I have been keeping myself busy organising and updating the line of kits available through the Ladies Be Prepared website (feel free to check it out..) and thought I would share my Top 8 favourite office desk tips. Most of these have been tried and tested in my own workplace, and seeing most of us will spend around 7 hours a day at our desks, it's important to feel as happy and stress-free as possible.
Oh and click on the comment section below if you have any good ones to add to the list!
8. Makeover time!
Nothing makes me feel better than a decluttered desk with some beautiful items scattered around to look at throughout the day. And it doesn't take much effort.
Arm yourself with some antibacterial desk wipes, sort that paperwork, and then go shopping. A couple of mini succulent plants, some white photo frames (choose a few favourite photos that always de-stress you), a usb plug-in lamp (I found this helped lift my mood a lot!) and a new mouse pad with a cute design. While you're at it, why not buy a clear water jug and tumbler cup to keep your fluids up. Voila.
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| Super-cute self-watering plants available on Ebay |
7. Organising those cords..
Weather it's with some bulldog clips or some of your childrens unwanted lego men, the key is to hide the bulk of the cords behind the desk and have the plug-in parts all ready when you need it.
6. Keeping lunch thieves at bay
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| Deceptive sandwich bags..available through www.catchoftheday.com.au |
..It has happened to most office workers with a communal fridge; you go to get your lunch and someone has taken it. Finding the culprit can take up most of your lunchbreak, so try something like this Anti-Theft Lunch bag that looks like mould. Or do you have a milk thief in your office? I've tried putting on red lipstick and taking a swig of milk which leaves a nice imprint around the spout which no-one attempts to drink. Alternatively, put your milk in a thermos flask in the fridge. Nobody will know what's in it.
5. Hydrate yourself the easy way
Keep yourself on a water drinking schedule by marking your water bottle (your body will thank you for it!)
4. Taking notes..
In your job you may be required to scribble things down throughout the day. Instead of wasting post-it notes and paper, try a mini-whiteboard. Don't have one? Get a few plastic sleeves, fill them with A4 paper and use whiteboard markers to write on them, and simply wipe off. Saving the world one tree at a time.
3. Move around! The day to day mundane-ness of sitting at your desk isn't healthy, so make sure you move around in your breaks. Get a group of co-workers together and walk around the office building, or at the very least do some stretches (Jennifer Aniston apparently swears by it...). Check out this article complete with instructional pictures, or download a smartphone app: Office Exercise & Stretch (for android phones) or Office-Fit (for Iphones, can also set 'stretch reminders' on this one)
2. At lunchtime, have a break from technology It's amazing in our world where we wake up to our phone alarm and pretty much have it connected to us all day, every day. Throw it in your bag and instead interact. Listen to people, start a conversation with someone whos also having lunch, ask them what they would rather be doing right now (if they weren't at work). Even just listen to the birds or breeze or silence! Knowing that you can survive for 20 minutes without being near your phone/computer will make you feel better.
1. Beauty issues..
