How I Get Through My Work Day

By: Shea Harris

Working a 9 to 5 shift can become exhausting and often leads to lack of productivity. There was a time when I couldn’t stand going to work and didn’t know how I’d get through the day. I waited anxiously for the day to be over and Lord knows I couldn’t wait for the weekend. I know a lot of people listen to music during their shift, but I got tired of hearing “first I got married to money, then I fell in love with that dirty” (I save that for the ride to and from work).

In order for me to get through an 8 hour shift in the office, I have to listen to podcasts. There are many to choose from, but you have to take time out to figure out which ones suit you. Which podcasts are going to make you chuckle so hard you end up crying because you can’t let out your obnoxious laugh? Or maybe that’s just me. Here is a list of my favorite podcasts that I listen to on a weekly basis via Soundcloud:

 

2 Guys & A Girl

The Link Up

The Friend Zone

The Read

Another Round

Church For The Wild

N.W.A.P.

 For mature audiences only. 

 

The shows listed speak on a variety of topics: pop culture, dating, advice, mental hygiene, life in a big city, etc. I chose to follow these shows because they keep me perfectly balanced at work. The only times I find it difficult to listen to some of the podcasts is when there are disturbing current events in the black community. I’ve had to learn to listen to their responses as calmly as possible. When unfortunate events in the black community are brought into the conversation, I immediately become angry and that often times can reflect in my attitude at work (I will go into detail in a future post). Remember to choose shows that will help you through the day.

Majority of these podcasts are about 1 hour. If you do the math, I’ve only listed about 7 to 8 hours of content for a 40 hour work week. At my job, I’m constantly communicating with my coworkers and attending meetings. If I’m lucky enough, I’ll get through two podcasts in one day! I’m pressing pause/play tons of times throughout the day in order to communicate with those around me. If your job is similar to mine, you’ll have no problem with the list above.

If you’re new to the podcast lane, I would suggest listening to recent episodes to get a feel for the show. Once I grew fond of already established shows, I would dig into the archives and listen in order to make the day go by faster. I’ve listened to multiple episodes while road tripping and sitting in traffic. If you choose a great show to listen to, I promise you wont know where time has gone.

What do you do or listen to in order to have a productive day at work? Do you have a list of favorite podcasts? If so, let me know below in the comments!