Sometimes offices are fun. Sometimes offices are sterile. In which do you work?
I've always found when offices host their employees in cubicles, it tends to feel impersonal and distant. Even grating (on your sanity that is). People thrived for thousands of years in nature, and the work cubicle seems to defy all of those things that we evolved to appreciate. So it's no wonder that many people often feel drained, stale, and agitated from sitting in a cubicle all day.
Well, it's time to fix that. After all, many people rely on their jobs for their livelihood, so the question becomes, can I deal with my cubicle? Or, if not, how to I modify it to bring me more joy and peace?
(Please note, there are some offices that do not allow modifications to their cubicles. You should understand your office's policy before proceeding)
Here are some tips:
1) Make it comfortable. Add things like a heating pad or back / lumbar support to your pillow. Buy a workout ball and store it under your desk to alternate with your chair to change up your posture and even invite a little office based exercise in. Buy a footstool or footrest of sorts to help elevate your feet to a level that is comfortable, or to, again, change up the posture of your 8 hours. I've even had a coworker stow work-appropriate slippers/moccasins and tennis balls at her desk to massage her feet and even double as a back roller.
2) Don't forget your wrists. If you can't request a laptop that is ergonomically designed for constant typing, (and/or a mouse for that matter) invest in a wrist/forearm rest. It'll help alleviate some of the constant stress from resting your wrists on the desk while typing and navigating. You can also elevate or tilt the keyboard to make it more suitable for your hands.
3) Bring in the outdoors. Maybe it's a bud vase for a new flower or set of flowers every week, maybe it's a fluorescent light ok plant like lucky bamboo, or maybe it's just a picture of the ocean, beach, mountains, river, waterfall, etc. Either way, make sure it's not sitting somewhere cramped or hiding behind anything else. The less stifled or hidden it is, the more it will have a positive effect on you.
4) Go for feng shui. Not sure what that is? This is a super quick overview or this one is more detailed. There are also certain colors and themes associated with different areas of the bagua map to help bring the best energy into the space. Keep photos and colors in their rightful place to help circulate the energy in your (probably) 5x5 space.
5) Make it personal. This should feel like a reflection of you. If you love animals, then find some animal print stickers or post-its, some neutral colors, or your favorite animal picture to keep around. If you're a sports person, sport themed pens and pencils or a calendar with your favorite team will welcome you to work every day and start you off with a great smile.
Remember, you spend 8-10 hours here every day. This should be as much of a sanctuary for you as your favorite place in your house. If it's not, work on it pronto. Don't wait. Happy and positive people tend to get more done!
Have a few great ideas from how you've decorated your workspace? Share them with us!
Sunday, June 29, 2014
Sunday, June 22, 2014
Bathroom Renos
So we are in the middle of thinking about redoing our bathroom. We had a few quotes, and none of them had us smiling. In fact, we just felt like we kept seeing more red. our first quote was 9,000, and the last quote came in at 13K, and that was before we look at the actual fixtures and tiles we still need to buy. We were extremely deflated. Our dreams of redoing it for 5K were slashed like a fresh baguette being prepped for a sandwich.
So we are starting over and rethinking. Do we really need inlets in the shower? Or would shelves suffice? Do we need the built in shelving in the wall, or would do-it-yourself IKEA type shelves work? Could we live with the shower tile? Maybe just new floor tile and some great paint instead?
Then we decided to price it all out. Instead of looking at the quote and then having to add on fixtures, we are going to find the fixtures first, "purchase" if only by saving enough to have already "paid" for them come the time we want to redo everything, and the go from there. This includes pricing out tile we want from stores like Century Tile, HOBO, Tile Outlet; bathroom fixtures from Kohler, Ikea, The Bathroom Outlet, etc; shelving from IKEA, Bed Bath & Beyond, and paint colors from Sherwin Williams. Once all that is done and priced out, then we can look at redoing the bathroom with the things we actually need, versus those we have on our big wishlist.
