Adopting a specific office routine is absolutely crucial if you’re required to work in an office. Keep on reading to find out exactly why.
Before I started Routine Ready, I used to work a 9-5 corporate job as a copywriter for a jewelry company. It was my first job out of college and I used to go into the office every single day. When the pandemic hit, we all worked from home and eventually transitioned to a hybrid schedule as things calmed down. On the days that I went into the office, I had a specific office routine that I followed so that I could be as productive as humanly possible. It was more often than not that office days equated important in-person meetings or brainstorm sessions, so I needed to be on my A-game. I’m going to share what my old office routine looked like as well as provide recommendations so you can create your very own.
MY OFFICE ROUTINE
Wake up at 6:00am.
Instead of a typical 9-5, my working hours were from 8:30am to 5:30pm. I always left my house at 8:00am to give myself plenty of time to get to the office. Granted, I only had a 10 minute commute, but that extra time acted as a security blanket for the occasional traffic jam. I found that I needed a solid 2 hours to complete my office morning routine.
Get a quick workout in.
My quick workout usually consisted of a 30-minute walk in my neighborhood or on my treadmill. This was absolutely crucial for me because I knew that I’d be sitting down for the majority of the day at my desk and way too pooped to do any sort of exercise once I got home. It also was helpful in making me feel more awake and ready to take on the day.
Take a shower!
These days, I’m more of a nighttime shower girl, although I do flip-flop back and forth depending on what routine suits me at the time. But on office days, I found that showering in the morning was a necessity because it boosted my alertness like nothing else. For the girlies who get it, I’d try to coordinate my hair washing days so I would only need body showers on these mornings. It wasn’t always perfect and sometimes I’d need wash and style my hair, but I was always able to make it work with my 2 hour time window.
Get fully ready for the day.
Office days excited me because it meant I got to (had to) ditch the leggings and sweatshirts and wear some actual office-appropriate clothing. A lot of times I would pick my outfit out the night before, whether physically or mentally, but I always made sure it was something that made me feel confident. Same thing with my hair and makeup — I wouldn’t skip any step. Getting fully dressed and ready was key for me to feeling my absolute best to take on the day in the office.
Eat breakfast and pack lunch.
I’ve never been a huge breakfast person, but making sure I ate something so was always an important part of my office routine. It was another one of the biggest ways to ensure laser focus for me. One of my favorite breakfasts were these overnight oats that were all prepped and ready to go. All I had to do was pop them in the microwave and add some toppings. This would also be the time I’d make my iced coffee if I wasn’t planning on getting it out.
Once I finished breakfast, I also packed my lunch bag. A lot of times we would order lunch into the office, but I made sure my lunch tote was still full of snack options to keep me satiated throughout the day. Packing a reusable water bottle was also an absolute must.
Check work bag before heading out the door.
Before I would leave my house for the day, I would double-check (and sometimes triple-check!) that I had everything I needed for a successful day at the office. My checklist normally looked something like this:
- Laptop (and charger)
- Planner
- Glasses
- Pencil pouch (which I would also check to make sure I had all my favorite pens, flags, etc.)
- Decks (these were stacks of tabloid-sized paper that were the beginnings of a catalog — I would use these to fact-check and make edits)
- Lunch tote
- Water bottle
- Purse (which held my personal items like phone, keys, wallet, etc.)
Once I was sure I had everything, I was ready to get my shoes/coat on and head out the door.
Commute to the office.
I’m not even sure if you could call it a commute — I was so lucky that my office was so close to my house. I would usually only listen to music since I didn’t have tons of time to settle into a podcast. And, if the Dunkin’ drive thru line didn’t look too crazy, I’d more likely than not make a pit stop.
Set up for the day.
After I parked and walked into the building, I would unload all of my things at my desk. I’d power up my laptop, connect it to my big monitor and log in so it would be all set and ready to go. Before actually diving into the work day, I would put my lunch away, hang up my coat/work bag, and make my cubicle as comfortable as possible.
