put myself out there in the world, I succeeded. I found out that I was good enough.

And I still have this same fear — I still worry that I’m not good enough, that I’ll fail and flop on my face in front of 100,000 people — but I wouldn’t be human if I didn’t. Even the most successful people — Barack Obama, Steve Jobs, Paul McCartney, J.K. Rowling, et al. — they have this fear, even if they don’t show it. But they don’t let it hold them back.

How can you do this? Let’s look into it.

“The greatest barrier to success is the fear of failure.” – Sven Goran Eriksson

How to Beat Your Fears

There is no step-by-step program to beating your fears, but here’s what I’ve learned first-hand and from others.

1. First, acknowledge your fear. This is a huge first step. If you do just this today, you’ve done something great. Many of us have these fears, but they are at the back of our mind, unnoticed, unacknowledged, as we try to ignore them and pretend they’re not there. But they are there. And they affect us, every day, all our lives. So acknowledge the fear.
2. Write it down. What’s your fear? Write it on a piece of paper. Writing it down not only acknowledges that you have it — bringing it out into the light — but it externalizes the fear. It takes the fear from the dark lurking places in the back of your mind, where it has power over you, out into the light of day, outside of you, where you have power over the fear. Take control over it by writing it down. It is now outside you. You can do something about it. I personally like to crumple it up and stomp on it, but you can do whatever you like. Post it on your fridge as a reminder of your enemy.
3. Feel the fear. You’ve acknowledged it, but you’re still afraid of it. You’re reluctant to even have this fear, perhaps even embarrassed about it. Well, no more. Recognize that you’re not alone, that we ALL have these fears, that we all think we might not be good enough. Yes, even the amazing Barack, the amazing Jessica Alba, the amazing Al Pacino. They have the same fears as you do. I sure do. Repeat after me: there’s nothing wrong with having this fear. Now allow yourself to feel it. Experience it fully. Bask in this fear. It isn’t as bad as you think. It’s a part of you, but it doesn’t control you. From djbarker on Twitter: “Feel the fear & do it anyway.”
4. Ask yourself: what’s the worst thing that can happen? Often, it’s not as bad as we think. Do you fear failing in a new career? What would happen if you did? You’d get another job. You’d move on. You’d live. Do you fear being rejected by someone romantically? What would happen if you were? You’d lick your wounds; you’d find someone else who is more suited for you, you’d live. Do you fear being broke? What would happen if you were? You’d cut back on your expenses, perhaps ask family or friends to help you out for a little bit. You’d find a way to make money. You’d live.
5. Just do it. To repeat: feel the fear and do it anyway. To beat the fear, you have to just do it. See below for some tips on doing this, but what works for me is not thinking, just acting. Like when you want to jump off a waterfall into the pool below: don’t think about it. Just jump! It’s an exhilarating feeling. I fear public speaking, but when I get up and just do it, I feel great. From Jade Craven on Twitter: “I fear everything. I’ve recently decided to ignore my fears and just go for it! So many opportunities have come as a result.”
6. Prepare yourself for battle. When you’re going to take on an adversary, you prepare yourself. You arm yourself, and have a battle plan, and train yourself. Do this in your battle against your fear: arm yourself, have a battle plan, train yourself. If you want to be a musician but you fear failure…practice, practice, practice, then come up with a plan to succeed, then get all the skills and info you need to implement the plan, then practice some more. Then go out and implement the plan!
7. Be in the moment. Fear of failure (and other similar fears) are fears of the future. We get caught up in worrying about what might happen. Instead, banish all thoughts of the future. Banish even thoughts of past mistakes and failures. Now focus on right now. Do something right now to beat your fears, to pursue your dreams, and forget about what might happen. Just do it, now, in the moment. When you find yourself thinking about the past or future, bring yourself back in the moment and focus on what you’re doing right at this moment.
8. Small steps. Conquering fear and pursuing a life goal can be overwhelming, intimidating. So start small. Just take one little baby step. Something you know you can do. Something you’re sure to succeed at. Then feel good about that (see below) and take another small baby step. Keep doing this, and soon you’ll have conquered a mountain.
9. Celebrate every success! Every single thing you do right, celebrate! Even the smallest little thing. And use this feeling of success, of victory, to propel yourself forward and take the next step. Bill Gates describes a “spiral of success” that he used to build Microsoft up from its early success of MS-DOS to its success with Windows and Word and Excel and Internet Explorer and all that (I know, blech, but still). Use this idea of a spiral of success in your life — build upon each success, use it as a stepping stone to the next victory.

