As the working year draws to a close, what will you remember most from 2014? While career satisfaction is vital to our happiness, it’s the experiences that we have outside work that create our lasting memories. For me, it’s the thrill of trying something completely new and this year that’s ranged from my first night time trek to dining at her Majesty’s pleasure in Brixton prison. As I look back on a packed 2014, here’s a selection of my favourite office breaks.
Office Breaks Venice Carnival
There are never enough hours in the day is a familiar refrain in offices across the land. If like me, you’re constantly racing to catch up with the clock, maybe it’s time to take a new approach. Tired of feeling constantly frazzled, I nipped out after work last week to attend a talk on time managment by leading psychotherapist and change worker, Matt Kendall. Ruthlessly regimented, these tips are not for the faint-hearted but could just help you leave work on time for the rest of your working life.
Mario control your time
If Blue Monday’s had you tumbling out of bed to face a horrendous commute, the words to 9 to 5 may well be ringing in your ears at this moment. But by making just a few small adjustments, you can transform the 9-5 from daily grind to feats of greatness. The simple strategies below will help you conquer those daily challenges guaranteed to make you crazy if you let them.
Pour yourself a cup of ambition and let’s get this show on the road.
Mick Farrell Spectators Dolly Parton Show
What were your holiday highlights of this year? What did you miss out on? What’s still languishing on your wish list? With the end of the year coming soon, there’s never been a better time to start planning this year’s annual leave.
David Bailey Kotor Bay Montenegro
Having battled the morning commute, faced an overnight avalanche of e-mails and in some cases fought for a desk, mornings can feel a bit like climbing Everest. With no reprieve in sight for the next eight hours, the day’s onslaught can seem overwhelming. Booking in a relaxing lunchtime break can provide an oasis of calm to help you cut through the chaos, banish stress and increase your productivity. Explore my top five lunch break stress busters guaranteed to leave you refreshed, re-charged and ready to take on the world.
Adam Meek On the Green
In the frantic pace of London working life, it’s frequently said that there are never enough hours in the day. But as the clocks change later this month, our wish will be granted. Will that extra hour be squandered luxuriating under the duvet or could it be used to transform your working day? While night owls will relish the extra hour of slumber, those who can stick with the summer-time alarm call may just get more than they bargained for. Not convinced? Read on to experience the benefits of becoming an early riser.
Phil and Pam Early Morning
Start the day the non-stressed way: Does your normal wake-up routine involve an 11th hour scramble out of bed before a mad dash for the tube? House keys have a habit of suddenly disappearing while wardrobe malfunctions multiply in the panic-stricken rush not to be late. Sound familiar? Take the pressure off completely by giving yourself an extra hour and you can enjoy a luxurious shower followed by a leisurely breakfast in the peaceful solitude of the pre-rush-hour calm. Can’t decide what to wear? Having a bad hair day? Relax, you’ve got another half hour to sort it out.
The early bird gets the seat: The morning commute can easily be the most stressful time of the day. By beating the hordes an hour earlier, you can not only increase your chances of securing a much-coveted seat but also avoid the rush hour signal failures that seem to most reliably occur around 8.30am. Once smugly seated, the commute can be transformed into a more productive hour of goal-setting, e-mailing checking or even researching your next holiday. (See my earlier post for more ideas on how to transform your morning commute.)
martin pettitt escalators on tube
Stay in control of your day: If you’re already on first name terms with the cleaning staff following evenings toiling at your desk, you’ll be amazed at how much more can be achieved by swapping the evening shift for the dawn patrol. Rested and refreshed after a night’s sleep, we’re normally at our most productive first thing in the morning. Without the constant distraction of telephone calls, e-mails and urgent last-minute tasks, you can whizz through time-consuming reports and briefings before the circus arrives. Starting the day early also increases the likelihood of being able to leave on time and being able to fill your evenings with more new activities.
Gain a return on investment on your gym membership
How many times have you packed your gym kit only to drag it home again untouched? When you schedule gym trips for the evenings, it’s all too easy to find excuses not to go. Increasing workloads, fatigue, after-work drinks and a desperate desire to retreat to the sofa all take a heavy guilt-ridden toll on gym membership.By scheduling a pre-work swim or gym work-out, there are far fewer excuses not to go. Exercising first thing also gives an important smug feeling of accomplishment and reduces stress levels before facing the working challenges of the day. It also clears the way for guilt-free evening indulgence with a pizza on the sofa or at your favourite after-works drinks venue.
What will you do with your extra hour? I would love to hear your comments and suggestions.
As September rolls round once more, previously deserted offices are suddenly packed again as a whole new term gets underway. With the prospect of long dark days, leaves on the track, performance reviews and Christmas rearing its head, it’s all too easy to sink into the back to work blues as we wave goodbye to the carefree days of summer. If that’s you, here’s my survival guide to breeze you through until Christmas.
Benzado Work station
Does every day feel like Ground hog day? The structure of our working lives can inevitably lead to a relentless cycle of repetitious activities which bring nothing new to our days. Expecting different results from doing the same things over and over is viewed by some as the definition of insanity. Making minor adjustments to your daily routine can not only transform your mood and outlook but also open up a whole of new world of possibilities and opportunities. Here’s my top 5 tips on how to transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Kippa Matthews Jorvik Viking Festival
As Wimbledon fever grips the capital once again, the office summer exodus is close at hand. If you’re jetting off in the coming weeks, you may soon find that your final working week turns out to be the most stressful of the year. Project glitches, last-minute requests and long-suffering looks from colleagues left in the lurch, are just a few of the challenges to overcome. To ensure a stress and guilt-free start to the holiday season, read on for my top five tips. Happy holidays everyone!
Robert Banh Stress Ball attack
Did you work late last night? Are you still chained to your desk long after the cleaners have been and gone? Work expands to fill the time available and nowhere is this more apparent than in the corporate world. If you’re totting up the amount of rent you could save by moving your bed in full-time, help is at hand from a brand new book that claims to be able to teach us how to fit a full day’s work into one hour. Intrigued? Read on for the top five tips on how to super-charge your working day and re-claim your summer evenings by Winning without Losing.
lillergy Working late