The monotony of a desk job can really get to you when you’re used to living three minutes from campus, setting your own schedule, and being in class with friends. Desk jobs are often a necessary evil to gain experience in your desired field post-university, but they can actually be really rewarding and beneficial.
Over the course of the past few summers, I have completed probably 84 million spreadsheets and photocopied no less than a billion annual reports, allowing me to find some easy and practical solutions to make office life a bit more exciting.
1) The Power of a Good Playlist
If your boss is cool with it, pop in the headphones and work away. In addition to being a great mood booster, listening to music has also been shown to increase productivity. In an open plan office, background noise is inevitable and can be distracting. While the most famous theory linking academic or cognitive success and music is the “Mozart effect,” which says that listening to Mozart makes you smarter, really any music that you enjoy can make hours of spreadsheets a bit more exciting.
2) Express Yourself
Adding a small plant, photos, and cute office supplies to your desk can serve as a serious happiness boost. You spend the same amount of time at your desk as you do in your bedroom, so why not treat it the same way? Hang up a few photos of your dog, friends, or fam to look at when you’re feeling burnt out.
Air plants and succulents are also a great way to bring the outside in! Some studies show they increase productivity and air quality in large indoor spaces.
3) Make a to-do list (and actually do it!)
There is possibly no better feeling than crossing completed tasks off your list. It’s a super easy way to stay organized and on track as other things pop up throughout the day. Bullet journaling has become a popular trend and creates a really pretty and easy way to track your tasks, short-term projects, and long-term goals. Bullet journals are created specially to increase productivity and organization and to make life easier.
4) Drink More Water
There are two main benefits to drinking water throughout the day: one, it makes you have to pee a lot, so you’re forced to get up from your desk, take a walk to the bathroom, and stretch out your legs; and two, water is vital for survival, so no big deal or anything, but you need it. Staying hydrated also keeps your mind sharper and can serve as a much-need mid-afternoon refresher if you add mint, lemon, or other fresh fruit to it.
5) Pack yourself a great lunch
Packing yourself a lunch is great because it saves a ton of money, and forces you to get creative with your cooking skills. There are dozens of articles and blogs geared towards workplace lunches, and many Spoon University posts to get you started. Banish your sad salad lunch forever, because frankly, life is just too short to eat plain iceberg lettuce.
6) Remember to take breaks
Breaks are so important to self-care and staying in the right head space to creating positive environments for yourself and for those around you. If you can, try to go outside to get a change of scenery so you can come back to work refreshed and reenergized. Take a stretch, check in with a friend, or grab a coffee, whatever you need to do to mix up your day a bit.
Using these six methods of fighting workplace boredom will ensure that your summer internship is anything but tedious. The next time you find yourself mindlessly staring at a screen in the office, you’ll know exactly what to do.