I’ve become more aware that self care needs aren’t limited to personal actions taken at home. A lot of our time is spent at work that our well being can sometimes be neglected. I’m definitely guilty for turning what should be 8 hour working days into 10 & sometimes 12 hours not considering the toll it takes on overall health & wellness. When I do finally leave the office, I’m heading to work more on personal items which could be an additional 4-5 hours put in.
I spend most of my days glued to a computer & responding by email or phone to demanding employees or outside vendors. While I enjoy my work, the constant planning & demands can sometimes become mentally draining & physically exhausting. Realizing this and knowing a change had to made to eliminate burnout, I started implementing a self care regimen at work to not only help reduce stress but to improve work performance in the office so that I can still have energy and the mental capacity for additional output once home.
Set the Mood – Workspace Ambiance
Start first by transforming your work space. If you spend most of your time in an office or at a cubicle, creating a space where you can work on bringing your best ideas to life is a great start to building a successful self care regimen for work. Get organized a cluttered work area can be chaotic & an invitation for increased stress especially when it comes time to find something. Make it your own by bringing in items from home or buying pieces to reflect your personality, that will keep you inspired, productive & performing your best.
DND – Do Not Disturb
Moments alone are necessary, especially if you’re in a position where constant human communication is required. One of thing that keeps me off task the most is devoting too much of the day engaging in conversation with other coworkers. While its great having social connections at work, it can easily become a problem & reflect how long it takes to get a task done or how well the task turns out. Enforcing a DND boundary may be the only way to meet the deadlines & quality you wish to achieve.
Because so much of our work & lives in general revolves around technology it can be difficult to detach even for a minute. There is always a question to be answered, a phone call to take, a meeting to attend or an email to respond to. This is a part of the job, yes, however sometimes this round robin can get overwhelming so in order to keep from losing my cool, I place my desk and cell phones on DND, lock the computer screen & enforce a this boundary with coworkers. Taking a step away outside, to a quiet corner or just to turn and look out the window can reset my mood & energy levels drastically.
Detach & Detox
Though it may be prideful to work longer hours as a ploy to get more things done, in reality, working through breaks is actually counterproductive. Not taking time to step back from work leads to decreased efficiency, burnout and the suffering of overall work quality. Just the same, not taking time to escape work altogether, using vacation days appropriately is a great way to reach burnout quickly.
Breaks and vacation days should be planned in advance. Something that helps me get away is scheduling my breaks on my work calendar so that I don’t work through it. Time for meditating, taking car naps or moments outside to reconnect with are all beneficial for refocusing.
To perform at your highest level, rest must also be a priority. If you’ve found yourself struggling to remain focused or that your work quality is suffering, theres a great chance you haven’t had enough down time. Resting is an important part in any self care regimen and most certainly one to incorporate in your self care regimen at work. Detach & detox from work so that you are giving it your best effort to perform your best and be of value to your employer.
The Curated Playlist
Incorporating music into my work routine is a top choice on my regimen . Its been a great way for me to find motivation and lift my spirits. Curating playlists based on different work moods, or for different days of the week brings a different approach to my work routine, helps with concentration and helps decompress especially after a stressful task. This also helps limit being distracted by conversations happening around.
Keep Hydrated
Staying hydrated at work can be difficult but holding yourself accountable to maintain this essential need that will keep you from being dehydrated and not having the energy you need to get through your day. Its also crucial to maintain a regular routine of drinking water if you’re an avid coffee drinker.
Increasing my water intake also means more trips to the restroom and forced, short break intervals. This is exactly how I trick myself to step away as well as drink more water since, I’m not always so good about doing so.