This piece originally appeared on BlackEnterprise.com.
If you’re like most of us, a great chunk of your day is spent sitting in an office, at a desk, banging out copious amounts of work. In order to pull off this level of commitment day in and day out, there are a few items that you need to survive.
Though survival items may vary based on personal wants and needs, below are a standard few, provided by the BlackEnterprise.com team, which can serve as a baseline to build from.
1. Phone Charger
Have you ever been caught in the middle of the work day with a dead cellphone? The thought alone is terrifying.
2. Bottled Water
Staying hydrated works wonders for focus.
3. Snacks
If things get hectic on the job, you may be forced to skip lunch. Fret not—there’s a stash of trail mix and a Blow Pop in your desk drawer.
4. Shout Wipes/Tide To Go Stain Remover Pen
Sometimes your lunch misses your mouth.
5. Plasticware
If you’re one of those people who doesn’t have the luxury of eating lunch away from your desk, it would behoove you to have a stash of plasticware—forks, spoons, and knives—at your desk.
6. Tylenol
Because you’re at work, and there are other people there with you.
7. Ear Plugs
Sometimes your neighbor’s lax day coincides with your hard deadline—be prepared.
8. Salt and Pepper
Just because you have deli food for lunch, doesn’t mean it can’t be tasty.
9. Floss Picks
Because no one needs to know you had broccoli for lunch.
10. Hand Sanitizer
For when your hand grazes something sticking and unidentifiable under your desk.
11. Umbrella
There is nothing worse than being ill-prepared for that spontaneous thunderstorm at 5:29 p.m.
12. An Extra Pair of Shoes
You never know where the day will take you.
13. Headphones
For when you need to jam out in the middle of the workday, and would prefer to not disturb your coworkers while doing so.
14. Napkins
Water spills, sauces drip, crevices that need cleaning, hands that need wiping—get you some.
15. All-purpose Cleaner
Take your hand right now, and wipe it across your desk. You didn’t know all of that filth was even there, I’m sure. Know that you know you can’t pretend that you don’t know, so clean it up.
16. Flashlight
Ever been stuck at the office during a blackout? Listen, you never know—stranger things have happened.
17. Spare Change
See number three.
18. Chewing Gum
Working silently for extended periods of time can have its repercussions.
19. Mirror
Sitting there all day can cause you to think that you’re looking one way, when you’re really looking another. Give yourself a quick decency check before heading to your next meeting.
20. Sweater
Not sure why offices find it necessary to maintain Arctic temperature levels, but they insist.
21. Deodorant
Because sometimes your body turns on you midday.