About the author:

Leo Babauta is a simplicity blogger & author. He created Zen Habits, a Top 25 blog with a million readers. He’s also a best-selling author, a husband, father of six children, and a vegan. In 2010 moved from Guam to California, where he leads a simple life.

Leo is also a Zen student, and is on a mission to help the world open through uncertainty training.

The world of stresses and worries and errands and projects and noise that we must all endure inflicts upon us a mind full of clutter and chaos.

A mind that sometimes cannot find the calm that we so desperately seek.

I’ve had a number of readers ask me to write about decluttering your mind, not just your home or your desk.

It’s a valid request – if anything needs decluttering, it’s our minds, I think – but it’s also a daunting task. How do you declutter a mind? It’s not as if thoughts are just laying around, waiting for you to pick through them, finding the ones that should be kept and those that are ripe for the donation box. The mind isn’t like an inbox that can be sorted through and acted upon.

The brain is a complex and confusing organ, the core of us as human beings (if you feel, as I often do, that the soul is in the mind and not in the heart). The mind is often covered in the scar tissue of old hurts and traumas and layered in so many levels of consciousness not even the best of psychoanalysts has ever sorted through it.

So how do we begin decluttering? It’s actually not difficult if you give it a little thought: simplifying shouldn’t be made complex.

You can declutter your mind with simple actions, things we’ve discussed here before, but things that are almost guaranteed to have a positive effect. Little things that can make a big difference, especially when used in combination. Choose a few to try out and see if they work for you.

1. Breathe. So simple, and yet so effective. Take a few deep breaths, and then for a few minutes, just focus on your breathing. Concentrate on your breathing as it comes into your body and then as it goes out. It has a calming effect, especially if you continue to return your focus to your breath when your mind strays. It also allows other thoughts to just float away. (Note: some people might call this meditation, but that word scares some people off, so we’re just going to call it breathing.)

2. Write it down. If you have a bunch of things on your mind, it helps to get them on paper and off your mind. This is one of the essential habits in Zen To Done (and GTD, of course) … writing down your tasks and ideas. This keeps your head from being filled with everything you need to do and remember.

3. Identify the essential. But that’s because it’s crucial to everything I write about: if you want to simplify or declutter, the first step is identifying what is most important. In this case, identify what is most important in your life and what’s most important for you to focus on right now. Make a short list for each of these things.

4. Eliminate. Now that you’ve identified the essential, you can identify what’s not essential. What things in your life are not truly necessary or important to you? What are you thinking about right now that’s not on your short list? By eliminating as many of these things as possible, you can get a bunch of junk off your mind.

5. Journal. Similar to “write it down” above, but with a little more depth. Journaling (whether it’s in a paper journal or online doesn’t matter) helps you explore different areas of your life that you don’t think about much. And this exploration might allow you to find some things on your mind that you didn’t realize were there, some things that can be eliminated or pursued. And just getting these thoughts into some kind of a journal is a way of getting them out of your mind as well.

6. Rethink your sleep. Sometimes we aren’t getting enough sleep, or our sleeping patterns aren’t ideal. I’m not saying that you should change your sleeping patterns, but sometimes it can do wonders. And if you don’t give it some thought, you won’t realize how much your sleep (or lack thereof) is affecting you.

7. Take a walk. Getting outside and doing some kind of physical activity is a great way to get stuff off your mind. I like to run or do yard work, but whatever you do doesn’t matter. Spending some physical energy clears the mind.

8. Watch less TV. For me, television doesn’t relax me, although it might seem that vegging in front of the TV is good for relaxation. TV fills your head with noise, without the redeeming qualities of music or reading or good conversation. Watch less TV, and you’ll notice your mind begin to quieten.

9. Get in touch with nature. Similar to “take a walk” above, but without the bustle of activity. I like to go somewhere with water… the ocean, a river, a lake, even just a man-made fountain if nothing else is available. Or watching rain does the trick for me too. Somehow this can be calming and focusing at the same time.

