Team handout: What you need to know about attitude at work

We all know we should try to have a good attitude (at least most of us seem to know this, even if our implementation is less than perfect), but what does science say about the factors involved in mood and its effects on ourselves and others? Fetch dvm360 speaker Bash Halow, RVT, CVPM, founder of Halow Consulting, rounded up this collection of interesting tidbits. Click the links to read the articles, or download the handout pictured at right to scan the QR codes and distribute to the rest of the veterinary team.

1. A bad attitude brings everyone else down.

One person's negativity can easily spread to other coworkers. Pervasively negative attitudes have a detrimental effect on workplace performance, causing employees to become apathetic and despondent, leading to mistakes and lowered output. The Houston Chronicle takes a look.

2. Pessimistic people die sooner.

Pessimistic, anxious and depressive personality traits are associated with an increased risk of early death from any cause, according to a study published in Psychosomatic Medicine.

3. Food choices affect your mood.

If you're feeling depressed, anxious or just plain cranky, a switch to “clean” eating may provide a surprising boost in your attitude, according to this article from Harvard Medical School. The connections between gut and brain-and therefore food and attitude-are only barely beginning to be understood, but the research to date is intriguing.

4. Negativity is part of our wiring.

Human brains are predisposed to identify the negative in any situation and store it forever in our neural tissue. Maybe it's time to stop fighting our negative bias and start embracing it for the good, argues this piece from Aeon.

5. Negative thoughts are often full of BS.

It's possible to have a thought like “I'm incompetent” or “Today's going to suck” and not believe it-or at least to deliberately take a different course of action than the one your brain is steering you down, says Psychology Today contributor Barbara Markway. The trick? Stop fighting that negative thought and just let it float away.

6. A good attitude turns people on.

Positive personality traits tend to increase perceptions of facial attractiveness, according to a study by Chinese researchers reported in the Huffington Post. In other words, your mom was right-your smile is the most beautiful thing you can wear.

7. Our moods need the same TLC our bodies do.

Ted Talker Guy Winch says too many of us deal with common psychological-health issues on our own-but we don't have to. He argues that we should practice “emotional hygiene,” taking care of our emotions as carefully as we tend the health of our bodies.

8. Your attitude affects your kids.

Parenting goes far beyond meeting children's basic survival needs, reports this article from Vanderbilt University. “Children see how their parents display emotions and interact with other people, and they imitate what they see their parents do to regulate emotions,” writes author Alexandra Murphy. These factors mean that parents have a significant influence on their children's personality, emotional development and behavioral habits.

You. Can. Do. This!

At Fetch dvm360 conference, we're the support system you need. With every conference this year, we intend to nurture your mind (meaning quality CE for days) while also encouraging you to take stock of your physical and emotional health. Register now.