Your alarm clock did not go off. You spill coffee on your white shirt. And just as walk outside the door, it starts to rain. When you finally arrive at work (totally soaked), you discover that you have forgotten your cell phone at home, there are 143 new emails waiting for you and your boss says he is not very happy with you and wants to speak with you now…

The statistics

Everyone has them sometimes, a bad day at work. Those days that are so frustrating and stressful that we want to forget them as quickly as possible. But sometimes this doesn’t work and we take that bad vibe back home. If this happens occasionally, it is of course not a problem. We know that there is no such thing as the perfect job where everything goes smoothly and that al bad day at work every now and then is part of it. But what if you have these annoying days too often? A global survey conducted by consultancy firm Woohoo Inc in 2018 shows that 63% of employees have a bad day at work once a week and that more than 20% experience a bad day at work every day.

Does this sound familiar to you? If we have such bad days at work too regularly, it can have a negative effect on our well-being in the long term. For example, we can worry too much and become insecure, have trouble relaxing or get stimulated quickly and are not nice to our loved ones at home.

What can you do about it?

When you have a hard time at work it is always good to think about why you do this work in the first place. In addition, make sure that you do not identify yourself with your job too much, you are more than just your job! In the heat-of-the-moment, however, it can sometimes be difficult. Therefore we give you 5 tips about how to let go when you have experienced a bad day at work:

1. Consciously close that door behind you when you leave the office. Remember that your day at work is over. Turn off the notifications on your phone and decide not to open your laptop for the evening.
2. Take the time to travel home after work. This time helps you make the transition from your working life to your private life. In doing so, consciously ask yourself how you want to come home. If you travel by car, drive a little slower than usual. And if possible, go by bike!
3. Once at home, switch to that new situation by, for example, changing your work outfit to something more comfortable or by putting on some nice music.
4. Reflect on your day. Ask yourself “What went well today” and “What did I achieve”? These questions help you to reflect more on the successes and not just to look at what went wrong.
5. Do a relaxing activity that helps you get into the here and now. You can think of meditation or exercise. But it can also be as simple as taking a shower, trying out a new recipe or reading a book.

NiceDay app

Are there things in daily life that you would like to change but you don’t know how? Do you have issues at work? Are there issues you can’t solve yourself? Download the NiceDay app! We offer 1 on 1 coaching. You do not have to do it alone: professionals are there for that extra support.

Everyone suffers from stress sometimes. Stress is particularly common at work: in 2017, nearly 16% of Dutch employees even experienced burnout complaints. However, some stress at work is not necessarily a problem. Those nerves for an important presentation can actually provide some extra focus which will help you present even better. But work stress can also be very annoying if, for example, it takes too long, or if you suffer from it too often and therefore cannot recover properly. Not only does it make you feel less comfortable, it can also reduce the quality of your work. Instead of waiting to relax until your workday is over, you can also relax at work. Curious how? Keep on reading!

Tips to at work

1. Take a moment for yourself
   At work it can be beneficial to sometimes take a moment for yourself to recharge. For example, listen to some relaxing music or watch a funny YouTube video to completely shift your attention to something else. After your short break, you are ready to tackle that work problem again!
2. Get a breath of fresh air
   Are you completely stressed out? Cool off while taking a short walk. That way you can get away from it all for a moment. A little exercise can provide new energy, and some sun can do wonders for your mood!
3. Give yourself a massage or do some stretching exercises
   Stress can also manifest itself as tension in the body. Many people with an office job regularly experience tension in their neck, shoulders or back. Take a moment to relax these muscle groups by stretching yourself or by massaging the aching muscles for a short while. Or massage your temple with an essential oil such as lavender for extra relaxation. You could even consider doing some short yoga exercises at work!
4. Visualize
   Do you ever daydream during work? Use your imagination to relax! Close your eyes, imagine you’re lying on a beach for a minute, with rustling palm trees and a wavy sea in the background.
5. Drink a cup of tea
   A simple ritual such as preparing a cup of tea can give you the break you need. In addition to the fact that green tea helps you relax through the substance L-theanine, it can also be very relaxing to really take your time to make this drink. Consciously wait until the water is at the right temperature, pour the water into a mug, let the bag sit for a moment and enjoy the smell before continuing your day at work.
6. Be mindful
   You can also be mindful during your work day in other ways. For example, focus on one task at a time and let go of the other things for now. Write your other tasks down for later if you still can’t get them out of your mind, or make a schedule. This gives your mind more space to work calmly.
7. Don’t forget to eat!
   Keep eating regularly. Fluctuations in your blood sugar levels can cause extra stress. Moreover, what you eat also influences how you feel. So take care of your needs!

