How to Have a Good Day at Work

Co-authored by Susan Pazak, PhD and Hannah Madden

Last Updated: March 4, 2022 References

Are you finding that you’re stuck in a routine of stressful, less-than-ideal workdays? Having a good day can increase your productivity and make your day go by much faster. With a few simple tricks you can use before, during, and after work, you can ensure that you have a better workday than usual. Read through this article for a complete list of tips to help you have a good day at work.

1

Gather everything you need the night before.

There’s no need to rush around and stress in the morning. Give yourself 10 to 15 minutes before going to bed to pack up everything you’ll need in the morning: your work laptop, your purse or briefcase, and your lunch. If planning your outfit tends to make you feel frazzled, set out some clothes to wear so you don’t have to think about it tomorrow.^{[1]
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- Put everything you need right by the front door. That way, you won’t miss anything on your way out!

2

Start out your day with some deep breathing.

Relaxing activities can start your day out right.^{[2]
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Expert Source

Susan Pazak, PhD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Professional Life Coach
Expert Interview. 22 February 2022.} Take a deep breath in through your nose and let it out through your mouth. Focus on the day ahead of you, and think good thoughts—the more positivity you start out with, the better.^{[3]
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- If you have time, you could also do a few minutes of meditation first thing in the morning.

3

Consume positive media.

An upbeat podcast or book can put you in the right mindset. Before you head to work, throw on an inspirational video or audio book that you can listen to while you get ready.^{[4]
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Expert Source

Susan Pazak, PhD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Professional Life Coach
Expert Interview. 22 February 2022.} Not only will it start you out on the right foot, but studies show that consuming positive media actually makes us happier over time.^{[5]
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Trustworthy Source
Greater Good Magazine
Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living
Go to source}
- Try throwing something on while you shower or get dressed in the morning.

4

Squeeze in some exercise, if you can.

Get your endorphins flowing before you head out to work. If you think you can fit in a 20-minute jog or some quick weight-lifting, go for it! Exercise helps wake you up and make you feel more alert throughout the day.^{[6]
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- Bonus points if you can take your workout outside. Getting sunlight first thing tells your brain and your body that it’s time to start the day and be productive.

5

Listen to music on your commute.

Use your drive or ride to work wisely with some soothing tunes. Pick something that makes you happy, like an oldie’s playlist or your favorite pick-me-up songs. Try to avoid the news or true crime podcasts, since these can put a damper on your day before it even starts.^{[7]
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- Don’t have a commute? Listen to music while you’re in the shower or while you’re making breakfast instead.

6

Do your most important task first thing.

Putting off that thing you’re dreading can really sour your mood. When you get to work, start out with the task you’re least looking forward to. Then, for the rest of the day, you’ll be happy that you got it over with (and the rest of your tasks will seem easier by comparison).^{[8]
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- This phenomenon is called “eating the frog.” If you start your day out with eating a frog, you can rest assured that you got your least desirable task out of the way.

7

Look on the bright side of things.

Your mental state has a huge effect on your workday.^{[9]
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Expert Source

Susan Pazak, PhD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Professional Life Coach
Expert Interview. 22 February 2022.} As you go throughout the day, try to be optimistic. Write down a couple of things that you’re grateful for in a gratitude journal to keep them at the forefront of your mind.^{[10]
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Expert Source

Susan Pazak, PhD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Professional Life Coach
Expert Interview. 22 February 2022.} Say hi to your coworkers, wave to your boss, and don’t forget to smile.^{[11]
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- Forgot your lunch? That’s okay—now you have a chance to try that new sandwich shop down the street or to eat your favorite dish at a restaurant.^{[12]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Susan Pazak, PhD
  Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Professional Life Coach
  Expert Interview. 22 February 2022.}
- Your boss gave you extra work? It probably means she trusts you with more responsibilities.

8

Talk to your coworkers.

Engage in small talk or open up to them and be vulnerable. Chatting with a friendly cubicle neighbor is a great way to brighten up your day and make work go by a lot faster. If you’re struggling or going through a tough time and you trust some of your coworkers, you could even tell them about what’s going on to get their advice or comfort.^{[13]
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Trustworthy Source
Harvard Business Review
Online and print journal covering topics related to business management practices
Go to source}
- If you’re going to open up to coworkers, make sure they’re people you can trust. Unfortunately, some people will use your problems against you to climb higher up the career ladder.

