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Feeling Great at Work



Seven Quick ideas to make your day just a bit more enjoyable. 

By Ashley Geist, LPC-MH SupV, LPC, NCC, M.S.Ed.

 

Whether you love your work or are on the hunt for your next gig, there are little ways to make every workday just a little bit more enjoyable.  Read on for some quick and simple ways to improve your days spent working in or out of the office. 

 

1.   Pack a Lunch, More Days than Not

This one might seem obvious to some, but oftentimes, we tend to neglect nourishing our bodies at important times.  Packing a lunch means that we know that we will be able to eat lunch, even if we are busy, plus we will save both time and money not having to travel in a hurry to buy something. 

 

The meals we bring from home are often more nutritious too.  This doesn’t mean that we never eat out or enjoy an outing with co-workers, but instead, guarantees that we will get to eat real food during our meal or snack break.  Note, packing a lunch doesn’t mean you have to eat at your desk either!  Take your treats outside and enjoy an impromptu picnic when the weather is nice.   

 

2.   Create a Comfort/Emergency Drawer or Bag

Our physical well being and emotional state are forever linked together.  With this in mind, think about what you need to function at your best.  For most, a small first aid kit with some pain reliever and band aids is a great place to start.  For people who work outdoors, a bag of comfort items might include sunscreen, a raincoat, a spare pair of gloves, or dry socks.  For those spending days indoors, a comfort kit might include a light sweater, snack, spare reading glasses or aromatherapy items.  Take some time to think of the essentials you need to feel your best in your body, and your mind will benefit too. 

 

3.   Better Your Beverages

Most of us either do not hydrate enough during the day, or hydrate with fluids that make us anxious and dehydrate us (Thank you, 4th cup of coffee!)  While we enjoy our favorites in moderation, it’s also a great idea to see if there are some swaps that might make us feel better.  

For example, putting a curfew on our caffeine intake can reduce anxious feelings and jitters and help us to sleep better too.  With your bedtime in mind, count backwards, 8 hours.  That’s a great place to start when curbing caffeine for wellbeing. If your caffeine curfew starts at 2:00 PM, consider switching to water, flavored water, or caffeine-free teas instead. 

 

4.   Move it, Move it! 

If your job is more sedentary (think desks, paperwork, etc.), your body, eyes, and brain all need a break, once every hour, at least.  Set a timer for every 50 minutes or so that reminds you to move.  Take a bathroom break, walk around the building two times fast, stretch –any movement counts.  To add more benefit, banish your phone to your desk and spend time focusing your eyes on far-away objects to give them a break from computer use as well.  Let your mind rest while you rejuvenate the rest of you.

 

5.  Take A Rest

On the flip side, if your job is very physical (nursing, construction, etc.) you may instead need to sit down and allow yourself to physically rest.  Listen to a song, close your eyes, and set a soft timer for two-five minutes.  Allow your body and mind to rest while you take some deep breaths and a few moments for yourself. 

 

6.   Mange Stress

Ah, stress!  We all have it, however most of us don’t acknowledge the toll that it takes on our minds and bodies.  To truly manage our stress, we must engage in the processes of connection, creativity, and or movement, to physiologically process stress out of our bodies. 

Find time (Yes, even small amounts of time are great!) to move your body in ways that feel good to you, listen and dance to music, work on a creative project or cook a meal, and find a supportive space (friends, family members, community groups, therapist), to connect with, to feel supported.  Dr. Emily Nagoski and Dr. Ameila Nagoski literally wrote the book on this topic, Burnout-Completing The Stress Cycle, which comes highly recommended!  For more on this topic, check them out. 


7.   Mini Gratitude List

If it’s a tough day on the job, make a mini gratitude list.  What are three things that you are grateful for at your job?  Maybe it’s the amazing co-workers, maybe it’s the paycheck, maybe it’s your comfy desk!  When we practice gratitude, nothing is too big or small, it all counts.

 

Looking for more ways to feel great?  Visit www.thesupportcircle.com for more blogs, podcasts, and ways to connect with our skilled team of therapeutic providers, now seeing clients across both South Dakota and North Dakota.  Ready to explore how The Support Circle can support you?  Call 605-845-2058 to schedule a free consultation call, today!

 

 


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