23 tips for creating a more productive work environment
http://www.greatmanagement.org/articles/585/1/23-tips-for-creating-a-more-productive-work-environment/Page1.html
Rodger Constandse
Rodger Constandse has spent the last several
years figuring out how be more productive and successful... and how to help
other people do the same. By Rodger Constandse
Published on 10/7/2008
We all face the constant pressure to do more with less. Productivity is a critical focus for business in today's fast paced world - if employees are not productive enough then the business will not succeed.
We all face the constant pressure to do more with less. Productivity is a critical focus for business in today's fast paced world - if employees are not productive enough then the business will not succeed.
The need for greater productivity, though, often faces opposition from the very nature of human beings. We are not machines, nor are we indestructible or immune to our environment.
The best way to be productive, then, is to create a work environment that allows you to be as productive as possible.
Napoleon Hill said, "We begin to see, therefore, the importance of selecting our environment with the greatest of care, because environment is the mental feeding ground out of which the food that goes into our minds is extracted."
How can you do that?
Here are 23 tips for creating a work environment that enhances your productivity:
1. Keep your desk organized
This doesn't mean clearing it off completely every single day, but it does mean keeping the tools you need close at hand and loose paperwork to a minimum. Use a stack tray or standing file system to corral papers and arrange the telephone, computer, etc. so that they are all within easy reach.
2. Create a comfortable atmosphere
You spend a third of your adult life (or more) in the workplace, so make it comfortable for you. This might mean keeping pictures of your family, hanging a favorite piece of art on the wall, keeping a pair of slippers under the desk for times when you can take off your shoes, or displaying your company golf tournament trophy. As long as it creates a sense of comfort for you and is appropriate for the workplace, you can do nearly anything you want.
3. Set aside a time each day to do filing
Some people say it is best to file a paper or report right away when you are done with it, but more and more experts now recommend you set aside a specific time each day to do your filing.
Stopping to file items every time you use them is distracting and breaks the rhythm of your work. Instead, create a place for "to be filed" items and then block out a specific time to focus just on filing those items away.
4. Sort incoming paperwork into no more than three categories
As you go through the paperwork that comes across your desk, avoid the temptation to sort it into a large number of narrowly defined piles. This creates clutter on your desk and makes it difficult to prioritize what needs to be handled.
Instead, sort paperwork into no more than three categories, such as To Do, To File, and To Forward. This way you can keep your desk better organized and avoid the trap of shuffling papers in and out of multiple piles.
5. Turn off the email alert on your computer
Most people receive dozens and dozens of email messages every day, and every time you hear the "beep" of a new message arriving it is distracting, not to mention tempting to see what it is and whom it's from. Make it easier to concentrate and be productive by turning off the alert for arriving email messages. You can make a point of scanning through new arrivals every hour or so to watch for urgent matters, but otherwise you can stay focused and come back to email at a specific time you have scheduled into your day.
6. Let voice mail answer calls when you need to concentrate
The telephone is another huge source of distraction and productivity loss, so don't be afraid to turn off the ringer and let calls go to voice mail when you need to focus on a particular task. You will end up completing the task more quickly and with better quality if you don't have to stop every few minutes to answer the telephone.
7. Step outside for five minutes at least every 2 hours
This tactic is very effective for refreshing your brain and clearing your mind. You can only sit at your desk working for so long before you start to slow down, lose concentration, and not think clearly. Make a point of getting up and stepping outside for a breath of fresh air at least every 2 hours. If it is not convenient to get outside, take a brief walk around the workplace to get yourself away from the desk for a few minutes.
8. Eat lunch somewhere other than your office
Far too many people eat lunch at their desk, trying to work and eat at the same time. They think it is more efficient to multi-task this way, but in fact, it is much less efficient. Your brain and your body need a break periodically, so get
into the habit of eating your lunch somewhere else. Even if you only leave your desk for five or ten minutes, you will return refreshed and refueled to dive back into work.
9. Listen to soft music
The key here is "soft" music. The rhythm of soft, easy music is soothing and comforting, helping you concentrate and focus on your task. Keep the volume low so that the music is part of the background atmosphere, not the focus of your attention.
10. Add a plant
Keeping a plant in your office adds warmth and comfort to the space. Just having that little piece of green nearby is calming, and helps keep the air you breathe cleaner and healthier. You don't need to turn your office into a tropical
jungle, but do add a plant or two and just see what a difference it makes.
11. Sit facing the door
Whenever possible, sit facing the door instead of with your back to the door. It is disconcerting, consciously or unconsciously, when people walk up behind you. When you sit facing the door you can see people coming through your peripheral vision, giving you a chance to turn your focus to them without a sudden jolt or startling.