9

Connect work to your overall goals.

Look at the big picture to stay motivated throughout the day. It’s easy to get lost in the minute details that happen every single day. Put it into perspective for yourself: how will your tasks today help you achieve your goals in 5 years?^{[14]
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Expert Source

Susan Pazak, PhD
Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Professional Life Coach
Expert Interview. 22 February 2022.} How about 10 years?^{[15]
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- For instance, all the hard work you’re doing right now could help you move up to a management position someday.^{[16]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Susan Pazak, PhD
  Licensed Clinical Psychologist & Professional Life Coach
  Expert Interview. 22 February 2022.}
- Or, maybe this job will give you experience to put on your resume when you look for a better one.
- Focus on what's meaningful to you! A lot of people think that in order to have a meaningful job, they change careers. But really, once you identify what's meaningful and important to you, you'll find things in your current job that fall in that category.^{[17]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Meredith Walters, MBA
  Certified Career Coach
  Expert Interview. 22 November 2019.}

10

Make a to-do list for tomorrow.

It’s never too early to get tomorrow started. As you wrap up your day at work, give your future self a present by listing out everything you need to do tomorrow. Put the most important thing first and leave your list somewhere prominent where you can’t miss it.^{[18]
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- To give your future self an even bigger treat, tidy up your work area before you head home.

11

Get a good night’s sleep.

Aim for at least 8 hours so you feel well-rested. Sleep is your body’s chance to take a load off and recover from the day. As you relax and wind down from work, keep the time in mind. Go to bed at a decent time so that you wake up in the morning feeling refreshed.^{[19]
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- If you have trouble falling asleep, try to put your phone away at least 1 hour before bed.

Expert Q&A

Question

How do I get the most out of my workday?

Lindsay Gordon
Career Coach
Lindsay Gordon is a Career Coach and the Owner of a Life of Options, a career coaching service for analytically minded people. With more than seven years of experience, she specializes in helping individuals who feel aimless or dissatisfied with work make the right choices for themselves. Lindsay has also been featured in many media publications like Business Insider, Thrive Global, and the How to Be Awesome at Your Job podcast. Lindsay holds a BS in Bioengineering from The Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering and a Core Strengths Coaching Certificate from San Francisco State University.

Lindsay Gordon

Career Coach

Expert Answer

Ask yourself 3 questions: "What did I learn?" "What did I initiate?" and "Who did I help?" Feel free to reflect on those questions at the end of the day, or mull over them at the beginning of the day.
Question

What should you do first at the beginning of a workday?

Lindsay Gordon
Career Coach
Lindsay Gordon is a Career Coach and the Owner of a Life of Options, a career coaching service for analytically minded people. With more than seven years of experience, she specializes in helping individuals who feel aimless or dissatisfied with work make the right choices for themselves. Lindsay has also been featured in many media publications like Business Insider, Thrive Global, and the How to Be Awesome at Your Job podcast. Lindsay holds a BS in Bioengineering from The Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering and a Core Strengths Coaching Certificate from San Francisco State University.

Lindsay Gordon

Career Coach

Expert Answer

Create a goal that revolves around your values. For instance, if growth is important to you, you can start off your goal with "Today I will have prioritized growth by..." Then, you can take a look at each day in your calendar and ask yourself "What meetings do I have? What projects will I be working on? How can I really build growth into the day that I have ahead of me?"
Question

How can I have more good days?

Lindsay Gordon
Career Coach
Lindsay Gordon is a Career Coach and the Owner of a Life of Options, a career coaching service for analytically minded people. With more than seven years of experience, she specializes in helping individuals who feel aimless or dissatisfied with work make the right choices for themselves. Lindsay has also been featured in many media publications like Business Insider, Thrive Global, and the How to Be Awesome at Your Job podcast. Lindsay holds a BS in Bioengineering from The Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering and a Core Strengths Coaching Certificate from San Francisco State University.

Lindsay Gordon

Career Coach

Expert Answer

Get in the habit of reflecting on your day—you can do this on a daily or weekly basis. Think about what days felt the best to you and why. As you reflect more and more, you can be really intentional about adding in those good, positive elements to your future workday.