*I might make a small commission from links in this post but as always, all opinions are my own!
- OIL DIFFUSER & OILS THAT UP YOUR FOCUS & ENERGY – any time I am having a tough day or a tough time concentrating, I grab my oil diffuser and a focus blend! I also love LEMON OIL or PEPPERMINT OIL to wake me up & energize me. They’ll add a pep to your step and help you stay productive through the usual afternoon slump!
- LAPTOP STAND – this laptop stand is my solution to “tech neck”… Basically where you crane your neck to look at your phone or computer and end up super sore with a tension headache? Not to mention getting wrinkles in your neck at the same time! Putting your laptop on this stand helps you stay productive because you won’t end up sore & achy come the last few hours of your work day!
- NOISE BLOCKING HEADPHONES – I LOVE these for deep concentration and travel. Sometimes I don’t even play music! I just use them to a) tune everything else out and b) send a message to those around me that I’m not interested in chatting! When coworkers are driving you nuts, throw these on and they’ll get the message… And you won’t even notice them! (Pro tip: try some of the “focus” playlists on Spotify for relaxation and concentration! When I listen to them, I always find myself taking big DEEP breaths… So calming!)
- PHONE STAND – I love this phone stand because it makes it easy to charge your phone AND check texts/ calls/ emails without even picking up your phone. You can glance and decide if its relevant. Also, if you have a bigger iPhone like me, this keeps you from having to hold it yourself all day 😉 You guys also know I’m a BIG fan of turning my phone on airplane or “sleep” mode so that I can check it when I am ready for a break rather than being interrupted by buzzes every few seconds!
- BLUE LIGHT BLOCKING GLASSES – getting tension headaches midday? Not surprised at all! Most of us experience them. Something that has helped mine a ton has been switching to blue light blocking glasses. My job is 100% tech focused. I am always behind a screen so blue light blockers are KEY in keeping my focus and therefore productivity high!
- BED DESK – wanna be productive after hours? Or while having a sick day? I LOVE grabbing my big pillow, flipping on a show in the background, and getting some of my more mindless tasks checked off, lounging in bed. Without those tasks to worry about the next day, I can focus on tackling bigger issues & get more done!
- 32 OZ. TUMBLERS – this one is pure math. If you want to drink your 64 oz., you’ll only have to get up from your desk TWICE to fill up your water bottle to hit that mark with this tumbler. Using a regular glass, you’d have to pop up from your desk 8 times to hit that same mark! I also really recommend getting one with a straw because when it’s easy to sip, you’ll do it more just mindlessly! Hydration is key to staying alert, headache free, & your most cognitive so it helps you there as well!
- GOAL NOTEBOOK – with goals mapped out, you’re WAY more likely to reach them. Actually writing goals down in and of itself can help but not nearly as much as building a plan. This notebook will help you do both. Once you have your plan, it’s so much easier to decide where to spend your time & how to be most productive with it.
- STRENGTH FINDER – this book is invaluable in learning how to best spend your time. The strength finder explains that spending your time building on your strengths will always produce more results than trying to build on your weaknesses. No matter HOW hard I try to be a biochemist… I may make SOME progress, but I’ll probably never BE GREAT at it. BUT, if I spent that same amount of time building on my natural strengths? FIRE! So it is important to get to know yourself. Get to know your REAL strengths and weaknesses (this is an important part of self discovery – spending time doing this is SO VITAL for both your personal & professional development). Strength Finder is a book that helps you better understand your own strengths and weaknesses and that of others. Get the book, take the test. They’ll give you your top 3 strengths for free and with another small payment, you can unlock all of the various strengths (there are 50) ranked in accordance to what you’re best at to what you’re worst at. Use those strengths as a guiding focus for you throughout your day and you will get much more done!
- POSTURE PILLOW – we all know feeling uncomfortable will keep you from working at your best pace. It’ll break your focus all day long! Having a posture pillow helps keep you comfortable, upright, and working at full speed!