The suffering at the workplace, or How to make life more comfortable in the office

I am an office manager and in apart from managing the paperwork my responsibilities include organizing staff. I want my collaborators become more comfortable, more convenient, safer and happier when they spend time in the office and effectively perform their professional duties.

"How quickly passed the weekend! Tomorrow back to the office! How I hate this job!" Probably to each of us from time to time come to mind such thoughts. With someone they do not stay long, but some people lives with this oppressive sensation for years.

According to surveys, the majority of employees felt professional fatigue accumulated during a year. So, 74% of respondents answered in the affirmative. The reasons are different - excessive load, constant stress, the inability to go on vacation. All these things can really demotivate and poison even the most likable work.

Working in an office specially is not attractive differ much in the summer. June, July and August have long ceased to be synonymous with absolute freedom, and turned into prolonged depression. Any of us would be happy to give four office walls and air conditioning in the bargain for the opportunity to fully enjoy the good weather.

Whether we like it or not, but to get a piece of bread and butter, buy beautiful dress, iPhone, smart book, or "drop dead” screwdriver set we must stand up and do something. With this everything is clear. Work is not always a very pleasant pastime and often takes power, sometimes hope. At work, of course, you need to work. But in the office we spend 8 hours of the 24 (and it is at least), that’s why each specialist would like to make this time at least more joyful. Is it possible to turn the sign from minus to plus, for instance, without changing the job itself? How to organize the work process in order staying at the company at least not stress the peace of mind? I encourage you to look at work and to make useful adjustments to the environment and your habits. We are talking about your health! Slightly change the usual state of affairs, and summer will regain the title of the best time of the year. That’s all – it is enough to suffer. If you are afraid that because of the work demands you would not be able to meet the summer properly, you still have time to fix it. You just need to start right now.

Here are some tips for those who are sentenced to the office penal servitude, but does not want to quietly watch the life pass by.

1. Irritants

Coworkers hint that you have to lose weight, friends constantly say that you live wrong? Or they just may force you to worry? Spend a few relaxation minutes at work for a friendly conversation with colleagues. To get started, simply find out how they cope with stress, what affects them badly, and what helps them. Perhaps if you start such conversation, it will be easier to deal with this and get rid of the irritation.

If you are often annoyed by superfluous sounds of other people's loud conversations, try to find time for a short rest. All you need is a five-minute break. During the break, just think about how to organize your workspace more favorable and harmonious for you.

Take care of your emotional comfort - if you don’t like something or you are not satisfied with, tell out loud! Only follow these three rules:

- Talk about yourself: "I want a raise," instead of "You pay me a little."

- Separate emotions from judgment: "I am very concerned about the fate of the project" is different from "You are to blame for everything, you have filled up the project." Emotions give energy to correct the situation! Judgments in solving problems useless, avoid them.

- Speak out loud about your desires: "I'm hungry and I want my break on time" instead of "Get away from me, it would be better for me. '"

Do not forget that you need to behave with their colleagues tolerant!

Nobody can abolish the basic rules of politeness, which if not make the situation sincere, then at least help to avoid conflicts. You should be friendly and open, while unobtrusive. You cannot spread gossip and backbite. Learn about the hobbies and interests of colleagues and provide them with small tokens. For example, fishing enthusiasts will be much more pleasant to receive as a gift for any holiday a book about fishing, than a dancing course voucher.

What else you can do:

- Avoid conversation with negatively-minded colleagues and people who complain all the time.

- Do not allow yourself to be drawn into the office intrigue.

- Avoid discussing other colleagues behind their backs, not to mention the discussion of the boss.

- Use headphones to be able to work in peace and not be distracted.

2. Make friendship with the team and spend time together.

Its better each morning to meet with people which really a joy to see. Try to make your workplace a place for meeting interesting people, a platform for the deployment of the most unusual ideas. Yes, you will have to look for the interaction points, themes, common interests, or gather together, to attend the event. This leads to networking and making the work more organized and intelligent. Admit that its more interesting to wait for the next good news from colleagues than to spend a workday alone. If you work together, share your thoughts, feelings and joy. Good relationships with colleagues - a very important aspect of happiness at work, which will greatly increase job satisfaction and involvement of employees in the work process. Surround yourself with people who are pleasant to you. And try to stay away from the "whiners" - eternally dissatisfied with life colleagues may adversely affect your emotional state. Help your colleagues whenever possible.

Talk about your work with colleagues, discuss the results of your work. Work is part of your life. From this you cannot escape, it is necessary to be proud of it. Find interlocutors and lead discussions about the work, results, and problems at work. Do not burden with it all in a row, but be sure to discuss it with a person who is ready-to support your topic. If you have achieved results at work, offer to celebrate this together. Do not forget that your colleagues also want to reward for good work and good cooperation.

