I sit in a cubicle that faces a wall. I don’t have a window. Somehow although I spend the majority of the day just sitting at my desk, by the end of the day, I usually feel as exhausted as if I’ve been on my feet for hours. But lucky for me – and those who have to work around and with me – there are a few tricks and tools that I've found to keep myself upbeat at work.
1) Pictures of my family and friends. They’re all over the bulletin board and the wall in front of me in my cube. There’s one of me and my family in Rome, me and my best friend, Chas, at our favorite diner, a picture of my parents at a black tie event, an old black and white strip (the kind where you take multiple pictures in succession in a booth) of me and my mom when I was 7. I love these pictures not only because they remind me of fun, special times, but more importantly, they serve as a constant reminder that there’s a whole other life that exists outside of work.
2) A snack around 3 or 4pm. I usually eat breakfast around 9am, lunch at about 12:30 or 1. By the time I get to the later part of the afternoon, my energy can be super low. There have been times – especially when I’ve been dieting – when I’ve tried to simply plow through until dinner, but I’ve learned that it’s just not practical/fun to do that. My snack gives me something to look forward to. Some of my favorites: peanut M&Ms, a banana, a vanilla cone from the McD’s next door, or a black and white cookie (of NY fame).
3) My music. Playlist.com, Pandora.com, and even CDs loaded onto good old Windows Media Player are all great ways to stream music without having to constantly click between songs. Great songs enhance my mood and help me to push through the most mundane tasks (typing, organizing, etc.). I only keep one headphone in my ear so I can hear my phone and so that I don’t make myself inaccessible to anyone who needs to speak to me.
4) Walks around the block. When I started working for my current division, one of the first things I noticed is the fact that no one takes their lunch break. In previous functions, I often would meet friends or co-workers downstairs in our Café or outside at a local restaurant. And unless I had something pressing to work on, I would take the full hour. Now that the standard is to sit at your desk for lunch, I force myself to get up and go outside at some point during the day – even if it’s just for a quick lap around the block – to clear my head, get some air, get my blood pumping, etc. This has been particularly helpful during times when I’m frustrated by something going on in the office and need to call my Mom to vent.
5) Bringing my authentic self to work. When co-workers ask how my weekend was or if I have anything fun planned post-work, I don’t limit myself to canned, uber-conservative answers. Obviously, I don’t disclose any juicy, inappropriate personal details, but if I’m excited for a first date, or if I have dinner plans with my Dad who is often in town for business, I’ll say that. It’s never been in my nature to repress the things that I’m passionate about, and by letting people know what makes me happy, or what’s going on in my outside-of-work life, a part of my personality that wouldn’t otherwise come out, shines through. And as long as your sharing isn’t too personal, I find that some people (not everyone) really appreciate, can relate to, and feel inclined to open up to you more when they see that you take that approach.
1) Pictures of my family and friends. They’re all over the bulletin board and the wall in front of me in my cube. There’s one of me and my family in Rome, me and my best friend, Chas, at our favorite diner, a picture of my parents at a black tie event, an old black and white strip (the kind where you take multiple pictures in succession in a booth) of me and my mom when I was 7. I love these pictures not only because they remind me of fun, special times, but more importantly, they serve as a constant reminder that there’s a whole other life that exists outside of work.
2) A snack around 3 or 4pm. I usually eat breakfast around 9am, lunch at about 12:30 or 1. By the time I get to the later part of the afternoon, my energy can be super low. There have been times – especially when I’ve been dieting – when I’ve tried to simply plow through until dinner, but I’ve learned that it’s just not practical/fun to do that. My snack gives me something to look forward to. Some of my favorites: peanut M&Ms, a banana, a vanilla cone from the McD’s next door, or a black and white cookie (of NY fame).
3) My music. Playlist.com, Pandora.com, and even CDs loaded onto good old Windows Media Player are all great ways to stream music without having to constantly click between songs. Great songs enhance my mood and help me to push through the most mundane tasks (typing, organizing, etc.). I only keep one headphone in my ear so I can hear my phone and so that I don’t make myself inaccessible to anyone who needs to speak to me.
4) Walks around the block. When I started working for my current division, one of the first things I noticed is the fact that no one takes their lunch break. In previous functions, I often would meet friends or co-workers downstairs in our Café or outside at a local restaurant. And unless I had something pressing to work on, I would take the full hour. Now that the standard is to sit at your desk for lunch, I force myself to get up and go outside at some point during the day – even if it’s just for a quick lap around the block – to clear my head, get some air, get my blood pumping, etc. This has been particularly helpful during times when I’m frustrated by something going on in the office and need to call my Mom to vent.
5) Bringing my authentic self to work. When co-workers ask how my weekend was or if I have anything fun planned post-work, I don’t limit myself to canned, uber-conservative answers. Obviously, I don’t disclose any juicy, inappropriate personal details, but if I’m excited for a first date, or if I have dinner plans with my Dad who is often in town for business, I’ll say that. It’s never been in my nature to repress the things that I’m passionate about, and by letting people know what makes me happy, or what’s going on in my outside-of-work life, a part of my personality that wouldn’t otherwise come out, shines through. And as long as your sharing isn’t too personal, I find that some people (not everyone) really appreciate, can relate to, and feel inclined to open up to you more when they see that you take that approach.
What's in your anti-crank work arsenal?
