Improving your work life doesn’t always require sweeping changes. Sometimes, the most effective strategies are the simplest ones, whether that’s protecting time for personal care, restructuring your day for better focus, or carving out moments with family. These small adjustments can reduce stress, restore balance, and promote better productivity and focus.
Here, Fast Company Executive Board members share the simple changes they’ve made that have significantly improved the quality of their work lives and why these shifts are worth considering.
1. DESIGNATING ‘OFF-LIMITS’ HOURS
I protect my time, headspace, and energy. I have designated hours every day that are “off limits,” dedicated to my workout, personal matters, and focus time. I do not allow myself to take any “urgent” calls or meetings, unless there’s an absolute emergency during those dedicated hours. I treat those daily hours just as vital as I treat my meeting hours. – Slma Shelbayah, Shelbayah Consulting
2. TURNING OFF PUSH NOTIFICATIONS
I turn off notifications on all devices for email and Slack to avoid the temptation to check messages when they come in and instead batch-read and respond. Doing so helps avoid context switching, which is far more costly than we like to admit. Also, when on vacation, I actually remove the email and Slack icons from my phone’s home screen to add a slight extra hurdle to checking messages too frequently. – Kurt Donnell, Freestar
3. BLOCKING TIME FOR STRATEGIC IDEATION
I block time on my calendar for strategic ideation, review of decisions made during the week, and reflection on whether I am making decisions and engaging in work consistent with my values. I also work the calendar rather than it working me. – Jay Bhatt, Deloitte
4. WALKING AND BRAINSTORMING IN THE MORNINGS
In the mornings, when it’s not too hot or too cold, I go for a walk and I talk with Perplexity voice mode, organizing my day, brainstorming my challenges, thoughts, and more. This way, I get my steps in and don’t waste the precious morning alertness on useless things. – Al Sefati, Clarity Digital, LLC
5. HITTING A DAILY STEP GOAL
Hitting 9,000 steps a day was a game-changer. Even with 14 hours behind a desk, walking eased my hip and back pain. One day, a man I always passed waved and thanked me. He’d started walking too. A small change not only improved my life, but also inspired someone else’s. – Louis Camassa, Rithum
6. SUNDAY JOURNALING
I struggle to turn off my “productivity” brain. One Sunday, I sat down and wrote. Not a to-do list, not an email—just a journal entry. Messy, unfiltered, just for me. It felt like exhaling. Now, I make it a practice. Sunday journaling is my pause button, my moment to get all the stuff out of my head and onto paper so I can start the week with a little more clarity—and a little less noise. – Irina Soriano, Seismic
7. PROTECTING DAILY FOCUS TIME
One simple change I made was setting boundaries around focus time. I protect a few hours each day where I’m fully present with my work—no emails, no noise. It works because it restores clarity, reduces stress, and turns tasks into creative flow. Protecting your energy is the greatest upgrade to your work life. – Sudhir Gupta, FACTICERIE
8. DEDICATING WEEKENDS TO NATURE
I have dedicated my weekends to being outdoors in nature, hiking, and totally disconnecting from work. This time away from work allows me to recharge, think clearly, and come to work on Monday not feeling burned out. Making this change was slight. As well as taking this time for myself, I am also more focused, energized, and satisfied with work. – Gianluca Ferruggia, DesignRush
9. SETTING ASIDE TIME FOR FAMILY
One simple change I’ve made is to block out several times during the day to spend with my toddler son. Those moments reenergize me, give me perspective, and actually make me more productive when I return to work. It’s a reminder that recharging doesn’t always mean stepping away completely—it can mean leaning into the things that bring you joy outside of business. – Kristin Marquet, Marquet Media, LLC
10. SAYING NO TO THE WRONG PROJECTS
I decided to stop accepting new projects unless they were genuinely committed to safety excellence. Many organizations claim to prioritize safety or that it is a corporate value, but often, their actions tell a different story. By saying no to clients lacking a true commitment to safety, I preserve my focus and energy for work that genuinely resonates with me and aligns with my core values. – Shawn Galloway, ProAct Safety, Inc.
11. OPTIMIZING MY WORK ENVIRONMENT
I have optimized my work environment for productivity. I run my company from a home office in a high-rise apartment. I chose this property purposefully because of the cityscape view. I have the latest MacBook Pro, use Ethernet, and have everything organized. I also have inspiring artwork in the property, as well as home plants, and an external monitor. My office is “epic,” so to speak. – Leon Sylvester, Soberclear
12. GOING TO THE GYM DAILY
I go to the gym every single day. It’s like making my bed. I feel like I’ve accomplished something by just showing up. It doesn’t have to be intense. Maybe I’ll make a phone call while walking on the treadmill or maybe I’ll just ride the bike and scroll through my emails. Other times, I will push myself on the weight machines and grow my overall confidence, seeing my strength increase over time. – John William Patton, ProVention Health Foundation
13. LIMITING PRIORITIES TO TACKLE EACH WEEK
I’ve stopped trying to solve everything at once. Instead, I focus on three to four priorities each week that will truly move the business forward. While it’s not always easy to let go of smaller tasks, this approach has made me a stronger leader and colleague—and it’s also given me back valuable time. – Martin Pedersen, Stellar Agency
14. CHOOSING A WORK LOCATION BASED ON TASKS
Here’s a simple change that’s improved my work life. I’ve started to “work for my day.” I head into the office for the moments that truly matter—collaboration, connection, big conversations—and I work from home when I need quiet focus to knock out thoughtful tasks without interruptions. It’s been a game-changer for both productivity and balance. – Britton Bloch, Navy Federal Credit Union
15. CLEANING UP MY DIGITAL WORKSPACE
The change I made was cleaning up my digital workspace. Every week, I clean folders and files, and even unsubscribe from unnecessary emails. Clutter in the digital world creates hidden stress. By simplifying my digital environment, I cut the friction, save time hunting for information, and reduce the overall mental overload. It’s like decluttering an office, but the one I carry in my pocket. – Volen Vulkov, Enhancv
