5 tips to survive your 9-5

As much as Instagram would like to convince us all that if you’re not girlbossing your way to the top of, well, whatever it is you’re doing, you’re not doing it right. 

While I’m sure we would all love to be in our dream careers making buckets of money and changing the world, that definitely isn’t the case for everyone – at least right now. I’m not here to discourage you from your multimillion dollar business ideas, but to give you the permission to not be so stretched thin from your goals.

As someone who loved my college degree (where are my other Microbiology nerds at?!) I really REALLY struggled with the careers that were available to me after college. Considering that I needed a serious break from school, that cut out careers that required further education like Doctor, Dentist, Chiropractor, Physical Therapy, Master/PhD programs, etc. I was left with lab work, and it wasn’t bad but it also wasn’t great. 

My husband was in the thick of school, and if I didn’t work full time, that meant we weren’t going to have no income. So I bit the bullet and tried my darndest to make the most of it. 

I’m not going to lie, it was really freaking hard most days. 

I wish I had someone say this to me then, so let me validate you by saying that being in a dead end soul crushing job takes it out of you. Especially when you have dreams of doing something different. 

If you’re still in the job that doesn’t quite set your soul on fire, here are 5 doable tips that can make life a little easier.

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1. Pack your lunch the night before

There were times where my shift started at 4:30am. The last thing you want to do waking up that early is try to think of what you’re going to have for lunch that day. Even if you go to work at a more civilized hour, you probably still just want to throw your lunch in your purse and go! 

One of the easiest lunch packing ways I’ve found is to make an extra big evening meal and pack the leftovers before you sit down to eat dinner. That way you’re guaranteed lunch the next day without a hungry husband sneaking thirds, equating you to being out of lunch! 

2. Have a gratitude journal

Don’t knock this until you try it! It made the world of a difference when I was really going through my hardest days. You don’t even need to write down what you are grateful for. Just making the conscious effort to think about three things you are grateful for everyday can help put things into perspective. Here are some examples:

-I am grateful to have an income

-I am grateful for my home

-I am grateful to spend time with my family/friends/spouse/pet(s)

-I am grateful for the body I have and what I can do with it here and now

3. Only run one errand a day

This one can be tricky, especially if you have kids, a second job, or side hustle to tend to after your 9-5. But planning out your week to only stress yourself with one errand a day can make the monotony of everyday life needs more manageable. 

You could try grocery shopping on Mondays, meal prepping Tuesdays, returns Wednesdays, appointments (doctor, dentist, hair, nails etc.) Thursdays, Night out Friday, deeper than usual clean and laundry Saturdays, and resting Sundays could be a routine that works for you! Grab your planner and see if there is an appointment equation you can make for yourself. Then try it for a month to see if it helps!

4. Have a fitness regime

Before you think you need to join a gym or learn a new sport, you don’t have to! If it helps you get out of a rut, a new workout environment can totally help. But if you’re more of a homebody (ahem, like me) YouTube workouts are an amazing free replacement for a gym membership. And you can try a million new things! Some of my personal favorite fitness creators are:

Move With Nicole – Pilates

Yoga with Kassandra – Yoga

Heather Robertson – HIIT/Strength

Whether you workout before or after your work day, a new workout or keeping your current workout routine can help alleviate stress. This means a happier and healthier you! Even when things aren’t going your way. 

5. Keep Setting Goals

Lastly, don’t give up on your dreams! Keep setting goals, and reward yourself for keeping them! If your goal was to do yoga 3x a week for a month, treat yourself to a new workout set! Keep taking courses, and applying for jobs that you would love to have. It can be exhausting working towards something that feels so out of reach, but don’t give up! Take breaks as needed, and take it from someone who’s been there. Things really do get better.

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And there you have it! 5 quick tips on how to survive your 9-5. I hope these help and make your life a little less hectic, and keep you going towards the career and life of your dreams!