Stress, exhaustion, and feeling overwhelmed are new side dishes that come along with our workday. One minute you’re on top of work, clients, and your team, and then the next you’re wishing you could run away and never work again. It happens to everyone at some point or another, so prevention is key.
The trick to avoiding this not-so-fun feeling is to recharge every day in a way that fits into your work hustle. Think about it: we spend more time working than we do anything else so recharging is a necessity, not a luxury. And I’m not talking about the vacation you take once a year—this is an everyday thing.
Here are five easy and unexpected ways to recharge during that daily grind.
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Create a zen zone and time
Zen zones are not so much about having a cute rock garden on your desk as they are about creating an area dedicated to checking in with yourself. Though most of us have our workspaces figured out, we don’t usually have a place or time that we dedicate to ourselves. It could be as simple as some wall art behind your desk; whatever type of office decor brings you a sense of calm and peace.
If creating or updating your space isn’t an option, create a zen timezone. Choose the same time everyday or make it flexible—after your morning meetings, for example. Plug your headphones in for five minutes and listen to whatever makes you happy. It could be affirmations, your favorite song, or even a guided meditation.
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Connect with a loved one
When you’re caught up in back-to-back calls or meeting, it can be easy to forget that you have loved ones in your life, especially if you’re in the thick of damage control or something equally dispiriting. But connecting with someone outside of your daily hustle offers a way to remember what’s really important. You may have failed to land that new business pitch, but this simple connection can help it roll right off your shoulders.
Whether it’s a spouse, parent, or friend, connecting with someone other than your immediate coworkers and clients is a helpful way to recharge. It usually helps to ask someone else how their day is going rather than just focus on what’s going on with you.
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Mini-breaks are key
It may seem counter-intuitive to take a break in the middle of a busy workday, but it’s exactly what you should do to recharge. While this is advice you’ve probably heard before, maybe it’s the way you’ve gone about it that didn’t work before.
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Treat yourself
When I’m in the middle of a stressful day, a mini “treat myself” moment is just what I need. It could be as simple as an actual treat or taking 10 minutes to read a chapter of a novel I can’t put down.
Stepping away from my work and into something that I absolutely love is just the boost I need to get back into it. For some, it’s taking five minutes to play a game on their phone. The key is to pick something that feels like a bonus to your overall day and makes you feel a boost of joy.
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Count your wins
That late-afternoon struggle is real. You’ve been at your desk all day and you feel like if you send another email your head will explode. That’s the best time to jot down a list in your planner of the day’s wins and positive notes.
It could be as simple as marking off the project you finally finished, counting the sales calls you made, or recording how well your team meetings went. Or maybe you simply didn’t struggle with a specific client today—whatever you can list that makes you happy, proud, and accomplished.
The best way to go about this is to put a magnetic board up so that you’re also forced out of your chair. Using a dry erase marker adds a bit of fun to it and makes it easy to start fresh everyday.
Most of us would find the thought of taking a full hour off work in the middle of the day impossible, so taking mini-breaks spread throughout the day is a great way to reset without the worry of losing momentum.
A mini-break can be as simple as walking to a coffee shop for your favorite latte. Enjoy the fresh air, grab what you need, and when you get back you’ll notice a boost you didn’t have before.
How do you do it?
Whether it’s a quick trip to a coffee shop or five minutes of mediation at lunchtime, we all have to do something to recharge. Taking a few minutes to yourself every day can be just the prescription you need to keep that work hustle going.
Got any pro tips of your own? Be sure to let us know how you manage your crazy work schedule and keep your momentum going all week long.
