Making some small changes to your daily routine can be a great way to turn your work day into a more acceptable, pleasant and even exciting day.
Indeed, the eagerness and enthusiasm of the first few days in a new job tends to fade after over time, so most of us come to find a typical working day becoming incredibly boring and repetitive. So how can we spice it up?
THE NIGHT BEFORE:
Always have something you enjoy for dinner; don’t eat too late and don’t have anything overly fatty to ease digestion. Eat slowly, chew your food, and concentrate on it – don’t multitask while you eat. Your body and stomach need appreciation too, don’t neglect them.
Relax, watch a movie, read something (not work-related), have a good chat with your partner, play with the kids; but please, don’t think about work. If you want to gain five more minutes sleep the following morning, get your clothes ready before bed. Midnight should be your maximum curfew – remember you need at least 7 (8 ideally) hours sleep.
You may say, ‘where are the changes to my routine?’ – Well, if you already do all this, congrats! Most professionals we know tend to rush through meals or even skip them altogether, they’re forced to neglect their family, think 24/7 about work and go to bed ridiculously late!
THE MORNING:
Always vary your breakfast, so as not to get tired of it. If you’re not behind on your routine, have your breakfast at home, not on the go – are those pains au chocolat you get at Starbucks worth it, when you can have the same thing warmed up in the comfort of your home?
One thing to remember, never skip breakfast – it’s counterproductive for your energy and thinking at work, you need sugar in the morning to kick start your brain. Those headaches you often get are most likely the result of not getting enough sugar, it’s your brain saying: ‘Please, feed me!’
Have you considered cycling to work? It’s a great way to let your energetic self come out; breathe in some fresh air, while tickling your muscles and nerves – it’s good for your heart and your whole body. If you live pretty close to your workplace, you may prefer to walk.
Unless you live more than an hour away and you need to get the bus or underground, some physical activity is always good before work.
THE DAY IN THE OFFICE:
Instead of coffee or tea, grab a smoothie or make one the night before to take with you to work. You’ll reap the benefits in a matter of days – more energy, more positive thinking, less stress and aggressiveness. You’ll begin to deal with problems in a different way, more thoughtful and pondered.
On your lunch break, get out of the office, and go eat your food in a park or walk a little bit before going back in, especially when it’s sunny. You’ll return to work far more focused.
Try to make your desk and workspace as much ‘you’ as possible. Add some colours, make it messy if it makes you feel more in your element, do what you can to personalise it. Your success and performance will benefit from it, as several studies have proved.
AFTER WORK
Try not leaving food shopping for after work, order it online and you can save time – schedule its arrival for before or after work, or even over the weekend. Doing so you’ll get a weekly, and you won’t have to worry about food for the whole week!
Take up a hobby or sport. Sign up to your local gym, go to yoga classes, go swimming, whatever sport or activity you enjoy; it’s good to let your body and mind unwind while getting back strength. The most important thing to remember is to keep it up. Don’t just go once and leave it, you need to stay consistent and motivated, which happens to be the secret to success in everything else you do.
