10 unique tips to boost productivity at work

19 August 2021

Here are our 10 unique tips to help boost your productivity at work! They are all simple to implement and you are bound to notice a difference to your productivity levels! And there will definitely be a few you’ve never heard of before.

1. Avoid multitasking

This one may seem a bit counter-intuitive – surely multitasking makes you more productive? Actually no! This is a pitfall that many fall into, as multitasking makes you feel like you are getting a lot done. But in reality, it actually makes you less productive. Your brain is constantly switching between tasks, and you are losing time during each switch. You are also not giving any task your full attention, meaning it will take you longer to complete each one. It is much more effective to simply focus on one task at a time, and then move onto the next once you have completed it.

2. Tweak your notification settings

If you are focussing on something important, your phone or laptop pinging with a notification can throw you off track. You should set your phone to Do Not Disturb mode when you are focussing, and disable the notifications on your computer. And generally, you can go through your phone settings and turn off notifications from certain apps. Because chances are you get a lot of notifications you really don’t want or need!

3. Unsubscribe from junk

Chances are, your email inbox is clogged up with marketing emails which you either instantly delete, or never open. When you have some spare time, go through these emails and scroll down to the bottom. Here you should find a “unsubscribe” button, meaning they will never email you again! This is a good exercise to de-clutter your email so you can concentrate on what’s important.

4. Try out some music

You may have heard some conflicting opinions on this, but music can actually help boost productivity. In fact, a study found that 90% of workers performed better when listening to music! It may just take some experimentation to find what works best for you. There are playlists of music specifically designed for productivity on sites like YouTube that you can try. And research also showed that different genres of music had different affects. For example, ambient music improved data entry accuracy for 92% of people, dance music improves proof reading speed by 20%, and pop music reduces mistakes by 14%.

So, it is important to choose the right type of music to boost your productivity, based on the task you are doing. Music without lyrics is best if you are trying to learn new things. And if you require deep focus, it is best to listen to familiar songs as new songs can be distracting.

5. Brighten it up

boost productivity

There’s nothing more demotivating than working in a dark or dimly lit environment. Science has shown that natural light is best for productivity, so make sure all those curtain and blinds are open. If your environment lacks natural light, a study showed that blue enriched light bulbs are the best artificial lighting option. This improves mood and productivity, and reduces melatonin (the hormone associated with sleep).

6. Implement the 2 minute rule

You may make a habit of writing out long to-do lists that are full of small, mundane tasks that you’ve been putting off. But this just creates a stressed and bogged-down feeling. Instead, you should try implementing the 2 minute rule. This means if a task takes less than 2 minutes to complete, then just do it! This can include tasks like setting up a meeting with a colleague, or writing down some blog ideas. Getting these small tasks out the way first makes you feel more productive, and lets you turn your focus to more important tasks afterwards.

7. Have a plant in view

boost productivity

Believe it or not, a study actually showed that having a plant in your work environment can boost your productivity by 15%! And they also make a lovely piece of decor, of course. Some good office plants to try are Peace Lily, Bamboo palm or cacti.

8. Add some yellow

Colours are another thing that can have an impact on our mood and productivity. The colour yellow is one of the strongest psychological colours, invoking creativity and boosting productivity. So adding some yellow to your work space is definitely something you should try. You could decorate with some sunflowers, get a yellow mug, or some yellow stationary! Similarly, there are certain colours you may want to avoid like purple, which can make you feel overly relaxed and less productive.

9. Try working standing up

Sitting down at your desk all day can cause a lot of different health issues like back pain and lethargy, which of course impacts upon productivity levels. If this is an option for you, you can consider trying a standing desk. Being less sedentary boosts wellness and mood, leading to more productivity. If this isn’t possible for you, remember to take regular breaks away from your desk. Even if it’s just walking to the bathroom or making yourself a coffee.

10. Bring your pet to work (or just look at some pictures)

I think most people will agree that it is pretty difficult to feel stressed out whilst petting a cute dog or cat. This also makes you feel happier and more motivated at work. But chances are, unless you work from home, your workplace may not welcome pets. So the next best thing is to look at pictures of puppies on your break! It may sound cliché, but a study in Japan found that workforces were more engaged, happy and productive after looking at pictures of puppies, pandas and kittens.

We hope that this blog has helped you find some useful tips for boosting your productivity at work! Let us know in the comments if you have any tips you’d like to share. And you can check out our other blog post here where we discuss our top 10 tips for reducing stress at work.

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