Building Positive Relationships at Work to Reduce Workplace Stress

I've always been impressed by the work of Martin Seligman, a former president of the American Psychological Association, and the major driving force behind the theory of positive thinking. In his early career, Martin developed the concept of learned helplessness and the referent group was individuals with intellectual disabilities. If people are in a passive state all of the time, they develop a dependency relationship, and learn to be helpless. Of course, this is no good for them and their independent living, and it is no good for people who care for them.

If one adopts positive thinking as their model for personal and work relationships, one is able to develop a much more optimistic view of life and perhaps achieve what Seligman calls authentic happiness. If you have positive emotions, if you are optimistic, if you expect good outcomes, if you are a glass half-full person, if you strive to get as much satisfaction from your day-to-day life as you can, you'll be happy, mentally healthy, and probably more successful.

So my lesson is this, to start building positive relationships at work, start on your own attitudes. Smile more often, be prepared to laugh and enjoy the funny side of things, don't become obsessed with small details, be optimistic, be friendly with people, make all your interactions positive and stress-free, engage with others, and contribute spontaneously. I know this sounds like a tall order, but it's really not when you think about it. It doesn't take much to be happy and positive.

The problem of course is other people. If they are mean-spirited, negative, withdrawn, and cynical it's hard to maintain your positive outlook. I always tell people in therapy, if your life and feelings can be moderated by the authority you give to other people, you'll never be in control of your own life. Don't let other people spoil your feelings of goodwill. Start by being positive yourself and not only will you develop positive, healthy, and mutually satisfying relationships at work, you'll manage and reduce your workplace stress and be a much happier individual altogether. So, start smiling now!

Dr Jeff, a psychologist, writes about stress. In this article he describes his tip for stress relief BE POSITIVE. People need to learn how to manage stress and they need help to relieve stress. Dr Bailey integrates sound research with extensive clinical knowledge from his therapy with his patients. He works hard to make his articles practical and helpful but all of his articles are based on sound research evidence. To find out more about how he helps people with stress relief and to learn effective ways to manage and reduce stress, visit his website http://www.drjeffbailey.com to get a free book that will introduce you to effective stress management.

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