I’m going to assume you’re here because you have a very distracting workplace and getting things done efficiently is quite a struggle. If that is you, then keep reading this article.
Unfortunately, our minds don’t always operate at full capacity. External factors often distract us and take us away from what we should be focusing on.
Luckily, these issues can be isolated and resolved. We have highlighted the 7 biggest distractions in the workplace, what you can do to fix them, and how you can optimize your work environment!
7 Tips to Improve Your Work Environment
Tip #1: Sound Preference — Noise or Silence?
Do you prefer to work in a quiet environment, or do you enjoy a little bit of background noise? Everyone has their own preference, so try to see how long you can sit down and focus in each environment.
If you enjoy going to the gym, you may notice it is easier to stay focused in a public gym than it is in a home gym. This is due to an effect discovered by the American psychologist, Floyd Henry Allport, where the productivity of individuals increased when surrounded by other productive people.
In order to capitalize on this effect, try working in an environment where other people are also working hard. Some examples may include a library, common room, study lounge, or even a coffee shop.
If you’re the type that prefers silence over background noise, try noise-cancelling headphones. According to a study conducted by Orfield Laboratories Inc., noise-cancelling headphones block out 75% of office noises.
Tip #2: Minimize
Minimalism is a lifestyle that focuses on living with the essentials. The workplace is an excellent place to incorporate this lifestyle, even if it is not how you normally live your life!
Having excess can quickly clutter up your desk and workspace. Try getting rid of inessential items and keep the things that you either use or make you happy.
Too much clutter is a very easy way to get distracted and lose focus. Keeping things organized is essential for workplace productivity
While you minimize, this is also an excellent opportunity to clean! A clean work environment, especially if you work with a lot of people, can prevent germs and bacteria from building up around your workspace.
Try scheduling cleaning times for your workspace (digital and physical). It can be quite therapeutic and refreshing on your breaks as well.
Tip #3: Go Green
Try putting a couple of plants in your workspace to add a bit of greenery… and improve productivity!
According to Wired, psychologists have found that including a few plants in your office “can improve employee satisfaction and can increase productivity by up to 15%,”
A couple of good office plants include: Pothos, Aloe Vera, Pachycereus, and Howea Forsteriana
If you do not want any plants in your office, try just opening a window. Fresh air is important and opening a window can give you a refreshing breeze to ease the mind.
Tip #4: Protect Your Posture
If you’re uncomfortable, it can become extremely difficult to get anything done, let alone long hours of uninterrupted work. Ensure that your chair and desk are ergonomic. If you want, you can also purchase ergonomic keyboards and mice!
If sitting for long periods of time can cause strain on your back, consider investing in a standing desk. A few studies have shown that standing desks can reduce back and shoulder pain, in addition to a productivity boost!
Although, be wary of standing for a long period of time too. Some standing desks make it very easy to switch from a seated to a standing position with a simple button click.
These desks can be expensive, so if you’re not looking to spend too much money, just take frequent walking breaks if your back is in pain. This can be an excellent time to open a window to get that fresh air we mentioned in Tip #3.
Tip #5: To-Do Lists and Calendars
For intermediary tasks, to-do lists are the best form of self-reward. Personally, I like to put my daily tasks on to-do lists, weekly and monthly tasks in a calendar, and my quarterly and yearly goals in a journal.
For building my calendar, I refer to my journal. For building my to-do list, I refer to my calendar. And for my journal? I just write down whatever I believe to be the most important tasks to accomplish this year in order to pursue my life goals.
To build a solid to-do list, I use Bryan Tracy’s ABCDE Method (we wrote an article including the ABCDE Method. To read more, click here). The ABCDE Method is simply an extension of the average to-do list, just with some extra organization.
To use this method, create five sections on a sheet of paper after you write a general to-do list for the day. At the top of each of the five sections, put the letters A to E respectively. Organize the tasks in the original to-do list in the following categories:
A Tasks are top priority and MUST be done today. B Tasks are still high-priority and SHOULD be done today, but it is not the end of the world if they do not get completed. C Tasks are tasks you would LIKE to do. C Tasks are not essential, but it would be nice if you did them today. D Tasks are tasks you should DELEGATE, and E Tasks you should ELIMINATE from the list.
Start the day completing A Tasks, then work your way down the list. This will ensure the most important tasks are done every day and you will stay on track.
Combining the ABCDE Method and my method, accomplishing simple tasks on your to-do list feel incredibly rewarding! Keeping track of your accomplishments and referring back to them can also be a good burst of motivation during a slow day.
Tip #6: Get Rid of Shallow Tasks
Shallow tasks are just jobs that can be done by a robot. Things like checking email, checking Facebook, or other mindless activities should be kept to a minimum during the workday.
If you really do want to complete these tasks during the workday, dedicate specific periods of time to allow yourself to indulge in shallow work. For example, a 15-minute shallow work period every two hours should work if you are required to stay up to date on your email at work.
If you do not need to stay up to date on your email (at least not by the hour), then a short shallow work period at the beginning and end of each workday should suffice. The hours between these work periods should be taken up by deep work with very minimal distraction.
In order to make sure your deep work hours are optimal, get rid of all notifications in your workplace. Notifications are designed to be distracting and attention-grabbing, a disaster in a work environment.
If you’re only checking email, Facebook, or anything distracting at specific times, then there is no need to know if someone sent you a message now or a few hours ago.
Also, do not check your phone during deep work hours. According to a survey conducted by OfficeTeam, employees spend about 56 minutes per day using their phone for personal business while at work. Think about how much more productive you’ll be if you have an extra hour every day!
Tip #7: Switch It Up
Try rearranging your office or desk. This little bit of novelty can create a boost of dopamine, which substantially improves productivity!
Although, remember not to overstuff your desk with useless stuff. Try to stick with the essentials and a few sentimental items.
When rearranging, try to be conscious of the things you use most frequently. It would be a little impractical and inefficient to store the items you use the most in an inconvenient location of your office.
Speaking of frequent items, try to keep a snack and water near you. The daily goal for water intake is 2 litres on average. I like to keep a big 2-litre jug near me to know when I hit this goal. It also keeps me hydrated, which prevents frequent and unnecessary breaks to the water cooler.
Conclusion
Your environment has a massive impact on productivity. It is always easier to work productively in an environment you feel comfortable and efficient in. Luckily, these 7 tips can quickly optimize your environment to improve your efficiency.