The energy that you reflect, reflects you

Have you ever given a thought to what your energy says about yourself?

Why do you get along with some people? What is it about a few that makes you not want to interact with them?

Human energy is the physical and mental energy that a person emits through their actions, emotions, and presence. Call it a vibe if you want to. We all feel it in the presence of someone or something.

Human beings exude both, positive as well as negative energy. Positive energy attracts good things whereas negative energy has the reverse effect.

The kind of energy that you reflect is in fact a reflection of your own self.

Imagine going to work each day with a curious, enthusiastic and optimistic attitude. Positivity is contagious and you will notice that not only your performance improves but your relationships with your superiors and subordinates also changes for the better. This can lead to sharpening of a collaborative mind set and generation of new ideas through teamwork.

Now imagine the opposite. Negative energy pulls everything down, beginning with your own mental well-being. Feelings of stress and anxiety will take an upper hand, and this will impact your professional as well as personal relationships. Absence of trust and poor performance at work can create conflicts and has the potential to dampen your morale. This can then cascade to lack of ideas, stifling of meaningful conversations, and the death of innovation and creativity.

Strategies to create a positive energy at the workplace

The world of a communications and public relations professional can be very chaotic and demanding. They have to be on the call 24×7 and the stress levels accompanying a hectic work life can have a very debilitating effect.

It is important that professionals learn to manage their own energy and work towards creating a circle of positive energy at the workplace. Here is how:

#Pay attention to your feelings

Understand your emotional triggers. What makes you happy? What upsets you the most? Do you burst into anger when your work is not recognised, and the credit given to someone else? Once you have identified them, pay more attention to yourself and the environment that you are in. You are the master of your emotions. Learning to identify and controlling them can help you manage volatile situations with equanimity.

#Be transparent and authentic in your communication

Often, we shy away from saying the truth. We hesitate to say what upsets us. We do not ask for that much needed raise. We feel upset when our work is not appreciated yet, we do not bring that to the notice of our manager. Work towards being honest and authentic in your communication with your superiors and peers. This not only opens the door for feedback and idea sharing but also fosters a sense of inclusion and empowerment.

#Learn to balance

Prioritise tasks and learn to manage your time well. Communicators are inundated with all kinds of requests, and you have to really learn how to push back and say no to those that are not critical. When you set boundaries at work, you are sending a clear signal that you are focused, you are aware of what is important, and that your mental well-being matters.

#Keep your ego at the door

Many conflicts arise because we are not able to accept divergent viewpoints. When you keep your ego at the door, you open your arms to embrace diversity and expand your mind to address issues in a constructive manner. This leads to healthy respect and helps maintain professionalism.

Realise that you have the choice to exude the type of energy you want. Chose positivity to blossom in your career and to cultivate a healthy you!

The views and opinions published here belong to the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publisher.

Sarita Bahl

Sarita Bahl is an alumnus of Tata Institute of Social Sciences and the Swedish Institute of Management Program. An experienced and versatile leader, she comes with nearly four decades of professional experience. She has over the years successfully overseen the communications and public affairs function and led the corporate social responsibility strategy for Bayer South Asia, Pfizer, and Monsanto, among others. Sarita has held multiple roles across diverse industries, the public sector, trade associations, MNCs, and the not-for-profit sector. Her areas of interest include advocacy, stakeholder engagement, sustainability, and communications.

As an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) from the International Coaching Federation (ICF) and Senior Practitioner (Mentoring) from the European Council of Mentoring and Coaching (EMCC), Sarita specializes in career transition, inner engineering and life issues. Sarita enjoys writing and is passionate about animals, books, and movies.