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Understand that your office and job are very important but not the end-all in life. A day has 24 hours and a work day should not endlessly extend beyond 8-10 hours. Heard about work-life balance?

When your day begins, in your diary or daily planner at work list the things that you need to achieve/finish on the same day in order of priority. There will be a few things that you need to finish only partly on the same day and can carry over to the next day. As you go along, new to-do's will come up. List them down too. Similarly, as you complete these tasks one by one, put a tick mark beside each task.

Make a realistic assessment of what you can do and cannot do. If someone gives you a task and you are unsure in terms of the time or scope of the work, admit it to him/her. Say you cannot finish it in the given time or that you don't know something. There's nothing wrong in admitting your inability or lack of knowledge. Don't commit on what you can't do.

Know that your co-workers and bosses are important but don't be reactive to each and everything they say or do. Don't be upset if someone says something unpleasant. It's either the person's nature or the work pressure under which s/he is that makes them react. Remember they are not your family, so don't be affected by their words and movements all the time. However, if there is a feedback, even if it is in the form of a rude comment, reflect on whether the way you do things require a change in approach.

If the person on the other side is already angry, avoid talking back or arguing. Just leave the matter there and don't consider it as an egoistic issue. Wait for him/her to cool down and then explain your opinion, may be over a cup of tea down the corridor.

Appreciate people in public, criticize in private.

Apart from what affects your work, don't be critical of people and don't waste your precious time thinking about how better they should have spoken or behaved. May be they too think the same about you. Keep work and your like/dislike of any person separate. Avoid talking work with co-workers outside the work area, and definitely don't carry your office- or work-related thoughts home.

If you have stepped out to have coffee or lunch with your co-workers, avoid talking about work. In fact, use this time to know your co-workers better. May be they have some interesting traits you do not know about.

Take breaks. Check out websites, listen to some music with headphones, or even indulge in some harmless and short gossip. Clear your mind regularly and you can better focus on the work.