Little Desk Rituals That Make the Workday Feel Better

I used to work for a business coaching firm. We worked late. A lot. Things were pretty disorganized, too.

One day, I booked a meeting with a client and went to meet them. What I didn't know? My manager had cancelled that meeting without telling me. Then she yelled at me in my office for trying to take over her business.

Wow.

When I left that job, I wanted to feel more focused and more in charge of my own life. So I started a new habit: affirmations. I wrote myself a set of them. They reminded me who I was, the impact I wanted to make at my new company, and that I was safe, respected and allowed to grow in my new role.

Turns out, the fix wasn't a new productivity app. It was a few tiny rituals, starting with those affirmations, that put me back in charge of my day. Here are six to start with.

1. Check in with yourself before your inbox

Before you open email, take two minutes with the Inner Voice Notebook for Daily Life. Jot down how you're feeling and what you want from today. It's a small pause that changes how the next eight hours feel.

Shop the Inner Voice Notebook for Daily Life

2. Sort your list into done and delegated

The Done & Delegated Notepad helps you split your list into what you'll do and what someone else can take. Seeing it on paper makes it so much easier to ask for help.

Shop the Done & Delegated Notepad

3. Keep a jotter for the in-between thoughts

Ideas show up in the middle of meetings. Keep one of the Jotter Notebooks beside your keyboard so those thoughts have a home and your brain can let them go.

4. Leave a kind note (for yourself or a coworker)

Tear off a page from the Hey You, In Case You Were Wondering Notepad and leave it on a coworker's monitor. Or stick one on your own. A little encouragement goes a long way on a Tuesday afternoon.

Shop the Hey You, In Case You Were Wondering Notepad

5. Decorate with intention

A Career Themed Sticker Sheet on your laptop or water bottle is a quiet reminder of who you're becoming at work.

6. Close the day on purpose

Before you log off, write down one win and one thing for tomorrow. Then shut the laptop. If you work from home, this matters even more. 5 Tips for Healthy Work-From-Home Boundaries has more ideas. Running on empty? Burnout Is Real walks through the signs and the steps back.

Here's an affirmation for your workday

I do my best work when I take care of myself. I focus on what matters, I ask for support with ease, and I end each day proud of what I gave.

Want this for your whole team?

I lead workshops on journaling, confidence and communication for teams across Canada, and PleaseNotes offers bulk and custom orders for employee gifts. Visit CherylSutherland.com or email wholesale@pleasenotes.com.

What's one desk ritual that keeps you sane at work? Share it in the comments!

About the author

Cheryl Sutherland is a confidence coach, keynote speaker, and the founder of PleaseNotes. She helps women own their worth through workshops, keynotes, and personal growth tools that make confidence something you can practise every day. Her work has been featured in Forbes, InStyle, HuffPost, Fast Company, and Thrive Global, and she's partnered with organizations like WestJet, Intuit, CBC, and Dress for Success. Want Cheryl to speak with your team? Visit CherylSutherland.com.