Dec 27

Dec 27 5 Quotes to Help You Thrive at Work

By Lanee Higgins

Some of the best advice I’ve received about work came from well…. being at work. Throughout my career, I’ve collected quotes from supervisors, coworkers, and others who helped me change my mindset and grow. These quotes helped get out of a funk, become unstuck, and refocus on my priorities. They have also brought me one step closer to the illustrious work/life balance that so many of us strive to achieve.

Here are five quotes that helped me thrive at work, and I hope they help you too.

1. “You control the treadmill.” - My supervisor

During a check-in with my supervisor, she asked me how things were going at work. I told her my work felt like I was on a treadmill, and it was getting faster and faster. I couldn’t keep up, and every new project put me in danger of falling off.

She paused and said something to me that I’ll never forget, “You control the treadmill.”

Wait what? ME?!

Up until she said that, I thought work was a thing that happened to me. My supervisor and coworkers gave me tasks and assignments. And I did them. The end. But, understanding that “I control the treadmill” helped me realize I have a lot more control than I think. We all do.

We can say no. We can manage our time. We can ask for help. We are not beholden to one way of working. If deadlines aren’t set, we can look at our schedules and set them ourselves. And if they are set, we can decide how much or how little we want to accomplish on any given day. We can take breaks during the day, and set intentional time to focus.

Myself and many other overachievers are always on GO—we feel we have to do the best, be the best, and get everything done perfectly. But with this quote, my supervisor told me I had the power to give myself permission to slow down. So whenever I feel myself speeding toward burnout, I remember I control the treadmill. I think about what I can take off my plate to reduce my speed and get back to a comfortable pace at work.

2. “If you’re stuck, that means you need help.” - My supervisor (again)

When I was new to my organization, I encountered many struggles. And I thought I had to figure everything out on my own. When I finally got the courage to admit I was stuck on a project, instead of trying to work it out myself, my supervisor said this: “If you’re stuck that means you need help.”

That was life-changing. As a former educator, being stuck meant figuring it out. It’s you and maybe 30+ students looking at you as the leader of the room. You don’t have time to be stuck, lost, or confused. You can ask for help later, but in the moment you need to improvise, go with the flow, and keep it moving. You have to put on a face and “never let them see you sweat.” So to know that not only was it okay to ask for help, but also it was required to get me unstuck shattered my perspective of working.

There’s a certain pride that comes from thinking you can do everything on your own, but to struggle in silence doesn’t help anyone. Because of this quote, now when I find myself stuck, I reach out for help. And I find almost every time someone offers a new insight, or a vision that not only gets me unstuck, but also is something I would have never considered on my own.

3. "I treat people as humans first, employees second." -A former supervisor

We have all worked jobs where our time was policed. You’re taking a sick day? Where’s your doctor’s note? A family emergency without a request for time off? Denied. So to have a supervisor say this meant so much to me. With this one quote, she communicated the trust, respect, understanding, and empathy she had for our team.

A quote like this demonstrates a good company culture—so much so that it has stayed with me nearly a decade later. Though she was only my supervisor for one year, I carried this quote with me throughout my career.

Working can be soulless when we take humanity out of it. It’s important we ask our coworkers how they are doing, create genuine connections, and thank and appreciate each other for our work. Our coworkers are not machines and task managers to get things done. They are human beings with their own successes, failures, triumphs, feelings, and lives.

The energy we often give to others is what we get back. When we give each other grace, respect, trust, constructive criticism, empathy, etc., we are all more likely to thrive at work because we feel seen, heard, and respected.

4. "If the sun is out, then you go outside."- Someone I met at a party

While I’ve heard this sentiment before, this individual put this so eloquently. There’s something about sunshine and fresh air that offers a break. During the winter, we could go the whole day without seeing the sun. We drudge to work in darkness. We leave work in darkness, and if we work remotely, then sometimes we may not even go outside.

But spending just a few moments outside can offer us the reset we need.

I remember at the third school I taught at, there was this beautiful courtyard that always sat empty. One day, I convinced my department and some others who were off during the final period of the day to sit outside with me and enjoy the sun. We brought our laptops, planning, and grading, and just basked in the sunshine. When our planning period was over, we all discussed how it was a great ending to the day. When I felt overwhelmed at my first office job after teaching, I would sit outside and sip water or coffee just to have a moment to myself to calm down and breathe.

If we are feeling pent up, going outside is a great change of pace that can recharge and energize us. Taking that moment to breathe reminds you there is life outside of work. It’s easy to get lost in what we have to do during the day and forget there’s a whole world literally outside.

5. "Girl, f—this job!" - A coworker who says this every time I can't get out of my own head.

I cherish this quote. Whenever I find myself putting my job before myself, my needs, my family, etc., I hear my coworker’s voice: “Girl, f— this job!” And it’s a reminder of what my real priorities are. Too many times in my career I’ve put my job before myself. I’ve been sick on the bathroom floor at 3:00 AM trying to convince myself I could work the next day. I’ve missed time with family for late night work events. But at the end of the day, it wasn’t worth it.

Our jobs are important. They offer the means for us to live the lives we want to or to fulfill our needs for food, shelter, and more. But a job will never mean more than our humanity or the lives of your loved ones. Saying “f— this job!” isn’t about being angry or hating your job. It’s reminding yourself this job is not all that you are. You are a person who has a life outside of work. No matter how often we seem to forget this.