How many times have you spent the weekend lamenting to your friends about how crazy work has been? I know, too many times to even count. In most workplace settings, it’s pretty much the standard to completely exhaust yourself by the time the week is over. Though some situations we can’t ever prevent from happening, what we can do is take care of ourselves along the way.
I am absolutely tired of being burnt out. If you are too, read below for a few ways to keep your energy (and sanity) during your busiest work weeks.
1. Morning Rituals
The way you begin your day sets the stage for how your mood may be for the rest of it. Before you even get into the office, take time to be still and meditate when you wake up. It can get busy in the morning, especially after you’ve stayed in bed those few extra minutes. After you get yourself going, try to keep your phone out of your hand until you’re fully ready to head out of the door. The minute you pick up that phone, the wheels start turning, the notifications roll in...there’s goes that sense of calm. Getting ready without distractions leaves time for you to set intentions while doing your hair, take a few deep, mindful breaths in the shower, and stay present as you get dressed. Add on to these any way you’d like. Maybe throw a gratitude list in there, or a mini yoga flow.
2. Write a to-do list
When I get to work, the first thing I do is open up my Asana and write down my to-do list. If I forget to, my head is spinning for the rest of the morning without much direction. I personally feel more organized when I write things down versus typing them, but any type of list/project tracker will do. The more organized you make yourself in the beginning of the day, the easier it will be to structure and plan accordingly to get more done. The list may be long, but once you’ve dumped your brain out on a piece of paper, you might just feel a bit better.
3. Take mini-breaks
Walks outside, ten minutes in a quiet room, or even relocating to focus better are all things you can do to take a breather and get away from that desk chair. Incorporating a little movement into your life can help your energy flow and get your brain back functioning so you can stick to those priorities. Taking a break to sit in silence or even have a midday meditation session can also help you find peace amidst all the chaos. The energy can get to be pretty dull when everyone’s hunkered down over a desk, and taking a few minutes to quiet the mind will help you fend off all that energy and reset your own to be productive and happy. I personally love to relocate to a different place in the office and work there for an hour or two. We have a media room, high tables, and booths in our new space. For quiet time when I need zero distractions, I move to one of these places for a change of scenery so I can power through my work.
4. Place items on your desk that incite positivity
This can be anything that creates a sense of happiness and light in your space. Some ideas are: favorite quotes, affirmations, pictures, stones, and mini-collages. Anything that brightens up your space and reminds you that there’s a lot to be happy about, even on those crazy work days when you think you’re about to lose your shit. I recently printed out a bunch of pictures of the people closest to me who always cheer me on and tacked them to my desk. That way, whenever I’m getting close to feeling hopeless, I simply look to them and know that if they were there, they’d be cheering me on.
5. Speak words of affirmation
In busy work settings, it can be so easy to default to a frame of mind that limits positivity and self-confidence when things aren’t going well. Saying affirmations on those tough days (and even the good ones too!) help train your brain to look at the bright side of a situation instead of completely freak out. This one takes a lot of practice, but I’m a firm believer in repeating your affirmations as many times as necessary until you feel like it’s a little more true. Yes, you are a badass and you are fully capable of tackling the day!
It can be a little tough acclimating yourself in work settings, old or new. Hopefully this can help you set some new habits to make your day a bit brighter!