5 Hacks to Keep the Office Bearable

Sometimes, it can be tiring to be sat in the same office chair, at the same desk, doing the same tasks every day. If you’re desperate to break up the monotony and keep the workplace comfortable to be in, then we’ve listed 5 hacks to help keep the office bearable below.

1)   Give Your Eyes a Regular Rest

You’ve probably heard advice about giving your eyes a rest during the work day from your manager or even from various health leaflets. Whilst it can be tempting to say, “I’ll work for another 5 or 10 minutes on this” or “I’ll just complete this then I can have a break”, you should make sure to take screen breaks at regular intervals. One of the easiest ways to let your eyes settle is using the 20-20-20 rule. With this, you should aim to look at a random object in the room that is at least 20 feet away for a minimum of 20 seconds. This is a good way to let your eyes refocus after a long time straining and squinting at a computer screen or tablet device.

2)   Let There Be Light

It’s easy for us to take for granted the amount of light we have in a room and not think about the effects it could be having on us (being sat a few rows from the nearest window should suffice surely?) Wrong. It’s crucial to establish how much natural light you need to be working at your best. If you feel like your desk is too dimly lit for you to concentrate fully, then perhaps experiment by placing a mirror or two on it. Placing these at different angles might create an illusion that your workspace is better illuminated. Another option is to use a therapy lamp or spotlight lamp on your desk. Often used to help combat the negative emotions behind Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), it might also be the solution for any tiredness or when you’re feeling lethargic amongst other things.

3)   Add a Little Greenery

The facts don’t lie. According to research, a desk or office plant can help improve our mood, productivity and creativity when it comes to walking into the workplace every morning. Even if it’s just to add some personality and vibrancy to the workspace around you, it’s certainly worth considering adding a plant or two into the office environment to keep things fresh. Be careful however, to make sure you follow correct company policies and be mindful of other colleagues’ potential allergies. As wonderful as they may look to others, plants could prove a problem to some so be sure to bear this in mind before decorating your desk with some plant life.

4)   Shake Yourself and Wake Up

There’s sometimes nothing worse than dragging yourself into the world of work whilst tired, stressed and zapped of energy. But don’t reach for the coffee cup just yet, as there are several things you can try to implement into your routine to keep you wide awake and focused for the day ahead. When you start to feel a yawn coming on, try taking a quick 5-minute break from your desk to splash some water on your face.

If you’ve rolled out of bed and just can’t face the upcoming commute or drive in, then having a cold shower before you leave the house can do you a world of good and spark a better buzz for the start of the work day. But if you’re completely pressed for time (either after spending longer in bed or just having a hectic morning), drinking an ice-cold glass of water can sometimes have the same type of effect.

5)   Protect your Tech

It’s an all too common scenario. You start the day with a nice, steaming hot cup of coffee and a flaky bun or cereal bar. At the same time, you’re working on an important report and turn to talk to one of your colleagues when suddenly, thwack. You’ve somehow hit your coffee cup when turning back around and there’s coffee everywhere – on your keyboard, on your phone and all over your desk. It’s at this point you shouldn’t panic or try to find the nearest wet cloth to clean up with.

Instead, your first step should be to turn off your keyboard, unplug it from any power sources and if your laptop allows it, remove the battery. Once you’ve done that, avoid the temptation to wipe and instead, blot the spill and affected items with a clean, dry towel. Failing this, prepare in advance for such disasters and use a plastic keyboard cover or drink from a mug or flask with a lockable lid.

Those are a few of our hacks to keep the office bearable but what are some of your tried and tested words of advice?

Let us know in the comments below.