I would need a time machine to fix the salary problem (by changing majors... a bad engineer is still an engineer), and I don't think the country will ever switch to my proposed "Work Two, Off Five" weekly plan. Here are a few tricks I use to steal as much time from what I have to do so I can put more into what I like to do.
DIY Work Uniform
What: Select five to seven outfits (top, bottom, shoes) to wear at work weekly. This means the same shirt, pants, belt, loafers... every week.
Why: To eliminate the stress, time and money spent finding and choosing work attire. It's a trick used by a few famous moguls (Simon Cowell, Marc Zuckerberg, Steve Jobs) for good reason. The less time spent thinking on what you'll wear, the more time (and energy) you'll have to spend on more important matters.
How: Choose clothes based on these criteria: appropriateness, cost, ease of prep, flexibility. This doesn't need to be a strict uniform so don't buy 10 identical pieces of clothing. Think more "Target employee" rather than "fast food worker".
Productive Lunch Breaks
What: Don't spend your entire lunch hour eating. Or, don't eat at all- take care of other business.
Why: Lunch is a great time to focus on personal pursuits. This can include anything that makes the rest of your day better. Running errands during the midday when traffic and crowds are light is more time efficient and less stressful than waiting until after you get off and tackling rush hour. Using your lunch break to blog or read takes your mind off the 9-5 and while still keeping your mind alert for the rest of the work day. Exercising during lunch gets your work out out of the way, because no matter what you tell yourself a gym trip is unlikely after fighting traffic and finally getting home. Having a limited amount of time for any of the above keeps you focused on actually finishing.
How: Be intentional. Know what you're doing a day in advance and make plans accordingly. To use the full hour, you'll want to create a way to eat at your desk. Protein shakes and sandwiches are great options that'll keep you full and don't require leaving your desk to consume.
Lazy mornings
What: Counter the usual morning frenzy with prayer, quiet time or relaxation and adequate time to prepare for the day.
Why: Bad starts lead to bad endings. Rushing in the morning can make you late for work, which puts you behind, which keeps you there even later. It also creates a negative routine. This is the one most of us can relate to and completely dread- running out of the house with little or no breakfast, sitting in traffic, dragging through a mundane (or hectic) day at work only to wake up and do the same again. By starting the day of prepared and not rushed you create time to eat a real breakfast (energy), fully groom your appearance (confidence) and leave on time (punctuality). Whose day wouldn't get better if they had more peace, confidence and actually finished tasks on time?
How: Prepare for the next morning the night before. For example, consider pre-cooking breakfast (or packing quick eats- yogurt, fruit, etc- that you can eat once you get to work) or ironing clothes ahead of time. Motivate yourself to get out of bed by planning the first thing you'll do (mine is prayer).
Practicing these tricks won't change your job, but it will make sure stress from work doesn't extend beyond work hours. Until you get the dream gig, rescue and value every second you have away from the office.
