Fri, October 23, 2009 - 2:24:05

Need an Energy-Boost?  Try Thinking Small!

It’s 3:00 p.m. and as if by magic, you feel like all of the energy has been zapped from your system.  You sit at your desk, rest your hands atop your keyboard, and suddenly just zone out. 

Sound familiar?  If so, you’re not alone, because like many others, you’re probably engaging in unconscious behaviors that are actually sucking the energy right out of you.  Luckily, you can reenergize yourself just by making a few little changes to your routine.  And it all starts with thinking small.

As John Salerno, MD, a family physician in New York City tells Denise Schipani of Woman’s Day Magazine, little, seemingly innocuous things like cluttered spaces, lack of fresh air, email overload, and even office gossip can actually have a huge effect on your energy level.  But, with our small tips, you can revitalize your day and become more productive.

Clear the clutter. As Dr. Salerno tells Woman’s Day, the human brain is hard wired to reject cluttered surroundings.  In fact, overstuffed spaces can actually trigger stress receptors in the brain.  So, ease your mind by de-cluttering your desk.  But, instead of going on an all-out cleaning frenzy, try Simplicity Works Organizing Services owner Molly Boren’s tip and “take five.” Zero in on five objects clogging up your space and either stow them away or toss them out.  Instantly, you will feel more relaxed.

Don’t multitask, minitask. Multitasking has long been synonymous with “high-functioning,” but for many folks, it just leaves you feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. So, if you have a particularly busy day, take 15 minutes to list out all of your tiny to-dos one by one.  By completing each little minitask, you’ll accomplish the big stuff before you know it.

Get some air. If you’re languishing in the afternoon doldrums, give yourself five minutes to get out of the office and take in a little fresh air and natural light.  Not only will the change of scenery re-inspire your mind, the outdoor breeze can actually help enhance your energy by ridding your body of the chemicals released into the air by some industrial cleaning products and fabrics in your office.

Say something nice. We’ve always said that the negative energy propagated by gossip is like a germ that slowly infects everyone around you and as Schipani writes, a 2006 Northwestern University study found that negative coworkers can actually hinder your own job performance.  So, give your colleagues and your spirits a boost by giving compliments instead of feeding the rumor mill.

Take a small reward.  If you’ve minitasked your way to success, why not reward yourself for your small accomplishment?  If you’re a sweet tooth, try keeping a stash of fun-size chocolates in your desk drawer and treat yourself with one when you’ve marked several action items off of your to-do list.  Knowing you get a reward at the end of your work will motivate you to keep on going.

Posted by Linda and Robin