Kill ‘Em With Kindness

There seems to always be at least one curmudgeon in the group. I’m hoping that you are not “the one.”

As much as we try to Let Go of those feelings of angst or frustration when we have to work with (or simply listen to) these people, I truly feel it’s in our best interest to simply let it go. I know… it’s harder than it sounds.

Try going out of your way to be nice to these people. Not in a patronizing way, but rather, if appropriate, give a couple of encouraging words to them. Let them know – subtly – that you respect their negative feelings, and perhaps suggest a way that could potentially liven them up. Like visiting this site, perhaps?

Do it because it’s not a big deal, no skin off your nose to do it. You’re doing it just cuz…

Play With Strangers

If you work in an office environment, there may be many people who work in your office that you know little or nothing about. I know that where I work, there are four floors housing more than fifteen departments, most of which are alien to me – both the departments and the people.

In our bubbles (be it our office or cubicle), we tend to shelter ourselves from others – I mean, face it… we have our jobs to do! But how about, if during one of our morning or afternoon breaks, or even at lunch, we make it a point – perhaps just once a month – to reach out to someone we don’t know.

Next time, instead of eating your lunch at your desk while you Google your high school sweetheart you haven’t seen in twenty years, make your way to your office’s cafeteria or break room and strike up a conversation with someone you may have seen, but don’t know.

Better yet, pencil into your calendar one day a month that you leave the office for that lunch period, and invite a co-worker to go somewhere for lunch.

You may be making a new best friend, and you’re doing it just cuz.

Clear The Jam; Replenish The Paper

If you work in an office environment, you are well aware of the myriad of frustrations that can come into play during an average day.

Last week I was in our copier area, a room that houses all of our everyday office supplies in addition to our multi-functional device (MFD). I was getting some folders when I noticed the copier was jammed. Although I did not need to use the copier, I was still annoyed that someone had left it jammed. Instead of billing it forward (as opposed to “paying it forward“) (), I thought that a more karmic-ly positive thing to do would be to relieve the jam the machine. It was not a simple jam, so I understand the previous user’s frustration. But I cleared all the jams I found. I took it a step further and checked the paper bins, replenishing those that were at or near empty.

It only took a couple of minutes, and the next person who needed to use the machine wouldn’t be faced with yet another irritating thing in the office. So next time you see something in the office that is “broke” – even if you didn’t break it, or it’s not in your job description to fix it… if you can, just do it.

Nobody needs to know you fixed it, and you certainly aren’t required to fix it, just fix it just cuz.