Sunday Make Over

Sunday, June 22, 2008

Sunday Make Over

I usually spend some time on Monday preparing for the week ahead. Here's some ideas on some changes we all can make:

8 Ways to Get That Energy Rolling At Your Work

Posted: 19 Jun 2008 09:11 AM CDT

Written on 6/19/2008 by Abhijeet Mukherjee, of Jeet Blog.

Even if you work at the most employee-centric and caring organization of the world, you may not enjoy your job all day, everyday. There will inevitably be days when you'll feel stressed and wish you could just take the day off. You may even begin to start thinking of what you'll say when you call in sick. Is it a raspy sore throat this time or did you eat some bad fish last night? Shoot, what excuse did you use last time?

Listen. None of this is uncommon. Feeling stressed and jaded at work will occasionally go with the territory; that's why it's called 'work'. Most people are not happy all the time and just because you lose motivation one day, doesn't mean you're doomed to screening phone calls and hiding from the boss. As I will discuss here, there are some simple ways in which you can give yourself an energy boost and get back to work with a ton of enthusiasm.

Take your eyes off the computer
Yes, the first and the simplest way. Most of us are stuck at our workstations all day long which can add to the fatigue factor later on. Hence once in a while you should just take your eyes off the computer. Get off your chair and just look around or walk over to a window. This simple task can be a lot of help, provided you remember to do it every 40 minutes or an hour.

Ditch the elevator
If you need to traverse only 3 or 4 levels everyday, then why not ditch the elevator and use the stairs. Not only does it energize you and get the heart pumping, but it could be the only exercise that a hard core desk job employee gets in a day.

Less Coffee, More Water
Coffee is great for a quick energy spike. However, we tend to forget that the spike quickly disappears and we're often left feeling even worse than before the coffee fix. Drink water instead. Despite the fact that it's in most of our offices, many of us walk right by it and don't have it the entire day. Water is essential and it keeps you hydrated and provides a smooth flow of energy.

Splash your eyes twice or thrice
When you are feeling run-down at the office, head to the bathroom and splash your eyes with cold water at least twice. It's good for your eyes and it's pretty refreshing - especially later in the day.

Check Your Meals
When at work, resist indulging in the new gravy-laden meatloaf recipe that the cafe worker is tempting you with. For that matter, resist the daily trip to the fast food joint with your co-workers as well. Heavy meals will kill your productivity because they kill your energy. Have you ever wondered why you start yarning everyday at 2:15? Check your meals and snacks at the office, keep them relatively healthy, and stay productive.

Power Nap
The benefits of a power nap have been scientifically proven. Hence if you are really tired, you could take 10-15 minutes off and take a short nap. This can be a real energy boost, believe me. However there are two things you need to make sure, before you do this :-
1. Don't sleep at your workstation. Getting caught sleeping at work is not a good thing. Use some other place like a recreation room or something like that.
2. Don't fall asleep for hours. Make sure it's a short nap.

Take a breath of fresh air
Yes, fresh air always gives an energy boost. So just take 10 minutes off, get out of your office building, and breathe fresh air for a while.

Participate in that banter
Participating in a light conversation with a group of colleagues will reduce the monotonousness of your work and help you stay active and productive. So, when you don't feel like working, just engage yourself in a short conversation about something not related to work. Once you're done talking for 5-10 minutes, you can get back to work and you'll certainly find it easier to work this time.