That's not to say that our absolute perfect bathroom wouldn't pull out all the bells and whistles, but without an inside man to give us "cost" pricing, as opposed to profit pricing, we may have to pull back on the extras and just stick with the basics. Everyone knows the kitchen and the bath sell a house, so as long as it's gorgeous and beautiful, it may not need to be our perfect to still work.
What bathroom ideas have you rethought and how have they worked out?
So we are starting over and rethinking. Do we really need inlets in the shower? Or would shelves suffice? Do we need the built in shelving in the wall, or would do-it-yourself IKEA type shelves work? Could we live with the shower tile? Maybe just new floor tile and some great paint instead?
Then we decided to price it all out. Instead of looking at the quote and then having to add on fixtures, we are going to find the fixtures first, "purchase" if only by saving enough to have already "paid" for them come the time we want to redo everything, and the go from there. This includes pricing out tile we want from stores like Century Tile, HOBO, Tile Outlet; bathroom fixtures from Kohler, Ikea, The Bathroom Outlet, etc; shelving from IKEA, Bed Bath & Beyond, and paint colors from Sherwin Williams. Once all that is done and priced out, then we can look at redoing the bathroom with the things we actually need, versus those we have on our big wishlist.
That's not to say that our absolute perfect bathroom wouldn't pull out all the bells and whistles, but without an inside man to give us "cost" pricing, as opposed to profit pricing, we may have to pull back on the extras and just stick with the basics. Everyone knows the kitchen and the bath sell a house, so as long as it's gorgeous and beautiful, it may not need to be our perfect to still work.
What bathroom ideas have you rethought and how have they worked out?
Wednesday, June 18, 2014
Who's Going to Save You?
I either read somewhere, or I had someone say it to me, but here's how the saying goes:
"If you are waiting for someone to save you, you are living in a victim mentality"
Do you live with this mentality? And before you blaspheme the idea, take a minute and really do an inventory check on yourself. It may seem weird, or it may be difficult because you do fall into this category. The reality, though, I believe, is that everyone falls into this category at least once at some point in their life. Now, of course there are those who stay in this mindset, but there are those who can break free of it.
But first, here are a few examples of what that mindset sounds like:
"Oh, it won't matter because my parents will help me pay the credit card off/come up with the downpayment/etc"
"My husband will pay off my loans for me"
"My inheritance will be great enough, I'll pay off my mortgage/loans/debt then"
The thing you need to start to consider, is how often do you default to that kind of thinking, and how often do you default to "What am I going to do to fix this?," because the latter shows courage and strength, and the former indicates you still believe you are the victim. So, I challenge you: what are the items you have been leaving for someone else to help you "fix", and how can you change that around? Taking control means empowering yourself, and by doing so, bringing more greatness into your life. It's always easier to believe someone else should do it - in the short term - but greater happiness always comes in doing it yourself.
"If you are waiting for someone to save you, you are living in a victim mentality"
Do you live with this mentality? And before you blaspheme the idea, take a minute and really do an inventory check on yourself. It may seem weird, or it may be difficult because you do fall into this category. The reality, though, I believe, is that everyone falls into this category at least once at some point in their life. Now, of course there are those who stay in this mindset, but there are those who can break free of it.
But first, here are a few examples of what that mindset sounds like:
"Oh, it won't matter because my parents will help me pay the credit card off/come up with the downpayment/etc"
"My husband will pay off my loans for me"
"My inheritance will be great enough, I'll pay off my mortgage/loans/debt then"
The thing you need to start to consider, is how often do you default to that kind of thinking, and how often do you default to "What am I going to do to fix this?," because the latter shows courage and strength, and the former indicates you still believe you are the victim. So, I challenge you: what are the items you have been leaving for someone else to help you "fix", and how can you change that around? Taking control means empowering yourself, and by doing so, bringing more greatness into your life. It's always easier to believe someone else should do it - in the short term - but greater happiness always comes in doing it yourself.
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