It’s funny how one little thing can sometimes send a day spinning.

Yesterday, I arrived at the ICBA office and discovered our coffee machine wasn’t working. It’s such a small thing, but it threw me for a loop – it was out of my routine, and I felt off.

It’s amazing the power of little things. We feel it most acutely when a little thing goes awry, like a coffee not being ready, or losing our keys, or stepping on a LEGO, or whatever.

But the power of little things can also be used for good. A little change, a little surprise, a little tweak, a little gift for someone else. An unexpected funny text from a friend. A pat-on-tbe-back from the boss. If the coffee machine is down, grab two at Tim Horton’s and surprise a co-worker.

“Small, seemingly insignificant acts are powerful agents of change and growth – if we pay attention to them,” wrote Linda Kaplan Thaler and Robin Koval.

What’s a little thing you can do today to make life a little better?

Each week, ICBA’s Jordan Bateman reflects on what we’ve learned as we participate in ICBA’s Workplace Wellness Program. ICBA’s Workplace Wellness Program is helping more than 90 companies and nearly 10,000 construction professionals better understand mental health. This program is free for all ICBA members – check out icba.ca/wellness for details.