Lab Tricks and tips

Hi! I am currently extracting lipids from fish tissues. Lab days for me are ~9hours and I am in the lab All. The. Time. I’m also into fitness and trail running, and realized I needed to take better care of my body on these long lab days, not only to feel better but to give me energy for workouts and weekend long runs. I’ve developed some lab tricks that extend beyond your typical “get a good night’s sleep” and “wear appropriate clothing”. Lab can be lonely and exhausting, so I thought I’d share what has helped me out to fellow lab rats (some of these tips can extend beyond the lab!). This list is not exhaustive and if anyone has suggestions to add please contact me! 

1. Staying hydrated with early morning water chug!On long lab days I get in early and slowly drink my coffee when I have small breaks, which means I don’t really start to drink water until about noon! Now, while I make breakfast, I chug a big glass of water to start hydrating early. It’s been life changing. 
2. Eat a good breakfast. Sometimes I am so busy I don’t eat lunch until 2pm and I am not one to forgo meals. Making sure I get a filling breakfast in the morning gives me the energy I need and makes it less stressful if lunch is in the afternoon (if you’re not a breakfast person, maybe try making a smoothie and bringing it with you as an easy to “eat” breakfast for when you have a quick break). Your brain needs food too!
3. Pre-lab and during-lab stretching. Being in the lab for 8-9hours pipetting works some very niche parts of your body and I can get really sore (and not a good sore). I do a variety of quick stretches for my back, neck, wrists, and legs before I start, and then when I have mini breaks I do some quick stretches so I don’t tense up (probably looks funny, but I feel good :D )
4. Use a workout timer for repetitive timing in the lab. Vortexing is the bane of my existence (grr). I vortex A LOT throughout the day and use a Workout of the Day (WOD) timer app, which allows me to set the working (vortexing) time, a rest period (transition time to start new vials), and repeat as many reps (vials) as needed. This allows me to zone out and listen to music or a podcast instead of watching the clock (which makes things go so slow). 
5. Podcasts!!Especially now, I tend to be alone in the lab for a long time. If you’re an extrovert like me, this can really get you down. I find listening to podcasts makes me feel less alone. I usually frontload educational ones in the morning and then comedy ones in the afternoon when my brain starts to check out.  
6. Meal prep your lunches.As the week progresses, my fatigue increases and ability to do chores decreases. The best way to keep up my nutrition is to meal prep on the weekend and quickly throw a lunch into my backpack in the early mornings! 
7. Taking a rest day (if you can manage it in your schedule). In order to avoid burnout, I give myself one rest day a week where I don’t go in the lab at all. I find this helps me decompress and start the next week fresh, which also helps me avoid making stupid mistakes (mistakes are made when you’re tired and over it).