We spend so much time at work and thinking about work that it can become all-consuming. We might not always feel like we’re getting enough done or putting our best effort forward. 

Luckily, a few little changes can make every day at work a good one! You might even feel a little better about your life away from work as well. 

Here are four little habits to adopt to make your workday great: 

• Start the day with a little happy.

  Your day will be better if you start with something small that makes you feel good. Do you love coffee? Make sure you’ve got a hot, fresh cup of your favorite blend in your favorite mug to start the day. Find that you don’t have time to listen to your favorite songs anymore? Create a playlist to listen to on the way to the office to make sure you hear the song that puts you in a great mood and ready to take on anything. Have you been craving a sweet treat from a nearby bakery? Treat yourself! If you make yourself wait all day for a reward, it’s delayed gratification that makes every hour feel longer. But if you give yourself a little something that makes you happy right at the start of the day, you’re starting off in a positive mindset, and everything seems possible. 

• Make sure you take a break for lunch.

  It’s so hard when you’re juggling so many things, and you feel like there’s no time, but it’s important to step away and reset. Whether you have 30 minutes, an hour, or just a short break to eat your lunch, take that time! Your brain needs a break during the day; a respite from hard concentration will allow you to refocus and come back refreshed and ready for what the second half of the day brings. Plus, your body needs fuel! Eat something healthy and tasty (maybe more tasty than healthy some days, we get it) and know you’re giving your body what it needs to finish the day strong. 

• Make a to-do list every morning.

  Some days start off with a sense of being overwhelmed. There’s just too much to do and not enough time for it — and if that’s the sentiment you have at the very start of the day, it’s all downhill from there. Instead, take a few minutes to check your calendar and your deadlines to see what’s pressing and what needs to be addressed with the most urgency. Write out a list of priorities and use that to organize your day and your time. To give yourself an easy win, start the list with “create a to-do list,” then enjoy the little victory of crossing that off when yours is ready. Continue to draw those lines through tasks as you go about your day, and, at the end of the day, you’ll be able to go home knowing what you’ve accomplished. 

• Set times for email and phone checks.

  The temptation to instantly check your email every time a notification pops up is understandable. The same is true every time your phone dings with a message or social media update. This just keeps you feeling distracted and overwhelmed! Instead, set timers for checking these things. It might be a few minutes for each task several times a day; you might give yourself five email windows in the course of a workday, for example, or a handful of two-minute phone breaks, but designating time for those activities means you know you’ll have the opportunity to catch up without having to jump when you hear a buzz or beep. This will help you concentrate on your work, knowing you’ll have time later to address those distractions. 

It’s also a good idea to give yourself something to look forward to at the end of each day or every week. You’ve put in a long day, or a long week, at the office, and you deserve to relax and unwind at the end of it! That mental break and adjustment from work hours to personal time can further help reduce your stress and live in the moment. 

If the time comes when work is too overwhelming, or you just don’t find any satisfaction in your current job, it might be time for a change. Davis Staffing can help! We work with great companies looking to hire someone with your background and abilities; give us a call today, and let’s see how we can help you make a new start.