Declutter your desk
working life,emotional wellbeing,healthy living,stress management
stressed woman at desk
We spend so many hours in an artificially lit, air-conditioned office, at times feeling quite pressurised and flustered - particularly during the summer months when we\'d much rather be outdoors! We\'ve decided it\'s time to give our desks a health makeover. To help make working life calmer and the office a better place to be, we\'ve picked out our favourite work-related accessories to boost your wellbeing.
By Alyson Walsh
Number one fan
summer,working life,emotional wellbeing,healthy living,stress management,gadget
USB desk fan
How brilliant is this? A neat USB-powered desktop fan that plugs into the computer. Perfect for some localised cooling on a hot summer day.
Desk fan, £5.99, www.paramountzone.com 0870 011 3206
Water cooler
working life,eco friendly,emotional wellbeing,healthy living,stress management,drinks
water bottle
Take care of the environment, keep hydrated and stay calm when the plastic cups run out, by storing a re-usable water bottle in the desk drawer. We\'re particularly fond of this aluminium version with an image taken from an old Transport for London poster designed by Arthur Watts.
Water bottle, £6, www.blisshome.co.uk
Desk tidy
working life,storage solutions,emotional wellbeing,healthy living,stress management
document trays
Sort out a messy desk once and for all - and increase your sense of inner calm - with a set of aesthetically pleasing, acrylic document trays.
Document trays, £15 each, www.theholdingcompany.co.uk
Pen pal
working life,storage solutions,emotional wellbeing,healthy living,stress management
pen pot
Give your desk a full makeover by adding a matching pen pot - no more scrabbling around when you can see what you need!
Lidded pen pot, £11, www.theholdingcompany.co.uk
Calm down
working life,tea,emotional wellbeing,healthy living,stress management,herbs
Dr Stuart\'s herbal tea
For those stressful moments, give yourself a breather, step away from the computer and make a calming cup of herbal tea. Dr Stuart\'s Tranquility contains a blend of herbs including lime flowers, hawthorn and yarrow to help restore calm.
Dr Stuart\'s Tranquillity teas, £1.55 for 20 bags, available from branches of Sainsbury and Waitrose nationwide, all good health food shops, and online at www.goodnessdirect.co.uk and www.baldwins.co.uk.
And spray
working life,complementary health,emotional wellbeing,healthy living,stress management
Botanics lavender spritz
Or why not spritz your body (we mean the exposed bits, no nudity please!) and workspace with an essential oil spray? Pure lavender oil helps relax the mind and smells good too.
Lavender Body and Space Spray £6.65 100ml, www.boots.com
Time to unwind
working life,complementary health,emotional wellbeing,healthy living,stress management
Boots Botanics roll-on aromatherapy
Did you know that the Boots Botanics range of pure essential oils are specially blended by aromatherapists and authenticated by the Royal Botanic Gardens in Kew? After a gruelling meeting, simply roll on to pulse points, unwind and relax.
Time To Unwind Pulse Point, £4.69, www.boots.com
Healthy lunch
working life,walking guides,emotional wellbeing,exercise,healthy living,stress management
New Balance trainers
Don\'t spend lunchtime sitting at your desk chatting to all those new Facebook friends - or working! - go for a brisk walk round the park, blow away the cobwebs and get some exercise instead.
Nylon 410 trainer, £50, www.newbalance.co.uk (0800 389 1055)
Walk to work
working life,emotional wellbeing,healthy living,stress management,accessories
Eley Kishimoto backpack
Reduce the commute and relieve some stress by walking to and from the train station. Simply place work shoes and other bits and pieces in a handy backpack and you\'re off!
Eley Kishimoto padded backpack, £60, www.eastpak.com, 0845 601 1151
Hot desk
working life,home inspiration,emotional wellbeing,healthy living,stress management,furniture
Muji desk and chair
We all know that working from home requires a proper desk and office chair - but how much time do we spend hunched over a laptop on the kitchen table? Put an end to all that by investing in a fabulous desk and chair designed exclusively by legendary German manufacturer Thonet, for Muji.
Tubular steel chairs, £215 and desks from £250 to £295, Muji /Thonet available from Aug 1, 020 7323 2208
Picture this
relationships,working life,emotional wellbeing,healthy living,stress management,family life
Graham & Green photo frame
Dress up your desk with a framed photo of a loved one - then focus on the photo and smile if your boss is giving you a hard time. Guaranteed to temporarily reduce stress, honest!
Silver heart photo frame, £7.50, www.grahamandgreen.co.uk
Pretty pots
working life,emotional wellbeing,healthy living,stress management,planting ideas
Pedlars plant pots
Enhance the office environment and relieve stress with a beautiful potted plant. Pop it into an eye-catching holder to brighten up the workplace some more.
Recycled planters, £6.75, www.pedlars.co.uk
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