- Get up
- Work
- Eat Dinner
- Go to sleep
- Repeat
Ugh. When you think about it, it's a little depressing, right?
So I have a question, is your work fun and fulfilling?
If your answer is yes, you can stop reading and tell us what your secret is in the comments below. You're a rockstar, please share your juju.
If your answer is no, let's chat... If you're spending 80 percent of your waking hours at work, and it's not fun and fulfilling, then your life is going to get pretty depressing really fast, if it hasn't already. And when life is miserable, you're going to find the easiest, cheapest way to get a boost of happiness -- eating. Usually in the form of cookie dough and endless chips.
If you're wondering why you keep finding your hand in a bag of Doritos even though you want to lose weight so much, and you cry yourself to sleep every night wondering, "why can't I just have more willpower?" I need you to understand something really important:
The problem is not your willpower. The problem is your job.
The key to ending emotional eating is to identify the source of our misery. For many of us it's a draining, uninspiring job.
Here's the good news, there is something you can do about it. And you don't have to quit your job or find your purpose. I have three easy things you can do this week to make your job more fun, more fulfilling and less draining even if you dread going to work every day.
Connect with your coworkers.
Do you know the names of your co-workers kids? What they are doing this weekend? Have you ever gone to happy hour and made a point to not talk about work?
No? Start getting to know the person in the cubicle next to you. Real human connection makes our days more meaningful and helps them go by super fast.
Take time for yourself besides a trip to the vending machine.
The 15 minutes you spend choosing between Wheat Thins and Oreos in the break room does not count as a break. Typically the only breaks we take during the day are to eat, and that's because we usually feel guilty for pausing, or we honestly have no idea what to do.
Instead, bring in a stack of magazines to work to read throughout the day, open the window and take 10 deep breaths, check out your favorite blog, take a walk around the block, get a 10-minute back massage at your local nail salon (this one helped me lose my first 15 pounds).
When I worked in advertising, my boss came up to me one time when I was reading Martha Stewart Living at my desk and said sarcastically, "working hard I see." I responded politely by saying, "I'm actually two days ahead of schedule on my projects and I find that when I give my brain a rest for a few minutes I produce much better work. While you're here, is there anything else I can get done for you?"
I never got ridiculed again for taking a break.
Spruce up your space.
Your mood, happiness and productivity is linked to your environment. If you're spending most of your time in a messy, dark, ugly, depressing office or cubicle, then you're going to feel ugly, messy and depressed. Liven up your space. Buy pretty folders, organize your papers, and bring fresh flowers for your desk. The more put together your space is, the more put together you will be. I'm serious, try it out.
Alright, I know it can be so easy to just go through the motions of your day and do things like you've always done them, but if you really want to start liking your job and stop feeling the need to snack all day, then you need to follow the three steps above.
To keep yourself accountable, I want you to post three things you're going try next week in the comments below, so we can all cheer you on.
I know that if you get to know your co-workers, take fun little breaks and brighten up your space that your work is going to start being fun and fulfilling even if you currently hate your job.
I can't wait to hear about your plans!
Love,
Sarah
P.S. Click here to check out my free online workshop to help you get out of Body Jail with my non-diet approach to Live More, Weigh Less and Feel Amazing In Your Body NOW.