3. Place priorities.

We feel strong pressure when we need to catch too many things. Understand that to meet all deadlines just not realistic. Pay attention only to what really brings pleasure and that you really need. In work result is more important than the number of completed cases. Therefore, you are absolutely entitled to demand from the boss to make sure that your duties be perfectly suited to your skills.

Learn how to politely and convincingly say "no" and do not overwhelm yourself with work as well as giving up useless meetings. And if your work and small tasks can be partially commission another person, lower in rank, then discuss it with the boss.

Remember that 20% of the cases bring to 80% of the results. Try to prioritize your tasks - singled out the most important tasks and start the day with them. If less important things will not be finished by the end of the day - do not worry, these things tend to resolve themselves. Tested by many experts’ experience. Do not put off important tasks to the last moment!!!

Take control of your working time. For example, write a detailed to-do lists. So you will see that you've already done, and to monitor how many tasks left to execute. Get a diary. All plans will be in front of your eyes, this will help avoid all sorts of delays. In the workplace, everything should be at arm's length (ideally - laid out on shelves), so that you were guided in their workspace.

4. Forming a positive attitude to work and get motivated for work.

Did you meet fans of their work? Have you seen people who are so pleasant with their work? What distinguishes them? Firstly, they are the masters of their craft. They are well versed in their work; they love to do it for other people. Work for such people is a very valuable experience. They develop, and they conform to the requirements of other people, and therefore it’s their vocation. Other people simply like to earn good money. They are ready to manage and be accountable of subordinates to earn a new car, an apartment, a dinner in the beautiful restaurant of Paris. These people are also experts in their field. They are engaged in earn revenue, and do what others cannot. Learn your work. Attend refresher courses or find the lesson in which you will find your vocation. Often to do this you have to spend a few years of education and training.

Tune into on a positive wave in the morning. Do everything with enthusiasm at the beginning of the day. Your mood is not enough for the whole day, but this part of work will be carried out by you on hurray, and this would be sure encouraged by your boss. And for you it is an occasion to think about how not to lose the enthusiasm to unnecessary problems. If you make a mistake, release it - analyze and move on.

Do not forget about career plans – be interested in the area in which you are working, expand your knowledge of the profession.

5. Workspace.

Among office workers and their managers, it is widely believed that the order on the desktop and the absence of unnecessary distractions objects contribute to increase productivity of employees and increase their concentration at work tasks. However, scientists have refuted this view and proved that the presence on the desktop potted plants helps to improve the psychological state of the people, and therefore improves their involvement in the labor process. The researchers claim that the increased level of stress in the workplace leads to the fact that people reluctantly start to carry out their duties.

Workplace - you once granted and leased the way it was. Often people are afraid to do something wrong, afraid to change anything. For such workers their jobs converted into a prison. In the workplace, a person spends on average one third of their lives. The atmosphere in which you stay, work all the time, on what you sit and at what you look, with whom you cooperate, effects your mood and on labor indicators. That is why it is important to think about how to make the office more comfortable. Office equipment, gray table, folders with papers - one and the same picture as minimum five days a week. And no wonder that often we think: "Again, again, these four walls!". The monotony is the main reason why almost any employee could easily be at rock bottom.

The presence in the workplace of your personal belongings will help to get rid of negative emotional state. Workplace - a display of your personality. Try to keep it in order, but fill it with a little piece of yourself to make the office more comfortable. This creates a feeling of comfort and enhance the mood: in difficult times take a look at familiar objects and it will help you to calm down a little. Even small changes - that's already good. From 9:00 to 18:00, you are chained to an office desk, so at least the look of your place would be pleasing to the eye. Change the space around yourself as the mood dictates: tabletop rock garden, family photos from last year's vacation, map with a future travel routes ... if you cannot right now to look towards the summer, let’s it comes to you.

Convenient workspace calls to work. Sometimes even the inveterate truant is not averse to work, if he has beautifully decorated place where everything just provided. But do not clutter up the table. Otherwise, instead of cozy corner it will turn to mess. What are the best things to take? There should be no more than two or three (it's still a workplace rather than a personal museum). Things should not be cumbersome and not very expensive (in case if they shatter or break, it will not have turned to conflict). This can be a family picture, any children’ handcraft and so on. What else can add variety and comfort in the workplace:

- Big mug. Time flies faster, if in the hand is a cup of hot tea. Especially it is useful during the lunch break, but in causal times will make you feel better, if from time to time you will sip refreshing drink.

