Work space
- If you are lucky enough to have a window in your work space, open the blinds and enjoy the natural extended spring daylight.
- Bring fresh flowers into your work space.
- Clean your desk. Spend 15 minutes each morning organizing your work space before you get started. Set a timer and don't take longer than 15 minutes.
- Clean telephones and keyboards with antibacterial wipes to keep your work space germ-free.
- Try playing music on a low volume in your office, especially when you are doing routine tasks. Wear earbuds if you work in a shared space.
- Keep healthy snacks in your desk for when you get hungry. Skipping meals leads to low blood sugar and mental "fog".
- Before you leave your work space for the day, organize your calendar and your "to do" list for the next morning.
- Come in early or leave late one day and efolder all those emails in your inbox. Then make a commitment to keep up the organization. Asked to be removed from unnecessary distribution lists. What a relief to see that tiny number in your inbox!
- Buy yourself some colorful file folders and Post-it notes. And use them!
- Keep an empty box in the corner of your office. As you come across files, notes or papers you don't need or want throw them in the shredder box. Eliminating the worry about tossing confidential information allows us to purge more freely.
- Create a Linkedin profile or update your profile. Take a few minutes each week to “like” a connection's posting, or to endorse their skills.
- Each day, replace one followup email with a "walk over visit" or a phone call if the person is not nearby.
- Buy a box of thank you notes and keep them in your desk drawer. If you are a leader, make a commitment to send out one per week thanking someone for their contributions.
- Invite someone to lunch once a week.
- Each week, send one "hello" email to a colleague you haven't seen in a while. Tell them you were thinking of them and wanted to reach out to catch up. You will stay better apprised of what is going on in rest of the world, and your network will stay strong for times when you may need it.
- Put your cell phone away when you are walking to meetings or to your work space and practice making eye contact and small talk with those you may see in passing.
- Choose an influencer on linkedin and follow them. You can also choose to follow editorial contributors on forbes.com, fastcompany.com, or inc.com. When their articles hit your email box print them out and place them in a reading folder. Once per week, spend the first 30 minutes of your day (somewhere other than your desk) with your coffee, reading an article. When you are finished, forward the article to a friend. Share everything you read with at least one other person.
- Purchase an audio book. Use your commute time or lunch break to listen to something you are interested in.
- Look for breathing meditations on Youtube, there are many. Download a few to your phone or tablet. Take a 15 minute break and practice deep breathing once each day.
- Start dressing up for work again! Forget the business casual a couple days a week.
- Get up from your desk and stretch your arms, shoulders, back and neck at least every 90 minutes.
- To allow your eyes to recover, take regular breaks from looking at the computer screen. Optometrists suggest the 20/20/20 rule, that is, after 20 minutes of computer use, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
- Keep a great smelling hand lotion on your desk and massage your hands pressing your thumbs into your palms when you are using the keyboard all day (bonus aromatherapy).
- Buy yourself a beautiful journal at the office supply store or book store and keep it on the corner of your desk to capture great ideas.
- Bring in a small memento, photo or souvenir from a favorite vacation spot and mentally visit that memory when your creativity feels blocked.
image credit: Fotosearch.com
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