Who here walks into the office on some Monday mornings and wishes it were Friday already? (Raised hand) And who no longer thinks happy hours are only for Thursdays and Fridays but should be arranged earlier and more frequently as soon as the sun starts shining on a regular basis? (other hand raised)
No matter how much you love your job, there are those days when you dread every new meeting request, every time the phone rings, every email that pops into your inbox. So when the extra strong coffee no longer works and you’ve already taken your walk around the block to get the daily dose of exercise and vitamin D, what do you do to get through the day, and the week for that matter?
- Remind yourself of why you’re there. Whether you are a teacher, a doctor, an engineer, a cook, or writer, or you work for a non-profit, there is a reason you signed up in the first place. Think about that and charge forward.
- Get to the bottom of what’s bogging you down. If it’s issues with a coworker, figure out how to come to a truce. If you’re falling behind on a project, ask for help. If it’s just been a busy week, month, or year so far, see if you can adjust your priorities, or delegate some of your tasks. Or, make sure you get to bed earlier so you have a full night’s sleep.
- If you can’t change the situation, change your attitude about it. This is definitely easier said than done. It’s always easier to complain and vent, and be frustrated about something that isn’t likely to change soon. But that doesn’t get you anywhere. So instead, change the way you think about it – put a positive spin on it, find the opportunities.
- Take a mental health day. Many employers offer personal days in addition to vacation days, and most of us have sick days. Take one when you’re feeling rundown, and watch an entire season of The West Wing in your pajamas. Don’t check email. Go shopping or head to the park or the beach. You’ve got the days – you might as well use them.
- Spend time with your team outside of the office. Not just for the requisite Friday happy hour, the birthday lunch, or goodbye dinner. Go for a walk to get ice cream with your team member or arrange a team outing like karaoke, trapezing, or a segway tour (my organization is guilty of all three). Most important: don’t talk about work. Talk about each other.
Try one of these or all when you hit the 2pm slump or you can’t seem to clean out your inbox if someone paid you. It may not be a permanent solution, but hopefully it will get you through the end of the day…until happy hour.
Jenna Sauber 