NiceDay app

Would you like to relax more at work? Use the NiceDay app daily planner to schedule moments of relaxation. Also register how you feel to see if the relaxation exercise worked for you.

On average, we spend 90,000 hours in our lives at work. We also spend an average of 8.7 hours sitting each day, every day in the Netherlands. A good sitting posture not only ensures a fitter and healthier body, it also provides more oxygen to the brain which makes you more productive. And it helps you to handle (work) stress better. In this article I will discuss some yoga exercises which are especially good for office workers and people who sit a lot during the day.

The effect of having a desk job

Do you regularly have cravings during work? Do you think that exercising after work counteracts the negative effects of  sitting so much? This video shows what happens in the body and brain when you sit for hours and hours.

The benefits of a good posture

Your physical posture is the basis for every movement that the body makes and can determine how well your body adapts to (work) stress. This video explains the benefits of good posture.

Yoga for office workers

Working a lot behind a desk? Are your shoulders, neck and back tense from sitting too long? In this yoga video I will show you which exercises you can do to keep your body fit and healthy throughout the day. And the best part is that you can do these exercises at work while you are behind your desk. Give your body a break and watch this video!

What is happiness at work?

The definition of happiness at work is that you enjoy working and that you do what’s important to you. It is quite understandable happiness at work is very important. It goes beyond having drinks with co-workers or having an organised lunch. There are many aspects that contribute to happiness at work. Something that employers need to be aware of. Employers get more insight in the benefits of happiness at work and invest more. “Work-related happy” employees are more creative and more productive. It also causes less absence and it triggers more cooperation and the need to innovate.

There are five factors that contribute to happiness at work:

• autonomy: am I doing what I want/ like to do?
• personal growth: am I doing something I am learning from and isn’t it too difficult or too easy?
• meaning: am I doing something with a purpose and do I find this important
• relationships: are there people around me that support me?
• vitality: do I have a healthy lifestyle?

Everyone has another perspective on happiness at work. One needs an challenging job with a lot of variety and responsibility. Another needs routine, less variety and a relatively easy job. Nothing is good or bad. It’s important to find the match between you and the goals of a company and its related tasks.

Happy personnel

Employees of Google have the opportunity to exercise during working hours. Climbing wall or volleyball field, there is a possibility to do all kinds of sports. Free food and drinks during lunch is also part of the contract. Do you have a musical idea? You could also dive into the studio with your co-workers. A power nap is also something to put on the list because Google stimulates you to do one when feeling sleepy! Not every company has a budget to focus on these kinds of extraordinary things. On top of that, happiness at work is something you will also find in the “little” things. What is important for employers to focus on?

• Performance evaluations are normally used to discuss what an employee should do better. The advice is to focus on one’s qualities and contribution to the company. Of course it is necessary to review what needs to be improved. As long as the employer is constructive and the employee feels motivated to get back to work.
• The best way to create productivity and job satisfaction is to let employees perform tasks their good at. A good team exists of different kinds of people with different kinds of qualities.
• Make sure the work environment is green: plants give oxygen and give some piece of mind. If there is no time for an stroll during work, it is also possible for an employee to daydream and to gaze into the plants.
• Give employees room and think in possibilities: what does my employee need and what feasible?

An employer has a lot of influence on happiness at work. It is also something an employee can be aware of. Personal traits like living a healthful life, self-confidence and flexibility will make you happier at work.

We have all gone through it once. You still have to send a number of emails and tick off some more tasks before you can go home. And before you know it, you are late for dinner. There goes your evening off, again.

Research has shown that long-term overtime can cause both physical and mental problems. For instance burnout or depression. In this blog post, we will tell you the different types of overtime and the dangers that overtime can bring.

The different types of overwork

There are to types of overtime. We can best define this as ” voluntary ” versus ” involuntary ”.

Voluntary

Voluntary overtime happens (as the word indicates) on a voluntary basis. You decide that you are working overtime, because you want to complete a specific task, or because you soon have an important meeting for which more work is required. This type of overtime does not have to be a problem, as long as your work / life ratio is in balance. However, it is important that this kind of overtime is not done structurally!

