10 Simple Office Hacks to Improve Cubicle Life

Sitting in a cubicle all day can be exhausting and mundane. Whether you like it or not, your cube is your home, where all the magic of your daily routine will be happening. It is a place you spend most of your time at and should be a place you enjoy and find comfort it. Don’t let it feel like a box that you’re stuck in. Make a place that is comfortable and where you get your best work done.  

As a member of cube-life myself, I thought I would share 10 of my favorite hacks, tricks, and tips to make your cubicle one of your favorite places.

1. Cube Exercises: Don’t be stagnant all day. Stop yourself from getting wound up and take a walk around the building! Preform cube exercises and stretch daily! Your physical state will affect your mental state and sometimes the best thing you can do for your brain is to take a break and get some fresh air.

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2. Cube Health: Fight the germs and headaches without skipping a beat. Advil, Cough drops, Tums, Tissues, and Hand sanitizer can all be stored in your cube and might even make you some new friends.

3. Cube Clothing: Always keep yourself comfortable, warm, and stain-free. Bring in an extra pair of shoes, a vest or sweater, and even have an extra tie on hand. Save yourself the hassle of worrying that you will stain or spill and be ready for worst case scenario. Office temperatures do change and some colleagues like the window open. If you typically run cold, make sure to bring an extra layer!

Quick Hacks:

• Ran out of collar stays for your button down? – Cut up an old credit card and make some more.
• Forgot you had an in-person meeting? – Always have an extra suit jacket on hand so that even on those days that you don’t have it together, you look like you do.
• Always ruining shirts and ties? – Wear a vest to cover up and still look professional and a Tide to Go pen helps too.

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4. Cube Food/Drink: Be a “Cube Hero.” Keep a snack drawer. Stay stocked with goodies and keep favorite beverages in the fridge. Make sure you are satisfying your sweet tooth and that simple pleasures aren’t distracting you from what needs to get done. Also drink water and stay hydrated throughout the day…it is very common to leave work dehydrated, even if all you did was sit in your cube!

5. Cube Art: It’s your cube, so make it fun. Personalize your workspace! Print out sports schedules of your favorite team, pictures of your family, and inspirational quotes. Motivate yourself with what matters to you most!

6. Cube Posture: Don’t form cube Scoliosis! Customize your chair and get some back support for yourself if you’re a “sloucher”. You can also raise the height of your computer screens and in some offices, your executive team will even help you transform your desk into a standing cubicle.

Quick Hacks:

Already experiencing back pain? – Grab a Thera Cane to massage your problems away.

7. Cube Games: The office can be fast-paced and stressful, so its’ important to take breaks throughout the day. Bring out the inner child to distract yourself from the stressors. Take a moment to putt some golf balls, throw a nerf football, shoot a basketball, hook the ring, ride a bongo board, joke with your colleagues, drive a toy car, or fly a toy airplane.

8. Cube Hygiene: Some mornings are rougher than others. Always have key hygiene items available in case of emergency. Lint Roller, toothbrush, floss picks, deodorant, Gum, etc. These will come in handy at some point.

9. Cube Efficiency: Invest in yourself to help you perform at the highest level! Are you on the phone all day? Consider getting a wireless headset so you can stand up and walk around while talking on the phone. This also makes them more comfortable and in most cases helps with their projection/enhances the way that they sound. If your sales pitch relies on enthusiasm, stand up and sell!

Quick Hacks:

• Headphones- to escape the noise for when you need to block everything out and focus on a task.

Time Zone Map – maintain and manage clients across the US without confusion.

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10. Cube Goals: Most importantly, make sure you always know what needs to get done. You will be working with a lot of distractions and it is important that you know where to focus once you sit down to tackle a task. Print out daily, monthly, and yearly goals so that you have a constant reminder of where you need to be and what more you can be doing to achieve your target.

Once you become a Cube Master, you will be much happier and more effective at your job. Heck, you might even make some new friends. These simple hacks will make your cubicle a more fun and enjoyable place. Make it unique and make it your own.