12. Establish a start up and shut down routine
Human beings are creatures of habit so establish a start up and shut down routine for yourself. The start up routine will help signal your brain that it is time to focus on work, and the shut down routine will help signal your brain that it is time to set work aside for the day. If you have children you already know how important it is to have a morning routine and a bedtime routine for them, so do the same for yourself and you will notice a difference very quickly.
----------------------------------------
Discover how to take control of your time & get things done...
Achieve Planner software for Windows helps you get organized, increase your productivity, and make better use of your time. Here's what one of our users had to say...
"After trying Achieve Planner for nearly two months I can honestly say that it has revolutionized the way I work. I have an incredibly busy schedule so I need something that can cope with a multitude of tasks, projects and
appointments whilst at the same time keeping me focused on what is most important. Achieve Planner does all of this and much more besides.
Over the years I've tried pretty much every system on the market and nothing, absolutely nothing, comes anywhere close to this. It looks great, works superbly, comes with excellent instructions, is a pleasure to use, but most important of all - IT REALLY WORKS!
For anyone who wants to get organized and take their productivity to the next level Achieve Planner is an absolute must. It's one piece of software that I'm certain I'll be using for many years to come."
- Paul Smithson
Click Here and Download Achieve Planner for a free 30-day trial!
----------------------------------------
13. Read a daily inspiration/motivation
Keep a book of inspirational or motivational quotes on your desk and make it part of your routine to read one every day. It will help focus your mind and give your spirit a little lift.
14 . Close your door if you need quiet
The majority of modern offices have some form of open door policy, which is a great thing for the most part. Sometimes, though, you need some quiet time and protection from distractions to focus on a task.
At these times, post a note on your door that says in a friendly way your door is closed for noise control and if someone needs you urgently to knock and then come in. This will help ensure you are only disturbed if there is something you legitimately need to deal with.
15. Be five minutes early to meetings and appointments
This is hard for some people who want to make every moment count and not waste a minute of the day waiting around or sitting idle. The problem with this approach is that your brain and body are constantly in motion, going from place to place with never a down time in between.
When you arrive five minutes early to a meeting, for example, you have time to settle into a chair, arrange your notes, and breathe calmly for a few minutes to focus your mind on the task at hand.
16. Make a list and cross items off when they are completed
Sometimes it is hard to keep track of everything you need to do, so get in the habit of keeping a "to do" list. This will help you see at a glance what you have coming up, and you will get a sense of accomplishment and closure when you complete an item and cross it off the list.
17. Touch each piece of paper once
Whenever possible, touch each piece of paper that comes across your desk just once. This is easiest when you set aside a specific block of time to go through paperwork and focus. As you pick up each piece, determine what should be done with it and then do it.
If it needs to be filed, put it in your To File area and move on to the next item. In this way you can move through your papers quickly and efficiently, finishing off as many items as possible and identifying those that require more attention.
18. Place an "in box" just outside your door
If you receive a regular stream of paperwork, mail, envelopes, and such, hang an "in box" just outside of your door. This cuts down on the number of people coming in and out of your office and keeps distractions to a minimum.
19. Stretch
The human body was not designed to remain in one position for long periods of time, so do yours a favor and get up to stretch every so often. Stand up, step away from your desk, and reach your arms up into the sky. Wiggle your fingers, shake your hands, stretch your back, lean into a wall and stretch your leg muscles, roll your head around in gentle circles to stretch your neck muscles. It only takes a few minutes, yet it helps keep your body energized.
20. Drink water
Your body is over 90% water, so keep it hydrated by drinking water throughout the day. Your brain will work better, your body will be better able to clear out waste and toxins, and you will have more energy. Most offices with commercial air handling systems are quite dry and dehydrating to begin with, making water that much more important to your daily routine.
21. Eat a healthy snack
Your body needs an energy boost mid morning and mid afternoon, so keep a healthy snack nearby. You can multi-task if you like and eat your snack while stepping outside for some fresh air, or simply push away from your desk for a few minutes and pause to nourish your body and your brain.
22. Smile when you answer the phone
This one might sound a bit silly to you, but when you smile it comes through in your voice and changes your body position. Smiling helps you sound warm, friendly, and energetic, which in turn creates those same things in the body itself. And that helps you stay more productive through the course of the day.
23. Leave work at work
This is perhaps the single most important thing you can do to increase your productivity, but it is also the one thing that most people just will not do. Your brain needs time to rest, relax, and recharge, but when you continue thinking and worrying about work beyond work hours your brain does not get the down time it needs.