As long as voluntary overtime is limited to a maximum of 4 hours per week, it can actually benefit the employee. Working overtime can also give a lot of satisfaction. For example, if you just finish that one job, you feel more competent or satisfied, so you ultimately feel happier.

Involuntary

Involuntary overtime is usually accompanied by the fact that the work pressure is too high, too much work has to be done within the regular working hours and on a structural basis. In the case of structural overtime, you structurally run more hours every week than is included in your employment contract. Think of, on average, more than 48 hours per week.

The tasks pile up on your desk (you have too many tasks, and too little time), so you have to start making longer days. You have to, because the tasks have to be completed anyway.

Involuntary overtime can have major consequences for your health. The risks are increased the moment that overtime is not paid extra and there are insufficient recovery possibilities.

What can you do?

As long as you are the one who decides whether you work overtime (and how long), you will not have any problems in the long term. Especially when it’s not on a structural basis.  But are you forced to work involuntarily on a structural basis? Then start a conversation with your employer.

It is unlikely that you (if you are a valuable employee) run the risk of being punished if you open up to your employer. And is this the case? Then you better think about whether you want to continue working at such a company…

Stress: a common word in today’s society. You hear about the annoying effects of stress and the harm it can cause. What is often forgotten is that there are multiple forms of stress. You can distinguish positive stress from negative stress, but there are also various forms of stress within those two. In this blog post we share which different forms of stress there are, which forms are unhealthy and which ones are actually good for you.

Do not stress, it’s positive stress!

First let’s start with the positive forms of stress. This form of stress is essential for a human being: it ensures that the body is put in a proper state of readiness for optimal performance.

Consider, for example, the stress you experience when you have to give an important presentation, or when you have to play an all-deciding match. This form of positive stress is often experienced as unpleasant stress. But in fact, this form of stress does ensure that your body is ready enough to perform at the highest possible level. For example, consider the positive type of stress as exam stress or sports stress.

Even though it is very annoying, it is a mechanism of your body to ensure that you ultimately perform better.

I’m going on holiday and I take with me: holiday stress

Yes, everyone once experienced it: holiday stress. Something you try to prevent at all times, but you almost never succeed in. Because what if you’ve forgotten something, and you are 3,000 km away from home?

Many people suffer from it. It is a form of stress that actually comes from luxury, but is part of planning your holiday. The better it is when you arrive at your holiday destination and you have not forgotten anything, right?

Negative stress

But besides positive stress, there are also forms of negative stress that can actually have negative consequences on you as a person. Negative stress is a form of stress that you can do very little or nothing about (at least, that’s what you think in the first instance). Think of increased work pressure, financial stress or relationship stress.

Too many of these forms of stress can cause chronic stress or even a burnout. It is therefore important that you acknowledge these forms of stress in time so that you can do something about it.

Read more about negative and positive stress here!

De-stressing

After all that talking about various forms of stress, it is now time to talk about de-stressing. I can use that, after all that talking!

There are different ways to de-stress. This also depends on personality. One person relaxes when he or she starts exercising; another just by plopping on the couch, turning on his or her favorite series and taking a hot cup of tea (or coffee!).

A precise way to help you relax: there’s no such thing. Try to do what feels right for you. Do you want to play music and scream? Do it! Nothing is too crazy if in the end you have a NiceDay. 😉

NiceDay App

It is of course possible that you have difficulty dealing with stressful experiences, or dealing with any other form of stress (financial, work or otherwise related). In that case you could follow a course ‘dealing with stress’. Download the NiceDay app and work with a coach to tackle your stress!

Almost 2 out of 10 people in the Netherlands work during the nights. For instance because they work in the hospitality, medical, or logistics sector. And even though shiftwork is commonplace, it does bring a number of health risks. Biologically speaking humans like order. Every human has a biological clock which determines their daily rhythm. There are some individual differences in rhythm (you probably know some morning persons). But in the absence of professional or social influence everyone eventually gravitates to their natural rhythm.

Changing your rhythm

As a human you are able to change your rhythm, although this takes time. When you work in shifts you do not get sufficient time for this. By the time you have properly adjusted to one shift you usually move to a different one. Therefore, the best solution is usually to stay somewhere in the middle. Deal with fluctuations by getting a sufficient amount of rest and making some changes in your diet and lifestyle where applicable.

