By Amy Applebaum

Work and relaxation are words that go together like Los Angeles and “easy commute”.  But there are some simple ways to make your workplace a more pleasant place to be – a place that enriches you instead of drains you.  Follow these tips and they’ll lead you to a place of workplace Zen:

Get up and move around.  Headaches and stress come when we’ve stared at our monitors for too long.  Lingering back and joint pain are the result of sitting at our desks for hours on end with little or no movement.  Do some simple stretches at your desk.  Take a 10 minute walk once or twice a day.  Buy a pedometer and get yourself on the 10,000 step plan immediately!  The improved clarity and circulation you get will reduce stress levels and enhance productivity.  Finally, don’t just think about it, act on it!  Buy that pedometer and get started tomorrow.

Take your lunch outside.  A turkey sandwich consumed in the cramped confines of your desk does NOT taste as good as the same sandwich consumed at the park around the corner from your office.  It’s a fact!  So break up your day with a little sunshine.   Even if it’s raining, get out there and experience something other than fluorescent lighting.  The key is to hold yourself accountable and make sure that it actually happens! Write it in your schedule; invite a colleague, whatever has to be done to get you into the new environment.

Kill the clutter, clean up the cube.  A messy, disorganized workspace is unmotivating.  And searching endlessly for runaway paperwork and binder clips is a stressor in and of itself.   You don’t have to knit a “Cube Sweet Cube” pillow, but your work space should be a place you want to be in. Make it powerful, motivating and meaningful to you, whatever that looks like.  You spend 40 plus hours a week in that space –you should love it!  The result will make your entire work experience more productive and less stressful.

Go home. No offense to your boss, but there’s almost nothing that can’t wait until morning.  In fact, you’re not doing anyone any good by staying chained to your desk.  Life is about balance.  If you’re tired and feeling trapped, you won’t be as creative or productive and the quality of your work is going to suffer. Whether it’s going for a run or just spending time with your kids, go home and do the things that rejuvenate you.  You’ll arrive at work the next day a happier, and more productive.  (And if you work from home, get out of the house as much as you can!)

Now here’s the trick to make turn all these great ideas in ACTION:  Don’t’ just read these suggestions…do them! You can’t get the results if you don’t take action.  Don’t just SAY you’re going to take lunch in the park tomorrow, make plans with someone to meet in the park.  This way, you won’t have nearly as many excuses for backing out.  If you want to leave the office early, tell your family you’re going to be home by six.  Tell a colleague that you’ll pay them a hundred dollars if you don’t leave by six.  Plan your day around leaving at six.  If you have to set an alarm at 5:45 to remind you to wrap things up…do it.  Bottom line:  Do whatever works for you and gets you to do it.

Now get to it!

To find out more about how to be successful, visit Amy at www.AmyApplebaum.com or www.ReleaseYourInnerMillionairess.com

Amy Applebaum, founder of Amy Applebaum, Inc.®, coaches female entrepreneurs all over the world. Her success has lead to appearances on ABC, CNN, TLC. Amy is an expert for the: NY Times, Herald Tribune, Cosmo, Figure, Diet.com and Woman’s World.

Labor Day has come and gone, marking the official end of summer. The kids are back in school, summer hours at jobs have ceased and everyone is back to the grind. It is very easy to slip into daydreams of swimming pools and yearnings for cookouts but, there is also much to look forward to now that we’ve said goodbye to our shorts and flip flops! I’ve compiled some tricks and tips to help you make your peace with summer’s end and exuberant for the last quarter of 2009!:

• Plan a getaway: Planning a future getaway can help give you something to look forward to & get through your week. As you plan your vacation, visualize yourself at your destination. Whether it’s with your family or friends, make it fun and interactive for everyone involved. The fun can start with the prep!
• Host a movie or game night: Rent a great flick and invite your friends over for some good food and drinks . The visuals will get your mind off the cold and dreary and onto the engaging storyline or tournament. Make it a recurring event that a group of friends choose to rotate each week. This way you always have a fun evening in the books to help you get through your week.
• Schedule playdates for your kids: Just like the movie or game night, kids need fun activities to look forward to to help them through their weeks. Especially when they are starting a new year with a new set of responsibilities. We can’t expect them to be excited about homework but it’s easy to get them excited about seeing all of their friends who can relate.
• Engage in Fall cleaning: Find therapy and enjoyment in putting away your summer clothes and decor while prepping for Fall & Winter. Freshen up the house with new colorful accents; go through your closets and toss out things you don’t wear anymore; and open up the windows and let in the fresh cool air. You may find a ton of stuff to sell at a garage sale so a few extra bucks will definitely make you smile. Or perhaps you start to dig up holiday decorations and your favorite sweater, getting you all the more excited for the months to come.
• A day at the spa: Taking a little time to pamper yourself is always a great idea. We all need to de-stress, unwind and reset. If you can’t afford a spa treatment, invite your freinds over for mani/pedis, facials and gossip ; )
• Start a new hobby or class: A great way to get your groove back is to delve into a hobby or enroll in a class. No matter what tickles your fancy: dance, knitting, kung fu or learning a language; starting a new hobby is a great way to get your brain excited and out of the boring routine, but also a terrific way to make new friends!
• Make the new routine fun: No matter if it’s just you or you and your brood, make the new routines fun. Help you and your loved ones look forward to mornings and other scheduled events by starting a fun tradition. For instance, make Monday “Manic Monday” so get your family ready for the week to some fun and silly tunes, Taco Tuesday and so on ; )
• Goal set: Nothing gets you more pumped then working toward a goal. Writing it down and making sure it’s something that is attainable in the time you have alotted, can really put a spring in your step. Looking to shed a few pounds before the holidays to make room for fruit cake? Needing to save up to buy that ring for your girl and propose on New Year’s Eve? No matter what your goal, write it up and post it somewhere to keep your eye on the prize!
• Look forward to the holidays ahead: I happen to be a holiday nut so as soon as Labor Day is over, I’m stoked for crisp air, pumpkins in abundance and planning for my Halloween costume! If you have kids or not, look for fun activities that center around the season. Harvest festivals, county fairs and colder weather events pick up now so make it a point to gather up your family and friends and make the most of Fall.

I know it’s tough to bid farewell to hot weather, carefree weekends and swim suits but Fall offers up a lot of fun too so make the most of it!