There is a lot of advice out there on how to give it your all at work. The options are endless as to how to organize yourself and your time, how to delegate, how to check for customer satisfaction and team cohesion. This article turns the eye inward and offers tips on how to feel better and, thus, work better.
Personalize your work area
If you spend long hours at the office, you can make it a more inviting and pleasant area for yourself by infusing a bit of your personality into it.
If your office does not allow big projects and changes or if you work in a small space, like a cubicle, your options might not be so plentiful. Bear in mind that these customizations can be rather small and still go a long way. If you enjoy the scent of a particular reed diffuser, no one can object to it being on your desk. Even more inconspicuously, having a treasured action figure or favorite book stored away in a drawer will draw no attention and make you smile every time you reach for a stapler or folder.
Set reminders for physical activity breaks
You may have heard people say not to wait till you are thirsty to drink water because, by then, your body is already in a crisis. This is a hotly contested issue. What is not contested is that you should not wait until you are stiff all over to get up from your desk and stretch or walk.
There are many ways to get moving around the office and if you are not yet in the habit of doing this, then setting reminders at regular intervals to take a short break and energize will do wonders for your focus and productivity.
Optimize your sleep
Recently, people are becoming more aware of the importance of quality sleep for all daily activities. There is a lot of good advice floating around about turning off all devices an hour before sleep and the old chestnut about having a glass of warm milk before bed, all of which have their merits.
In addition to these, your bedroom can also do with some customization in order for you to get that luxurious sleep. Physical comfort is paramount to drifting off fast and easily. Taking into account whether you sleep alone or with a partner, as well the room dimensions, choose the best size of mattress for yourself and, once you have the dimensions, get good sheets with a high thread count – if you have not had these before, you will be astounded at the difference they make. Consider how much light you enjoy having and in accordance with this either install a dimmer switch or open up the curtains and paint the walls a bright color.
Use gadgets to de-stress
With the advent of Internet fads and ubiquitous ads and shares, you are likely to have come across many different gadgets and objects that are meant to soothe you or direct your excessive energy in ways which are socially and workplace acceptable. Some of these disappear as quickly as they grab their spot in the Internet sunshine, others are inescapable and can turn into a thorn in our collective side, like the dreaded fidget spinners at the moment.
Depending on the reason you might require them, there are numerous options to choose from: stress balls for frustration, fidget cubes for restlessness or noise-canceling headphones for peace and focus. Given that they are not big investments, you might consider trying out several methods over time and which one (or which combination) works best for you.
Tailoring
It may seem simple-minded, but it is a great truth in life that when one looks good, they feel good (and vice versa). In addition to this, tailoring is an easy and affordable way to update and customize your wardrobe. In many instances, you can find that you end up spending more on the tailoring than on the suit because you can buy inexpensive items which can be made to look far more upscale by a good tailor. It is especially useful if you’ve just started in a corporate position and do not yet own a vast array of well-fitting and work-appropriate attire.
Not only does tailoring help to make you look more professional, but it can also provide some small physical comfort. As the clothes become better fitting, you will find they are far more comfortable to wear and this improvement on the physical front is bound to translate into an improvement on the professional one as well.
Productivity naturally varies, like motivation and general mood, so you cannot expect to always be at 100%. Having said that, making sure you feel as good as you can manage and foreseeing issues so that you can solve them in a timely manner is sure to go a long way in helping you go about your day.
