Work to deadlines – if you don’t have any give yourself some
When your sat in the office for what seems like the 20th day in a row, tasks can become quite daunting, especially if it’s 9am and you have a mammoth of work ahead of you. It is much easier to get through a task like this if you break it down into bite size chunks. Also, by working through your task like this, it helps to avoid distractions. After you meet each deadline, reward yourself by browsing the internet for 15 minutes, for example, or take a break, get a chocolate bar from the vending machine anything that will give you the encouragement and inspiration to continue with your tasks in a positive mindset.
Listen to music if possible
If you’re workplace allows such a thing, listening to music can be a fantastic to keep inspired and happy whilst working in the office. Listening to peaceful and calm classical is thought to relax both the body and mind whilst listening to noises in nature has been proven to increase productivity as well as being able to drown out annoying office workplace noises around you. According to some studies, sound levels also affect your productivity and concentration. Multiple Olympic swimming champion Michael Phelps used to ‘get in the zone’ before a big event by listening to music. If it’s good enough for the greatest Olympian of all time, then it should be good enough for you.
Relax, don’t put too much pressure on yourself to get things done
For a lot of people, nothing is worse for the mind than pressure and anxiety. Do not put too much pressure on yourself to get something done – especially if you do not work well under pressure. Stress releases cortisol into the brain, too cortisol causes the brain to age rapidly. Of course, ‘stressing-less is easier said than done but just try to relax and steadily get through your work tasks. If you are working a job where stress is causing you to become ill, you should seriously consider visiting your local doctor, nobody should have to work up to a point where they are becoming physically or mentally ill.
Take a tactical lunch break – ensure it separates your day well
If you are in an office eight hours per day and five days per week, it is imperative that you take your lunch break. Never skip lunch, you need energy if you are working. Even if you are working a job that involves sitting at a desk all day, food is still vital. Be sure not to eat unhealthy foods, obviously, if you are sitting down all day and mixing this with an unhealthy diet, your weight will bloom in no time.
Meditate when you feel you need inspiration
You shouldn’t think for a second that meditating is secluded only to sitting cross legged in a quiet room saying “ommmm” to yourself. Meditating for two minutes every hour can decrease stress substantially. Simply close your eyes and concentrate on breathing in for 10 seconds and then out for another 10 seconds. Do this for 2-5 minutes and I promise that when you open your eyes again, all the colors around you will look vibrant and bright – it really is an amazing thing to do. Incidentally, try doing this out in the wild, in the woods for example. After meditating for 5 minutes in the woods and opening my eyes afterwards, it felt like the whole forest was singing to me and dancing around me.
Take time out to browse Twitter – not Facebook
Taking the odd break from work is something you should do. If you are a regular on Twitter, take a break and browse your timeline, read a few news articles. If nothing else, this can be entertaining but it can also be inspiring. As a journalist, I regularly spend at least a few minutes a day looking at the profiles of journalists such as Glenn Greenwald and Julian Assange in order to find inspiration. Try to avoid Facebook, however. Although family photos may brighten your day, for the most part, browsing Facebook can actually have a negative impact on your mental health. Envying your Facebook friends can also lead to depression. Remember, not many people post bad things about their lives onto Facebook, people save the best for social media, so what you see maybe not completely true in reality.
Take a break to discuss topics with colleagues – not gossip
Just because your sat in an office all day in front of a computer does not mean that real life conversations with colleagues should be out of bounds. But try to avoid gossip, gossip in the work place can only lead to negative thoughts and emotions. Plus, if you yourself is talking behind someone’s back with a colleague, how can you ensure that that same colleague is not gossiping about you behind your back to someone else? Instead, discuss ideas, or relevant topics in the news. Although be warned, discussions regarding politics can also lead to arguments. Try and keep the topics of discussion light hearted and fun, avoid the serious issues.
Article written by Ben Smith, a journalist for CompareLotto