You all know that Later Ever After is my passion, but did you also know I have a full time job? For my day job, I do client service at a financial company and have been in that industry since I graduated college. Client service is one of the things I just naturally love. Because I love helping people and being able to answer their questions and get them what they need quickly. It’s very satisfying! I’ve been working in an office (in a cubicle) for 16 years now and that seems like a really long time! And I’ve learned that navigating the office and corporate environment can be challenging. Over the years I’ve established my go-to list of 7 office essentials for any career woman to make life a little easier in the office.
These items range from snacks to appropriate office wear. I’m sure you all have your must have’s as well. Like a coffee mug. How many of you have one you drink out of every day? I do. It’s the same one I had at my very first job and I love it so much. It’s an original old-school Starbucks mug. In fact, a younger girl in the office the other day was telling me that she just picked up the same mug I had because Starbucks released a “throwback” line of mugs. I laughed pretty hard and let her know that mine is an original from 16 years ago. She laughed pretty hard too. My only thought was “ Yep, I’m still hip!” But enough about old mugs, lets get to the list of 7 office essentials for any career woman.
Desk Sweater
Staying warm in the office is always challenging. I try to dress in layers when possible, but sometimes its just hard to do. In the winter I usually wear pants (I’ve wore these ponte pants all winter long), a blouse (some of my favorites are here, here and here) and a cardigan or blazer and take off the top layer depending on how warm I’m feeling. However, it never fails that I get a chill and I’m freezing sitting at my desk. And I want something that I can throw on and warm up with. At the same time I want to make sure the article can fit over everything I’m wearing, including a blazer or another chunky piece.
My solution is the reversible cape. The one featured in the photos is sold out 🙁 however there are some similar ones here, here and here. I can literally throw this on over anything I am wearing and instantly feel warm and cozy. I can always wear it a few different ways which allows me to switch things up every day.
Option 1 – Wearing it like a cape
Option 2 – Wearing it wrapped up
Option 3 – Wearing it with a belt. No, I don’t keep a belt at work, but if my outfit has a belt with it, I may incorporate it and wear it with my cape.
Meeting Essentials
Heading into a meeting, I always want to look polished and professional. I’m a huge note taker in meetings too. Partly because I don’t want to miss any details that are discussed and partly because I am usually creating a to-do list on items from the meeting. Having the proper notebook and pen are important to me. I want to have a notebook that is small, sleek and stylish. A small leather bound journal is a great option for this. I can carry it in my hand into the meeting and it doesn’t take up too much table space. I can also hold it in my hands and take notes if needed.
One of the best pieces of advice I received early on in my career was to have a go-to pen. A pen that writes perfectly and also looks nice. Seemed like odd advice at the time, but it makes perfect sense during high powered meetings with C-Suite executives. As I look around the table everyone has a shiny, beautiful pen. In fact, once person has a calligraphy pen! Therefore, I always like to have a nice pen. I use it in meetings and to sign important documents. I’ll admit I do switch to a normal pen when I’m at my desk though 🙂
Staying Hydrated At Work
Did you know you should be drinking half your body weight in ounces of water each day? Seems like a lot of water, doesn’t it? But when you measure it out it’s actually more manageable. For example I should be drinking about 6 glasses of water a day. Therefore, to accomplish this I always have a water bottle with me. I just keep my Swell bottle on my desk all day long and drink from it. I can take it with me wherever I go and the water stays cool for 24 hours! My preference is a white or stainless steel colored bottle, but I’m loving this floral bottle right now. Having the pop of color on my desk brightens up my day! Staying hydrated at work is an office essential!
Office Shoes
Finding the perfect shoe for the office is a hard task. I personally like to wear a high heel in the office. I love the look of a high heel with a dress or pant and secretly love to get a few more inches of height on everyone. I’m already a tall girl at 5’9, but put a 3 inch heel on me and I’m just about 6 feet tall! Finding a comfortable heel has been years in the making. I’ve recently found the Corso Como heel and boy, it is comfortable! It has a cushioned insert that allows me to walk around the office in comfort all day long.
I also need a flat at work because I have a sit-to-stand desk. I spend about half of my day standing at my desk. Standing in a 3 inch heel for hours really counteracts the benefits of the stand up desk, so I needed to get a comfy, yet fashionable flat. These are shoes that I can stand in for hours and also walk around the office in without being embarrassed. I chose a loafer slide. Not only are they super easy to get in and out of they are beyond stylish. Mine featured here are sadly sold out, but I’ve linked some other great options for office essentials.
Emergency Blazer
The emergency blazer has been a lifesaver on several occasions. It’s different then the desk sweater, because you only use this in cases of an emergency. Such as when a client shows up unexpectedly or you get invited to a lunch you weren’t planning on attending. I can’t tell you how my heart sinks when the front desk calls and says “Your client is here” and I’m not expecting a client. It happens from time to time and being dressed to impress is important. So while I may be loving my black sleeveless dress in the dead of summer, slipping on that emergency blazer makes me look “take on the world” ready!
The emergency blazer should be simple enough to go with everything, yet look polished at a moments notice. And always share the love. If your co-worker needs it, let her borrow it. She will be forever grateful! I’ve linked some great options below.
Odds and Ends
I keep an odds-and-ends bag at work. It contains all the little things that I may need at a moments notice. I use an old makeup case that I got as a free gift years ago, however you could go buy one too. A few cases I’m loving right now are here, here and here . And I stock this full of things that I may need in an emergency situation. In my case, I have had to reach for these items several times throughout my professional career. It’s so nice just having them in my desk drawer and grab for them when needed.
Nail File
Trouser Socks
Mini Sewing Kit
Advil
Hairspray
Small Teasing Comb
Travel Straightener
Tide Pen
Snacks
Everyone’s office essential list should include snacks. I’m a snacker and get very hungry mid-morning and late afternoon. So having the right snacks at my fingertips allows me to keep healthy eating habits in check. It also helps me avoid unnecessarily spending money every day so I can stick to my monthly budget. The snacks I’m currently loving right now are:
Justin’s Peanut Butter Packets – Quick to grab and easy to eat. Yes. I eat it right out of the package.
Think Thin Protein Bars – These are the best tasting protein bars I’ve found in a long time. I get the 20g bars as they keep me the fullest and come in peanut butter crunch.
Nuts – From almonds to pistachios nuts are a healthy snack and will keep you full. Experts recommend 6-10 almonds as a healthy service size, but I usually have 2 to 3 times that amount 🙂
Oatmeal – Instant oatmeal is a quick and easy late morning breakfast and can be made with just hot water. I keep this on hand for the days when I didn’t get to eat at home.
Dove Chocolate -Sometimes you just need a sweet treat and Dove chocolates have the most inspiring wrappers so why not indulge in your snack and thoughts.
And just like that you are better prepared to tackle every day at the office. Do you guys have essentials that I didn’t mention? I’d love to hear about them. Now that you are all set to tackle every day in the office, are you set to dress your best in the office? Check out my guide to finding the perfect work dress and other dresses for the office.
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