May 23, 2017
This weekend, around BC, we welcomed the start of the summer. With temperatures rising close to 30°C in Vancouver, patios and beaches were packed. Now sunburnt and a little dehydrated we are back in the office looking longingly out the window with thoughts of happy hour specials and bike rides.
We love our computers and our work and we take our commitment to our clients seriously. This means we’ve become pros at balancing our excitement for Vancouver’s best season and the projects we are passionate about.
There’s no reason you can’t be a WordPress or Shopify wizard and take small steps every day to enjoying all the free vitamin D. Here are a few things you can try to stay happy, healthy & focused this season.
Remember, it’s better to do great, efficient work than it is toil endlessly while distracted by thoughts of beach volleyball and pool parties!
1. Stay Focused on your work.
The sun won’t be your only distraction this season, it’s all too easy to get lost in Instagram feeds of your friend’s & family’s vacations and adventures. You’ll need to be extra disciplined while at the office.
Consider downloading a browser extension to block your social media accounts during work hours. Sure, you can still get around them, they are just there to remind you the sooner you finish the sooner you can get back outside.
Also, consider the following to keep yourself on working efficiently.
- Listen to instrumental music. Podcasts and lyrical music can pull your focus away from what you working on.
- Keep your phone out of arm’s reach. Make yourself have to walk to it if you feel the itch to see what everyone up to.
- Turn off push notifications. Set a few times a day to check your messages and stick to it.
- Close unneeded windows and tabs. Keep open only the ones related to what you are working on.
2. Take Breaks!
Now that you’re getting the most out of time at your desk, you need to make sure you don’t burn out and resent sitting down in the first place!
The best way to do this is force yourself to take breaks. It’s easy to think of a break as time spent not working, but to truly get the most of a break you should unplug.
Go for walk, grab an (iced) coffee and go outside and really appreciate it! It’s the whole reason you are excited about the summer. Take five minutes every hour, go for walk, stand in the sun and just breathe. Facebook can wait. Using your brain to juggle social plans, manage to-do lists and keep up with current events is takes a toll. Use your short breaks to reset.
If you are still feeling pulled to spend your breaks online, consider trying one of the following.
- Start a potted garden at work and spend your breaks working on it.
- Bring your bike to work and go for a short ride on your lunch break.
- Ask one of your co-workers to join you for a lunch out.
- Write down, before you log on, what you want to accomplish and log off when you are done.
- Leave your phone at your desk during your breaks. Work can wait until you get back.
3. Find every excuse to be in the sun while at work.
It’s always more convenient to be inside the office, but it’s worth the effort to enjoy the sun. Grab a whiteboard and take it to the patio for brainstorming sessions.
You can also offer your client a cold beverage instead of a hot one and ask to have your meetings outside the office or on the patio. Chances are they are just as excited about the sun as you are and would prefer to be outside too.
If you still find you are losing your tan, you can try one of the following.
- Organize team building events. Chances are your team is just waiting for someone to take the initiative!
- Book a beach day. Although long vacations once a year are the norm, your mental health and productivity might improve if you took a beautiful sunny day to yourself once and awhile!
- Bring watermelon for your team and casually suggest you eat it outside.
Remember, there will be plenty of time to stay indoors this fall, but for now get creative, get active and enjoy the Vancouver sun.