10. Do less. Take your to-do list and cross off half the things on it. Just pick a few things to get done today and focus on those. Let the rest go away. If you do less, you’ll have less on your mind.

11. Go slower. Seems kinda weird, I know, but walking and talking and working and driving slower can make a very big difference. It’s kind of like you’re saying, “I’m not willing to rush through life, no matter what artificial time demands others are putting on me. I want to take it at my pace.” And as a result, your mind is less harried as well.

12. Let go. Worrying about something? Angry about somebody? Frustrated? Harboring a grudge? While these are all natural emotions and thoughts, none of them are really necessary. See if you can let go of them. More difficult than it sounds, I know, but it’s worth the effort.

13. Declutter your surroundings. I’ve mentioned this before but decluttering my desk or my home has a way of calming me. Having a lot of stuff around you is just visual clutter – it occupies part of your mind, even if you don’t realize it.

14. Single-task. Multitasking, for the most part, is a good way to fill your mind with a lot of activity without a lot of productivity or happiness as a result. Instead, try to single-task – just focus on one task at a time. Clear away everything else until you’re done with that task. Then focus on the next task, and so on.

15. Get a load off. Sometimes it can make a huge difference to unload our troubles on another human being. If you have a significant other or a best friend or a close family member or coworker… unload your thoughts on them. And listen to them, to return the favor. Sure, it’s just talk… but it can make a huge difference to your mental sanity.

About the author:

Leo Babauta is a writer, former journalist and former editor of the Pacific Daily News. Babauta is a Top 100 blogger, as the creator of the popular Zen Habits blog and mnmlist, and author of the best-selling book, The Power of Less. He is married to Eva Cruz Babauta and has six children: Chloe, Justin, Rain, Maia, Seth and Noelle.

Your career is important but it should never come before your health. Otherwise, stress, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues can crop up. These issues can affect your ability to perform your best at work. They can also make it virtually impossible to enjoy your time outside of work. And, if left unaddressed, mental health problems can lead to body pain, headaches, and other physical health issues.

The bottom line: you need to prioritize mental and physical wellness. Now, let’s examine five of the key dimensions of wellness, along with tips you can use to recalibrate your life and live better than ever before.

1. Emotional

Expressing your emotions in a safe, healthy manner is paramount. Yet, many people choose to “bottle up” their emotions, despite the fact that doing so can cause serious harm.

Those who suppress their emotions may struggle to deal with challenging situations at work and home. They also face a greater risk of heart disease, stroke, and other chronic illnesses than people who can effectively manage their emotional wellbeing.

To improve your emotional wellness, find constructive ways to express your feelings. For instance, meditation or deep breathing exercises have been shown to help people minimize negative emotions. Or, you can go for a walk or perform other physical activities that promote emotional wellness.

2. Intellectual

Having opportunities to engage in mentally stimulating activities can make a world of difference. In fact, those who nurture their curiosity can become lifelong learners who are well-equipped to thrive in any work environment at any time.

To foster your intellectual well-being, capitalize on any learning opportunities that come your way. For instance, you can read books or take up new hobbies. You can even visit a museum or art gallery to help get your creative juices flowing.

Don’t forget to take advantage of learning programs at work, too. If you are ready to take on more responsibility at work, ask your manager about any available learning opportunities. And, if you are on the job hunt, search for free courses on LinkedIn, Skillshare, and other learning websites.

3. Occupational

Everyone deserves to feel good about their work. However, there may be times when work problems escalate to the point where they cause people to feel bad about themselves. There may also be instances when employees are overworked, resulting in an unhealthy work-life balance.

To optimize occupational wellness, network with industry peers. This allows people to build professional relationships and grow them over time.

In addition, pursue professional development opportunities. Those who continuously look for opportunities to accelerate their professional growth can develop the skills required to accomplish their career aspirations.

4. Physical

How you take care of your body can have far-flung effects. If you constantly eat fast food and avoid exercise, your body can wear down quickly. The result: you may feel physically exhausted day after day, and you face a high risk of severe health problems.

A daily exercise routine can be beneficial. Engaging in 30 minutes of moderate daily physical activity can help you feel your best and extend your life.

