5 Little Office Hacks Everyone Should Know About
If you work in an office, the-all-too familiar routine of sitting at the same desk with the same people, five days a week can feel a little monotonous. Even if you love your job – and the people around you – staring at a screen all day in a room where the temperature is never really just right, can leave even the best of us feeling a little unmotivated.
However, with just a few simple office hacks, you can drastically improve your happiness at work, leading to higher productivity levels, greater job satisfaction, and improvements in both physical and mental health. Follow our top five tips on how to improve your work life, and never look back!
START YOUR DAY OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT
Starting your morning with a jog or workout at the gym can get your day off to a wonderful start. Exercising first thing has been proven to offer many benefits, such as boosting your metabolism, improving mental and physical energy, releasing endorphins, and even helping you sleep. This means that getting up early on a morning and heading out the door will feel much easier after a great night’s rest.
ARRIVE EARLY
Once you’ve done your morning exercise, make sure you get into the office early so you can set yourself up before work officially starts. Arriving at work around 20 – 30 minutes early will give you the opportunity to organise your tasks for the day and give you some time to yourself after the commute (without co-workers interrupting you). Plus, it gives you a chance to make a healthy breakfast to set you up for the day.
BRING IN YOUR OWN FOOD
Bringing in a packed lunch, as well any snacks you might want throughout the day, will not only save you money, but will give you control over what you’re putting into your body. It’s widely acknowledged how much hidden sugar, salt, and nasty additives are put into pre-packaged foods – which can damage you from the inside out. Instead of grabbing something quick and convenient at the shop, set some time aside throughout the week to batch cook some meals for the next few days – your wallet and your waistline will thank you.
TALK TO YOUR CO-WORKERS
The people you work with can have a profound impact on how happy you are in your job. Some people feel that they don’t want to mix their work lives with their personal lives – and keeping them separate is fine – but that doesn’t mean you can’t be friendly with your colleagues. You meet all kinds of people from different walks of life, with different interests and skills to you, why not make the effort to get to know them? You’ll not only improve your working relationships and enjoy the office atmosphere more, but you’re also likely to make some good friends along the way.
USE YOUR HOLIDAYS WISELY
Time can sneak up on you quickly, and before you know it, it’s the end of the year and you’ve got lots of holiday allocation to use up. You work hard for a living – you deserve to have a break every now and then. See the world and experience new cultures, fly somewhere exotic and relax on a beach, go on a road trip and explore nature, or have a staycation and relax at home. However you choose to spend your days off, make sure you take the time to do something you enjoy and try to leave work behind (it’ll also give you something to look forward to).
Have you got any great office hacks to share? Let us know on Twitter @viking_chat.