Working a Life Explored This Spring

You will never plough a field if you only turn it over in your mind.

Irish Proverb

Remember the days when we dreaded waking up for the office commute, the mornings of fingers bruised from hitting the snooze button with, what can only be described as, violence? Those memories seem like dreams now. I’ll take any excuse to leave my front yard, much less my town. 

As dismal as they may have once seemed, our work days provided stimulating socialization and complex challenges that required all our brain power and stamina. They gave our days structure, and in many cases, meaning.Though our old work schedules were also often far too overwhelming, we learned how to build our lives around them, and now we’ve had to rebuild in the midst of endless rubble. 

The fact of the matter is that we will spend the majority of our lives at work. It is vital that we are able to account for all the moments of our lives, not just the ones that happen over the weekend, especially now. 

Not every minute of quarantine-life can be as invigorating as we’d like. Implementing energizing exercise, restorative redesign, and revitalizing activity throughout your work days is bound to add a foundational level of motivation and variety that we so dearly lack.

In this edition of our Life Explored series, we’ll be taking a closer look at how to make work as exciting as play and why wrist weights are the new must-have office accessories.

So slap on your favorite Zoom-meeting “OOTD” (sweatpants/blouse combo) and open up that Notes app because I’m about to bring you to work!

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Working a Life Explored with Office “Workouts” This Spring

Perhaps exercising isn’t something you find very relaxing, but the science (and Legally Blonde) says that working out produces calming endorphins that basically tell your body to chill out. Exercise literally alters the chemicals in your brain to reduce anxiety and depression across the board. 

If you’re seeking out new ways to get your heart pumping throughout the work day, try these simple yet effective “desk workouts!” 

• Arm Circles: Sit up straight in your desk chair with shoulders back and your head in a neutral position. Spread your arms out straight from your sides at shoulder height. Slowly circle your arms backwards for a beginning rep of 15 and repeat in forward circles. For an added challenge, strap on some wrist weights! 
• Leg Raises: Sitting up with correct posture, lift your right leg in front of you and completely straighten it. Now raise your leg to hip height. Raise and lower your straightened leg for reps of 10 & repeat on your left side. Increase your strength by adding ankle weights into your exercise! 
• Seated Abs: Scoot forwards in your chair so that you’re seated at its edge and lean your upper body backwards. Your torso should be in a diagonal line and your core engaged to balance your weight. Try to hold this position for 20 seconds and if that’s too easy, lean back even further with arms raised above your head. Try to repeat for 10 reps! 

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Working a Life Explored with Home Office Makeovers

Prioritizing our space has never been more important than it is right now. Our home environments have become whole worlds for us; gyms, restaurants, and yes, offices. When I don’t look forward to entering a space anymore, then I know it’s time for a change. And redesigning my space gets my heart seriously aflutter.  

To get started with your sprucing, check out these easy additions for a more aesthetically pleasing place to work: 

• Dress up your desk with a desk organizer, 1:1 Spiral Notebook or colorful houseplant. 
• Upgrade your seat! It’s where you’ll live for most of the day, so why not be as comfortable and luxurious as possible with a unique chair from Jayson Home? Check out the best chairs on the market for your home office.
• Design an accent wall with gorgeous artwork, statement mirrors, and bold wallpaper.

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Working a Life Explored through Break-Time Activities

Stress and exercise aren’t the only ways to get your heart rate up throughout the workday. Studies show that taking breaks from your workflow as short as 10 minutes can help with productivity, energy retention, and focus. 

These no-screen break-time activities are the perfect ways to give your eyes and brain a reset and your workday some real entertainment! 

• Read those magazines piled up on your coffee table! You subscribed for a reason and there’s been no shortage of material to report on, so I’m betting the recent articles are more stimulating than you remember. At the very least, maybe you won’t be entertained by them, in which case you can unsubscribe and save some cash! 
• Here’s one I’ve mastered! Take a nap. I know this one isn’t exactly a high cardio activity, but at 2:30 PM the idea of closing my eyes for 10 minutes is genuinely exhilarating. Kick off those slippers you wear throughout the day anyway, grab your favorite throw blanket and let your sofa do the rest. 
• Try knitting or other dexterity crafts. It has been proven to improve motor functioning skills and hand dexterity which is perfect for combatting the dreaded carpal tunnel. Knitting and crocheting are also known to reduce anxiety, boredom, and even symptoms of Alzheimer’s! 

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Always remember that the most important work we can do is work on ourselves. With an outside world full of obstacles, we must cultivate a universe of our own design, one that prioritizes our quality of life, on and off the clock.

Work a Life Explored this Spring!