How to Make Your Workspace More Productive

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Written by Ruth Jadeson

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Today’s world features many opportunities for distractions. From mobile phones to noisy cities to overwhelming workloads, getting work done efficiently can be challenging. And when you can’t work productively, you may extend work hours and leave too little time for yourself.

Here at Timeqube.com, we write that you can reduce stress and be more productive by keeping healthy habits, meditating, immersing yourself in nature, and planning your time efficiently. However, you can also boost productivity by making your office area conducive to work. Here are some ways you can make this happen.

Use an ergonomic chair

Sitting for long periods with bad posture can lead to head, back, and neck pain. This can prevent you from being productive if you need to take constant breaks due to the discomfort you experience. Fortunately, ergonomic chairs can help with this. PainFreeWorking.com explains that ergonomic chairs increase productivity by encouraging better posture for greater comfort and fewer distractions due to pain. The Herman Miller Aeron Chair, in particular, is designed to pivot your shoulders, neck, hips, and knees to their optimal positions. It also has a seat tilt limiter, allowing the user to choose the most comfortable setting to sit in. These features can reduce pain even when sitting for extensive periods.

Try productivity tools

As a professional, your days can become repetitive, making you easily distracted. That’s why you may want to try getting a little boost with productivity tools. Our team at Timeqube.com offers the Timeqube—a simple but efficient tool that uses the Pomodoro technique. This lets you work at 25- or 55-minute intervals, so you can unwind and refresh with timed reminders to take breaks. Resting at the ideal intervals in this manner can help you increase your focus once you return to your tasks. Lastly, it can help reduce distractions from other people in the office or your household by acting as a visual ‘do not disturb’ sign. With a comprehensive productivity tool like this, you can work worry-free knowing you’re balancing focus and wellness.

Organize your space and schedule

Proper organization is one of the best ways to increase your productivity in the workplace. You have more reasons to stand up and procrastinate when you have a messy area because you’ll be tempted to clean it, especially when you want to avoid accomplishing a particularly difficult task at work. To prevent this, consider taking the time to tidy your workspace each day so that only the necessary items are within your view at all times. You can also have an area where you can quickly scan your to-do list. Trying to remember all the tasks you need to complete can be distracting. It may feel like a lot, and you may be anxious about forgetting them. But taking the time to write down what you need to do—ideally the night before—helps create structure and can prevent you from feeling overwhelmed in the morning.

Maximize natural lighting

Setting up your workspace somewhere with lots of sun heightens your focus and attention. SleepFoundation.org explains that this is because light is a major environmental cue that influences circadian rhythms, which regulate the body’s internal clock throughout the 24-hour sleep-wake cycle. When exposed to light during the day, your internal clock receives signals that prompt your body to become more alert. TheConversation.com adds that natural light supports melatonin production. This helps you stick to a regular sleep schedule, increasing your focus during work hours. By placing your table by a window, you can maximize alertness during the day. If it’s not possible to have sunlight, then make sure your workspace is abundantly-lit via a lamp or overhead light.

Focusing on your tasks can be challenging. But with simple changes that increase comfort, promote alertness, and reduce distractions, you can work more productively and spend your time well.

Article contributed by Ruth Jadeson

Exclusively for Timeqube