Office Essentials

I love my job, but I also I spend a lot of time at work which means that I like to have some comforts throughout my day. Throughout my two months at my current office, I have found some items that the work day would be terrible without.

Wireless Headphones: My office is really lenient about using headphones while we are working, which is great because it helps me get through the day. I love to use them to listen to podcasts or music while I’m working.

• Podcasts: Podcasts are great when I am having a slow day at the office. Working on light tasks like editing social media posts or pulling data to create various reports allows me to focus on the host(s) and stories. I find that podcasts really pass the time if I feel like the day is dragging along. Some of my favorite podcasts include: Unhappy Hour with Matt Bellasai, S-town, The Read, and of course the podcast that started it all for me, Serial

• Background Music: The temptation to sing along while listening to familiar music when I am trying to work on projects is way too strong, so I like to listen to various lyric-less background music throughout the day. This Coffee House Jazz playlist on Spotify is my absolute favorite work playlist. Just like the name implies, it really makes you feel like you are just sitting and working in a cozy coffee shop and really ups my productivity.

Throw Blanket: I get so incredibly cold in my office. It is outrageously hot outside, so obviously I can’t wear heavy winter clothes indoors. I (along with most of my office mates) keep a small throw blanket to cover my legs at my desk for the days where I feel like I will die an icy death at work.

Tervis: I actually keep two different Tervis cups at my desk: one 16oz mug for my coffee and one 24oz tumbler for my water. I like to make coffee as soon as I get to the office so I prefer using a Tervis with a lid to keep it warm while I get busy and situated in the morning.

Planner: I am a diehard fan of my outlook calendar, so I don’t use my planner to plan my day. Instead, I use each day’s page as a list of things I have done during that day. For example, if I have an important email I have to send I will put it down in my planner once I’ve completed it so if someone comes by and asks when/if I’ve done something I can go back and reference that I have actually done it.

Snacks: I got to Sam’s Club every so often to buy bulk, pre-portioned snacks that I can bring to work to get me through the day. They are really helpful since I don’t typically eat breakfast (which is bad, I know) so I tend to get a little peckish before lunch time rolls around. Some of my favorite workday snacks are apples, granola bars, and goldfish crackers.