Does work feel like an uphill battle lately? Does your daily routine feel like “Groundhog Day“? It’s pretty normal when you settle into a routine where you do practically the same thing every day. At ULab we try to keep our days varied so no two look alike. Want to know how we keep every day different?

Every problem has a fix. And because we also hate long, monotonous days, here are some tips, ideas and a few perfect spots to break out of the routine and find inspiration in your work.

Ideas to break out of the routine

Shift when you start and finish work

This is about your schedule. If you shift your start time by 30 minutes and add the same to your finish time, your routine starts to feel different. You won’t feel like you’re always sitting in the office at the same hours. Try starting 30 minutes earlier or leaving 30 minutes later and you’ll notice a boost in your performance.

Build better work relationships

Investing in your work relationships is almost a duty. You’ll find the work environment easier to handle, you’ll feel more part of the team, and you’ll actually want to show up. Plus, think how great it would be to head to the office every day and work alongside a good friend. Wouldn’t that change how your routine feels?

Take care of your personal life

When you take care of yourself, you feel better and have more energy. Use those hours before, during or after work to get some kind of exercise in. It helps release all the tension you carry out of the office and shatter the daily routine.

Tricks to break out of the routine

Change the lighting at your desk

You can change the lighting at your desk. It’s been shown that a small change like this will boost your performance — whether it’s the brightness of your desk light or any other minor tweak. So start playing with the intensity of your lamp and you’ll notice some pleasant changes in your work.

Change your workspace setup

This goes hand in hand with the desk lighting tip, but we need to add comfort to the mix. If you’re sick of sitting in the same chair and can’t find a comfortable position, it’s time to swap chairs. Yes — any other chair in the office will do. It won’t have the memory of your body shape and you’ll get to enjoy comfort again for the long hours ahead.

Fridays are sacred

Enjoy Friday. It’s the last day of the week and the start of your days off. Don’t stay late putting in extra hours that day. Wrap up your workday and head out to unwind with friends from work, friends from elsewhere, or family.

Places to break out of the routine

A change of scenery

If you have the same freedom to work from home as from the office, why not work in a rural setting for a few days? If you’re at that tipping point where you feel like dropping everything, a change of scenery is just what you need. Nature will inspire you and you’ll come back from those days more relaxed and recharged, ready to tackle any routine. Now you know how to break it.

Work from home

A big chunk of the time you lose every day is the commute from work to home and back. Are you a freelancer? Try working from a coworking space like ours and give yourself the freedom to work from home some days too. Mixing days at home with days at the office goes a long way to keeping a fixed routine at bay. You’ll dodge a few early starts and stop the week feeling like a slog. Try it!

A charming café

If you’re not a fan of fixed workspaces, this one’s for you too. One day a week at your favourite café, with the smell of cinnamon and fresh coffee in the air? Absolutely. Pick a charming spot where you feel genuinely at ease. And of course, make sure it has good WiFi! Then enjoy a different, pleasant workday.

We’re sure that with these tips, ideas and places to fight the monotony, you’ll forget what routine even means. Tell us your favourite spots and ideas to keep the days from dragging on forever.