Desk Job & Yoga

As much as I love my job- and I REALLY do- it can be tough to sit at a desk all day. Combine this with the fact that I was in a car accident a few years ago and damaged my back/shoulder/neck...I sometimes find myself in pain. 

I am lucky to work for an organization that is pro-active in the health and wellness of it's employees. Our HR department used to meet three times a week to stretch together- all employees were invited to join. Next week, my work will have a more formal 3-times a week stretch break. I enjoyed the HR stretches and am looking forward to participating in the new stretch break too.

Image Via Cure Joy

 Last week, this article- 5 Yoga Poses That Can Fix The Damage Your Desk Job Is Causing Your Body (With Method And Benefits) - from curejoy.com. I have been doing these yoga poses on a daily basis since coming across this article. These poses are simple to do, it's a quick yoga routine, and they have definitely helped with the aches and pains my back/neck have been experiencing the past few weeks.

Suggestion Box- Week 5

I was so incredibly lucky to have two really great students working with me this summer. They were both hard workers, super productive and really nice and really funny girls. There was a lot of laughing in our office, they kept me entertained.
  They, jokingly, asked if they could have a suggestion box when they could anonymously leave suggestion on how I can do my job better. Of course, I agreed and told them that we will read the suggestions at our weekly team meeting.

L was done last Friday-but made suggestions all last week- and N's last day is today. This week might have been the end of the suggestion box, which is sad. Anyway, here are this weeks suggestions:   Breakfast meetings weekly. I can get behind supporting this.

(2) if you haven't read (1 )yet wait!! --> Turn page. I was confused by this and there was nothing on the back. N told me, when I read this, that L said she was going to hide things for us to find.

Melissa should get to play music M-F when L's gone. N and I both like country music, so we're ok with each other's playlist selections. L did not like country- or Luke Bryan.

Wish I was here! -Anonymous! ;) wink ;) wink. I wonder who wrote that...and we wished she was here too!!

JK! Look in the 2nd drawer!! More confusion. I looked in the second drawer and found a paper airplane.

Massages while we work. Something else I can get behind but will likely not happen.

More coffee pods ASAP. We are a coffee drinking office and are currently out of coffee pods for our coffee machine.

Rearrange office, have a "moving day". The running theme this summer is that we should rearrange our office.

Candy jar (always full). We used to be really good about always having snacks (chocolate, timbits) in our office, but haven't been consistent and have been snackless from time to time.

Open the top drawer of Lindsey's desk (1). Still confusing, but starting to make more sense. Still only found the airplane.

Walking at lunch on the track. We have a walking track at work, which we always talk about using but never actually do.


Another great week with great suggestions. I had a text from L on Monday night (Monday morning is when we go through the suggestions) asking about the suggestions. It turns out that she was sending us on a hunt for the paper airplane...because she can make them really well and the rest of us can't.

Things are going to be much less fun and entertaining around here next week.
  Previous weeks suggestions: Week 1
Week 2 Week 3

Week 4

Suggestion Box Week 4

I am so incredibly lucky to have two really great students working with me this summer. They are both hard workers, super productive and really nice and really funny girls. There is a lot of laughing in our office, they keep me entertained.

They, jokingly, asked if they could have a suggestion box when they could anonymously leave suggestion on how I can do my job better. Of course, I agreed and told them that we will read the suggestions at our weekly team meeting.

This week was the last meeting with both students, as today is L's last day. But both students have been making suggestions all week, so I'm looking forward to hearing her last suggestions. Anyway, here are this weeks suggestions:

I want a party is L gets one!!! This was actually written by L and she signed it with N's name. This was also L's way of saying she wants a party on her last day.

Decorate office for L's going away party. Written by L and another hint.

We should make a Bingo sheet for committee meeting! Haha. This was something fun for us to do. We had bingo cards made and we played after the meeting.

Melissa should file through the 2 week old pile on her desk!!! When I was on vacation, the students cleaned and organized my desk. They left a pile of stuff for me to go through because they weren't sure what the stuff was, how it should be filed or if it could be thrown out.

Make more suggestions. I encourage them to make suggestions.

Pick up balloons from other office for L's surprise party. Another hint for a party.

Find better bowling location. We went bowling and had fun, but there was some challenges; like when our game disappeared from the screen and they gave away our lane when we were mid-game.

I can write backwards with my lefthand!! This was actually written backwards and with her left hand.

Previous weeks suggestions:

Week 1
Week 2

Week 3

Summer Student Gifts & 3 Year Anniversary

Happy Thursday!!! I am in better spirits then I was yesterday; thanks to the people you texted, commented and emailed...I truly appreciate it!! My better mood also comes thanks to a girls night I had with one of my good friends last night. She came over, we had fast food (good idea last night, bad idea this morning...I can't take that grease!), drank wine and just hung out. It was nice to spend time with her- I've seen her a handful of times, but the last time we truly hung out was in April- and talk about stuff not related to work, which is causing stress and headaches for us both.

