During the COVID-19 lockdown, many of us changed our work habits and became accustomed to dressing casually, taking frequent breaks, working at odd hours to prioritize family time, and reveling in the lack of hours wasted in long commutes. Some took time to re-evaluate their job and changed positions to better align with their career and life aspirations. With many of us now back in the office at least part-time, let’s look at some ways we can improve our wellbeing and job satisfaction going forward.

Sitting is the New Smoking

Dr. James Levine first coined this phrase in 2018, with reference to the fact that Americans sit for an average of 11 hours per day! Being sedentary during your workday is harmful to your health and can lead to diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease, poor posture, chronic pain, and other conditions. But you can kick the habit and take steps to move your body and improve your physical health while working; here are a few ideas:

• Park as far away from the office as possible so you get some extra steps in.
• If you work on a floor higher than the first, take the stairs rather than the elevator.
• Request a standing desk for your office and alternate between sitting and standing throughout the day.
• Take frequent short breaks, getting up from your desk every 30 minutes to speak with co-workers, fill your water bottle, take a bathroom break, pick up printouts from the copy room, or complete another task elsewhere in the building.
• Take lunchtime walks. Consider inviting a coworker or two to walk with you to get to know them better in a non-work setting.
• Visit the gym before work or after (or during a longer break if your office has an onsite gym).

However you decide to move, the goal is to incorporate more physical movement into your workday. Not only will it improve or maintain your health, but the increased blood flow will help with focus and concentration as well.

Do Meaningful Work

Speaking of focus and concentration, a personal connection with your job makes even the most trivial tasks feel significant. When you find purpose in your position, you will feel more fulfilled, engaged, motivated, and satisfied, both at work and overall. You can create meaning and purpose in various ways:

• Learn more about your company and the role you play in providing a product or service to the community. Who is the ultimate customer for your product or service? How is this product or service directly impacting their lives? Making that connection between your day-to-day tasks and the bigger picture can help provide new meaning to what you do. The more you look for the benefits of what you’re doing, the more it will feed you psychologically.
• Put energy into those tasks that you find particularly gratifying.
• Collaborate or exchange ideas with a valued colleague. Collaboration can result in unique solutions that you may not have considered and can contribute to a positive working environment.

Work Efficiently

Nothing feels more satisfying than checking completed tasks off a list! Here are a few tips to improve productivity, focus and enjoyment while working!

• Be mindful. Stay consciously present with the task at hand. Minimize multi-tasking and focus in the moment.
• Create a list of projects for the week and utilize daily checklists
• Prioritize the most important tasks and complete those first
• If you become easily distracted, try using productivity apps (like Flora) that help you stay on task, and avoid visiting websites or apps that distract and detract from work.
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you’re unsure about how to complete a task after attempting to figure it out on your own, don’t be afraid to ask for guidance.
• Learn to delegate when needed.
• Set personal weekly or monthly goals. Do you want to master a new skill? Improve on your presentation and public speaking skills? Improve time management?

Communicate Effectively & Build Community

No one is an island and our mental health benefits tremendously when we feel a sense of community. Working together towards a common goal helps build camaraderie and builds on the sense of purpose mentioned earlier.

Effective communication is a skill that can be learned and improved upon.

• Active listening is a type of mindfulness practice that involves being fully aware and present in the conversation. When someone is speaking, practice making eye contact and avoiding distractions. Rather than letting your mind wander, or thinking about how you will respond, you can actively engage in the conversation by confirming understanding with phrases such as, “If I’m understanding you correctly, you are saying…” and “So it sounds like….” This will help the other person feel heard so you can walk away from the conversation on the same page.
• Note that different people have different communication styles. Learning and understanding the communication styles of your coworkers can help overcome conflicts and misunderstandings and enhance workplace harmony.
• Establish healthy boundaries by learning to say no (or “not right now”) if you don’t have space in your schedule to take on other tasks. Finish what’s already on your list before you move on to something new.

Eat/Drink Well

The food and beverages that you put into your body during the workday can influence your ability to think and concentrate. Did you know that some cases of “fogginess,” tiredness, dizziness, and even headaches can be linked to dehydration? Be sure you are drinking adequate fluids, preferably water, throughout the day to keep your cells functioning optimally.

Pack a lunch, if possible. You can better control the amount of sugar, salt and calories consumed if you avoid “convenience” foods and pack a healthy lunch from home. Try our Crunchy Vegan Cucumber Subs for something a little different.

Take Time to Rest

Another aspect of wellbeing that is often overlooked is paying attention to healthy work-life balance and taking needed time to rest and recharge. Depending on your job, work can be physically and mentally draining.

• Tune in to how you are feeling internally; listen to your brain and gut if you are feeling overwhelmed. Taking mini-mental breaks during the day can be helpful. Practice abdominal breathing and meditation to help relieve your body of stress and anxiety.
• Be sure to get adequate sleep to support full brain function each workday. If you work 9-5, plan out your 5-9 after work and make a daily plan so you’re in bed by a reasonable time each evening.
• Take advantage of the time off that your company provides.
• If needed, take a mental health day to reset and recharge.
• Unplug when away from work, and practice mindfulness with your family and friends. This will allow you to fully relax and come back to work refreshed and ready to face the tasks ahead.

Following the above tips will help you to find more joy, satisfaction, health, and overall wellbeing in the workplace. Have another tip to share? Let us know at info@drrusselljaffe.com.