Can you be thankful AFTER Thanksgiving?

We didn’t go anywhere this Thanksgiving, but we wanted to make sure we all benefited from a break in our routine and didn’t fall prey to our devices.

We sat the kids down to set some expectations (yes, I know, a little nerdy) about when and how long we should spend on our devices, what games/activities we could do together, and what help we needed to prepare for our Thanksgiving meal.

The conversation was going well and then my son said, “Mom, we know the drill. We help cook, set the table, clean the house, everyone is crabby and yells at each other, and then we sit down and go around the table to say how thankful we are for everyone.” That pretty much sums it up! LOL. He’s very perceptive.
 
No matter what your Thanksgiving was like, whether you enjoyed each other’s company or couldn’t wait to get home, there’s always something you can think of to be thankful for. And, now being back at work, I encourage you to find ways to continue to express your gratitude to others. Remember, people want to be noticed. They want to know that 1) someone acknowledges their work and 2) their work makes a difference. Here are a few ways you can continue being thankful in the workplace:

• Focus on what’s working – We spend most of our days fixing problems. Before starting your next team meeting, pause and take a moment to describe what is working on the project and/or with the team. We are hard wired to seek out problems and issues, but when we train our brains to start focusing on what’s working, you not only boost your dopamine levels but your teams know what to repeat/continue.

 

• Acknowledge a small gesture – It’s the little things that often get unnoticed. Think about something small that happened and perhaps the individual didn’t even realize someone noticed. Send one email this week to a person who positively impacted you in a small way. Don’t over think it—share a specific story or example and, most importantly, share the impact so they understand how their small gesture made an impact.

 

• Encourage everyone to truly take the time off – One of the best ways to send the message that you’re thankful for your staff is to encourage time off! With the holidays approaching, think of ways to truly honor your staff’s downtime. Some managers mandate that no emails are sent to employees while they are out. Other companies use an app for your “out of office” reply that says you’re out of the office and your message will be DELETED! If you’re all out during the same week, call it a “blackout” period so no one is tempted to go online. Other teams have a rule to not send email over the weekend, or delay delivery until Monday morning. Each team is different, think about what works best for your team and show the team you care about their health and well-being by sticking to it.

 
Remember, practicing gratitude is one surefire secret to a happy life. Send me your creative ideas to keep the spirit of Thanksgiving going year-round.

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