10 tips on self-care at work? 💖
Drink water, take a break, and all that jazz
It’s easy to get caught up at work. When you have a million things on your to-do list, cleaning your desk might be the last thing on your mind.
However, it’s important to focus on our needs. Work can be taxing at the best of day, and skipping breaks (or meals!) might lead to increased feelings of lethargy, stress, and burnout.
Self-care at work doesn’t have to be big things: asking for help, eating lunch, not skipping breaks, and paying attention to your emotional needs.
We compiled a list of tips on self-care at work below:
Drink water. Cliché, but often overlooked and forgotten. Rehydrating is good for the soul.
Eat your lunch on time. If you can help it, try to eat somewhere else other than your work desk. A change of scenery, even for a short time, could do wonders.
Stretch your body. Get up, get away from your desk and take a few minutes to stretch your limbs and neck. Make a trip to the kitchen to fill your tea or coffee, take a bathroom break, or look outside the window for a bit.
Make a list of work wins. Did you score a good impression at the sales pitch yesterday? Did you wrap your projects successfully? List them down and put it somewhere you can see. A boost of motivation every now and then wouldn’t hurt!
Listen to music, podcast, or TedTalk. Music improves your mood, while podcasts or TedTalks feed your brain. If you prefer to work in silence, take a short break to listen to them before getting back to work.
Don’t check your work email outside of work hours. If it really can’t be helped, allow a little leeway; don’t open it after 9 pm, for example.
Clean up your work desk. If you feel stumped or unable to focus, try to tidy up your space a little bit. Cluttered workspace contributes to cluttered minds.
Make a new friend at work. If you’ve been thinking of striking a conversation with a coworker, but haven’t had the time or courage to do so, this is your cue.
Don’t beat yourself up over a missed deadline. It can be devastating, but things happen. Take time to reflect on it and move on. If there’s nothing you can do about it, then there’s no use dwelling on it anymore.
Unwind after work. Buying an easy dinner at your favorite place, taking a walk, going on an impromptu grocery run, driving mindlessly, taking a longer route home, and many more.
Alternately, check out this self-care at work bingo from HBR Ascend. How many can you cross out?
The list isn’t non-exhaustive, and it can be overwhelming especially if you’ve been on the grind for so long. If it feels too much, try to pick three and practice them over the week. Baby steps!
Thank you for being here. Don’t forget to drink water and take care of yourself today 🤗