By submitting this form, you are agreeing to our collection, storage, use, and disclosure of your personal info in accordance with our privacy policy as well as to receiving e-mails from us.
savetheassitants / cc
Many of us spend the majority of our workday at a desk in front of our computer—only getting up for meetings, to heat up our lunch, or to refill a mug of coffee. This is certainly the case for me, so I have tried to make my workspace as comforting and accommodating as possible, as it is my home-away-from-home, of sorts.
The following are my top 10 picks for things to have on or in your desk to help you through your busy day:
1. Aromatherapy. Spending all day under fluorescent lights, responding to high-importance e-mails, tackling big projects, and prepping for important meetings can all take a toll on your emotional well-being. To help ease stress throughout the day, try small amounts of aromatherapy. You can find great essential oils from Aura Cacia, and you might also look at these Instant Aromatherapy roll-ons from Bath & Body Works.
2. Lip balm. No matter what the season, external elements can take a toll on your lips, but so can the continuous exposure to air conditioning and heating in your office. I always keep some vegan lip balm handy in my desk drawer. A personal favorite of mine is the Viva Las Vegans lip balm from the PETA Catalog.
3. Dental-hygiene gear. Spinach salad covered in garlicky vinaigrette for lunch, anyone? Stashing a travel toothbrush, some toothpaste, and floss in your desk can get your chompers and breath back under control after a potent lunch, and it's just a really nice thing to do for your teeth anyway! Try easy-to-find and cruelty-free dental care products from Tom's of Maine.
4. Lotion. If you sometimes glance down at your hands when hitting Ctrl-Alt-Delete on your keyboard and notice that they have begun to look a little reptilian, consider keeping some lotion at your desk. I have a pretty pump-bottle of lotion at mine, and I offer it freely to coworkers. Check out The Body Shop's lovely fragranced Japanese Cherry Blossom pump lotion.
5. Emergency nail kit. It's always great when you get a hang nail at work and then you forget about it, scratch your leg, and tear a nice run in your nylons, isn't it? Well, with a little preparedness, you can prevent both. Keep a nail file on hand and some clear polish in case you get a run in your hose. Check out Revlon's beauty tools and nail care products.
6. Shine-erasing paper from e.l.f. I have combination skin and get a bit shiny as the day goes on, but these wonderful shine-erasing papers from e.l.f. work their mattifying magic every time. At $1 a pack, you can have one at home, one in your bag, and one at your desk!
7. Girl-power kit. For the ladies, it's good to be prepared for the unexpected—and also for when your female coworkers are unprepared. I like to keep some extra feminine-hygiene products (try Seventh Generation or Natracare) on hand as well as some herbal tea bags from Yogi Tea to help with PMS symptoms.
8. Fun pens and office supplies. I find taking notes in pink and purple more fun, so I am sure to stock up on awesome products from cruelty-free office-supply company Pilot.
9. Nonperishable single-serving condiments. Fight Club and Choke author Chuck Palahniuk would be impressed with my collection of single-serving items. In my desk, I keep a small stash of single-serving packs of salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, and often some nutritional yeast to jazz up my lunch.
10. A copy of the "Vegetarian Starter Kit." Because I work at PETA, people typically don't come up to my desk while I am eating lunch to discuss going vegetarian, but if you do work at an office where people seem to want more info on what vegetarians eat, it's helpful to have a quick reference guide with recipes to pass on to them.
Tell us about the items you love to keep in your desk!