Along with daily exercise, healthy eating and consistent rest are crucial in terms of physical wellness. Consume foods rich in vitamins, nutrients, and minerals whenever possible. Also, try to get at least seven to nine hours of sleep every night.

5. Environmental

You should feel safe, comfortable, and calm in your everyday surroundings. However, if your surroundings make you feel panicked and worried, your overall well-being may be at risk.

To enhance your environmental wellness, assess your home and work environments. Remove any clutter and eliminate any distractions from these settings.

Furthermore, volunteer in your community when you can. Volunteerism can help you connect with your community and foster new relationships. It can also help you build an emotional attachment to your community.

The Bottom Line on Wellness

There is no “magic bullet” to achieve true wellness. Instead, ongoing practice of the wellness dimensions mentioned above can help you feel your best now and in the future at work and outside of it.

Of course, a recruiter can help alleviate stress as you search for new career opportunities, too. Recruiters can offer expert tips and guidance to help you find a job that complements your life.

Fatigue is the often unacknowledged enemy of adults everywhere. It’s easy to fall into a lifestyle that encourages fatigue. You take overtime whenever it’s offered. You end up messing with your phone until well after you should be asleep. Fatigue, however, isn’t a joke. It can compromise your decisions and reduce reaction time. That combination can end up getting you or a coworker injured. So, here are some tips to help you avoid fatigue. 

Eat Right 

Nobody is saying never to eat fast food. Sometimes it’s your only option when your lunch break gets cut short or you just need something easy to eat for dinner before collapsing into bed. On the whole, though, you do need a balanced diet.  

That means you get regular servings of fruits and vegetables. You keep your carb intake to a reasonable level. You eat appropriately sized portions for your height and frame. This combination provides your body with essential nutrients that support energy production. You also need to get enough water. Dehydration can leave you feeling groggy. 

Exercise 

Believe it or not, getting regular exercise can help you stave off feelings of fatigue. The exercise helps you condition your muscles, which makes you more resilient. Exercise also provides you with a nice cocktail of mood-enhancing neurochemicals that can limit feelings of fatigue.  

You can double down on exercise and make it a social activity by joining a team or setting up a pickup basketball game. This lets you exercise and socialize. Socializing also has a positive effect on your overall mood and sense of well-being, which can help prevent fatigue.  

Get Serious About Sleep 

Americans tend to view sleep as the enemy. It’s something we put up with because we have no other choice. Yet, we often limit it too much. We drink caffeine in the evening. We stay up late watching TV or playing video games. We take our phone to bed and answer emails until 2 in the morning.  

You need a certain amount of sleep to function. Even more importantly, your body needs sleep to heal and rejuvenate itself. Depriving yourself of sleep makes you more likely to get sick or get hurt. Commit to getting at least seven hours a night or eight if you can manage it. It might not cure your fatigue, but it will likely help a lot.  

Fatigue Is a Fixable Problem 

Unless you have an underlying medical condition that causes it, fatigue is a fixable problem. Getting the right kinds of foods in the right proportions, along with enough water, supports your body’s energy production. Regular exercise gives you a chance to condition your muscles and even get social. Regular sleep gives your body a chance to heal and rejuvenate. Put all of that together and you’ve got a good shot at resolving your fatigue.  

Few people find working the night shift an easy prospect. For most, it takes a progressive toll that only grows worse over time. Weight gain is a common side effect. An ever-increasing sleep deficit is another common side effect. While you’d be hard-pressed to find a night shift routine that can substitute for a regular day-night schedule, a healthy lifestyle can help you handle the night shift better. Here are five ways a healthy lifestyle will do that for you.

Healthier Immune System

People who work the night shift tend to get sick more often. That is because the body needs certain things to maintain a healthy immune system. It needs enough rest, proper nutrition, and regular exercise. If you make a habit of getting enough sleep, minimizing unhealthy food choices, and getting at least some exercise, you’ll get sick far less often than your coworkers.

Better Sense of Well-Being

Anyone working the night shift gets less sunlight exposure than people who work a day shift. They also get to socialize less often with friends and family. Anyone getting insufficient sleep also struggles more with emotional control. This combination can cause a steady decline in your sense of well-being. Regular exercise, good nutrition, and sound sleep all help you preserve a healthy sense of well-being.

