The modern world of business is moving 100 miles per hour, and if you want to keep up and stay on top, you need to be at maximum productivity at the office. No matter if you’re a regular worker, a manager, or a freelancer, you always need to boost efficiency. Even though it’s important, productivity is a fragile creature that can be ruined and affected by many things. So if you’re struggling with it right now, here are a few tips on how to improve office productivity quickly and efficiently.
Schedule tasks
We all like to mess around, no matter how seriously we take our job. For that reason, it’s crucial to set clear deadlines and due dates for your tasks. Scheduling tasks is an easy and cheap way to boost productivity at work, and you will always get things done on time. Seeing things clearly in front of you will create an added sense of urgency and make you work faster. Plus, you will avoid getting in trouble for completely forgetting to start certain tasks!
Declutter every day
It’s normal for your workspace to get cluttered during a workday, but if you allow that mess to build up, soon you’ll be surrounded by the chaos that will draw your attention, boost stress at the workplace and make you waste time searching for lost files, pens and important documents. Every day before leaving the office, take 5 minutes to shred papers, throw away trash and wash empty cups. This allows you to start every day fresh and motivated.
Rethink your office
Everyone has a different manner of working—some people love structure while others prefer to hop from task to task and from their desk to the printer, conference room, and cafeteria. Optimize your workspace to fit your working style by rearranging furniture, dividing your space into different zones, and equipping them with practical gadgets and tools.
Invest in health and comfort
Ergonomic furniture plays an important role in your productivity. A stiff neck, painful back, dry eyes, headaches, sore behind and restless legs can be very distracting so make sure your furniture solves these problems. Start with a good chair that’s comfortable and easy to adjust. Then consider a standing desk so you can stretch legs or grab a footrest. Make sure to adjust the height of your desk so your feet are firmly on the ground, elbows resting on the desk and eyes can freely move all over the screen.
Stay hydrated
Hunger and dehydration are strong feelings that can occupy your mind and prevent you from handling your tasks in time. So always have some healthy, light and nutritious snacks at hand when working, together with plenty of water. If you need something stronger to pick you up when your focus fades, grab a can of nootropic drink that will energize you and refresh you. With brain-boosting ingredients like alpha-GPC, huperzine-A, DMAE, Ginkgo Biloba and GABA, this drink can boost memory, motivation, creativity, alertness and general cognitive function.
Minimize distractions
Distractions are plenty at the office with all the noise, gossip, tempting smartphones and occasional hunger, and they are all productivity killers. If you want to minimize distractions, try leaving your phone in a drawer or downloading some apps that will lock your phone or block certain websites. You can also set up a coffee maker in your office to reduce the number of breaks. If the biggest distraction for you is noise, you can consider investing in noise-canceling headphones that will allow you to play soft music and completely muffle out the outside noise.
Green it up
Plants not only look great, but they also provide us with fresh oxygen, minimize pollution and help alleviate stress at the office. If you can’t turn your workspace into a garden, you can at least pick up a few indoor plants for your desk. Plants can boost productivity by 15% and improve concentration and engagement both emotionally and cognitively. They also improve wellbeing and eliminate various health problems which reduces absenteeism.
Check the thermostat
With all the issues you can come across at work, most employers don’t pay too much attention to office temperature. However, keeping as comfortable as possible can help maintain high productivity levels. People perform best when they are working at a comfortable temperature. This varies from person to person, but according to research, working in air-conditioned environments between 70 and 73 degrees is the best for productivity.
If you follow these tips, you will create an office environment that’s comfortable, distraction-free and healthy. Only then, you will be able to be a productive worker willing to give 110% to the company.