Check planner and dive into the day.
I was always a night-before planner, no matter if I was going to be working from home or in the office. Starting my day off by scanning my to-do list and schedule mentally prepared me for the tasks ahead. It was one of the best ways for me to manage my time efficiently, too. Once I knew what I had to do, I would jump right in and get started.
Have tea time with coworkers.
This was hands down one of my favorite parts of my office routine. My boss and one of my coworkers started the habit of meeting up mid-morning to stroll down to the cafeteria and make some tea. We would catch up with stories from our personal lives but also have impromptu yet productive conversations about work. It was a great way to build our bond and have something to look forward to on office days.
Take a real lunch break.
When 1:30pm rolled around, I would stop what I was doing and take a real lunch break. What do I mean by this? I would actually unplug from work and take a restful break. Most of the time, I would eat my lunch at my desk and take the rest of my break in my car. It always felt so good to change up my environment and get some fresh air. I’d either call my husband and chat with him on the phone or watch some YouTube videos. If the weather was ideal, I might even pop on my desk sneakers (a backup pair of sneakers I left at my desk) and take a walk around the building.
Wrap up for the day.
Once the clock neared 5:30pm, I’d start to finish up whatever I was working on. I’d update my to-do list for the next day in my planner and start to pack my bag up. I’d make sure to say goodbye to my boss/coworkers if they were still around, and then head out the door.
Commute back home (in silence.)
While there were some days I just wanted to jam out on my ride home, more often than not I liked to drive in silence. It was such a nice way to decompress and process the day that I just had. It helped me to not get too overstimulated before getting home and moving into my evening routine.
Change and unpack.
As soon as I’d walk in the door, that cute office outfit was immediately ditched for PJs. I’d also make sure to unpack my work bag, taking special care to empty my lunch tote, too. Once these steps were complete, I was ready to go on with the rest of my evening at home.
HOW TO MAKE YOUR OFFICE ROUTINE WORK FOR YOU
Reflecting on my past office routine, here are my main recommendations for yours:
- Give yourself plenty of time to get ready. The last thing you want to be doing before heading into the office is rushing around all stressed and frazzled. Pour into your cup as much as possible in the morning.
- Check your bag before you leave. You’re going to be away from your home for 8+ hours, so you need to make sure you have everything you need to succeed. (There was one time I skipped this step and showed up to work only to find that I didn’t pack my laptop. So embarrassing. I literally had to go back home to grab it and then stay late that night to finish my work. Don’t let this happen to you!)
- Make time to “socialize” with your coworkers. This is especially huge if you’re a hybrid worker or only have to go into the office every once in a blue moon. Human interaction can be everything! Consider creating a coffee break ritual or get lunch together often.
- Take restful breaks. I understand that some days are super busy with tight deadlines, but the idea of a “working lunch” should really go extinct. If you work yourself to the bone, you’re gonna eventually burn out. Pause your work, fuel yourself up and allow yourself to zone out, even if it’s just for a little while.
- Prepare for success. Let’s say it’s a Tuesday and you are planning to go into the office on Wednesday. Tuesday would be the day you throw in a load of laundry to make sure your favorite slacks are clean. You could also cook a big dinner to have leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch. Skip the Netflix binge and get in bed a bit earlier than normal. Do whatever is going to make your experience in the office a good one.
Do you work in an office? What does your office routine look like? Let me know in the comments below!
This blog post was all about having an office routine.
RELATED: Want to amp up your office routine even more? Consider doing some meal prep! Check out my blog post that covers this topic in depth — 3 Awesome Reasons To Have A Meal Prep Routine (+ How To Get Started!)
If you’re going into the office daily (or on a Monday, for that matter), then you’ll benefit from my 9 Step Sunday Routine | The Perfect Formula to prep for the week ahead!
Need help making your to-do list for the day? Check out my blog post Daily Routine Checklist | 5 Reasons It’s A Must for some inspiration and direction.
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