Whether you’ve experienced the grind of a corporate job or any job that leaves you feeling drained, unfulfilled, or powerless, it’s important to regain control over your work schedule. After four years at a notorious investment bank, I’ve developed several strategies that make corporate life more sustainable.

1. Give yourself the best hour(s) of the day

I’ve always found one of the most frustrating aspects of working a corporate job to be the lack of control over my workdays. And often times when I’d get home in the evenings, I’d be too tired to do anything productive. To enjoy my weeks, I realized I needed to prioritize more meaningful activities.

I did this (and recommend doing this) by devoting the first hour of the day to an activity that progresses a personal goal. Mornings are ideal because they’re distraction-free—people are either asleep or it’s too early to bother you.

And how you spend this hour should be completely unrelated to work. Instead, focus on self-improvement or maintenance activities, like reading a book, journaling, pursuing a hobby or side hustle, or exercising. This guarantees that no matter what happens during the day, you’ve accomplished what’s most important to you.  

2. Cultivate hobbies outside of work

Hobbies not only provide a sense of purpose but also allow us to develop new skills, use our imaginations, and join communities of like-minded people. And if you dislike your job or find it stressful, having an outlet outside of work can make work seem less important.

To explore which hobbies to pursue, brainstorm activities you used to enjoy or have always wanted to try. You can do anything from ceramics or karate to cooking or training for a half-marathon. The world is your oyster, and it will take some experimentation to determine your interests. 

3. Set firm boundaries for your working hours

Setting strict boundaries is essential for and preventing work from encroaching on your personal life. By establishing and sticking to clear boundaries, people will understand when you’re not available and that they’ll have to find a solution without you during those hours.

Once you’ve left work, keep your personal time sacred. While it’s easy to check email, it’s more important to let your mind recharge. Plus, if anything’s urgent, someone will call you.

Lastly, if your work has a face-time culture or you feel self-conscious about leaving earlier than others, put your coat and bag somewhere far from your desk (I used a cloakroom next to some elevators). That way, you can leave your desk at any time and people will think you’re just stepping away.  

4. Cut down on coffee

Coffee makes me feel angry, irritable, anxious, and countless other negative emotions, and I know I’m not the only one. Instead of caffeine, we should use food to sustain our energy levels. Once you switch to tea or stop drinking coffee entirely, you’ll realize you feel better without it.

 If you drink more than one cup of coffee a day, start by reducing it to one and then switch to tea. Just check out this picture showing how different drugs (including caffeine) affect spiders’ webs! Don’t let external factors control your behavior!

 5. Prepare for the week ahead on Sunday

By setting aside two hours each Sunday for chores, you can save time during the week (which you can then spend on more enjoyable activities, like your new hobbies :)). Consider meal prepping (batch-cooking meals). It saves hours since you don’t have to decide what to eat, go to the grocery store, or cook during the week. Plus, it helps you save money and generally feel more prepared.

It also doesn’t hurt to do your laundry and tidy up your place (even better if you can do this while your meal prep is cooking). Lastly, if you work in an office, it helps to pick out your outfits for the week and pack your work bag the night before. This helps prevent wasted time on outfit disasters and helps prevent you from forgetting to bring things to work.

 Conclusion

There are many ways to make corporate life more manageable. Incorporating these tips can help prevent burnout and improve your overall well-being. Leave a comment below if you’ve tried any of these or have other tips!

If you liked this post, check out these: 

7 days of deep work

Why you should quit your job to pursue your passion 

5 essential steps to cultivate lasting happiness in your life