Force yourself to mentally set work aside at the end of the day (this is where a shut down routine really helps) and allow your brain to rest. You will be far more productive in the end if you get sufficient rest and down time than you will be if you constantly keep work issues running through your brain.
The need for greater productivity, though, often faces opposition from the very nature of human beings. We are not machines, nor are we indestructible or immune to our environment.
The best way to be productive, then, is to create a work environment that allows you to be as productive as possible.
Napoleon Hill said, "We begin to see, therefore, the importance of selecting our environment with the greatest of care, because environment is the mental feeding ground out of which the food that goes into our minds is extracted."
How can you do that?
Here are 23 tips for creating a work environment that enhances your productivity:
1. Keep your desk organized
This doesn't mean clearing it off completely every single day, but it does mean keeping the tools you need close at hand and loose paperwork to a minimum. Use a stack tray or standing file system to corral papers and arrange the telephone, computer, etc. so that they are all within easy reach.
2. Create a comfortable atmosphere
You spend a third of your adult life (or more) in the workplace, so make it comfortable for you. This might mean keeping pictures of your family, hanging a favorite piece of art on the wall, keeping a pair of slippers under the desk for times when you can take off your shoes, or displaying your company golf tournament trophy. As long as it creates a sense of comfort for you and is appropriate for the workplace, you can do nearly anything you want.
3. Set aside a time each day to do filing
Some people say it is best to file a paper or report right away when you are done with it, but more and more experts now recommend you set aside a specific time each day to do your filing.
Stopping to file items every time you use them is distracting and breaks the rhythm of your work. Instead, create a place for "to be filed" items and then block out a specific time to focus just on filing those items away.
4. Sort incoming paperwork into no more than three categories
As you go through the paperwork that comes across your desk, avoid the temptation to sort it into a large number of narrowly defined piles. This creates clutter on your desk and makes it difficult to prioritize what needs to be handled.
Instead, sort paperwork into no more than three categories, such as To Do, To File, and To Forward. This way you can keep your desk better organized and avoid the trap of shuffling papers in and out of multiple piles.
5. Turn off the email alert on your computer
Most people receive dozens and dozens of email messages every day, and every time you hear the "beep" of a new message arriving it is distracting, not to mention tempting to see what it is and whom it's from. Make it easier to concentrate and be productive by turning off the alert for arriving email messages. You can make a point of scanning through new arrivals every hour or so to watch for urgent matters, but otherwise you can stay focused and come back to email at a specific time you have scheduled into your day.
6. Let voice mail answer calls when you need to concentrate
The telephone is another huge source of distraction and productivity loss, so don't be afraid to turn off the ringer and let calls go to voice mail when you need to focus on a particular task. You will end up completing the task more quickly and with better quality if you don't have to stop every few minutes to answer the telephone.
7. Step outside for five minutes at least every 2 hours
This tactic is very effective for refreshing your brain and clearing your mind. You can only sit at your desk working for so long before you start to slow down, lose concentration, and not think clearly. Make a point of getting up and stepping outside for a breath of fresh air at least every 2 hours. If it is not convenient to get outside, take a brief walk around the workplace to get yourself away from the desk for a few minutes.
8. Eat lunch somewhere other than your office
Far too many people eat lunch at their desk, trying to work and eat at the same time. They think it is more efficient to multi-task this way, but in fact, it is much less efficient. Your brain and your body need a break periodically, so get
into the habit of eating your lunch somewhere else. Even if you only leave your desk for five or ten minutes, you will return refreshed and refueled to dive back into work.
9. Listen to soft music
The key here is "soft" music. The rhythm of soft, easy music is soothing and comforting, helping you concentrate and focus on your task. Keep the volume low so that the music is part of the background atmosphere, not the focus of your attention.
10. Add a plant
Keeping a plant in your office adds warmth and comfort to the space. Just having that little piece of green nearby is calming, and helps keep the air you breathe cleaner and healthier. You don't need to turn your office into a tropical
jungle, but do add a plant or two and just see what a difference it makes.
11. Sit facing the door
Whenever possible, sit facing the door instead of with your back to the door. It is disconcerting, consciously or unconsciously, when people walk up behind you. When you sit facing the door you can see people coming through your peripheral vision, giving you a chance to turn your focus to them without a sudden jolt or startling.
12. Establish a start up and shut down routine
Human beings are creatures of habit so establish a start up and shut down routine for yourself. The start up routine will help signal your brain that it is time to focus on work, and the shut down routine will help signal your brain that it is time to set work aside for the day. If you have children you already know how important it is to have a morning routine and a bedtime routine for them, so do the same for yourself and you will notice a difference very quickly.