Complaints specific to shiftwork

The most frequently heard complaint when working in shifts is fatigue; disturbances in your biological clock affect your energy levels throughout the day. This increases the chance of mistakes because you are less alert, which can be very dangerous depending on your line of work. In the long run, working in shifts also increases the risk on cardiovascular diseases, as well as gastrointestinal complaints. Furthermore, there is a relationship between chronic fatigue and a number of psychological complaints, which means that disorders such as depression are more frequent among shiftworkers.

The perfect solution…

…unfortunately does not exist. One way or another, working in shifts disturbs your natural balance. Minimizing risks is often the best solution in this case, for instance by applying the right coping strategies. A healthy lifestyle is an important part of this. Food that is rich in protein can give you enough energy to work through the night, and frequent physical exercise keeps you in shape and makes it easier to sleep at night. It is also important to ensure a good social life; it can be easy to lose sight of this when most of your peers have a ‘regular’ rhythm, but this can also lead to loneliness and psychological complaints.

What can I do?

Perhaps the most difficult part of working in shifts is that the rest of the world is designed for those that work a regular 9-to-5 job. At night the streets are quiet and the stores are closed. While during the day you are kept awake by the hustle and bustle outside, and your friends are out and about. This doesn’t always make it easy to sleep at times when you really want to. Or to make healthy choices when it comes to nutrition or exercise. Luckily there are also things you can do to make it easier on yourself. For instance, ensuring that your bedroom is dark and quiet helps you sleep better at any time of the day. If you find it difficult to ensure this, a sleep mask or earplugs can go a long way. If you frequently find yourself hungry when the supermarket is already closed, then make sure you have sufficient healthy choices on hand by buying groceries in advance to prevent yourself reaching for that unhealthy snack. Finally, use the extra days off that you get for working in shifts. Plan fun activities with friends and family, or to get some well-earned rest.

In a nutshell

• Ensure your sleeping environment is dark and quiet;
• Buy healthy groceries ahead of time;
• Pay attention to your social life;
• Get sufficient rest when you can.

Day shift or night shift, always make sure you are well rested! How do you deal with irregular hours? 

Stress seems to play an increasing role in society. Not surprising, in a society where you always have to be online. However, stress is actually a natural reaction and stress does not necessarily have to be bad. Still, it is important that your body is properly recovered after a stress response. Fortunately, there are various exercises that you can do to tackle stress and calm down. So if you are looking for tips and tricks for dealing with stress, keep on reading!

What is a stressful experience?

Stressful experiences can arise in all kinds of situations, for example at work if you have to give an important presentation, but also at home. What a stressful experience is, is different for everyone. The intensity of your stress response is, of course, also different per situation and per person. One person may find it very stressful to make an important phone call, while the other person is less troubled by this. If you want to read more about how stress works exactly, read more about it in this blog post.

What to do during a stressful experience?

Yet a typical stress response mostly expresses itself in the same way: you start breathing faster and shallower, your muscles tighten, your body is getting ready to take action. These are also three things that you can work on by means of (short) exercises. The first thing you can do to calm down is a breathing exercise. If you are in a stressful situation, you probably do not feel like it at all. Yet it is good to become aware of your breathing for a few seconds, and to consciously breathe in slower and deeper. Do this for example while you count to 10 in your mind. You can also do an exercise to relax your muscles. This can also be done very easily by tightening your muscles and then releasing them. For example, squeeze your hands together very hard to fists and then release them. You will notice that a lot of muscle tension is already flowing away! Finally, it can also help to start dealing with the stressful situation you are in. Many people tend to avoid a stressful situation, but your body is getting ready to deal with the situation. Make use of this! If your stress response is not too heavy, you can often concentrate even better than usual because of the adrenaline that is released. So do not postpone making your presentation, but start practicing it!

What to do before a stressful experience?

If you know that a stressful situation is coming up, you can prepare yourself for this in advance. This can be done in various ways. First you can start a few days in advance by doing a daily breathing exercise. This will teach you to keep your breathing under control during a stressful situation. Relaxation exercises can also be done for a number of days. The advantage of doing exercises for a few days in advance is that you can really take the time to completely relax. This will also help you to relax better if you suffer from acute stress. By learning to relax in advance, you will learn how to deal with stress better before the event takes place.

What to do after a stressful experience?

