Most of us spend more waking hours at work than anywhere else. So why not make it a place where your body and brain can thrive? You don’t need a full lifestyle makeover—just a few smart tweaks to your daily routine.
Let’s make the office a little less blah and a lot more “ahh.”
Refill Your Coffee Mug
“Time flies when you’re…at the office?” OK, maybe that’s not the original phrase, but hear us out.
The scent of coffee actually messes with your brain clock in a good way. A study from the Smell & Taste Treatment and Research Foundation in Chicago found that smelling coffee made people feel like time zipped by 14 percent faster.
Why? According to neurologist Alan Hirsch, M.D., coffee is “a stimulant associated with productivity and alertness.” Translation: It keeps your brain busy enough to stop counting the minutes until quitting time.
Whether you drink it or just sniff it—coffee helps you focus, not fidget.
Make a Lunch Date with Mama Nature
Before you dive into your sandwich while scrolling emails, stop. Step outside.
Head to a park or any spot with trees and birdsong. Not just because it’s pretty, but because nature’s got real powers. In Japan, they call it “forest bathing.” No tub required. Just walk through a green space and let your senses soak it in.
Qing Li, M.D., from Nippon Medical School in Tokyo, says this kind of nature time can lower stress and boost your immune system’s natural killer cells. That means fewer colds—and less time stuck sniffling at your desk in July.
Nature isn’t just relaxing—it’s a full-body recharge.
Just Stand Up
Your chair might be slowly trying to kill you.
Sitting for hours raises your risk of heart disease, obesity, diabetes—even early death. Yikes.
Lucas Carr, Ph.D., from the University of Iowa, says the fix is simple: just get up once every hour. Set a timer, download a reminder (workrave.org is a good one), or train your bladder with regular water breaks.
Every time you stand, your metabolism kicks into a higher gear. Bonus: moving more helps raise your “good” cholesterol, too.
So don’t be a desk potato. Be the weird coworker who paces while reading emails.
Hit Happy Hour
Working late might impress the boss—but it could wreck your mood.
The Finnish Institute of Occupational Health tracked British workers and found something big: logging more than 11 hours a day regularly doubles your risk of major depression.
Double.
The antidote? Plans. Any plans. Post-work drinks, a walk with a friend, taco night—whatever gives you a reason to close your laptop and leave.
Make those after-hours plans sacred. Don’t flake.
And if anyone gives you side-eye for ducking out on time? Just tell them it’s doctor’s orders.