Work Self-Care: 7 Little Ways To Sneak In Some “Me Moments” At Work
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“Are there any work self-care ideas that don’t take a lot of time and are discreet?”
Let me guess – you feel tired of your work as soon as it’s Monday afternoon?
If so, it can be pretty discouraging to go to work at all.
And let’s admit it – you know you need to take better care of yourself but because you’re working all the time, the only day to get some self-care is just… Sunday.
That is, if you have enough energy for it, of course.
To help yourself stay energetic and healthy even when you’re moving mountains on your work PC, tackling client crises, or making the best effing coffees in California, try to sneak in some work self-care to your day.
It only takes a little effort, but it can help you feel less tired in the evening and preserve your wellness.
Work Self-Care: 7 Little Ideas That Help
1. Carry your water bottle everywhere
Practicing self-care at work should start with listening to your body, especially when you are often doing tasks that consume your attention.
Water is so important that I can’t leave this unmentioned.
If you don’t drink enough water and only drink coffee, you can get dehydrated in no time, and this is your first-class ticket to feeling tired and drained.
To counter that, start your work self-care by keeping yourself hydrated.
And if it’s hard for you to remember it, set up a nice chime on your phone that will remind you to hydrate every 30 minutes or so.
Another way to drink more water is to invest in a good (and pretty!) water bottle.
Amazon has a huge selection of water bottles with various additional functions that either improve your water quality or help to keep it fresh longer.
Veegoal 18 Oz Borosilicate Glass Water Bottle
2. Bring in healthy snacks
Your body needs small energy boosts all the time, especially if you’re doing a lot of brain work.
Instead of buying a cupcake at your work buffet, bring in nutritious, healthy snacks like nuts, fruit, veggie sticks, protein shake, or homemade energy bites.
The right nutrition can make a huge difference in the way you feel so don’t skip this one – it’s the core element of any self-care!
Plus, healthy snacks can make you prettier too.
Your body, your skin, your hair – they all need vitamins, minerals, and protein to repair and rebuild themselves.
You only have to give them what they need.
If you’re wondering how to carry your lunch to work in a stylish way, consider getting a lunch bag or lunch tote.
These are designed to fit several lunchboxes in + keep the temperature inside optimal for prolonged freshness:
LOKASS Lunch Bag Cooler Bag Women Tote
BALORAY Lunch Tote Bag for Women
Related: Basic Self-Care Guide For Beginners
3. Take regular breaks
Work self-care should include a moment to move your body, especially if you sit all day, or if you are basically moving just your extremities.
Get up, stand up, stretch a little, and move a little every hour.
This will help your blood circulation and also – your spine.
Trust me, this one is boring but very important.
I’ve been skimping on taking breaks when I was younger, and now I have to deal with recurring back pain and sciatica episodes.
Please don’t make my mistake.
4. Have a temperature backup
In modern workplaces, it’s easy to get too hot or too cold almost every day.
Air conditioners and heaters are rarely working at perfect levels to fit everyone so it’s best just to have something that can adjust the temperature to what feels optimal to you.
Keep a sweater for colder days and a silk blouse in case you want to switch to something lighter.
5. Practice mindfulness
Once in a while, try to get your attention away from the task you’re doing and try to experience the present moment fully.
Take a look around.
Name the items around (don’t do it aloud though 👌), notice the colors, and shapes, touch various surfaces, smell flowers…
Being mindful helps you to relax and avoid overstressing yourself.
It’s also a very discreet form of work self-care that you can do anywhere, any time.
Related: 15 Mindfulness Activities To Try When You Feel Anxious
6. Use a hydrating face mist
Your skin is affected by everyday pollution a lot, and it’s no different at your workplace.
Air conditioners and dust can make your skin dry and dehydrated.
An easy way to moisturize your skin without ruining your makeup is by using a hydrating face mist.
I love face mists with thermal water since they are the lightest and I can really see the difference in my skin when I’m using them.
7. Tune out the environment
Do you have extra chatty colleagues?
A lot of noise all the time?
If you can use headphones at work, try tuning everything out and listening to something soothing like nature sounds, lofi, or soft instrumental music.
You can even get noise-canceling earphones if you want to shut everything off completely.
This will help you take a little time to be with yourself, even in a room full of people or noise.
It may also help you to concentrate and focus, thus helping you to do your tasks faster.
Work Self-Care: Conclusion
Even at work self-care is just so, so important.
It’s hard to function properly and stay in a good mood when everything you do is never for you.
But you can try and sneak in some self-care even on the busiest workdays.
It’s all about the little things you do for yourself.
Yes, they’re small, but they all add up to a pretty decent dose of work self-care over your week.
Here are more self-care ideas that you can try when you’re NOT at work: 50 Self-Care Activities To Boost Your Wellness
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