How to Think Positive to Be More Productive

At a time when days blend together and uncertainty pervades, there's so much that lives outside of our control. So for today, let’s focus on something we can control, at least to some extent—our mindset and, in turn, our personal productivity.

What is a mindset?

According to an article by Gary Klein, Ph.D., for Psychology Today:

A mindset is a belief that orients the way we handle situations … our reactions and tendencies. They let us frame situations: they direct our attention to the most important cues so that we’re not overwhelmed with information.

In other words, your mindset impacts how you receive and respond to information, and ultimately the choices and actions that follow.

A positive mindset doesn’t mean you have blind optimism; it's more about having a willingness to believe in possibilities. Are you trying to get things done at work but finding that an anxious mindset is dragging you down? Here are some ways to achieve a positive mindset that can help you be less overwhelmed and more productive.

Choose words wisely

When we speak, the words we use impact our mindset. And that's true of both our external conversations with others and our own internal monologues.

According to the Association for Talent Development: 

We respond to words at a visceral, autonomic level ... Understanding the impact of words on the brain can help us to become better managers, parents, negotiators—almost any other role in which we as … professionals may find ourselves.

Words can prime our brains to respond in certain ways. So if we can’t change the situation we’re in, we can choose words that help us feel more hopeful or optimistic in how we navigate it.

“This crisis is never going to end” might be what your brain is telling you right now. But challenge your brain instead to think “I can’t see the end of this crisis, but it will come at some point.”

Same facts, different words.

RELATED: How to Avoid Common Thinking Traps

If you’re natural cynic, this change may feel forced at first (trust me; I know this firsthand). But remember that we want to direct our attention toward optimism and productivity. If you lean into the belief that a crisis is neverending, then of course your brain won’t want to be productive. What would be the point...

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