5 Ways to Level Up Your Workday

Over the past two years of working remotely, I’ve put a good amount of effort into optimizing my office space and trying out different ways to make it comfortable and inviting—a place I look forward to spending time. While all the perks of WFH have been terrific, I’ve also had to make some adjustments to ensure I’m getting enough movement and variation in my posture throughout the day since, for example, I’m not walking across a big building five times a day for meetings or getting up from my seat for collaboration sessions. Everything’s at arm’s length now, so some thoughtful changes to the flow of my workday have been beneficial for my physical and mental health. I’m excited to share the modifications that have made the biggest difference in my weekdays—all of which can be put to use in-office, as well!

Ergonomics

Neck and back pain don’t have to be an inevitability when you work at a desk. Once a month or so, check over your workspace to make sure you’re sitting or standing in a way that allows your body to relax naturally into good posture. Here’s a Mayo Clinic article with some basic guidelines to get you started. Getting my arm angle figured out and adding an ergonomic mouse were the big game-changers for my extra-finicky neck. A simple neck movement and stretching routine goes a long way, too. Further down the line, soft or adjustable footrest (or a silicone mat if you like to stand) can help encourage your feet and legs to relax and align in a healthy position. Sometimes it’s nice to roll a racquetball or hi-bounce ball under the feet for a mini-massage (as long as you don’t slip on it later and end up flying into the air like a cartoon character). Don’t forget to stand up and move around a bit at least once an hour to encourage good circulation, too—or at least do a few minutes of ankle rolls and foot flexion if you’re stuck in a meeting.

To reduce eye strain, remember this simple rule: “Every 20 minutes, spend 20 seconds looking at something 20 feet away.” As a bonus, one of my favorite memes tacks on: “then spend 20 years in the forest.” That’d certainly help to avoid eye strain, right? Another eye-healthy upgrade is installing an inexpensive adhesive LED light strip around the back border of your computer monitor if it backs up to a wall. This technique is called bias lighting , and it eases the harshness of a bright computer screen. Not only that, but it looks cool—many popular light strips are programmable to display millions of colors. Mine is set up to flow between gold, peach, pink and reddish light, like a never-ending sunrise.

Plants

I’m a bit partial to this one since I have over 60 plants at home–15 just in my office. My collection started at work, though, and my then-cubicle came to be known as The Jungle, everyone’s favorite spot to relax for a moment among the greenery. The science explains why --- and here I thought I’d finally become popular, 20 years out of high school. This guide from The Spruce can help you pick the best easy-care companions for your desk. Note: if you have pets who might “investigate” your new plants, please do a quick Google search before purchasing to make sure your picks are pet-safe. Pothos is my favorite low-maintenance, pet-friendly plant, and there are many varieties to choose from.

Meditation & Breath Work

Some people are a little intimidated by the idea of meditation, thinking they have to do it “perfectly” or for a certain amount of time, or that it’s too out-there for their tastes. I’m happy to report that meditation can be as simple as closing your eyes for a few minutes and noticing the sounds of your space—or bringing to mind parts of your body that feel tense and relaxing them one by one. There are no rules, so forget the notion of completely emptying your mind (because that’s impossible!) and give it a shot—I’ve seen improvements to my focus and a reduction in anxiety when I’m keeping up with my practice. Plus, it just feels good.

Insight Timer is a free app and website featuring thousands of guided meditations, organized simply by topic or length. The namesake timer lets you choose from a selection of relaxing sounds for self-guided breaks, with bells to gently mark the end of your practice. A good place to start is Power Pause , a four-minute practice perfect for a work break to clear your mind and bring you back to the present moment.

Another healthy way to take a moment for yourself is by doing a breathing exercise—there are countless benefits of breathing properly , and it’s so easy to fall back into shallow breathing while working at a desk. Breathwrk is a free app I’ve been using recently that offers short breathing sessions guided by simple visual and haptic feedback. Regular practice has been improving my ability to notice when I’m breathing in a way that increases tension, and reminds me to make some simple adjustments.

Time-blocking

The next upgrade is a time-blocking method many people swear by, but I honestly only use it in pieces and parts to help when I’m having trouble focusing. Take what you need and leave the rest, they say. The Pomodoro Technique splits the work day into small, productive work sessions with mini-breaks in between. When I’m feeling antsy or distracted, I set a simple timer for 25 minutes (phone or digital watch timers work perfectly for this, but I use a cute physical timer ) and get started, knowing all I have to do is work until the alarm, then I can take a quick break before repeating the process. Something about this action gives the fidgety part of my brain permission to chill out for a bit so I can get things done.

Yoga

“Yoga? For work?” you might be thinking, in the voice of the “Reese’s? For breakfast?” kid from that one cereal commercial. Sure, why not? Physical therapists and posture experts often say, “the best posture is the next posture.” Movement is essential to our well-being; incorporating motion into your work breaks can keep you from feeling scrunched up and tight at the end of the day. Yoga With Adriene , is my favorite teacher; her free videos on YouTube cover a myriad of physical targets and her genuine and kind demeanor makes you feel like you’re doing yoga with your best friend. Her mantra is “find what feels good,” and in many of her videos, she offers modifications or encourages you to veer off and seek out the movement that works best for your body and your needs. Just like meditation, yoga can be simple and relaxed and doesn’t require being able to turn yourself into a human pretzel. It’s a practice that belongs to you.

If you’re working from home or have a space to move freely in your office, this is a great five-minute routine , to open up the back and chest and stretch out the arms and legs. If you’re in a tighter workspace or don’t feel comfortable going full downward dog in front of coworkers, this short and silent seated desk routine , is perfect.

Out with the old and in with the new. Where to start?

Whether you’re at home or in the office, you probably spend a lot of your day working—as much or more than you spend sleeping, and we all know the importance of a dark, quiet room and a comfortable bed. Likewise, it’s important to make sure you’re taking care of yourself and feeling good during the weekday, so your best self comes through in your work and your interactions. If you’d like to explore making some upgrades to your day to shake things up a bit and see what suits you best, try incorporating one or two new changes at a time, and notice whether, after a week or so, there’s a lift in your mood or your comfort. Then, add in a few more upgrades and repeat. Enjoy!