After a stressful experience, it is important that you give your body the time to recover. If you have had a bad experience, it might be nice to talk to someone about it. In this way you can deal with it more easily and let it go. After, you can do something you like to relax psychically and physically. For example, take a walk in nature, or enjoy your favorite series. Also you can do a breathing exercise or a relaxation exercise. Or combine these two elements in a yoga session! Are you working and do you want to calm down quickly? Take a moment for yourself, take a short walk or listen to some music. The most important thing is that you relax!

NiceDay app

It may very well be that you often suffer from stressful experiences and that you want to learn how to deal with this. In this case, you could try a course to help you deal with your stress. For example, download the NiceDay app and start working with a coach to tackle stress!

In general, work involves a lot of stress. Usually everything gets done at the same time, and often this has to happen as quickly as possible. The downside of this is that you are less productive and experience less pleasure in your work. How good will it be if you experience less stress at work through mindfulness and therefore feel better about yourself? Read in this article how you can be more mindful during work.

Say goodbye to multitasking

The American psychologists David Strayer and James Watson say that our brain is not made for multitasking, because we can only focus on one thing at a time. If you do two things at the same time, you have to constantly switch your attention back and forth, and this has major consequences on your productivity. It makes no sense to answer emails during a meeting and to start working on an approaching deadline. In order to be mindful at work, for example, you can start a meeting with one or two minutes of silence, alone or with your colleagues. During this mindful moment, you pay attention to the moment itself.

To-do list

Make a priority list! This list contains the tasks you can accomplish for that day. It is important that these tasks are reasonable, because it does not make sense to complete 20 tasks in one day. It is also important that you plan at least three moments of rest on this list. You can stretch your legs for a few minutes, get coffee / lunch, or get a fresh breath of air. By giving your mind a little break, you recharge yourself and you can get back to work!

Meditation at work

When people hear the word ‘meditation’ they often think about sitting on the floor in a particular position. However, meditation is also possible without anyone noticing it. During this meditation moment you take some time for yourself with the aim to let your thoughts come to rest. You can do this while walking to a meeting, getting coffee, and even when you’re in the restroom. It is about being aware of your thoughts and being in the moment. Also pay attention to your breathing and body posture.

NiceDay app

Do you want to be more mindful at work? Plan ‘mindful moments’ in NiceDay and write in your diary how this has been for you.

The numbers do not lie: working from the comfort of your own home is becoming increasingly popular. Statistics in the Netherlands show that nearly 3 million Dutch people regularly work from home (2015). It differs per person, whether or not working from home is preferred. But what do the figures say about the pros and cons of working from home?

Home workers more productive?

Can you do more work when you work from home? You are not the only one, research shows that when you can do your work independently, where and whenever you want, employees are more satisfied with their work, are more willing to show extra commitment and are more loyal towards their employer. At a large multinational, they found out that home workers were no less than 13% more productive than people in the office.

A nice feeling

In addition to the fact that working from home increases productivity, I myself always enjoy working from home because I can work in a very focused way. Try to find out what works for you. For example, I always manage to write blog posts at home. In addition, I have time to finally do smaller tasks, such as answering e-mails, updating translations or updating the planning. I also like to start earlier, this means you can also stop earlier. Also, working from home saves travel time! This ensures that starting earlier does not have to be so intensive and yet you benefit from a somewhat longer free evening!

Keep an eye on your own feelings

Although working from home has a number of advantages, it has disadvantages too. For example, when working at home, it seems that people take less time for breaks, work longer and are also inclined to complete some tasks in the evening. I also recognize this in myself. Sometimes I just forget to have lunch! A good balance between being at home or in the office is different for everyone. For example, I work a day at home once every two weeks. When I need some extra quiet days, I occasionally pick a day to have an extra home working day.

Working at home while feeling sad or anxious?

Try to prevent the line between work and private from being blurred. Also try to walk around or do something else during your home working day, remember to take breaks! Maintain standard working hours (for yourself, not necessarily from 9 to 5, but do not work longer than 8 hours). Make sure you stay involved with you colleagues. Also keep an eye on what you do when you are in the office and try to find the right balance for yourself.

Are you in treatment? Or do you have a mental coach, discuss with him or her how working from home influences you and what is possibly the right balance. The “isolation part” of working from home can make you feel unhappy. Prevent this feeling by looking for a nice workplace outside if, for example, you do not want to go to the office several days a week! So you are among people, but you can still enjoy the freedom of working when and wherever you want (within lines of reason of course ;).

Do you ever work at home? What do you find advantages or disadvantages?