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In the era of digital entrepreneurs, working from home, and tech innovation, office jobs are still rather prevalent, but not everyone considers them the epitome of a dream career. If you consider yourself a member of this gang, and you find that Mondays are already punishment enough even without the cubicle, you might need some quick and easy ways to improve your office days.

Let’s go over a few simple tips you can implement as soon as your next work day, and watch those hours become far more bearable. In fact, scratch that. Use them to help you thrive, have more fun, and get creative at your office, not just to survive!

Make the most of sitting down

While most experts would instantly scream “get a standing desk!” in your face, as this sedentary office life indeed is unhealthy, not every office provides one for its workers. That said, not every job is so well paid that you’d be too eager to invest in one, or to be the only one using it for that matter, as you would, if you will, stand out.

What you can do is ask or invest in an ergonomic chair with proper lumbar support to avoid any nagging back and neck pain. You can also install an under-the-desk elliptical to boost your energy during the day – it sometimes works even better than coffee.

Stay in the loop

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If there’s a networking event coming up, you want to be on the guest list. You might as well make the most of office work and mingle with the right crowds to further your knowledge and keep growing your skills. Many companies send their employees to conferences and seminars to different countries, which means you might even get to see a new city and work some sightseeing into your schedule. Office jobs do have perks!

Walking lunches

No standing desk? No problem. You can use your lunch break and turn it into an hour of light exercise paired with munching on your favorite meal. While not every office has a nearby park to escape to, even a stride down the street can do you good as you enjoy your meal. You’ll be less likely to gulp on your food, but eat more slowly and savor the taste, and you’ll spend some time outside the office, which can help you reboot your brain before you need to go back to your desk.

 

Suit up…or don’t

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The modern office has changed since the highly formal times of our grandparents. That said, there are still a few corporations out there which like their employees all dressed up, but the vast majority of forward-thinking offices encourage their employees to wear business casual, which now means jeans and sneakers, too.

Thanks to the rising popularity of athleisure, as well, you can now easily pair your favorite Nike shoes with your jeans and a button-down shirt, and use it as your go-to office ensemble. If you’re going to spend hours at the office, why not make sure you’re comfortable while there?

Kick distractions

One of the greatest enemies of office jobs are the various distractions you face daily. In fact, anyone who works in an office will likely tell you that they spend half their time battling distractions in order to be able to use the other half to actually work. Not only would you feel much better if you had more control of your time, but you’d also feel more accomplished when you see the results of your labor.

So, use a time-tracking app to make sure you learn the most relevant leaks on your work schedule. Then you can, for example, get noise-cancelling headphones to let your colleagues know you’re busy, and tune out the outside chaos. This will give you a chance to take care of internal distractions and the external factors that wreak havoc on your productivity.

Find a friend

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It seems that science is on the side of folks who make friends at work. A study concluded that people who build office friendships are 50% happier than those who don’t, so if your goals is to enjoy your work hours, spend it with people you like and know. Of course, no need to force these relationships, but if there’s a friend-spark there, use it to boost your office mood.

 

Once you start implementing these tips, your office life will quickly become far more rewarding, and your productivity will flourish. It boils down to finding the best ways to make the most of what your job has to give, and if you’re fulfilled with your career, working in an office will no longer stand in the way of your happiness!