- Paper for notes. Bright paper blocks and stickers will make life in the office easier and make the workplace more comfortable. On multicolored stickers you can make a plan for the day, and stick in a prominent place. Because of this you will be less distracted, and in front of your eyes will always hang a reminder of the important and urgent tasks. Beautiful colors will help dispel the everyday routine.

- A couple of family photos. Place the frame on a table with pictures of your loved ones - parents, children, husband or friends. Even in the most difficult moment, when everything goes wrong, you can take a look at the smiling faces of loved ones and feel their support.

- Pot with a small flower. With its help you can not only make the office more comfortable, but feel better. The main thing to choose the right plant, for example:

·        cacti - absorb electromagnetic radiation

·        geranium - calms the nerves.

More green in the office - is not a whim of designers and not a relic. Even if you're not interested in the flowers pots and you think that they just take up space. However, all studies speak in favor of greenery indoors. Employees feel more comfortable when there are live plants in the office. There are many hardy kinds that do not require special care. Zamioculcas, dracaena and ficus - classic cabinet gardening. These guys are not capricious, but they purify air, improve the microclimate, and an eye will rest from greenery.

- Candies. Keep a small stock of candy or other sweets in reserve. First, you can always cheer up yourself with a delicious snack. Secondly, sweets quickly restore power, bring the necessary amount of glucose to the brain, and again you feel cheerful and full of energy.

IS NOT RECOMMENDED, especially in a serious organization, to keep on the table stuffed toys - this may create an image of an infantile and a careless person. And also be sure to keep cleanliness on the desktop.

6. Keep clean.

British scientists sometimes do something useful, for example, they examined the average keyboard under a microscope. To see the number of microbes therein 5 times more than on the toilet seat in the same office! How do you like it? Reason one - the food at your desk. Drops crumbs – even when you do not notice it - excellent food for the bacteria on the keyboard, then the fingers, then on your face. Do not eat in the workplace. For lunch special area should be set aside.

7. Breathe with fresh air.

Fresh air is necessary - the head will work better; you will be able to focus more quickly. Relying on the air conditioner is not a solution: “The US National Institute of Safety and health at the Workplace” reported that in rooms with air conditioning employees 2.5 times more likely to pick up respiratory diseases. At least twice a day ventilate the room.

8. Zoning space.

In favor of a separate kitchen, or just a convenient place for lunch there is the fact that a change of environment contributes to the emergence of new ideas. This is the place of "informal creativity", staying there relaxes and stimulates our creativity. So, if possible, organize in your office dining room or recreation room, a kind of lounge area, which will spur creativity.

9. Keep track of the body.

In today's world there is office workers’ professional disease - tunnel syndrome - pain in the wrist due to a long and same type of stress in this area. Hours of work with the mouse, typing on the keyboard - and as the result hand aching and joints are sore, exactly like your grandmother. Remember that the best treatment - prevention, so the basis of the survival of the office - the right fit at the table. Armrests of an armchair should be placed on the same level with the desk; if there are no armrests, do not keep your elbows in the air, put them on the table - so it will decrease the load on your tendons.

10. Do not sit overlong!

Regularly stand up from the table - stretch and let your eyes rest. Any case no matter how comfortable is your workplace, the researchers do not recommend spending a lot of time sitting: it turns out, that for the body to function normally, people with sedentary work should spend at least 4 hours a day on their feet. The authors of a study published in The British Journal of Sports Medicine, calculated that the average modern person spends 60% of the daytime sitting and office workers sit not less than 75% of the working day. Researchers assure that such a low level of physical activity does not lead to anything good; it is creating all the conditions for the accumulation excessive weight and improper metabolism.

Scientists recommend to anyone who spends most of his day in the office to move as much as possible. May also be helpful even such seemingly insignificant "walks" as from the desktop to the lunch place or from your own computer to the colleagues’ workplace - rather than to send him an e-mail. If your office distances are so small that you can talk from the spot, the researchers recommend that from time to time work standing up. Even 3 hours a day spent on your feet, will let you burn 144 calories a day: this will be enough in order to get rid 3.6 kg of fat tissue.

11. Drink fruit water.

Traditional glass of water (remember the fact that it is necessary to drink water?) can be divers of berries, fruits and vegetables. Raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, at least cucumbers - in the evening put them in a jug, fill with water and put in the fridge. In the morning fresh and flavorful delight will be waiting for you. It will give strength and courage in whatever be able to enjoy the summer. Tasty, useful and your water balance is normal.

12. Make a summer playlist.

We are no longer 18, but some of the songs instantly help us to forget about this unfortunate fact. Turn them and rejoice. Special services will help to make a selection of good music.

13. Add the light.

Raise the blinds, open the windows and let in the sunlight. If you are not lucky with a window seat, one or two table lamps will disperse the darkness and make the situation not so oppressive. You will be surprised when you see how much mood depends on the lighting level.

