4 Ways to Practice Self-Care in the Workplace

Let's face it. Our work lives can be quite stressful and take a toll on us, both emotionally and physically. It can be easy to get wrapped up in the urgency of it all and then fail to recognize what we're experiencing.

When our work situation takes us to the breaking point it is likely to impact our personal and home life, too, and so it's important to develop a practice of self-care in the office.

Consider the following four elements of a self-care plan and adjust them, as necessary, to your work situation.

Surround yourself with support. Unless you're the boss, you can't pick your team but you can choose the colleagues you grab lunch with, or meet up for a coffee break with, or hang out with after work. Build a supportive and encouraging group of colleagues around you to be a source of strength when things are tough and stressful at work. These colleagues can share an encouraging word around the coffee machine or crack the right joke to put things in perspective. Seek out positive people and you'll feel less stressed.

Create a healthy and encouraging work space. Put up some inspiring and motivational quotes t around your desk or on your computer. Always be surrounded by the encouraging wisdom of others you admire and respect. In addition, keep your work space organized and clean. Consider adding a plant to help clean the air and provide a little color. And put up some art by your favorite artist.

Take time to move. Schedule regular time in your day to get away from your desk or work area and take a walk. Adding some physical activity to your day can help refresh and re-energize you, and a comfortable walk allows you get away alone and come up with a new, creative approach to a problem you might be dealing with.

Recognize your successes and victories. Each day and every week brings some successes with it. Be sure to slow down enough to recognize those victories and acknowledge them. Write them down and allow yourself to enjoy even the small successes.

Applying these four practices to your regular work routine can help prevent the stressful times from overwhelming you and negatively impacting your satisfaction on the job and your enjoyment at home.

How to Get More Out of Your Work Environment

If you work in an office or a cubicle it can often feel like there is little you can do to enhance your work environment to support your productivity and enjoyment.

There are, however, several small steps that you can take to spruce up your work area to make it more effective for you. Try implementing a few of the following ideas and you might find yourself looking forward to coming in next Monday.

1. Add color to your work area. Many of us work in offices with white or off-white walls, or with dull colors that make one think of sleep. Color can energize and bring joy so find some opportunities to add color to your work station by putting up photos or posters with lots of color. Nature photographs work well and can help relax you during a particularly stressful day. You might also tape up swaths of wall paper or colorful wrapping paper to add a burst of color to your space.

2. Bring in the outdoors. A plant can do wonders to improve your mood while also improving the air quality in your work area. It can also, as mentioned above, contribute to stress relief. Add some flowers to the mix for some color and you might just find yourself working with a smile on your face.

3. Reduce and de-clutter. Some of us have too many things on our desks—papers, clips, rubber bands, folders, post-it notes—and by removing some of this clutter and being better organized we can be more productive, reduce distractions, and increase our satisfaction while at work.

4. Clean your work area. If your company doesn’t hire a cleaning staff to come in and wipe down your desk and clean your work area be sure to do this regularly. Schedule some time each week to wipe down your desk and filing cabinets. Eliminating dust build-up will keep you feeling healthy and energized.

5. Light it up. Many offices are poorly lit contributing to eye strain, headaches, and a depressed mood. Consider bringing in your own small lamp or light fixture to brighten up your work station.

6. Get motivated. A final suggestion is to post a motivational quote or two somewhere you’ll see it throughout your day. You might even supplement it with a photo of something or someone who motivates you—maybe a vacation spot you’re saving for, or your spouse and children. Find something that energizes and encourages you to do your job well.