How would you like to change up your life in a positive way? Perhaps you are experiencing stress at work, or the daily grind feels monotonous many days. It is not uncommon to reach a lull in our careers and daily life, but with some small, intentional changes, we can alter the trajectory of our day and affect those around us in a truly positive manner! Here are 5 small ways to make a big impact in your daily work life:

Invest in relationships with your coworkers. One of the best ways to improve our outlook on life is to connect with others. Start a conversation with a new employee in your office, or invite a fellow coworker to lunch. Recruit a group to play basketball at lunch, or play some golf with a client on the weekend. Learning more about our peers helps to understand their perspectives and develop mutual respect for one another. Finding common interests with others helps build friendships and makes going to work more enjoyable.

Show gratitude. Even in the most dire of circumstances, there is much to be thankful for. If we focus on the positives, the more positives we will see. Saying “thank you” actually tends to make us more thankful, and fosters goodwill toward those to whom we show our appreciation. Everyone wishes to be noticed and applauded for their service, so why not be the catalyst in your office to make gratitude a daily habit?

Get up and move! As often as possible, get away from your desk and move around. Ask your boss if you can discuss a future project while taking a walk around the building property. Stand up in your office if you are stuck on a long conference call. Take the stairs when possible. Any amount of activity and being outdoors can improve, not only our health, but also our attitude. Being outside has been shown to improve your immunity, combat depression, and lower stress levels. So set a timer, and do some pushups … you might just gain more than muscle!

Listen to music. While this may not be conducive to every office situation, when possible, adding music to your daily routine can be just the change you need to energize your day. Listening to your local radio station may help you feel more connected to what is happening in your local community, and the effects of music have long been shown to reduce stress and anxiety, and even enhance learning and memory. Upbeat music has been shown to improve athletic performance and lift spirits. There is no downside to listening to music, so turn up the volume and grab some headphones, if needed!

Eat a healthy lunch. With so much excess noise about fad diets, good and bad carbs, and saturated fat, it is hard to decide what is and what isn’t healthy nowadays. But most experts would agree that eating fruits and vegetables are key to a healthy diet. Focus on incorporating as many fruits and veggies as possible, in place of common processed snack foods, and you will reap the benefits of the added fiber and complex sugars that will keep you from feeling an afternoon crash!

Not all of these suggestions may work for every situation; however, focusing on one or two small changes can be enough to brighten the horizon and change your mindset. So instead of dwelling on big changes that seem unmanageable, start small, and see what a big impact you can make on yourself and others around you!