Self-Care At Work

It is easy to get stressed out and overwhelmed at work. Here are tips to help you get through your days because everyone needs a little self-care at work

We spend a large part of our day at work. And when we start counting the amount of work we do while we are at home (emails on your phone, conference calls after dinner, late-night texts from your boss), the amount of time we spend working is almost constant.

Long story short – work takes up a lot of our brain space.

And If you are not careful, this can lead to massive amounts of stress and overwhelm.

But it doesn’t have to — part of the solution in setting up boundaries (but that is a conversation for another day). But in the meantime, here are a few simple ways to take care of yourself at work.

Make a List

When I am having a hectic day, the first thing I do make a list of all of the things that I would like to get done that day. Then I go over it again to find the three things that must get done that day, including meetings. My planner helps with this.

Finding my top three tasks can take some time because you have to take a hard look at your day and figure out what matters most. And finding just three things is crucial. You cannot, I repeat, CANNOT get your three-page to-do list one in one day. You are just going to stress yourself out and set up your day for failure.

On good days I can knock that shit out with time to spare, then and only then, do I move on to the other items on my list. On not good days, if I can get my three must-do tasks, I still have a sense of accomplishment.

Take Breaks

If you are not careful, it is easy to spend hours at a time hunched over your desk. Not counting back problems and eye strain, sitting at your desk for long periods of time is terrible for your stress level and concentration.

Try setting a timer to go off every hour to remind you to get up and move around. At the very least, take your mandated 15 minutes and lunch breaks away from your desk. Take a walk around the office or, gasp, go outside!

Ask for help

I have a real hard time asking for help. For some reason, I see it as a personal failure if I can’t manage to get my tasks done on my own.

But sometimes the stars line up just right and everything blows up in your face.

When this happens, and it will take a deep breath and talk to someone. Maybe one of your cube mates can help you finish up a project, or your boss can temporarily delegate some tasks to someone else.

Your boss and coworkers will respect you more when you ask for help.

With a little bit of self-care at work, you can become more productive and focused. And not to mention a whole lot happier.

PS – deliberate unawareness as self-care and how to survive a job that isn’t your dream.