https://lifehacker.com/five-ways-to-optimize-your-workspace-for-productivity-1784310012
1. Declutter Your Workspace to Reduce Stress and Improve Focus
Physical clutter in your workspace can overload your senses, leading to stress and impairing your ability to think creatively. A clean and organized space, on the other hand, promotes a sense of calm and control, allowing for better focus and productivity.
- Action Point: Implement a routine to keep your workspace tidy. This could include a daily "cleanse" at the end of each workday to clear your desk and prepare for the next day, as well as a more thorough monthly review to sort, file, and discard unnecessary items. Using smaller storage spaces can also help prevent the accumulation of clutter.
2. Optimize Your Environment with Natural Light and Fresh Air
The presence of natural light and fresh air in a workspace has been shown to improve mood, reduce stress, and stimulate productivity. Studies have even linked natural light to better sleep, which is essential for a productive workday.
- Action Point: If possible, choose a workspace near a window or skylight. If you're in a windowless space, make an effort to take regular breaks and walks outside. Even a few minutes of exposure to natural light and fresh air can make a significant difference.
3. Use Different Spaces for Different Tasks (Task Association)
Our brains are wired for habits, and we can leverage this by associating different locations with different types of work. This is known as "task association." By dedicating specific spaces to specific tasks, we can train our brains to get into the right mindset and workflow more quickly.
- Action Point: If you have the flexibility, create distinct workspaces for different types of tasks. For example, you might use your desktop computer for deep, focused work like writing or coding, your laptop for more administrative tasks like email, and a tablet for reading. Even small changes, like moving to a different chair or room, can help signal to your brain that it's time to switch gears.
4. Design for Laziness (Make the Right Things Easy)
Our brains are naturally inclined to conserve energy and take the path of least resistance. Instead of fighting this tendency, you can use it to your advantage by designing your workspace to make productive behaviors easier and unproductive behaviors harder.
- Action Point: Set up your workspace to support your desired workflow. If you want to drink more water, keep a water bottle on your desk. If you want to be less distracted by your phone, put it in a drawer or another room. By creating a little bit of friction for bad habits and removing it for good ones, you can nudge yourself toward more productive behaviors.
5. Control Your Auditory Environment
Noise can be a major distraction and a source of stress in the workplace. While some people thrive in a bustling environment, others need silence to focus. Understanding your own preferences and taking steps to control the noise level in your workspace is crucial for productivity.
- Action Point: If you work in a noisy environment and need to focus, use noise-canceling headphones or listen to music that helps you concentrate. If you find silence to be too stark, a white noise machine or an app that plays ambient sounds can be a good solution. The key is to be intentional about your auditory environment and to make it work for you.