Why oh why do the weekends go so fast? Who decided the 5-day work week, 2-day weekend ratio? Not cool.
I want more lounge days gazing at the NYC skyline with the breeze in my hair and more nights discovering new nooks and crannies of the concrete jungle! Is that too much to ask?!
So now that I am back at work (and disappointed to say the least) I am grateful to have my brown bag of calming tools—a few small ways that I can evoke the feelings of a relaxing weekend right from my browser.
You may be stuck inside with your fingertips glued to the keyboard, but you can still find some ways to unwind at your home away from home post weekend. I need these today…badly.
Relax at work with these:
Change your Desktop Background
I hope you don’t have that boring blue background that your computer came with. Calm your mind muscles with an image of a faraway location by changing up your desktop background. And for the times you are really itching to get up and take a walk on the beach? Use Calm.com—a site that offers 6 different peaceful settings (from a lazy ocean sunset to swaying grasslands) where you can take a virtual vacay for 2 to 10 minutes. This is a sure way to make those moments away from emails and to-do lists turn into a quick trip to the beach.
Drink your Tea
On work days when you are really longing for a Friday night in opt for tea instead of coffee. Tea is like an adult pacifier in anxious moments. Sip on chamomile or peppermint tea to find instant calmness at your desk.
Try Desk Aromatherapy
The soothing characteristics of lavender or the mood boosting smell of jasmine can help you make it to 5:00 o’clock. A moisturizer with these scents will do, but if the aroma is subtle consider bringing in a bag of potpourri. The smells of a spa are almost as good as being there if you close your eyes. Just don’t let your boss catch you dozing off!
Enjoy some Nature Sounds
This weekend we spent some time poking fun at one of my friends who said he “may or may not of listened to nature sounds” to have a peaceful night of rest. All joking aside, the sounds of nature have relaxing properties that can quickly get your mind to a more relaxing locale while you are cooped up. I am not sure if NYC street sounds have the same luring effect, but either way the comforting tunes can push you through your afternoon slump with their meditative fix. Not into whales and rain? Create a calm playlist with some of your favorite slow jams to quickly bring relief.
Make the Best of Visual Aids
Pictures, post-it notes with inspirational quotes or even a plant can bring a little bit of feng shui to your desk. These visual items can help make you comfortable, bring some peace to a chaotic day in the office and stand as a reminder of where you wish you were or who you wish you were with. Don’t go overboard though. A cluttered desk can have the opposite impact.
Even though having a “relaxing” day at work is a bit of an oxymoron for most of us it is nice to have glimpses that weekend feeling throughout the week.
If none of this works you can just scream “calmness now” and click your heels 3 times. What…I heard that works for some people. Not you?
Have a weekend-esque work day!
Who wishes it was still the weekend? How do your bring a sense of calm to your work environment? Let’s talk in the comments section below!
Great tips! I really dread Mondays when I have to go to school so I try to calm my mind and find peace on the way there in the car.
Great time to mentally prepare. I take the subway and try to zone out with my music. I’d love to hear your other commuter tips! Thanks for stopping by BSW Carissa!
great tips!! I also decided that if work was 5 days of my week…it was worth finding a job that I didn’t dread and once i did time to start figuring out what i lvoe about my job so that I can enjoy those days.
Awesome advice to look at the positive side of your job. Ultimately I truly enjoy what I do but sometimes an extra day at home would work wonders on my mood. Always good to hear from you Amanda!
These suggestions are great. I often wish that I could have the weekend continue forever, but if you can’t have it, you can pretend! I am a big fan of tea and music as ways to relax while I am in the office. Occasionally I find that my office is more relaxing than my house, which is often noisy. Keeping clutter to a minimum in the office also helps me relax.
Love that you can find calm in your office when you need to escape your house. That is definitely something that many people can’t say about their work environment. Thanks Kristen!
This is the article I’ve been looking for. In a high pressure environment things can get quite intense. It’s good to have things I can use to bring me back down to earth and find some peace.
Glad you like it Cody! The soothing sounds of the beach from my computer screen do wonders on my mental well-being. Hope they work for you!