We all know (or should) how important a smile is in customer service. We can even hear a smile over the phone.
But smiling is also great for you and your colleagues!
In the workplace
I work from home 90% of the time but when I go into the office I make an effort to walk around the office to say "Good morning!" and flash a sincere smile to all of my colleagues.
It's one of the highlights of my day every time.
They look up, sometimes confused, from whatever they were doing and see me smiling at them. Inevitably, they smile back and sometimes we'll start to chat.
I love seeing the tension drain out of their faces and the smile appear. It makes the next one even easier, knowing that I just made someone's day a little bit better.
This is particularly fun on Monday mornings...
Smiling for yourself
I've also noticed that it's really difficult to be in a bad mood when you smile. Try it the next time you have a case of the "blahs".
If I haven't convinced you yet, I invite you to read this article by Guy Winch in Psychology Today: The Power of Authentic Smiles.
So, the next time you're feeling a bit gloomy, crack a smile. Your clients will appreciate it and so will your colleagues. But most importantly, you'll feel better.