----------------------------------------
Discover how to take control of your time & get things done...
Achieve Planner software for Windows helps you get organized, increase your productivity, and make better use of your time. Here's what one of our users had to say...
"After trying Achieve Planner for nearly two months I can honestly say that it has revolutionized the way I work. I have an incredibly busy schedule so I need something that can cope with a multitude of tasks, projects and
appointments whilst at the same time keeping me focused on what is most important. Achieve Planner does all of this and much more besides.
Over the years I've tried pretty much every system on the market and nothing, absolutely nothing, comes anywhere close to this. It looks great, works superbly, comes with excellent instructions, is a pleasure to use, but most important of all - IT REALLY WORKS!
For anyone who wants to get organized and take their productivity to the next level Achieve Planner is an absolute must. It's one piece of software that I'm certain I'll be using for many years to come."
- Paul Smithson
Click Here and Download Achieve Planner for a free 30-day trial!
----------------------------------------
13. Read a daily inspiration/motivation
Keep a book of inspirational or motivational quotes on your desk and make it part of your routine to read one every day. It will help focus your mind and give your spirit a little lift.
14 . Close your door if you need quiet
The majority of modern offices have some form of open door policy, which is a great thing for the most part. Sometimes, though, you need some quiet time and protection from distractions to focus on a task.
At these times, post a note on your door that says in a friendly way your door is closed for noise control and if someone needs you urgently to knock and then come in. This will help ensure you are only disturbed if there is something you legitimately need to deal with.
15. Be five minutes early to meetings and appointments
This is hard for some people who want to make every moment count and not waste a minute of the day waiting around or sitting idle. The problem with this approach is that your brain and body are constantly in motion, going from place to place with never a down time in between.
When you arrive five minutes early to a meeting, for example, you have time to settle into a chair, arrange your notes, and breathe calmly for a few minutes to focus your mind on the task at hand.
16. Make a list and cross items off when they are completed
Sometimes it is hard to keep track of everything you need to do, so get in the habit of keeping a "to do" list. This will help you see at a glance what you have coming up, and you will get a sense of accomplishment and closure when you complete an item and cross it off the list.
17. Touch each piece of paper once
Whenever possible, touch each piece of paper that comes across your desk just once. This is easiest when you set aside a specific block of time to go through paperwork and focus. As you pick up each piece, determine what should be done with it and then do it.
If it needs to be filed, put it in your To File area and move on to the next item. In this way you can move through your papers quickly and efficiently, finishing off as many items as possible and identifying those that require more attention.
18. Place an "in box" just outside your door
If you receive a regular stream of paperwork, mail, envelopes, and such, hang an "in box" just outside of your door. This cuts down on the number of people coming in and out of your office and keeps distractions to a minimum.
19. Stretch
The human body was not designed to remain in one position for long periods of time, so do yours a favor and get up to stretch every so often. Stand up, step away from your desk, and reach your arms up into the sky. Wiggle your fingers, shake your hands, stretch your back, lean into a wall and stretch your leg muscles, roll your head around in gentle circles to stretch your neck muscles. It only takes a few minutes, yet it helps keep your body energized.
20. Drink water
Your body is over 90% water, so keep it hydrated by drinking water throughout the day. Your brain will work better, your body will be better able to clear out waste and toxins, and you will have more energy. Most offices with commercial air handling systems are quite dry and dehydrating to begin with, making water that much more important to your daily routine.
21. Eat a healthy snack
Your body needs an energy boost mid morning and mid afternoon, so keep a healthy snack nearby. You can multi-task if you like and eat your snack while stepping outside for some fresh air, or simply push away from your desk for a few minutes and pause to nourish your body and your brain.
22. Smile when you answer the phone
This one might sound a bit silly to you, but when you smile it comes through in your voice and changes your body position. Smiling helps you sound warm, friendly, and energetic, which in turn creates those same things in the body itself. And that helps you stay more productive through the course of the day.
23. Leave work at work
This is perhaps the single most important thing you can do to increase your productivity, but it is also the one thing that most people just will not do. Your brain needs time to rest, relax, and recharge, but when you continue thinking and worrying about work beyond work hours your brain does not get the down time it needs.
Force yourself to mentally set work aside at the end of the day (this is where a shut down routine really helps) and allow your brain to rest. You will be far more productive in the end if you get sufficient rest and down time than you will be if you constantly keep work issues running through your brain.