Weight Control

Poor sleep, poor nutrition, and minimal exercise are the trifecta of gaining weight. That means that working the night shift puts you at far greater risk for obesity than your day shift counterparts. Regular exercise and a healthy diet help you combat the calorie-based side of weight gain. As a bonus, exercise and healthy food help support restful sleep.

Faster Recovery time

It’s a fundamental truth that unhealthy people recover from injury and illness more slowly than healthier people. A healthy lifestyle makes you more physically, emotionally, and mentally resilient. You bounce back faster from illness. You’re less likely to become depressed about an illness or injury and more likely to see it as a challenge. In short, you’re better prepared to get well.

Helps You Avoid Problematic Chemicals

Night shift workers often find themselves stuck in an ugly cycle of chemical use. They don’t get enough healthy sleep, so they chug coffee and energy drinks all night. They get home tired but stuck with caffeine wakefulness. They have a beer or a glass of wine to help them drop off, which causes poor sleep. Begin the cycle again. A healthy lifestyle lets you stay awake and fall asleep without relying on chemicals to help.

You Need a Healthy Lifestyle

In many ways, night shift workers need a healthy lifestyle even more than people on day shifts. You have more challenges. A healthy food, exercise, and sleep regimen make you more resilient, less prone to illness or injury, and psychologically healthier. All of which makes coping with the night shift easier.

Are you a seasoned night shift pro looking for a new workplace? Let Gallman Consulting help you find that new night shift position.

The days of employees quietly accepting endless demands for overtime are largely done. Part of it is a culture shift as millennials stand poised to take up the lion’s share of the workforce. Part of it is a growing recognition of the damage chronic stress and exhaustion take on the health of workers. After all, no one is productive when they’re sick.

If you’re struggling with work-life balance, keep reading for five steps to help you establish the right balance.

Embrace the Word “No”

An endless cycle of obligations to friends, acquaintances, co-workers, and managers can leave feeling like your about to drown. Figure out what things really matter to you and say yes to those. Say no to everything else.

Apply the 80/20 Rule

The 80/20 rule or the Pareto Principle holds that most of your biggest results come from a small amount of your work. Look for the parts of your work that create the most results and offload as much of the other stuff as possible. You’ll achieve more while actually doing less.

Get or Stay Healthy

When you’ve got lots of demands at home and at work, it’s easy to let your health and fitness slide into the background. Make those things a priority. Being healthy and fit makes it easier to weather stress. You can even build some family time around staying fit by organizing weekend hikes.

Ask for Help

Sometimes, you will end up with too much on your plate. When that happens, don’t try to be a hero or start sacrificing sleep. Reach out to colleagues for help at work. Talk to friends and family to help you manage personal obligations. More often than not, people are happy to lend a hand.

Accept Some Imbalance

No one can attain an ideal balance between work and life in the long term. Sometimes you have a big project that soaks up your time. Sometimes your kid needs surgery. These imbalances are part of the deal that is life. Accepting that things will tilt one way or the other sometimes will help preserve your sanity.

You’ll probably never strike a perfect work-life balance. What you can do is get a whole lot closer. Look for ways to prioritize your time energy on the things that matter most and get you the best results. Trim obligations you don’t care about. Ask for help when you need it. These steps will help you take some big steps toward a better-balanced life.

Stuck in a job that won’t let you find that work-life balance you want? Touch base with Gallman Consulting and let us find you a job that respects work-life balance.

Job satisfaction is a fickle thing. If you work in a job that doesn’t challenge or stimulate you, it can become a kind of torture to show up every day. If you’re stuck in this kind of rut, keep reading. We’ve got seven ways you can boost your job satisfaction without quitting your job.

Spend Time with Upbeat Coworkers

There is always someone in the office who is perpetually unhappy. Avoid that person. Instead, find that chipper, upbeat person, and hang out with them. Happiness is almost infectious. That will make your job feel less tedious and frustrating.

Branch Out

Nothing kills satisfaction like monotony. If you feel like your days are interchangeable, look for ways to break up the routine. Find a committee to join or get involved with planning a party for a coworker.

Takeaway: If all else fails, start a committee. Building something often creates satisfaction.

