Sitting in a windowless cubicle all day is hard enough, but when you add the knowledge that Colorado’s mountains are just a stone’s throw away the whole time, it gets even more painful.
But this is Colorado, the frontier, and we’re a tough people. We’ve found ways to incorporate the mountains into nearly everything we do, and that includes being stuck at work.
Whether you’re in need of a cubicle makeover or have windows but catch only a fleeting glimpse of peaks in between endless meetings, we’re here to help. Here are some ways you can bring a taste of the mountains into your everyday work routine, reminding you what’s waiting at the end of the day.
Buy a John Fielder book
Bringing this quintessential Colorado photographer’s work into the office will do wonders for your psyche.
Stressful email to write? Back-to-back conference calls? Open up one of Fielder’s many books to nearly any page and feel serenity wash over you.
Being somewhat of a Colorado expert, Fielder also offers guidebooks to some of the most scenic spots in the state. Tuck one away in your desk and sneak in weekend planning sessions when you can. Don’t worry, we won’t tell anyone.
Use your taste buds
Colorado’s mountains are home to vibrant communities full of local businesses, and what better way to remember your last trip to higher altitude than by tasting it?
High Country Kombucha is brewed at nearly 7,000 feet altitude in Eagle, Colorado, and can be found at Natural Grocers and other local grocery stores throughout the Denver Metro area.
How about some candy? The next time you visit Estes Park, stop in at The Taffy Shop, making saltwater taffy since 1935.
And if you work at one of those looser offices that likes to have “meetings” in the kitchen during happy hour, grab a brew from Telluride Brewing Co. Telluride brews its beer using actual snowmelt, all at about 9,000 feet above sea level.
Take a drive
Block out your lunch break on your calendar and get a solid dose of the mountains with a short drive. We’ve even taken the liberty of compiling a list for you.
Office decor
So maybe nobody else appreciates that you want to decorate the entire office for them, and while that motivational poster that says “Reach Higher” does have a picture of a mountain, it’s not really doing the trick — you can still incorporate some mountain flair into your workspace.
One idea is to go full-on log cabin. Bring in some wooden, hand-carved items like cups that can be used to hold pencils and office supplies. We also recommend following these tips from ImpressiveInteriorDesign.com.
If you want to maintain that mountain feel but keep it a little more low-key, there are some cool, hand-crafted options on Etsy.
Climb the virtual peaks
Your computer and phone hold the key to taking a mountain getaway without ever having to leave your seat.
The official Aspen Snowmass website offers real panoramic images updated every 10 minutes, so you can check in on how things are going whenever you need a fix.
There are also some excellent 360-degree videos on YouTube where people do crazy stuff on mountains so you don’t have to. They work on most browsers and smartphones.
If you are lucky enough to have a mountain view somewhere around the office, you can download apps like Peakfinder and see which peaks you’re actually looking at, including information on elevation and other facts.
And of course, you can always take a minute to explore any mountain in the world with the Google Earth web or phone apps.
Hopefully by utilizing some of these tips, your work days will become a little smoother, a little calmer and a little more like a John Denver song. Even though you can’t always keep them in sight, giving yourself small reminders that the mountains are near will make that next meaning seem a little shorter, than next email a little less tedious and the thought of returning to higher elevation a little more tangible.
