Summer survival hacks to stay on track at work

During Summer it might be harder for us to concentrate, especially at the office. You find yourself constantly daydreaming about the holidays you just came back from or the upcoming ones. Palm trees, the sound of the waves, the breeze …

The sun keeps on shining through the office window and distracts you from your duties. To prevent this, there are some basic hacks that I believe help a lot to keep our dreamy minds stay on track while working during the summer in the concrete jungle. Basic things that we should actually be doing on a regular basis, but we tend to skip due to the urban speed of life.

First of all, eating well is a MUST. It might sound cliché but it is more important than we think. Summer days are very long and we have to be fit to be able to end the day feeling good. No matter what time of the year it is. A quick sandwich should only be a once a week thing. Eating well, “healthy” and on time will help you have the energy that you need to last until late at night. So, change your diet to be able to make it until the end of the warm day like a pro.

Working, yes, overworking, nah…! Even though this hack might be harder to follow when you run your own business and you don’t really have a 9 to 5 job, it is important to have it in mind. Nevertheless, I have to admit that I am actually the first one to find myself working late at night, so this is a good reminder for myself too. We should always try to find our balance, and even more, if you are combining your fulltime job with your mom duties. By finding our balance I also mean, being able to unplug from your duties for a little bit every day. Trying not to take your work home (if possible!) and enjoying the summer. We leave in Europe and here in Vienna summers are short, sometimes very short, so enjoying the season is always on my list. At the end of the day, it is only one life we get to live and we should take advantage of all the cool things and events happening during this season.

Sleeping enough and enjoying a stress-free morning should also be part of your summer survival list. It should actually be an all-year-around kind of thing, but that’s not always possible. Always have in mind that while the temperatures are up, everything we do demands a little bit more of energy and that’s why sleeping our hours is important. To be able to reactivate our system every morning and enjoying a stress-free morning process, sleeping is key.

Drinking, drinking and drinking … water of course! Any other form of liquid is entirely up to you. Cheeky. Staying hydrated will be the only way to keep you and your brain focused on your tasks.

The cold shower factor. Brrr. I know, it’s cold and not easy but it will boost your endorphins to a level similar to where they would be after exercise. So, a quick cold shower in the morning might give you that extra boost of energy  to start your day on the right track. Pure magic and extremely good for your health.

Last but not least, try doing the most important work in the morning. This is the time of the day when your concentration level is higher and it will be easier for you to finish the day with the “easy stuff” before your adventurous brain starts daydreaming of palm trees and waves again.

DEUTSCH

Die Sommerhitze drückt, Feriengefühle kommen auf, Traumbilder von Meer und Strand gehen durch unseren Kopf … und wir sitzen im Büro. Was tun, um auch an solchen heißen Tagen fit zu bleiben? Hier einige Tipps:

Wer auch den Abend noch genießen möchte – und wer will das nicht? – der darf auf gesundes Essen nicht verzichten, sollte übrigens nach Möglichkeit auch ausschlafen. Denn gesundes Essen wie genügend Schlafen gibt Energie und hält so länger fit (und jung!).

Auch wäre es falsch, aus lauter Gewohnheit länger im Büro zu sitzen als unbedingt notwendig. Oder – typisch für selbständige Working Moms – Arbeit mit nach Hause zu nehmen, wenn es sich vermeiden lässt. Lieber mal an einem lauen Abend die Seele baumeln lassen, den Sommer geniessen… Rosé olé!

Dann natürlich trinken. Viel trinken! Der Körper braucht Flüssigkeit. Am besten Wasser – im Büro ganz sicher.

Ja, und wer nun noch Probleme beim Wachwerden hat, der sollte sich doch einmal überlegen, ob eine kalte Dusche wirklich so furchtbar ist. Klar, ist nur für die Harten, aber hilft. Einmal frisch, lassen sich nun die wirklich wichtigen Dinge schwungvoll erledigen, bevor wir die Hitze wieder so richtig spüren … und vielleicht doch wieder von Palmen und Stränden träumen.