14. Have dinner as in summer.

Forget cafe near the office and the same food all the year round. Some dishes are just by its kind able to return to the summer mood, so spend a little time in the evening near the stove. Ripe vegetables in the sun, by the way, are not like gowned in dull greenhouse, so do not waste time in vain. Replace snacks with chocolate bars for a healthy food, such as fruit or vegetables.

15. Get useful gadgets.

Do not clamp the phone between shoulder and head. It's bad for the neck and may even provoke a mini stroke. Such cases already recorded, people manage to pinch the carotid artery and personally cut off the blood supply to the brain. We are scared by ourselves, but it is an occasion to analyze if your work involves lengthy negotiations over the phone and the hands should be free to write - it's time to get a hands-free headset.

16. Select the vibrate mode.

A loud and unexpected mobile call is distracting and annoying, especially if the owner is not in place. We respond to sudden sharp sound as we respond to alarm, and we need some time to return to the calm rhythm. And when in the office constantly more deafening ringing phones, this kicks colleagues from the normal course of the day. Adjust the sound on the stationary machine and put the cell phone on vibrate - at least until you're at work. 

17. Take advantage of the "Jeans Days."

Clothing will help you to feel happier. Following the transformation of the workplace, add a little bit of summer into your wardrobe. Light clothes bright colors and free breed will rescue from a heat stroke and create a relaxed mood. When it comes to summer dresses, squeeze out the dress code all you can. If there is no dress code, consider yourself lucky. You can wear freely and conveniently things.

Of course, within limits: boa with feathers or pajamas with bears are unlikely to be appropriated even in the most democratic office. If, however, the company decided to wear suits, you can add parts and accessories (for example, your favorite scarf or cufflinks).

18. Get up early and change your habits.

The days are longer in the summer, but do we use this? I propose to start right from tomorrow. Rise up early and come to the office the first one. Bingo, here a little extra time for you to make a list and join into the work. Schedule it with the boss to move your shift schedule for a couple of hours - to come and to go 1 hour before usual time. So you will have more opportunities for walking and personal affairs. Day after day doing the same thing, we tend to get stuck in a routine. In summer it is completely useless. If you learned to wake up early, use the winnings from the sleeping hours to full. Get to work by bicycle or even on foot, explore the area where your office is located, have breakfast in interesting cafes ... Summer - time for a change. It's no good to turn the most interesting and saturated months in stagnant swamp. And most importantly - get enough sleep. Go at night to sleep on time and to provide adequate time for sleep.

19. Speaking about comfort at work, we should not dismiss such individual characteristics of people as their natural biorhythms. Clearly expressed "owl" (a man who early in the morning always feel sluggish, lethargy, apathetic and generally "out of shape", and in the afternoon it becomes cheerful, workable, creative) if possible move their working hours – this will benefit you and your employer.

20. All the work leave at work.

In today's world office’s business trying to subdue our whole life. The boss calls at every opportunity, emails continue to pour in to the email all night long ... It is time to do something. When you do not work, turn off your computer and phone. Do not respond to emails, they can easily wait. Just think: in the best time of the year you spend in the office at least 40 hours a week! Every free moment outside its walls should be free in every sense of the word. Forget about everything and just enjoy the summer. Exactly the same way as a child.

21. Try to make a balance between work and personal life.

Rest is necessary not only at the workplace but also after the end of a busy day. The researchers analyzed data from 65 studies relating to how people organize their working time. Total researchers collected data on the rhythm of life and work of more than 50 thousand people. The results demonstrated that non-stop email checking and operative response to it blurs the boundaries of work and personal time. This leads to several consequences: people start to have problems with their personal life as family members believe that they are given too little attention, as well, due to the fact that the brain is almost never "off" operating mode and does not pass a state of rest, increased stress levels. These factors lead to a decrease in concentration and memory impairment that adversely affects the working process. Plan your free time after working hours.

22. And finally - take a vacation. Sometimes without rebooting simply cannot go.

Few tips about using advises.

Remember that advices should be used where they will give result. If you are trying to adjust a job that you just do not fit, you must first fulfill the main condition - to find a job by your vocation. And only then look for ways to organize your workspace.

The decisive factor of feeling happy at work - it is the right choice of work. If a person is engaged in not something he likes, then no matter how to equip the workplace – he will not feel happy. Choose such activity as a profession, to which, ideally, you have a vocation and at least - ability, talent, interest. This should be a business that you can do better than many others.

The main thing - to believe that to be happy at work is possible, and try to love office colleagues and the immediate obligations. After all, happiness depends primarily on your internal state. I hope reading was enjoyable and my advices will help you to make your life better.

Tatyana Yalova