(In)sane in the Membrane

It’s almost official, as of May 23rd I will have reached my one year anniversary with NSS RPO. To think that an entire year has flown by in the workplace, I reflect on my development and how I transformed into the young professional I am now. However, as I’m sure many of you experience the same feeling, how did we get here!? And, how can we keep going!

When it comes to making it through the work day, there are necessary things such as coffee… But also, mid-day mental breaks. I’d like to address some of my own methods of how to mentally checkout for a lunch break, and then jump right back into being productive. These are just simple techniques that I learned throughout the ole college study days, that absolutely translate over to the corporate lifestyle.

READ! Probably one of the easiest things to do during a busy work day is to grab a book you’ve wanted to read and take a moment during lunch to crush a few chapters. Reading any text can help to get your mind off those stressful tasks sitting back in the office. Think of it as an escape for whatever amount of time you may have.

EXERCISE! Yes, working out during a work day is doable. If you’re working out of the office, pack a lunch to eat while you work and utilize your lunch hour to take a class at the gym. Once again, exercising can reduce stress or built up tension, while also releasing endorphins to make you relax and happy. If you’re working virtually for the day, you can utilize your lunch break or even go for a walk while listening to a conference call or having a conversation with a client or candidate.

BE WISE! We all know the mid-day hump. The lunch coma that sinks in as you sit down to grind again. There are many approaches to fighting this, obviously, the mid-day cup of joe. But, try your best to eat a high in protein and high in vegetable lunch. You can find yourself with much more energy following lunch if you try your best to avoid heavy meals (lots of bread, carbs, pasta, subs, etc. – I am no nutritionist, just what I have experienced!).

QUICK BREAK! If you are able after a long call, or sitting a while at the computer – get up and walk it out! Take a quick lap around your office floor, walk up and down the stairwell just to get those creative juices flowing again. We can only stare at computers for so long before we start to go cross eyed. Give your brain a rest. Another thing I learned from college is to do some breathing exercises to refocus and listen to your body. The following breathing exercise successfully slows your heart rate and calms your central nervous system. Breathe in for 4 seconds, hold for 7 seconds, and exhale for 8 seconds (repeat!).

TEAM BONDING! This may be an obvious choice, but my favorite days are when we grab lunch as a team. Not only are we getting our minds off crazy candidates and clients, but we are given a chance to hang out and take a beat as a team. After these lunches, I feel energized to sit back down and get to work.
How do you stay sane daily? Any methods that I’m missing out on!?

Emma Sieber is an Internal Recruiter at NSS RPO, a consulting firm that provides on-site and virtual recruiting professionals. Contact NSS RPO to learn about how we can help your organization meet and exceed it’s hiring goals.