Grumpy + Work = Creative?

Apparently, a grumpy, pessimistic working attitude is the new positive one according to associate professor Jing Zhou as. according to his study, grumpy emloyees produce hard work and creativity.

Having recently started a new job working in the hospitality industry, I can honestly say I completely disagree with all of the research! For instance, last Tuesday morning was a typical very bad day at work. Factors such as having to get up at 5am to catch a bus for work, the 6:30am bus being twenty minutes late, the weather being horrendous; rain, wind and bitter temperatures, and not having time for breakfast all contributed to me being in a terrible mood by the time I had arrived at work. Now, keeping this in mind when I read this article by David R. Butcher this afternoon, I found the entire idea very hard to believe.

The writer cited from Jing Zhou that "a bubbly mood may enhance creativity, but feeling happy can actually hinder the ability to focus on a task". A happy mood can hinder the ability to focus on a task? Keeping my horrible Tuesday morning in mind, my grouchy mood was the very factor that stopped being being able to concentrate. I approached a guest, like I do every morning, jug of orange juice in hand (usually with a somewhat over the top brand standard smile on my face, except this particular morning) asking him in a mundane voice if he'd like some orange juice. As I pored his orange juice I hadn't actually realised that I'd missed his juice glass completely and that his morning paper was now soggy and soaked in fresh orange. Whoops, sorry, I couldn't concentrate because all I could think about was how awful and tedious the rest of today is going to be because pessimism and grumpiness is oozing from my every pore. After that incident I proceeded to smash four glasses that day merely because I was unable to focus because I was not in a normal, happy mood which (being a morning person) I usually am during a breakfast shift.

Needless to say my manager wasn't impressed with me at all and to save me making any more clumsy blunders and before my bad mood rubbed off on any other staff I was sent into the kitchen to polish cutlery for two hours. I can definitely disagree with Jing Zhou on this one! Going to work or trying to do anything productive when I'm in a grumpy mood is probably the least sensible idea - bring me Ugly Betty, chocolate, Lush chocolate face masks and lock me in my bedroom until I'm in a better mood before I cause a calamity!