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On the 9th of May will mark my one year anniversary of having a full time job, which I can’t believe has already come around, it doesn’t feel like two minutes ago that I was walking into the office for the first time and being introduced to the team. I was in full panic mode that day and for a few weeks after that, the problem was for me was that I was getting so stressed I was struggling to take anything in, and then getting more stressed. But over the last year of working full time, I’ve learnt a lot and become a hella lot more confident and I have the people I work with for that. Somehow even with struggling with mental health issues and work draining me from time to time, I am proud of myself for making it this far and I am excited for the future. Today I have decided to share with you my top tips for making it through the working week and taking care of yourself at the same time.
Don’t give up:
The first few months of my job were difficult and I did consider giving it up, I was struggling with going from working 12 hours a week to 37, and being someone who struggles with not having town time, it was a lot for me. Along with this I was struggling to reach out and ask questions in case of sounding dumb, it was horrible. I made a friend and he was a very good friend to me, and it helped me with my confidence, but as he was new like me, the managers decided against me asking him, which set me back a little. In the long run though it made me push myself out my comfort zone and ask those people I wouldn’t without that crutch. For the first 6 months at work, I had two friends who I struggled to be without. But I kept at it, started talking to more people and getting to know them and I felt amazing, like I was sat in a room with others and talking to them. My two friends have now left and despite feeling a little lonely on some of my shifts I know I am not alone.
Self Care:
When working in an office it is easy to fall into a rountine of sitting down all day and eating junk food at your desk, I am hugely guilty for this. Sitting at my desk always seems to make me hungrier, I feel like if someone around you is eating it makes it harder to not want to eat what they’re eating. I often struggle with sitting down for long periods of time, so I do move around a lot and take regular breaks away from my desk. I found this great infographic of tips for helping you get a healthier work balance. I am lucky as my work offers yoga once a week and a lot of my friends go on walks at lunch, although I am not a huge fan of walking (understatement) I have to admit when I do walk it gives me a boost.
It’s ok to take a step back:
For me this involved having to take some time off sick as advised by my doctor and then readjust how many days I would be working. We decided it would be better if I only worked 4 days instead of 5, and suddenly it felt like a weight had been lifted. I am the kind of person who needs a recovery day in between doing things, so this gave me the chance to do that and become the person I felt like I was before, it also gave me motivation back with blogging which is always a bonus!
*What are your tips for a healthier work life?
