4 Ways to Combat Negativity at Work

4 Ways to Combat Negativity at WorkWe all have that one co-worker whos just plain negative. He or she comes in from the elevator followed by a sad, grey cloud. They spend all of their time grumbling about workhaving either too much or too little, and their personal lives dont sound much better. Theres always one in every office, and often to caricatured proportions. But it can be easy to drift into that negative territory. googletag.cmd.push(function() googletag.display(div-gpt-ad-1467144145037-0) ) Just to make aya you havent taken on any of these schwimmbad habits or deflated attitudes, be on the look-out for the following four signs of encroaching negativity at work. Avoid your own black cloud.Watch Your PostureRemember your first days on the job? You came to work all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, spine straight, head up, typing with your fingers on your home keys, sitting tall in your swivel chair, and drinking vegetable juice for lunch Or, you know, some version of that kind of effort.But with time, and setbacks, and disappointments, your bad moods have started to sink into your bones. Before you know it, youre slouched over your keys, slumping as you walk, and sneering at your screen. Even if youre just stressed or inattentive to the ways in which your posture might be wavering, its making you look bad to your boss, who values positivity in outlook and professionalism in demeanor. Straighten upCurb the ComplaintsIts too cold, too hot. The meeting was too long, too short. The coffee sucks. The vacation package sucks. Your insurance sucks. Your weekend sucked. The printer dont get me started on the printer.Make sure youre not constantly complaining, even if there are things that you could (reasonably) constantly complain about. And stop complaining altogether about things not in your power to change. If you find yourself ranting and raving for 20minutes at a time, sit yourself down and ask why youre suddenly so frustrated at work. But whatever you do, keep the complaining to a minimum. Start to notice every time you do it and keep track.Force Yourself to be FriendlyThat sounds awful, but how many people pop by your cubicle for a chat? Ask you to grab a coffee? Wait for you to head to lunch? If the answer is no one (especially if it used to be everyone), then you have some work to do. Not spending at least a small part of your workday chatting to coworkers is a pretty good sign that youre not universally well-liked. Even if you arent a people person, try encouraging a little mora social atmosphere. And the best way to make friends is to be upbeat and pleasant to be aroundCan the PessimismLand a new project? Get a promotion? Is your first thought one of annoyance at how much extra work youll have to do? Or what stress you will be under? Or how many more hours youll have to log? Thats a bad sign. When even good news seems like bad news, its time to give yourself an outlook makeover.But dont worry Even if you have slipped into the negati vity bubble, its not too late to pull yourself back into the light. Remember, nobody likes a Negative Nelly. Get yourself back on the right track.