Do you work in an office setting or space? Are you behind a desk, in front of a screen (on average) 8 hours a day? Well, then this list is for you. I have several office essentials I keep at work. I find that I need an array of things throughout the day and having them available makes work life a bit more manageable.
1. Beauty Products & Selfcare Essentials
I decided to group all the beauty products into one because,
well, there's several I keep at work including:
- Deodorant
- ChapStick
- Hairbrush
- Nail clippers
- Lotion
- Toothbrush
- Toothpaste
- Floss
- band aids
- Nail file
- Ice pack
- Rice bag
- feminine products
- Pain reliever.
See, it's a lot. But here's the thing, you will need these
things and might've already asked a co-worker for one of these items at some
point in time. Hopefully not the toothbrush or deodorant...
2. Condiments & Salad Dressing
Did you read my last blog? If you didn't, that's okay, but then you might not know how much I love salad! Because I tend to eat a lot of fresh veggies, I keep salad dressing at work. I also keep salad dressing at work for convenience. It's time consuming to fill a small container and rewash it every morning and night when I pack and unpack my lunch.
We also keep mayo, mustard, ketchup, BBQ sauce, salsa, sour
cream and butter at work. We tend to share amongst our team so our condiments
selection in the fridge door is well stocked.
3. Healthy Snacks & Coffee
I am a grazer and snacker. I like to munch on pretzels, trail mix, granola, peppers and cucumbers. There's so many good snacks that I must have two snacks every day. Therefore, I keep healthy snacks in my office. If I don't, I'll end up raiding the candy dishes/jars and turn to unhealthy eating.
Honestly, coffee should be at the top of this list! It's a staple. I recently asked on my personal social media what I could do instead of Keurig cups. I got a lot of recommendations and have added this pour over to my wish list. I typically bring a cup of coffee from home but having coffee grounds at the office, and flavored creamer gives me the flexibility to have a second cup or pick me up if I need it. That afternoon cup of joe can be a game changer.
4. Regular Office Essentials
I'm talking about pens, planners, notebooks, highlighters, and sticky notes but, not just any random kind. I stock my desk space with pens I enjoy writing with, highlighter colors that aren't in your face bright, fun colors of sticky notes. I take time choosing a planner that fits how I function, with space for to-do lists. I also choose a notebook with thinner ruled lines and a spiral so I can flip the cover and use pages behind it to keep it open for easy note taking. Regular office essentials matter to my mood and impact my organization and motivation, so I choose them wisely. Is this a real thing? I might go research that.
5. Books
This wouldn’t be Booked In Michigan without books so I can’t go without mentioning them, right? I have a few stacks of books in my office; some I’ve read and some I haven’t. Part of our culture is education so most of the books in my space are for those purposes. We read often, at least 15 minutes a day, but there are days I get to the office early and sit and read for longer. A few titles I have are: Digital Body Language, Flip the Funnel and Get Over Your Damn Self, Big Magic, Only Love Today, and Life is Messy God is Good. These books are so great to return to repeatedly.
6. Shoes
I joke about having 2 wardrobes in Michigan but it's true. One for warm months and one for cold months. This is true for shoes, as well. I tend to have a few pairs of shoes at work at any given time. In the winter when I wear boots to work, I'll change into dressy boots when I get there. In the cooler mornings I wear covered shoes and change into strappy sandals or lighter shoes once the day warms up. Instead of carrying shoes back and forth and not having the shoes I need while at work I just keep them at the office. Being able to change my shoes when I need to is nice and convenient.
Are you seeing a trend here? All the things I keep at the
office are for convenience. If you get a hangnail, you’ve got clippers. If you
need to brush your teeth, no problem. I am not one to hope in the car and go
buy whatever I need. Once I am at the office I typically like to stay there. If
you’re looking for some convenience in your workday try adding a few beauty
products, condiments, snacks, essentials and possibly shoes to your office
space before you need them.
