When in doubt, turn off your phone!
by Sarah Wetzel
1. If you’re sick, stay home.
If your sneezes are at a frequency of higher than 3 per hour, you might want to consider taking a sick day, even for just a cold. No one enjoys being around Sneezy at the office for fear of catching the same bug, and according to a study in the Journal of Occupational Health Psychology, a business’s productivity also takes a hit when employees come to work sick (PsychologicalScience.org). Aren’t your colleagues’ health and your company’s productivity enough to take care of your slightly high temperature?
2. Don’t misuse the After Office.
We all know that an After Office can be an excuse to continue the meeting that got cut short earlier today. Some are great at turning off work-related conversations, but others might unknowingly take advantage of what the After Office is really for – getting to know your coworkers in a personal setting – and bring up the company budget for next month. Don’t let this happen to your team, and stop the conversation before it even begins! Start a trivia team if you need help to get the fun rolling!
3. Have a walking meeting.
Do you find yourself working longer hours because you aren’t able to concentrate for the full 8-hour day? Convince your coworkers to take the next meeting outside on a walk! The Wellness and Prevention group at Johnson & Johnson found that workers experience increased energy, focus and engagement when Walking Meetings are ‘enforced’ (http://www.inc.com/peter-economy/7-powerful-reasons-to-take-your-next-meeting-for-a-walk.html). An added bonus is the benefits to your health, giving you more energy when you get home from work later in the day.
4. Put your phone away.
Work email is one thing, but if your phone also has apps monitoring your employees’ performance, if you regularly manage your company’s LinkedIn posts, or even if your personal social media have become an outlet for ‘disguised’ work, take a break with your phone. Especially for us millennials, this is one of the most difficult things to do, but the rewards outweigh what you miss on your newsfeed. Who knew that there was a farmer’s market just 5 blocks from your home on Saturdays?!
5. Love your job.
I saved this one for last, because this is really the most important piece of advice you can carry in your professional life. When it becomes too hard to balance your professional and social life and you really notice it, that means you aren’t enjoying yourself during those 8 hours at the office. If you love what you do, you won’t want to leave the office at 6, and you probably wouldn’t be reading this article. Take the time to recognize the tasks you do in your position that bring a smile to your face, and try and focus your efforts on that task, if possible. Of course, we all have to start from the bottom of the ladder, so bring the results in your current position that will get you to the place you really want to be and you won’t even have to worry about the other tips in this article!