A few years ago, when I was an editor at Travel + Leisure, I was diagnosed with two herniated disks. Though far from incapacitated, I quickly realized that sitting made the pain much worse—unfortunate, since much of my job required me to plant myself at a desk or sit through frequent (and lengthy) editorial meetings. I tried taking periodic water cooler breaks and sitting with crossed legs (better), but the pressure was still intense and the sciatica eventually became unbearable. The only positions that gave me true relief were headstands, lying flat on my back, and standing. Since the former two were out of the question at the office, I focused on standing. Driven by pain, I knocked on my managing editor’s door. Could I possibly get a new desk? One that’s 60 inches off the floor so that I can stand while editing? After hearing me out, he promised to put in a request for one. A month or two later, I had a chic black custom-made desk that was the envy of the office. Even the fashion-forward art director coveted my new setup, but more importantly, my action inspired another colleague who had been struggling with severe pain from her own herniated disks, to request a similar desk in her cubicle.
Sometimes, achieving a measure of happiness at work is as easy as the old adage, “ask and you shall receive.”
A former colleague of mine, now an editor at Body + Soul, asked me to write about what innovative U.S. companies are doing to keep their employees happy—and six things that you can do to take charge of your situation (be it office environment, setting boundaries, or initiating perks that no one else has thought of) if you're not lucky enough to work for one of these progressive companies. Check out the March issue of Body + Soul, or click here to read an abbreviated version of the print edition. (The online version is shorter and it's also broken down into two components, with the second part here.)
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