Deadlines, deadlines, work harder, more efficiently, step up that productivity, make the most of every hour, focus on urgent and important, important not urgent, focus, focus! It’s no wonder we feel exhausted by Tuesday, celebrate hump day Wednesday, hoover Crispy Cremes Thursday and yearn for a wine or five Friday.
Thing is, lovely readers, we read numerous hints and tips for maximizing productivity, less so about maintaining our mental health. I’ve always found navigating that fine line between professional productivity and personal happiness challenging so I’ve rounded up a heap of super, personally tested, ‘well being’ suggestions …five at a time…one for every day of the week and easy to implement. Read on for how to Shake it up, Create a New Ritual, Reward, Sweetie Reward, Do Your Block and Celebrate your Day…
1) Shake it up
Same ole, same ole? Stuck in a rut? Bored with your routine? Shake it up! Get off the bus, get on your bike, or hoof it. Even if it’s jumping on the bus one stop later and off one stop earlier. I like to swap the bus with a ferry ride on occasion, standing up front, wind in my hair, absorbing the beauty of this fine city from the water. Ask a friend to lunch instead of filling your keyboard with crumbs. If feasible, spend a few hours in the afternoon working in a different spot than usual. Switching it up is bound to give you a fresh perspective.
2) Create a New Ritual
Make the morning count by setting aside just 15 minutes to gather your thoughts and create your daily goals. Don’t need to get too complicated with this new morning ritual, just focus on one or two of the most important things and create a plan. I block those minutes in my calendar to avoid interruption. Taking time for yourself will help center and focus you, meaning it’ll be easier to recognize what makes you happy and plot the steps to get there.
3) Reward Sweetie Reward
If you don’t love the things on that list in front of you, try a tad of self incentivizing bribery. ‘When I finish this report, I’ll go grab a coffee from my fave place down the street,’ or ‘I can meet with my friends tonight for happy hour, but only if I finish making this presentation.’ You get the drift?
4) Do Your Block
A quick walk around the block can clear the cobwebs, boost your mood and make you feel damn good ‘cos you’re also contributing to the 10,000 steps we should be taking per day to maintain fitness . Grab a co-worker you’ve been meaning to chat with and turn it into an active outdoor meeting. Oh! And avoid the doughnut shop ok?
5) Celebrate the Day
No, not with that jug of wine! On the home commute take a few moments to write down three good things that happened today. I find this helps me focus on the positives, c
loses the day and puts a smile on my dial. Thinking about what you are grateful for—and very clearly identifying those things—has been proven to offer social, psychological, emotional, and even physical benefits including better sleep, less sickness, and improved happiness.
How many will you implement? Love to hear your thoughts and stay tuned for my next five!
