7 Ways To Improve Your Work Day
Find your motivation again with these tips
Written by Gus Penton
Unless you hit the lottery recently, your life is probably illustrated with a work week that can seem monotonous and brutal with no sign of catching up in site. People get in such a routine that they’re just going through the motions of life at times, watching the clock and the calendar constantly waiting for 5pm and Friday. If this is you, The GentleManual is here to break you out of this vicious cycle and help you maximize your potential. Follow these seven concepts and begin to see changes in your attitude and the way others respond to you in your work environment.
1. Eat Breakfast
If there’s nothing else you do on this list, I can’t stress this point enough. Eat something with value in the morning: Fruit, whole grains, yogurt – nothing that is made by a company who also produces cupcakes. You’ll jump start your mind and body to give you a competitive edge for the entire day. Missing breakfast can strip you of valuable fuel that gives you mental and physical energy to help you be your awesome self.
2. Slow Down on the Coffee
Despite having had a great breakfast and plenty of sleep, if you’ve hit your fourth cup of coffee before they stop serving breakfast at McDonald’s – there’s no place to go but down. Tons of brilliant and energetic employees pound caffeine by the boatloads, but most never realize the toll it takes on your body. It’s a short term affect that can hinder day long results once you feel that crash. It may also keep you up at night with the jitters, effecting your sleeping habits. There are many health benefits to coffee, but limit it to one or two cups a day. Even if you’ve switched to modern energy drink supplements, most are still artificially driven and hard on your heart.
3. Plan Your Day Out the Night Before
No matter your choice of technology, planning your day out the night before helps you gather structure and direction for the following business day. Waking up with a plan gives a sense of knowing what to expect out of your work day and what should be finished by the day’s end. You can start to determine if you’re behind or on track using a journal, calendar etc. and adjust accordingly. Even if you have an assistant, plan your day out on your own. No one knows you like you.
4. Embrace Working Relationships
Too many times people loathe their colleagues and are so reluctant to address them on an issue that it becomes problematic. You might work independently in your department or you might have a team setting. Either way, your work is always going towards one common goal of the entire organization. By embracing these relationships, you give yourself a chance to get the best results by understanding all the working components of the organization. One is much more motivated to get tasks accomplished for people they like and enjoy being around.
5. Clear Your Clutter
Nothing says unproductive like sloppiness. Everyone knows that person at work who has a three foot tall mountains of papers and folders. He or she isn’t the ideal candidate to depend on pulling through for you in a clutch situation. Clearing clutter goes the for the digital arena just as equally. If your computer is flooded with mixed folders of personal and work files, you can easily put yourself behind by wasting time trying to maneuver that mess.
6. Give yourself Breaks
The most common phrase you’ll hear at work is, “I need a vacation.” Well, how about allowing yourself a vacation 15-20 minutes at a time to start. Breaks during the work day aren’t just for cigarettes and hiding out from all your coworkers. Take advantage of your break time. Treat it as a reward. Use your resources at work and find a quaint spot to relax during your breaks or even go for a walk outside to get much needed fresh air. Switch it up often and know that this short time is your time to own.
7. Don’t Let your Personal Life Interfere
This is by far the hardest out of this entire list to actually accomplish. Life happens. It happens at the worst times too. You’ll be on a deadline working like a crazy person, then you get a call from your husband, wife, child or friend that rocks your day. It’s so hard to go into one situation while thinking obsessively about something else. If you see that your work is going to suffer from happenings in your personal life, either take some time off to straighten serious issues out, or if your loved ones are just nagging you for no good reason – shut it down. Let them know you’ll respond when you clock out and keep the day moving.
By Gus Penton
Gus Penton is a writer for ‘The Gentlemanual’ and a freelance digital marketing consultant.He treats life as if it were an extended working vacation, loves everything surfing, and learning about other cultures. Gus is also a Florida State University graduate. Go Noles!
Written by Gus Penton
Unless you hit the lottery recently, your life is probably illustrated with a work week that can seem monotonous and brutal with no sign of catching up in site. People get in such a routine that they’re just going through the motions of life at times, watching the clock and the calendar constantly waiting for 5pm and Friday. If this is you, The GentleManual is here to break you out of this vicious cycle and help you maximize your potential. Follow these seven concepts and begin to see changes in your attitude and the way others respond to you in your work environment.
1. Eat Breakfast
If there’s nothing else you do on this list, I can’t stress this point enough. Eat something with value in the morning: Fruit, whole grains, yogurt – nothing that is made by a company who also produces cupcakes. You’ll jump start your mind and body to give you a competitive edge for the entire day. Missing breakfast can strip you of valuable fuel that gives you mental and physical energy to help you be your awesome self.
2. Slow Down on the Coffee
Despite having had a great breakfast and plenty of sleep, if you’ve hit your fourth cup of coffee before they stop serving breakfast at McDonald’s – there’s no place to go but down. Tons of brilliant and energetic employees pound caffeine by the boatloads, but most never realize the toll it takes on your body. It’s a short term affect that can hinder day long results once you feel that crash. It may also keep you up at night with the jitters, effecting your sleeping habits. There are many health benefits to coffee, but limit it to one or two cups a day. Even if you’ve switched to modern energy drink supplements, most are still artificially driven and hard on your heart.
3. Plan Your Day Out the Night Before
No matter your choice of technology, planning your day out the night before helps you gather structure and direction for the following business day. Waking up with a plan gives a sense of knowing what to expect out of your work day and what should be finished by the day’s end. You can start to determine if you’re behind or on track using a journal, calendar etc. and adjust accordingly. Even if you have an assistant, plan your day out on your own. No one knows you like you.
4. Embrace Working Relationships
Too many times people loathe their colleagues and are so reluctant to address them on an issue that it becomes problematic. You might work independently in your department or you might have a team setting. Either way, your work is always going towards one common goal of the entire organization. By embracing these relationships, you give yourself a chance to get the best results by understanding all the working components of the organization. One is much more motivated to get tasks accomplished for people they like and enjoy being around.
5. Clear Your Clutter
Nothing says unproductive like sloppiness. Everyone knows that person at work who has a three foot tall mountains of papers and folders. He or she isn’t the ideal candidate to depend on pulling through for you in a clutch situation. Clearing clutter goes the for the digital arena just as equally. If your computer is flooded with mixed folders of personal and work files, you can easily put yourself behind by wasting time trying to maneuver that mess.
6. Give yourself Breaks
The most common phrase you’ll hear at work is, “I need a vacation.” Well, how about allowing yourself a vacation 15-20 minutes at a time to start. Breaks during the work day aren’t just for cigarettes and hiding out from all your coworkers. Take advantage of your break time. Treat it as a reward. Use your resources at work and find a quaint spot to relax during your breaks or even go for a walk outside to get much needed fresh air. Switch it up often and know that this short time is your time to own.
7. Don’t Let your Personal Life Interfere
This is by far the hardest out of this entire list to actually accomplish. Life happens. It happens at the worst times too. You’ll be on a deadline working like a crazy person, then you get a call from your husband, wife, child or friend that rocks your day. It’s so hard to go into one situation while thinking obsessively about something else. If you see that your work is going to suffer from happenings in your personal life, either take some time off to straighten serious issues out, or if your loved ones are just nagging you for no good reason – shut it down. Let them know you’ll respond when you clock out and keep the day moving.
By Gus Penton
Gus Penton is a writer for ‘The Gentlemanual’ and a freelance digital marketing consultant.He treats life as if it were an extended working vacation, loves everything surfing, and learning about other cultures. Gus is also a Florida State University graduate. Go Noles!
SOURCE: THE GENTLEMANUAL
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