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6 Science-Backed Ways to Make Your Office More Productive
Introduce some greenery
One study found that workers in spaces with plants showed a 15 % higher productivity compared to those in plainer surroundings.
Live plants also promote healthier indoor air, which research has shown has some effect on cognitive functioning in the workplace.
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Show appreciation
Creating motivation and making your team feel appreciated is a critical part of long-term productivity.
Encourage your team to keep gratitude journals - writing down a couple of sentences about what you are currently grateful for a couple of times a week. This practice improves productivity by increasing happiness.
Create some privacy
If people can't focus on their work, they are less effective in areas like collaboration and learning, and they are less likely to be satisfied with their jobs.
Workplaces with a balance between individual focus and collaboration are more innovative, creative and encouraging.
Let the sunshine in
- Switch to softer, more-natural-toned bulbs instead of halogens.
- LED lighting also may be more ideal for alertness and performance compared to fluorescent bulbs.
- Lensed-uplit conditions are preferable to the more common overhead downlighting, resulting in less eye strain and higher productivity.
- Taking breaks outdoors when possible also provides sunshine boosts during the day.
Keep temperatures moderate
Temperatures from 68 F to 77 F seem to improve productivity.
Try chatting with your staff to get an idea of what makes them comfortable since factors like windows and vent placement also play a role.
Take strategic breaks
Short breaks result in greater productivity and accuracy, especially with repetitive work.
For computer-based employees, frequent rest breaks also help reduce eye strain and physical discomfort
- The most productive people work "with a purpose" for an average of 52 minutes straight followed by 17-minute breaks.
- Another method is the Pomodoro Technique, which involves focusing for 25 minutes followed by a five-minute break. Longer breaks are included after several cycles,
- During your breaks, try listening to music, stretch, socialize or take a power nap.
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Key Ideas
Stale Office Air
The air you are breathing in enclosed spaces could be impairing your cognitive function.
Bringing more fresh air inside, or having a good ventilation syste...
Poor Lighting
Being close to natural sunlight can make or break an employee’s experience.
Productivity gains (and losses) are connected to employees’ environmental conditions, so companies that create ideal office environments with abundant natural light and unobstructed outdoors views will reap the dividends.
The Colleagues You Sit With
People’s moods are contagious. When your co-worker is rude, you will start to catch their bad attitude, too.
Sitting within a 25-foot radius of a high performer could positively boost the performance of colleagues by 15 %.
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Classical Music
Listening to classical music can help people perform tasks more efficiently.
The absence of words in the music may be one factor, as songs that contain lyrics have been found to ...
“The Mozart Effect”
This theory suggests that listening to classical composers can enhance brain activity and act as a catalyst for improving health and well-being.
Nature Music
Listening to the sounds of nature (waves crashing or a babbling brook) has been shown to boost moods and focus. They also help mask harsher, more distracting noises, such as people talking or typing
Nature sounds work best when they’re soothing sounds (flowing water or rainfall, while more jarring noises (bird calls and animal noises) can be distracting.
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Switch or change workplaces
People get tired of their surroundings and a spruce-up can boost their energy and creativity.
Moving furniture or going to a fresh place can help your productivity.
Plan ahead when energized
Plan ahead for the week, month or year when you are energized and feeling motivated, for better results for getting stuff done.
Minimize distractions
Minimizing or removing distractions is a great way to keep your productivity high, and it goes beyond just smartphones.
The root cause is our emotional discomfort and a need to be distracted.
Plan your day calendar reflecting your values, and stay on the tasks at hand.
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