Embrace Gratitude

Even if your job isn’t fantastic, you probably don’t hate everything about it. Maybe you like your coworkers, or the company has great insurance benefits. Take a few moments to remind yourself about the things you’re grateful for about the job.

Eat Healthier

A carb and fat-heavy lunch will make you feel lethargic, which makes it easier to feel dissatisfied with your job. Choosing healthy meal options like a garden salad with grilled chicken gives your body resources.

Takeaway: Eating healthy will serve as a mood booster.

Fix the Problem

Is there one specific task or process in your job that makes you hate it? If it’s not a core element of the job, talk to your manager about ditching that task or process. Most managers will embrace changes likely to make you more efficient and engaged.

Stop Procrastinating

We often use procrastination to avoid starting unpleasant tasks, yet this avoidance breeds stress. Stress breeds dissatisfaction. The stress and anxiety only grow worse as we contemplate the approaching deadline for the unpleasant task. Make a plan for doing these unpleasant tasks and getting them off your plate. The sooner they go away, the more satisfied you’ll feel about your job.

Takeaway: You also get the added benefit of giving your heart, nervous system, and adrenal glands a break.

Build In Easy Wins

Working on long-term projects can create dissatisfaction because the results remain off on the horizon somewhere. Create some short-term goals that you can accomplish each week. These easy wins can give you a psychological boost and increase job satisfaction.

Quitting your job isn’t the only solution to job satisfaction. Sometimes actions as simple as eating a little healthier and changing whom you hang out with can boost your satisfaction. In other cases, you may need to take more challenging steps like weeding out procrastination or creating a committee from scratch. There is, however, almost always a way to make your job more satisfying.

Have you already tried a bunch of these steps and still can’t find any job satisfaction? That means it’s time to look for a new job, and Gallman Consulting can help.

If you feel less than engaged at work recently, like you’re just putting in the time, than you’re not alone. Around 7 in 10 workers in the US feel some level of disengagement from work. If that’s not the kind of employee you want to be, keep reading for some quotes that will help you stay motivated at work.

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.” ~Robert Collier
“A year from now, you may wish you had started today.” ~ Karen Lamb Takeaway: The only way you can finish something important is to start. If you keep putting off the start, you’ll never finish.

“Never give up on a dream just because of the time it will take to accomplish it. The time will pass anyway.” ~Earl Nightingale
“Even if you’re on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there.” ~Will Rogers
“A dream doesn’t become reality through magic; it takes sweat, determination, and hard work.” ~Colin Powell
“Almost every successful person begins with two beliefs: the future can be better than the present, and I have the power to make it so.” ~ David Brooks Takeaway: In many ways, motivation is the belief that you can make the future better. Even if you only make it better for yourself and your family, it’s still better.

“Be humble. Be hungry. Always be the hardest worker in the room.” ~Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
“Don’t watch the clock. Do what it does. Keep going.” ~Sam Levenson
“Believe you can, and you’re halfway there.” ~Theodore Roosevelt
“Develop success from failures. Discouragement and failure are two of the surest stepping stones to success.” ~ Dale Carnegie
Takeaway: Failure tells you that you took a wrong turn somewhere. Figure out where you took that wrong turn and don’t do it again.

“Happiness does not come from doing easy work but from the afterglow of satisfaction that comes after the achievement of a difficult task that demanded our best.” ~Theodore Isaac Rubin

Staying motivated at work can be difficult, especially if you feel disengaged. Just remember that many people feel disengaged at work from time to time. You can choose to be motivated. If you need a little help with that motivation, check out the list of quotes above. Success stems from consistent hard work, not occasional flashes of effort.

Have you been trying and failing to stay motivated at work? Can’t seem to find any inspiration? It might be time for a change. Let Gallman Consulting help you find a more motivating workplace for you.

GPS Gives Back! Thank you Terri Stone!

Thank you Terri Stone at GPS Corporate!

GPS encourages our staff to Give Back to their community by volunteering. Each GPS staff team member is encouraged to volunteer one day (paid working day by GPS) per quarter throughout the year.

Thank you Terri Stone for giving back at the Harvest Hope Food Bank today! #gpsgivesback #harvesthope

Remember you can volunteer, Give Back and make a difference in your community as well!