I have mentioned a few times that I have two amazing students working with me this summer. Tomorrow is the last day for one of them and the other is done next Thursday. So, I am taking them out for lunch today as a thank you for everything they have done. I tried to make this summer a fun one for them and give them tasks that were meaningful but enjoyable. They also did stuff that wasn't so fun; stuffing envelopes and organizing closets and my desk. They were hard, productive workers and I was lucky to have them work with me. They were also highly entertaining, as demonstrated by their suggestion box, lots of laughter in our office.

On top of taking them out for lunch, I wanted to send them off with a little something as a thank you and to remember their summer working with me. This is what they are getting:

 

•  Magnetic boards- I have one on my desk that they both admired, so I decided to make them each one. I love these prints!!! I also made the magnets; I'll have a glitter magnet tutorial in the next week or so. You can find out how I made the magnetic boards here.
• Red solo cup shot glasses- I do not encourage them to drink (they are both over 19, the legal age to drink in Ontario), but every time we saw these at a store, they asked if we could buy them and I said no.
• Bubbles in a pink container- Who doesn't love bubbles?!?! Blowing bubbles is actually very relaxing and a stress reliever for me. Weird, I know, but it works. I figured they could use these to relax when they are back in school. Also, at their request, we had a spirit day where everyone wore pink.
• Bingo dabbers- Also at their suggestion, we played bingo at meetings. They would create bingo cards with things like 'Melissa will break something' or 'So and So will be the first to arrive'. Just a little fun activity.
• Stickers- I give out stickers, not just to the students, but to all my co-workers. I couldn't find gold stars, but I did find apples with A+ and these ribbons that say things like 'good job' and 'you're #1'.
• Necklace- I was at a Celtic Festival earlier this month and was on the hunt for something meaningful to give them. I found a vendor who handmade necklaces and they all have special meaning. This is what I picked:

I picked this necklace for two reasons; this is one of my favourite Celtic symbols and it's for protection and success, which I thought was fitting for them both.

Everything is packaged in pink bags with pink tissue paper, to go along with the pink spirit day we had last week. I have no idea where we are going for lunch, as I am letting them pick. But I'll be giving them their gifts at lunch. I hope they'll like them.

Three years ago today, a place that I consider one of my homes, was hit by an F3 tornado. It was a devastating, scary and interesting experience. Three years later, you can see all of the changes that have been made- new buildings, new trees- but the town is still rebuilding. It's no longer a disaster zone, but once again the prettiest town in Canada.

For pictures and to learn about my personal experience, you can go here.

Suggestion Box Week 2

I am so incredibly lucky to have two really great students working with me this summer. They are both hard workers, super productive and really nice and really funny girls. There is a lot of laughing in our office, they keep me entertained. 

They, jokingly, asked if they could have a suggestion box when they could anonymously leave suggestion on how I can do my job better. Of course, I agreed and told them that we will read the suggestions at our weekly team meeting. 

Here are this weeks suggestions:

Melissa should keep her desk clean, tidy and organized. My work space is a bit chaotic, as most event planner's are. Both the students are super organized and while I was on vacation, they cleaned and organized my entire work space.

Practice rubbing your tummy and patting your head at the same time, please. Before I left on vacation, I was asked if I could do rub my tummy and pat my head at the same time. I cannot.

Everyone should send cute animal pictures on Tuesday. Last Tuesday, we each emailed each other a cute/funny animal picture.

Create a quote board. I think this is related to last week's suggestion that we keep track of funny things said in the office.

Melissa is great at giving us lots to do.  At our weekly meetings, I assign tasks for the week. I thought this suggestion was bad, as in I give them too much. I was assured that they like that I give them stuff because it keeps them busy and makes the day go by.

Walkie Talkies. I asked them to provide context in next weeks suggestion box, because I don't get it. The three of us are in the same room and the two of them sit across from each other.

Music that we ALL enjoy should be played. The one student and I both love country music. Student 1 gets music selection on Monday and Wednesday. Student 2 gets Tuesday and Thursday. I get Friday.

Don't be funny when Melissa's drinking. This was my suggestion. They two of them are hilarious and I have come very close to spitting out and.or choking on my drink many, many, many times.

Use more constructive criticism. I asked them to do more things for me to criticize.

Try to abandon us less. I used three vacation days recently and I frequently go into meetings that last for hours.

Keep your area organized. See first suggestion for context.

I love going through this suggestions! Sometimes they are helpful but most of the time they are just funny. It's a great way to start our work week by going through them; it's an opportunity to provide feedback, open discussions for feedback and, most importantly, have a good laugh.

Week 1 suggestions can be found here.